I get it. You see the corpse paint, the inverted crosses, the sheep’s heads skewered on mic stands, and you think, “Wow, this is one Satanic-ass band.” It’s an understandable reaction, however, the truth is that you couldn’t be more mistaken. My band Rat Christ is completely secular and is in no way affiliated with the Church of Satan. End of story. All my band-mates and I are way into the Devil, of course, but frankly, I don’t see what that has to do with anything.
It’s pretty funny, actually! Hardly a day goes by without someone asking me, “Didn’t you change your name to ‘Belphegor the Pope-Choker’? Sounds pretty Satanic to me.” I can’t deny it. That’s true. But that’s not my music; that’s just me. I changed my name as an expression of the personal, private relationship I share with the Deceiver, and I don’t think that’s hard to understand. Many musicians have firm religious convictions, and we should respect that practice whether they worship the Accuser or any other pathetic pig god.
Do my beliefs influence my art? Of course! The word “Satan” is in every song I’ve ever written. But it’s all about context. When I say “Satan” in a song, it’s figurative—I’m expressing a wholesome spirit of rebellion. When I say “Satan” in this blog, I’m referring to the Lightbringer who will soon reclaim the Earth of course, but again, that’s just me, not my music.
“But Belphegor,” you’re saying, “doesn’t Rat Christ’s first album have a song called ‘A List of Real Churches in Need of Literal Burning?” Yeah, you caught me! In Rat Christ’s early days, we were indeed tied to the Church of Satan. But then that first album didn’t sell, and around that time we coincidentally decided to distance ourselves from the Church. This upset our fans, but we were sending a message: our music should be enjoyed by everyone in the record-buying public, Christ-loving swine included.
I understand if Rat Christ’s music can come across as “preachy.” I can’t help it! I can only be who I am, and I’m a guy who loves the shit out of Satan. But rest assured that our music is for everyone. If you need proof, you’re in luck! Our new album “The Glorious Convent Orgy” drops this Friday. Check it out! And no worries if you don’t buy it. I’ll say a special prayer for you anyway.