How would your describe your music, if you would be asked to do a short introduction to some metal encyclopedia ?
Judas Iscariot is a darkened metal project, which utilizes simple and barbaric riffing to create a powerful and majestically medieval atmosphere. There are no flashy guitar leads or drum solos, but the music is driven by extreme and powerful emotions, yearning for the return of a dark age, void of the oppressive and pitiful morality of christianity. I have long since filled my spirit into the proud mold of the Ubermensch, and have made it my goal to destroy everything to which the spark of god has ignited. Praise be to the great and the proud army of men which will one day laugh and mock the worthless hordes of fools who followed an idiot who, 2,000 years ago, died on a cross and just happen to say he was the son of god...a man! HA!

Judas Iscariot is quite unusual name for a band because of the strong and direct Bible reference. How did you come up with such a name and do you think it describes the music you perform ?
Judas Iscariot as a historical figure was the only one close to the dead lord with sufficient intelligence to recognize him as a fake and a criminal! He won, and he sold the bastard to the Romans! Judas Iscariot as a musical project will forever deny the existence and power of this incredible embarrasment to the potentially unstoppable nation of supermen, who has seen the followers of christ as beneath the supermen as the ape is below the man! Through music, I convey this pride and those mystical feelings, with hopes to inspire the masses to revolt and reign victorious! The new generations will take part in destroying the pitiful world the christians had created, only when this happens can we fully reach our inherent potential!

As Judas Iscariot is a one man project, do you find it hard to play all the instruments by yourself and how have you manged to get the needed skills to handle all the instruments so well ?
I have played these methods of destuction for years now, and it comes quite naturally to me. To answer your question, no, it is not hard. When the motivation is there and the inspiration and mood is at its zenith and climax of yearning and emotion, there is nothing to stop an incredible outpour of dreams, mystic philosophy, and medieval mood. I live and die to spread the nihilist ideology, and the eternal and unjarring truth of Friedrich Nietzsche. Hail Nihilism!

Why did you choose to do all the music and playing by yourself ?
Working with other people really has its troubles. You have to deal with other people's fucking goddamn judgemental and critical attitudes, and it is very hard to find people who do not want to be rock stars, and to cash in on black metal. Plus, Judas Iscariot is my vision alone, and I feel I am the only one who can effectively convey the desired mood and emotion. When other musicians execute my compositions, there is a filtering effect, the conviction is lost. I work best by myself..I don't need any fucking people..Judas Iscariot is a pure and true reflection of my vision, and I will not settle for anything less.

You have just recorded your 2nd album "Thy Dying Light" and I have heard you already have the songs ready for the 3rd album and all this in less than six months. Where do you find time for all this and what are your main inspirations in writing music and lyrics for Judas Iscariot ?
Actually, I would have a lot more stuff on tape if I had the facilities to do it on a regular basis..When I record I have to find a house or something.. The "Arise, my lord..." 1993 EP was recorded in the practice room at a music building. I live alone in a small studio apartment, and I do not have the freedom to play drums, loud guitars, etc.. The third album will have the added dimension of keyboards, and I plan the fourth album to be 100% Cold Meat Industry-esque ambient music. That album will surely create some incredible medieval imagery for sure!

How has the response been towards "The Cold Earth Slept Below" and "Thy Dying Light" demos ? As Moribund is putting out "The Cold Earth Slept Below", have you signed for more albums than just one or are there any other labels interested in putting out your newer works ?
Those were never demos, but albums. Just because Century Media didn't release it doesn't mean it isn't an album. "The cold earth..." is about 46:00 minutes long, and "Thy Dying Light" is about 51:00 minutes long. The response has been suprisingly good for both releases, which suprised me because I didn't feel anyone could relate to my music at all. I have found a label to release "Thy Dying Light" on CD, but I am not at liberty to announce it. I will continue to write and record as much as I can, and I will release all of them either by myself or through other labels. Without the dark souls of people like Odin at Moribund, my noise and hatred is oblivious and in vein.

Listening to "Thy Dying Light", it could have been easily done by some norwegian black metal bands as the sound is very similar but still original. If I claimed that "Thy Dying Light" is heavily influenced by bands like Burzum and Ulver, what would be your response ?
I would agree with that, as Burzum, Darkthrone and other Northern bands have been a great and powerful influence. I was always amazed at the darkness and torture in their souls, and the agony in Vikernes' voice. One cannot emerge from the mystical experience of "Det som engang var" and not be a changed person. But, at the same time Judas Iscariot is its own entity, with its own motivation and drive. I admire and appreciate the Norse bands, but the majority of my inspiration comes from different sources.

In what comes to metal, US is most famous of brutal death metal. How do you see the future for US black metal bands and how popular black metal really is in US ? Is it already a trend or just becoming one ?
Black metal is not popular in the US at all. Most people think it is a big fucking joke. But that is fine by me, as I prefer to be hated by those people. I have long since declared war against them. Some death metal is very good from the US, but for different reasons, and it does not have the spiritual and mystical power that only black metal has. There are some US bands worthy of recognition, such as Black Funeral, Absu, Thor's Hammer, Wind of the Black Mountains, etc., but for the most part, the US is a fucking embarrasment and I am often ashamed to print my address. I retch with disgust at the fact that I come from a country that spawned such pathetic fools as Gutted, Raped Ape, Six Feet Under, etc.. I would be suprised if the US will understand black metal any time soon, but they will probably create their own little fag-ass version of it which will completely lack conviction and spirituality...but we'll see.

Are there any bands in your area/country that in your opinion would deserve more coverage and attention ?
There are a few, as mentioned above, but in porportion, the great stuff comes from Europe, and I hate to be biased, but they seem to have such a better understanding of what's going on in metal and dark music in general. A band like Cannibal Crap is just a fucking joke and does not take their music seriously..Those idiots in Obituary do not even listen to metal at all, like that singer listens to country music...We shall crush them!!

What are your current top 3 songs/albums ?
That is so hard to say, because there is so much out there that is fucking dark and blasphemous.. My playlist as of the last couple of months would be, Monumentum "In absenta christi", Mayhem-all, Bathory "The Return", Burzum-all, Emperor "In the Nightside Eclipse", Graveland "Thousand Swords", Darkthrone "Under a funeral moon", etc..

How can people get in touch with you ?
Write Akhenaten, P.O. Box 54, DeKalb, Illinois, 60115-0054 USA. All letters will be answered. There are still advance "Thy Dying Light" copies available, so write for that. HAIL VICTORY!!!