Forged in the shadowy corners of the French underground, Sektarism has earned a reputation for its raw, unrelenting, and ritualistic approach to metal. With four albums that explore blasphemy, chaos, and the occult, the band has become a force in European extreme music. Their sound fuses atmospheric darkness with sharp aggression, creating an experience that is as intense in the studio as it is live. As they prepare to descend upon Underground for the Masses this April, Sektarism remains a band to watch for devotees of true underground extremity. We spoke with the band about their origins, philosophy, and the creative force behind their music.
DinIntunerec: Hello, thank you for getting on board with this interview. Can you tell us about the early beginnings of Sektarism—how did the band come together, and what was the vision at the start?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Sektarism was not created to exist within music. It was created to step outside of it. At the beginning, there was a will to unlearn, to break structures, habits, reflexes. To reach something beyond composition. The first manifestations were not meant to be heard, but to be lived, and it was in an Occitanian cave of Toulouse. We gathered not to write songs, but to open doors.
DinIntunerec: The name “Sektarism” evokes strong imagery and themes—what is the story or meaning behind it?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: It reflects both devotion and separation. A spiritual path inevitably isolates. Not by choice, but by necessity. “Sektarism” is a word used by society to designate what it does not understand or cannot control. We embrace it. As a mark of distance. As a refusal.
DinIntunerec: What were the main musical and ideological influences that shaped Sektarism’s sound in the early years?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: We are shaped by spiritual traditions, by silence, by places, by absence, by night. Music is only one element among others. Speaking about bands, I will say: Worship, Stabat Mater, Skepticism, Brighter Death Now, Coven, Corrupted.
DinIntunerec: How would you describe the evolution of Sektarism from your first album to your most recent release?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: It’s a descent with many obstacles…
DinIntunerec: Your debut album, Le son des stigmates, set the tone for the band—what were the main concepts and atmosphere you aimed to create with it?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: A first fracture in perception. Something raw, uncontrolled, searching. Gathering on one same record, the intention of our first steps.
DinIntunerec: La mort de l’infidèle has a very dark and ritualistic tone—how did the songwriting approach differ from your debut?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: It was our first isolation during 2 weeks at Drudenhaus studio, the first time we give some keys to a producer. Hails Xort!
DinIntunerec: On Fils de Dieu, the music feels both aggressive and hypnotic—what themes or ideas were central to this album?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Confrontation & sacrifice!
DinIntunerec: Your latest album, Et Facta Est Lux, has a very refined yet intense production—how did you approach creating this release?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: New contacts, new people, new places, total immersion in Brittany during 10 days.
DinIntunerec: Across all four albums, how important are atmosphere and ritualistic elements versus technical musicianship in Sektarism’s sound?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Technicality is irrelevant, atmosphere is only a consequence. What matters is the capacity to alter perception, ours first, then potentially that of others.
DinIntunerec: How do the lyrics and imagery of your albums balance themes of occultism, blasphemy, and philosophical reflection?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: We don’t think too much, we start to create and He shows us the way, at the end we open our eyes and we discover the creation as any other devotee. Reflection is important, but not the only key…
DinIntunerec: You’re set to perform at Underground for the Masses in April—what can fans expect from your live show?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: A ceremony with the loss of reference points. We do not perform for an audience we create a space where boundaries dissolve. Those present are not spectators. They become part of the process.
DinIntunerec: How do you translate the intensity and atmosphere of your albums into live performances?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: We do not. Each ceremony is unique, shaped by the place, the moment, the people. Improvisation remains essential not as a technique, but as a necessity. The ritual lives… It cannot be reproduced.
DinIntunerec: How do you maintain creativity and originality across multiple albums without repeating yourselves?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Because we do not aim to create “works”. We seek states. And states are never identical. Repetition exists, but it transforms.
DinIntunerec: What makes you more wired up: writing new music or performing life? What’s the best thing for you about performing live?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Performing live for sure, without hesitation, ‘cuz that’s where everything becomes real. When the separation between intention and manifestation disappears. The moment when control fades. When something takes over that does not belong entirely to us anymore. That is where Sektarism truly exists.
DinIntunerec: What is the most important life lesson that you have learned so far?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Doubt, always…
DinIntunerec: Looking forward, what is the next chapter for Sektarism—new concepts, sonic directions, or ideas that fans can anticipate?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Our next step is a collaboration with Treha Sektori, recorded 5 years ago. It should be out at the end of this year.
DinIntunerec: Thank you for your time, any final words for our readers?
Eklezjastik BerZerK: Create your own space. Step outside the noise. And if you enter ours, do not remain a spectator.
With four albums of uncompromising metal, Sektarism has cemented itself as a formidable force in the French underground. Their music fuses ritual, aggression, and atmosphere in ways that continue to evolve with every release. On record and on stage, they invite listeners to explore the depths of darkness alongside them—an experience that is immersive, intense, and unmistakably Sektarism.
