Few musicians embody the relentless energy of modern metal quite like Phil “Landphil” Hall. Best known for Municipal Waste, Hall has spent years carving out a distinct presence in the heavy music scene. We sat down with him to explore his musical evolution and dive into his latest creative venture, Morbikon — a project that blends blackened ferocity with melodic depth — as excitement builds for the release of their upcoming album: „Lost Within the Astral Crypts„.
Interviewed by Marta Antosz, photos courtesy of Phil „Landphil” Hall
How did you come to start your work on Morbikon?
Phil: In 2020, during the pandemic, I had extra time, so I started this band to vent anxiety and frustration. I met someone online interested in creating primitive, grim 90s-inspired black metal. Initially, he played drums, then we brought in Dave Witte (Municipal Waste) for the first album “Mournful Twilight”. The record came out on Tankcrimes, and it was a test of creativity—making something different from my previous work.
How did this differ from writing riffs for your other projects?
Phil: Black metal is a completely different style. I challenged myself with guitar, learning new techniques and diving into music theory. It’s a creative challenge to make it dark and heavy without it feeling campy.
Gear-wise, what helped you achieve the 90s black metal sound?
Phil: Dave Witte brought his incredible drumming chops—speed and double bass are essential. I wrote all the riffs myself and experimented on guitar.
Tell me about the album itself and the first single “Ghoul Infested Mausoleum”.
Phil: We started writing a year ago. During the writing period, we toured with Exhumed, Skeletal Remains, Early Moods, and Flesher, covering all major U.S. cities. Pierce Williams recorded the drums for this album—he’s a technical wizard. Ghoul Infested Mausoleum – filled with speed metal riffs and guitar theatrics, reflecting my current mindset in this style. Par Olufsen created the cover art. He has worked on Cannabis Corpse albums and the first Morbikon album. This LP has a die-cut design that changes as you pull it out. Tankcrimes always goes above and beyond with artwork.
How does the creative process look for you these days, post pandemic? Do you get the chance to get together in studio or is it mostly a remote process?
Phil: The writing process usually begins with me writing riffs and recording them on my phone. Then sometimes, when it comes down to practicing with the other guys, I have a collection of riffs that I bring to the table, and we hash them out in the studio. Of course, Municipal Waste is more of a group effort; we get together in the practice space and rehearse together. But Morbikon is more of a solo project, where I’m creating the riffs myself and doing all the engineering myself. So that’s more of a personal project, and I just get other musicians involved that I respect. For instance, I got the singer of Finntroll, Vreth (Mathias „Vreth” Lillmåns), to sing on the album, which he did a terrific job with. I’ve hung out with him in person maybe once, but we collaborated via the Internet during the pandemic and really enjoyed the results. So it’s working out great.
And what about lyrics?
Phil: The lyrics were written by my writing partner, who was the original person I started the band with. His black metal name is Cotidias. He and I started the band in 2020 after meeting on the Internet, being bored, and wanting to do something creative. He is the one who writes the lyrics, and he does an excellent job. He has a very unique style, and his vocal patterns and overall approach are very distinctive in my mind. So, he really did a great job.
So what is the most fun part about this project?
Phil: I enjoy everything equally, but with every band, creating new riffs and recording new songs is my favourite part. It’s that creative rush—trying to make things happen, discovering new sounds. It’s all like rolling the dice; you never know what’s going to happen or what result you’ll get. You just hope for the best. I love creating music, and by now, I’ve made over 20 albums across three or four bands. I’m never going to stop—I want to keep creating riffs and making records as long as I can, and as long as people out there care.
20 albums that is impressive, so how do you keep your writing process fresh?
Phil: I’ve just learned that it’s a state of mind. One day, you might not feel anything, but the next day you wake up and find yourself in a better mood. I don’t let frustration or second-guessing even enter my head. I treat being creative like building a house—you just have to start hammering in nails and get to work. Eventually, it will turn into something. You never know when you might have to start over, but as long as you’re doing something, you can’t always wait around for a divine bolt of inspiration to hit you. Sometimes, you have to force it.
What is your favourite memory from the last tour with Morbikon? Anything that particularly got stuck in your mind?
Phil: We played some shows with Decibel Magazine. They put together a big event called the Decibel Metal and Beer Fest, and we shared the stage with a bunch of other great bands. We even created a beer for Morbikon, and there were all these fancy craft beers set up. It was a really big show in Denver and a great moment in the early days of Morbikon. We also played Full Terror Assault, a festival out in the sticks of Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, which has a very outlaw vibe. Playing that show was always fun because you never knew what to expect, and the lineup was always full of really good bands. Morbikon was fortunate enough to be part of that gig as well.
Is there any, like, dream band you would love to go on tour with, with Morbikon particularly?
Phil: Well, there are plenty of great black metal bands throughout history. Of course, I could start naming bands like Immortal and Emperor, but… they are all good. I just want to play shows and get the music out there. I’m not trying to become the next huge black metal band—I just enjoy the music, I’m playing it, and I hope people can enjoy it too, especially if they can hear the amount of effort and craft I’ve put into it.
So Phil, as a person, what do you like to do outside creating music and graphic?
Phil: I spend time at home with my dog and my girl. Anytime I’m not creating or practicing, I’m usually running errands around town with her. I live a fairly normal life when I’m at home. Things get wild and crazy on the road, but when I get home, I like to kick back, relax as much as possible, and recharge.
Do you have any special memories connected to Poland and playing here?
Phil: Yeah, I remember playing in Poland one time with Cannabis Corpse, and for some reason, Nick—our guitar player (Nick Poulos) —his guitar was one step out of tune the entire night. So we ended up playing a really terrible show in Poland, and I think everybody was pissed at us. So, sorry to everyone who came to that show—it was a mistake. I honestly don’t know what happened. That being said, we’ve played Poland a bunch of times with Municipal Waste and always had a good time. It’s a very unique country with a strong metal scene.
So would you love to come back with Morbikon at some point?
Phil: If we get the opportunity to come, we’ll come out there and play for all you Polish “freaks”.
And what would you say to all the fans who are not familiar with Morbikon yet? Why should they check it out? What message would you have for them?
Phil: Well, if you’ve liked any of my stuff in the past, this is a lot more of it. There are just as many fast speed metal riffs, technical changes, drum theatrics, and extreme music. I feel really proud of this material—I’ve put a lot of my mind and effort into it. So if you liked anything I’ve done before, please give it a shot. Check it out on YouTube, or go to Tankcrimes (https://www.tankcrimes.com/site/morbikon-blackened-death-thrash-metal-project-led-by-members-of-municipal-waste-finntroll-to-release-lost-within-the-astral-crypts-full-length-november-21st-on-tankcrimes-new-track-streaming-preo/) and order a copy.
Thank you so much.
Phil: Thank you.
Check out Morbikon at:
https://www.facebook.com/morbikon
https://www.instagram.com/morbikon
https://www.youtube.com/@Tankcrimes
