'Doomsday Prophets' Verkrag`s New Video

A new VERKRAG video is online! This is the demo version of 'Doomsday Prophets' and can be watched below. The final version will appear on the next VERKRAG album coming 2012 and that in principle will be called "Anti-God". 

Here is the lyrics of 'Doomsday Prophets' 

With piercing eyes you roam your turf

Seeking sinners, seeking dirt

"Repent or die!" your high pitched scream

your condescending eyes they gleam

"You will be judged, you filthy scum,

before our god you all will come"

You doomsday prophet, you evil saint

what gives you the right to name my fate?

Your form is godly but you deny the power

You stand for justice and yet you cower

You crawl in the dark like a rat on heat

Seeking to destroy, seeking to defeat

Who is this god you talk about

The God of truth? The God of light?

"Go in love", He summonsed you

Where is that love, you malicious few?

Why is it then your holy gold

Reflects the soul of one not whole?

You’ve missed your calling, you’ve gone astray

Your very own you turn away

Mindless beings - Unevolved creatures

Superstitious primitive half ape

Blindly following and believing

Existence governed by fairytale laws

This prosecuted prophet you blindly follow

Believing him god yet he's dead

Rotting for more than 2 millennia

Remove the blindfold use your head

Screaming on street corners like whores

I watch you as you walk and prance

For your hypocrisy all can clearly see"

Leeches latched to open sores

Repent or burn in the fires of hell

you say to those who don't obey

Pretty little dressed up porcelain dolls...

Nothing but empty shells

"You will be judged, you filthy scum,

before our god you all will come"

You doomsday prophet, you evil saint

What gives you the right to name my fate?

Your form is godly but you deny the power

You stand for justice and yet you cower

You crawl in the dark like a rat on heat

Dismember and feast on innocent meat

Who is this god you talk about

The God of truth? The God of light?

"Go in love", He summonsed you

Man made god misunderstood Jew

Church rule dominate like days of old

Threatening eternal damnation of souls

What is the purpose to all of this?

Why do we even have to exist?

Left man drenched in guilty blood

Victoriously i will rise as my own god

Religion is a lie

Look for the god inside yourself

Music by Anton van Niekerk.

Lyrics by Anton van Niekerk & A.H. Miller

Copyright © Anton van Niekerk. All rights reserved.

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VERKRAG The Offender Of Bloemfontein Interview

This time HeavyHardMetalmania brings us "Verkrag" the offender of Bloefontein, deepen social , cultural and religious beliefs of the Anton Van Niekerk, not to be missed... below.

Nuno Ribeiro - Hi Anton!  For those with curiosity, presents us the pacific unknown citizen of Bloemfontein, South Africa "Anton Van Niekerk"...

Anton Van Niekerk - Bloemfontein is one of the smaller cities in South Africa and not much ever happens here. I work as a graphic designer and spend most of my time just doing art and music. To relax I go out every now and then only to regret it the next day...

NR – Who is the monster in you, the offender, rapist, kidnapper and the mad and insane VERKRAG?

AVN - When in crowds everyone feels a little uneasy. Like you are being watched and examined. You look around then and start judging others yourself. At bars and nightclubs you see the sluts flirting with men just to get a drink and boost their little ego’s, and the poor fools emptying their wallets hoping she’ll get drunk enough so he can have his way with her later. You stare at them while they are dancing and behaving like birds in breeding season trying so desperately to get the attention of the opposite sex while simplistic and idiotic beats are pounding through the sound system. Then you think to yourself that you do not fit in there at all... That is when the fantasies of just killing them all in the most brutal ways start to emerge.

That was just an example how I often feel when I go out  here in Bloemfontein, but many have felt this before in other situations and that is why people relate to my music. The escape into the darkest parts of your mind, where you can be as cruel and unmerciful as you wish! Better to escape reality this way than to snap and act on it. No one wants to go to jail because of an impulsive act. I say if you really want to kill then plan it very carefully…

NR - In many cases, the creator and character merge and it’s hard to distinguish who is who. Anton and Verkrag are distinguished perfectly, how can you make this distinction so clearly?

AVN - We all show different sides of ourselves at different times to different people. Everyone has their dark side. Most try to suppress it. I use it to create. That’s how through Verkrag, I get rid of my anger and rage. In the music you see Verkrag only. Those who speak to me online or in person speak to Anton. I am very calm and like to joke and have fun.

NR - "Called and hailed as "Psychotic Black Metal", besides the greatness of the art “13 Victims” do you have the notion that you can have created a new trend in metal. 

AVN - I just wanted to try something different from the norm. Still don’t see it as a new trend really… To me music is just different sounds used to create a certain feeling.  Black Metal was my preferred choice of musical genre because of the feeling of rage I could get out of it. I added lots of new almost horror film sound effect so that the music fits with the lyrical theme of the psychotically deranged.


NR - "The tale around "13 Victims" tells a story about a murderer who gets flashbacks of his childhood and his incestuous relationship with his sister. Later, he begins to save prostitutes from the streets, killing them. When he gets older he starts to love the purity of the girls, and begins to torture, rape, kill and eat them before they can become impure ... In the asylum; all the victims haunt him, not knowing if they are ghosts or just something in his mind, we see him sited in a dirty psychiatric hospital..."

Described as "loss of contact with reality" Psychosis can be portrayed as hallucinations or delusional beliefs, and may exhibit personality changes, thought disorder and bizarre behaviour. 

Where did you get inspiration for this work?

Is this psychotic killer real, in the head of "Anton" or manipulated by the head of Verkrag? Or is there here a little of both?

AVN - I never studied psychology but I’d say it is part of human nature. They call it “human” nature yet we are just animals after all. We fuck like animals. Most people lie and cheat to get fucked and to fuck. Why then is it a taboo topic to speak about murder and cannibalism so openly when killing is such a big part of nature? People should stop being such hypocrites and face the fact that the primal animalistic urges will always be there and by this I do not mean just the sexual urges. The beast lives in all of us… some just choose to go the extra mile and cross that line and to kill. Those individuals inspire me. They inspire me because they decided that they do not care about what standards humanity sets or even what the punishment for their actions will be. The serial killers who never got caught of course, bring me most inspiration.

NR – The victims 'models' were carefully chosen from dozens of proposals that you obtained around the world.
What was the criteria for the "the beautiful" choice?

AVN - I looked at the pictures and the mood they created and how I could use the pics in the album artwork. I wanted some variety. Some of the victim pics were more bloody and extreme while others focused more on emotion. Not all the pics were based on the theme of rape or ‘victim’ but also insanity, asylums and religious visions to fit the lyrical content of the alum.

To view the ’13 Victims’ photography, artwork and lyrics visit: http://www.verkrag.com/13victims.html

NR - Two of the Verkrag models, Elena (USA) and Vanessa (Germany), gained the possibility to work also with Dark Funeral!
What is your connection to Dark Funeral?
AVN - At the moment there is no connection. I resigned from the Dark Funeral team a while ago so I can focus on my own projects more. I used to be the co-ordinator of all the official Dark Funeral groups on facebook. I was also a back-up admin on their official facebook page. I did some flyer designs for them and also edited some of Elena’s pictures for Diaboliswear (their merchandise shop)

NR - “...I am actually quite satisfied with the way things are going now. Actually I don’t work well with others; I am extremely full of shit..."

These words were taken from an interview you gave to a site in September 2010 related to gigs. If I remember correctly I also have seen a comment on FB that you said that live gigs with Verkrag will never happen!

From what I know (and I follow your career closely and continuously), your sites are treated very carefully, with attractive design, excellent photos, the message to the receiver is well thought out, a musical work extremely rigorous.
Will it be perfectionism* as a belief that perfection can and should be achieved and that nothing less than perfect is unacceptable?

*In this way the relationship with others becomes more difficult, because one mistake, a step in another direction is enough to light the fuse within us!
Am I wrong in saying that there is also a bit of misanthropy?
AVN - Haha, you basically answered the question for me. You are correct yes.

To put up the kind of show I would like to do, would cost a hell of a lot of money. (Props, blood, actors, naked women, different backdrops, lighting etc etc... )

Right now I just feel that I do not need to go on stage to impress anyone. Either people understand the music and art or they don’t. VERKRAG’s stories are best envisioned in the mind’s eye...

NR – “Religion is a lie,
Look inside yourself for the god.”In: DOOMSDAY PROPHETSMusic by Anton van Niekerk.Lyrics by, Anton van Niekerk & A. H. Miller.Anton has been active and consistent in the criticism against religion ... "Prophets of Doom"The religious are also the main enemy that Verkrag has in South Africa?Is it not the religious people too, that commits crimes against humanity in South Africa, including racism and apartheid policy from 1948 to 1994? Are there not also large religious chunk sex offenders that under a cassock create hell over their victims or is this bullshit that Americans and Muslims often say "wars in the name of god"…!!?

AVN - I am against all religions – against all gods. Religion only separates people and enslaves them. It makes people feel like lesser beings. The religious follow blindly and use ”faith” as an excuse when none of their nonsense can be proven. These people believe “God” speaks to them... Now is that not a sign of mental illness? It’s a proven fact that most serial killers were raised in strict religious homes. Leaders responsible for millions of deaths (Hitler for example) were religious people and believed that they were fighting God’s war. Most of these wars were funded by the Roman Catholic Church btw...

NR - Were you / are you also committed to the Zeitgeist movement in South Africa.
The Zeitgeist Movement is not a political movement, nor recognize nations, governments, races, religions, creeds or class. These distinctions are outdated and inconsistent and far from positive factors for true development and human potential. Its foundations are based on the division of power and stratification, not unity and equality, which are their goals.
What makes you move through this movement that is also mine?

AVN - Change. The world would be a better place without the monetary system and economic slavery. It only serves to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. Not to mention the strain it puts on humans with day to day stress and unrealised potential. We all want things to be better. The Zeitgeist movement not only points out all the problems we have in the world today but offers realistic and obtainable solutions. 

NR - Tell us your connection to Daniel's Wrath Passion, the main reasons that led you to associate with them. To what extent are they important to the development of Verkrag?

AVN - I’ve been a WRATH PASSION fan since 2007 so it’s a great honour being a part of it now. Daniel and I have always supported each other so a musical collaboration is inevitable. In WRATH PASSION, the psychotic and deranged VERKRAG does not really show itself. My lyrical content in WRATH PASSION is more about Space, Science, History, Mythology, Conspiracies, Wars, and the final and total destruction of the human race…

NR - And also the connection to "Throne of Malediction," which presents itself as the first joint effort of American and South African Black Metal, these are also growing and very true to themselves!

AVN - I loved the original “Never Enough” version but felt the need to try do something different with it so I contacted Eric and he and Jessica agreed that it would be interesting if I added my own style to the song. He sent me the separate tracks and I played Dr Frankenstein with them resulting in the collaboration version and video. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQe86H2TCh8).
This is the 1st time ever South African and North American Black/Death Metal musicians have collaborated in creating a piece together.

The VERKRAG version of the track will appear on the new Throne of Malediction album entitled 'Ceremonial Blood' (out soon!) as well as the next VERKRAG album coming in late 2011 / early 2012.

NR – “13 victims” appears in 2009, you surely have new works in the pipeline, and beyond the misaligned of the system what do you expect to do in the future? What are your expectations?

AVN - The ’13 Victims’ album was made available as a Free Download from Friday 13^th of May. Give VERKRAG a ‘Like’ on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/VERKRAG) then simply join the ReverbNation mailing list to download the album.

Work on the next VERKRAG album has already started and I hope to release it early next year. Some of the collaboration tracks I did will feature as bonus tracks.

The next WRATH PASSION album should be released in November this year, but Daniel is handling that.  I will be doing the album artwork and design as well.

Other than that, I plan on finally getting some VERKRAG t-shirts printed.

NR - "The luck is hard work." Is this your life philosophy?

AVN - Exactly. You have to take control and not just leave it to fate. You are your own god and should make your destiny a reality!

NR - Thanks Anton for having accepted this challenge and please continue the excellent work you have produced.

AVN - Thanks for the support and great questions, Enjoyed answering them.

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VERKRAG 'Sweet DreAms' FREE Download

VERKRAG, hailing from Bloemfontein, South Africa, is the solo project of Anton van Niekerk. ‘Verkrag’ is an Afrikaans word meaning; Rape, (raped, raping), violation, assault, ravishment.

By combining horrific and atmospheric sounds and dark Black and Death Metal riffs, Verkrag openly portrays the feelings of insanity and despair. Lyrical content include themes like rape, torture, cannibalism and necrophilia. These acts however are not promoted by any means but merely portrayed through the eyes of the deranged killer. It is a journey into the mind of the psychotic.

Even before the release of the debut album Verkrag was interviewed by beyondthedarkhorizon (based in Texas, U.S.A) in February 2009 and appeared in the March 2009 issue of “Beyond the Dark Horizon – Other Worlds” magazine. ‘THE CLEANSING of the Whore’ appeared on the compilation CD entitled “In Blackest of Hate – 12 Extreme Tracks”. Verkrag also gets airplay on Beyond the Dark Horizon Radio.

13 Alternative models from around the globe contributed rape victim photography to be used in the Verkrag ’13 Victims’ album design, on the Verkrag site, and on t-shirts. Verkrag victims models Vanessa & Elena were chosen to be Dark Funeral Diaboliswear merchandise models. Dark Funeral and The Nordic Rage Metal Festival use banner designs by Anton van Niekerk to promote the fest on the 26th of September 2009 and Verkrag gets added to the Dark Funeral Top Friends list on their official myspace.

‘13 Victims’ release: Verkrag recorded, mixed and mastered the ‘13 Victims’ debut album and sent material to be reproduced in November 2009 only to be told that it simply is too offensive and they refuse to continue even after payments were made…Thus the ‘13 Victims’ album is self-financed and officially released on the beautifully blasphemous date of sinful Sunday December 13th 2009.

International airplay and interviews: 2010 Verkrag gets more international airplay on shows like 'Rage Cage' on CJSW 90.9FM(Canada), ‘Audio Aggression’ on Brutal Existence Radio(U.S.A), and 'Brutalism' (Holland) to name but a few. Interviews also follow from webzines like Mutilador (Mexico), Fueled Magazine (Belgium) and Black Dragon(Sweden).

Battle of the bands: Verkrag made it through 4 rounds of elimination with 24 bands entered from around the globe and won the final round and the right to be called the best band of the past 2 years of the DJ Boo Metal-X Radio All Star Battle of the Bands contest.

International album reviews followed by SDW Metal (Sweden), Brutalism (Netherlands), Fueled Magazine (Belgium), and beyondthedarkhorizon (USA) - to name but a few. Other bands reviewed on these sites include Dark Funeral, Behemoth, Mayhem and Rotting Christ.

Collaborations: Verkrag contributed guest vocals to the track ‘Black Hole’ by Norwegian Black Metal project Wrath Passion. This was the 1st time ever South African and Norwegian Black Metal musicians have worked together in creating a Black Metal piece. ‘Black Hole’ will also be in the movie ‘The Back Room’ by 3DT Productions! DVD out in November!

Where the track ‘BLACK HOLE’ dealt with the end times and death of the human virus and of our solar system, ‘CREATIO EX NIHILO’ asks why we should still be enslaved by religion and how creation came into being.

Currently Wrath Passion is a joint intellectual collaboration between founding member Daniel Markussen (all music) and Anton van Niekerk (vocals/lyrics) from Verkrag. A new Wrath Passion album will be released sometime in the future based on this effort.

Verkrag also worked on ‘The Inquisition’ with Sandmist from Zebbug,Malta and 'Never Enough' with Throne of Malediction from the USA.

South African publication/interviews and guest appearances: Verkrag attended various festivals and gigs to do CD signings and interviews, one of those being with South Africa's biggest Sunday newspaper; RAPPORT! For all interviews/reviews etc visit the official homepage at http://www.verkrag.com.

Download 'Sweet DreAms' for FREE from the VERKRAG facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/VERKRAG) by clicking on the 'My Band' or 'Music' tabs on the left of the screen.

More FREE MP3s Coming Friday the 13th of May!

BLACK METALLERS WRATH PASSION SIGN LICENCE AGREEMENT WITH PSYCHO 78s CO-ED ROLLER DERBY TEAM

WRATH PASSION, the Black Metal band formed by Daniel Markussen in Lofoten, Norway in 2007, has signed a licensing deal with the PSYCHO 78s, the American, no-holds barred co-ed Roller Derby team from New Jersey.   Started in 2009 by Razor De Rockefeller, the 78’s have grown to become one of the most exciting, hard-hitting and crowd pleasing teams in the world of modern Roller Derby, specialising in full-contact games with no penalties and no clock-stops, and one simple rule “do unto others as you'd have done unto you”.

Commenting on what at first sight seems like an unlikely hook up, Coach Spooky, Head Trainer for the PSYCHO 78s said: “Our no-bullshit take on the game and love of brutality on the track has made us a one of a kind team, and a team that WRATH PASSION fits perfectly with.  The 78s are hard hitting and in your face, and the music of Wrath Passion is the perfect backdrop for the high pace, the bloodshed, and the roar of the crowd”.

Markussen, for whom WRATH PASSION is a vehicle for expressing his unique take on life, was himself a little surprised at the turn of events that led to him sign a license deal that would allow the 78s to use three tracks – “Creatio Ex Nihilo”, “Christian Extermination” and “Black Hole”  on DVD, events, live performances and exhibitions. “The game was completely new to me, and I have to admit that sports don’t particularly interest me as a rule, but I found this brutal and bloody variation of the Roller Derby fucking fun to watch and I was happy to allow the 78s to use WRATH PASSION’s music”. 

Originally formed as a one-man project, WRATH PASSION’s line up today includes, Markussen, who plays all instruments, and vocalist Anton van Niekerk (VERKRAG). Using layers of hidden, or occult, knowledge to create a deeply sinister atmosphere, WRATH PASSION’s music also attracted the attention of film producers 3DT Productions last year,  who used some of the band’s tracks on the soundtrack  to  their Grindhouse Thriller  movie “The Back Room”.  More information about WRATH PASSION can be found here, whilst more info about the PSYCHO 78’s can be found here.

Below you can see the official video for “Creatio Ex Nihilo”, one of the WRATH PASSION tracks that will be used by the PSYCHO 78s

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Band Contact: 666@wrathpassion.com 
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"VERKRAG" Interview online!

You can see the Interview done by "VERKRAG" in August 2010 finally online in the April issue of LT Mag - see pages 37-40 -www.ltmagazine.co.za 

Video interview done that same day BELOW:

All '13 Victims' album tracks added as mp3s to subterania.co.za - R6.66 per track! As a bonus the 'Sweet DreAms' cover is available as a FREE download. All you need to is register at the site.subterania

Or order the original album:  subterania

Get the VERKRAG '13 Victims' album from CHAOS R US at chaosrus.13.victims.verkrag

Get a free copy of the album when you purchase any pair of boots from them!

"One of the songs on the album 13 Victims is the dark and monstrous epic tune INCESTuous. It gives you wenetious shivers beyond 666 times around,when you sence the heart starts pumping the blood around. You also feel the bloodlust approaching when you become embraced by the beautiful melodic middleparts of the song 13 Victims. What can I say about the entire album then? Well that ought to be that Anton with raw, bark attached voice, proclaims with an authorative tone and doomy clarity the downfall and tragedy of living in the modern world."  Johanna, SDW METAL (Sweden)

"Anton touches on every twisted aspect of human nature and brings their horrors to life with his music. Who knows how much deeper this man will go into the realm of evil to conjure up his next album with another tale that one may... or may not... wake from."  devilmetal, brutalism.com(Netherlands)

"Anton calls his music 'Psychotic Black Metal'. Outgoing from the lyrical content and the artwork, we sure know what he means. Lyrical-wise the whole album tells a story about a killer who gets flashbacks about his childhood and his incestuous relationship with his sister. Later he starts saving prostitutes from the streets by killing them. When he's an older man, he adores the purity of little girls, and starts to torture, rape, kill and eat them before they can become impure... In the asylum, all victims haunt him, without knowing if it are ghosts or just something in his mind (we see him sitting in a dirty psychiatric hospital)..."  KevinR, Fueled-Magazine (Belgium)

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