This mysterious Symphonic Black/Death Metal cult returns with a scorching new EP presenting five “sermons” conjuring both the epic power of a cosmic battle and the grim reality of its earthly implications.
Following on quickly from their 2024 debut album The Prophecy of Karnifor, the mysterious Calgary, Alberta-based Symphonic Black/Death Metal cult Necht returns with a brand new EP, entitled TheInevitable Suffering. Operating jointly from the frozen wastelands of Canada and the damp gloom of Northern Ireland, the cult formed of Zenith Maharg on vocals, Ascendant Zhargor on the guitars, Ascendant демон on bass, and Ascendant Vlasfimos on drums presents in The Inevitable Suffering five “sermons” of Atmospheric Black Metal conjuring both the epic power of a cosmic battle and the grim reality of its earthly implications, each based on the myths and history of the Enkari – the early civilization from which the cult arose – as told in the controversial Enkari-B’ahn Scolls.
Like a creature arising from the underworld, the imposing, epic intro Over Ten Thousand Spears, B’ahn Rises Red kicks off Necht’s black mass before we face The Night That Knows No Dawn, starting in a cinematic manner and quickly exploding into the band’s trademark darkness led by the demented drumming by Ascendant Vlasfimos and the haunting gnarls by Zenith Maharg. Dread Is the Consort of the Dark is another harsh and infuriated display of Symphonic and Melodic Black Metal spearheaded by the Stygian riffage by Ascendant Zhargor, sounding perfect for a ceremonial black mass; and the visceral guitar lines by Ascendant Zhargor are boosted by the rumbling bass and drums by Ascendant демон and Ascendant Vlasfimos in As Oars Through Blood, offering Zenith Maharg exactly what he needs to darkly declaims the song’s impious words, morphing into the phantasmagorical outro …and so Across the Bloody Lake We Did Sail in Silence, putting a beyond obscure ending to one more successful gathering of the cult of the sun.
Such an amazing cult from the underground nailed it once again with The Inevitable Suffering, which is available for purchase from BandCamp or by clicking HERE, and for streaming on Spotify, and you can always join Necht and worship the sun together with them by following the cult on Facebook and on Instagram. “The Cult believed themselves to be spiritually bound to their sun-god, B’ahn, who was locked in a ceaseless battle for survival against His all-powerful mother, the Dragon Karnifor, as She sought to swallow Him and the world. The souls of dead Cultists could rise to join B’ahn in His struggle on the cosmic plains – and thus hold the Dragon back for just a little longer – but only if those Cultists died in battle. Thus, to the Cult, the only means to prevent the Apocalypse of the Dragon was, ironically, to prosecute an endless war on earth, which of course resulted in great misery for their people,” explained Zenith Maharg, leader of the Temple. “Thus, The Inevitable Suffering – for the Cult believed the suffering of war was fundamentally to be embraced as the only means of saving humanity.”
Best moments of the album:The Night That Knows No Dawn and Dread Is the Consort of the Dark.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Independent
Track listing 1. Over Ten Thousand Spears, B’ahn Rises Red 2:04
2. The Night That Knows No Dawn 6:08
3. Dread Is the Consort of the Dark 6:12
4. As Oars Through Blood 4:18
5. …and so Across the Bloody Lake We Did Sail in Silence 1:18
Band members Zenith Maharg – vocals
Ascendant Zhargor – guitars, choir
Ascendant демон – bass, choir
Ascendant Vlasfimos – drums
It’s time to honor the memory of our most ancient ancestors, the Enkari, with an amazing and detailed interview with Zenith Maharg of the Temple of Necht.
Zenith Maharg (Necht)
The Headbanging Moose: Thanks a lot for your time, Zenith Maharg. Could you please start by introducing yourself and the band to our readers? Who are Necht, and what’s your main purpose in this world?
Zenith Maharg: Hails, Herald Gustavo! I am the Zenith of the Temple of Necht. I am pleased to be given this opportunity to Illuminate you and your readers. Necht honours the memory of our most ancient ancestors, the Enkari – the earliest civilization yet discovered – and through our black metal Sermons we spread knowledge of their culture, beliefs and history. At our Live Rituals, we embody the Cult of B’ahn, who were the warriors of the Enkari city-state of Lashmir. The Cult existed to further a state of religiously mandated constant war against their foes in Ishpan, thereby mirroring and supporting the struggles of the Sun God, B’ahn, the Ceaseless Warrior, against the Mother Dragon, Karnifor, and Her constant efforts to swallow the world.
THM: You’re currently supported by your Ascendants Zhargor on the guitars, Aemoh on bass, and Vlasfimos on drums. How did you first get in contact with them, and what do they bring to the music by Necht that others couldn’t?
ZM: The Ascendants of the Temple are all masters of their craft, having honed their skills through many years of practice and countless hours upon battlefields across Canada. Ascendant Vlasfimos and I are long-term collaborators from earlier musical projects. By the Light of B’ahn, we were guided to find in Ascendants Zhargor and Aemoh similarly dedicated warriors of black metal. As every Sermon results from the combined efforts of each member of the Temple, without the participation of each member, Necht would not exist.
THM: You’ve recently released your debut opus, the excellent The Prophecy of Karnifor, which you like to describe as your “long meditation.” Can you tell us a bit more about the whole idea behind it?
ZM: Heed these words carefully, Herald. The Grand Meditation of The Prophecy of Karnifor introduces to a modern age the wisdom of the Enkari; with this and with each subsequent Meditation, Necht will gradually reveal more of the Enkari, as laid out in the Enkari-B’ahn scrolls.
These scrolls were discovered in the 19th century by German explorer and philosopher, Dr. Karl von Mecklenburg, and our Sermons are based on the contents of the scrolls as translated and published by Dr Birgitta Olsson in 2015. The scrolls themselves were written by the Qa’ars – priest-kings – of Ishpan, and comprise a record of contemporary observations, personal philosophy and religious passages.
Though long forgotten and hidden behind the fog of thousands of years of distortions and misunderstandings that our societies call ‘religion’ and ‘history’, there are many truths to be revealed by studying the thoughts, history, learnings and the doom of the Enkari.
THM: One of my favorite songs of the album is undoubtedly Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake, which also has a really cool official video. Can you please explain to us what this amazing song is all about, and how the recordings of the video went?
ZM: Our gratitude, Herald! The Sermon “Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake” tells of how B’ahn awoke to awareness as His Mother moved to devour Him; of how he fashioned both Thunder Shield and Lightning Spear from His rage and light, and confronted the Dragon, refusing to back down in the face of Her eternal and unstoppable power, and committing Himself to always fight. Therefore, it is only by His constant struggle that we live.
The recording of the Visual Revelation for this Sermon was done under the guidance and direction of Brother Joe Teminsky who, as an Azimuth-level Cultist, shares our vision and understanding of B’ahn’s radiance. It was important for this Visual Revelation to portray the ominous darkness of the void, the Star Ocean, in which Karnifor ever swims, and Brother Joe helped us capture that perfectly.
Album Review – Necht / The Prophecy Of Karnifor (2024)
THM: You were one of the finalists for Wacken Metal Battle Canada 2023 in Toronto, a concert I had the pleasure of witnessing, and now in 2024 you were summoned to be the guest headliners for the finals in Edmonton. What was the feeling for you and your ascendants to participate in both events, and what are the biggest differences in the band from last year to this year’s concert?
ZM: We were honoured to be a part of the WMB Canada Finals both in 2023 – where we did holy battle with Strigampire and Eaten by Sharks – and even more honoured to be invited back this year, where we looked on as five combatants furiously fought for the winning spot. 2024 differed in that it included an opportunity to welcome even Junior Initiates, as there was no age barrier to enter the Sacred Hall. Also, as the 2023 WMB Canada Finals was only our 5th live Ritual, we had considerably tightened our performance time of the 2024 Finals. In both cases, however, the atmosphere among the gathered was suitably electric and we were able to Initiate many people into the Cult by administering the Ritual of Ashes, marking the loyal with the Ashes of the Fallen.
THM: Apart from of course Necht and the finalists for this year’s Wacken Metal Battle Canada (Arrow In The Quiver, Age of Ashes, Infrastrvctvre, Beguiler and Dead Velvet), which other bands from Calgary or from the entire Canadian scene do you think are worth checking out?
ZM: Most definitely, Herald! Black metal fans should check out our compatriots in Kings Rot (a Cascadian style in the vein of UADA), Svneatr (more progressive) and Black Pestilence (for a punk fusion). Those who enjoy technical death metal with some truly ferocious vocals should indulge their ears with the latest release from Vaegon. Grand Mal also provide a crushing blackened death metal experience.
THM: Which bands and artists influenced Necht the most, and who would you love to tour with from those major influences?
ZM: We are very much rooted in second-wave European black metal, with bands such as Dark Funeral and Satyricon providing a foundation for our music. Other bands that have influenced us include Batushka, Behemoth, Belphegor, Cult of Fire, Gorgoroth, Helrunar and Rotting Christ. We would particularly enjoy the opportunity to conduct a Ritual in the presence of any of these Elders.
Necht
THM: You’ve just played at a very cool underground festival called Decimate Metal Fest 2024 in Millet, Alberta. How was the event as a whole, and what are the next live concerts for Necht?
ZM: Decimate is a young festival, held in a small town south of Edmonton. It offered the gathered an opportunity to see many bands from Western Canada as well as from the US, and includes camping. Junior Initiates were welcome at the festival also. The experience was excellent and we hope that B’ahn shines His holy light upon the festival in future years, so that more and more people take the opportunity to attend and support the underground metal scene.
For 2024, we recently completed our “Illuminating The Plains in Furious Radiance” series of Rituals in Alberta. However, our Zenith has been called overseas, drawn by visions to search for the Obelisk, so we will not be conducting any full Rituals for the rest of 2024 – only our Zenith is sanctioned to perform the Ritual of Ashes – but the Ascendants will host three more Assemblies. At these Assemblies, Ascendant Zhargor will provide the voice for the Sermons.
Saturday, July 6 – Canmore Alternative Metal & Punk Festival (AMP) III at Arts Place, Canmore
Saturday, July 20 – with Kings Rot and Liminal Shroud at The Palomino, Calgary
Saturday, August 17 – with Black Pestilence, Black Solstice, Void of Mood and Putrid Stain at The Slice, Lethbridge.
THM: Now that you’ve released your first album and started promoting it with your insane live performances, what’s next for the band?
ZM: We will be revealing our next Lesser Meditation, “Dread Is The Consort Of The Dark” before the end of 2024. We have already recorded the footage for the accompanying Visual Revelation, and the Sermon will be recorded shortly.
We will then retire to the sanctity of our Temple to contemplate the wisdom of the Enkari-B’ahn Scrolls once more, and work on another Grand Meditation, which we aim to reveal in 2025. We also plan to conduct Rituals in other countries during 2025, in order to spread the word of B’ahn more widely.
THM: Thanks again for the interview! Please feel free to leave your final message and considerations to our readers, and I hope to see Necht live again in the near future! Glory to the Sun!
Offering grim, martial and epic tales of the Enkari, the first human civilization, this Canadian Black Metal horde steps out of the shadows of the past to spread the word of their long meditation.
GLORY TO THE SUN!
We humans are and have always been driven by our own imagination. Someone stumbles across an old book as a child and from then on lives a life believing in the resurrection of a man who died in a cruel way, giving rise to white metal as a movement. Born in the fires of the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta in 2022, the infernal Black Metal entity known as Necht is stepping out of the shadows of the past to spread the word of their long meditation, entitled The Prophecy of Karnifor. Offering grim, martial and epic tales of the Enkari, the first human civilization, inspired by the discoveries of the German explorer and philosopher Karl von Mecklenburg, as unveiled in the controversial research of Dr. Birgitta Olsson, The Prophecy Of Karnifor is a bold, multi-layered feast of Black Metal in the name of B’ahn, Our Father, The Ceaseless Warrior, masterfully brought into being by Zenith Maharg (vocals) and his Ascendants Zhargor (guitars), Aemoh (bass) and Vlasfimos (drums).
As if the band was preparing us for their Stygian cult, we face the imposing intro The Vision of the Qa’ar, exploding into the ferocious Within Her Jaws Dwells The Dark Promise Of Our Death, where Ascendant Vlasfimos sounds utterly infernal behind his drums while Zenith Maharg begins his visceral, demented vocal attack by screaming and roaring manically nonstop. Then continuing their ritualistic feast of darkened sounds, it’s time for Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake, where the riffs by Ascendant Zhargor will haunt your damned souls accompanied by the classic bass by Ascendant демон in another heavy, grim and venomous creation by the quartet. To Me, The Obelisk Calls blends their core Black Metal with elements from Atmospheric Black Metal, and the final result is a phantasmagorical voyage by Necht, with the drums by Ascendant Vlasfimos once again sounding demolishing; and you better prepare your senses for an overdose of towering, visceral sounds by Necht in the eight-minute beast titled Into Bondage Born, a Melodic Black Metal aria where Zenith Maharg leads his horde with his devilish gnarls while the guitar by Ascendant Zhargor will pierce your minds mercilessly.
And they keep decimating our damned souls in By The Fires Of Ascension Shall I Reach The Sky, with the band’s stringed duo delivering sheer Black Metal madness supported by the always hellish beats by Ascendant Vlasfimos, whereas By Blood And Bone Do We Bind lives up the the legacy of modern-day Melodic Black Metal, blasting our ears with the band’s trademark ferocity and passion for the occult, all of course spearheaded by the demonic growls by Zenith Maharg. There’s time for a cinematic interlude titled Blackened Loom The Walls Of Ishpan, setting the stage for the band to crush our souls one last time in For Violence Was Wrought Upon Me, a Behemoth-inspired extravaganza tailored for fans of Blackened Death Metal, putting a beyond infernal ending to the band’s black mass.
“BRETHREN! Do not fear the shadow. Within the shadow there may be found despair. Within the shadow there may be found death, and dissolution. But within the shadow, there may also be found awakening and enlightenment. For it was in the shadow that our Father, B’ahn, was born. GLORY TO THE SUN!” Those were the words by Zenith Maharg, from the Temple of Necht in the Cult of B’Ahn, citing the Enkari-B’Ahn writings, and if you’re eager to join them in the occult you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, listen to their eerie creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of The Prophecy Of Karnifor from the band’s own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Glory to the Sun, glory to Black Metal, and glory to Necht for bringing into being such an amazing album.
Best moments of the album:Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake, Into Bondage Born and By Blood And Bone Do We Bind.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Independent
Track listing 1. The Vision of the Qa’ar 1:42
2. Within Her Jaws Dwells The Dark Promise Of Our Death 7:25
3. Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake 5:40
4. To Me, The Obelisk Calls 5:26
5. Into Bondage Born 8:37
6. By The Fires Of Ascension Shall I Reach The Sky 6:41
7. By Blood And Bone Do We Bind 7:33
8. Blackened Loom The Walls Of Ishpan 1:46
9. For Violence Was Wrought Upon Me 5:32
Band members Zenith Maharg – vocals
Ascendant Zhargor – guitars, choir
Ascendant демон – bass, choir
Ascendant Vlasfimos – drums
Following on quickly from their 2024 debut album The Prophecy of Karnifor, the mysterious Calgary, Alberta-based Symphonic Black/Death Metal cult Necht returns with a brand new EP, entitled The Inevitable Suffering. Operating jointly from the frozen wastelands of Canada and the damp gloom of Northern Ireland, the cult formed of Zenith Maharg on vocals, Ascendant Zhargor on the guitars, Ascendant демон on bass, and Ascendant Vlasfimos on drums presents in The Inevitable Suffering five “sermons” of Atmospheric Black Metal conjuring both the epic power of a cosmic battle and the grim reality of its earthly implications, each based on the myths and history of the Enkari – the early civilization from which the cult arose – as told in the controversial Enkari-B’ahn Scolls.
Such an amazing cult from the underground nailed it once again with The Inevitable Suffering, which is available for purchase from BandCamp or by clicking HERE, and for streaming on Spotify, and you can always join Necht and worship the sun together with them by following the cult on Facebook and on Instagram. “The Cult believed themselves to be spiritually bound to their sun-god, B’ahn, who was locked in a ceaseless battle for survival against His all-powerful mother, the Dragon Karnifor, as She sought to swallow Him and the world. The souls of dead Cultists could rise to join B’ahn in His struggle on the cosmic plains – and thus hold the Dragon back for just a little longer – but only if those Cultists died in battle. Thus, to the Cult, the only means to prevent the Apocalypse of the Dragon was, ironically, to prosecute an endless war on earth, which of course resulted in great misery for their people,” explained Zenith Maharg, leader of the Temple. “Thus, The Inevitable Suffering – for the Cult believed the suffering of war was fundamentally to be embraced as the only means of saving humanity.”
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 