"While many American black metal groups set out to emulate the Norwegian bands they worship, the music we create is not in tribute to anyone accept ourselves and our patron demons," Lightning Swords of Death vocalist Autarch told Noisecreep. "The objective is to pummel the listener's psychic defenses until each membrane has been compromised and then fill them with the glory of hell." That's the motto of most kvlt black metal bands and LSOD are one of the few domestic bands adopting that credo to the fullest. Their most recent recording, a savage, face-ripping split disc with Valdur, is available in limited quantities. Again, LSOD follows the ethos of the black metal scene, where the truest kvlt albums are only available via underground trading networks in Southeast Asia – okay, we're exaggerating. But this scene's "in the know," uber-underground vibe is similar to the tape trading fad of the 1980s.

Lightning Swords of Death may appear to be a silly name, but the members, music and meaning are as grim as a funeral. "Lightning Swords of Death describes the magical weapon from which we manifest our will upon reality," Autarch stated, somewhat cryptically. "The name was chosen due to its occult significance within our group. It was originally a drug code of sorts, inspired by the name of a Japanese film we enjoyed. Sometime later, the name revealed itself during ritual drug use to be the true paradigm from which we had been drawing our power, the Qlipothic path of the Lightning Sword accessed through the sephira of Daath."

Autarch continued, "We are aware that it is an untypical name for a black metal band, but raiding the work Johannes Wier for demon names has been done to f---, has it not?" We definitely agree with him about the Dutch occultist's sphere of influence being overextended by bands. "Still, I am sure there are some tragically retarded individuals out there who would prefer us to be called "Gognog Mug Alugdug" or some such nonsense," Autarch said. He has a point. Not only has 'Gognog Mug Alugdug' been done to, well, death, it's probably been scrawled in an unreadable, black metal font, too.

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