Alex Von Poschinge: Hi, I'm good and you and your family? Everyone safe?

Alex: Yes! Start with those ones. They are the best.

Alex: Well it's really obvious that question but Let me go a little back. in food gods as you can see the influences I put on the band and also they're all close friends. Even when I say "Nergal you sing on that and that" and they I tell Hiro the ideas I have new idea for this and this track. They lose their identity because suddenly they have to play something that comes out of my head, not regular comfort zone. For a guy like Corpsegrinder to play on a Power Metal/Heavy Metal riff like "The Ritual Of Thorn" or something like that is really hard for him. Not as a vocalist, because he's really good in what he's doing… but to understand the music, because there isn't a brutal riff or blast beats. It's a happy riff. They definitely doesn't lose their identity, but they have to step out their comfort zone.

Alex: He should and he was my first choice by any means, even before Nergal. I used to live in Tampa and George was already a part of the band. But I've moved of America, I moved to Poland and I was very sure that… well, he's got family and I'm okay, he's not gonna do it, he's gonna be too busy. We had also the money issue to fly him to Poland, because it was in 2006/2007 and it was really expensive, so we had to do things differently. I'm sure George can sing in any kind of Metal band, but I think in Voodoo Gods he can show really his own talent and his voice fits a lot of genres.

Alex: That's really easy because I do everything. I come up with ideas, I write all the songs and the guys have really nothing to do, but to hopefully do what I asked them to do and to play the music which I compose. I do the arrangements and of course a guy like Victor Smolski I don't need to tell him. I give him the vibe of the song, because he's such a great musician. So its like "I want a solo hear, a riff here, something there" and he's such a genious that he instantly knows what I want. The other guys are the same. They really trust me and sometimes they will be like "what? This is Power Metal, this is Heavy Metal, its up beat" because in Death Metal they play the down beat, but I don't. Its great because they respect me as a friend and they trust me as a musician. Works out great.

Alex: Yes and I'm sure if you hear the second song for example or even "Rise Of The Antichrist". Did you hear the full album?

Alex: Okay, so you notice that there are a lot of this variety that you liked so much. I think it just possible because not only we are friends, but because in Voodoo Gods we can do whatever we want. For a guy like Victor there's no more limit on guitar, there's no more limit on the bass, there's nothing we cannot do. So whatever pops up in my head or whatever vision I create for Voodoo Gods, we can realize it within a short amount of time. Because these guys can play anything.

Alex: A lot of people say that. But what they don't realize is that we all knew each other, except Victor that we got to know him in 2016, by now we are really close friends as well and Jean joined probably around 2005/2006. We met Jean really late as a person, but we have become good friends since. Of course I design the band, we are not a fuckin' Spice Girls, but I wanted to have my friends in my band. My friends should play with me if I ever start a band and then I decided that I would do a band and I just asked my friend if they would join me. From Nergal to Corpsegrinder, to Victor to Baudin. We knew each other for a very long time, but of course as I said we just met Victor in 2015/2016 but the rest of us, we were friends for very many years. You can go back to fuckin' 95/96. Voodoo Gods didn't even exist, but we were already friends. It was really easy for us to feel comfortable, because we knew each other all along.

Alex: Yes and one of the most important people on the band is Andy LaRocque, he's being a mentor for us as a producer and as a friend. He have been my friend for so many years now and we everytime he's with King Diamond he would text me saying "Hey, I will be with King Diamond there and we will sleep in this hotel" and of course I just want to go to meet my friend, of course it's a bonus if I see the mighty King Diamond too. But the management of King Diamond and Andy LaRocque have been very generous with me and Voodoo Gods. They helped us so much with many things and without them we would'nt be where we are. But understand us, Andy LaRocque understand us as a producer, what tone I want, what my vision for music and production is. I can't say thank you enough for that. The new album is only that great because Andy LaRocque made it happen the way he actually produces and do his things.

Alex: Look, this is the second album we do with him. We work with Andy LaRocque since 2014 so its been six years. The procedure is always the same: I start recording the drums, then I call him to record Hiro, the guitar tracks. I don't need the ghost guitar, because I have the songs in my head so I can record the drums just with a click. I don't need any noise, I just record my drums and then I call Hiro and show him the drums and I show him what I want with the piano, because I can't play bass or guitar. Fortunately he's a genius and he can play anything I tell him to.

Alex: Yes, it makes and for the music is much better. If we see each other on a daily bases, we would just talk about new ideas. Its not only Corpsegrinder, its also Victor Smolski, Seth and Jean. Jean contributed so much for the new album with his style and music approach, that is fantastic.

Alex: I agree! It doesn't sound like Death Metal at all, the bass. Its great! Andy LaRocque said "let him breath, let him have some air". Even in the mix we did it that way and it sounds phenomenous.

Alex: Oh man, I'm so fuckin' happy. That's one of the greatest compliments that I ever had. Thank you so much man!

Alex: I'm so happy because Brazil and South America is one of the places where people are most into Metal, including Heavy Metal and Power Metal. I mean, you guys have Andre Matos one of my favourite singers.

Alex: Yes! He was one of my favourite singers.

Alex: He's fuckin' amazing and I just met so many great musicians from South America which influenced Voodoo Gods, including Sarcófago, Abhorrent and Krisiun which the guys are great friends of mine. Its phenomenal that they are so good musicians, I'm very happy about it.

Alex: Definitely we are not a Black Metal band, but The Divinity Of Blood is not a conceptual album. I mean, we have a message against church, oppressors, against people who are bullies like your president, organizations and churches who would take advantage from people in Africa and Brazil, you know? For me as a African person specially is like "fuck that shit" I'm against that shit but we are not political and there's no concept behind it. Just enjoy our music and of course, if you look in our lyrics and see a message there, just try to embrace it. That's all I can say now, like I said we are not missionaires.

Alex: Yes, fucking Heavy Metal. I wish you, your families and loved ones to be safe out there. Be careful with this virus and I hope to see you guys live and Voodoo Gods will make everything possible and we are going to make anything to play live in Brazil as well.

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