Inside the Mind of a True Satanist - Bryan Moore, In His Own Words

A postmodern Los Angeles Da Vinci at the coalface of Satanism… A Priest of the Church of Satan, Auteur, Businessman, and Sculptor of his own company Arkham Studios…meet Bryan Moore.

To re-paraphrase a significant LaVey term, ECI for a first time erotic defining fetish, here was my Satanic Epiphany’, that pivotal event that moved me towards the left hand path.

I grew up with the notion of the Church of Satan being a pack of devil worshippers and bought into everything I’d ever seen on TV about it. One day a pal gave me a copy of Blanche Barton’s biography of Doktor and that was it. It all seemed like a lot of fun and a philosophy I completely agreed with. About the time I read the book, different people happened to come into my life that really solidified my aligning myself with the philosophy. I had met Zeena LaVey, who at that time was clearly in a painful position of separating herself from her family. I’ve heard all the stories and felt it was a personal choice that she had to make for herself. She was always nothing but nice to me, so I never had a problem with her. We even made cookies together a few times as we both loved to bake! How many of us have had problems with our families? She was no different.

I ultimately met Diabolus Rex and he eventually performed my Satanic Baptism for me when I decided to affiliate with the Church of Satan and subsequently became very good friends with Magus Gilmore and Magistra Nadramia. They allowed me the privilege of becoming a member of the hierarchy and I’ve always taken my position therein very seriously. I’ve always felt that I would be friends with all these fine folks even if we never brought up the subject of Satanism.

I worked hard through numerous degrees to become a venerable priest in COS…and I’ve learned many things.

Satanism should enhance one as a person and never define you. I was given the privilege of these titles by simply doing what I had always done, just being creative and creating art or events that I wanted to see or attend. I’d always worked very hard at becoming a good artist, so that was graciously acknowledged by the Council of Nine, as well as when I created films or pushed myself for my own personal best. The people I respected were doing the same exact thing, whether they were artists, writers, musicians or what have you. I will say that although I’m a firm believer in the concept of the Mutual Admiration Society, you better earn it with me. I don’t buy into the notion that just because someone has a passing fancy of themselves as a good artist, they suddenly ARE one and deserve my praise. They don’t and never will unless they’re willing to put in the miles of hard work and actually get GOOD at something before they get notice from me. When I was working my ass off to get good at what I do, I got hard critiques and honest advice before anyone ever thought I was any good. That’s the only way you get better. I will not enable, but I will advise if someone asks me. Earn your place in life, people! Earn your place!

A watershed moment as a Satanist came at the commemorative 40th anniversary of the Church of Satan, in 2006 at the Steve Allen theatre in Los Angeles. I was privileged to conduct the ritual of Compassion, Destruction and Lust.

The 666 Satanic High Mass was a high point in my life for many reasons. It brought together the best and the brightest of the Church of Satan for a celebration of the philosophy that we all hold so dear. Friendships were cemented that day as the hard work of so many people flourished in a way that will never be forgotten. Although I only presided over the Compassion Ritual, Magus Gilmore, Diabolus Rex, Magister Lang and several others presided over the Rituals of Destruction, Lust and the final benediction by Magus Gilmore. It was an incredibly moving experience and I can only liken it to the Satanic Nuremburg Rallies or damn good theater. It was just one of those things that you really had to be there to fully appreciate just how cool it truly was. I’m pretty sure all who attended feel the same way.

My “public” career as a sculptor began in 1984 working in both the Hollywood and TV milieu, on the product franchise side of Nightmare on Elm Street, Jumanji and Mortal Kombat as a staff sculptor for Mattel. I also began setting up of ARKHAM studios, which services both the corporate and occult entertainment world. I noticed some wonderful iron casts of the beloved Doktor, Anton LaVey among others.

There was no magic to my career, I just kept knocking on doors until my knuckles were bloody and never took no for an answer. If you truly commit to a course of action, you WILL succeed in your chosen path. Sure, it’s hard work; probably the hardest work one will ever do is keeping your head above water! But, it can be done! Others do it every day and you will too if it means that much to you.

Arkham Studios was created after I got laid off at Mattel, simple as that! I had to have a job and always wanted to do my own thing. Best advice I ever got was from my good pal Coop when he told me three magic words “Invest in Yourself” which means that if you get so good at what you do, do it better than anyone else and you’ll stand above the crowd.

The name Arkham comes from the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Arkham is the name of the fictional town where he sets a lot of his stories. My thought was to start a line of high-end occult and literary figures that I always wanted and it seems others have responded to that. I never take it for granted. Although there are sculptors out there who are way better artists than I’ll ever be, no one does what I do, so I’ve created my little niche of celebrating the Devil in art, which is just fine by me. Beats digging ditches, right?

My independent streak prompted me to recently move from Hollywood to the Midwest. I was becoming a miserable and bitter guy tin L.A. I was born and raised there and it clearly was not the same wonderful city I grew up in due to the illegal influx of jabbering foreigners who had no intention of assimilating or honoring the great history of the town. It was becoming a third world cesspool. Multi-culturalism does not work. I know, I saw it first hand. Anyone who tells you differently is lying, has a leftist political agenda or has never lived in a neighborhood that has declined. I’m not a racist, but I’m certainly a realist and I saw who was causing the cultural decay.

Also, everywhere I went was a reminder of a failed relationship that I wanted to forget and put behind me. I felt just like the disenfranchised character of D-Fens in the great film “Falling Down”. Nobody seemed to want to acknowledge what was happening to L.A, like the old story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, so I left to keep my sanity, no joke. I found an incredible manor here in the American Heartland that suits my purposes.

One thing I’ve always been told since I was young was “You were born in the wrong time.” I finally decided to do something about that. My house is 100 years old in a town that still looks like 1900. Remember the old Twilight Zone episode “A Stop at Willoughby”? That’s where I live. The house is filled with antiques and a thousand mysteries. I call it “Ultima Thule” from the Edgar Allan Poe poem “Dreamland”. “Ultima Thule” is the farthermost reaches of what we’re all capable of. For me that’s the concept of time travel. Yes, it’s true. I’m building a time machine in the basement that will transport the traveler into an aesthetic journey to about 1910. It is by invitation only and for me, the catalyst for wanting to go back into time was an emotional trauma that haunts me to this day. Your reason for making the journey would have to be a similar life-changing experience, although not the same as mine. This is not something one does lightly or for the merely curious who think it might be “fun”. You have to be passionate about the genuine need to go back. It’s deadly serious business and I treat it accordingly. The theory is based on the works of Wells, Priestley and Matheson coupled with an application of the Disney dark ride. The three necessary tools are Theater of the Mind, Power of Suggestion and Suspension of Disbelief. Needless to say, the machine itself is very real and designed and built by me. It will change your life and the experience will reduce you to tears. I guarantee it.

And of course there’s my other passion — women.

I have two theories on how to treat the fairer sex. One is something my father always told me. Make the ladies feel pretty and important. Best advice I ever got and it holds true every single time. The other is the old joke about how women are like Volkswagens. The worse you treat them, the better they run, haha! Now, before I get a torch bearing mob of Bry-hating gals on my front porch, let me say that while I don’t subscribe to that “Volkswagen theory,” I do recognize the peril of allowing myself to be a door mat for women to wipe their feet on. I’ve made that mistake before and it robs you of your self-respect and every good thing you’ve got to give from your heart. I love women and as Dr. Praetorius said in “Bride of Frankenstein,” they are my only weakness. Women are intoxicating and will very likely be the death of me. I’ve already come damn close.

My perfect Satanic woman? Hmmmmm…although I’ve never had a “type,” I would have to say the qualities that I look for in a swell gal would be a solid sense of humor, undying loyalty, and someone who has their own life. Not someone who simply becomes my assistant. Had that before, no thanks.

As far as looks, big tits are my obsession, my soul-crushing obsession. Influences of yesteryear would be Louise Brooks and other pale, raven-haired beauties that revel in their utter sexuality and knowing how to work their best attributes. They had better be a lady in life and an absolute whore in the sack. That’s how you keep a man, ladies. Take it from Bry the womanizer!

Oh, yeah, if a gal can become my all encompassing muse and best friend, then how can you go wrong? A lady that inspires you to your own “Ultima Thule.” I don’t think you can ask for more than that.