Interview: ANZV (PT)

Today, Lachryma Christi brings you an interview with the Portuguese band ANZV. 
ANZV have been around since 2019 and recently released their debut album Gallas. And also recently, they signed a deal with Alone Records.
Lachryma Christi had the opportunity to see them live in Lisbon last December, and they put on a very different show. Very intense and ritualistic. Not only the atmosphere, but the music as well. 
So, let’s know them better, through the words of M.

What does ANZV mean?

First of all, we’d like to take the opportunity to clarify that ANZV is pronounced “Anzu”. ANZV (from Sumerian Anzû) is a mythological creature, half lion half eagle, and born from the primordial waters of Apsu. In Sumerian mythology, it is the personification of the unexplained elements of nature, such as storms and hurricanes.

How would you describe the type of music you play? I’ve seen the description “Death/Black Metal”, but your sound is really original. How do you define it?

This question, for us, is always uncomfortable. That would actually be the best description. There are clearly two predominant sounds in the composition, we don’t have a different way of defining it, to be honest.

Both your music, your look, and your posture on stage are quite ritualistic. What is your inspiration in this regard? What idea do you want to deliver to your audience?

The inspiration comes from the mythology in the world’s oldest civilizations, and the mysticism that surrounds the revealed transcripts. From the curiosity that arises about how the cults would be at that time. We want the audience to enjoy a sensory “trip”, referring to a ritualistic atmosphere that is what ANZV is all about. It is through synesthesia that we will try to transpose to the public, in an aura of obscurity influenced by Middle Eastern mythology.

What are your lyrics about? What are you inspired by?

At ANZV we have always been more interested in the occult from a more obscure and less popular perspective. Hence, the inspiration comes from the fascination with the Middle East mythology and all the enigmatic aura that surrounds it. In the case of “Gallas” it is still like an introductory approach to the Sumerian, balancing a lot between Nihilism and the beliefs and values imprinted in the subconscious of the mind, as well as the cult in past civilizations allied to the mind.

Having started your band formation in 2019, even before the pandemic and its restrictions, how was it for ANZV to share music and even to do live shows? Do you consider that, by now, things have returned to normal?

I effectively started working on music that I had been recording, and guiding the sound towards what I had thought of in 2019, as you mentioned. When the pandemic hit a few months later, the album was practically finished and the recordings were basically all done. The pandemic just gave me more time to improve some things. At that time there were no plans to even present ANZV live, so this sharing of music and shows was not felt as an anomaly. While the pandemic was going on, ANZV was maturing, and that wasn’t a negative aspect at all. 

ANZV is not a pandemic project, it is a pre-pandemic project, so I don’t consider that there was anything unusual about the whole process, as you would expect us to have at least a year to prepare the release of the album as well as to prepare the live performances. What we didn’t count on and that in a way “harmed” ANZV was the production of the vinyls. We had to delay the release for over a year, due to constant delays. That did become frustrating. On the other hand, it forced ANZV to confer another maturity to finally perform live.

ANZV members are already quite experienced in this environment and industry, as can be seen not only by your current act, but also by your history, regarding the bands and projects you have been part of. 

How did the idea of forming the ANZV come about?

I always had a main project, to which I always dedicated all my composition, however, this project, due to geographical issues of the elements that compose it, a few years ago was destined to be solely a studio work. However, after being inactive for a few years, I decided to go back to composing music and what came out was very different from what I had done before. By coincidence, an invitation to join another band also appeared. As things didn’t work out in that band and ideas were boiling, I started to dedicate myself seriously to ANZV which was already beginning to outline the path to be followed in the next compositions and let things grow by themselves. 

The ideas kept coming up and ANZV started evolving to the point of us starting to think about bringing the project to perform live. It was about that time that the line-up was also getting completed, and with that the whole atmosphere to play live was also being developed, through the songs created, leading to a carefully created look, in the presentation of ANZV to the public.

In December of 2022, there were shows scheduled to happen in Lisbon and Porto, with the bands Grievance and Belphegor. In which shows, Belphegor had to cancel their presence.
Since ANZV and Grievance kept their performances, how were those shows for ANZV, even though it wasn’t what was originally scheduled?

Only the show in Lisbon was kept. In Porto it didn’t make sense to keep it. It all came down to too many factors weighing in, on the final decision to cancel Belphegor. In addition to all the logistical costs that were getting worse with inflation, the previous days overloaded with concerts everywhere, led to the inevitable cancellation. In Porto, since there was already a Black Metal festival going on, it wouldn’t make any sense to be dividing the public. The offer was good for any Black Metal fan, so it didn’t make any sense to go on with that show. 

As for Lisbon, on the other hand, despite being overloaded with events in the previous days too, on that day there was nothing going on, therefore, on the part of Notredamme Productions, as well as for Grievance and ANZV, it made sense to keep the show. And it was good that we did. We wanted to present the album in Lisbon and this would be the opportunity. We had an audience that came on purpose to see an Underground show and not specifically Belphegor. So, as the venue was composed of true fans of both bands, it went very well because everyone was there to see both bands. We really enjoyed the receptivity and would like to return as soon as possible, as we were very well received.

Gallas was considered one of the best albums of 2022 by many magazines, webzines and others, including Lachryma Christi Webzine. Do you consider that 2022 was generous to ANZV?

We consider that we worked a lot to achieve what we wanted with “Gallas”. I couldn’t consider that it was all due to the 2022 generosity, because we worked really hard for it too. Nor can I consider that just our work was enough to have the return we had. It was a little bit of both. The finished work came out at the right time.

What about for 2023? There are already some shows scheduled. What else is on the horizon for the ANZV?

Yes, we already have a lot scheduled, but we can’t disclose it yet. 

Regarding shows, we already have some of them finalizing the scheduling, and in the next few days we expect to start spreading news.

Thank you for your attention, once again. Is there anything you would like to add to anyone reading this that hasn’t been discussed today already?

Thank you to Lachryma Christi for all the support you have given us. Stay tuned as there will be more news soon.

In case you're interested in reading the review to the Lisbon show from December 2022 mentioned above, please go here:

http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.com/2022/12/review-grievance-anzv-rca-lx-pt-02122022.html

ANZV are:

​​​M. Guitars 

N. Guitars 

A. Vocals 

T. Bass 

E. Drums