“Anything can be ‘black metal’,” proclaims Aldous Daniken, enigmatic leader and songwriter-in-chief behind UK-US extremists Qasu. “As a concept, it’s so much broader than just corpsepaint and tremolo picking. Mayhem, Immortal, Darkthrone and Emperor, they’ve all released amazing music already, so why ask the world to appreciate a second-rate facsimile?”
Working remotely with bandmates Rahsaan Sagan (vocals, synths, beats) and Nikhil Talwalkar (drums), Aldous has set about formulating a delirious sonic yin and yang where antediluvian primitivism pairs with hyper-advanced tech-culture. It is an unholy union of the ages, one which challenges the narrow-mindedness of the ‘trve kvlt’ forest dwellers and which the band themselves have dubbed ‘ancient future black metal’.
