Misanthropik Torment

Leviathan

Metal Temple writer Justin 'Witty City" Wittenmeier recently reviewed the latest album, 'Ecdysis' from extreme metal band Misanthropik Torment. He praised the duo's black/death sound for its brutal nature, both lyrically and musically. He recently talked to vocalist & lyricist Leviathan to see what makes him tick and what makes their music so volatile.

By Justin "Witty City" Wittenmeier

• April 19, 2023

Misanthropik Torment's Leviathan: If what I say makes someone angry

The contempt and disdain for how putrid our world has become is very apparent. Do you feel that humanity, and thus the world, is truly too far gone? Or is there some hope?

I would like to think there is some hope otherwise I am just wasting my time and energy along with my breath. The world has always been a brutal place, I mean from the dawn of time humans have been killing raping and conquering each other, from the moment Humanbeings begain their regin on this planet all any of them have done is destroy and slowly kill our planet in their quest for abssolute power and controle over one another. This seems to be, from my observation, the nature of humans. So I would like to think enough of us have evolved as a species to have the understanding that things need to change, however my commonsense tells me otherwise.

Tell me a little about yourselves. Have the two of you always been so passionate about the state of unrest as you were growing up? I know with myself, especially now that I have children, being cognitive of the world around me, and the stress that comes with it, has increased tenfold.

As far as the state of unrest even as a 14 year old child it always amazed me that people would say life is too short, well if life is hard and life is too short then why the hell is everyone making it that much harder on each other? The state of unrest needs to be addressed in a more assertive manner because people are just not listening.

When did you realize that you wanted to make music? Was the goal always to speak out against the world's issues and injustices?

I was 5 or 6 years old the very first time I heard and understood Metal music, My uncle woke me up late at night to watch Headbangers Ball and I knew from that moment this is what I wanted to do. It wasn't until I was older and had been through the hell we all live in now, that I wanted to focus my lyrics and vetements towards a more fitting cause. I myself have been a vocalist since the day I popped out of my mother's p**** throwing the horns and screaming Ozzy's Bark At The Moon. Ha Ha no seriously I've known from a very early age that music was my calling, I just had no idea how long it would take for me to get here. Life happens you know what I mean?

Your lyrics are brutal and to the point but do speak of important matters while other extreme metal bands speak about entrails or serial torture. Do you feel it is your calling to delve into these issues thru metal? Should other metal bands be more socially conscious?

I do feel as though other bands should use the platform they have to try and be a part of a solution. instead of trying to out brutal the last band because I promise you there is no band out there other than mayhem or more brutal than Misanthropik Torment! I have actually spent time in prison for doing the things that I talk about in my music, I actually stabbed a pedophile. I hear a lot of these bands and their music is sometimes really good but they should focus their topics about things they have experience with. Just my opinion.

Special note: (Camp Verde, Arizona - January 14th, 2000, Misanthropik Torment mastermind Erik Scarlet (AKA Erik Leviathan ) was arrested and later charged with "Dangerous Deadly Assault" after he attacked and stabbed Jason Tardiff 56 times in the groin area, essentially castrating the man. Erik was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Erik claims he attacked Jason after finding out that Jason was sexually assaulting his girlfriend's three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. During Eriks 16 years in prison, he began writing the lyrics for the songs that are now performed by his band Misanthropik Torment.)

Tell me about the writing process. Your music is angry but it is definitely a righteous anger. I can't imagine you guys sitting down calm and collected to pump out this style. Do you piss yourself off putting together songs and albums? Knowing you're writing about these things that people seemingly ignore?

Ah the therapy session! I don't have to look very far for topics to write about. Just walk outside , turn on the news, the topics to scream and rebel about are everywhere. However, on some occasions when I feel I need to hit that emotion just right, I smoke a shit ton of weed, go in my studio and turn out all the lights and I listen to the instrumental until the instruments start talking to me and telling me what to say.

Has there been any opposition against your music from the ignorant? Taking '19 Children Dead! Fuck The Police!' For example....can't imagine every cop loving this song. But the song deserved to be written, regardless. Hell, it needed to be written!

SOOOO MUCH OPPOSITION! We are not even that big in the grand scheme of things yet multiple companies and people have tried to cancel and silence us. I love it! It fuels my fire to make the world hate what I'm talking about. If what I say makes someone angry , well GOOD!!! That is the point. You don't listen to Misanthropik Torment to take your girlfriend on a date, You listen to Misanthropik Torment to become enlightened and enraged!

Speaking of that song, any chance in the future of using a longer song structure again?

I myself would love to do another 11 minute song. But ultimately that is all up to John (all instruments) and how he feels.

What's in the future for Misanthropik Torment? What will you rage about next? I'm sure nothing is off limits!

Nothing is ever off limits! Right now we are working on our next album Blasphemous Hymns, a lot of people are going to be upset when they hear this album and read the lyrics. I don't want to spoil the album however I will say that the subject matter has absolutely nothing to do with an actual God….it's more an attack on religion, and most individuals cannot understand that the two are very separate. I myself am also writing a book called The Evolution Of My Psychosis.