By Dig Dirkler
Shock isn’t just a tactic for KÜNTSQUÄD — it’s the language. Since their debut detonated across the underground in 2022, the band has weaponised satire, extreme sonics, and unapologetic provocation to interrogate power, control, and collective complacency. With Satans Cock, they push those instincts further, blurring the line between confrontation and critique. We spoke to the band about provocation, political extremity, nihilism, genre gatekeeping, and whether Satan himself would be allowed creative input.
“Your Mum Sucks Crack in Hell” uses shock as a doorway into social critique — how conscious is the balance between provocation and message when you’re writing, and do you ever worry the title overshadows the point?
There’s no deliberate thought to balance the provocation or message, primarily because the two are synonymous when the idea for the song’s content is conceived. Ideally the provocation is intended to get the listener to make a connection with the familiar — but the twist is the intention: to create an unsettling atmosphere around the concept or message.
The lyrics are intentionally sparse and repetitive, to the point of ad nauseam, precisely so the listener can extrude their own opinion about what they think they’re listening to, and what deeper emotive connection they may make with the song if it resonates with their own experiences. If the title overshadows the point, that’s okay — because on a purely superficial level, it’s a laugh at our expense.
The track reframes drug criminalisation as social control rather than moral concern. Is extreme music an effective space for these conversations, or is confrontation the point in itself?
Extreme music should be confronting in some way — whether through dialogue, visuals, sonics, or all of the above — otherwise it wouldn’t be categorised as such. That said, there’s a conundrum around the term “extreme” because it’s subjective and hard to place fixed boundaries around what it constitutes for one individual versus another.
Part of the political, social, or cultural bias we have as a band is simply authenticity. That authenticity can be misconstrued as mere “shock value,” but isn’t that just a reflection of the realities of our world? My writing is often based on an idea or curiosity I want to share. There are no rules — nor should there be — around what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate topics for discussion. There are no definitive answers, only opinions, propositions, and alternatives to the systems we’ve inherited.
If people are challenged or offended by those alternatives or truths — or if the content is simply too hard to ponder — so be it. Switch it all off.
Satire plays a major role in KÜNTSQUÄD’s identity. Where do you draw the line between satire and nihilism — and does that line even matter in extreme metal?
The two are juxtaposed. The content comes from a genuinely authentic place in the psyche, where nihilism is driven by the preposterous situations we find ourselves in — sadly laughable, unimaginable circumstances we’ve all had a hand in creating since birth.
The innocent gullibility of ordinary humanity is weirdly exploited by those who would enslave us. It’s a default position, intentionally cultivated to maintain an illusion of order and fairness — a status quo that fosters limited understanding of real-world agendas. Ironically, this is also a consequence of our own actions, inactions, and complacency.
Reading between the lines is discouraged, out of fear of chaos or revolt. Revolution is framed as contemptuous, while contempt for those who challenge the norm is encouraged. That’s the irony. If the unimaginable realities we’ve helped create were unveiled in full, there should be outrage — but there isn’t. That absence is the satire.
After your 2022 debut sold out multiple pressings and built a cult following, what pressures did you feel creating Satans Cock — and how did that shape the album?
The debut was a mixed bag musically. We weren’t yet deeply immersed in where we were headed or how we’d be perceived as a whole. We evolved quickly, which made us excited to record again and push things further.
The pressure wasn’t in the writing — it was in the studio. Writing isn’t about reproducing what you’ve already done; it’s about evolving and challenging yourself, not churning out formulaic material. Satans Cock didn’t start as a thematic album, but once the material was harnessed, a clear thread emerged — reinforced by carefully chosen samples, including several from the late Bill Hicks.
“Suck Satan’s Cock” is a phrase Hicks used in one of his skits, so using it was a no-brainer. The recording process itself was torturous. Our first attempt was lacklustre, so we scrapped it entirely and started again. It took two years of interrupted sessions, engineer issues, and personnel changes — but the goal was always to capture brutality without compromise.
Your music rejects genre boundaries. Is that ideological, instinctive, or a reaction against metal’s gatekeeping?
Probably all of the above. I hate genre gatekeeping. There’s no such thing as “true cult” — genres evolve, and that’s healthy. Gatekeeping is narcissistic, elitist, and polarising. Metal should be accessible, not exclusive or regressive.
Our music isn’t easily pigeonholed — not deliberately, but because that’s just how I write. My tastes are eclectic, as are the rest of the band’s, so what comes out is a fusion of things we enjoy, not an emulation of someone else. It’s both a freedom and an ideological stance — a challenge to the stubborn, intolerant mindset that still exists in parts of the scene. Not everyone gets it.
What gear or tuning choices were essential to achieving the album’s “weaponised” low-end?
There was no studio trickery. The low end comes from down-tuning and heavy multi-tracking — multiple rhythm guitar layers recorded slightly differently in tone and distortion. We mic’d amps to capture rawness while also running guitars and effects straight into the desk, blending live and processed signals.
We experimented with distortion and octavers across guitars, bass, and even vocals to “monsterise” them. A lot of time went into getting the drums massive — especially the kick and that cracking snare. Beyond that, it’s down to Jason’s technique and experience. He knows how to make things sound raw, huge, and heavy as fuck.
If Satan demanded a guest appearance on the next KÜNTSQUÄD record, would he get creative input — or is he just carrying gear?
Satan will do whatever Satan wants. He’ll manipulate the narrative to get his way, so there’ll probably be a soul acquisition involved if I insist he’s my roadie — though it might already be sold.
KÜNTSQUÄD don’t offer answers — they offer discomfort. Through satire, nihilism, and confrontational sound, they force listeners to confront the systems they live within and the complacency that sustains them. Whether you laugh, recoil, or switch it off entirely is beside the point. The provocation isn’t decoration — it is the message.
Categories: Küntsquäd
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