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Akhenaton (Fra)
Cerebrum (Fin)
Darkwoods My Betrothed (Fin)
Denial of God (Den)
Empyrium (Ger)
Equinox (USA)
Eternal Tears of Sorrow (Fin)
Evol (Ita)
Garcharot (Fin)
Ha Lela (Lith)
Moonblood (Ger)
Nahash (Lith)
Penitent (Nor)
Sectarium (Cuba)
AKHENATON (Fra) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen
WHEN AND WHY WAS DAEMONIUM FORMED?
-I did create DAEMONIUM in the beginning of '93 to realize strange, original and occult music, and to explain my "quest" of verity and power!
WERE THERE ANY DEMOS/PROMOS BEFORE THE CD AND HOW DID ADIPOCERE BECOME INTERESTED IN YOU? WHAT WAS THE CONTRACT LIKE?
-There were nothing before the CD! I directly entered the studio, financed by myself and one friend of mine (you know who you are Brother, thanks for believing in me!). Then I sent it to Adipocere which did become interested immediately. So, we signed the contract and I returned to the studio for a better mix! The contract was only for this CD but I've just signed with them for the second one! I'm satisfied with their work, I think it's an honest label which really helps the underground!
AS DAEMONIUM IS A ONE-MAN BAND, HOW IS MUSIC COMPOSED AND PLAYED IN A STUDIO FOR EXAMPLE?
-It's my own project. I've released, played & composed all the music and played all the instruments in studio. I have also drawn the logo and the cover! If I could have pressed the CD by myself, I would have done it! It is very hard to be alone 'coz when you play, you must imagine all the rest of the instruments and symphonies. Very hard work!
YOUR STUFF IS REALLY UNIQUE, ARE THERE ANY INFLUENCES OR PARAGONS YOU COULD MENTION?
-I've inspired only by the feeling and emotions for create music! Nothing else! Inspired also by the powers of universal laws and magic of elements (fire, water, heart).
HOW DID YOU CREATE "DARK OPERA..." CD? ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE RESULT AND WHERE WAS THE STORY TAKEN FROM? WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE YOU HAVE GOT?
-All musicians find all the mistakes and errors of the mix afterwards but I'm really satisfied! The story is in fact my story. Not only on this life but also into old life. I've tried to explain all my emotions and feelings by the music. My CD is selling well and have a good response from the public! Everybody calls this "so original"!
ABOUT "DIVINE SYMPHONIES", IT DOES CONTAIN 10 TRAX OF ALMOST NON-METAL STUFF WITH LOTS OF ATMOSPHERE AND THE STORY SEEMS TO BE QUITE PERSONAL, WAS IT A HARD PROCESS TO MAKE SUCH STUFF?
-Not really. I've just put myself into the ambiance of the acts (e.g. pursuit or spiritual discovery ...) and I wrote the music in the idea of trax/ambiances. I really try to explain the emotions of the "hero" with the story. I try to catch these emotions and put them on music!
STORY ENDS: "THE LIGHT WAS IN HIM", IS THIS THE END OF THE WHOLE STORY OR JUST A NEW BEGINNING? WHAT COMES NEXT?
-It's the end of this chapter. The next will be come ... the story of the hero when he found his way and has taken the conscience of his powers! I prefer keep the surprise in the next chapter, but I'm sure it'll be very strange again!
I THINK THERE ARE STRONG "RELIGIOUS" FEELINGS BEHIND YOUR STUFF/STORY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT DO DIFFERENT THINGS IN "RELIGION/MAGIC", ETC. MEAN TO YOU? DO THESE THINGS REFLECT YOUR "NORMAL" LIVING?
-I'm into magic from a long time ago now. When I was a child, I was into satanism because of music (VENOM). I tried black magic at the high level. And I became only despair and pain. Where is the pleasure to suffer? So, I tried white magic and I'm one of the happiest men now. (I explain, in fact, this chapter in DAEMONIUM. And my quest "of Graal" and fight against my ego in AKHENATON.) So, I'm totally against satanism and totally for the light. I hope all those who don't think like me, will understand one day. Also I'm not Christian or Jew or any special religion. It's true that I can take some elements in any religion. But the real one is this that your earth follows! I'm now highly initiated and I preach the Karmic laws, elemental laws and Divine providence. Maybe the religion that I feel the more is maybe between boudism and celtism. Boudism because my goal is to become "perfect" in harmony and celtism for the harmony with elements. For my living of all the days, yes, I learn a lot with this and people. This is my 1st part of life. Music is my second one. But this 1st and 2 nd part are in fact really in osmosis. Magic is the only way! The magic of elements and gods.
AS YOU STUDY KARMIC LAWS, DO YOU BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION? IF YOU DO, WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCHIEVE IN LIFE BEFORE YOU DIE ... TO GET A BETTER, NEW, LIFE?
-Yes, I believe in reincarnation. I've the proove of the existence of this law. And I, my Karma, is very hard to explain and so personal! But I am sure of my projects of effects. Anyway, for the monument, my life is great. And I try to help people in this magic way!
TELL ME YOUR OPINION ABOUT CURRENT BM/OCCULT-BOOM AND ALSO ABOUT DIFFERENT DISPUTES DEALING WITH TRUE / FALSE AND OTHER SHIT?!
-I don't care about the disputes, commit suicide you all and let me play! I have laught so! I see all the pseudo- "satanists" who destroy themselves! I think that a lot of children play like their idols do! They know they are "true" but some 2-3 years ago they played grindcore with political lyrics! I know some bands like that! And from every country. There is not a question of music (bm) but spirit! I rather prefer a death-metal band which believes in their opinion from a long time than the "black children"!
SCENE HAS MORE AND MORE ATMOSPHERIC/DARK/AMBIENT BANDS WHICH EXPRESS FEELINGS MORE OR LESS SYMPHONIC WAY. THESE BANDS SURELY PRODUCE MAJESTETIC ATMOSPHERE BUT I THINK IT'S QUITE HARD TO REALLY KNOW WHAT'S BEHIND THE STUFF. NO LYRICS AVAILABLE IF SUCH IS EVEN USED, ETC., THERE CAN BE ALMOST ANYTHING BEHIND THE STUFF ITSELF ... IS THIS A PROBLEM?
-I think it's not a problem really when you know (like "Divine symphonies") the story or concept. You can imagine easily. But it's true that some little trendies begin to do like us (me and some other bands who started this style in the scene) and it's not really obvious about their view. Is it just for musical expression!? I think. Anyway, I don't care. It's good for them if they like their music and obtain a little bit dollars!
IS SYMPHONIC STUFF WHAT YOU ARE LISTENING TO OR SOMETHING ELSE?
-I listen to classical music from a long time ago. (My parents live with this! Their job is in rapport with this) My fave ones are Prokofjev, Rachmaninov, ... Also movie sound-tracks (Hellraiser or Conan ...) but also lot of gothic a'la DEAD CAN DANCE, GARDEN OF DELIGHT or SISTER OF MERCY, ...
HAVE 'ZINES/MAGS BEEN INTERESTED IN YOU? YOUR OPINION OF UG IN GENERAL ... DO UG-'ZINES HAVE THE "POWER" TO MAKE A BAND MORE KNOWN?
-Yes, I have answered to lot of 'zines/magazines! I think they are very important in the scene and have the force to make some band more known and more liked! Especially big national magazines! Not only for our metal music but it is a same everywhere! Medias control the trend. But not in the underground, it is only if the bands are good. There is not corruptions by money! For underground, there are lot of shit bands! Classic music rules!
MORE AND MORE BANDS HAVE GOT THE CHANCE TO PLAY LIVE BUT DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE EVER A CHANCE TO SEE AKHENATON ON STAGE? WHAT KIND OF "SHOW" THAT WOULD BE?
-I've the project to do one "cult" live. But with a lot of musicians on stage and great concept show with setting on stage, film, candles. Big show a'la PINK FLOYD with special effect and tons of choirs, instrumentists, ...
IF YOU'VE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK FROM ME, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE?!
... WHAT DOES AKHENATON MEAN?
-(Tommi): Well ... to be honest I have not the slightest idea, tell us!
-Ok, it is an old Egyptian pharaon who was the first that instituted the religion of Aton (the sun). It was one of the greatest initiated (in magic) and I have an anterior life really near of this person! The Egyptian magic is the most evolved and truth! They were the descendants of the ancient ones and then knowledge was the greatest!
MESSAGES AND NEWS, FINAL CHANCE! AND THANKS FOR THY ANSWERS!
-Thanks for this interesting interview. I have a really fresh news. I released a video clip last week. It's not for a promotional way. I was really interested in doing this. I compose also some new songs for my other band (that I've before DAEMONIUM / AKHENATON). I think new CD for the end of this year! Close the eye of the Seth. There is only pain. Open the seal of your spirit and search the light into you. The quest is the harmony and equilibrium.
CEREBRUM (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Sami Järvinen
FIRST, VERY DULL BUT IN THIS CASE NECESSARY QUESTION: WHERE HAS THE NAME CEREBRUM TAKEN FROM? MY DICTIONARY OFFERS SOMETHING I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT CHOOSE, SO ...?
-Name has chosen from a Latin dictionary once somebody read it. Name just sounded good ... no matter about the translation. Name sounds like shit now but we don't want to change it 'coz it has been spread so much that changing name would only cause problems ...
WHAT WAS THE BASIC REASON TO FORM CEREBRUM IN 1993?
-Hmm ... I do not really know whether we had any certain reason or not!? I think we just played for fun first and things just developed to the certain direction ... we just wanted to create heavy stuff.
FIRST DEMO WAS RELEASED IN THE END OF '93 AND IT WAS VERY USUAL DEATH- METAL ... IT SOLD ABOUT 400 COPIES BUT YOU WEREN'T VERY SATISFIED WITH IT ... WAS THE GOOD SALE RESULT OF THE GOOD PROMOTION OR DID PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOUR MUSIC?
-Can we be satisfied with the debut which is shit? Music was usual, badly played, bad sounds, etc. Maybe the most important reason for the good sale was simply my quite a good promotion with flyers, etc. Many people did order our demo after hearing it from their friends, they wanted to get an original copy 'coz they liked it, to my astonishment! 80% of other response was good but I wonder those guys who praised our demo because it did not really offer anything special at all.
YOUR 1ST DEMO DIDN'T OFFER ANYTHING SPECIAL SO WHY YOU EVEN MADE IT? WAS YOUR TASTE SIMILAR TO YOUR DEMO SOUND OR WHAT WAS THE REASON?
-I think the reason why we made that debut was that we wanted to release a real demo for ourselves but as the others wanted to get it we thought that what a heck! Actually, we entered studio far too early and we hadn't any knowledge about the studio etc. Now I think that the reason why our stuff sounded like that is simply 'coz we liked such death-metal and our skills were nothing really special! We could not imagine to play anything like melodic metal but, on the other hand, I couldn't imagine to play such brutal dm now, so that's how one's taste changes.
"GRIEF" PROMO'94 OFFERS SOMETHING DIFFERENT (=BETTER) STUFF ... WAS THAT CHANGE IN STYLE INTENTIONAL AND DOES THE GOOD RESPONSE FOR "SOFTER" YET HARD METAL HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT CHANGE AS SENTENCED AND SOME OTHER FINNISH BANDS HAVE ADDED MORE TINGE INTO THEIR MUSIC GETTING EVEN MORE POPULARITY? WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE, OVER 500 COPIES SOLD ALREADY?!
-Change in style happened 100% surely because our ex-guitarist Toni made all trax and after he left Vesa began to make new and trax just became like that. So, it wasn't any intentional change. Bands like SENTENCED or AMORPHIS didn't influence us in any way 'coz Vesa listens to all kind of music and actually he does not listen to dm/bm that much. 90% of response has been fucking good and only a few guys have liked debut more than this promo (amazing!). I am really surprised by such response because our stuff demands a few listenings before one really gets into it!
TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR SONG- WRITING, ANY CERTAIN PATTERN TO MAKE THEM? WHAT ABOUT LYRICS ... YOUR LYRICS AREN'T THE MOST POSITIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR BIO BUT DO THEY REALLY MATTER ANYTHING MORE PROFOUND TO YOU OR ARE THEY JUST THE "NECESSARY EVIL"?
-Yes, we've certain pattern, Vesa makes a riff which I listen to telling whether it is good or bad, and if it is ok we begin to arrange the second guitar and the other instruments into it. We are very careful while making new songs, and the riffs have to be excellent before they are accepted nowadays. Now, when Vesa is still in the army our rehearsing is difficult and making new trax take a lot of time. Nowadays lyrics are half done by me and half done by Jaakko (6-string), dealing with subjects like solitude, loneliness, grief, hopelessness and all that kind of less happy things! Nowadays lyrics mean more than they did over a year ago ... I could not think to write just anything for lyrics!
WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE LABELS HAVE GIVEN AND WHAT KIND OF A DEAL'D SATISFY YOU? ARE YOU SATISFIED IF YOU JUST GET YOUR STUFF TO CD OR DO YOU NEED MONEY TO COVER EVEN A PART OF THE INVESTMENTS YOU HAVE DONE WITH DEMOS ETC.?
-Well, not too many labels have replied yet and I maybe some of them ever will!? Response given have been good and some offers have been given, we have a deal which demands only our signature anymore! We are satisfied to get our stuff for MCD, no need to cover earlier investments as, at least, my principle is not that we must get lots of money ... with such principle nobody would offer us a deal, I think!
YOU HAD ALSO SOME PLANS TO RELEASE COUPLE OF TRAX ON COMP.CD BUT, AT LEAST, THE PLANS OF DOMINION PROD. NEVER SUCCEED OR DID THEY? WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT COMP.CDS/TAPES ... I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEM VERY MUCH BECAUSE MOST OF THE COMPILATIONS HAVE ONLY 1-2 DECENT TRACK AND THE REST ARE JUST SHIT? DO YOU THINK COMPILATIONS ARE USEFUL ANYMORE AS MORE AND MORE BANDS ARE ABLE TO RELEASE THEIR STUFF WITH GOOD QUALITY ...?
-Well, comp.CD of Dominion prod. Must be dead now (Poskis, return my money!). I know nothing about a comp.CD of Rising realm records either, I think the guy ripped us off! We thought that we would like to be on a comp.CD of Shiver records but we have very little knowledge about it too at the moment! Well, 85% of comp.tapes are insignificant or you don't like to listen to them as they have only 1-2 listenable bands among the ten featured. Compilations help some bands to become more known but the fact is that comp.tape is hard to sell, only 100-200 copies at most, those who make comp.tapes may have a purpose to get as many free demos as possible! I do not want to talk about comp.CDs that much but I think they are also quite insignificant. If you could get enough good bands on comp.CD and e.g. some better known band would be featured with unreleased track, then it'd probably work.
WHAT ABOUT PROMOTION, HAVE FOREIGN MAGS INTERVIEWED YOU? IS IT IMPORTANT TO BECOME FEATURED IN ESPECIALLY FOREIGN MAGS TO SELL MORE DEMOS/PROMOS OR IS IT ENOUGH TO SPREAD LOADS OF FLYERS?
-We have mostly promoted ourself with flyers but it feels like there should be million flyers before people perceive to buy a demo. There are so much flyers around that it's very difficult to differ from the others. We have been interviewed in many foreign mags but it is actually the same thing than with the flyers: there are simply so many different mags that one should be in fucking many mags to be known 'coz of them! We have also managed to get promotion through some radio stations. It is surely important to get room in mags to get even a little promotion! Spreading flyers isn't enough alone, you must do more than that to sell more demos etc.!
AS YOUR PROMO'VE BEEN SELLING QUITE WELL, CAN YOU TELL HOW MANY COPIES HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BY PEOPLE AND HOW MANY BY DISTROS AND LABELS? YOUR FLYER STATES THAT NO FREE COPIES GIVEN BUT I DARE TO DOUBT THAT, SO IS IT MENTIONED THERE TO KEEP "BEGGARS" AWAY?
-It's really hard to tell how many copies have been sold for people, maybe about 30% of sold copies, and the rest for different distros etc. We have managed to spread our stuff to Holland; Sweden; Spain; Denmark; France; Cuba; USA; Italy; Germany; England; etc. Reason why our flyer states that text is quite simple: to avoid as much as possible of those begging-letters 'coz we mailed big amount of free copies for 'zines, labels, radio stations and I would not send more free copies very easily, if I did that the reason should be very good! We have, however, got quite many begging-letters and usually I reply saying that promo costs $5!
YOU HAVE MENTIONED IN AN INTERVIEW I'VE READ THAT BANDS LIKE PARADISE LOST; DEATH; CATHEDRAL; POSSESSED; XYSMA ETC. HAVE INFLUENCED YOU, SO CAN YOU TELL ME HOW, FOR EXAMPLE, POSSESSED CAN BE HEARD FROM YOUR STUFF? DO YOU LISTEN TO CERTAIN KIND OF STUFF OR ARE YOU OPENMINDED WITH THAT?
-Well, I may have mentioned POSSESSED sometime but I do not think it can be heard from our stuff. But can you hear e.g. CATHEDRAL either? All the bands I am listening to influence me somehow without being heard from our stuff! Nowadays I listen to almost all kind of stuff (not techno, rap, etc.), about two years ago I listened to only dm/bm. Doomy stuff interest me nowadays, and also dm/bm/hm/classic/jazz etc.
YOU'VE TOLD ME THAT YOU LIKE BLACK- METAL BUT ARE YOU MORE INTO THAT NEW NORWEGIAN-STYLE OR DO YOU PREFER OLDER BANDS LIKE VENOM OR CELTIC FROST?
-Yes, I also listen to bm and I listen to older bands like EMPEROR; IMMORTAL; IMPALED NAZARENE; ROTTING CHRIST; DARK THRONE etc. but also some younger bands interest me! The biggest problem of bm is that bands sound so similar, there are only some original bands left! VENOM & CELTIC FROST don't interest me, really!
EARLY '90'S DM WAS WHAT BANDS WANTED TO PLAY ... NOWADAYS IT SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE NEW (OLDER?) BANDS BEGIN TO PLAY "UNHOLY BM" BUT WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS CURRENT BOOM WHEN LABELS WANTS TO MAKE MONEY MAKING CONTRACT WITH AT LEAST ONE BM-BAND NO MATTER WHAT SHIT THAT'S ... DO YOU THINK THIS SITUATION WILL LAST LONG OR WILL PEOPLE BUY ALL THAT SHIT ALSO IN FUTURE?
-Yes indeed, seems like almost all the labels have a bm-band on their camp. It feels like some labels make contracts just 'coz of the image no matter what a band offers and that is why you can find thousands of lousy bm-bands which have contracted a 7"EP-, MCD-, CD-deal! Yes, I feel like all kind of shit sells and I have been joking that we should probably begin to play some shitty sound- ing bm to get a deal immediately!
WHAT YOU THINK OF THESE "DM-STARS" WHO LAUGH AT BM WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT THAT STYLE & ATTITUDE? IS BM OR ANY OTHER STYLE SO SACRED THAT TO DEFEND IT FROM ALL THE CRITICS ONE HAVE TO USE, AT LEAST, HIS FISTS THAT IGNORANTS LEARN THEIR LESSON?
-Well, some "dm-stars" make me really sick with their attitude ... e.g. guys of AMORPHIS have really shitty attitude towards UG-scene critizicing it even they were dependent on it only couple of years ago! I'm not sure whether bm is so "serious" thing, it depends ... no comment on that.
MENTION THREE BAD AND GOOD DM/BM- BANDS AND THE REASON FOR THAT CHOICE?!
-Hmm, three lousy bm-bands ... BEHEMOTH, MORTAL EVIL, IMPURITY ... all those're just so bad and unoriginal. Three good bm-bands ... EMPEROR, CRADLE OF FILTH, SATYRICON but I could mention thousand different as well! Three lousy dm-bands ... GUT (the worst of all!), DISCARNATE, CHRYSTLER (simply really lousy bands!). Three good dm-bands ... IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, PYOGENESIS ... unbelievable bands, the best on their category!
YOU ARE ALSO MAKING A 'ZINE CALLED ASTRONOMICAL FAKEPIG (WHAT A NAME-ED.), HOW'S THAT PROJECT PROCEEDING? DO YOU HAVE ANY PARAGONS ON THAT AREA?
-Well, A.F.'zine is in "ice" which is a pity 'coz it'd have been really good, but what can I do! Making 'zine demands some originality and one should take some time making such as you can see average & lousy 'zines everywhere. One should think of the questions and try to develop some original and interesting still giving information. Lay-out should be neat and quite simple, keep useless flyers off the pages! If I have to tell some paragons, I'd mention Mikko Mattila (Isten) and Mikko Lappalainen (Elysium), both of them've their own style to make 'zine and both have incredible questions, and both 'zines are among the best in world!
BACK TO CEREBRUM, YOU HAVE PLAYED SEVERAL GIGS BUT DO YOU ENJOY PLAYING LIVE OR ARE THE GIGS JUST THE NECESSARY EVIL? WOULD YOU BE READY TO TOUR ACROSS EUROPE IF YOU HAD A CHANCE FOR THAT?
-Gigs are not a "necessary evil" but CEREBRUM isn't playing live at the moment 'coz Vesa is in the army and our Mikko (synth.) can't play all the songs and we aren't just very interested in playing live right now. Of course, we'd be ready to play across Europe if somebody could handle the financing 'coz I don't have that much extra money. But if everything was well organized, and we'd get some gig-reward ... why not!
HOW MANY UNRELEASED TRAX YOU HAVE, AND IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THEM WILL NOT EVER BEEN RELEASED AND IF SO, WHY'S THAT? DO YOU PLAY ANY COVER-TRACKS ON REHEARSALS OR EVEN ON GIGS?
-We've two new trax ready now and two other trax after the promo has thrown away 'coz we were not 100% satisfied with 'em! It's probable that some trax have to be left out from the MCD just 'coz there is not enough room for them. Yes, we've played some cover-trax but mainly for fun ... the only cover-track we've played live once was "Remembrance" by PARADISE LOST.
YOU'VE SYNTH.-PLAYER IN BAND NOW ... DOES THAT MEAN BECOMING MORE LIKE AMORPHIS AND DOES THAT INSTRUMENT HAVE A CERTAIN MEANING IN THE FUTURE? ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCE IN YOUR NEWER TRAX COMPARED WITH THE EARLIER?
-No, synth.-player doesn't mean we would sound more like AMORPHIS even I think some'd say we've some AMORPHIS-influences in our stuff. It is the same as some years ago when every band using female- singer was just imitating PARADISE LOST! Synth. have an important role in our music 'coz both guitars can play melody now and synth. plays rhythm. And synth. creates some certain atmosphere to our stuff. Brand-new trax are really melodic still having heaviness. Vocals are also different due to change of vocalist.
WHAT IS YOUR GOAL WITH CEREBRUM, WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE PLANS?
To find a label which could be ready to release our CD. Would be cool to play live abroad too, you never know.
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK FROM ME? NOW'S YOUR CHANCE ...
... WHAT DOES MUSIC MEAN TO YOU, AND
WHAT IN MUSIC FASCINATES YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU ARE MAKING 'ZINE?
-(Tommi): Well ... music means something I can't find from other things ... good music offers such pleasure and feelings I can't find from other art etc. I am openminded and I've found some brilliant stuff after beginning with my 'zine. I just want to tell people about bands which deserve attention, mostly UG-bands, and almost all the bands I have featured are such I like to listen to! The most important thing's that one listens to music one like whatever others say ... unfortunately it seems like many people can't do that but it's their loss.
FINAL MESSAGES ... AND THANKS FOR ANSWERS!
-Yeah ... thank you for the long, good and interesting interview! Good luck with 'zine and DARK MOON PRODUCTIONS! As I said, our vocalist has changed so a new guy is in the band again. Label that probably releases our MCD is an Italian Fullmoon Rising records, watch out for the flyers & order the MCD! Greeting for all the friends over the world!
DARKWOODS MY BETHROTHED (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Pasi Kankkunen
VIRGIN'S CUNT WAS FORMED BACK IN 1993, WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THAT? DID YOU HAVE ANY MUSICAL BACKGROUND BEFORE VIRGIN'S CUNT?
-VIRGIN'S CUNT was formed in '93 but we had discussions about forming a band earlier too. I have been playing in different bands since '85. We made our first tape in '86 when I played in a band called DEMON. Tero Kinnunen, recorder of the DMB-demo, was also playing in DEMON. Next band, METOYER (what a name), included almost the same guys as in DEMON. We made a demo for ourselves. Stuff was thrash-metal and our demo included a cover-track "The ritual" by DESTRUCTION. We changed our name into VIRULENCE after the demo. I was a drummer and I made the main part of the trax. Stuff was something like CARCASS. Then I had quite a long break until I joined a band my friends were playing, I handled drumming 'coz they did not have anybody available. I played with them in about five gigs and in some demos. Stuff was heavy-metal including also a cover of DANZIG. Then was VIRGIN'S CUNT formed and the rest is better known. Teemu (bass/DMB) played with Tero (drums/DMB) in CARNIFICATION, and they made, at least, one demo playing satanic dm in '92. When the line-up changed also the name was changed to DISMAL SILENCE, style was something like TIAMAT. Jouni (guitar/DMB) played, at least, in a brutal dm-band called DEVOURMENCY. Jouni played guitar and handled vocals, they made one demo.
ABOUT VIRGIN'S CUNT AGAIN ... THAT NAME IS REALLY FAR AWAY FROM THE CURRENT "IMAGE" AS IT LOOKS LIKE A JOKE TO ME, BUT WAS V.C. JUST A JOKE IN THE BEGINNING OR WAS IT "REAL" BM AS DMB IS?
-You are right, V.C. is really far away from our current style but it was never meant to be a joke. People were not laughing on gigs but were rather frightened running away. I think V.C. is more bm than latest stuff of DMB, at least, the stupid lyrics were more like bm. We were looking for something really brutal and it was ok for the first demo.
FIRST DEMO OF DMB, "DARK AUREOLES GATHERING", WAS SELLING VERY WELL AND RECEIVED ALSO A GOOD RESPONSE. YOU MADE IT WITH A FOUR-TRACKER BUT WAS IT A SIGN OF POOR SELF-ESTEEM BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS KIND OF "NORWEGIAN" BM WOULD BE POPULAR OR WAS THAT CHEAP SOUND WITHOUT USELESS FINENESS THE THING YOU ACTUALLY WANTED?
-"Dark aureoles gathering" sold quite well, about 700 copies and more would have gone as demand was really great. We decided to stop selling it because of the release of our debut CD. We did record it with 4-tracker simply because we had not afford to go to studio. We got a dezent sound with those equipment. So it has not anything to do with poor self-esteem.
YOUR PARAGONS, ACCORDING YOUR MUSIC, ARE FROM NORWAY, DON'T YOU THINK THIS LIMITS YOU OR COULD BE EVEN A RISK AS IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THIS TREND WITHERS AND PEOPLE BEGIN TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE?
-My early paragons were bands like CELTIC FROST, BATHORY, SLAUGHTER and a little later Norwegian bands. I do not think that it would limit us 'coz we simply played such music we wanted to and we were not really interested in sale of the demo, of course, it was great that people bought it and even liked it.
TELL ABOUT YOUR SONG-WRITING, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU MAKE NEW TRAX VERY QUICKLY AS YOUR DEBUT CD HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE VERY LONG BUT YOU HAVE ALREADY PLANNING TO RECORD NEW ALBUM ...?
-Songs have been mostly made by Teemu and Jouni. We play riffs to the tape and choose the best structure from them. Then we rehearse them a lot making them the best possible song. After that Teemu usually makes the lyrics. I will make quite surely a few trax to our next album.
LYRICS DEAL WITH DIFFERENT SUBJECTS BUT MYTHOLOGY SEEMS TO HAVE QUITE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THEM ... DO YOU STUDY THAT SUBJECT MORE OR ARE YOU JUST USING SUBJECTS THAT FIT INTO MUSIC THE BEST?
-Teemu reads lots of books dealing with mythology, so I think these lyrics and their subjects can be found from there. I'm also very interested in mystic/occult stuff and I read lots of books dealing with these things.
YOU MADE THE VOCALS ON DEMO AND CD, AND YOUR VOCALS SOUND INTERESTING, NOT ANY OPERA-STYLE BUT RAW NORDIC HOWLING, HOW YOU HAVE CREATED SUCH STYLE?
-My vocal-style was created in rehearsal when we tried different styles to find out the right for our stuff. CD has vocals I wanted to and there should have been text "howling" instead of "the voice" on the CD-cover.
HOW SOUTH-KOREAN HAMMERHEART PROD. BECAME INTERESTED IN YOU? DID YOU SEND LOTS OF FREE DEMOS FOR THE LABELS ETC.?
-South-Korean guy had got our demo from some other guy and he liked it. We didn't send more than about 10 free copies. We have got orders from even Kolumbia and Australia, etc.
WHAT ABOUT INTEREST FROM THE FOREIGN 'ZINES ETC.?
-Foreign 'zines have been interested in us and we've got about 40 interviews.
WHAT ABOUT THE EDITORS, HAVE THEY SENT FREE COPIES AS PROMISED?
-We have got some free copies but not as much as promised, but also most of the interviews've been done only lately.
YOUR ATTITUDE, ACCORDING TO COUPLE OF INTERVIEWS I HAVE READ, IS THAT "NO FUN, NO MOSH, NO LAVEY, ETC."-ATTITUDE AND TEEMU HAVE TOLD THAT THE FACT LAVEY LIVES IN THE USA, THE LAND OF BUSINESS- RELIGIONS, TELLS ALL THE ESSENTIAL ABOUT HIS CHURCH AND ITS ATTITUDE ... ON THE OTHER HAND, 'COZ NORWEGIAN-BM IS FUCKING POPULAR ($) AND THE SAME GUYS PLAY IN DIFFERENT BANDS RELEASING ALBUMS, IT'S INTERESTING TO REMEMBER HOW THEY WERE TELLING THAT MONEY AND FAME MEAN NOTHING TO THEM ... IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE BACK THEN AND NOW EVEN HARDER ... OPINION?!
-Well, money stinks in LaVey's church but it really doesn't matter to me that much, everybody may become blessed with one's own way. And I do not interfere others' beliefs as I've lots to do with my own beliefs. I do not care if music's trendy as long as I like to listen to it ... there are never enough of good music. There are plenty of good bands in Norway and I like a lot of 'em. If they do what they like to and if they manage to get some money from it, I think there is nothing wrong with it.
WHAT YOU THINK OF PEOPLE WHO "ADORE" NORWAY, ITS BANDS AND NATURE, WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO ENJOY FINNISH NATURE ETC., ISN'T THIS SITUATION QUITE MAD ... SEEMS LIKE MANY "REAL BM-FREAK" WOULD'VE FOUND THEIR "GODZ" FROM NORWAY EVEN THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE, ADORING IN THE NAME OF "FABULOUS NORWEGIAN CULTURE" TOTALLY FORGETTING OUR OWN PAGAN TRADITIONS?!
-What you told is totally true! I think we should respect our own nature, culture, etc more. And to be proud of it! I respect our nature and I go to north every summer to wander there 1-2 weeks. I can find many new ideas and I can think all kind of things without that normal daily shit there. Some "true" guys surely think this isn't real bm-attitude but I give a shit, then we are not black-metal!
AND MORE ... BASIST TEEMU HAS HIS OWN PROJECT BAND NATTVINDENS GRЕT AND THIS REMINDS ME OF NORWAY AGAIN BUT MAYBE YOU COULD TELL US MORE OF THIS? WHY WAS THIS BAND FORMED, ETC.?
-Yeah, I think NATTVINDENS GRЕT was formed in '94. First demo, "Där svanar flyger", was released 1995 with following line-up: Teemu (guitars, vox, all songs); Sami(bass); Tuomas(synth.) & Kosti(drum- machine) + Anssi Kippo and Tomi Mykkänen were assisting on the demo. Demo was released through German Solistitium records. Band was formed because Teemu had lots of trax which were not such that would have fitted into the DMB-pattern and so he wanted to release them under the different name. These trax are great and so are the trax which are released through Solistitium records on CD. Debut CD contains nine trax + intro. Cover-artwork is made by the same guy who made cover-artwork to "In the nightside eclipse" CD of EMPEROR, lyrics are in English. There are also some changes in line-up ... Tero plays drums.
TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT SUCH THING AS "FINNISH BLACK-METAL MAFIA"? WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF SUCH GROUPS, ETC., DO YOU BELONG TO ANY?
-I know such is being planned by e.g. AZAZEL and SACRUM but that's all I know about it. I have nothing against mafias and organizations. I do not belong to any and probably never will!
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT DIFFERENT FLYERS ETC. WHICH ARE INTRODUCING "FALSE" BANDS PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID? HOW YOU ARE CATEGORIZING BANDS? ACCORDING TO MUSIC, ATTITUDE OR SOMETHING ELSE?
-That is really pissing me off, sending such flyers is really childish and it shows how uncertain ones who made them actually are. Personally I try to avoid any criticism towards other bands because I see no idea of blaming and critizising others ... if some band does not interest me I just don't listen to it. I usually categorize bands according to music because it's the easiest way.
WHAT YOU THINK OF RACIAL AND OTHER SIMILAR THINGS BEING CONNECTED TO BLACK- METAL AND IS IT NECESSARY TO HARNESS BM OR ANY OTHER MUSIC FOR SOME PURPOSE?
-I do not support political or racial lyrics to be mixed into the music but it may be one's way to express oneself. Gas im juden...
CAN YOU TELL THE GOAL OF DMB OR ARE YOU LIVING ONE DAY AT THE TIME WITHOUT ANY CERTAIN, CONCRETE GOALS?
-DMB haven't any certain goals, we try to make the best possible stuff which would please ourselves. We do live one day at the time both in music and in our own life.
FUTURE PLANS? ANY CHANGES APPEARING IN STYLE OR IN SOMETHING ELSE?
-2nd full-length in March 1996 through German Solistitium records, we've a deal for two albums with them. Also a limited edition (1000 copies) double-LP will be released with the furious version of the track "Whispers" from our 2 nd demo. Style will turn to more varied, more interesting & more original without loosing the power of the debut. I make trax for my own project called HOWLL which is not going to release anything for a long time, I think.
FINAL MESSAGES AND GREETING, PLEASE! THANKS FOR THY ANSWERS!
-Special thanks to you, Tommi, for this interesting interview! Hail DARK MOON!
Greetings to the following: Satanachia & AZAZEL; Juha & LORD OF PAGATHORN; ICFD 'ZINE; Ari & MORNINGSTAR; DIABOLI; Nergal & BEHEMOTH; HAMMERHEART PROD.; Carsten & SOLISTITIUM REC., THY SERPENT, Pasi & CHARON; and extra thanx to Tero Kinnunen!
DENIAL OF GOD (Den) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Azter
SO HERE WE GO AGAIN ... SINCE DARK MOON #1 ('93) LOTS OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED BUT DENIAL OF GOD IS STILL ALIVE AND DOING WELL, AREN'T YOU!?
-Yeah, here we go again ... a lot has happened to the band, we are still alive and, actually, the band is doing better than ever. Now, after the usual line-up problems, the band consists of Azter/ guitar; Ustumallagam/vocals; Fargel/bass; Uksul/drums and I think the line-up is finally stable again! At least this's the best line-up we have had! In May'95 we released our 7"EP "The statues are watching" on Maggot records and now we've signed to Dark Trinity Prod. For 3 releases. We are expecting to play some shows here in Denmark and in England when our MLP/MCD "The ghouls of DOG" will be released so you can expect a lot of black horror from us in the future too!
SINCE MID-'93 YOU'VE RELEASED THE 2ND DEMO "THE DAWN OF AEMIZAEZ" AND MOST RECENTLY THAT 7"EP ... HOW THOSE RELEASES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED?
-Both the demo and the 7"EP have been received very well by most of the people. We still have not received as many reactions to the 7"EP as for the demo, but people seem to think that the 7"EP is the best release so far which is fine because that is also our opinion. The sound is better and also the vocals have become much more ghoulish. There seem to be a few people who prefered the demo but that's the matter of taste anyway. By the way, I would not wonder if there were maniacs who think that the first demo "Osculum infame" is our best release, you never know!
HOW MAGGOT REC. BECAME INTERESTED IN YOU AND WHAT WAS THE REASON THIS RELEASE WAS DELAYED SO MUCH ...?
-Well Tommi, you surely can take some pride in this! Maggot rec. first became interested in us due to the interview in DARK MOON #1 and then he wrote to us! He offered us to distribute our demos and so he also did. Back then Maggot was only a distribution but when he started the label, he told us that he could be interested in DENIAL OF GOD-release. He offered us a deal and we agreed on it. You are right, the record was very delayed. We recorded it in October'94 but 'coz the engineers were so fucking lazy and "never had time to do it", we didn't get it mixed until January '95! Delay over 3 months! After that the cover lay-out took some time and when Maggot finally had everything (the mastertape, cover drawing and cover lay-out) there was a delay with the printing of the cover, but in May'95 it was finally released! We had no problems with Maggot, we're very satisfied with his work! He's reliable guy! Well, we had wanted the lyric-sheets to be printed, but that didn't happen, I think we misunderstood each other, but anyway, the lyrics're included in the copies you get from us, and for those who have a copy without lyric-sheet it can be ordered separately for $1/IRC. Hail Maggot!
SINCE YOUR FIRST DEMO BACK IN '92 YOUR STYLE HAS NOT CHANGED VERY MUCH BUT ONE THING I THINK AS AN IMPROVEMENT IS THAT YOUR SONGS HAVE, SOMEHOW, MORE PRIMITIVE POWER EVEN THE SOUNDS AND PRODUCTION HAS BECOME BETTER EVERY TIME ... CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY IS THAT SO?
-Our style hasn't changed much and that has never been our intention either, but I think it has developed a lot, and as you say, the sound has become a lot better on every release. One thing is also that the line-up changes have affected our style 'coz 'til today I've written 95% of the music by myself. But I think the newer trax have better arrangements and that the atmosphere has become much more horrifying and haunting. I like all our songs but I'll never be so satisfied that I could not find anything to do better! The band must never stagnate. The new trax have better arrangements and they also turned out to be quite long (like "The crypt has eyes" which's almost 9 minutes long). The songs have become more seductive, taking you deeply into foggy moonlight nights of horror.
ALSO YOUR DEBUT ALBUM IS COMING BUT BEFORE THE DEAL WITH DARK TRINITY PROD. YOU ALSO GOT SOME OTHER OFFERS, FROM AFTER DARK REC. FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT DID HAPPENED BEFORE THE DEAL WAS SIGNED?
-We'll not release anything on After Dark rec.! It is true that he offered us a deal and he also promised us a lot, but it was just talking! He had lots of plans for a European tour etc., but nothing ever happened! I was told by many people from everywhere that they had been promised a lot and even been ripped off by him, and we were told not to sign with him. As far as I know ANCIENT RITES have not been paid a single cent, even if they sold over 10000 albums! I must add that when I say "he" I mean Erik from After Dark, not Ben because I've been told from a reliable source that Ben didn't know about Erik's shitty rip-offs! I think they are bankrupt now anyway. We had by then been asked by Dark Trinity prod. for a release, and when we got tired of the A.D. shit, we agreed and now we've signed to them for the release of our mini-CD "The ghouls of DOG" and a picture 7"EP + a full-length CD. Maggot will release "The ghoul of DOG" as mini- LP in a limited edition of 500 copies (vinyl must never die!). The deal is basically the same as the one After Dark rec. offered us, only a little better!
WHAT KIND OF DEAL SATISFIES YOU? DO YOU NEED MONEY FOR ALL THE EXPENSES OR ARE YOU READY TO INVEST SOMETHING ON YOUR OWN TO GET YOUR STUFF RELEASED AND SPREAD?
-I'm satisfied with the deal we've with Dark Trinity rec. now, they pay our recordings & pressings, and we get 10% of the profit ... when we released the 7"EP we had to pay the recording and Maggot paid the pressing, and for that we got 250 of the 1000 printed copies (limited edition). Luckily we never paid the studio, he he, they did not deserve a single cent! If we did not have any deal, we'd be ready to invest some money (like in the past), but you must also know that we spend a lot of money for mail and new equipment all the time, so we haven't earned anything yet on the band.
CAN YOU TELL ANYTHING ESSENTIAL ABOUT THE NEW TRAX, ANY CHANGES IN SIGHT? IN GENERAL, HOW MANY UNRELEASED TRAX YOU HAVE AND DO YOU THINK SOME OF THEM WON'T BE EVER RELEASED AND IF SO, WHY?
-As I said, the new trax are much more horrifying, sinister and haunting. They are basically more melodic (but still as brutal!) and complex (not technical!), better in arrangement. I think there's also something really original in the new trax, but wait and here yourself. I think the new trax're more dramatically build up too, they fit to the lyrics perfectly. We are really slow in writing songs, so we can't really "afford" to have any unreleased trax ... we do not throw songs away, instead we keep on working on them until they are exactly like we want them to be. "Approaching hell's gates" which we wrote before the band was formed was never released. It was just a short and very simple instrumental, it will never be released, even if we think it still has its charm. The unreleased trax we have are all for our mini-album, the trax are "The ghouls of DOG" (intro); "Robbing the grave of the priest"; "Follow those who died" (previously released on the 2nd demo); "The crypt has eyes", and we are currently putting together the last riffs in a new one called "A night in Transylvania" which will maybe appear on a comp.-CD. If not, this one will probably be used later for the full- length album. Oh eah, I also wrote two accoustic trax for the full album, they are "Medieval mysteries" and When death is life", but no-one will hear them before late'96/early'97.
YOU TOLD ME IN DM #1 THAT YOU ARE MAINLY INFLUENCED BY OLD GODZ LIKE VENOM AND BATHORY, DO ANY OF THE NEWER BANDS HAVE ANY INFLUENCE ON YOU? YOU'VE TOLD THAT BANDS LIKE SIGH & SADISTIK EXEKUTION ARE SUCH YOU LIKE A LOT AND EVEN THOSE AREN'T THE YOUNGEST BANDS I STILL THINK THEY'RE NOT WHAT MOST OF THE "NEW" BM- BANDS CALL AS PARAGONS?!
-When we formed the band we were inspired (and probably influenced a bit) by VENOM; BATHORY; MAYHEM; DEATH SS; CELTIC FROST; HELLHAMMER; SODOM and others (even ALICE COOPER has been an inspiration!). There are some more but those were probabl the most important ones. Yes, SIGH and SADISTIK EXEKUTION fucking rules, and you're right that they aren't new anymore but they have not influenced us, mainly because they were not too familiar to me when we started the band. But, we like them a lot and I'm sure that they'll put their influence on bands in the future! By the way, hail to both bands!
ALSO MAYHEM WAS MENTIONED IN DM#1 (AND ABOVE AS WELL) AS A PARAGON AND ALL BM-FREAKS (AND OTHERS!) KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO EURONYMOUS IN AUGUST'93. YOU, AMONG MANY OTHERS, WERE TOTALLY SHOCKED WHEN THIS HAPPENED ... CAN YOU TELL US HOW THIS THING INFLUENCES TODAY? IT SEEMS LIKE DIFFERENT BM-FREAKS HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THIS MURDER AS THERE ARE BOTH ANTI-EURONYMOUS & ANTI-COUNT MOVEMENTS GOING ON IN THE BM-SCENE ... OPINION ABOUT THIS?
-I had some contact with Euronymous and besides that he was one of my main inspirations, so therefore I consider his death as a big loss for me and the whole scene in general. Suddenly a lot of idiots started worshipping Grishnackh (even if they claim to be their own gods, ha!) and talking shit about Euronymous, even if they never knew him at all! I'd like to ask these idiots: where do you think the Cunt'd be without Euronymous? Who would he be? He keeps on talking shit about Euronymous because he would be nothing without someone to critisize! I don't see much movements, just some sheep who need a leader. And about Euronymous, I think it is people who respected Euronymous for his hard work and ideas, and therefore pay tribute to him by honouring his memory. We will never forget Euronymous, R.I.P. my black- brother.
YOU'VE STATED IN YOUR LETTERS YOU SEND ME THAT "BE MORBID, NOT HUMAN", CAN YOU TELL US IF THERE IS SOME MORE PROFOUND MEANING BEHIND THIS STATEMENT?
-This came out when I thought to myself that most total black-metal-heads are what other people would call "morbid", this also goes for myself, I'm really into morbidity. Furthermore I do not think I'm human and most humans are the same anyway. This turned into "Be morbid, not human", it's up to every individual how he will understand it.
YOU USE "BLACK HORROR METAL" AS THE DESCRIPTION FOR YOUR MUSIC SO ARE DIFFERENT LEGENDS, VAMPIRISM ETC., WHAT INSPIRES YOUR LYRICS?
-"Black horror metal" is the best description of the musick we play. "Black" because of the Satanic and anti-Christian content and "horror" for the whole atmosphere surrounding everything we do. I've always been interested in satanism, horror, death and great stuff like that, and "black horror metal" is a good description of DENIAL OF GOD. We are not trying to deny "black-metal" at all because we love real black-metal like the old bands and some new bands, but I think black-metal is going in a wrong direction, everyone seems to be into vikings and things like that, but that is not real black-metal! We don't only sing about Satan, also a lot of horror, therefore it's the best label. You could also just say we play "heavy-metal"?!?! Or "music"?!?! You seem to get the point, Tommi, vampires influence us! Some words are almost magic like "vampire"; "witch"; "ghoul"; "fog"; "zombie"; "darkness"; etc. - you can really create a lot of horror with this! I'm deeply into vampirism, not only reading/studying about them, I really love the taste of blood! Hail to my vampire sisters and brothers!
YOU TOLD ME A LONG TIME AGO THAT MY INTERVIEW IN DARK MOON #1 + FLYERS I SPREAD HELPED YOU AS MORE PEOPLE WERE ORDERING YOUR DEMOS ETC. WHAT IS THE SITUATION TODAY, DO YOU THINK DENIAL OF GOD IS BETTER KNOWN NOW AND THAT YOUR COMING RELEASES WILL BE EVEN MORE WANTED?
-Yes, I remember that many people got interested in us and/or ordered our demos after reading your 1st issue, it was great! Even if you appear in different 'zines, it is mostly a very few that many people react to, like DARK MOON #1. Today D.O.G. is much more well-known, so something has happened on that point and I think there will be a bigger interest in the future ... for example, I know that Dark Trinity prod. already received mail concerning us, even if they hardly advertised our coming release yet! Flyers are ok but nowadays you have to print lots of them because there are so many around. Reviews are also ok but mostly interviews (good ones like this) are the best way to promote a band. We haven't done much interviews lately and this is my first one in a quite a long time, so I guess we will get, again, more attention in the next months when we start taking more care of promotion again.
YOU'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE LINE-UP AND EVEN YOU FINALLY GOT GOOD BASSIST, FARGEL, THERE SEEM TO BE NEW PROBLEMS. YOU HAVE TOLD THAT ONE REASON FOR THESE PROBLEMS IS THAT D.O.G. DEMANDS FULL DEDICATION ... DO YOU THINK THESE PROBLEMS WILL EVER BE SOLVED AND ANYTHING NEW ABOUT THE PROBLEMS YOU TOLD ME SOME TIME AGO?
-DENIAL OF GOD does demand full dedication! Fargel was out for some time, but this all had to do with some problems between me and him, but they're solved now. I do not want to comment further on this because it was something personal between me and him, no-one else. Our line-up is stable now and I think it'll stay like this. Fargel's the best bassist we've had so far! To Fargel: stay in the band and drink piss!
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT CURRENT BM-BOOM WHICH MEANS YOU CAN FIND DOZENS OF BM-RELEASES FROM ALL DISTRO-LISTS, ETC.? I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH UG FOR AGES AND MOST OF THEM HATE THIS CURRENT SITUATION WHEN ALL BM-BANDS GET POPULARITY WHILE GOOD DM ETC. DOESN'T GET THE ATTENTION THEY'D DESERVE ... AND MAYBE THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING IS THAT NORWEGIAN BANDS SELL THEIR STUFF LIKE HELL EVEN ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO THEY STATED THAT THEY NEVER WANT TO SPREAD THEIR STUFF AROUND BUT ONLY FOR THE "REAL" FREAKS ... OPINION?
-It's, of course, great that it is now possible to earn a bit of money on the music, but the problem is that there're a lot of people out there who will betray the scene when it's not trendy anymore. I don't mind selling a lot, but I would like the people to be really dedicated to it and not being "into" us 'coz it's trendy. A lot of people only sell black- metal to earn money, and this is shit because it should be a cult with only the die-hard bm-people earning on it! About death-metal, it's great that some bands still play real dm because it's not that different from bm! Norwegian bands (and anyone else) sell a lot to anyone, it's impossible to control anyway even if I liked the original idea. I was never in this for money or fame, but because I can't exist without my music. The early bm/dm sold lots of records compared to many new bands anyway so ... let's hope the trendy people leave the "scene" soon! They are wimps anyway.
YOUR NEW BIO TELLS YOU ARE PLANNING TO PLAY MORE GIGS IN FUTURE BUT CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU'VE PLAYED SO RARELY?
-This has been said in all our bios but nothing happened. Two "big" reasons were that we had line-up problems and that a lot of arrangements were cancelled due to different reasons. We were supposed to play in Germany and Poland but that didn't come about. But, soon we'll do live shows again!
CAN YOU NAME ANY NEW AND PROMISING BANDS FROM DENMARK? HAS THIS BM-BOOM CAUSED THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF NEW BLACK/ PAGAN OR WHATEVER BANDS IN DENMARK TOO?
-The only band I like is APOLLYON, they are great! Well, I have to say that I also play in that band now, but I've always liked them. They splitted up but reformed with new members. The 3 rd demo came out last summer and is the best so far. I joined the band shortly after. There are "black/pagan" bands, but those I know either changed suddenly with the trend or have stupid attitudes. There's also a female band called FEIKN, but I haven't heard them yet. A demo should be out soon. I look forward to that. But the rest ... no names!
IS YOUR STATEMENT, "FUCK LAVEY", STILL VALID ... AND WHAT ABOUT OTHER GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS, DO YOU BELONG TO ANY OR DO YOU GIVE A SHIT FOR SUCH?
-I do not belong to any groups though I have some contacts. About LaVey, there are many things I don't agree with him, but I don't care, I believe what I believe and he has his opinion. I think Church of Satan is doing some really commercial things that I do not agree with, but if only money matters ...
WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE? YOU HAVE TOLD ME SOMETHING ABOUT GRAVE DESECRATIONS ETC., BUT DON'T YOU THINK SUCH ACTS JUST MAKE YOUR LIFE HARDER AND THAT SUCH ACTS MAKE THE WHOLE BLACK- METAL THING LOOK LIKE CHILDREN'S PLAY?
-I can not explain my philosophy here because that would take ages to explain and I am rather confused at this point 'coz I am so manic depressive at times. I just believe death is the ultimate. About grave desecration - I have not comment on this but it is not child's play!
LAST TIME I ASKED YOUR FUTURE PLANS YOU WERE RELEASING THE 2ND DEMO BUT WHAT DO YOU ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION THIS TIME?
-Our next plans are to record and release "The ghouls of DOG". We also plan shows in Denamrk and in England when the record comes out. We will write songs for the first full-length and simply try to improve all the time. We will be busy with promotion. Hopefully we will also be able to play live in other countries as well, but time will tell what exactly will happen (as always).
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK FROM ME ... GO AHEAD!?
... YEAH, I'VE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU: 1: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY ANSWERS? 2: WHAT YOU THINK OF OUR MUSIC? 3: DO YOU LIKE ANAL-SEX? 4: DOES YOUR GIRLFRIEND LIKE ANAL-SEX?
-(Tommi): Well, answers were good, long and interesting! Your music is great, I'm eagerly waiting for your next release because every time your stuff has more power and if that goes for the MCD, it must be a masterpiece of brutality! About anal-sex, I don't think it's worth it and I think my girlfriend agrees!
FINAL GREETINGS ETC. AND THANKS A LOT FOR THIS INTERVIEW!
-I also thank you for this great interview (sorry for my delay) and for your great support since the beginning! Keep the black spirit! Hail to all true brothers and sisters of us, the chapel in the moonlight awaits me ...
EMPYRIUM (Ger) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Markus Stock
EMPYRIUM WAS FORMED IN WINTER '92/'93 BUT CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WAS THE BASIC REASON FOR THIS AND WHERE WAS THE NAME TAKEN FROM?
-Back then, in '92/'93, we felt that there is something in us which wants to break out, our emotions and feelings. We want to transform our feelings in more "touchable" ... so the music of EMPYRIUM is a kind of mirror which points to our soul ... the reflection you can hear on our demo. The name EMPYRIUM has its root in ancient Greece. If you translated it, it would mean something like "a sky which stands in flames". It has a pagan origin and that is what counts ... this Greek tribe (Stoiher) was the first which tried to live in total harmony with our almighty mother, so you see, root of this word is more important to us than the meaning. Also we choose EMPYRIUM 'coz it sounds good. It has a mystical and pagan atmosphere, so we liked it. Anyway, we saw this word for the first time in the MY DYING BRIDE lyric "Symphonaire infernus et spera empyrium". A great poem, by the way.
IS THERE ANY MUSICAL BACKGROUND, A BAND YOU HAVE PLAYED IN, ETC.? ANY OTHER BACKGROUND THAT COULD, PROBABLY, CLARIFY WHY YOU ARE PLAYING IN EMPYRIUM?
-I (Markus) played in many bands before EMPYRIUM but they aren't worth mentioning. I found Andreas and we fit each other perfectly, so that is why EMPYRIUM was formed. We've almost the same feeling for how our music should sound like.
YOUR BIO TELLS THAT EMPYRIUM WAS A FOUR-PIECE IN THE BEGINNING BUT ONLY YOU TWO ARE TOGETHER NOW ... WHY'S THAT?
-That's an easy one: The other two guys are just total idiots who prefer going out, drink lots of beer, etc. It was impossible to co-operate with them. We prefer to call them total brainless idiots!
AS EMPYRIUM CONSISTS OF ONLY TWO MEMBERS ... IS IT EASY TO MAKE NEW TRAX OR IS IT EVEN HARDER TO AGREE WITH THE OTHER'S OPINIONS? HOW YOU MAKE NEW TRAX?
-Well ... it's, of course, a hard process to write a song with only two members. Mostly me or Andreas have a riff/melody and then we work it out until we like it for 100%. But the positive aspect is that Andreas and I have nearly the same ideas how the song should sound like, so we do not have to ask each other's opinions. Until now, we just finished one track, which is again a long symphony (about 10 minutes) and a fantastic one too. Very depressive and atmospheric!
YOUR DEBUT DEMO HAS STRONG MELODIC TOUCH AND FOR ME THAT STUFF WAS A GREAT SURPRISE, INTRO/OUTRO + 2 TRAX AND ABOUT 23 MINUTES OF ATMOSPHERE ... CAN YOU TELL MORE ABOUT THAT DEMO AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT TRAX WHICH ARE CALLED "MIDNIGHT, MOONLIGHT AND A DARK ROMANCE" & "MY NOCTURNAL QUEEN ..."?
-Yep! Our demo was recorded on 24-tracks in December'94. Two songs included which are both very long and with a lot of atmospheric keyboard passages & dramatic, romantic melodies. Both songs are very personal for us ... especially the poems. They are like depressive stories about love/hate, loneliness, depression, death, romanticism, the glory of the night and nature in general. I think, both trax are ultimate soundtracks for a cold and cryptic winternight ... lost in depression!
TITLE OF THE DEMO IS IN GERMAN BUT AS I HAD SOME HELP I TRANSLATED IT INTO ENGLISH AND I THINK IT MEANS SOMETHING LIKE ... "THE ONE THAT FELL FROM THE SKY LIKE LIGHTNING" AND YOUR BIO TELLS THAT MOTHER NATURE INSPIRES YOU, ARE YOU A PAGAN-BAND OR HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STUFF/LYRICS?
-You have done your homework, Tommi! (My woman has -ed.!) Your translation fits. The title symbolizes our submission to the mighty forces of nature and if you look deeper you'll notice that we mean a part of us with "The one... (der wie...)" ... to be precise ... our most honourable self ... our will! This is a bit influenced by Crowley and luciferism (both subjects are quite interesting, by the way)! So, I don't call us a pagan-metal band 'coz our lyrics don't have anything to do with our "faith" (except the title and some little parts). We prefer to write lyrics which touch our soul the most and not about religion etc. I call myself "a man free from god only submiting to nature" ... so, yes, as a person I am a pagan/heathen, but EMPYRIUM hasn't much in common with this stuff ... just call us as you want! Call it good music, he he ... anyway, how would you describe our stuff, Tommi?
ABOUT YOUR STUFF, I CALL IT DARK-STUFF OR DARK-METAL ... ANYWAY, NOWADAYS ESPECIALLY BM-BANDS TRY TO MAKE CERTAIN IMAGE WHICH SHOULD HELP THEM TO GET MORE POPULARITY BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU ... YOUR STUFF IS NOT BM BUT YOU HAVE STILL STRONG TOUCH OF "PAGAN-FEELING" AND FOR SOME BANDS THIS GUARANTEES TO SELL HUNDREDS OF DEMOS EVEN WITHOUT ANY TALENTS, WHAT YOU THINK OF ALL THIS?
-Well ... I think it sucks that nowadays the image of a band is more important than music, this is wrong! Ok, I guess there are also a lot of people who really do that directly from their heart and not for image-reasons ... and that is fine, but the music must have priority! Of course, we also have a "pagan-touch", but I do not want that people buy our stuff because of this. The music is what matters! And, honestly, I get really pissed off when I see a band which can't play but sells 1000 demos, just because they are so "evil" ... ridiculous!
WHAT DOES MOTHER NATURE ACTUALLY MEAN TO YOU? DO YOU BELONG TO SOME GROUP OR ORGANIZATION WHICH TRIES TO REVIVE ANCIENT BELIEFS ETC. OR CAN SUCH HELP MODERN PEOPLE TO FIND THE "FEELING"?
-Nature means a lot of us as we couldn't exist without her. A lot of forces are hidden in "her" and I try to use them to become one with our mother! I adore the landscapes in the part of Germania where I live and I love wandering around in the mighty forests, while I am passing lakes, glades and green meadows, etc. I really enjoy that! Well ... I prefer to go my path alone, so I'm not a part of any organization but I could believe that such could help some people to find the right way and their own path to follow. But, in general, I am against religious organizations 'coz they oppress the individual. Well ... me and Andreas have found something like a brotherhood, based on culture, belief, nature, etc.!
BACK TO YUOR MUSIC, CAN YOU NAME PARAGONS WHICH COULD HAVE INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE MUSIC? ANY OTHER FAVOURITE BANDS YOU LIKE EVEN THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY INFLUENCE ON YOU?
-Well, I guess our paragons must be our souls and our own feelings and not the feelings of others expressed in their own music but I can not deny the fact that we must also earn inspiration by such bands and composers as ... CRADLE OF FILTH; DECORYAH; KATATONIA; TUMULUS; DEAD CAN DANCE; GRIEG; WAGNER; SMETANA; KILAR and lots more. It would last for ages to list bands I adore, but I guess there are some bands which might have inspired us.
AS YOU'VE RELEASED "ONLY" ONE DEMO I THINK YOU ARE QUITE UNKNOWN IN THE UG BUT YOU STILL TOLD ME THAT YOU MIGHT RECORD YOUR DEBUT CD IN THE END OF '95 ... WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE YOU HAVE GOT AND HAVE ANY BETTER KNOWN LABEL BEEN INTERESTED IN YOU SO FAR? WHAT KIND OF PROMOTION YOU DO, ONLY FLYERS OR WHAT?
-Well, I wouldn't call us unknown anymore as we might have a guite good name here in Germany. The response so far has been unbelievable as everybody seems to like our music and we have sold 300 copies in 4-5 months and I guess some hundred more will follow. Some labels contacted me but I would not call them big. Our CD will be out on a small UG- label here in Germany called Prophecy productions (Hi Martin!) which was just a distro so far but he was so convinced by our material that he offered us a great deal so ... We xeroxed about 1000 flyers and I did a lot of interviews 'til now, but all the 'zines which will feature EMPYRIUM will come out during the next months, so we await another wave of demo sales!
WHAT ABOUT THOSE 'ZINES/MAGS YOU'LL BE FEATURED, ANY NAMES? HAVE THE EDITORS KEPT THEIR PROMISES OF FREE COPIES ETC.?
-I did a lot of interviews lately even with some bigger cult mags like Voices from the darkside and Mikko (Hi!) of Isten is also quite fond of our stuff and we will also get a bigger feature in next Isten mag. As said, all the 'zines are going to come out next months so let's see if they keep their promises of free copies. But I guess they will send their 'zines as I am in a pretty good contact with the most of them. Greetings ...
GERMANY HAS MANY GREAT METAL-BANDS AND AS MY DARK MOON 'ZINE HAS FEATURED ALSO SOME, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE SCENE IN GERMANY ... ANY BANDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MENTION HERE? BESIDES ALL THE COMMON BLACK/DEATH-BANDS I KNOW GERMANY OFFERS ALSO STUFF LIKE BETHLEHEM, DO YOU KNOW THIS BAND AND WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THEIR STUFF?
-Well, I don't think that Germany has a killer scene as there are also a lot of shitty bands here but there are some good bands like ANCIENT CEREMONY; UNGOD; MARTYRIUM; FULGOR; BETHLEHEM. The best from good ol' Germania is without doubts TUMULUS as they delivered an absolutely masterpiece of a demo called "Hymns and dirges"! All of you should check them out! They are great! BETHLEHEM is ok enough, I like their CD (especially "Gepriesen sei der Untergang") but it's not my fave item though. Anyway, I like the attitude of these guys a lot!
DOES EMPYRIUM EVER PLAY LIVE? WHAT'D THAT GIG BE LIKE? DO YOU LIKE TO GO TO GIGS YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THERE IN GERMANY ... CAN YOU NAME THE BEST GIG YOU HAVE SEEN AND IF YOU CAN, WHY WAS THAT GIG THE BEST?
-No, EMPYRIUM will never play live 'coz it's impossible as a two-piece. If we could play live, we would make a real theatralic live-performance with lots of effects like candles, dark light, mist, ... just like a dark version of PINK FLOYD! Well, I don't like to go to gigs ... too much people. You know, I do not like to be surrounded by so many people, I prefer to listen to the music over the stereo ... Well, the best gig I've seen? Probably the "Fuck Christ" gig back in 1993 but I do not really care, and can't remember, sorry.
CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR OPINION ABOUT NEO-NAZISM WHICH HAS BECOME MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM THAN MOST OF THE AUTHORITIES ACTUALLY THOUGHT A FEW YEARS AGO? HAVE YOU FACED ANY PROBLEMS 'COZ OF THE NEO- NAZISM?
-First of all, I don't really care about politics but I think, it's rather stupid to follow something like a "Fыhrer". Be your own leader! I am not fascist, racist or whatever. I do not care about such things ... if someone wants to be fascist let him be, it's his problem not mine as long as they do not step into my circle. Well, I remember that I got badly beaten up by some skins, 'coz they did not like my outfit (long hair, black clothes, nose-piercing), but what the fuck, I have survived ... Anyway, back then we were two and they were about 15! Pretty fair, huh? But something different ... I am proud of my pagan ancestors that is a fact but some people seem to have a problem with that and can't draw a line between Nazism and my upon culture and nature connected with pride. This has nothing to do with politics, the 3rd reich or anything like that, ok?! It is just that I love to live here 'coz it is beautiful here, got it? This is a problem that actually face a lot of pagan-bands, I guess ...
OK, TIME TO ASK YOUR FUTURE PLANS, ANYTHING INTERESTING YOU TRY TO CARRY OUT IN '96 OR LATER?
-Like said: we want to release our CD in early '96 and I hope that it'll be a masterpiece! The new song we have written beats up the demo by far ... so, beware and await a symphonic piece of melancholic music with a lot of atmosphere. Anyway, on our CD there will also be some flute and accoustic guitar parts.
IF YOU'VE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK FROM ME, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!?
... WHAT YOU THINK OF GERMANY IN GENERAL AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE HERE OR ARE YOU HAPPY IN SUOMI?
-(Tommi): About Germany ... big country which does not actually attract me too much 'coz I do not like the language and to live with millions of immigrants, no thanks! I am not racist but I hate people who think they are above others 'coz whatever reasons and skins, Turkish, etc. seem to have reasons to act like "kings" there. And a country that have its ugly past, I wouldn't like to learn how to live with it ... Finland/Suomi is a good place to live, beautiful and peaceful ... and our past is something we all should be proud of!
TIME FOR FINAL GREETINGS & MESSAGES, THANKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW, MARKUS!
-All my thanx and hails to thee, Tommi! This interview was undoubtly one of the best I've answered so far ... keep up the good spirit! If anyone is interested in our demo, ask Tommi, he's so kind and distributes it in Finland!
EQUINOX (USA) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Pete Slate
EQUINOX MUST BE AN UNKNOWN BAND FOR MOST OF THE READERS SO MAKE A LITTLE INTRODUCTION, PLEASE!
-EQUINOX was formed in the fall of 1992. At that time I was in the process of leaving ACHERON. While I was in ACHERON, I recorded the "Rites of the black mass" album and played many shows. Anyway, I left the band due to the fact that they relocated, and I had some personal problems to take care at that time. I first met drummer Stephen Spillers at a club while I was in ACHERON. We realized that we had some of the same musical ideas. So when EQUINOX was formed I gave him the opportunity to join the band first. Then we started writing material and bassist Mark Lavenia (ex-INCUBUS) entered. We then found vocalist Darkness, and the line-up was complete. We recorded two demos with this line- up. Then in April '94 Mark Lavenia left the band and EQUINOX continued as a three piece with Darkness playing bass as well as vocals. Then in the summer of '94 Tony Blakk (ex-ACHERON and ex- APOSTASY) joined the band as a second guitarist. It should be known that while Tony was in ACHERON he recorded the "Alla xul" 7"EP and "Hail victory" CD. With this line-up we just recorded the new 7"EP to be released late June '95.
YOU'VE EXISTED AS EQUINOX FOR THREE YEARS BUT "ONLY" TWO DEMOS'VE COME OUT SO FAR, ANY REASON FOR THIS?
-We actually spread a live reh. of us in '92 but it was a limited amount and I do not even like to listen to it anymore. We take our time when it comes to releasing new material. I feel that people look forward to hearing your music more if you take a bit longer to release the material. We do have lots of music written old and new. We're hoping that after the 7"EP is released we will get a recording deal, and then be able to let our music be heard. The main point is that we don't intentionaly do it. It takes time to write good music.
HOW HAVE YOUR RECORDINGS BEEN SELLING SO FAR? WHAT ABOUT CRITICS IN THE UG?
-Both our demos have been selling great. We still get orders every week, and the response is excellent. The critics have given us really good reviews. We tell them straight forward the style of music we play. We play old style black/death, we do not try to sound exactly like the bands coming from Norway.
YOUR MUSIC IS STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY OLD MASTERS BATHORY, HELLHAMMER/CELTIC FROST ... ISN'T IT QUITE UNORIGINAL WHEN DOZENS OF BANDS TRY TO REACH THE ATMOSPHERE & STRENGTH OF THESE PARAGONS? WHY THIS KIND OF CHOICE IN STYLE HAS BEEN DONE OR IS IT JUST NATURAL THING FOR EQUINOX?
-Yes, I do feel that there are too many bands trying to imitate the classic bands such as BATHORY, HELLHAMMER and CELTIC FROST ... But, it's natural for us to play in this style. When I say that we're inspired by these bands it means that we have elements in our music that are similar. For instance, I try to get that similar Tom Warrior guitar sound. Even some of our songs are a bit more complex than HELLHAMMER, but the feeling is the same. I even try to create dark and haunting lead guitar solos to add different aspects to our music. Too many newer black-metal bands are ripping off each other and personally it's starting to get tiresome.
MANY ASPECTS IN YOU REMIND OF ANCIENT CULTURES AND BELIEFS ... ARE YOU PRACTISING SOME ANCIENT BELIEFS OR IS THIS SUBJECT SUCH YOU ARE "JUST" INTERESTED IN?
-Basically we study different ancient cultures and their practises. But on much wider scale. For instance, their rituals with the occult and mysticism. Magic and mythology also play a big part in our lyrics. We try to make sense instead of talking in circles and not really meaning anything. HOW DO YOU COMPOSE/MAKE NEW SONGS,
ANY CERTAIN WAY TO MAKE THEM? ANY NEW STUFF IN PROGRESS?
-I compose the guitar music on my own. Then Tony and I play together and refine the music. Then we practise as a full band arranging the songs and adding all the drum parts. Once the song is complete, we work on the lyrics. We've new songs in progress that will be on our next recording. We'll add some older songs also that have never been recorded. The new material is realy brilliant.
TELL ABOUT YOUR LYRICS, ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY OR SOME EVIL STORIES OR WHAT? HOW IMPORTANT ROLE DOES YOUR LYRICS PLAY IN YOUR MUSIC?
-Lyrics do play a big role, but I feel the music is what should be the main focus point. The music should really speak for itself and the lyrics should create evil images in the mind. When we write the lyrics about magic, ancient beliefs and mysticism, we try to put it in story form. Fantasy does play also a big part. Our lyrics are very easy to follow. They are written in a very flowing form.
YOU'VE PLAYED IN ACHERON AND YOUR EX-BASSIST MARK LEVANIA PLAYED IN INCUBUS ... I THINK THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE WHO'VE NEVER HEARD OF THESE BANDS AND ONE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT YOU ARE AMERICAN WHICH'S STILL VERY DISTANT PLACE FOR THE PEOPLE IN EUROPE ... ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FURTHER "FAME" IN OUTSIDE OF USA OR DO YOU EVEN CARE OF POPULARITY ANYWHERE?
-Yes, of course, we want people to know EQUINOX all over the world. I am doing mail and writing 'zines everywhere all the time. The U.S. is very closed minded. Black and death are still not totally accepted. I feel that if EQUINOX was based in Europe we would be known much better. People in Europe seem to be really into the music and scene. There is much more support over there.
ABOUT ACHERON AGAIN, YOU HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE NEXT ACHERON ALBUM, WHATEVER THAT MEANS, MAY CONTAIN YOUR GUITAR- PLAYING ... HOW CLOSE RELATION YOU AND PETE HAS WITH ACHERON? ARE YOU, MAYBE, REHEARSING WITH THEM OR SOMETHING? CAN YOU TELL ME ANY REASON WHY ACHERON HAS BEEN SO "QUIET" WITH ONLY A FEW RELEASES DURING THESE YEARS?
-Well, when I left ACHERON, it was a mutual agreement, so there was no hard feelings. I talked to Vincent Crowley every once in a while. Anyway, "Lex talionis" was released and Vincent wasn't totally happy with it. So he wants to rerecord the album. Since at the moment he doesn't have a stable guitar player and since I know all the music in the original form, he did ask if Tony and I would do the guitar parts. We both basically know the songs so we just have to go into the studio and record. We are not joining the band, we're just reuniting to do the album. I think that ACHERON has kept a low profile due to the fact that they have had record-label problems as well as unstable line-ups. I do hope ACHERON make it very big as far as the underground. Maybe, I will even do more guitar work with them in the future. You just never know.
YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A DEAL, ANY INTEREST FROM THE LABELS YET? WHAT KIND OF A DEAL'D BE THE BEST FOR YOU, BIG BUCKS OR ...? HOW MUCH PROMOTION YOU'VE DONE AND DOES IT MATTER WHERE THE LABEL IS OR IS IT IMPORTANT TO RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM THROUGH SOME CERTAIN LABEL FROM THE CERTAIN COUNTRY?
-Yes, we are looking for a record deal either here in the U.S. or in Europe. As soon as the 7"EP comes out we will make new bios and put together new promo packs for the labels. We want to find a label that will cover recording costs and that has good distribution. I would not mind making some money but I don't worry about it. I just want to record a full length album very soon. I feel we promote ourselves very well and we'll continue to.
YOU'VE RECORDED TWO TRAX FOR THE 7"EP, ANY DETAILS ON THAT RELEASE?
-Yes, we recorded two new trax that'll be on the upcoming 7"EP to be released at the end of June. The song titles are: "De sacrificio summo" and "Path to eternal ruin". Some people who heard it, says it reminds them of CELTIC FROST/ MAYHEM. Everybody has their own opinion. It was recorded at Morrisound with Tom Morris. It has a few flaws 'coz we were rushed in the studio, but for the most part it came out very good. I have sent advance taped copies around, and everyone seems to be really into it.
YOUR DEMO 1993 AND THIS 7"EP HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN MORRISOUND WHICH SURELY IS ONE OF THE MOST KNOWN STUDIOS IN THE WORLD, WHAT YOU THINK OF THE CURRENT (NORWEGIAN?) TREND WHICH DEMANDS MESSY SOUNDS & POOR-SOUNDING PRODUCTION TO OFFER "EVIL" & "TRUE" BLACK-METAL -SOUND? IS IT THAT SIMPLE OR WHAT IS THE REASON FOR SUCH TREND?
-I think it's fucking ignorant. I mean that with some bands it fits their style like DARK THRONE, IMMORTAL, EMPEROR but now most of every black-metal bands do the same thing. Who is to say what's "evil" and "true". Most of these people are fake in their beliefs. EQUINOX has always been honest about our beliefs music. During the second coming of black- metal a few years back people were getting into it 'coz it was so UG. Now there are more and more bands doing the same thing without any originality This is how trends get started. We picked Morrisound because of the great recording equipment there. Tom Morris knows what he does. He gives us exactly the sound we want. I feel that most of the bands he is working with really have their own sound (NOCTURNUS, MORBID ANGEL, etc.). We are basically the first band to play our style to record there. We'll continue to record there, and we don't care what anyone else thinks.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OPINION OF A CURRENT "BATTLE" WHEN BANDS / PEOPLE ARE ARGUING ABOUT THE "TRUE" BANDS ETC.? IS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO EXPRESS ONE'S FEELINGS AND DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF CERTAIN THINGS THROUGH MUSIC? DO YOU TRY TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE WITH YOUR LYRICS & MUSIC?
-All the people and bands involved with arguing, are people I don't even care of. Who's to say what's "true" and what's not. Even back when BATHORY and VENOM were going strong, I do not remember any problems with band turmoil. It is stupid that kids fuck everything up. When you reach a certain age you become true to your beliefs and stop being fake. No, we are not trying to influence people. We just want people to recognize our musical abilities and gain respect in the black / death UG. When this band dies, I want people to remember us.
COULD YOU TELL ANYTHING ABOUT THE "SCENE" IN YOUR AREA, IN FLORIDA? WHAT ABOUT GIGS, ANY ACTIVITY ON THAT AREA?
-Basically the scene here is total shit. Most bands from around here play the basic PANTERA type music. Every once in a while a good show does come around but it's been really slow. NASTY SAVAGE reunited for a few shows and played here. It was great. They did play all the classics from the '80's. Now in Tampa the scene is a bit better. But it is still not what it used to be back when MORBID ANGEL, AMON(DEICIDE), early MASSACRE and NOCTURNUS came out around '86-'88.
HAS EQUINOX PLAYED LIVE AND WHAT KIND OF "SHOW" THAT IS? OPINION ABOUT GIGS IN GENERAL, MANY BANDS HAVE STATED THEY WON'T EVER PLAY LIVE BECAUSE GIGS ARE JUST STUPID FUN FOR KIDS AND POSERS, WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT?
-Yes, we have played live many times. Response has been very strange. Where we live, most bands play trendy death- metal so the fans have a hard time understanding black-metal. Our show's very visual (spikes, leather, fog, candles etc.). Sometimes we wear corpse- paint and sometimes we do not. We don't limit ourselves on how we look. To me, playing live's very aggressive and it does let the true beast come out. We play as much as we can and we slowly have built a following. As far as the bands that do not, all I can say's that it's their loss and we're far from kids. Their music live would sound like shit anyway. They are the weak ones.
HAVE YOU HAD CHANCE TO APPEAR IN DIFFERENT UG-MAGS AND WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ABOUT UG-MAGS IN GENERAL?
-I think the UG-mags. are fucking great. And yes, we have been in a lot of them. Especially recently, so keep an eye for us. As I said before we do tons of mail. The almighty scene could not exist if it were not for the exposure in the mags.
ABOUT THE FUTURE, ANY FUTURE PLANS OR GOALS?
-Hopefully, after the 7"EP is released, we will find a good label to sign with. We want to release a full length. Then tour as much as possible. These are the main goals of EQUINOX. I want to give people the same feelings as I had when I first heard CELTIC FROST, BATHORY, SODOM, POSSESSED and DESTRUCTION.
FINAL MESSAGES AND GREETINGS ...!
-Hail Tommi and Dark Moon 'zine, and thanks for the great interview. Hail the spirit of the primal fire!!!
After the interview EQUINOX signed a deal with Greek Unisound records and first full-length CD "Return to mystery" should be available now! Total old style black/death. News about "Upon the throne of eternity" 7"EP is that it'll be released ... some day.
ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Altti Veteläinen
ANDROMEDA, D.W.N. AND MOSHINGTON D.C. WERE THE PREDECESSORS OF E.T.O.S., CAN YOU TELL SOMETHING ABOUT THEM AS I'M SURE THEY HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT STEPS TOWARDS THE CURRENT BAND, STYLE, ETC.!?
-Well ... those bands have been natural transitions for this current style/stage of E.T.O.S. I have not anything special to tell about those, none of them have released any real material, only some rehearsal tapes which are not available, no way!
WHY IS E.T.O.S. THE NAME YOU FINALLY ENDED UP? IS THE OBVIOUS MYSTICISM IN YOUR CURRENT NAME AN ADVANTAGE THESE DAYS AS IT SEEMS LIKE MANY PEOPLE BUY DEMOS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE "EVIL"/MYSTIC NAME BANDS HAVE?
-E.T.O.S. is surely the permanent name now and it reflects our style very well ... our metal is mystic, melodic, poetic, etc. I admit that our name sounds quite mystic but we don't try to please/ influence any bm/dark-freaks. Many people have wondered why we chose so long name, the reason is that we do not want anybody to find out the same name right away.
YOUR STUFF HAS STRONG HEAVY-METAL TOUCH BUT LOTS MORE TOO ... HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT? NOT ANY SILLY TRENDY STUFF AT ALL AND THAT IS GREAT! ANY INFLUENCES/PARAGONS YOU COULD MENTION?
-I agree, our music is not any trendy stuff. Different categories could be used but the final one is hard to decide. Maybe it's something like melodic death- metal with poetical folk-music touches. My own fave bands are e.g. AT THE GATES, SENTENCED, DESULTORY, MORDICUS, AMORPHIS, IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, W.A.S.P., TAROT and lots more ...
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR LYRICS! YOUR TRACK-TITLES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT COMPARED WITH EACH OTHERS SO DOES THAT MEAN YOUR SUBJECTS'RE ALSO VERY VARIABLE? DO LYRICS MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU AND IS THERE ANY SUBJECT YOU WOULDN'T USE IN YOUR LYRICS?
-Lyrics're mainly based on two categories ... mysticism & down-to-earthness. Our tracks have some similarities, you can notice that if one is able to read our lyrics. Our lyrics's one essential part of the proper song, so I think we care of what our lyrics are like. Our lyrics are usually in verse form. I'd not sing about any kind of religion ... good or bad.
HOW YOU MAKE YOUR SONGS, ANY CERTAIN WAY TO MAKE THEM OR IS EVERY SONG ITS OWN PROJECT?
-Everybody makes riffs, and they are collected into songs then by Olli and Jape. Then we listen to how they sound together with all the instrument and we arrange/finish them together. Songs're improved then and it takes some months. Every song is born on its own way, some in easier way, some after harder work.
HOW YOUR RELEASES HAVE BEEN SELLING AND DO YOU THINK THOSE TAPES ARE SUCH YOU CAN BE PROUD OF LATER?
-"The seven goddesses of frost" tape has sold about 200 copies but we haven't promoted it that much. "Bard's burial" was originally made for promotion, not for sale. So it hasn't been very popular yet. Nowadays that tape is available for anyone, so order it. There've been constant demand. I think we can be proud of "Bard's burial" in good conscience 'coz it succeeded even better we thought. "The seven..." tape, on the other hand, was mainly technical and fast dm, the natural stage of development to this current style and we are quite satisfied with that stuff too.
YOUR "THE SEVEN GODDESSES..." PROMO HAS AN INTERESTING COVER WHICH REMINDS ME A LOT OF THE CELTIC FROST COVER THAT WAS FEATURED ON THEIR "MORBID TALES" EP. HAS PДIVI KEISANEN, WHO DRAW THE COVER, CONSCIOUSLY CHOSEN THAT SIMILAR STYLE OR IS IT ONLY A COINCIDENCE?
-Very interesting question. I have not seen that cover but the similarity must be a coincidence, I think, 'coz Pдivi doesn't listen to such music and I think she has never heard of the band called CELTIC FROST.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A DEAL TO RELEASE "BARD'S BURIAL" AS A CD-EP, FOR EXAMPLE. HAS ANY LABEL SHOWN ANY REAL INTEREST? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR FROM THE DEAL IF YOU MANAGE TO GET SUCH, IS IT ENOUGH TO GET YOUR STUFF AND NAME WIDELY SPREAD?
-Well, not CD-EP -deal offered, at least not yet. Some 7"EP-deals have been offer- ed and, if I remember right, we've got eight different compilation-CD-offers plus several compilation-cass. -offers. Couple of songs from the "Bard's burial"- tape will be released on two comp.-CDs which are released during the autumn'95. One is compilation of a Canadian label and we are the only Finnish band on it, the other is the 4xCD compilation- box by Shiver records. Both are worth buying so get 'em when they're available! First deal isn't a million-dollar-deal for any band so the main point is to get our name and stuff spread elsewhere.
NOWADAYS MOST OF THE LABELS SEEM TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT BLACK- METAL/OCCULT BANDS SO WOULDN'T IT BE A GOOD IDEA TO FORM SUCH A BAND TO GET A DEAL MORE EASIER?
-Doesn't sound very interesting because I don't listen to such bands. The main thing is that playing satisfies us and it's useless to try to make music only for getting a deal ... it just doesn't work out.
DEALING WITH THE PREVIOUS ... WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ABOUT BLACK-METAL ETC.?
-Black-metal is just a style among others and I've nothing against bm until other things, like crimes etc., are connected into it, whole thing turns to sickness then. Let anyone listen to music one likes ... bm doesn't fascinate me.
HAS THIS CURRENT THING THING GONE TOO FAR AS MORE AND MORE BANDS ARE KNOWN BECAUSE OF THEIR STUNTS AND NOT 'COZ OF THE MUSIC?
-Yes ... things are going too far these days if band have to burn churches to get their name known. This has nothing do with music. All those criminals can't even play their instruments but they are popular only 'coz of their stunts.
HOW TIGHTLY YOU ARE CONNECTED WITH UG ... DO YOU HAVE MANY FOREIGN CONTACTS AND WHAT YOU THINK OF UG IN GENERAL?
-Well, I have contacts around the world but during the army-service I just don't have enough time to reply soon enough for all the letters ... I'm really sorry for those who haven't got my reply in time. Even some say UG is dead it still lives, surely!
YOU HAVE BEEN MAKING EXECUTIONER 'ZINE, ANYTHING TO TELL OF THIS PROJECT? HOW MUCH 'ZINES MEAN NOWADAYS AND HAVE UG-'ZINES THE POWER TO MAKE SOME BAND MORE POPULAR OR UNPOPULAR? WHAT KIND OF UG-'ZINE IS SUCH YOU LIKE TO READ?
-Yep ... one issue of EXECUTIONER-'zine was made and more was planned to be made but there weren't enough time for that anymore ... 'zine got quite a good response as a debut issue. UG-'zines are one of the things that keep UG alive. People are able to find new bands and bands're able to spread their name around the world with the UG-'zines. Luckily there are still people who want to make 'zines. Good 'zine is such that is made with real attitude and not to make money or to denigrate bands. Neat lay-out is also important and good for the 'zine.
HAVE YOU FACED ANY PROBLEMS WITH RIP-OFFS AND HOW YOU HANDLE SUCH THINGS, BY SENDING LETTERS ASKING WHAT IS THE PROBLEM OR BY MAKING HUNDREDS OF FLYERS TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT THAT RIP-OFFER?
-Unfortunately I've faced such problems. The worst case was with English Tombstone records which also works under the name of Metalliferous abominations records. That label took master-tapes of my other band ANCESTOR and have never returned them. Meaning was to be on the comp.- CD but, surprise surprise, any CD didn't come out and the guy kept our master- tapes, beware of this company! I think it is useful to make flyers and spread message of those bastards to help other people to avoid problems with them.
WHAT ABOUT GIGS ... HAS E.T.O.S. OR ITS PREDECESSORS PERFORMED ON STAGE? WHAT'D THE GIG BE LIKE IF E.T.O.S. HAD RESOURCE TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANT?
-We haven't played many gigs even we've had some chances lately. Army is a huge problem in this case. We have had many chances to play live during the army but it is very difficult to get furlough from there because of the gigs. We have got some interest from abroad too. Have to try to play lots of gigs after the army then.
SO ... ARMY IS MAKING DIFFICULTIES BUT HAS E.T.O.S. ANY FUTURE PLANS, AND WHAT IS, IN FACT, YOUR GOAL IN MUSIC OR WITH SOMETHING ELSE?
-Next goal would be to get our own record out. If we can not get a deal soon we'll record a new tape for promo purposes next spring/summer. New songs are even more powerful and better than on "Bard's burial"-promo ... intensity, melodies and poetry'll be heard. Some new trax're ready already, e.g. "Sinner's serenade", "March", "The law of flames", "Dirge", etc.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ASK FROM ME? NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO ASK! ... WHAT KIND OF FEELINGS YOU HAD WHEN YOU HEARD E.T.O.S. STUFF FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, AND WHAT TRACK/TAPE IT WAS?
-(Tommi): Well, I'm not sure if I heard you for the very first time when one guy traded your "The seven goddesses..."- tape to me but it was the first time I had a chance to listen to your stuff really well. Anyway, I became really interested in you and to be honest that's the basic reason why E.T.O.S. is featured here. Your stuff was really fresh after dozens of more or less similar demos I had listened to lately. I liked that demo ... nothing more nothing less!
LAST COMMENTS AND GREETINGS, AND THANKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW!
-Thanks for the interview and for your work for our band! Greetings to our friends and support the underground!
EVOL (Ita) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Prince of Agony
EVOL WAS FORMED IN THE BEGINNING OF '93 BUT CAN YOU TELL HOW YOU ACTUALLY GOT TOGETHER ... AND INTRODUCE MEMBERS OF EVOL FOR THE READERS?!
-EVOL was formed by me during the first month of '93. The first black soul who joined the project was Lord of Sorrow. Princess of Disease found us only in summer '93. The line-up has never changed ... Prince of Agony (synth/vox); Lord of Sorrow (guitars/bass) and Princess of Disease (female vox). Now we are looking for session-members who could be useful in order to play live.
YOU HAVE TOLD ME THAT YOU DID FORM EVOL TO EXPRESS YOUR THOUGHTS & EMOTIONS ... THAT YOU BELONG TO DARKNESS, TO THE BLACK SIDE OF EXISTENCE ... COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS THIS DARKNESS, THE BLACK SIDE ... AND, IN ALL, THE BLACK PRINCIPLE? HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE WORLD WE ALL ARE LIVING AMONG THE ENDLESS WARS AND ETERNAL MISERY?
-Existence is ruled by two opposite principles ... light and darkness. The eternal struggle between these two is the force of the all. The principles use different elements to fight. Men are part of these elements. History is the supremacy of the elements of a principle onto the others. Now we're living on the decadent cycle of the light. Soon we will be enough to strike the disbanded positive hordes and let the black principle to be ruler of the new cycle. World is one of the endless theatres of the eternal struggle.
YOU HAVE MADE ALL THE LYRICS FOR THE STUFF YOU'VE RELEASED SO FAR, AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PHILOSOPHER ... CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHERE ALL THOSE DARK LYRICS COME FROM ... DO YOU NEED CERTAIN MOOD, PLACE OR/AND ATMOSPHERE TO OBTAIN THE SOURCE OF LYRICS? DO YOUR LYRICS GIVE ANYTHING FOR THE LISTENERS OR DO THEY "JUST" PRAISE THE DARKNESS?
-Well, the lyrics I write come directly from my dark essence, my true source of inspiration. Mood and particular places are useful in order to stimulate my essence, to make it burning and throw outside the truth that it guards. My lyrics are doubtless a praise to darkness but they are also written for the black brothers. I think they can convey the right emotions and true reflections to them and explain the possibility for our people to win the final battle against the light.
YOUR TWO FIRST DEMOS WERE FILLED WITH DARK ATMOSPHERES AND SORROW, DID THEY BOTH SATISFY YOU AND WENT EVERYTHING AS PLANNED? HOW MANY COPIES ARE SPREAD UP TO NOW?
-We are satisfied with our previous releases. They are better than we planned 'coz when we entered the recording studio we couldn't know how the product will be, due our limited line-up. "The tale of the horned king" has sold 500 copies but now it'll be repressed by the Italian Monumentum records. "The dark dreamquest part I" has sold almost 1000 copies.
HOW DID ADIPOCERE BECOME INTERESTED IN YOU AND WERE THERE ANY OTHER LABELS INTERESTED IN YOU?
-That is quite simple, Adipocere did distribute few copies of our previous demos and they liked them a lot, so they proposed us a recording deal. Yes, some other labels were and still are interested in our work. I am very satisfied with the work of Adipocere. They are doing a very good promotion.
TELL ME THE BASIC IDEA OF THE STORY ON YOUR DEBUT CD! YOU TOLD IT IS BASED ON YOUR DEMO, "THE TALE OF THE HORNED KING", AND ALL FOUR TRAX ARE INCLUDED. TELL US MORE OF THAT GREAT ALBUM!
-"The saga of the horned king" is the complete version of our first demo ... it's a tale of hope and glory for the black people, who are waiting for their revenge, but it does also express the melancholy and solitude for the dark souls living in so far from their principle. The four trax of our first demo are all enhanced and the general recording's much better from our previous releases.
CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION WHEN EVERYBODY SEEMS TO HAVE THE RIGHT TO JUDGE WHAT'S GOOD AND WHAT IS BAD IN MUSIC AND WHEN MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CONNECT MUSIC AND VIOLENCE, AND EVEN RACIAL ACTIONS ALL TOGETHER? WHAT COMES FIRST ... MUSIC BEFORE BELIEFS OR THE OPPOSITE, AND DOES THIS EVEN MATTER?
-Concerning black-metal, I think that the message is more important than the music. We use music as a mean to express our dark beliefs. Nowadays the scene is various, 'coz we are living in a wave of trend but soon we will see the survivors. Anyway, the black brothers are growing, both in black metal and in other contexts. This is the result of the decadence of the positive cycle.
OPINION ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN JAIL 'COZ THEY WANTED TO PROOVE THEIR "LIFE-STYLE" DEMANDS ACTIONS ABOVE THE LAW? CAN YOU DESCRIBE ME WHAT IS THE WARRIOR OF TODAY? LORD OF ORROW IS, ACCORDING TO YOU, CLOSE TO THAT IDEA OF WARRIOR BUT WHAT CAN SUCH WARRIOR ACTUALLY DO WHEN AUTHORITIES STILL HAVE THE POWER TO JUDGE YOU WHATEVER YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR ACTIONS?
-Regarding brothers in jail, I think they have taken their risks and they've been get caught by the enemies. I hope they will not change their "life-style" by staying in jail. Nowadasy warriors are very limited. We live in a hostile society, ruled by enemies. We must hide. Warriors should train themselves and be always ready to rise in the right moment decided by the guides. Warriors should never act for themselves but listen to the orders of the guides, who are the reason of the black people.
AS YOU CALL YOURSELF A PHILOSOPHER, DOES THIS MEAN YOU AREN'T ABLE TO "FIGHT" OR IS IT EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE TO FIGHT WITHOUT WEAPONS?
-Warriors without guides are only moving flesh. Warriors and guides complete each others ... they are sword and the hand that wields it.
"THIS'S THE TIME OF IGNORANCE AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR WORK DONE AS EVERYBODY THINK THEY ARE ABLE TO FIND THE TRUTH..." THAT IS WHAT YOU'VE TOLD ME BUT CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT'S THE "TRUTH" YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND HOW COULD THIS TRUTH BE FOUND? CAN ANY RELIGION OR ORGANIZATION LEAD PEOPLE TO THE TRUTH OR ARE ALL THESE "GROUPS" JUST MAN'S WAY TO PRAISE SOMETHING THEY THINK IS THE BEST FOR THEM ... IS MAN HIS OWN SAVIOUR OR SHOULD WE KNEEL BEFORE SOMETHING MIGHTIER AND BETTER?
-Only guides can search the truth. But this is not so nowadays. We are ruled by people from the mass and guides are isolated and obliged to act as slaves. I can't tell you the truth because I'm human and human beings can't catch the truth. Anyway, guides are, naturally directed towards it and grasp glimpses of it. Humanity need something to believe because our essences are created. The reality of a principle cannot be known by our limited minds but we feel their presence. Mass will always be ruled by guides with metaphoric tales, in order to strike their fantasy and imagination.
BACK TO YOUR MUSIC, COULD YOU NAME ANY PARAGONS YOU CALL AS YOUR INFLUENCES? ANY BANDS YOU ADMIRE AND COULD CALL AS "BLACK BROTHERS"?
-Well ... it is difficult to find clear influences in our music because our productions are quite original. Anyway, I can say that we like a lot atmospheric bands which unite synths to heavy guitar riffs. Further we like the origins of black-metal. The bands I am linked to are too many to mention. A lot of black brothers are out there and they do know who they are. Hail to them!
TELL ABOUT THE "SCENE" IN ITALY, ANY BANDS ETC. YOU COULD MENTION AND RECOMMEND FOR THE PEOPLE?
-Scene is growing here like elsewhere. Anyway, a lot of great bands have been rising in the last months. I can mention a lot but I don't like to make paragons among bands 'coz this always leads to antagonism among us. I admire many black brothers here in Italy and I hail them!
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FINNISH UG-SCENE? YOU HAVE, ACCORDING YOUR THANK- LISTS, PLENTY OF FOREIGN FRIENDS BUT WHAT ABOUT FINLAND ... DO YOU EVEN CARE OF FINNISH BANDS?
-I like a lot some great Finnish bands, but I have never had the opportunity to establish a contact with them.
YOU'VE STATED THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FALSES BEFORE THE WAR AGAINST THE LIGHT HAS BEEN WON, CAN YOU STILL TELL ME WHAT KIND OF A BAND/PEOPLE IS A "FALSE"? YOU HAVE EXISTED SINCE 1993 SO MANY BLACK-BANDS HAVE THE CHANCE TO CALL YOU SOMEKIND OF TREND 'COZ BM- BOOM HAS PRODUCED SO MANY BANDS DURING THE PAST 2-3 YEARS ... WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT?
-I think that we have no right to judge a band to be false or not. This matter is only a deviation from our true aim, the war against light and its hordes. Black brothers can only trust us, and see we're fighting like they (and perhaps more). We don't enjou very much in doing what we're doing. It's very tiring for us, and also risky. So, do not waste time and strenght in a fight without reason. We must stay all unite and find other brothers in order to make our army bigger and bigger.
ANY CHANCE TO SEE EVOL ON STAGE IN FUTURE? OPINION ABOUT GIGS IN GENERAL, ARE SUCH JUST AN AMUSEMENT FOR THE KIDS?
-Now we are looking for some session- members in order to play live, so it's possible that we will soon play some gigs in the future. Live-shows are the opportunity to establish a closer relationship among the black brothers and it is a moment of charging and reflection. Gigs are also useful to enroll new followers and minor warriors for our cause.
ANY FUTURE PLANS ... ANY NEW STUFF COMING ALREADY? ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOUR NEXT RELEASE WOULD BE BASED ON? COULD THERE BE ANY CHANGES IN YOUR MUSIC?
-Now we're working on new material for our next CD. I think it'll be recorded in November and should be out in 1996. It will be based on "The dark dreamquest" demo. Our music will always be very atmospheric but with some aggressive parts.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK FROM ME NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!?
... SINCE I HAVE NEVER SEEN YOUR GREAT LAND, WHAT COULD YOU TELL ME TO RECREATE THE IMAGE OF YOUR COUNTRY IN MY ESSENCE?
-(Tommi): Well, Finland is called the land of the thousand lakes and besides the lakes also the forests rule the view. As our summer is very short lasting only about three months (June-August) the rest of the year is either cold or dark, most of the time both together. Summertime is beautiful and rainy, and at Midsummer sun shines day and night in the northern Finland. In winter people are wearing totally different clothes as the temparature can go below -30 Celsius degrees. Sun shines only a few hours a day and sun is not shining at all during the "kaamos" which lasts over a month from late November to early January in Lappland. Dark nights and snowy trees create an atmosphere you can't understand before you see it by yourself ... and when it is freezing you can very easily feel what was it like to live here at the ancient times. Of course, modern people do not need to feel the freeze but I enjoy to walk on the streets and forests when most of the people just sit at home watching tv etc. Our country is something you should experience 'coz my words can't express what is it like, it is something really unique, believe me!
OK, TIME FOR FINAL MESSAGES AND GREETINGS ... I THANK YOU FOR THESE ANSWERS AND HOPE ALL THE BEST TO EVOL!
-Feel your essence and follow it, you will not regret this advice and if you are my brothers, then be ready for the final war, the next cycle will be ours. Hail Darkness, Hail Evil, Hail Victory!!!
GARCHAROT (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Jani Selin
GARCHAROT WAS FORMED IN 1990 AND THERE WERE CERTAINLY A CHANCE FOR SUCH "GROWLY" DEATH-METAL BAND SO CAN YOU TELL WHY WAS GARCHAROT FORMED AND DID YOU HAVE COMMON MUSICAL EXPERIENCES BEFORE THE BAND?
-I and guitarist Janne began to play together in 1989. We tried to play some kind of brutal metal already then. Markus and Ville were hanging out with the same people at the same time and as our musical influences were almost the same, it was self-evident we would gather together and so was happened in spring'90 when GARCHAROT was formed and we started our "death-metal adventure".
REFERING TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, WHEN YOUR DEBUT DEMO CAME OUT 1994 MANY THINGS WERE CHANGED IN UG AND, AT LEAST, GROWLY DEATH-METAL WAS LESS POPULAR COMPARED TO THE TIMES YOU STARTED S I THINK YOU AREN'T TRENDS BUT WHAT IS THE REASON YOUR MUSIC HAS STAYED VERY SIMILAR DURING THESE YEARS?
-I think brutal death-metal has been the one and only "path" GARCHAROT has wanted to go. Of course, stuff on "Cradle of sorrow" demo was different compared to newer "The art of dark desires" but between these two demos we got new ideas and improvements to our material. The basic thing is still the same.
OVER FIVE YEARS AND ONLY TWO DEMOS WHICH CONTAIN NINE SONGS, WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS QUITE SLOW PACE? DO YOU HAVE UNUSED TRAX READY AND IF SO, WHY THEY ARE UNUSED?
-First two years were used to just playing together. The most important reason for slow pace with releasing demos is simply our material, we have never rushed with demos because rushing things makes the material worse after all. Usually we try to improve trax we've made adding things to them even they may have sounded quite good earlier too. We just try to make 'em even better this way. Other reason for this pace's the lack of money, studio-time is expensive. We don't have many unused trax ready and those we have, are still unused simply 'coz other trax have sounded better in studio.
YOUR BASS-PLAYER, VILLE KOIVIOLA, HAS TOLD THAT "ALL THE BAND-MEMBERS HAVE BEGUN TO MAKE MUCH HARDER RIFFS THAN EARLIER" ... TELL ME HOW THESE HARDER RIFFS ARE BORN? ARE THERE SOME CERTAIN FORMULA OF MAKING NEW MATERIAL OR DOES IT DIFFER WITH EACH TRAX?
-It is true ... our new trax are much harder than earlier ones. I think we've just realized the style of GARCHAROT and so everyone knows what kind of riffs are needed. There aren't certain formulas as long as the "draft" sounds brutal death-metal.
YOUR SECOND DEMO, "THE ART OF DARK DESIRES", HAS A VOCALIST CALLED HANNU BRUSI WHO HAS A REALLY "GROWLY" VOICE BUT WHERE THIS GUY WAS FOUND? GUITAR- PLAYER MARKKU FRANSSI HANDLED VOCALS ON THE DEBUT DEMO BUT WITH A LITTLE BIT SOFTER WAY ... DOES THE GROWLIER VOCALS CAUSE THAT YOUR 2ND DEMO SOUNDS SO FUCKING INTENSE? ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE EVEN HARDER WAY AND IF SO, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?
-After "Cradle of sorrow" demo we just made more brutal stuff. We thought our newer material would work much better with "lower" growls so H.Brusi, who was our roadie earlier, was chosen and he filled the place very well. So Markus got the chance to concentrate on guitar- playing and higher screams. The result was good. GARCHAROT will continue doing the same in the future, of course, trying to be even a little more brutal and we'll try to improve, especially, our vocals, both growling and higher parts.
YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO MAKE WORLD BETTER/WORSE WITH YOUR LYRICS BUT ARE ALL THE LYRICS FROM YOUR IMAGINATION? "HOLY COMMUNION'S PERVERSITY", FROM THE FIRST DEMO, HAS A TITLE THAT MAKES ME THINK IF IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH CHILD MOLESTATIONS OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AM I RIGHT?
-Our lyrics are mostly based on gore- lyrics from our imagination. Briefly: mutilation, cannibalism, terror and, of course, corpse-perversions. About "Holy communion's...", it tells our own idea of the rituals of Holy Communion which are not necessarily the same as is told.
YOU HAVE GOT A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED ON A COMPILATION-CD, WHAT OTHER INTEREST YOU HAVE REACHED?
-Response of "Cradle of sorrow" was mainly positive and Belgian Shiver rec. gave us a chance to be on their comp.CD, it contains "Holy Communion's perversity" that was rerecorded during the recordings of "The art of dark desires" demo so it contains Hannu on vocals and sounds are much brutal. We've also got proposals to be featured on the other compilations. We have not received response dealing with the 2nd demo from the labels yet but we hope the best.
HOW HAS "THE ART OF DARK DESIRES" DEMO BEEN SELLING AND HAVE THOSE WHO LIKED YOUR DEBUT DEMO ALSO LIKED THIS NEWER ONE? DEBUT WASN'T PROMOTED VERY MUCH BUT HAS THIS CHANGED WITH 2ND ONE?
-"The art of dark desires" has reached only positive response and we have sold out first two "editions" of it. Those who liked our debut have said that newer has more "kick". There are also those, of course, who think the first is better. You are right, promotion of "Cradle of sorrow" was quite small but this has been changed with the 2nd one. We've sent lots of free copies to labels, etc. And we have made lots of interviews.
ACCORDING TO YOU, HOW HAS UG CHANGED DURING THESE YEARS? NOT TOO MANY BANDS THAT WAS FORMED IN EARLY '90'S HAVE REALLY KEPT THEIR IDEALS, ETC. AND MANY BANDS HAVE SEEMED TO CHANGE THEIR STYLE "OVER NIGHT". GRIND, DEATH, BLACK ... WHATEVER, ANY COMMENTS ON THAT?
-Lots of changes have happened on UG. For example, some bands have followed stupid trends trying to acchieve more publicity this way. We have to remember that there are still bands that continue making same kind of stuff they started with keeping their ideals. I think these bands are winners and the rest are just lousy loosers.
TELL ME ABOUT GARCHAROT-GIG, INTENSE HEADBANGING OR SOMETHING ELSE? I THINK YOU HAVE HAD MANY GIGS SO FAR BUT ARE YOU ABLE TO PLAY TRAX WITHOUT MISTAKES?
-We have had quite many gigs but more is needed. During my army, things were more silent, of course. We try to play as well as possible on stage. Briefly, on stage GARCHAROT is blood, entrails and rage.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF GARCHAROT, THE DREAM YOU WANT TO BECOME TRUE?
-Our biggest "dream" is to get a chance to play abroad and to get a record-deal. We have done lots of work for that and'll do in the future too, hoping the best.
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE ME TO ANSWER? ASK NOW!
... TELL ME THE BEST TRACK FROM "THE ART OF DARK DESIRES" DEMO AND WHY YOU CHOSE THAT TRACK?
-(Tommi): Tricky question, really, but I chose "Blessedness" and why, huh ... even harder. This track has the intense touch like the others but somehow it also contains some "melody", actually this has a little more variety. Brutality can be made much worse ... really.
OK, TIME TO DEPART ... GREETING AND MESSAGES, PLEASE! THANKS FOR ANSWERS!
-"The art of dark desires" is still available so order it for 20mk/$5. More gigs are welcome, proposals to my address. And the most important thing: thanks for this interview and good luck!
HA LELA (Lith) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Aurius Samulenas
HA LELA ... WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN ENGLISH AND WHERE IT HAS TAKEN FROM?
-HA LELA: these words had been taken from ancient Lithuanian mythology ... exactly from lament which was used during funerals. Every new line of that lament begins with same words "ha lela". Lela is a goddess which remained from early matriarchal tribal system epoch. So, as you can see, her image is very archaic ... she has a lot of different functions. She is responsible for birth and death. Lela took care for leading souls of deads to the other dimension. Also these same words were used during battles ... warriors were shouting "ha lela", "ha lela" ... can you imagine what was the noise like? It really effected to our enemies. I can't translate our name in English, it just means the same as in Lithuanian.
WHAT WAS THE REASON TO FORM HA LELA AND WHEN/HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
-I do not know if there were any reasons. It came quite spontaneously ... we all were friends for a long time. It happened somewhere in the end of 1993. Though we had some problems with our line-up in the beginning. We absolutely haven't had any drummer but lately all problems gone out and we begun to rehearse.
YOUR DEBUT DEMO CAME OUT IN 1994 AND IT IS REALLY UNIQUE AS IT DOES NOT REMIND ME OF ANY BAND I KNOW STILL SOUND- ING QUITE INTERESTING, "RAUDA" IS TITLE BUT TELL US OTHER ESSENTIAL THINGS ABOUT THE DEMO?!
-I am personally very satisfied with that demo. Although "Rauda" is a re-recorded version and it've some important changes in the structures of the songs. Original version was recorded in summer solstice of 1994 but there was really shitty sound quality and songs did not sound as great as now. I also changed own style of vocal a bit. First time there were only screams, now I am using speaking, whispering and singing in the beginning of our last track. First time there was not any intro ... guys from other pagan band POCCOLUS helped us a lot. All recording took place in one night of winter solstice. There were really strange and interesting experiences. We began at 20.00 hours and finished about at 05.00 hours in morning. After three hours we decided to record intro. We did all work in the rehearsal place of a small orchestra, and we found some other instruments: flute and Lithuanian stringed intrument called "kaukles" ... we thought that it would sound interesting and in some minutes created our intro. Though I had never played with "kaukles" before. Our clarinet player took place at flute. He's studying at musical school so we haven't had any problems. Intro mostly reflects our feeling we had in that morning after sleepless night. Our drummer seeing how we play said: "you look like madmans...".
YOUR DESCRIBE YOUR STUFF AS "SAD-METAL" AND THE ATMOSPHERE IS REALLY MELANCHOLIC. HOW IS THE STUFF CREATED, ANY CERTAIN WAY TO MAKE NEW SONGS? IS THIS STYLE WHAT YOU WANT TO OFFER OR IS THIS FIRST DEMO ONLY A BEGINNING BEFORE YOU FIND YOUR "OWN" STYLE?
-We don't need any special places, we try to express our feeling through music and it comes spontaneously. Yes, "sad- metal" is this style what we want to offer. How would it be a beginning of founding an "own" style? Just we found it! Of course, our music will develop, but it always remain sombre, dark ... I'm glad that you can feel it! Now we found synth player, so it also adds some changes. Songs will become more atmospheric.
CAN YOU NAME ANY PARAGONS/INFLUENCES WHICH WOULD HAVE INSPIRED YOU? I ASK THIS 'COZ I CAN NOT FIND ANY INFLUENCES I COULD NAME!
-Personally I'm inspired by mother nature and its manifestation. Whispers of trees, voice of wind, unearthly light of moon, our mythology. I spend a lot of my time walking in the forest, fields or simply sitting near of bonfire and seeing how fire dances ... visiting on the old mounds where I can communicate with spirits of my ancestors. I had very great experiences during last winter. We sat near bonfire when temperature was -16 celsius degrees, cold wind was speaking around. Silence, somewhere in the valley still mourning the river, and fire dancing in the night. Oh, it's very hard, just impossible to express those feelings through my words ... As for any bands ... we listen to very different forms of music and don't try to copy anything. I like such bands as BURZUM; NECROMANTIA; ASMOROD; BATHORY; ENSLAVED; DEAD CAN DANCE; ORDO EQUITUM SOUS; LUCIE CRIES; THE SISTERS...; THE NEPHILIM; INCUBUS SUCCUBUS; IN SLAUGHTER NATIVES; CURRENT 93; SOL INVICTUS; DEATH IN JUNE; FIREZICE; SIGILLUM S; LUSTMORD; MANOWAR; CANDLEMASS; AMORPHIS; MOONSPELL; BLACK SABBATH; POCCOLUS; BLOODING MASK; CLANNAD; ENYA; LOVE IS OLDER THAN DEATH; ENTITY; ATARAXIA; ... there are hundreds of others. Music's my life-style ...
YOUR DEMO HAS TRAX SUCH AS E.G. "BAIME" AND "PILNATYJE" BUT AS LYRICS ARE IN LITHUANIA (I THINK?) I CAN NOT TELL ANYTHING ABOUT THEM, SO COULD YOU TELL SOMETHING ABOUT THEM?
-Yes, our lyrics are in Lithuanian ... I, myself, write all texts. As I told earlier, I am inspired by my personal experiences, visions ... "Baime" mean "Fear" in English ... there I express, how people are afraid of Wood and His creatures ... "You are afraid of shadows, but just it is only trees enlightened by moon" ... Now we live in over civiliz- ed land and those grey buildings mean more for the most part of human race than mother nature. But that is their own fault and tragedy, I don't worry. "Pilnatyje" it means "Under the fullmoon" ... "Under the fullmoon light gathers spirits of our ancestors in the shade of holy oakes..." They are performing its own rituals which are forgotten now. Within all my texts images of nature are very important because I feel like part of it ...
WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN LITHUANIA TODAY? CAN YOU GET PROPER INSTRUMENTS AND REHEARSAL-ROOM? WHAT ABOUT STUDIOS, ANY PROPER AVAILABLE?
-Situation in all the post–communistic countries is all the same, weak economic, small wages and shit like that. Here're lot of firms which offer instruments by those famous concerns like "Marshall", "Yamaha", ... now. We have own rehearsal- room, we rehearse in the basement of our school and glad with it. Here are some great studios where bands can record good quality sound but they are expensive too. If you compared it with Western rates they would be very low ones, but according to our economical situation they are high.
I KNOW ONLY SOME LITHUANIAN METAL- BANDS BUT I AM SURE THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHERS, SO TELL ME ABOUT THEM AND, IF YOU CAN, TELL ME ALSO OTHER THINGS ABOUT THE LITHUANIAN SCENE?!
-Here are not as much metal-bands as you would imagine and I am glad seeing on those Lithuanian bands because most of them have their own style of playing. Personally I like POCCOLUS, depressive pagan-metal from our home town. They got deal from Avantgarde music records (Italy) for their full-length CD. Also WEJDAS ... experimental pagan ambient, sounds very fresh! SLOUGH OF DESPOND, melancholic gothic doom, now they are prepairing new demo. MERESSIN and NAHAS are two real black-metal bands here. And both differs from each other a lot. MERESSIN follows old path bm vein. They are great live bands! GILJOTINA, strange death-metal group from the capital of bear (so it is called our home town). They are the most original death-metal band in Lithuania. SIELA, only gothic- rock act here, also from our town. They have already released four albums. Now and then different concerts are arranged. The biggest is "Death comes" which is organized once a year. Last time there played ANATHEMA and SOLSTICE ... Polish PANDEMONIUM appeared two years ago on the stage of "Death comes" ...
HOW HAS YOUR INDEPENDENCE INFLUENCED ON YOUR SCENE AND IS IT EASIER TO MAKE MUSIC NOW THAN IT WAS UNDER THE RUSSIAN OCCUPATION?
-I do not know as we had not played at the times of Russian occupation yet. But as I remind here were couple of great heavy-metal bands. The oldest is KATEDRA which's still existing. Now, when we did get independence, musicians got better opportunity to visit abroad. For example, death-metal band GHOSTORM recorded songs for CD in the Dan Swano's studio and now tour across Europe is planned. SIELA are preparing to visit Germany. So I don't know, really.
YOU ARE ALSO MAKING "FOR YOUR SOUL" 'ZINE ... INTRODUCE IT FOR THE READERS!
-So far we've released two issues. Both previous issues're written in Lithuanian. Now we decide to do an English edition. Though the best interviews and articles translated will be featured in other Lithuanian 'zine called "Priestaraujanti tustuma". We are doing not usual metal 'zine ... as we listen to other forms of music as well, so that reflects within pages of "For your soul". The last time I am more involved into non-metal stuff. We are already printing our third issue which will contain interviews (which're exclusively deep and original!) with such band as OPERA IX- black/death gods from Italy; USURPER- old-fashioned death- metal from the States; SON OF WILLIAM and THE VENUS FLY TRAP - two guitar- orientated rock bands from England; BLOODING MASK- which's combining elements from gothic and ambient into absolutely original sound; LACRIMOSA – sorrowful electro gothic from Switzerland; strange, angry Swedish doom -ENTITY; editor of MORTICIANNUMSKULL mag. ... and finally very intense chat with German cult dark wave act SOPOR AETERNUS. Also articles about ancient traditions of Benevento, etc. Lot of reviews on black, gothic, experimental groups. We're looking for distributors all over the world! It'll cost $3 everywhere and we plan to finish it after 1-2 months ... so very soon!
CAN YOU NAME ANY OTHER 'ZINES WHICH WOULD DESERVE ATTENTION?
-Here are lots of shitty 'zines. I guess 'zines are the worst aspect of our scene. Though now this wave disappear. Before two years here was real shock! Everyone who knew some English words and had any printing machine was claiming to be a 'zine editor. Of course, most never released its first issue. Those who've any talent, remained. One of the best Lithuanian 'zines is without doubt "Wounded". Guy finished his fifth issue some months ago ... really interesting interviews & reviews written with some doses of humour. I also liked the last issue of "Edge of time". From Lithuanian written 'zines I would like to mentio "Gestanuos saules karalysteje" ... this's a 'zine of the POCCOLUS drummer. 'Zine's dedicated to dark kind of music (mostly non-metal) & literature. "Senolui alka" 'zine contains pagan literature, non- musical, absolutely. We are good friends of him! "Raganos ir alus" 'zine writes only about Lithuanian scene. Eight issues so far. This guy is also running distro- service called Dangus productions which's carrying Lithuanian bands, 'zines, ...
YOU ARE NOT PLAYING BLACK-METAL BUT CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS THE SITUATION IN LITHUANIA, HAVE NEW BLACK-METAL BANDS EMERGED WITHIN LAST 2-3 YEARS? ANY MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE "LITHUANIAN BLACK- METAL MAFIA" OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
-How strange would it be but here are not many black-metal bands. As I stated here are only two real black-metal bands NAHASH and MERESSIN. Here are dark bands but they are not black-metal. I forget to mention ANUBI - experimental Egyptian black ... taking influences from ancient Egyptian mythology they created really sinistrous sound. Their first demo can be compared with ABRUPTUM but the second one is more concentrated. Now they are using flute, female vocals, ... I don't know if here exists any "bm-mafia" or anything else. Norwegian bm-wave haven't still "touched" Lithuania. Oh, I forget that here is bm-band called OBTEST and members of this band sent some menacing letters written with blood to Vytas from NAHASH. Who knows, maybe here are seeds of Lithuanian "black-metal mafia"? Let them play their own games ...
AS YOU ARE QUITE A YOUNG BAND, HAVE YOU HAD CHANCES TO GET PUBLICITY IN FOREIGN 'ZINES ETC. AND DO YOU HAVE MANY CONTACTS ABROAD?
-Well, we have some contacts with foreign 'zines, distributors, ... Our demo is distributed through one German and one Belgian distro. Still, only one review has been done by Petrified 'zine and after that we got many contacts from other 'zines. I have answered interviews for some foreign 'zines but have not seen 'em. Some interest is still raising!
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE COMMON OPINION THAT LITHUANIA (AND OTHER EASTERN COUNTRIES!) IS A RIP-OFF COUNTRY AND THAT PEOPLE AVOID TO SEND MONEY AND EVEN LETTERS BECAUSE OF THIS REPUTATION? ANY EXPERIENCES OF RIP-OFFS FROM THE OTHER COUNTRIES?
-Rip-offs do exist all over the globe! It's truth that here are some rip-offs but quite often those troubles rise due to bad post service. We were ripped off by some persons from the States, Sweden ...
ABOUT YOUR BELIEFS, DO THEY AFFECT ON YOUR MUSIC? IS IT IMPORTANT TO EXPRESS ONE'S FEELINGS OF RELIGIONS ETC. THROUGH MUSIC?
-I follow pagan belief. I do not need any satanism or anything else. Satanism is just alien for me ... the very same as Christianity. But I have an own understanding of paganism. I never saw paganism as any form of religion with gods and dogmas. I see paganism as world outlook, as life with nature. Person must be strong ... and in such way only he/she can create one's own world. World where one's king and god. I gain strenght from nature, I am part of it. I guess all that's expressed through my lyrics. I do not really know how important it is to express one's feelings of religion throug music but one thing is sure ... that everyone is free to express what he wants and can! If he wants to express his views on religion, let him do that. Music, as other art-forms, just reflects everyones individuality and moods. What'd music be without any feelings? It would be like dead without soul. Only naked riffs and nothing else! It is one of the reasons why I do not like most of the technically playing bands ... they mostly care of technics and forget about such things as feelings. See DEATH IN JUNE, SOL INVICTUS, ... only few riffs within a song but what effect you get?!
DO YOU'VE ANY TRAX READY YET AND DO YOU'VE ANY PLANS FOR FUTURE RELEASES? HAVE YOU PROMOTED YOUR STUFF FOR LABELS AND HAVE ANY LABEL BECOME INTERESTED IN YOU YET?
-We have one new track but we have some problems with our guitarist now. I hope all will be ok. I do not know why, but we didn't promote our demo to any labels. I sent first time recordings to Adipocere and Chris told that we got good spirit and offered us to do some distribution. Our "Rauda" was sent out to Infortunium records (Sweden) because that guy showed interest, and to Pagan records (Poland) as I am contacting with Tomek for long time. Still we have not received answers. All who have listened to our demo, said that we've good potential. Though other's opinions won't change anything but I'm pleased hearing good words about our demo.
TELL ME HOW WAS A CLARINET CHOSEN INTO YOUR DEMO AND DOES IT BELONG TO YOUR "PERMANENT" COMPOSITION?
-Lauras (one from three editors of "For your soul 'zine & now our synth-player) know guy playing clarinet and offered us to try mix clarinet within our sound. We had chat with that guy and he was very glad to play with us. He make some main changes for our song structures and sound. Clarinet gives something special to our sound ... something what exclude us from that grey mass. So it's permanent instrument.
WHAT ABOUT GIGS ... HAVE YOU PLAYED ANY AND IF YOU HAVE NOT, WHAT COULD HA LELA GIG BE LIKE?
-Still, we've not played live and don't know if it will happen in future. I'd like to mix theatre and music, it would be a real show! Ideal place'd be any old forest ... warrior clothes, bonfires around scene and people, who understand such music ... not drunk idiots. I saw show of pagan band AKYS and it was really boring. When someone is trying to affect more higher essences than body but crowd is only moshing their stupid heads and don't listen to music at all.
TELL ME YOUR FUTURE PLANS, ANYTHING PLANNED FOR '95 OR EVEN FURTHER?
-I do not plan all my life and playing! We want only play our music. People're like robots, they can not run out from their plans and other rules. Maybe I'll die after one hour, who knows? It is said ... a hero of C.Castaneda's "Journey to Ixtlan": "Death all the time is near to us. Do your all things, as it would be the last ones ...".
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK FROM ME ...?!
... HAVE YOU READ KALEWALA?
-(Tommi): No, I have not but I think all Finnish people know something about that national epic ... I am sure Kalewala could offer some great experiences but I have never been so interested in that story that I'd have read it ... maybe I will, one day!?
TELL US YOUR GREETINGS AND MESSAGES! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND GOOD LUCK FOR BOTH YOU AND HA LELA!
-Thanks for this great interview. I really liked to answer to it! Everyone who wants to hear anything unusual buy our demo for $4. Also ask about our 'zine if you prefer not only metal-music! Distributors are very welcome! Embrace the silence of the woods ...
MOONBLOOD (Ger) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Martin Schmat
DEMONIAC WAS THE PREDECESSOR OF MOONBLOOD BUT CAN YOU TELL ME THE REASON WHY WAS IT FORMED ... AND HAD THAT HUGE BM-BOOM ANYTHING TO WITH THAT?
-I can't answer to this question very well 'coz I'm not a founder member of DEMONIAC! I did join DEMONIAC ca. half a year later! DEMONIAC, in the old times, had played dm (but with black/dark lyrics!) so I knew the guitarist and he took me to rehearsal. The asked me if I want to sing a song for them. I did sing a song and a week later they asked me to join DEMONIAC as a second vocalist. I did tell them that I don't like this sort of dm which they played. I had heard bm to this time and I also wanted to play only in a bm-band. So, we did write some songs with different vocals (deep & screamy) and I liked it, so I became their second vocalist. But then later the same year ('93) me and Occultiis couldn't work together with them, so we kicked them out and began with MOONBLOOD. We have build together with some other bands, the new wave of German black-metal!
YOU'VE MADE 3 DEMOS ALREADY UNDER THE NAME MOONBLOOD ... ISN'T IT TOO MUCH WITHIN ONLY ONE YEAR? DO YOU THINK IT'S JUST TOO EASY TO MAKE BM-TRAX OR WHAT IS THE REASON ... THE MORE THE BETTER, IS IT SO?
-Yes, you are right, it's much for one year but the 2nd demo was not really planned. It was more or less a chance! For us it's easy to write bm-trax 'coz we are 100% for bm! If your heart is happy, you can do everything you want! Also there is still another reason for this. We are only two, and Occultiis plays all instruments, so we can't really rehearse. We make only songs. We hear the guitars (from tape) and then I sing my text & Occultiis plays the drums! We play every song only one time. Only when we go to a studio, we play the songs more, but else we play it one time! We record all songs on a tape and if we want, we can release some reh/demos. We have now ca. 40 MOONBLOOD- trax, all have a playtime between 5- 10 minutes.
HAVE YOU MADE ANY MONEY WITH THESE DEMOS? WHY DIFFERENT LABELS & PRODUCTIONS WANT TO RELEASE YOUR STUFF AND HOW THOSE GUYS EVEN KNOW YOU?
-No, we've made no money with our demos. Ah yet, we've made some money with the 2nd demo. It was ca. 50DM 'coz Unholy Baphomet rex. sent 10 copies of it as a present! With the other demos we made no profit. The new demo was recorded in a studio and we paid ca. 600DM. Also the cover was very expensive. But we sold it for 10DM/$6. I think it's also much money but we want to make only the money for the studio & covers. If we wanted to make profit, we'd have sell it for 15DM/$8. About the different labels I must say the 2nd demo was more a chance. I've known Andreas from U.B.R. since a long time and as I had told him that we had new trax, he asked me if we want to make a split-demo with them. We had thought it was a good idea so we make that. But the other band had not the songs for the split-demo so Andreas asked me if we want to release the songs as our 2nd demo, so we did that! But at this time (when he asked about the split-demo) we had already planned to go in a studio and record a professional demo with Gospel of the witches prod. Pendragon of G.O.T.W. prod. is also a good friend of mine. I meet him every month 'coz he lives not far from me. So, I have known that he doesn't rip us off!
ARE DARK THRONE AND OTHER NORWEGIAN BANDS YOUR MAIN INFLUENCES? YOUR STUFF DOESN'T REALLY DIFFER FROM THE THE MOST OF THE CURRENT BM-BANDS BUT WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO CREATE SOMETHING MUCH MORE ORIGINAL INSTEAD OF BEING JUST ONE OF THE DOZENS OF SIMILAR BANDS?
-DARK THRONE is with HELLHAMMER / FROST & VENOM my main influences. Occultiis' main influences is still BATHORY what you can hear on our 1st demo. Yes, our stuff does not really differ from the most of the bm-bands but we also this! We want to play real bm, not Viking or Pagan metal. We are back to the roots! All new bands use keyboards as their main instrument in their songs, our main instruments are guitars and drums! It's fucking trend now to use keyboards as main instrument! I really hate this! And the those ("trend") bands write to their influences VENOM BATHORY or CELTIC FROST/HELLHAMMER (old songs) but they didn't use many keybords. We want not play original, we want to play black-metal!
YOU HAVE QUITE LONG TRAX AND DEMOS LAST 30-60 MINUTES ... IS THIS YOUR PURPOSE OR WHY SO LONG TRAX?
-Yes, it's our purpose. Or do you like those demos which cost $6 & the playtime are only 10-15 minutes? We are also bm-fans and know how it is! So, we want to give the "fans" or should I say warriors a little bit more for their money than 15 minutes. Ok, the sound on the last two demos were not so good but the playtimes were 40 and 50 minutes and the songs were also ok.
YOU USE STAGE-NAMES ... DOES THEM MAKE YOU MORE EVIL OR WHAT COULD BE THE REASON? IS THIS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN STUCK IN FOR ALMOST ALL OF THE BM-BANDS 'COZ THE PARAGONS (VENOM/BATHORY ...) USED SUCH TOO?
-No, it have nothing to do with making you more evil etc. I used GAAMALZAGOTH (or earlier times Blacksoul) because I want to be called so! My parents gave me the name Mirko and I hate this name. So, I chose me a new name, my real name. It comes deep from my soul!
DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AT ALL WHAT YOU PLAY OR CAN YOUR OTHER ACTS MAKE YOU POPULAR THESE DAYS? SEEMS LIKE NOBODY CARES A SHIT OF THE STUFF BANDS MAKE AND ALL THAT MATTERS IS THEIR MESSAGE AND ACTS ... THE CRAZIER ACTS THE BETTER?
-Yes, I think it's important what bands play (for me). But there are also some idiots, who don't listen to music. Music of ABSURD is very primitive but since they had killed this pig, they are the best German bm-band for the most idiots! The message is also important. It must be the right mix with message & music.
MANY COUNTRIES HAS THEIR OWN (?) BM-MAFIAS AND I'VE SEEN SUCH ACTIVITIES THERE IN GERMANY TOO ... OPINION ABOUT THAT? IS IT REALLY SO IMPORTANT TO GATHER TOGETHER AND BEGIN TO SPREAD "EVIL" MESSAGE BY THREATENING "FALSE" ETC.? HAVE YOU HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE SAVIORS OF THE BM- SCENE?
-I don't support those children! Yes, it's important to "gather" together and spread the evil message but not by threatening "false" and others! Every band, which they don't like, are "false" for them. Yes, we have some problems here with them. They have made a list of the enemies of bm in Germany. We are on this list and also UNGOD, FULGOR, DAWNFALL, MARTYRIUM, NEMA and others. How can band like MARTYRIUM be fake or false? They are one of the first German bm-bands. It's totally stupid!
WHAT ABOUT PATRIONISM ... IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONNECT DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES WITH BM OR OTHER STYLES? AS NEO-NAZISM HAS BEEN QUITE LONG ALREADY IN HEADLINES, CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR OWN OPINION OF NAZISM AND/OR OTHER IDEOLOGIES WHICH TRY TO PREVENT "FOREIGN" INFLUENCES AND MAKE "OWN" CULTURE & COUNTRY THE BEST OF ALL?
-I think bm is bm and neo-nazism has nothing to do with bm! I'm not a neo- nazi! I've my own ideology and everybody who have a little intellect has also his/her own ideology! PRAISE YOUR FUCKING SELF!
AS YOU ARE QUITE A YOUNG BAND ... HAVE YOU PLANNED TO "FULFIL" YOUR BAND WITH OTHER MEMBERS AND THEN PLAY LIVE ON STAGE OR IS THIS KIND OF STUFF FOR POSERS WHO JUST TRY TO AMUSE KIDS WITH "EVIL" SYMBOLS AND MASKS ETC.?
-Yes, we have planned to "fulfil" our band with new members but it is very hard to find the right ones. We are looking for people who know what bm is! I don't know if we play some day live on stage. Maybe ...?! I don't think to play live is not a kind of stuff for posers! The band can play, where the right people are. They must not play for all idiots!
IS THIS CURRENT SITUATION MAKING FUN OF BM AS ALMOST EVERY LABEL SIGNS BM-BANDS AND ACTUALLY ONE'S SKILLS DO NOT MATTER A SHIT, ONLY THAT YOU PLAY SOMEKIND OF BM? IS IT TOO FUCKING EASY TO SIGN NOWADAYS ... OR DOES IT EVEN MATTER AS MORE AND MORE BANDS ARE GETTING A CHANCE TO SPREAD THEIR STUFF IN CD- FORMAT?
-I think the labels sign bands which they like. And I think also that the most of the labels sign bands, which play in the same way. Every label has its own style. I do not know if it's so easy to get a deal. Ask CRADLE OF FILTH or ENSLAVED!
WHAT IS THE GOAL WITH YOUR MUSIC? TO SIGN A DEAL WITH SOME GOOD LABEL MAYBE? ARE ALL THE LABELS JUST MAKING HUGE PROFIT WITH BM-BANDS LIKE YOU?
-The goal with our music isn't to get a deal with good label etc. The goal is to be a part of the true bm-underground! All these bands that release CD for CD are not underground! For me they are traitors! I mean the bands which signed a deal with labels like Osmose or Nuclear Blast and some others. I don't think that all labels make huge profit but the most of them.
WHAT ABOUT NEW RELEASES?
-Our split-EP with NEMA should be finally out in April and we already have a plan to release another split-EP with ASAKKU middle'96. Also our first full-length with two versions is coming soon. LP has playing time of 40 minutes & cassette playing time of 60 minutes (with 2 more trax!). This stuff is released by Majestic Union records, watch out!
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN UG AND HAVE ANYTHING ESSENTIAL CHANGED SINCE THE FIRST UG-EXPERIENCES? DO 'ZINES HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR TO INTRODUCE NEW BANDS FOR AUDIENCE OR WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET PUBLICITY AMONG UG-PEOPLE?
-I've been in the UG for two years now. Yes, it has changed a lot. Today there are more bands and CDs than the first days. I think 'zines have an important role to introduce new bands 'coz many bands make no or only a few flyers for their demos. Also 'zines and good demos are the best way get publicity among UG-people.
GERMAN SCENE IS FULL OF BANDS WHICH SURELY DESERVE ATTENTION ... TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT GERMAN SCENE AND TELL ME ALSO IF THERE ARE GOOD BANDS AND 'ZINES WHICH PEOPLE SHOULD CHECK OUT?
-In Germany there is no scene, it is a battlefield! Most bands fight against others. Here are many bands, that is right. I can offer for all who like bm in the nordic vein: MAYHEMIC TRUTH, ASAKKU, DYING FULLMOON, THE NEW AEON, NEBELBURG, DESASTER, HATHOR, HERODEZ, ANTICHRIST & FJELL. For all who like bm in the Greek vein, I can offer: CRYPTIC CARNAGE & ATANATOS (ex-ANUS PRAETER). For dark-metal fans: NEMA and DARK SHADES. And then still a band called TUMULUS, one of the best bands for me. They do not play bm but German doom-metal with great melodies! For 'zines I can offer Tales of the macabre, a very good one!
DO YOU LISTEN TO ANY OTHER STUFF THAN BM AND DO YOU LISTEN SOMETHING BECAUSE IT SOUNDS COOL FOR YOU OR MAYBE 'COZ THE BAND REPRESENTS SOMETHING YOU AGREE WITH? CAN YOU NAME ANY BAND YOU LISTEN TO BUT WHICH DOESN'T HAVE ANY INFLUENCE ON YOU?
-Besides bm I'm also listening to old thrash-metal & real heavy-metal. I listen to this music 'coz I'm growing up with that sort of metal! I like bands like CYCLONE, HOBB'S ANGEL OF DEATH, SLAYER, ONSLAUGHT, old METALLICA, SABBAT (UK), SACRIFICE, RAZOR, etc. No, I can't tell you a band which I'm listening to but which hadn't influenced me.
IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK FROM ME, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE?!
... WHAT YOU THINK OF NEO-NAZISM IN THE BM-SCENE AND ARE YOU A RACIST?
-(Tommi): Huh, well ... I begin with the racism. I wouldn't like to call myself a racist and I think the colour of the skin won't make anybody worse. But on the other hand, colour must not be the reason to get better benefits than others do, "refugees" don't have to live without money as they get some better chances than ordinary citizen. I'm open-minded but there is a limit when my tolerance ends. About neo-nazism, I know there are many kind of stuff under that definition and I don't think all of the ideas are so far away from my own ideas but when we talk about nazism as it was in the Hitler-period I think most of the so called reasons were just bullshit and the fact that some people still believe in all that shit makes me wonder certain things. BM + neo-nazism ... well, so many of those who praise different things like racial segregation can't even find a real model for their ideas. Hitler really isn't the best model for so called "Aryan-elite" but still he's a paragon for so many ... pathetic.
OK, TIME FOR FINAL GREETINGS AND MESSAGES FOR THE READERS...
-Thanks for this interview & good luck to you, Tommi! Blood & war!
NAHASH (Lith) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Vytas Stankus
FIRST ABOUT YOUR HISTORY: NEMESIS WAS THE PREDECESSOR OF NAHASH ... ARE THERE ANY DETAILS (STORY) ABOUT NEMESIS YOU COULD TELL?
-There were nothing interesting for the other people except that we played very interesting and rather dark thrash/black-metal, and we released rehearsal- tape called "Black spirituality". NAHASH WAS FORMED IN SPRING 1993,
ANY CERTAIN REASON TO FORM A BAND WHICH IS JUST ONE OF THE DARK/BM-BANDS THAT HAVE EMERGED DURING THE '90'S?
-All reasons for me were natural reasons. I was interested in dark things and dark music many years ago until I created NAHASH. During all these years my hatred and dark feelings were growing. My mystical feelings became sharp. It seems it was not any fatal factor, everything had come in consecutive order, slowly without deflection till one day I felt I wouldn't want and could not wish to play different music. It was a certain reason and I do not know more. NAHASH is my path of life, through this music I saw my own destination of life, therefore NAHASH isn't, like you called, just one of the dark/bm-bands that have emerged during the '90's.
ANY STORY BEHIND THE NAME NAHASH? AS YOU DO NOT USE "EVIL STAGE NAMES" WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ABOUT SUCH?
-I found this name during my occult studies. It's taken from Hebrew ancient magic Cabalah. In the Bible it's mentioned as devil or serpent, which enticed Adam to taste the forbidden fruit. In occultic sense it means the dark astral torrent. Dark powers - cruel powers and if you are not well-grounded you will be burnt down. Mystically NAHASH symbolize life of nature which strive to tie a spirit to the Earth with her beauties. Nature instinct, which draws into emotional world. It is a tempter of all so-called "evil". That is why NAHASH symbolizes an origin of evil, black powers or Satan. Is it a stage name or not, for me it's the same. Many so-called evil stage names have now profanation smell. The reason for it are many childish "black" bands with grindy shit and very often using "evil stage names". Blacker's must spread evil with actions and with music. It's so simple to call oneself with "evil stage names" and tell to all that one's the most true and evil band.
YOUR FIRST DEMO, "NOCTICULA HECATE", CAME OUT IN SUMMER '94, ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THIS FIRST STUDIO EXPERIENCE AND DOES YOUR DEMO SOUND AS YOU PLANNED?
-I think that everyone who plays in a band thinks that something is not finished or something should be otherwise after the recording. But, anyway, I'm satisfied with our demo sound. I can say to you that we rerecorded the vocals and the song "Nocticula hecate" after two weeks. It was very hard to get sound what I needed in our country. And it's much more harder to get some mystic and dark atmosphere in a studio. But I like this sound and I think it have a mystic and dark effect on soul. And I think it was rather good for the first studio recording and for the first demo. Don't you think so?
YES ... I THINK THAT DEMO HAS SOME POWER AND IT SURELY HAS SOME DARK EFFECT. BUT AFTER DOZENS OF LISTENINGS I STILL CAN'T SPECIFY YOUR STYLE AND EVEN THAT'S NOT THE POINT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW YOUR OWN DESCRIPTION?! CAN YOU NAME PARAGONS OR IS YOUR STUFF SOMETHING SO UNIQUE THAT NO INFLUENCES CAN BE RECOGNIZED?
-Ha, thanks for compliment but for me it is also hard to tell you what our music's like. There are many riffs which are my own and they sound quite original and dark. About paragons etc., maybe you can find something like BURZUM, BATHORY, AT THE GATES, ... from our demo ... I do not know, maybe you could find something but believe me that I never copy anybody. And believe me that it's very hard to specify style as I'm the creator of the stuff, therefore I'm inside it and that's why I can not look at it from outside.
YOUR LYRICS ON THE DEMO DEAL WITH E.G. LYCANTHROPY. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SUCH SUBJECT OR DOES IT ONLY "SOUND" GREAT? WHAT ABOUT OTHER SUBJECTS, ANY CERTAIN TOPICS YOU PREFER OR DO YOU JUST PICK SOMETHING WHICH SEEMS USEFUL?
-Interesting question. I have been interested in especially subjects like lycanthropy and other similar subjects for 5-6 years now. My lyrics are not only about lycanthropy. These lyrics are parts of path to darkness, principles of darkness and parts of dark feelings. I use my music and lyrics for calling dark and mystical feelings to amalgamate with torrents of darkness. So, I don't sing about dark things. I want to become part of darkness in my lyrics. There are not other subjects ... There are different or other feelings of darkness which change mental/psychic state.
ABOUT LYRICS AGAIN, DO YOU THINK YOUR OWN CULTURAL HERITAGE AFFECT YOU? FOR EXAMPLE, STORIES AND LEGENDS ABOUT LYCANTHROPIC-EXISTENCE ARE QUITE WELL- KNOWN IN LAPPLAND AND ALSO IN THE EASTERN EUROPE ... ARE THESE STORIES WHICH AFFECT YOU OR ARE SUCH LEGENDS JUST NONSENSE IN THIS "MODERN" WORLD?
-Yes, Lithuania have its own ancient legends ... stories about lycanthropies and others, and such have an effect on me. Only silly people can think that ancient legends are nonsense. There is more wisdom than in official history. Everyone of the most fantastic legends have the part of the truth. And such thing as lycanthropy can't sound humorous even in the modern world. Such things are simply more subtle than they are shown in legends. For example, people who study occultism know that if man is the master of the technique of concentration for form, concentration for instincts of beast, and the master of astral projection, it won't be hard for him to do such thing as lycanthropy.
IS IT IMPORTANT TO SOUND UNIQUE ESPECIALLY THESE DAYS WHEN DOZENS OF BANDS JUST IMITATE OTHERS?
-I think that it is important to sound unique ... on the other hand the unique sound is not the most important thing. The most important things in black-metal are feelings which make this music. I think that unique sounds are only means to express your feelings and musical ideas. The sound have to be fit to express it. I think there are bands which sound unique, not many, but there are.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OWN SPECIALITY IN YOUR MUSIC ... SOMETHING THAT TELLS PEOPLE IT IS NAHASH THEY ARE LISTENING TO?
-My friends joke that the main speciality of NAHASH are very long songs. Seriously I don't know the main thing which makes sound of NAHASH. I think there are lots of things which make our sound NAHASH- sound.
NOWADAYS MUSIC SEEMS TO BE, TOO OFTEN, ONLY SECONDARY MATTER WHEN BANDS TRY TO GET "POPULARITY" AMONG PEOPLE AND LABELS. CRIMES AND EVERY KIND OF INSANITY ARE THE THINGS BANDS TRY TO EMPHASIZE ... "YOU MUST KILL SOMEBODY OR, AT LEAST, BEAT SOMEBODY VERY BADLY TO BECOME A REAL BM-PEOPLE ... AND YOU CERTAINLY MUST THINK OF SUICIDE EVERY FUCKING DAY, IT'S A SOLUTION" ... WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT OF ALL THIS?
-I think it is the attitude of children and posers. The more man are silly in music and weak, the more he tries to show to all about himself in another form of behaviour. At really true warrior don not have to kill or beat somebody. Warrior see his aim exactly. Warrior can kill only his enemy, the man who stand before him. In such situation warrior does not think about morality 'coz if he doesn't kill his enemy, he'll be killed. On the other hand, if warrior kills somebody, nobody will know about it 'coz it's his fate. Warrior doesn't have to think of suicide. Warrior never think about suicide but he is thinking of death all the time. Man, you don't have to think about death if you don't like to do so. If man thinks of suicide every day, he is weak. He's afraid of death. To think of suicide but not to commit suicide is dread of death. True warrior are ready to die every second. He lives with death but he don't think of suicide "every fucking day". But, when he feels and understands that his body is prepared and he's ready to step into the kingdom of darkness, I think that such kind of suicide is a way to eternal life. It is a way for the warrior of darkness but not for child who cries for problems with life or society and therefore thinks of suicide ... But you did answer to this question by yourself ... Yes, such things are 'coz bands try to get popularity. Warrior keep silent about his life ...
WHAT IS THE LITHUANIAN SCENE LIKE? COULD YOU RECOMMEND ANY BANDS?
-The "scene" in Lithuania is very great. I don't speak about thrash/death/doom- scene, it doesn't interest me. But black- scene is growing. At first there are three black-bands. They are POCCOLUS, NAHASH and ANUBI. POCCOLUS: great pagan/ black-band which music is based on ancient Lithuanian pagan philosophy and mythology. ANUBI: very dark band. It is more experimental / ritual music. There is also a black-band MERESSIN, which plays bm in old wave. At last VALEFAR: very great project of NAHASH and ANUBI. Here are also some small black-bands but until now they don't show anything interesting.
WHAT ABOUT A QUESTIONABLE REPUTATION THAT LITHUANIA AND MANY OTHER EASTERN COUNTRIES HAVE? SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY CONTACTS AS THEY ARE TIRED OF RIP-OFFS ... IS IT REALLY SO USUAL THAT "EVERY" BAND/ZINE OR WHAT SO EVER JUST TRIES TO BENEFIT BY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE MORE US$ TO USE AND SPREAD AROUND THE UG-SCENE?
-I don't care of rip-offs. Such happens in every country. I know more rip-offs from other countries and it's not true that every band/zine from Lithuania try to rip off all. Did I rip you off? (No you didn't -ed.) Here in Lithuania are lots of zines. Many of 'em are rip- offs but here are many serious zines too. I think that similar situation occurs in every country. I don't think that bands try to make benefit from their music. I try to compansate a little percent of my big expense for band.
HOW MUCH MAIL YOU RECEIVE AND DO YOU HAVE ANY REALLY GOOD CONTACTS WITH DISTROS ETC.?
-I receive a few (1-4) letters every day and I have many contacts. Also distros but maybe too little.
YOU HAVE TOLD ME THAT, AT LEAST, MISANTHROPY RECORDS HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN YOU ... ANYTHING REALLY PROMISING CO-OPERATION IN SIGHT?
-Yes, I've good contact with Misanthropy rec. Miscarriage rec. is also interested in releasing our new material.
HOW LONG YOUR DEBUT DEMO CAN BE ORDERED FROM YOU? ARE FLYERS THE ONLY THING YOU PROMOTE YOURSELF WITH?
-I do not know exactly how long demo can be ordered. Not long time ago we made new flyers ... I think it can be ordered maybe half a year maximum. I promote myself with flyers, zines, gigs, distros, radioshow, compilation tape, letters etc.
THEN SOMETHING ELSE, WHAT YOU THINK OF MANKIND, IS MAN CREATED TO BE EQUAL?
-Mankind is weak tribe of sheep. They can't live without society, civilization. They can not live without each other. They believe in voluptuous god of crowd. They are strong only in society. But the more person amalgamate and belong to society the more weak he becomes. Society becomes stronger and religious of society becomes stronger too. But if person thirsts to break away from society, from mentality of crowd, from religion of masses, he becomes stronger. He is ready go to the path of darkness. He is ready turn to God, the Demon himself. I tell you that man can't live half for yourself and half for society. Or you amalgamate with society and religion of masses, or you must break away from society in spirit level, in mental level, feelings level, in belief level, in world outlook level and in physical level. Only after such differentiation man begin to have power from the innerself, not from the society. And when he wakes up his dark power, he'll be ready for darkness world. It's my answer to your question about mankind and "is man created to be equal". Man can be equal but he can also be not equal ... he can be Demon! But it will be possible only if he follows the left hand path.
ANY PHILOSOPHICAL/IDEALISTIC VIEW YOU COULD PREFER ... ANY ORGANIZATION YOU BELONG TO? TELL ME YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONS DEALING WITH DIFFERENT OCCULT / SATANIC / PAGAN THEMES?
-My philosophical or idealistic view's combined by occult philosophy, pagan wisdom, Nietzsche, shamanism, satanism and my own thoughts. I belong to Balder. About organization with different occult/ satanic/pagan themes? It is serious question. What you mean with different? It is simple to call something different if it has different names. On the other hand I want to tell you that occult organizations are not religious. Occult is not belief, it's science about "other" side of world and about "other" side of human powers. In occult science all Gods are only different principles of nature powers. Therefore occultist does believe in himself and Gods as principles of powers. Therefore, for occultist, there can not be different themes, different themes are objects for studies for him. The main aim for him is to change mental/psychic state, search and use the power of nature, open the door to the other side with return and, at last, to reach absolute freedom. The things which look different for ignorant, can not be different for occultist because ignorant sees the form, occultist see sense and principle. Satanism and paganism? Pagan belief is the most natural faith and world outlook for man who believes in nature. 'Coz it's the most ancient belief and the most based on reality and mysticism of nature. Every ancient belief had white and dark side. There are without exception an ancient judaic belief when Judaism had a pagan form and Jehova was not "the highest God", he was just one of the Gods. But when Jewish and after them Christians rejected the dark side of their religion, it turned to antichristian satanism. So ... without doubt satanism and paganism have connection. On the other hand I think that it is bad if organization has lots of different paths and if paths contradict each others, have different aims, have combained too much different forms of beliefs, for example, western beliefs with eastern where paths and aims are very different.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR FROM THE FUTURE A: FOR NAHASH B: FOR YOURSELF?
-A: to release the first CD and to continue to search new forms of darkness in a musical way and at last split up.
B: to find the truth, to find the freedom, to amalgamate with darkness and to die ...
TELL US EVERYTHING YOU STILL WANT TO SAY!? THANKS FOR ANSWERING!
-Yeah ... Tommi thanks for this great interview. It was interesting to answer to it. Other people ... buy our demo "Nocticula hecate", you will not be disappointed. Tell them Tommi! Listen to NAHASH and fall to darkness!
PENITENT (Nor) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Beastus Rex
PENITENT WAS BORN IN AUGUST 1994 WHEN YOU AND AZGOTH JOINED TOGETHER BUT HOW THE BASIC IDEA OF A BAND BEGAN? YOU HAD POEMS YOU WANTED TO OFFER IN FORM OF MUSIC TO GET THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE ... HOW HARD PROCESS THAT WAS AND DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PLANS TO GET YOUR POEMS BE KNOWN, IN WRITING WITHOUT MUSIC, PERHAPS?
-The process to make music that is suitable for my poems was not hard at all, because Azgoth understood my ideas from the very beginning. I don't think it could have been done in another and more satisfying way. The main intentions I had before forming the band have also been well taken care of, and we are satisfied with our efforts so far. I haven't been interested in getting my poems published earlier, and I won't let a big publisher to publish my poems 'coz they'll probably not give me full artistic freedom which I demand to have. Lately I have translated my poems 'coz I want to get them published also outside the Nordic wastelands of frost and darkness. My poetry book will also be published in Norwegian. I haven't decided if I will publish it myself or not but probably I will let some other publisher release it. At this moment one publisher have told me that he might want to publish the English version, but others who might want to publish either the Norwegian or English version should contact me if they are interested in publishing my book. That is all to say about this.
DID YOU OR/AND AZGOTH HAVE ANY MUSICAL BACKGROUND? WHY YOU CHOSE MUSIC TO EXPRESS THE EMOTIONS, ISN'T POETRY ALONE INTERESTING ENOUGH OR WHAT IS THE REASON?
-The only musical background I had is that as a kid I sang in a kind of choir, and some years ago had played organ and keyboard. Azgoth is the most musical skilled of us. He plays keyboard/synth., guitar, bass, drums and also flute. Of course, poetry is interesting enough to stand alone, but that isn't why I wanted to form PENITENT. To put music my poems gives also them a new meaning. You are also able to give the listener both a stronger and more atmospheric picture of it all. My poems combined with the music, the way it is played in PENITENT, also gives you more majestic feeling. I hope you got the picture now!
INSPIRATION TO CREATE MUSIC AND WRITE POEMS COMES FROM YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS AND IMAGINATION. HOW YOU AVOID "NORMAL" THINKING AND FEELINGS WHILE YOU ARE MAKING NEW WORK ... IS IT EASY OR HARD? DO YOU NEED A CERTAIN MOOD, PLACE OR/AND TIME TO MAINTAIN SUCH STATE OF MIND? WHAT ABOUT DRUGS AND OTHER NARCOTICS, MORE OR LESS KNOWN ARTISTS HAVE USED SUCH TO REACH THE "RIGHT" STATE OF MIND TO CREATE SOMETHING MORE UNIQUE AND MORE IMPRESSIVE ... ANY OPINION OF THAT? DO YOU NEED SUCH WHILE WORKING TOWARDS THE NEXT COMPLETED PIECE OF ART?
-I certainly do not need drugs to create new work, but I do not care if people want to take drugs. It is their own problem and not mine. I only care for myself. I'd say it like Charles Manson once did: "Open up the dope valves and let the people take all the dope they want. Let them dope themselves on it until there is nothing left of it. Let the people do what they want to do. Take the rules and regulations off of it, and then what you have left is the people that want to live. The people that want to die, let them go. The people that want to destroy themselves, let them go ahead and destroy themselves." This should be enough told about the drug part. I avoid "normal" thinking and feelings because I am not to be considered as a "normal" living being. I am certainly not like the majority of this society. I spend lots of time all by myself because I don't like the company of all the shitty people you can see every day. I take a long trip into the deepest parts of the Norwegian nature sometimes, and I take a walk in the forests nearby often. The atmosphere I find in the woods gives me much inspiration. Along with the depressive feeling I constantly have inside me gives me the inspiration I need to make new things. Last words to this question: I am lonely, but not alone.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE THINGS YOU ARE WRITING OF? ANY CERTAIN SUBJECTS YOU ARE TELLING OF OR CAN YOU TELL ABOUT ALMOST ANYTHING THAT COMES TO MIND?
-All my poems are creations born out of my subconscious. I only write when an idea shows up in my head. I do not choose a subject to write about because that is not the way I do it. And yes, I can write about almost anything that comes to my mind. I do not write poems all the time because the ideas come when I'm in the right mood.
YOUR FIRST AND ONLY DEMO CAME OUT IN SPRING '95 OFFERING MELANCHOLIC ART REMINDING OF MORTIIS ETC. STILL HAVING ITS OWN TOUCH ... VERY "MAJESTIC" TUNES WITH SYNTHS ETC. TITLES LIKE "STILLE & VEIEN" & "I DET UENDELIGE" GIVE ME A FEELING THESE TRAX HAVE BEEN MADE IN A VERY DEPRESSIVE STATE OF MIND AND, SOMEHOW, THESE TRAX GIVES ME SOME QUITE ATMOSPHERIC FEELINGS ... THAT IS THE PURPOSE I THINK BUT CAN YOU TELL MORE OF THESE TRAX ...?
-There are not much more to say about these trax you have mentioned, but here you have some words about them ... "Stille": A song about loneliness and silence surrounding you when you are all by yourself. In this state of mind nothing is ever able to disturb you. "Veien": This is about a life filled with sorrow, pain and depression. It's a path of life ending. It is also very personal to me because the elements in both music and lyrics are reflections of my life. "I det uendelige": This is, as you can hear, a march oriented song in an industrial way. To say it short: this is pure majestic sadness ... Most of the PENITENT's material is made in a depressive state of mind, simply 'coz that's how I'm mentally.
HOW MANY COPIES HAVE BEEN SOLD AND WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE? WHAT IS YOUR OWN OPINION OF THIS STUFF IN GENERAL ... ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH IT OR ARE THERE STILL SOMETHING MISSING?
-The demo has sold approx. 200 copies and the response has been great. We're satisfied with the outcome of the demo, but the right effects on vocals are missing on the demo. That is also the thing we have improved with the recording of our debut album "Melancholia". It's also natural that the music grows stronger and stronger as time passes by. Everything is in progress.
THIS DEMO GAVE YOU A CHANCE TO SIGN A DEAL WITH SWEDISH LABEL COLD MEAT INDUSTRY AND THE DEBUT CD IS NOW AVAILABLE ... IT'S CALLED "MELANCHOLIA" AS YOU TOLD, SO I THINK DEBUT MAINTAINS SAD ATMOSPHERIC FEELINGS PEOPLE ALREADY GOT FROM THE DEMO. COULD YOU TELL MORE OF THIS CD? "42 MINUTES OF MAJESTIC INDUSTRIAL MELANCHOLY" AS LABEL PUTS IT BUT TELL US MORE?
-Yes ... we have maintained the sad atmospheric feeling from the demo, but this time also with melancholy present. That is also the reason why our debut is entitled "Melancholia". There isn't much more to say about it but if you like Dark majestic and atmospheric music, you should get hold of the CD.
AS YOU ARE A YOUNG BAND I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO GET A DEAL SO SOON BUT DID YOU HAVE ENOUGH MATERIAL TO BE RECORDED WHEN YOU MADE THE DEMO OR IS IT EASY TO MAKE NEW TRAX NOW WHEN THE STYLE IS FOUND?
-At the time we signed the deal we had enough material for a full-length album. Now, as we have found our own style, it's also much easier to make new material. At this moment we have already almost three new trax finished for our second album.
WORLD IS FULL OF BLACK-METAL BANDS WHICH ARE SPREADING THEIR "EVIL" MESSAGE AND MORE BANDS SIGN DEALS WITH DIFFERENT LABELS. WHAT ABOUT "ART" LIKE PENITENT, IS IT EASY TO FIND A LABEL TO RELEASE THIS KIND OF STUFF? I THINK BANDS LIKE YOU WERE EXISTING EARLIER TOO BUT AFTER MORTIIS AND THE LIKES BEGAN TO MAKE SIMILAR (?) STUFF MORE AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED THESE BANDS. "INDUSTRIAL", ETC. HAVE BEEN REAL UG-STUFF FOR AGES AND ONLY FREAKS HAVE BOUGHT ALBUMS BUT TODAY YOU CAN FIND THOSE ALBUMS FROM SHOPS SELLING DEATH/BLACK AND OTHER METAL, AND PEOPLE SEEM TO PRAISE BANDS THAT DON'T NEED ANY "REAL" MESSAGES BUT PURE ATMOSPHERE TO CREATE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO REPRESENT. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU WANT TO OFFER YOUR LISTENERS?
-If the music you make is great, I don't think it would be difficult to find a label which is interested in releasing it. After all, labels are also interested in bands that play great music, and then music which is new, unique and different from others. Atmospheric an industrial music have a message too, both when it's performed with and without lyrics. It is a question of giving the listener an opportunity to find this message. Bands have their own way of telling you what they want to. Some do it without using lyrics, but PENITENT has chosen to use lyrics as well, because we have something to tell the listener. That is our way.
WHAT YOU THINK ... CAN "INDUSTRIAL", "TECHNO-LIKE", ETC. STUFF BE PAGAN OR SATANIC, OR DOES SUCH MESSAGE NEED MORE WORDS & EXTERNAL SIGNS TO BE RECOGNIZED?
-Of course! Atmospherical/industrial/ ambient bands can also be satanic or pagan. It all depends on the people in their band and their message, and also how their music is performed. A message does not necessarily have to consist of words because you can perform the music in a ritualistic way. Atmosphere and moody creation can often tell more than words. Certain things can not be explained with simple words. Then you can only express that feeling through emotional and atmospheric music to give you the right picture of it.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PARAGONS IN MUSIC, ANY BANDS OR PEOPLE WHO COULD, SOMEHOW, INSPIRE YOUR WORK? DO YOU LISTEN TO DIFFERENT STYLES OF MUSIC AND DO YOU READ LITERATURE THAT COULD FEED YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS AND IMAGINATION WHILE MAKING NEW ART?
-Every person who are honest to himself must admit that he is influenced, in one way or another, by his surroundings, the literature he reads and the music he listens to. The same goes for me. I also listen to a lot of different music such as LAIBACH; DIAMANDA GALAS; EMPEROR; GEHENNA; SATYRICON; MOONSPELL; ENYA; WONGRAVEN; BACH; GRIEG; BEETHOVEN; MOZART; DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED; ARCTURUS; BEL CANTO; DOLLIE DE LUXE'S WHICH WITCH; etc. There is certainly nothing specific that influences my subconscious, but a lot of different aspects.
WHAT ABOUT PUBLICITY, HAVE YOU BEEN FEATURED IN MANY MAGS. AND ARE YOU, PROBABLY, READY TO ANSWER INTERVIEWS FROM BIGGER (=MORE KNOWN) MAGAZINES OR DO YOU WANT TO STAY LESS KNOWN TO AVOID ANY PROBLEMS POPULARITY MAY CAUSE?
-In a short period of time, or to be more specific, in time to come PENITENT will be featured in Witchcraft mag.(GER); Into oblivion(AUSTRALIA); WMS 'zine(USA); A view into the abyss (USA); Curse of the chains(USA); one Russian mag.; one Romanian mag. and couple of others. Of course, I am ready to answer an interview from bigger and more known magazines, but I'll probably never sto answering interviews from true UG-mags. I don't see how popularity is ever going to be a problem for me, as I will make sure to have both feet on the ground.
GENOCIDE MAG.? TELL US ABOUT IT!
-I'll keep this one short to make sure not to use too much time on it. Debut issue of Genocide magazine is confiscated by the cops because they are still going to drag me into court. The date for my trial was set to the 25th September first. I was first charged for persecution and torment of Christians, encouragement to kill immigrants and Christians, and also encouragement to burn and bomb churches. The prosecutor can't make up his mind about what I should be charged for. That's also why my trial is delayed, but probably I'll be charged for torment and persecution of Christians and spreading illegal and racist propaganda. Despite the problems I have faced after #1, I have decided to keep on releasing new issues. The police shall never be able to stop me in my work. Issue 2 have less interviews than in #1, but there are more articles in #2 than #1. There are interviews with ABRUPTUM; EMPYRIUM; COVENANT; MORDOR; INSENCE; Aasmund of Black tower, MOONSPELL, etc. There are also articles on STORM(NOR); Charles Manson; The Necronomicon and the article "When knowledge is not gnosis" by Abaaner of Key of Alocer.
DO YOU HAVE MANY CONTACT ABROAD AND ANY CONTACTS HERE IN FINLAND? DOES UG MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU OR IS IT JUST A CLICHE NOWADAYS?
-Yes, I have many contacts abroad but few from Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland. The underground means a lot to me because through it I spread the message. It's also here people can get to know about PENITENT. The UG is there for both you and I. We all should support it as well as we can.
NORWAY ... THE LAND OF FIORDS (OR SHOULD I SAY FJORD?), MISTY FORESTS, FREEZING WINTER AND UNHOLY (WHATEVER) METAL ... PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHY DOES SCANDINAVIA AND, ESPECIALLY, NORWAY OFFER SO MANY BANDS WITH PURE DARKNESS AND EVILNESS ... CAN THE ANSWER BE AS SIMPLE AS THE CLIMATE? IT IS HARD TO EXPLAIN PEOPLE WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN TEMPERATURE IS ABOUT -30 CELSIUS DEGREES AND ONE IS WALKING IN THE FOREST WHILE SNOW CRUNCHES UNDER ONE'S FEET ... THE FEELING YOU CAN GET FROM THE FREEZE AND DARKNESS THAT SURROUNDS ONE. CAN HE NATURE ALONE CAUSE ALL THE EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS NEEDED TO CREATE STUFF PEOPLE WANT MORE AND MORE?
-I think you got it. It can really be as simple as the climate. I guess also you know how it's like when temperature is as low as -30 degrees Celsius, and you walk in the forest and can hear the snow crunching under your feet. as far as I know the climate in Norway and Finland is pretty much the same. I believe this is how King Winter is in the Nordic countries or what do you say? (I agree -edit.) I think nature alone can give you all the emotions and feelings you need to create the unholy music with freezing darkness. This is the true norseman's way.
PENITENT-STUFF CAN'T BE EASY TO PERFORM ON STAGE, DO GIGS ATTRACT YOU IN ANY WAY AND ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO PERFORM ANYTHING ON STAGE, SOONER OR LATER? I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GIGS YOUR KIND OF BANDS ARE PERFORMING BUT MAYBE YOU COULD INFORM ME?
-Our stuff will not be easy to perform live, but doing things the easy way has never been our intention. The usual way to do gigs is not anything for me and PENITENT, but sooner or later also PENITENT will perform on stage. Our way of performing live will be a gigantic multi-media show. We will probably use a lot of different effects along with film, slides and other artistic stuff. When PENITENT performs live it'll be a show you have probably never seen before. It won't be like a regular gig at all. How other bands like to perform live is a thing I do not know much about, but I guess it is very different. Everything depends on how the different bands want to present their music. Some bands use a lot of different visual effects, but that's individual. We have our way which we want to stick to, other bands have made their choices. That is all there is about this.
YOU HAVE A DEAL FOR TWO FULL-LENGTH ALBUMS THROUGH C.M.I. BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR FURTHER THAN THOSE TWO ALBUMS, ANY GOAL YOU'D LIKE TO ACCHIEVE?
-It's right that we have signed for two full-length albums on C.M.I., but we haven't plans to stop after those. When we have fulfilled our part of the deal with C.M.I. we will probably get more offers from different labels than after the demo. If we will still stick to C.M.I. after those two albums is too early to tell. First we have to consider the offers we will get, and then we'll sign with the label we find most suitable for PENITENT. I am interest in making short movies to our music in the future ... and to release vinyls is also one thing we will keep on doing. There is nothing more to tell about this at the moment. I guess I will know more about our future before the end of 1996.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN MIND YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK FROM ME?
... WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST WE SHOULD DO WITH THE OVERPOPULATION ON PLANET EARTH? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IMMIGRATION? WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT NATIONALISM? WHERE DO YOU STAND IN THIS?
-(Tommi): About overpopulation, more condoms for the Chinese could be a good idea but who's gonna teach them how to use such, me neither! Maybe this would slow down the speed of over- population. Immigration: covernments allow foreigners to come so it's quite useless to fight against those, they come anyway. I just say they better stay away from me. I'm not gonna get myself into trouble by persecuting them but that does not mean I like them. Tolerance is for others! Nationalism: I am proud of my country and of its history, culture, language, nature, etc. Actually I think that Suomi has strong enough culture to avoid any threat foreigners cause ... they aren't able to destroy our father's heritage just coming here and getting money from the social welfare, our country stands it easily! I am not a nazi or a racist, I try to use my own brains to see what's happening ... that is the easiest way. Nobody tells me what to think of refugees and the others. If somebody wants to persecute them, go ahead but don't come back crying and asking me to help. That is all of this for tonight ...
FINAL GREETINGS AND MESSAGES, THANKS FOR THY FAST ANSWERING, THERE ARE STILL MEN WORTH TRUSTING, SUPPORT PENITENT!
-Thanks for the interview Tommi. It was a pleasure to answer your questions. Buy our debut album "Melancholia" and support PENITENT the rest of your lifes. A PENITENT t-shirt is also on the way. Everything can be ordered from C.M.I. Contact them regarding the prices. Feel the Norwegian darkness as it comes to you.
SECTARIUM (Cuba) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Abel Oliva Mdez
PLEASE, INTRODUCE YOURSELF & OTHER BAND-MEMBERS TO DARK MOON-READERS!
-I'm Abel, guitarist of SECTARIUM. I'm black/dark soul coming from Cuba. Other members ... Franto Paul/bass & voc (ex- INFESTOR) and Duviel Quiroz/drummer.
SECTARIUM WAS FORMED IN JUNE 1991 AS A NEKROBIOSIS BUT, AFTER SOME SHOWS, YOU DID CHANGE THE NAME AND STYLE VERY DRAMATICALLY ... WHY THAT CHANGE TOOK PLACE AND DID THE CURRENT BLACK-METAL "TREND" HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT?
-In the past, we had musical differences and we felt like breaking up so we did invite our old friend Franto to play with us in order to do a chaos in the Cuban scene. Any Cuban band before us didn't play as brutal as SECTARIUM does! Remember that we play a mixture between black-metal and death/grind more into satanic bands such as MORBID ANGEL and DEICIDE but with our own sound.
TELL ME ABOUT THE FIRST REAL DEMO, "GOD'S WRATH". ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH IT AND DID EVERYTHING GO WELL IN STUDIO?
-Yeah, we are satisfied with it but, in reality, the production was not good due to problems with the studio but till now this demo has sold around 500 copies plus 200 spread like promotion to 'zines/labels/radioshows.
ABOUT YOUR STUFF ... CAN YOU NAME ANY PARAGONS AND DO YOU HAVE ANY CERTAIN WAY TO MAKE SONGS OR IS IT A DIFFERENT PROCESS WITH EACH SONG?
-In fact, we are very impressed by H.P. Lovecraft, E.A. Poe, E. Levi, A. LaVey, T.S. Elliot and many other writers ... Whenever the ideas flow in our brains catching our attention for days till we can write our visions over the paper! We have not any process to do it, sometimes the lyrics flow before music, sometimes viceversa.
YOU WERE LOOKING FOR A LABEL WHICH COULD RELEASE YOUR STUFF AS A 7"EP OR CASS.EP ... ANY LUCK WITH THAT? YOU HAVE TOLD THAT SOME INTEREST HAS APPEARED ... ANY LABELS TO NAME?
-Till now, we haven't any deal for a 7"EP/cass.EP-release but some labels are interested in our oncoming demo so we are waiting for a MCD-deal. We are in touch for a possible MCD-deal with Moribound rec.(USA), Adipocere rec.(FRA), Warmaster rec.(COL), ...
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FROM A POSSIBLE DEAL? DO YOU NEED MONEY FOR STUDIO, ETC. OR COULD YOU PAY E.G. STUDIO AND LET THE LABEL HANDLE THE REST TO GET YOUR STUFF SPREAD WORLDWIDE? IF MY DARK MOON PROD. PRODUCED YOUR CASS.EP, WHAT WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM ME? (JUST ASKING!)
-For our oncoming promo (will be recorded at 24-tracks digital studio) we are looking for somebody interested in paying the studio (around $500) but if nobody appears, then we will pay the studio and will ask to a label for a production of a MCD and the selling worldwide. If you want to produce our stuff ("God's wrath") like EP, we only want 20% in copies or money, you decide!
YOU HAVE PLAYED SEVERAL GIGS, TELL US ABOUT THEM!
-Our gigs are great, in general! We've played in most of the important cities of Cuba. Always in front of 1000 or more maniacs. December 1995 we played a show in LaHavana with AGONIZER and TENDENCIA, and it was very brutal ... many diving and slam, we love it!
YOU ARE ALSO PLAYING IN GODES YRRE, BAND THAT PLAYS TECHNO/INDUSTRIAL/DOOM ACCORDING TO YOU, ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THAT STUFF & BAND?
-Yeah, it is my "one-man project" into techno/doom & some industrial influences. I have a demo out titled "A divine image" featuring 4 songs + an intro (b/w cover, 26 minutes). Don't be afraid to send me $4 (very well hidden) in letter to receive the complete promo-pack!
YOU ARE ALSO DOING A RADIO-SHOW "SONOROUS IMPACT" AND "DISSECTION" 'ZINE, TELL US ABOUT THESE ACTIVITIES?
-I am also an architect so I have to work 8 hours a day and in extra hours I'm doing DISSECTION 'zine. #2 will be out soon featuring over 50 interviews plus 150 usual short reviews, all in 60/A4 pages! The weekend (Sundays 2.00- 4.00 p.m.) I do (for free!) the "Sonorous impact" radio-show playing the truth about the underground acts. Also I have to rehearse with my band the weekends. I'm doing reviews for other Cuban 'zines, called "Inhuman" and "Evilness", too.
THEN INTO SOMETHING ELSE ... YOU ARE INSPIRED BY H.P. LOVECRAFT, E. LEVI, ETC., ARE YOU INTO OCCULTISM OR DO SUCH SUBJECTS JUST "SOUND" GOOD FOR THE BAND LIKE YOU? WHAT ABOUT PHILOSOPHERS LIKE NIETZSCHE, LAVEY, ETC. ... DOES SATANISM INTEREST YOU?
-I'm really into occultism/horror, it isn't just hobby or something like that! Satan is love!! I'm also into spiritism and ancient cults. Yes, I know Nietzsche and LaVey, of course, but unfortunately it's impossible to find/read their books here in Cuba. The knowledge is the way to be away from God! The road of excess leads to the palace of the wisdom!
WHAT YOU THINK OF CURRENT BM-BOOM?
-I don't like the majority of the bands into black-metal. Too many in the same sound and influences.
TELL SOMETHING ABOUT CUBAN SCENE ... ANY GOOD BANDS/'ZINES YOU COULD RECOMMEND?
-The scene in Cuba is very small but you can find good bands from Cuba, such as AGONIZER (death/thrash); TENDENCIA (brutal death); NECROFAGO (death/grind); MEDIUM (death/grind) & DESTROZER (black/ death/grind)! You can find other bands but into alternative and heavy-metal. Here in Cuba has started to exist new bands but all (or the most) are into alternative. Only with a very brutal/ obscure/blasphemic stuff you can find are DESTROZER (cool!) and SECTARIUM. About 'zines I recommend you Inhuman (#2 out); Evilness (#2 out); Dissection (#2 out) and Ilusion (#3 out).
HOW WELL YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH YOUR ACTIVITIES THERE IN CUBA? ANY PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DO?
-Till now we have not had problems with that. The authorities don't see or don't want to see the message of our shows, maybe they are thinking that we are crazy or something like that, will see in the future! Ha ha!
YOUR COUNTRY IS WARM, NO SNOW OR FROST ... COULD IT BE EASIER TO CREATE "DARK" MUSIC IN A COUNTRY LIKE FINLAND WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO IMAGINE DARKNESS, COLDNESS, ETC.?
-Yes, we have not snow or frost ... this country is really hot but we are living in the middle of undevelopment, it is very hard to survive. Hey, come to my home and prove it, ha. I'm also a neverending reader so I travel through my main over the frozen lands ... I can always touch the real heat of hell!
FUTURE PLANS AND GOAL OF SECTARIUM?!
-We hope to record our 2nd demo & release it like MCD ... become a more recognized band here and abroad, and spread our blasphemies over the earth!
FINAL MESSAGES, MY CUBAN FRIEND!
-An eternal thanks to you Tommi, give my greetings to all Finnish crowd and a special greetings to Hannu Kujanen from GOD FORSAKEN.