(you can also download interviews in Rich Text Format documents...
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Abazagorath (USA)
Absu (USA)
Barathrum (Fin)
Centinex (Swe)
Crimson Midwinter (Fin)
En Garde (Gre)
Gravferd (Nor)
Let Me Dream (Fin)
Opera IX (Ita)
Samain (Aus)
Tiermes (Ger)
ABAZOGORATH (USA) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Nyarlathotep
ABAZAGORATH ... WHAT DOES THE NAME MEAN?
-The literal definition of ABAZAGORATH would be something like "away from humanity". We define it as "the spirit of hate for mankind".
WHAT ABOUT LOGO, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOGO OF SOME GRINDCORE-BAND ... OPINION?
-Hmmm, I think it's more of a death/gore metal logo rather that grindcore! Ha! That's what Morgul came up with after about one minute of thought! He always hated it, but I told him we needed it, so we would use it. Anyway, we are now using something more simple and legible. But I suppose the logo's now just a BURZUM rip- off or something, eh? Who gives a fuck?
YOU HAVE TOLD THAT ABAZAGORATH IS YOUR FIRST SERIOUS BAND BUT AS IT WAS FORMED IN JUNE'95, I THINK YOU MUST HAVE HAD SOME OTHER PROJECTS/BANDS TOO, TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THEM ... OR ARE THERE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP SECRET, SOMETHING THAT COULD RUIN THY BLACK-METAL IMAGE?
-Yes, most of us have been in some other bands previously. From 1990 to 1995 I jammed in a speed/thrash/death/grind band called NO RESTRAINTS. We thought we were serious at the time, but we only did one decent demo, and that was in '92. I met our drummer Warhead through that group. He joined in late'92 or early'93 - I can not recall. By early'95, I was already starting to put this band together, and when I got booted out of N.R. in May ... ABAZAGORATH came to life. As for the others ... Morgul has been in some brutal death/grind/noise bands like TASTE OF FEAR, and our newest member, Crom (vocals & synth) used to play drums for INFESTER and did session stuff with the MEATSHITS. Most of us are also currently involved with or planning side or solo projects. I have been into the underground metal scene too long to worry about what the stupid kids will say about our "image"...
MCD "CHANNELLING THE ETHEREAL MOONS" WAS YOUR VERY FIRST RELEASE, IT WAS RELEASED IN JAN'96 AND WAS LIMITED TO 500 COPIES. WHY DID YOU RELEASE A MCD INSTEAD OF DEMO? IT MUST HAVE BEEN CHEAP PRODUCTION AS THE SELLING PRICE WAS ONLY $6/$8 EACH. DID YOU PAY ALL BY YOURSELF OR DID YOU HAVE SOME HELP WITH IT?
-Yes, it was kind of a different, possibly risky move we made there. However, we believe and stand behind what we do, and were confident that only good would come of it. The total cost of the recording, mastering, dublication, etc. came out to $2112. So it cost about $4,22 per copy. We kept the selling price low to encourage sales. This also does not take into account the money I spent on photocopying flyers, mail, etc. I have spent a lot of money on all that as well. All the MCDs are sold or out to distros (most of them have marked up the selling price!). I have recouped about $930, so we didn't get rich off this! More importantly, the name is out, and we have signed to Elegy Records, so it really did "pay off"! I paid for it myself, though I hope my band mates eventually chip in their fair share...
I PICKED YOUR NAME FROM THE FLYER OF UNDEAD PRODUCTIONS ... COULD YOU TELL MORE ABOUT THIS "LABEL", FLYER INCLUDED ALSO OTHER INTERESTING BANDS, SUCH AS ENKIL, NEPHILIM, AKHKHARU, ETC. IS THIS A KIND OF "UNHOLY ELITE"?
-Well, you probably should be talking to Magus Thorne of Undead Productions about this, not me! The flyer you saw was included with a comp. tape he put out. I have had some limited contact (ordering tapes or 'zines) with a couple of the mentioned bands, but ENKIL and NEPHILIM are the ones I know best, and respect the most. I'm sure, though, that all the bands would consider themselves of the "unholy elite!" We sure fucking do!
MCD INCLUDES 3 TRAX + INTRO AND IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING BLACK-METAL RELEASES I HAVE HEARD FOR AGES. YOU DON'T CONDESCEND TO IMITATE NORWEGIAN STYLE BUT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN TOUCH, INTENSE YET ATMOSPHERIC TOGETHER. ANYTHING TO TELL ABOUT THESE TRAX MUSICWISE?
-Thanks! Since all of us in ABAZAGORATH are so "close" to the music, it is often hard to comment on it. I can say that since we are all individuals with our own personal tastes and influences, the elements we each add to the sound will hopefully take us in our own direction. I mean, most of us are indeed interested in and inspired by the Norwegians, but it would be ludicrous to copy the whole thing. Plus, there are so many other ideas to experiment with ...
YOU HAVE MENTIONED SUCH BANDS AS VENOM, BATHORY, CELTIC FROST, KREATOR AND ALSO SOME NEWER BLACK-BANDS AS YOUR INFLUENCE AND INSPIRATION. DID YOU GROW UP WITH THESE BANDS OR WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL?
-I've been into the scene since I was 16. 10 years now! So, I was listening to (and sometimes even got to see) the 80s bands like KREATOR; CELTIC FROST; KING DIAMOND; SLAYER; VOIVOD; EXODUS; DESTRUCTION; etc. when they were at their best. These "older" bands had a tremendous impact on me, and I can still feel the same power when I listen to one of those old tapes. I hope that the music of ABAZAGORATH will have a similar effect on the listener! I can also declare Cythrall a complete old- school metal maniac into shit like old RAZOR, TYRANT, old HELLOWEEN, etc., and that Warhead worships VENOM exclusively.
YOUR LYRICS ARE FILLED WITH DARKNESS ... WHERE ARE THOSE DARK STORIES TAKEN FROM? WHAT DOES THE LYRICAL SIDE MEAN TO YOU. IS IT A WAY TO EXPRESS YOUR UNHOLY THOUGHTS, TO CAST SPELLS, OR SOMETHING ELSE?
-Most of the lyrics are inspired by our personal thoughts and visions. The lyrics are very important to me, so I will sometimes rewrite what the others come up with. Through the combination of the music and the words, we want to bring the darkness within us out into the world ...
YOUR LYRICS DON'T DEAL WITH ANCIENT LEGENDS, VIKINGS, ETC. BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK OF SUCH TOPICS? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ANCIENT MYTHOLOGY ... OR MAYBE EVEN NORTHERN LEGENDS?
-I am definitely greatly interested in ancient mythology, including the northern myths, but as far as that goes, I know more about the Norse than the Finnish ones. I think there may be an occasional indirect influences on our lyricism.
YOU HAVE TOLD THAT DUTCH CRYONICS RECORDS WILL BE RE-PRESSING THE MCD WITH TWO EXTRA TRAX. WHAT IS THE DEAL LIKE, DO YOU GET ONLY WIDER DISTRIBUTION OR MAYBE SOME EXTRA BUCKS? THOSE TWO EXTRA TRAX, "LES FLEURS DU MAL" AND "BESTIAL MOANS", SOUND A BIT DIFFERENT COMPARED WITH THE ORIGINAL MCD-TRAX, DID YOU RERECORD THEM FOR THE NEW PRESSING OR DO THEY SOUND LIKE WHAT THEY WERE ON "WINTER'96 PROMO- TAPE"?
-Not, this'll not be taking place. It was considered during the summer of 1996, but we didn't go through with it. Instead, we recorded a new full-length CD which will be out on Elegy in early'97! New versions of "Les Fleurs", "Bestial..." and 2 of the MCD tracks will appear.
YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN FEATURED ON SEVERAL COMPILATIONS, MAYBE YOU COULD GIVE US SOME INFO ABOUT THEM ... AND HAVE YOU GOT ANY INTEREST FROM A EUROPEAN COMPILATION-MAKERS YET? WHAT IS YOUR POLICY WITH COMPILATION-REQUESTS, DO YOU ACCEPT ALL THE OFFERS RIGHT AWAY?
-Yeah, so far there are two compilations out that feature ABAZAGORATH material ... at least that I know of for sure! We have two songs on the Undead prod. vol I tape. There are a lot of good bm-bands on that one. We have a song on the Soulside rec. "Orchestrated chaos" CD, which features 16 other death/thrash bands. The coolest thing about that one is that our song starts off the disc. Three or four other comps. have or are supposed to come out with one of our songs on it, but until I see any of them, I will say nothing. Yes, we may appear on some European comps., but once again we'll see what happens. At first, I wanted to get on any comp. we could! At this point, I'd be a lot more picky. For example, most of the people doing CD-comps. require bucks to help with the production cost. Right there you need to consider whether it is worth the expense.
EVEN YOUR MUSIC IS NOT THE USUAL (TRENDY) BM OF THE '90'S, THE PICTURES I HAVE SEEN SHOW YOUR FACES WITH "USUAL" WAR-PAINT ... WHAT DOES THIS KIND OF EXTERIOR THINGS MEAN TO YOU, IS IT THE ONLY WAY TO GO?
-The "image" is important to ABAZAGORATH, but it's not the only way to go. We have done two gigs where no one wore war-paint and Warhead only uses it in photo shoots. Otherwise, we are all into the over-the- top exterior imagery of black-metal.
FIRST GIGS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED, HOW WERE THEY? YOU HAVE PLAYED WITH SUCH BETTER (??) KNOWN BANDS AS EVOKEN AND FALLEN CHRIST ... DID YOU FEEL TO BE ONLY AS "FILLING" TO THE BILL?
-We've played 5 gigs so far, and they all went pretty well. We have never had the feeling that we were just "filling" the bill. First of all, we are confident in ourselves, and second of all, most of the bands and fans are very supportive. In fact, at the last gig, more people paid to see ABAZAGORATH than any other band playing that night!
WHAT IS THE GIG-SITUATION ON YOUR AREA, ARE DIFFERENT CLUBS AND THE LIKES WILLING TO TAKE BLACK-METAL BANDS OR WHAT IS IT LIKE? DOES YOUR MUSIC CAUSE ANY PROBLEMS THERE, ANY FANATICS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BAN BANDS LIKE YOU?
-We are based in what is called the "New York metropolitan area", meaning we live near New York City. So, this region is heavily built up and densely populated. There are hundreds of rock clubs and bars around. Back from 1988-1992, there was usually at least one decent thrash/death show going on some place in the region. These days, though, heavy metal is not "cool". There are plenty of venues, but not much interest unless you are fuckin' PANTERA or WHITE ZOMBIE! The shows are now fewer and far between, and tend to be held in the smaller clubs, but problems with any kind of Christian protestors, I don't think they would even know of our existence.
YOU ARE A YOUNG BAND BUT HAVE YOU ALREADY CREATED SOLID CONTACTS AROUND THE WORLD? DOES IT FEEL LIKE BEING TOO FAR AWAY FROM EUROPEAN MANIACS, I MEAN THAT I AM INTERESTED IN NEW BANDS BUT THE "THRESHOLD" TO CONTACT BANDS FROM THE USA OR FROM OTHER DISTANT COUNTRIES IS USUALLY TOO HIGH EVEN I KNOW THERE ARE DOZENS OF GREAT BANDS IN THE USA ALONE, NOT TO MENTION OTHER COUNTRIES ... AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT "WORLDS" AS BANDS FROM THE USA HAIL TO EACH OTHER AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE EUROPEAN BANDS, ANY OPINION ABOUT THIS GEOGRAPHICAL "PROBLEM"?
-While I have done a fair job of getting the word in ABAZAGORATH as far as I can, it is true that the distance between the U.S. and Europe, Asia, or South-America, etc. can be a hindrance. After all, to be recognized as a "quality" black metal act it seems that we must impress you Europeans the most! It also seems that overall, the situation for metal bands is more favourable abroad than here in the U.S. - so we have to keep working to reach the fans overseas! I think that as time goes by, and our music spreads out more widely, we will be able to "bridge the gap" and establish closer ties to the worldwide scene.
DO YOU KNOW ANY FINNISH BANDS? ANY OTHER FINNISH KNOWLEDGE YOU COULD "SWAGGER" WITH?
-Well, I don't contact any Finnish bands personally, but I like IMPALED NAZARENE; old BEHERIT; DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED; old BELIAL; MYTHOS; old AMORPHIS ... Shit, I know very little about Finland! Sorry! You all drink lots of vodka, right?!?
I DON'T ... BUT YOU CAN STILL SAY SO AS I BELONG TO THE MINORITY WITH THIS. ANYWAY, YOU TOLD US ABOUT THE CLUBS, ETC. ON YOUR AREA ... WHAT ABOUT BANDS, ANY GOOD YOU COULD MENTION?
-Some local bands we hail are EVOKEN and DIVINE SILENCE. Both are heavy and atmospheric doom metal bands. EVOKEN has a CD out on Adipocere, and their next one will be recorded for Elegy soon. We also have good 'zines like Endemoniada and Dethroned coming out of New York City. The scene isn't too big anymore, but there're still some dedicated individuals keeping the flame burning!
"AS DARKNESS FALLS, WE ARISE...", WHAT DOES THAT PHRASE MEAN? DO YOU HAVE SOME LYCANTHROPIC OR VAMPIRIC TENDENCIES?
-"As darkness falls, we arise" simply started as a phrase I close much of my correspondence with. I guess we are influenced by vampirism and lycanthropy, but it's no "obsession" as with others... It is more of a declaration of ABAZAGORATH's growing power - as each day passes, we have grown stronger! Actually, the Latin translation of this phrase will be the title for the new CD - "Tenebrarum cadent exsurgemus".
ANY ABAZAGORATH-PLANS TO REVEAL NOW AND HERE?
-As previously mentioned, expect to see the debut full length CD to come out soon! It features 13 tracks of primal brutality and mystical atmospheres! I promise that this album has got everything a great black metal release should have! Beyond that, we'll play some more gigs, and are already working on material for the next release. Most of us are also involved in some other bands like EVOKEN (Crom is their synth player), WARHEAD, MEPHITIUM, DARK AUTUMN HYMNS, ORCUS, ...
OK, TIME FOR FINAL GREETINGS!
-Hail to you, Tommi, for this interview. Good luck with the 'zine and distro. Further hails to our supporters everywhere!
ABSU (USA) download HERE
Questions MW / answered by Sir Proscriptor McGovern
GREETINGS, PLEASE EXPOSE WHAT IS GOING ON THROUGH YOUR MIND AT THIS MOMENT AND GIVE US THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE TEXAS CYTHRAUL...
-The number 726 keeps going through my head like a ton of bricks! I keep "continualously" thinking 33x22, and 33x 22. Sometimes I think I can formulate my thoughts with six times eleven to the second power, which also gives me my magickal numeral of "726". Other than that, we (ABSU) are preparing the strong release of our third opus initially and banefully entitled: "The third storm of Cythraul" for Osmose once again. We have some touring possibilities in the preparation stages, but nothing has been 100% confirmed as of yet. Our session bassist/backing vocalist, Peter Helmkamp (ex-ORDER FROM CHAOS/CONQUEROR MANIFESTO/ ANGEL CORPSE), is currently preoccupied with the production of ANGEL CORPSE's debut LP, so it puts us back a bit. It's not a big ordeal because we are currently writing and composing for a movie sound-track entitled "Gummo" and each of us are creating ideologies for our solo projects. There is always some sort of spell or activity brewing in our notorious Cythraul Klan, isn't there?
IN SLAYER MAGAZINE #10, DARK FUNERAL CLAIM THAT APZU ARE A FAKE BAND, AND IN ANOTHER INTERVIEW HE SAME BAND TOLD THAT THEY MADE LISTS OF BANDS THEY CONSIDER FAKE, AND THAT THEY WANTED TO CLEAR UP THE SCENE. HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY THREATS SO FAR, AND ON WHAT GROUNDS CAN D.F. CALL YOU A FAKE BAND?
David Parland: "Oh hi everybody and to all thy vampiric boyfriends and lovers, thy name is Davey Parland, but all thy lovers can call me "Cockmoon" because that's what they think when they see one of those northern fullmoon's arise!! You, thy lovers know, that I once failed miserably and haplessly at NECROPHOBIC, so I want to take all of thy sweet hate and revenge out for thy new supergroup "COCK FUNERAL". See my boytoyz, with these brutal and rock-hard tunes like "The cock", "Cockmoon rising", "Nailing the holy hard-on", "Cumthirst", and "Unholy homosexuality", I completely failed with my first band. Now, I had super black metal hitz on COCK FUNERAL, like "Open the gates to my ass", "Shadows over homosexualvania", "My gay desires", and "In the sign of the fags". "Open the gates to my ass" is a dance track about bringing forth my homosexuality, it's a prophecy about the coming "Gay age" and a new "homocaust". When the gates to my ass open, all of my satanic lovers will be consumed by thy faggoty ways!!"
Thy note to the editor: Markus, are you there? (please respond) Can you believe what Lord Parland just said? He is true! Wow, death to the false ones, right? To vigorously answer your question above, I do believe he's absolutely correct when he said that APZU was fake in the issue of Slayer #10. Oh boy, DARK FUNERAL really needs to clear up the "scene", yet I do not fucking blame them one bit!!! He is definitely correct, so probably after this interview has immediately ceased, I will rush off and tell Equitant and Shaftiel that ABSU needs to disband. This would probably be a really impertinent idea, wouldn't you say?
Charm for Parland: David, David, David - Fucking dammit!!! Answer me when I'm talking to you boy!!! Shit, got over here right now!! I got a lil spell for ya and I think you're gonna like this one: "Allaxitonia Ox Plaugh Et 33! Tzaddi 90,900 Tau, tau, tau!!! 32 bis, 32 bis, Et Ox Goad (22)!!" Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha (... in a rather vicious sinister laugh, I might add!!)
Conclusion: You know everybody it's a crying shame that someone of my own rank has to stoop this low, so low that it's completely unfledged and mortal-like in this formation of behavior. Actually this is my first lexical attempt on Mr. Parland's views on ABSU, yet it will be final as well. Why, because apparently it bothers Mr. Parland to see my klan subsist, as we actually abide as underground attributions, yet tyrants!! Like I had promptly stated earlier, this is totally anthropoidable on his part, so I've defeated his words and commentations with the craft and alchemy. Where shall your existence lie next Mr. Parland? Tell me, will you? My sincere apologies for counteracting to the rest of NECROPHOBIC (excluding Parland), DARK FUNERAL (excluding Parland), MARDUK (excluding Parland), and all of his past and present devotees! Shall we now move on? I think so!
ACCORDING TO A GIG AD, APZU HAIL FROM THE "SOUTHERN ABYSSIC COMMUNION", SO NOW I'D LIKE TO KNOW A BIT MORE ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND ITS EVENTUAL GOALS.
-"The Southern Abyssic Communion" is the proper terminology of our sect of brothers and sisters throughout the Dallas area. It only consists of roughly 30 or so members, but it's definitely the most powerful and the most conspicuous. It's not a fucking mafia, but a "kult" of ideologies, heritage, magick, weaponry, science, and most importantly - MUSICK. "The Southern Abyssic Communion's" goal is to listen to as much DARK FUNERAL and NECROPHOBIC as possible! I just will not stop this human, will I? No, seriously though its goal is to stay settled within these villages in Dallas, Texas and to strongly interrogate and examine fields of magick and musick.
THE MUSIC ON PROSCRIPTOR'S ALBUM, "THE VENUS BELLONA", IS PARTLY INSPIRED BY SCOTTISH FOLKLORE. JUDGING FROM YOUR "REAL" NAME MCGOVERN, YOU ARE OF SCOTTISH DESCENT, BUT HAVE YOU EVER VISITED SCOTLAND YOURSELF?
-Yes, this is absolutely correct. I am mostly of Scottish descent within thy bloodlines with some Irish, Cherokee Indian (native American that is), and Black Dutch (Germanic/Dutch combination). The McGovern Clan originates from a village/town called "Glencoe". It is located in the Western portion of the Central Highland area in Scotland. It's a rather "dismal" place from what I have actually been told. In the late 17 th century, the most savage and anarchic bloodshed had taken place there, penned as "The massacre of Glencoe". To make a rather long story short, a series of independent republics (neighboring) disputed over civilities of government, and these glens were continously combating each other. The same sort of extermination took place in the 13 th century, but this time it concerned thy family and klan, The McGovern's. Nevertheless, this is primarily what "The Venus Bellona" is concerned with, and the magick of Thoth. It features 21 songs of pure Scottish folklore, fusion, oscillation, experimentations, pre/post wave, and progrock. It's a concept, but actually not an official conceptual album. It's an opus of smash hits, I'd say. I have been to Scotland once (Glascow), but I have never journeyd to Glencoe. It would be a fabulous dream of mine, however.
THE THIRD APZU ALBUM CONTAINS (AMONG LOTS OF OTHER THINGS) AMORAL IDEOLOGIES. WHICH IDEOLOGIES ARE IN QUESTION, AND WHAT ARE THEIR AMORAL CONTENTS?
-The songs from our new album, "The third storm of Cythraul", strictly deliver these kind of forces from our Paganistic/ Gaelic/Pictish dynasty we're inherited from. I must also say that the album deals with concepts from Mesopotamian and Attaxitonian wizardry as well. As we decent from past spirits onto others, we feel that this speed metal moment shall express battlecraft and bloodlust in a fashion unimaginable to the "mortal seed" as well call them humans. The issues on this album are rather alike with the ones from the "...Tiphareth" album, such as celtic myths/legends, Etymology of Thoth, Mesopotamian/Sumerian myths, tasseomancy, sorcery, and knighthood. By the way, we really wanted to use a "catchy" tittle for this third album, so that's why we chose "Third storm of Cythraul". Shall I dissect? I shall indeed. "The third storm" means "our third album" of course and "Cythraul" is the Gaelic terminology for "Celtic Hell or Abyss". Get it!?
YOUR SOLO-PROJECT WAS RELEASED THROUGH DARK AGE PRODUCTIONS, A LABEL CREATED BY YOURSELF AND SOME COMRADES. HAVE ANY OTHER BANDS BEEN SIGNED TO THIS LABEL? ARE YOU EVEN LOOKING FOR OTHER BANDS?
-Dark Age Productions was created by myself, Bard Algol Eriboas (CERNUNNOS' WOODS), and Mark/Mike Riddick (THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK). Actually I was the third and foremost party to be actualized in the label, but it all started with the release of my debut solo album "The Venus Bellona". I also wanted to mention that D.A.P. is a conglomerate licensed record company of Cruel Moon International, which is a subsidiary from Mr. Karmanik's notorious Cold Meat Industries. All of our releases, up to "The Venus Bellona", have been professional formats of cassettes. "The Venus Bellona" is a gate- fold double-vinyl limited to 726 issues. It is also released on the Cruel Moon label as well on LP and disque with a totally altered layout and format. At the present moment, D.A.P. is in charge of all vinyl and cassette releases, as CMI is in charge of the pressing of disques. I personally do not do much of the "signing" in the label, except for two acts (I'll explain later). Right now, we have THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK; CERNUNNOS' WOODS; EQUITANT; PROSCRIPTOR (by the way, the four I just mentioned are a portion of the CMI klan); COMPENDIUM (this is one I have signed); AKHKHARU (featuring ex- ABSU/EQUIMANTHORN members); WITHERING HEIGHTS; SERPENT ECLIPSE; UNDER CRUSHING WINGS; OMNICRON; RAGNAROK (note: this is not the Norse band, this is the English band with production from Cronos. I do believe that Neat Records will release the CD version). Basically, we sign what we like, but we sign art that is "so unusual" to confuse minds, warp souls, and all that jazz. The next releases that I've planned so far is the MORBID SCREAM debut 10". I am putting both of their legendary demo tapes onto vinyl, as this was one of ABSU's biggest influence, period. You will get to hear the original takes of "The coming of war" and "Morbid scream" itself. Please, be prepared for Plano purulence! The next couple of PROSCRIPTOR releases will also be on D.A.P. (vinyl versions), as well as EQUIMANTHORN. I am not positive what Bard or the Riddicks have up their sleeves, but I am personally looking for good, and highly original musick. For those of you who are interested in our internet access it's WWW.DARKWOODS.NET/DAP/.
APZU, EQUIMANTHORN AND PROSCRIPTOR - AN UNHOLY TRINITY. WHICH SIDES OF YOUR PERSONALITY DO THESE BANDS REPRESENT RESPECTIVELY?
-In APZU, I'm a tyrant ... In EQUIMANTHORN, I'm a magician ... In PROSCRIPTOR, I'm a deathless klansman.
IS THERE ANOTHER EQUIMANTHORN ALBUM IN THE WORKS? HOW MUCH DID THE FIRST ALBUM SELL?
-Two hymns have actually been recorded for the second EQUIMANTHORN album, but I couldn't even begin to tell you when it will be completed. To be completely and totally honest with thee, this side- projekt is like the last thing on my mind at the moment. But never fear, I am not abandoning this kult because EQUIMANTHORN has a special feeling, yet a rather candle-lit / Mesopotamian sensation. Hopefully, we will be able to release it sometime next year and it will be the last EQUIMANTHORN album to date. My priorities do like this: ABSU = 1,
EQUIMANTHORN = 3, and PROSCRIPTOR = 2. Oh, you need to ask fucking cheeseboy in Athens about the accounting on the "Nindinugga..." release because we never saw anything from it, except for some free copies. He broke the "Right of assignment" and "Right to audit" clauses in his contract, so I plan to never, ever do any kind of business with Unisound again, sorry Panos - you lose my friend.
THE STATE OF TEXAS ENFORCES THE DEATH PENALTY MOST ACTIVELY IN THE USA, YET THE CRIME RATE DOES NOT SEEM TO DECLINE VERY MUCH. DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENALTY, DO YOU THINK IT IS EFFECTIVE IN SCARING PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE PATH OF CRIME?
-Have you been reading "The Wall Street Journal" or something? I think this is one of the most informative interviews I have ever replied!! Texas holds the penalty of death, but I personally do not think it's scaring mortals from killing. As far as statistics are concerned, did you know that 1 out of every 3 mortals owns or carries a concealed handgun in the state of the yellow rose? It's true. I'm sorry Markus, but I don't give a shit about any of this. I go to a little place of paradise I like to call solitude.
IMAGINE YOURSELF AS THE GOVENOR OF TEXAS. WHAT WOULD YOUR REIGN BE LIKE? WHAT WOULD YOUR VIEWS ON THE HOT ISSUES OF THIS YEAR'S (1996) PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, SUCH AS ABORTION, INTRODUCING MORNING PRAYER IN SCHOOLS ETC. BE?
-If I were the Govenor, there would just be serpents, chicks, deathtrash rock musick, some B, and spells. Ha ha!! Fuck the other!
IF YOU'D DO AN APZU VIDEO, OF WHICH TRACK WOULD THIS BE, AND WHY?
-Actually, we perceived a video from the "Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L" for three songs: "An involution of thorns", "Fantasizing to the third of the pagan vision", and "An evolution of horns". We shot the videos immediately after our first album been released in early 1994. They air it on cable television here all of the time. It's getting rather stale too. This is off the subject, but I wanted to let you know we will be recording a new song for a soundtrack to a movie titled "Gummo". I am looking really forward to this as this will be a rather innovated move for the APZU! Back to the initial question now. We are wanting, or at least, I am wanting to perceive a video for "Highland tyrant attack", which is taken from the "... Cythraul" opus. It would have to be filmed in the black corries of the Scottish Highlands on a misty morning and I think that it would be rather superb! I chose this particular track because I could easily write the script for this, and it would be a good video because both me and Mr. Shaftiel duet on this one. It would be a helluva lot easier for this song rather than one of our Mesopotamian/ Sumerian/Assyrian based tracks to shoot a video for. It would be quite expensive. See, that is we was attempted with the "Fantasicing..." video, but the magicks really not there. Don't get me wrong however. I think it was put together really well, but I guess I'm just sick of viewing it or something. My other dream video would have to be similar to either MOTELEY CRUE's, I mean MOTLEY CRUE's "Live wire" or KING DIAMOND's "The family ghost". Both of those videos are just fucking outstanding!!
"THE VENUS BELLONA" IS BASED ON THE "BOOK OF HI RI RI THA E TIGHINN". TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK, WHO WROTE IT AND WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
-Basically, "The book of Hi Ri Ri that e Tighinn" is just about a subtitle for "The Venus Bellona", yet I composed it. Also, it's the title of the fourth track featured on the album. "Ta An Ri!!"
AS THE MUSIC-STYLE OF PROSCRIPTOR IS DESCRIBED AS "DARK BARBARIC AMBIENCE", I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IN GENERAL ABOUT ALL THIS AMBIENT RITUAL MUSIC IN THE SCENE TODAY. ANY PERSONAL FAVOURITES?
-My other comrades from Dark Age Prod. decided to stick this label on my musical style. One could state that my fashion is "dark and barbaric ambience", but I think of it as musick for the unimaginable mind or Scottish folklore, fusion, oscillation experimentation's, pre/post wave, or progressive art-musick. Yet, it is something in this nature. I think today's fashion of atmospheric and ambient soundscapes are pretty good, but like metal, you have got your superior and feeble acts. However, that depends on what an individual might prefer. I personally enjoy the sounds and musick of EQUITANT; COMPENDIUM; CERNUNNOS' WOODS; THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK; B.D.N.; MORTIIS; SANCTUM; ARCANA; ABRAXAS; MAMMON (USA); AKHKHARU; and OMNICRON.
YOU ARE GOING (WITH APZU) TO RECORD "CURSE THE GODS" AND "ANTICHRIST" BY DESTRUCTION FOR A COMPILATION ON FULLMOON PROD. WHEN WILL THIS ALBUM BE RELEASED, AND HAVE YOU STAYED TRUE TO THE ORIGINAL VERSIONS OR PERHAPS FOUND OUT NEW WAYS OF EXPRESSING THESE ANTHEMS?
-Where did you ever pertain this information? This is new news to my ears! Here's the situation: We had planned on recording "Flag of hate" (KREATOR) and "Bestial invasion" (DESTRUCTION) for two individual compilation-tributes for the Full Moon label. Anyway, Osmose holds a specific copyright policy within their agreement, so we couldn't attend these tribute CD's. Our alternate was to feature these classic-covers on our new mini-album "Thrashstorms". Since just about every Osmose band releases a mini- CD with either a fucking VENOM or BATHORY cover song, we decided this would not be too good of an idea for the band. Personally, we wanted to feature those songs on the tributes because basically, that is whole purpose of even doing a cover-tune; ya know what I'm saying man!? We wanted to pay homage to our influences but not under an ABSU release. Hopefully, we might be able to attend those tributes once again. By the way, we have re- duplicated these two songs "exactly" the way the "GODZ" had them arranged. And, the hymn "Thrashstorms" will be featured on our fourth album titled "For Ioldanach, a crown of gold"
TIMOTHY PATRICK BUTLER (CHURCH OF SATAN) SAID IN AN INTERVIEW FOR THE SWEDISH 'ZINE BATTLE OF BEWITCHMENT THAT HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN CURSES, SPELLS, ETC. DO YOU PRACTICE SUCH KIND, AND DO THEY WORK?
-Yes, spells work. For example, try tarot or tasseography. Trust on me.
IN ANOTHER INTERVIEW, YOU TOLD THAT YOU, DURING AN EQUIMANTHORN GIG, LAUGHED YOURSELF TO DEATH BECAUSE THE AUDIENCE DID NOT HAVE A CLUE OF WHAT YOU WERE DOING. WILL SUCH A SITUATION REOCCUR AT A (POSSIBLE) PROSCRIPTOR GIG?
-No. At a PROSCRIPTOR show, which I have already held twice, was held at one the largest discotechs in the Dallas area. Both concerts were under the monicker of "The Venus Bellona", and basically there were girls and chicks just dancing every- where! Like I said, there were just foxes everywhere dancing, drinking, taking funny pills, and listened to me telling about my past existence as a mortal!!
NOW IT'S TIME TO DESCRIBE FOR US A PROSCRIPTOR FAN, AND A PROSCRIPTOR HATER.
-PROSCRIPTOR fan = David Parland / Blackmoon ... PROSCRIPTOR hater = David Parland / Blackmoon
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MORE AND MORE BANDS STARTING TO SING IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE, INSTEAD OF ENGLISH? WON'T THIS EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS VERY LITTLE COMMUNICATION AS NOONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE OTHERS ARE SINGING ABOUT?
-For example, I think a band such as ENSLAVED should release their next albums in two versions: English and Norse. I strongly say this due to the fact that their singing in a historical reference; their heritage, yet their lifestyle. However, they should sing in English as well just for the North American continent and Western Europe, so all English speaking countries will follow their abstraction a bit clearer. I mean, they already printed their lyrical patterns in both languages, but I think it'd be interesting to hear Mr. Grutle's hate in English!! I do not know because he is into a lot of that Polish rock-n- roll!!! Ha Ha!! Basically, there are positive and negative aspects towards your question, but I don't think that it shall or will because a universal enigma!
ARE PEOPLE WHO SUDDENLY START TO THINK THAT THEY ARE JESUS CHRIST (LIKE DAVID KORESH, ETC.) REALLY INCARNATIONS OF HIM? I MEAN THE GUY'S PROMISED TO RETURN ONE DAY, AND DO YOU THINK THAT THESE ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HE INCARNATED AS HAVE ALL BEEN PUT INTO ASYLUMS OR SIMPLY IGNORED?
-Oh, you mean like David Parland? I just won't leave him along, will I!!! I've got the klan and he's got the tears!!
DO YOU SYMPATHISE WITH ALL THESE RIGHT-WING MILITIAS THAT SUDDENLY HAVE BECOME VERY KNOWN THROUGH VARIOUS ACTS, SUCH AS THE BOMBING OF THAT BUILDING IN OKLAHOMA?
-Welcome to the human manifestation once again!
NOW I'VE ASKED THE QUESTIONS. SHALL I BURN THE REMAINS, OR IS THERE SOMETHING YOU STILL WANT TO SAY TO THE PEOPLE READING THIS?
-Open the gates! I am the Death of Texas! Sadistic spurs and rockers! I really appreciate this interview Markus! Yee-Haw!!
Some additional info dealing with the topics of the interview...
Quotation from the info-letter of ABSU:
"STOP THE PRESS!
The release of ABSU's MCD "Thrashstorms" has totally been canceled due to a number of reasons/interruptions. It's no problem because the title track will be featured on the forthcoming album by ABSU, which will be dubbed '...To Ioldanach With A Crown Of Gold'."
Quotations from Moonlight Magazine, published by Full Moon Productions...
Blackmoon-interview by Lance Gifford:
" In Slayer #10 you ripped apart Absu and a few others. Absu has never really claimed to be BM yet I feel their music and lyrics are still quite dark. What was the reason for you bashing them?
-Well, regarding ABSU, this is a good opportunity to clear things up. I made the mistake of totally bashing them in Slayer, and OK, I regret it as that band ain't that bad anymore. It was basically just that I was in a extremely pissed off mood and lashed out my bad temper on whoever. Why I did so, was that I saw they used corpsepaint and other typical black metal stuff on their album cover, whereas the music was more or less typical boring grind/death metal. I just think that grind/death metal bands shall stay within their own realms so to speak. However, regarding ABSU, I can only say I'm sorry for bashing them in Slayer. I mean today there are thousands of bands that are a lot worse."
" Can you fill us in on the latest development between you and Dark Funeral?
-Well, I'm out of DARK FUNERAL for good, there's no fucking chance I ever would rejoin them. I'm not friends with any of them except that I occasionally still talk with the new singer..."
BARATHRUM (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Demonos Sova
FIRST OF ALL ... HOW IMPORTANT ROLE MR. HOLOCAUSTO HAD WHEN BARATHRUM TOOK ITS FIRST STEPS TOWARDS THE MIGHTY "JET BLACK" GLORY?
-In the very beginning of the existence of BARATHRUM, we weren't so much in contact with Holocausto, but after he moved to Kuopio (I think it was '91), he was the soundproducer of our first demo "Witchmaster". He also produced our "Sanctus Satanas" studio session ... and actually he even took part of playing in that recording by playing some synth- stuff for it...
WHAT MADE YOU TO FORM A BAND ... ANY PARAGONS OR INFLUENCES WHICH GAVE YOU MOTIVATION IN THE BEGINNING?
-Sulphurous winds from Inferno made me to create this music of BARATHRUM ... and of course the hate and wrath against the rotten and the false moralities!!! I used to have paragons such as Magicians through the aeons, and the nature around me was the main influence for me in creating music. My current influence is my own nature and only paragon I have is me myself! There can actually be heard some musical influences on our latest material, they just "slipped" on the recording - not on purpose ... just accidentally ... but they don't bother me too much, they actually sound quite cool! You know, I try to stay away from any kinds of musical influences (speaking about other bands), that's the only way to create something new, original and unique! The only thing that is influence from other bands, is the basics of our music-formula; metal music with regular (electric) instruments. It's not too hard to imagine myself to make music for/with other kind of instruments ... actually I have done some side-projects with totally open mind for the music itself; real avantgarde stuff ... but this interview is for BARATHRUM, so I don't want to chat about them. Hmmm ... anyways the most important thing for my musical life has always been the enjoyment of creating something special and unique, instead of copying the work of others.
AFTER THE DEBUT ISSUE OF DARK MOON 'ZINE ('93), LOTS OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED ... SOME DEMOS/TAPES AS WELL AS THREE FULL-LENGTHS HAVE BEEN RELEASED, BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR OWN IDEAS AND THOUGHTS? YOU TOLD IN '93 THAT BARATHRUM IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE ... HAVE YOUR VIEWS CHANGED OR ARE YOU STILL THINKING EXACTLY LIKE YOU DID BACK THEN? IS THERE ANY SEPARATION BETWEEN YOUR OWN PERSONALITY AND IMAGE, AND BARATHRUM ... ARE THEY STILL THE SAME?
-I just read that older interview to re-fresh my memory... That was pretty wild time back then. I don't mean that I have changed too much, but I have experienced and progressed a lot since those times... I still think that BARATHRUM is a musical picture from my inner self, but I have to tell you that BARATHRUM isn't everything that I am; it's just a tiny part of me, a tiny part of my dark side!
NAZGUL'S EYRIE PRODUCTIONS OFFERED A DEAL IN '94, BUT HOW DID THEY BECOME INTERESTED IN YOU? ARE YOU JUST EXTREME AND "WEIRD" ENOUGH THAT OPYROS HAD TO SIGN YOU TO MAINTAIN HIS POLICY WITH ORIGINAL ACTS?
-I know Opyros respects original metal bands and that must be the most important thing for signing BARATHRUM on Nazgul's Eyrie Productions. Back in '94 I received a letter from Opyros, he sent $20 and asked me to send all the recordings of BARATHRUM so far... Some time later he called me and told that he was attracted by BARATHRUM by an interview in Tales of the Macabre magazine and he had heard something about us from some of our common penpals. And during that phone call he offered a deal, and then he sent me the contract and things started to happen...
WHAT IS THE DEAL LIKE? IT MUST BE SOMETHING DECENT, AT LEAST, AS YOU ARE STILL RELEASING STUFF THROUGH N.E.P.? COULD YOU GIVE ME ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND DID THE FIRST DEAL CONTAIN ALL THESE THREE FULL-LENGTHS, OR DO YOU SIGN A NEW DEAL AFTER EACH CD?
-I don't want to chat about the contract, but I must tell that I'm satisfied with it so far. And I think that N.E.P. is going to release more material from my band.
N.E.P. ISN'T VERY WELL KNOWN LABEL, SO WHAT KIND OF PROMOTION OPYROS IS ABLE TO GIVE YOU? DO YOU CARE ABOUT PROMOTION, WIDE DISTRIBUTION, ETC., OR ARE YOU "JUST" SATSIFIED TO GET YOUR DARK ART RELEASED?
-N.E.P. is the best possible label for BARATHRUM I think. True underground label with honest actions. And of course that satisfies me! Opyros is working to get us on the European Tour, which is of course our next greater act and goal. I'm not too much into merchandising, etc. I'm a musician, not a salesman, even it's ok to earn some money in the side of all this work. But money isn't the most important thing - it's only the essential thing, which can't be forgotten completely.
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT EVEN FINNISH PEOPLE DON'T KNOW BARATHRUM AT ALL? I'VE TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT YOU AND THEY TELL THAT YOU ARE TOTALLY UNKNOWN FOR THEM ... THIS SOUNDS AMAZING AFTER THREE ALBUMS. ARE YOU JUST ABOVE ALL THE SHIT WHICH CAN BE BOUGHT FROM EVERY STORE NOWADAYS?
-Actually I haven't tried too hard to get our albums for wide national spread ... maybe I'll work harder in the future, but I don't think these things are the most important driving forces of BARATHRUM - no way, we are far too anti-trendy!
FIRST CD, "HAILSTORM", IS A VERY STRANGE RELEASE BECAUSE HEARING SOME OF THE SONGS ON LIVE AND LISTENING DEMO-VERSIONS, IS SOMETHING I CAN GET BUT THAT FUCKING DISTORTED SOUND ON CD MAKES ME MAD, AND THAT IS WHY I HONESTLY SPOKEN DO NOT LIKE THE CD AT ALL. WAS THAT THE INTENTION IN THE FIRST PLACE, OR WHY THIS KIND OF SOLUTION? SONGS ON THAT CD ARE EXCELLENT ... NO DOUBT, BUT DOES THIS KIND OF SOUND GIVE THEM THE RIGHT JUSTIFICATION ... HONESTLY?
-Cult is a cult! And "Hailstorm" is a cult! I like all of our three albums and they are all recorded in the very same studio! The sound of every CD is different from others, on purpose! That's the only right way to do it! "Hailstorm" opens for the true fans only, it must be listened over and over again, then the CD shows its true face by "jumping" out from the hiding place of that "over- distorted"-sound! I recommend headphones for listening sessions of "Hailstorm" album!
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE SALES OF "HAILSTORM", AND WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK YOU'VE RECEIVED DEALING WITH THIS ALBUM?
-"Hailstorm" isn't a hit album... nor is "Eerie", but I think you guessed that already. I think that the sales of these albums are somewhere around 2000 copies per CD. About the feedback ... hmm ... I think that people dig it or hate it, no compromises!
BEFORE THE DEBUT CD, YOU HAD SOME PLANS TO RELEASE A SPLIT-LP WITH ANOTHER FINNISH BAND ARCHGOAT. YOU WERE EXCITED OF THAT RELEASE, BUT THEN, AFTER MEETING THE ARCHGOAT-GUYS, YOU DECIDED TO KEEP AWAY FROM THIS PROJECT, WHY? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THESE ARCHGOAT-GUYS ARE DOING TODAY?
-I just decided to stay away from that project by some sort of instinct ... and later everything seemed to go wrong with that project - and of course I was really satisfied with the decision I made earlier! And personally I'm not too much into any sort of split-releases... I have heard that one of those Achgott-dudes is playing Rockabillie nowadays...
THIS SPLIT-LP DIDN'T COME TRUE WHICH ISN'T A SURPRISE BECAUSE NECROPOLIS REC. HASN'T THE MOST HONEST REPUTATION. YOU'VE TOLD THAT BEFORE THE DEAL WITH N.E.P., SOME PROPOSALS FOR 7"EP, AT LEAST, WERE DONE ... ANYTHING ELSE YOU COULD MENTION? ANY RIP-OFF SHIT EMERGED ... EXPOSE THEM?
-Wild Rags offered some kind of cassette deal, but I knew their reputation already so I just decided to stay away from them. Other offers that we received seemed to be quite ok, but I chose the offer of N.E.P.!
"EERIE", THE 2ND CD, HAS THE POWER I ADORE AND THIS TIME IT'S GREAT STUFF IN SOUNDWISE TOO. IT IS STILL EXTREME AND ORIGINAL, COMPARED WITH A NEO-BLACK SHIT EMERGING FROM ALL OVER THE PLACES, WHAT HAS THE FEEDBACK BEEN LIKE THIS TIME?
-I haven't read too many reviews about our albums, but "Eerie" got a lot "better marks" than "Hailstorm"... just like I expected. And I think that our 3rd album, "Infernal", gets even better feedback!
WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR LYRICS WHICH ARE PRINTED ON "EERIE" COVER, I MUST SAY THEY LOOK LIKE THE MOST TRENDIEST AND IMMATURE YOU CAN FIND, BUT WHEN I LISTEN TO THE SONGS, LYRICS ARE FITTING PERFECTLY TO YOUR MUSIC. YOU HAVE SAID THAT THE LYRICS HAVE A DEEPER MEANING, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IT IS? AND ARE YOU FASCINATED BY THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF EXPRESSING YOUR LYRICAL WISDOM?
-I don't want to give any answers in this question - the answers have to be found. My lyrics are loaded with symbolism and messages, and codes! If they are grasped they seem to be really different from what they firstly seem to be! Maybe after a while I let folks know the one basic code behind my lyrics. I'm always really careful with BARATHRUM-lyrics, they need to fit perfectly to the music before I think they are ready.
AFTER SEEING YOUR LIVE-PERFORMANCE A FEW TIMES, I CAN SAY THAT YOU BELONG TO THE ELITE OF FINNISH BANDS ON LIVE- SITUATION. WHAT DOES THE LIVE-SITUATION MEAN TO YOU, WHAT YOU NEED TO GET THE RIGHT MOOD ... BEER ONLY OR SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND?
-Actually I don't want us to ruin our gigs with too much alcohol before the show... Maybe on the stage we drink ... actually, hell, yes we do that pretty often... and after the show few beers are welcome of course! The actual ritual for our live-shows consists always some ethereal acts. It's really essential to prepare ourselves for the stage; deep concentration and a chain of rituals.
LOTS OF PLANS FOR A EUROPEAN-TOUR HAVE BEEN DONE LATELY, BUT THERE'VE BEEN SOME DELAYS AND PROBLEMS, SO THIS TOUR HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE YET. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE TOUR IF IT COMES TRUE, DO YOU HAVE SOME SPECIAL TRICKS ON YOUR POCKET FOR THE GERMAN AND OTHER EUROPEAN FREAKS?
-Yes, unfortunately our tour plans have not succeed as we wished, but there are still some plans and sparks of hope to do that tour. Unfortunately we can't tour with COUNTESS anymore, 'coz I heard that they splitted up a couple of weeks ago. That is really a mortal strike for the Dutch BM-scene. There's no other band in that country like COUNTESS! Maybe there will happen some kind of Fenix-reaction - at least I hope so, 'coz COUNTESS was too brilliant to be buried and forgotten! About special tricks ... hmm ... I think I always have something special to offer with our shows. If someone of you readers get the possibility to see BARATHRUM-show ... DON'T MISS IT!
YOU'VE TOLD THAT NEW BM/OCCULT/DARK STUFF DOESN'T REALLY INTEREST YOU THAT MUCH. ARE THERE ANY NEW BANDS YOU LIKE... EVEN ONE? YOU ARE INTERESTED IN OLDER STUFF ('80'S AND EVEN '70'S), WHAT DOES ATTRACT YOU ON THEM AND CAN YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF THE LESS-KNOWN BANDS YOU LIKE FROM THAT ERA?
-I like a lot about some bands the 80s, the 70s and even from the 60s. I try to give you some kind of list here... SAXON; KING CRIMSON; IRON BUTTERFLY; WITCHFYNDE; BLACK WIDOW; BLOODROCK; LUCIFER'S FRIEND; MACABRE; CRUCIFIXION; CLOVEN HOOF; DEMON; BOULDER DAMN; DIAMANDA GALAS; ANGELWITCH; VOIVOD; POISON(Ger); PENTAGRAM; MINOTAUR; PAUL CHAIN; HAWKWIND; NEMESIS; etc. just to name some of the "rarer" bands. And of course I like about lots of bands from the 90s too, but I think these bands are a bit better known and more famous than earlier mentioned list... Well, here are some names anyways... DEVIL DOLL; KIROUS; DROWNED; TЦRR (since 80s); SORCERER(Swe); BARATHRUM (Of course!!!); ROTKO; etc. ...
WHAT ABOUT BANDS LIKE MORTUARY DRAPE AND COUNTESS ... WHAT YOU THINK OF THESE AND OTHER BANDS WHICH ARE, IN MY OPINION, SOMEHOW ORIGINAL REMINDING OF THE SPIRIT OF THE OLDER BANDS? AND ONE MORE THING, WHAT YOU THINK OF THE BANDS WHICH TRY TO REVIVE THE SOUNDS OF THE '80'S ... WHAT YOU THINK OF THEM, BANDS LIKE BEWITCHED, WIZARD, ETC.?
-I like a lot original bands, not clones! I think that WIZARD is a lot more original than BEWITCHED (even I like them too). COUNTESS (R.I.P.) rules ultimately! MORTUARY DRAPE is great band as well (and doesn't just sound like older band, but actually is older band, formed at the 80s). Surprisingly (or not) these bands seem to be N.E.P.-bands mainly!!!
THERE WERE SOME RUMOURS ABOUT SOME NORWEGIAN BANDS WHICH COULD COME TO PLAY HERE IN FINLAND, AND SOMEBODY TOLD ME THAT THE ORGANIZER IS LOOKING FOR SOME FINNISH BANDS TO PLAY AS A SUPPORTER ON THAT GIG. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PLAY WITH SOME NORWEGIAN BANDS...?
-I am always extremely interested in playing shows with any bands - it is actually quite interesting to play a show with bands that we do differ from. The contrast between us and others would be really nice to feel. I'm sure that we'd not regret the shows with others, I trust to the "stage-ability" of BARATHRUM!
I TOLD EARLIER THAT YOU ARE QUITE UNKNOWN ACCORDING TO MY INQUIRIES, BUT THOSE WHO KNOW YOU TELL ME STORIES LIKE: "YEAH, THEIR DRUMMER PLAYS WITH HUMAN BONES" AND "I'VE HEARD THE SINGER DRINKS LOADS OF BOOZE" ... IS THIS THE IMAGE YOU WANT TO GIVE?
-I don't try to create any kind of image, if someone sees me drinking booze, let it be so, I'm not an alcoholist and actually I drink pretty rarely. I think there is only very few people who know me really.
YOU MAKE TATTOOS, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS WITH THIS ... SOME CERTAIN TATTOO YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE OR BE TATTOOED WITH?
-Yes, I'm really into tattoos & I'll be a lot more tattooed than I'm at the moment! I'm a tattoo-artist myself and also our guitarist Sulphur is a tattooist.
ANY S/M-ACTIVITIES LATELY?
-Actually there haven't been any S/M- activity lately, like back then when you made that earlier interview. Except that I still like to watch some S/M-clips on the video...
BACK TO BARATHRUM ... YOU HAVE HAD SEVERAL LINE-UP CHANGES, ARE YOU TOO DEMANDING OR WHAT REASONS HAVE FORCED MEMBERS TO GO AWAY? ARE THERE ANY EX- MEMBERS WHO ARE PLAYING IN SOME OTHER BANDS ... ANY NAMES?
-There've been something like 14 members in BARATHRUM so far. I think this line-up will be changed in the future too... Actually I kicked Infernus out from the band a while ago. He's now replaced with a bassist called Gaurthaur ... so our current line-up is: Demonos(v/b); Sulphur(g); Pimeд(d) and Gaurthaur(b). (Well ... Gaurthaur has been kicked out of the band already, so...-ed.) I don't care about the new bands that ex-members have joined in. At least I think that there is not any of them that are worth of mention! Why I change the line-up? Well ... if someone isn't suitable to be a part of BARATHRUM, then he can't be part of this band; that is so simple!
YOU HAVE MADE LOTS OF SONGS DURING THE YEARS. ARE THERE MANY SONGS MADE BEFORE '96, WHICH HAVE STAYED UNRELEASED?
-I have over 50 songs done for BARATHRUM. 37 of them have been released on our albums - soon there will be also a 7"EP including 2 tunes. I think all of our old tunes shall be released sooner or later on our future releases. Maybe with some changes, especially older tunes (or riffs) that were done by ancient ex- members and were played out of pity for them...
WHAT ABOUT COVER-SONGS, DO YOU PERFORM ANY ON STAGE OR HAVE YOU RECORDED ANY?
-I'm not too much into cover songs, 'coz there are always some people who immediately think that we rip off the original bands and that we've copied our own style from them. I like more about own music. But of course there is always a possibility to play a cover-songs at gig ... who ever knows...
I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU ALONE WITH THESE QUESTIONS SOON BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW ONE MORE THING DEALING WITH BEHERIT. YOUR STUFF REMINDS OF THEIR EARLIER EFFORTS AND I THINK THAT IS GREAT BECAUSE I LIKE MOST OF THEIR STUFF. IS THIS COMPARISON POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE THING FOR YOU?
-I don't think that we sound like BEHERIT because BEHERIT's early stuff was far more "noisier", and later stuff far more "synthetic" than BARATHRUM's music. I like BEHERIT a lot.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS OR HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANY ... TELL US!?
-Some of the projects I've been involved with are e.g.: DEMONOS; DEMONOS JETBLACK; FALL; KIROUS; ROTKO.
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE ... ANY PLANS OR EVEN GOALS FOR BARATHRUM?
-To get some new releases out, like that earlier mentioned 7"EP. To finish our video, which've been under work for over a year now. To play as many shows as possible, or to do even the tour(s) (in Finland, Scandinavia & Europe). To get some new t-shirts out (really soon!) just if I mention few of our plans & goals.
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME, GO AHEAD!?
... WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT OUR LAST SHOW THAT YOU SAW? BE HONEST AND EXACT!
-(Tommi): The gig I saw was in Huittinen in December'96. I think this was the only gig Gaurthaur played with BARATHRUM, and he really did not handle his part very well. Anyway, the whole situation was a bit funny due to regulations by gig-arrangers/supervisors... But I think the stuff itself was played decently, and for me the trax were already familiar, so I had the chance to "relax" and listen to the music. I have not had the chance to see your "wildest" performances yet, I know you have done some stunts with fire etc., so ... Maybe next time, I know it's up to the arrangers and their capacity of accepting a real show, ...
FINAL GREETINGS...
-Feel the power of our JetBlack Steel ... kill, and pillage! Greetings to Tribe of BARATHRUMian warriors - our fans! Cheers and keep up the black flag & spirit! Thanx for this long interview, Tommi!
CENTINEX (Swe) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Martin Schulman
I DON'T WANT TO BORE THE READERS TO DEATH, BUT MAYBE YOU COULD TELL US WHAT MADE YOU TO FORM CENTINEX ...? I HAVE NOT HEARD YOUR EARLIEST EFFORTS, BUT WERE YOU INSPIRED BY SWEDISH UG-METAL GODS GRAVE, ENTOMBED, GROTESQUE, ETC.?
-I don't really know what made us to form the band... Yeah, maybe it was the fact that we were very inspired by all these early Swedish bands such as GRAVE, ENTOMBED, CARNAGE, DISMEMBER, etc. But our music did differ a bit from those bands, I think we were a bit more grind influenced.
ONLY 1Ѕ YEARS AFTER YOUR VERY FIRST "REAL" DEMO, SWEDISH UNDERGROUND RECORDS RELEASED YOUR DEBUT CD, "SUBCONSCIOUS LOBOTOMY", HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? I MEAN, HOW DID THAT LABEL BECOME INTERESTED IN YOU AND HOW MUCH THAT CD SOLD ... ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH IT?
-After we had recorded our first "real" demo, the "End of life" tape, we sent it to different labels. Underground Records became interested and offered us a deal which we accepted. The CD was limited to 1000 copies, and even if the distribution was quite poor, it was sold out. The CD had both good and bad sides. It gave us a lot of promotion, and many people and 'zines praised it, but I think we should have waited a while before recording it, I don't think we were mature enough to do our first record... Hah, I hate that disc today!!
"UNDER THE BLACKENED SKY" IS THE TITLE OF THE PROMO IN '93, AND IT WAS ALSO RELEASED AS A CASS.-EP BY WILD RAGS RECORDS. WERE YOU SATISFIED BY THE WORK OF WRR BACK THEN, AND WHAT WAS THE "DEAL" LIKE?
-As the deal with Underground Records was only for one CD, we did record a three track promo tape which we could use in search for a new deal. We came in contact with UK based Tombstone Records which is also a label with a quite bad reputation. Anyway, this was before we had heard any rumours about 'em, so we were quite happy 'coz they offered us a really good deal!! We booked the studio, talked with Kristian Wеhlin about the cover artwork, etc. And about one month before we should have entered the studio, they totally stopped being in touch with us!! They did not answer our letters, calls and faxes!! It was at that time Wild Rags offered to release the promo as a cassette-EP with a new cover, etc., and as we wanted to spread some new material we accepted the deal. The cass.-EP was delayed two or three months, but otherwise WRR did handle it good, they sent us free tapes and they did do a good promotion job.
"TRANSCEND THE DARK CHAOS" WAS RELEASED NEXT, IN LATE'94, AND THE PRODUCTION WAS HIGH-QUALITY ALL THE WAY. THIS TAPE WAS ALSO MY FIRST REAL CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THY MUSIC, AND I MUST SAY IT SOUNDS GREAT. ALSO YOU WERE SATISFIED WITH IT, SO MAYBE YOU COULD COMPARE IT WITH EARLIER RELEASES ... MUSICALLY?
-Yeah, that tape was a good effort from us, as a matter of fact we're still quite happy about that release!! It was the first CENTINEX-release which included two guitarists, so the music was more varied and better! The tape sold very well, it was even re-released in January 1995 by Polish Sphinx Records with a new cover.
2ND CD-RELEASE WAS RELEASED BY WRR FINALLY IN APRIL'96, AND IT IS A TYPICAL WRR-RELEASE INCLUDING OLD TRAX TOGETHER WITH NEW ONES ... I THINK YOU GOT PISSED OFF BY RICHARD'S BUSINESS ... COULD YOU EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS OF THIS UG-MAN, WHOSE REPUTATION IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL!?
-The "Malleus maleficarum" CD did finally come out in April'96 after several delays and fuck upps!!!! As you said, it is a typical Wild Rags-release containing both new and old songs. Our three "new" songs were recorded in May'95 at Abyss studios, and the disc does also include the entire "Transcend..." tape and as a "bonus" a track from the "Under the..." tape! After we had recorded the "Transcend..." tape, Wild Rags did offer to release those four tracks as a MCD in Oct'94! Then the whole release was delayed to the spring next year, and when WRR then heard we had recorded some new tracks, they wanted to include those too! A new release date was set to October 1995, and then the shit finally was out in April'96!!! Then they had also included the tracks from the "Under..." tape so they could sell it as a full-length CD!! We had heard a lot of rumours about Richard/WRR, but he had always treated us well so we accepted his deal. He has never ripped us in any way, the bad thing with him is that he seems to sign too many bands, so he can't keep his release-dates! When we signed the deal, it was for two CDs, the MCD and a new full-length, but we were so fed up with his delays and stuff, so we broke the deal and searched for another label.
YOUR MUSIC HAS A STRONG DEATH-METAL TOUCH BESIDES LYRICS ARE DARK AND EVIL... SO WHAT IS THE DESCRIPTION PEOPLE SHOULD USE WITH YOU? COULD YOU BE CONSIDERED AS "TRUE" DEATH-METAL BAND?
-We play death metal ... nothing more nothing less!!! I'm quite tired of this "true" word, I don't know and/or care if we are true or not... But I can tell you that we have never changed our music in order to follow any trend!!! We do our thing and that's it!
WHAT IS THE STORY WITH THE LOGO ... IT WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT SOME TIME AGO INCLUDING INVERTED CROSS AND DARK WINGS, WHY IT CHANGED SO DRAMATICALLY INTO THIS CURRENT FORM? DID YOU WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN DISTANCE TO THOSE BANDS WHICH USE "EVIL" SYMBOLS AS A PART OF THE IMAGE?
-Between '92-'94 we had this logo with a inverted cross, etc. and then we just wanted to change it. I don't remember that there should have been any deeper meaning behind the change, maybe it was a bit childish... Our friend Timo from Stockholm did one day send us a new one which looked better in our eyes so we took it...
WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS LIKE ... SOME EVIL STORIES, ANCIENT CHANTS OR SOMETHING ELSE? HOW IMPORTANT LYRICS ARE FOR YOU?
-I think the music is more important than the lyrics! I write almost all our lyrics and they reflect feelings and thoughts I have in my head. I find inspiration from many different things; movies, personal thoughts, feelings like love and hate, etc. etc.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR CENTINEX, WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING ON?
-Friendship and the passion towards metal in general!
AND NOW, OVER SIX YEARS AFTER YOU STARTED, YOU FINALLY SEEM TO HAVE A GOOD DEAL ... WITH EMANZIPATION PRODUCTIONS. WHAT IS THE DEAL LIKE AND HOW DID THEY BECOME INTERESTED IN YOU?
-That's true, now it seems that we have found a good and reliable label! I did send Michael/Emanzipation prod. our adv.- tape for the "Malleus..." CD, and he became a bit interested. We did then record a rehearsal tape for him with new material which he liked so much that he offered us a deal for two CDs! Now, when Emanzipation is an official sub-label to DieHard Music Worldwide, everything is great! The distribution network is really heavy and they do a lot of advertising in all the big metal mags! They did include us on their "'96 catalogue up-date" comp- CD (with a track from the previous CD), and they have started doing promotion and flyers for our upcoming album. So yes, we are really satisfied...!
YOU HAVE CERTAINLY RECEIVED SEVERAL OFFERS FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT RELEASES, WHAT KIND OF PROPOSALS YOU'VE GOT DURING THE YEARS ... ANYTHING YOU NOW REGRET NOT TO ACCEPT/SIGN?
-Yeah, we have received various offers, some very good ones and a bunch of unserious crap deals! No, there are not any deal that we regret not accepting, on the other hand, there are labels that we regret wasting our time on! I'd like to meet Mark Grey and his Tombstone crew., Christian/Exhumed Prod., and the bastards at German Inline Music, and show 'em what I think about their activities...
YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND SO LONG THAT YOU MUST HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THE CHANGE OF THE UG. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES COMPARED WITH UG IN EARLY '90'S? IS UG DOING BETTER OR WORSE THAN SIX YEARS AGO, WHAT YOU THINK?
-There are a few things which have become better but a lot has also become worse! In the early 90s there was much more co-operation between bands, everybody was friends with each other and supportive for all UG-bands, no matter if you played death, black or whatever... Today the scene is packed with jealousy, envy and back stabbing! For some people it seems so fuckin' important if you are a death- or black-metal band... "I can't support this band 'cos they aren't evil enough".
NEXT QUESTIONS WERE MADE TO INFORM ABOUT MARTIN'S SORROWMOON REC., RELEASES, AND OTHER THINGS DEALING WITH THAT, BUT THINGS CHANGED AND MARTIN HAD TO QUIT HIS "BUSINESS". HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR IT ANYMORE. MARTIN ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CD-RELEASES ARE MORE AND MORE WANTED, AND THE CASS./7"EP-STUFF JUST DID NOT ATTRACT PEOPLE AS MUCH AS EARLIER, SO HE DECIDED TO SAVE HIS MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE. I STILL WANTED TO KEEP THESE THINGS HERE, BUT NOTICE THAT MARTIN IS NOT DOING ANY MAIL-ORDER / DISTRIBUTION NOR RELEASING ANYTHING ... SO DON'T SEND ANY SAMPLES TO MARTIN ANYMORE. YOU'VE ALSO EXPANDED YOUR ACTIVITIES IN UG ... YOU HAD EVIL SHIT PROD., NOW YOU HAVE SORROWMOON RECORDS. HOW DID YOU START THIS AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS, TO BECOME A HEAD OF THE LABEL WHICH RELEASES SEVERAL FULL-LENGTHS A YEAR PERHAPS?
-I started Evil Shit Prod. (ESP) back in '93 as a distribution firm, and later on I even released some tapes. Then in mid '95 I did change the name to Sorrowmoon Rec. and started concentrating more on releasing stuff than distributing... I were tired of distributing shitty reh.- sounding demos! The "goal" for Sorrowmoon isn't to become a big commercial label, I want to keep it true (what a corny word!) to the UG! I don't care if I only release one cass.-EP a year, as long as I am personally happy with that release
YOU RELEASED "I VARGENS TECKEN" 7"EP BY PROPHANITY IN 1995, AND IT WAS THE FIRST SORROWMOON-RELEASE ... WHAT ABOUT THE PLANS FOR NEXT RELEASES, YOU ALREADY HAVE 2ND RELEASE OUT, INTRODUCE IT!
-Yeah, I have two releases out so far. The second one was a cassette-EP with ANCIENT WINDS, also from Sweden. Quality is more important for me than quantity, I try to support my releases as well as I can, and try to get them distributed as wide as possible! All my releases will be totally pro-printed with good quality...
WE PRODUCED CURSE-"THE BLACK HORDE" CASSETTE-EP'95, AND YOU HAVE COLLABORATED WITH OTHER GUYS TOO, IS IT THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE STUFF? HAVE YOU HAD ANY BAD EXPERIENCES WITH YOUR PARTNERS?
-Well, I have only collaborated with two people/label so far. With you and then with Kristian Hasselhuhn (Voices of death records) for the PROPHANITY-EP. I am very satisfied with both my partners, everything has worked out very smoothly! I decided to release the ANCIENT WINDS on my own but this doesn't mean that I have stopped doing collaborations with other labels...
DON'T SEND ANY SAMPLES ... MARTIN IS TOTALLY CONCENTRATING ON CENTINEX NOW!!!! BACK TO CENTINEX ... YOU HAVE HAD SOME LINE-UP CHANGES DURING THE YEARS, WHAT IS THE SITUATION NOW, DOES THIS CURRENT LINE-UP FEEL LIKE PERMANENT? WHAT ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS MEMBERS, ARE THEY PLAYING WITH OTHER BANDS, ANY NAMES TO TELL?
-We have had this line-up since Jan'95, and everything feels really good now! I think it's an advantage that we are best friends with each other, we do not only play together, we get drunk together and meet each other also outside the reh.- room! The drummer we had on our first demo is now doing the vocals in a crust band, INDIGNATION, and our previous skin man is hammering in some black metal band (don't remember the name...)!
WHAT IS THE "HIERARCHY" IN CENTINEX LIKE? DO YOU HAVE A LEADER WHO TELLS WHAT TO DO OR ARE YOU ALL WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL, EQUALLY?
-Now there aren't any leader, even though some may think I'm some kind of dictator! We are all working for the same goal, but as I write 100% of the lyrics, and about 50-60% of the music, some might see me as a leader... I'm the one in the band who does all the promotion & answers all the interviews/letters, but that is because the others are so fuckin' lazy, hah.
YOU HAVE PERFORMED DOZENS OF GIGS, AREN'T YOU. WHAT IS THE CENTINEX-GIG LIKE ... WHAT COULD I SEE AND HEAR IF I SAW YOU ON STAGE?
-Hopefully you'll hear tight well-played dark metal... We don't use any special effects on stage, we let the music and headbanging deliver our message.
YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN PLAYING IN FESTIVALS ... DOES SUCH SITUATION DIFFER FROM THE "NORMAL" UG-GIG? WHICH BANDS YOU CONSIDER AS THE BEST FROM THOSE YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO PLAY AT THE SAME VENUE?
-As a matter of fact, we have only played on two real festivals (one here in Sweden and one in Germany). I prefer playing on festivals, you meet more people and it's a more relaxed atmosphere... LUCIFERION and ENTHRONED were two cool stage acts in Germany!
HOW IMPORTANT THING GIG IS FOR YOU AND FOR CENTINEX ... DOES IT MEAN MORE SELLING WITH DEMOS/CD, OR IS IT JUST GOOD FUN?
-I think a gig is quite important for CENTINEX, we try to do as well as we can each time... Of course it helps if the audience shows some appreciation too! The gig itself is more important for us than the fact that it is a opportunity to sell demos and CDs, but of course it's always cool if somebody buys our merchandise...
DO YOU FEEL LIKE BEING IGNORED THESE DAYS WHEN DOZENS OF LOUSY BM-BANDS HAVE CD-RELEASES, LOTS OF INTEREST FROM THE MAGS., ETC. WHILE LOTS OF QUALITY NON- BLACK BANDS SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS EVEN SELLING THEIR DEMOS? WHAT YOU THINK OF BANDS/PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS, WHICH DON'T EVEN SOUND DIFFERENT THAN THE MAIN-BAND, BUT STILL THAT STUFF IS RELEASED ALL THE TIME ... DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS GOING ON...?
-No, I do not feel ignored but I must admit it's sometimes a bit irritating when all these kids who play "satan-kill-winter metal" release records which are packed with poorly played third degree shit! When a new trend appears, the fault for this isn't the bands, it's the labels and media which only have dollar signs in their greedy eyes! They see easy ways to earn money and offer deals to bands which follow the trend blindly... No, we don't have any project bands at the moment...
WHAT BANDS YOU CONSIDER AS THE BEST OF ALL TIME IN ... A: BLACK-METAL AND B: DEATH-METAL?
-I'm not so keen in splitting up bands in categories ... Some "old" bands which I still like very much are: VENOM, BATHORY, DESTRUCTION, CELTIC FROST, etc., and some of the "newer" favourites are: SATYRICON, DISSECTION, IMPALED NAZARENE, EMPEROR, AT THE GATES, THERION + dozens of more.
YOU HAVE LIVED HERE IN FINLAND, MOST OF YOUR LIFE IN FACT. DID YOU HAVE SOME- THING GOING ON BEFORE MOVING TO SWEDEN?
-Yeah, I lived in Finland for 15 years before I moved here. I didn't play in any band when I lived there, I just played some bass at home for my neighbours.
IN EARLY '90'S SWEDEN WAS CONSIDERED AS THE CENTRE OF DEATH-METAL AND FINNISH BANDS HAD NOT REALLY MADE ANY HUGE IMPRESSION AT LEAST ON RELEASING LEVEL. NOWADAYS FINNISH BANDS HAVE HAD MORE AND MORE INTEREST WORLDWIDE, CAN YOU COMPARE THE SCENES, AND IS THERE STILL A BIG GAP BETWEEN QUALITY OF FINNISH AND SWEDISH SCENE/BANDS?
-Nowadays it seems that the most popular Finnish bands AMORPHIS and SENTENCED are selling even more records than the most famous Swedish ones. I have no idea why Finland has become such a strong nation in the metal scene, you tell me?! But Sweden is still leading in one "genre", it's the melodic "Gothenburg-style" with bands such as IN FLAMES, NAGLFAR, DARK TRANQUILLITY...
YOU MUST HAVE HUGE AMOUNT OF CONTACTS WORLDWIDE, BUT DO YOU STILL REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST CONTACT YOU HAD, WHAT IS/WAS IT AND IS IT STILL VALID?
-No, I can't really remember which was my first contact in the "scene" ... but two people I'm still in contact with, and have been since our first demo, are Mika/Syphilis distro in Finland and Tomas/Putrefaction 'zine here in Sweden! Then there are certainly some more which I can not remember right now...
NOW IS TIME TO REVEAL THE FUTURE PLANS OF CENTINEX ... ANYTHING YOU HAVE NOT TOLD YET AND WE SHOULD KNOW?
-Out new "Reflections" CD is recorded and ready, now we are just waiting for Feb'97 when it will be released! We have a few gigs booked also and when the CD is out, we'll try to do as much gigs as possible, maybe somekind of European tour. And to write some new material for our next CD.
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME, GO AHEAD!?
... Tell me about the death/black scene in my old hometown Tampere?
-(Tommi): I think I'm not an expert with this because I don't really know the "circles" here ... but you should check out WITHERED GARDEN, they were earlier known as HALLS OF MANDOS. They have a new demo available, and this time with great 16-track studio-sounds. GOTHMOG plays brutal death-metal but I don't know them at all. DIABOLI hails from Pirkkala, and some of you probably know them already. This is all I can tell ... really.
OK, TIME FOR FINAL GREETINGS, TAKE A CHANCE BEFORE THIS FILE IS CLOSED...
-Tommi, you should have eternal thanx for this mega cool interview! Hommatkaa meille keikka Suomessa saatana!
CRIMSON MIDWINTER (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Jussi Helenius
CRIMSON MIDWINTER WAS FORMED IN 1994 BUT IS THERE ANY STORY BEFORE THE BAND BEGAN ITS SAGA?
-Well, I rather would not like to talk about it, but as you were the first one to ask about that, I can reveal some notorious(?) things before C.M. was born. Jari, Jaakko and I have been known each other for some years before the CRIMSON tale began. We all listened to metal music and recorded albums, CDs, tapes, etc. to each other. Pretty usual thing, you know. Then, I think it was summer'93, Jari bought an electric guitar and we (Jari and me) started to make some noise in Jari's garage. Jari "played" guitar and I screamed and yelled my guts out, and this bullshit was recorded with a cassette recorder. We actually made a "demo" in the autumn'93 entitled "Garage garbage", it included few "songs", pretty long by the way, and an outro taken from the movie Pet Semetary 1. Hilariously bad playing and stupid lyrics. These recordings have been destroyed long time ago. Fortunately.
YOU HAVE HAD SOME LINE-UP CHANGES SO COULD YOU INTRODUCE CURRENT C.M.-MEMBERS?
-We have had actually only two line-up changes, when Mikko and Teppo were replaced by Hatanymous and Sami in the summer/autumn'95. So, the current line-up is: Jussi-vocals; Jari-guitar; Jaakko- guitar; Sami-drums and Hatanymous-bass. Synth in our 2nd demo were played by Jari, Jaakko and Hatanymous. By the way, we are looking for a permanent synth/ keyboard-player.
I HAVE NOT HEARD "JUST ANOTHER COLD WASTELAND" DEMO WHICH YOU RELEASED IN MARCH'95, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WAS QUITE SIMPLE METAL WITH BM-INFLUENCES. MAYBE YOU COULD COMPARE IT TO YOUR LATEST EFFORT, "US MERE MORTALS", WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES?
-Yes, you are right. BM-influenced music with some "mosh/heavy"-parts, if you know what I mean. The only similarities between the first and the second demo are some bm-influenced fast parts and my screaming vocals (which are way better in the 2nd demo!). Otherwise these two releases are like from different planets. "U.M.M." is much heavier, atmospheric (better synths, etc.), professional, original and better structured. The biggest reason for this improvement is definitely the change of drummer, Sami does his job 100 times tighter than Teppo who hadn't ever played metal music. Actually he had played in a local youth orchestra before, so that tells something about his suitability in a metal band. If "U.M.M." is god, then the first demo is like a servant of a holy priest, or something... Well, I'm not saying "Just another cold wasteland" is a bad effort, it's pretty moderate considering it as a debut demo and also that it was the first time in a studio for 4/5 of the band. It's still available for blank tape + stamps/2xI.R.C.
I THINK THAT YOUR "US MERE MORTALS" DEMO'96 SOUNDS PROMISING, BUT NOTHING REALLY AMAZING CAN BE FOUND ... SOME NORWEGIAN-INFLUENCES ARE EVIDENT BUT ALSO SOME "OWN" IDEAS ARE INCLUDED. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS BUT DEMO SOUNDS QUITE MUCH LIKE WITHOUT STYLE BECAUSE DIFFERENT THINGS ARE TAKEN FROM VARIOUS STYLES ... WAS THIS A PURPOSE OR JUST AN ACCIDENT?
-You should preferably ask this question from Jari, since he makes all the music. I know that he likes a lot of bands like EMPEROR; ENSLAVED; SEPULTURA; DISSECTION; NAPALM DEATH; MORBID ANGEL; CRADLE OF FILTH and the others, so they possibly influence his way of creating new riffs and songs, never copying, of course! So, our songs have fast bm-parts, but also heavy rhythms and "moshing" parts like in SEPULTURA's latest releases, and added with synths it may sound quite varied. In my opinion this's only a good thing, 'coz why should we stick only to one style and never try to mix different, good-sounding things in our songs? Bands like MANOWAR; RUNNING WILD; BOLT THROWER, etc. do it with style, but I think sticking in one certain style of playing doesn't fit to CRIMSON MIDWINTER. We'll always make the songs we like the best, not to think if it's enough black-metal or not. 'Til now we have only had songs which include some fast bm-like parts, but tell you this is not a necessity at all. If this is accidental or purposeful, I cannot say for sure. Maybe a little both, like an accidental purpose ... hah.
HOW HAS YOUR DEMO'96 BEEN SELLING AND WHAT HAS THE CRITICS BEEN LIKE?
-Very well, indeed. The edition of 500 has been sold out. 300 copies more has been made. Of course we've sent a lot of copies for free in a promotional purposes to labels, zines, distros, etc., some 90 altogether. But it's still available, don't hesitate to order a copy! Talking about critics/reviews, they have mainly been very positive and great. Almost everyone who have judged our demo'96 have praised and told it was a great one. You seem to be one of the few who have something negative to say about the demo. Well, everybody's got the right to one's own opinion and it's better to say the truth than lick anyone's arse, right?
DEMO HAS A FULL-COLOURED COVER WHICH IS NATURE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR 1995 IN FINLAND. WHY SPEND SO MUCH MONEY FOR COVERS, IS IT REALLY NECESSARY OR DO YOU THINK SOME SIMPLE B/W-COVER WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH? I MUST SAY THAT THE COVER LOOKS BETTER THAN THE DEMO SOUNDS ... OPINION!?
-If you look at the cover of our first demo, you will know why we wanted to get some improvement also in cover art. In my opinion by spending money (and time) to make your demo sound and look more professional the band shows its real attitude and will to get known in this overwhelming UG-scene full of xeroxed messy covers and rehearsal sounds... It's that simple, when you wanna be taken seriously you should do something to achieve others attention. Personally I think that the demo sounds as great as the cover looks (or even better...). You have your opinion about that, I cannot complain, it's alright for me though I do not agree with you.
WAS IT MY REAL OPINION OR JUST A WAY TO PROVOKE YOU...? ANYWAY, WHAT ABOUT LYRICS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY REALLY TRY TO SAY AND EXPRESS, SO MAYBE YOU COULD OPEN THE CURTAIN A LITTLE? ARE THEY YOUR IMAGINATION OR SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND?
-On the first demo the lyrics were more imaginative, telling about the end of the world, loneliness, nature's strength and included many imaginative descriptions too. Nowadays my writing has become more personal, though quite much by accident. When I wrote the lyrics for the 2nd demo, I didn't think they'd include so much my personality in them. But, after recording the demo I read the lyrics in one day, I almost got a bit scared when I noticed how personal and "intimate" they had become. I don't know why I didn't realize that during the writing process. I hope I have succeeded in achieving some depth in my lyrics, too, at least I think so. Every song has some clear hints of what the lyrics are about, but also many metaphor and verbal images, which make them more unique. Writing lyrics is some- what relaxing feeling, I can put all my hatred, frustration, sorrow, anxiety, anger, etc. on paper so the lines I write are like a way to let out all my negative feelings and emotions. Without it I would probably be more unhappy and cold person. Unfortunately, during the past months I have not been in such creative mood, mainly because we have almost no possibilities to make new songs. So, lately I have written only few lines, but I know that will change when other guys can rehearse properly and we can record some rehearsal tapes and I can begin to arrange the lyrics to the music.
I HAVE SEEN YOU ON STAGE AND I MUST SAY THE PERFORMANCE WAS QUITE INTENSE. IS THIS THE ONLY WAY, TO PLAY "JUST" LIKE A "RAVING MAD"?
-The music we play should be performed also in a proper way, so because our music is mostly aggressive and heavy, why should we stand like totems on the stage? That would fit for a doom band with not so "raving" songs, but not for CRIMSON MIDWINTER. Intensity is a part of our live-act. Of course, if we could create some kind of live show suitable for our music, it'd be cool, but as long as we do not have any better ideas, I prefer just raging and slamming my brain cells out! Also, as you know, the gig situation in Finland isn't among the best in the world ... it's pretty hard beginning to create any "performances".
YOUR LOOKS IS VERY MUCH THE OPPOSITE PEOPLE MAY THINK. I MEAN, GUYS WITH SHORT HAIR, ETC. IS NOT THE LOOK I'D EXPECT TO SEE AFTER HEARING YOUR DEMO. IS THIS A PURPOSE, TO GET PEOPLE WONDER WHAT C.M. ACTUALLY IS?
-I don't know what people think about us when listening our songs, but I hope they won't draw any stereotyped conclusions concerning our looks and appearance. Though we play metal doesn't mean we wear black clothes, have long, black-dyed hair, etc. "typical" metal outfit. We do not have any need to be, look and act the way other people probably expect from us. I wear only the kind of clothes I like, without thinking if I look "metal"enough. I don't see any sense in acting opposite your own nature/feelings only because of other people's opinions or expectations. It is the most extreme form of self- betrayal and falseness. I prefer to be considered as myself, an individual person among the others, not as just one of those black-clothed metal heads. Even though I like metal music and it is an important part of my life and myself (maybe the most important), I still want to retain my proudness and self-respect and not jump on the metal bandwagon by adopting the opinions and "rules" made someone else. I could not care less if someone says I'm not "true" (useless and misused word) enough when I don't look like all the other metallers. Underground needs more loyalty, respect and brother- hood than these stupid competitions of being so true.
YOU DESCRIBE THE STUFF AS "BLACKISH CRIMSON MUSIC", AND AS YOU'VE TOLD IT IS THIS ONLY BECAUSE YOU HATE BANDS WHICH TRY TO BE THE MOST "TRUE" AND SERIOUS WITH "EVIL" DESCRIPTIONS, ETC., IS THIS JUST A WAY TO MAKE PEOPLE WONDER AGAIN ... AND MAYBE GET THEM BUY YOUR DEMO?
-Yes, I do, this time. I hope I could arouse people's attention and interest to CRIMSON MIDWINTER by these descriptions which differ somehow from the usual. Probably the people in the scene get more interested in bands which does not call themselves like hundreds of other bands do. If they buy our demo because of our attempt to differ from the masses that's fine by me. Everybody makes one's own decisions.
YOU'VE TOLD ME THAT FRENCH EVIL OMEN PROPOSED A DEAL FOR YOU, ANYTHING TO TELL ABOUT THAT, DID IT WORK OUT? ANY OTHER INTEREST FROM THE LABELS?
-The whole deal offer failed, unfortunately. The reason, I think, was that Evil Omen wasn't ready to negotiate about the details which we wanted to be different. We only wanted to have some guarantee and certainty in the contract, but ... Also Norwegian Effigy records wanted to sign us, but they were not willing to pay the recording costs, so that's about it, too. Just few days ago I got an offer from U.S.A. to be part of a comp.CD and they also wrote they would probably be interested in releasing a full-length CD for C.M. Well, let's see what happens ... By the way, we accepted the comp.CD offer, it's said to be out in the end of the 1996, hopefully.
WHAT YOU WANT FROM LABEL TO SIGN A DEAL ... JUST MONEY OR SOMETHING ELSE?
-Some hints concerning this question can be found above. First of all, we think that taking care of the recording costs belongs totally to the label. We are not looking for any big cash for a deal, only a few dozens of free CDs + some t-shirts if printed and afterwards some royalties from every edition printed. As mentioned in the previous answer, we also want to have certainty concerning the release dates and payments, black on white, officially.
YOU HAVE ALSO BEEN FEATURED IN COMPILATIONS (SHIVER, ETC.), DO YOU ACCEPT ALL PROPOSALS RIGHT AWAY OR ARE THERE LIMITATIONS? ON WHICH COMPILATIONS YOU ARE FEATURED?
-We haven't been featured in Shiver's triple-compilation, where did you get that from? (My fault, sorry! Let Jussi continue his story anyway. -ed.) Well, in the photo of CEREBRUM which is included in that comp. but that's only because I was a member of CEREBRUM for some months and those photos were taken during that period. In the photo there is also Mikko (our former bassist, synthplayer in CEREBRUM), but both of us don't even appear on the CEREBRUM's comp.track which is taken from their promo'94. I don't know why Sami (drummer) wanted to send this photo to be featured between the pages of the compilation's covers. I am also selling this compilation to help Sami and Jaakko to get rid of their copies, I've nothing more to do with it. Few weeks ago Canadian Cyclonic distr./ prod. released a comp.CD entitled "Under the Pagan Moon", which also features one of our 2nd demo's songs, "My crumbling aura". We are also going to be on that comp.CD I mentioned on my earlier answer, it is called "Legions of iron and steel", and also on the triple black-metal comp. which will be released by French Impure Creations records, I don't know the exact date. C.M. is also featured in numbers of comp.tapes, such as Heterodox Faith(USA); Thousand Lakes(Fin); Black Tears of Death (Ita); Whispering Violence(Hol) and some others.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LIKE YOUR ATTITUDE BECAUSE THEY THINK BLACK-METAL IS THE MOST SERIOUS THING AND YOU DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE A NEED TO ACT LIKE THAT, ANY OPINION ABOUT THIS?
-You should look at the answer about our looks, etc., it probably tells almost everything. There are also some of the reasons why I do not wanna label CRIMSON MIDWINTER as a bm-band. I know when a certain group of people hears the word "black-metal" they immediately connect it with satan worship, ritual lyrics, corpse paints, blasphemy, fire spitting, etc. You have seen us on stage and also read my lyrics, so are we dealing with things like mentioned before?
NO, YOU ARE NOT. BUT AS YOU ARE NOT VERY OLD AS A BAND, DID YOU GET ANY INFLUENCE FROM THE BM-BANDS OF THE '90'S ... OR DO YOU STILL CONSIDER ANY OF THEM AS PARAGONS?
-I can say for myself that I do not think I am influenced by the new bm-bands, or actually by any (metal) bands. Maybe unconsciously, I do not know. Some great lyric-writers I like are: Martin Walkyier (SKYCLAD); Jeff Walker (ex-CARCASS, only three latest albums); Aaron (MY DYING BRIDE) and Nick Holmes (PARADISE LOST). I am not saying I'm influenced by these men, I only enjoy their way of writing (and performing) their lyrics. Jari (main song-writer and guitarist) likes a lot of bands like EMPEROR; ENSLAVED; CRADLE OF FILTH; so maybe he's a bit influenced by them, I don't know.
WHAT YOU THINK OF BANDS WHICH TRY TO ACT LIKE REBORN VIKINGS ... ARE THERE ANY SENSE OR/AND CHANCE TO REVIVE THE PAST? WHAT ABOUT NATIONALISM, ETC., WHAT YOU THINK OF BANDS USING MUSIC WEAPON TO EXPRESS THEIR HATE AGAINST IMMIGRANTS AND THE LIKES?
-Reviving and adoring the viking past of the Scandinavia is pretty cool when done with style. I mean, if somebody is interested in history and wants to study and read about the ancient times and use these books as inspiration to lyrics, band's appearance, one's way of thinking, etc. it's ok for me. Unfortunately, in today's modern (rotten) world, it is impossible to live/be like the vikings in the past for simple reason everybody knows. But, when writing lyrics about vikings, ancient traditions, beliefs and myths, etc. without having gone into these subjects more deeply and only plagiarizing other bands, following their path, it begins to disgust me. If you are not familiar with the ancient, you should not write about that. Knowledge is power. Nationalism, rascism or fascism has nothing to do with music in my opinions. Also, in general, I don't think very respectfully about a nationalist or a rascist who uses physical or verbal violence to express one's, mostly narrow- minded, ignorant & exaggerated, thoughts and opinions about immigrants, etc. The worst example of advertising one's music with nationalism/rascism is a band from Poland which invites people to join them in the war against jews and other "scum". Haven't they read their history lessons or what the hell, because in the WW2 6 million jews were tortured and killed in the Nazi's death camps, 2 million of those poor ones were Polish! It is more than possible that jewish blood runs also in their veins, so maybe they should commit a suicide?
WHAT ABOUT YOUR PLANS? YOU ARE SUFFERING OF THE WORST "BAND-DESEASE", THE FINNISH ARMY, DOES IT MAKE YOUR WORK IMPOSSIBLE OR ARE YOU CAPABLE OF MAKING NEW SONGS AND TO REHEARSE?
-Yes, it is true we have a lot of difficulties with rehearsing because of the fuckin' army. Now Jari's amplifier has been broken and he must get a new one so that has also made our rehearsing impossible in the few past weeks. We have only one-two new songs after the 2nd demo so that's not much. I really do hope that we'll manage to get a proper record deal in the (near) future, but recording an album is almost impossible before summer 1997. Let's see how things go on... One thing is for sure: we will not quit and split up, 'coz we have a mission ...
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK FROM ME? GO AHEAD!
-(Jussi): What is the meaning of your life and how much are you ready to sacrifice for that?
-Tommi: Meaning of my life, huh. I really don't know. I just live my life as well as I can, I'm not sacrificing any certain things, I try to acchieve my goals but to sacrifice for it ... I don't want to die for some daydreams. Just live and learn!
FINAL GREETINGS ... BEFORE THE FILE IS CLOSED!
-Thanks Tommi for this interview, it is great to be featured in your glorious fanzine. Keep up the good work! To everyone out there: think with your own brain!
Respect, loyalty, brotherhood!
EN GARDE (Gre) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Elisabeth Kotronia
EN-GARDE WAS FORMED IN 1994 BUT WHERE HAS YOUR NAME TAKEN FROM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
-We took our name from the Middle-Ages. EN-GARDE still today means the beginning of the battle between two swordsman.
YOUR BIO STATES THAT YOU STARTED MIXING GARAGE AND GOTHIC, AND THEN, AFTER A LOT OF EXPERIMENTS, YOU CHANGED INTO MORE MELODIC AND ATMOSPHERIC STYLE ... DID THAT HAPPEN EASILY AND DID YOU "JUST" REHEARSE TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS BEFORE THE STYLE WAS FOUND?
-The "problem" with our band is that we don't say that we will play under some terms and ideas. We go into rehearse-room and we pull out feelings and ideas of the moment. That's why our music depends onto feeling. That's why style (my opinion) is a word that the bands must not consider.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CERTAIN WAY/FORMULA TO MAKE SONGS ... HOW, WHO, WHERE?
-Certain formula, no. George, the builder of the band, handles the base lines and after that me and Jordan construct melodies. Very simple I think so.
YOUR DEBUT RELEASE WAS 7"EP CALLED "NEGATIVE SELF IMAGE" AND IT WAS RELEASED BY DARK SIDE RECORDS, HOW THEY BECAME INTERESTED IN YOU AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST STUDIO-EXPERIENCE LIKE?
-They became interested in us, because of the fact that they believe in our originality and abilities. The first studio experience was very... experience. One phrase I will use to describe this: You feel like fish out of the water.
THOSE TWO SONGS ON THE EP SOUND MORE "METAL" THAN YOUR NEW EFFORT, "DEVIATION" CASS.EP, WHY WAS THAT SO? YOUR STUFF IS NOT REALLY METAL AT ALL SO WHAT SHOULD IT BE CALLED?
-Our work is not metal for those who put forms and say: This is this, this is that and all that bullshit. Neither do I characterize our music. The only thing I can say is that we are between, gothic- metal-doom, etc.
YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING SONG ON YOUR "DEVIATION" CASS.EP ... "PHANTOM OF THE OPERA", WHAT IS BEHIND THIS CHOICE? TO BE HONEST, THIS SONG SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC EVEN IT DOESN'T CONTAIN ANY BIG DIFFERENCES COMPARED WITH THE ORIGINAL VERSION!
-Nothing is behind the choice. We choose it to cover because it is a song that is lovable to all the band. The only reason that is absolutely fantastic is the reason Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote it.
THIS STUFF WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON A SPLIT-CD WITH NAOS ... WHAT DID HAPPEN AS THIS SPLIT WAS NEVER RELEASED? WERE YOU SATISFIED WITH D.S.R.?
-D.S.R. have been broken up for different reasons. D.S.R. deserted all the bands which it co-operate with and made us feel very miserable generally. Attitude that some non-original humans have.
YOU TOLD ME EARLIER THAT YOU HAD NOT "KNOCKED" THE RIGHT DOORS BECAUSE YOU HAD NOT A DEAL BUT NOW YOU DID OBVIOUSLY SUCCEED, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THRONE PROD. LIKE?
-Actually Throne Prod. found us and talked about a contract. We'll co-operate for at least 2 CDs and we will see what future brings. The best thing for a band and a label is the right behaviour and the right co-operation. And then everything goes well.
WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE? I THINK YOU ARE STILL VERY UNKNOWN HERE IN SCANDINAVIA (AT LEAST), SO IS YOUR STUFF SELLING IN GREECE MAINLY OR WHAT IS IT LIKE?
-We have response from all over world. USA; Canada; U.K.; Italy; Japan; Germany; Belgium; etc. The biggest response comes from countries of central Europe generally.
WHAT DOES YOUR LYRICS EXPRESS, I DO NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LIKE SO MAYBE YOU COULD INFORM ALL OF US?
-Our lyrics become from words like "depression", "melancholy", "autumn", "romanticism". You can get your very own conclusions.
WHAT IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN MUSIC AND LYRICS IN YOUR WORK?
-They are perfectly balanced.
FEMALE OPERA VOCALS ... THAT'S WHAT YOUR MUSIC HAS, MAKING IT EVEN MORE INTERESTING. NOWADAYS ALMOST ALL BANDS USE SOME KIND OF FEMALE VOCALS, SO COULD YOU TELL ME HOW YOU ENDED UP SINGING, JUST TO FOLLOW "TREND" OR FOR SOMETHING ELSE?
-The only reason we use female vocals is that they are the only one we have. No trend situations, fashion or follow some other movement. We began this way about 1993, a year that no band known to me in the act used this style of vocals.
CAN YOU NAME ANY BANDS/SINGERS YOU CONSIDER AS THE GOOD EXAMPLE WITH FEMALE VOCALS?
-Bands very known to me are THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL and PRESENCE.
ARE YOU ADDING MORE VARIETY TO THE VOCALS, MORE MALE-TOUCH PERHAPS? COULD THERE BE AN EN-GARDE -TRACK WHICH HAS NOT YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE AT ALL?
-The variety depends on the track and only the track. Maybe there will be a song without me. Nothing scheduled.
YOU LIVE IN GREECE WHICH IS MAINLY KNOWN BY ITS GREAT BM/OCCULT BANDS. WHAT YOU THINK, ARE THE "DARKER" BANDS MAKING OTHER STYLES LESS-KNOWN, I MEAN, ARE PEOPLE EXPECTING ALWAYS THAT SAME SOUND AND AVOIDING BANDS WHICH ARE DIFFERENT?
-I could not say that. There are two factors for me, the 1st is the promotion and the 2nd is the interest from the audience.
COULD YOU MENTION ANY GOOD GREEK BANDS WHICH DON'T PLAY BLACK-METAL?
-Yes and you better search for these bands. My favourite are ILUSION FADES, SONAR BLIPS and EPEBOC.
WHAT YOU THINK OF BM, DO YOU LIKE ANY BANDS, LET ME KNOW?
-Black-metal is something I respect but wait ... only the originals. Bands I like are DIMMU BORGIR, SATYRICON and IMPALED NAZARENE.
HAVE YOU PLAYED LIVE AND IF YOU HAVE WHAT IS IT LIKE?
-Not yet because we work a lot with the studio.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING BESIDES EN-GARDE? YOU GOT MARRIED WITH THE BASSIST GEORGE, DOES THIS AFFECT ON YOUR MUSIC?
-No, not at all. I do lessons in vocals/ piano to little kids. And a lot of time with EN-GARDE.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS WITH EN-GARDE?
-To live the idea as many years it could be!
FINAL GREETINGS, PLEASE.
-Yes, final greetings to you, your 'zine, your readers and a wish "Keep the flame burning!"
GRAVFERD (Nor) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Lars C. Larsen
GRAVFERD MEANS "FUNERAL MARCH" IN ENGLISH SO WHAT IS THY MARCH LIKE? SAD AND LONGING PERHAPS ...?
-Yes, I guess you could say that. This is the way we've chosen to show our feelings and views upon life. Through music. I also think that you can say that we are longing for something totally different, but what it will be like no-one knows yet. I'm looking forward to the day when I find the meaning of being here.
FIRST DEMO CAME OUT IN DECEMBER'95 AND IT WAS MADE IN AN INTERESTING WAY, THROUGH MAIL. IT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE COMPLICATED, OR...? TELL US ABOUT IT!
-Well, it wasn't that complicated really. I made riffs and put them together the way I felt. Then I sent them down to Morten who wrote the lyrics and figured out how he would play the drums. So until we had our first rehearsal (which was 5 months after he received my riffs), I did not know what the songs would be like. That was because he played fast where I thought it would be slow and vice versa, you know. But we thought it was good so we rehearsed once more and entered the studio where bass and synth were extemporized. Not too much work really. We were satisfied with it back then, but time changes and all our new material are made at rehearsals by all members.
GRAVFERD IS MAIN BAND FOR YOU BUT, AT LEAST, MORTEN HAS SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT, ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WORDS, GOING ON WITH DECAPITATION AND HE ALSO HAS MUSPELLSHEIM SO IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU? WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE TOGETHER ONLY CONCENTRATING ON GRAVFERD?
-Yes, maybe it would, but GRAVFERD was meant and still is meant to be a project band. The main reason for this is the distance (300km) between me and the rest of the band. But since our relationship is so good and we work very good together I see no reason to end our co-operation. But since I don't have any other musical projects going, I consider GRAVFERD as my main band. This is the way it'll be too.
YOU HAVE NOW FOUR MEMBERS IN THE BAND ... DOES THIS CHANGE ANYTHING WITH SONG-WRITING, ETC.?
-No, we are five now as Jon from DECAPITATION/MUSPELLSHEIM has joined us on bass. I don't think the song-writing process will change because of that. It's me and Richard who bring ideas with us to rehearsals and we, as a band, put the songs together. I guess this is the way it will be also in the future.
MORTEN DESCRIBES YOUR STUFF AS VIKING-METAL AND STATES THAT THE LYRICAL INSPIRATION IS TAKEN FROM THE SURROUNDINGS OF BORRE NATIONAL PARK, MEANING FROM THE VIKING BURIAL MOUDS. YOU ARE NOT, HOWEVER, INTO THIS VIKING-STUFF, WHY IS THAT SO?
-Well, that subject has never fascinated me. It's as simple as that. Not that I'm not proud of my ancestors because I am. But that is all you know.
AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR IDEOLOGIES I THINK WE ARE QUITE SIMILAR. YOU DO NOT SUPPORT ANY RELIGIONS, AND YOU HAVE DARK FEELINGS CONSIDERING LIFE AND PEOPLE ... ARE YOU HATING PEOPLE, SOCIETY, ETC. OR WHAT IS THIS THING LIKE?
-No, I'm not hating people and society. There are really a lot of scum out there but they are not of my concern. Except for when I'm drinking I do not socialize with too many people. Only a few which is enough for me.
NORWAY HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AS THE CENTRE OF SO CALLED BLACK-METAL MOVEMENT AND SEVERAL CHURCH-BURNINGS, TRIALS, ETC. HAVE RAISED A HUGE MEDIA-INTEREST DURING THE '90'S. WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THIS ... WHAT IS YOUR EXPLANATION FOR THIS MOVEMENT?
-As long as the people who did all those things did it because they felt it was the right thing for them to do, I think it was great. Every man shall do whatever he feels like all the time. And it seems like most of the actions happened that way, so I support them. An explanation for all this isn't easy to come up with, but I guess they wanted to show people that they are willing to fight for something they truly believe in, or something. I don't know.
NORWAY IS ONE OF THE MOST RELIGIOUS LANDS IN THE WORLD, SOME 90% OF THE POPULATION BELONGS TO CHURCH AND I THINK THAT THESE ATTACKS AGAINST THE RELIGION/ CHURCH MAKE IT EVEN STRONGER AS PEOPLE REALIZE HOW MUCH HATRED EXISTS AGAINST IT. DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT CHRISTIANITY COULD BE SCARED/FORCED AWAY FROM NORWAY WITH THESE ACTIONS? WHAT IS YOUR WAY TO REUNITE "THIS ONCE PROUD LAND" OR IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE?
-No! Not these actions alone. I guess it might make them stronger, but also more afraid of what things can happen to them in the future. I hope it was a tiny little start. As for getting Norway back to what it once was I think the political way is the only way to go. The legal way with other words. I think there might be something going on these days concerning that but I really don't know. I don't care to much for politics either so what can I say. I personally don't think that we will get rid of Christianity while I'm living, so what can I say ...
AS YOU ARE NOT INTO VIKINGS NOR SATANISM, WHERE IS YOUR IDEOLOGY COMING FROM? I THINK YOU DON'T FOLLOW ANY LEADER BLINDLY BUT I THINK THERE MUST BE SOMETHING YOU CONSIDER AS A GUIDELINE FOR YOUR THINKING, SOME AUTHORS/PHILOSOPHERS OR WHAT ...?
-Well, the only thing I live for is to do the things I want to myself all the time. I guess it's LaVey who said "Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" (or something like that). I have never been interested in his words but this sentence reflects me quite good.
IT WAS ACTUALLY NIETZSCHE'S SENTENCE BUT ANYWAY ... BACK TO YOUR MUSIC, AFTER THE DEMO YOU RECEIVED A DEAL PROPOSAL FROM SWEDISH X-TREME RECORDS, WHY IT DID NOT WORK OUT? WHAT IS THE DEAL LIKE YOU WOULD ACCEPT?
-I do not know exactly what went wrong, but they were unclear in their words conserning a few things. The contract itself were maybe ok, but we would have had to pay the studio ourself among others. Something we couldn't afford at all. That's the story shortly told.
YOU HAVE NEW SONGS READY TO BE RECORDED AND SOME PLANS FOR PROMO-TAPE HAS BEEN MADE. THERE WILL ALSO BE THREE TRAX FROM THE DEMO WITH NEW VERSIONS ... WHAT ARE THESE NEW & REMADE TRAX LIKE, ANY ESSENTIAL CHANGES AND INTO WHAT DIRECTION?
-There will not be any major changes in the old songs, except for "Paa nye tufter" which will be longer than on the demo. The songs will also be played tighter, and we may put on some more synth. As for our new songs they are better written in general and there are a lot more atmosphere in them. No major changes from the demo without that.
YOU WANTED TO FORM A BAND FOR YEARS BEFORE GRAVFERD WAS BORN, WHY DIDN'T YOU CREATE IT BY YOURSELF? WAS THIS KIND OF "DARK" BAND YOUR DREAM BACK THEN OR JUST A BAND, NO MATTER IS IT DEATH, BLACK OR SOMETHING ELSE?
-I tried a couple of times to form a band but it didn't turn out the way I wanted and we just did not come any way. And there isn't any good drummer in my area who share the same ideas as me, and I can not do much without anybody on drums. But I had this vision of forming my own band, and therefore it was also I who asked Morten to play with me after being in contact with him for a copule of years. I knew then that he shared a lot of my views when I asked him. And the result became GRAVFERD. It was my longing for music which made me start this band and nothing else. But my personality is very much showed through GRAVFERD too, so ...
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INTO "METAL- MUSIC"? YOU HAVE TOLD THAT SEEING MAYHEM, DARK THRONE, ETC. ON STAGE LATELY WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE ... SO YOU DO NOT OBVIOUSLY THINK THAT GIGS ARE FOR KIDS AND TRENDS ONLY, OR...? HOW OLD ARE YOU, BY THE WAY?
-I've been into metal music for 9 years, and I'm now 21 years old. No, I do not think that gigs are for trend people and kids. A good concert gives me a lot. Seeing DARKTHRONE, SATYRICON and DISSECTION were great. They made it a great experience being there. I'm sure there were a lot of people there who had not deserved to see these bands, but I do not care as long as I had a great time. By the way, the MAYHEM-gig were cancelled because of some Christians who would not give money to Oslo Rock Festival if they played. Fuck off to them.
WILL GRAVFERD PLAY LIVE SOME DAY? WHAT WOULD THAT GIG BE LIKE?
-Yes, we might as we are five members now but no plans are made. And since we have not talked too much about it I don't know what a gig would be like.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE KISS REUNION WHEN IT ARRIVES TO NORWAY SO YOU SEEM TO USE ALL THE CHANCES YOU GET, ARE THERE ANY OTHER BANDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU JUST HAD A CHANCE, AND WHY?
-I will not see KIZZ as the tickets were sold out within a couple of hours, and I am not a die-hard fan of them either. I like some of it that's all. I would very much like to see EMPEROR as they are surely one of my favourite bands. The same goes for GEHENNA. There are surely others too, but no-one I can remember right now.
CAN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE YOUR IDEOLOGY AND MUSIC YOU PLAY WHEN THEY SEE YOU? DO YOU WEAR BLACK LEATHER, CROSSES, OR ANYTHING ELSE WHAT IS CONNECTED TO BLACK/ HEAVY-METAL? WHAT DOES THE EXTERIOR THINGS MEAN TO YOU, IS IT IMPORTANT WHAT YOU WEAR AND WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU WALK ON THE STREETS?
-Yes, I guess so. I do (nearly) almost wear black clothes so I think that people who meet me in the streets sees me as what I am. A person who walks the dark path. Yes, I think the exterior things are very important to me. It reflects me as a person you know, and I wouldn't have felt comfortable wearing light clothes.
DO YOU HAVE ANY UG-ACTIVITIES BESIDES GRAVFERD, AND HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN CORRESPONDING, ETC.? DO YOU STILL REMEMBER WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST UG- CONTACT AND IS IT STILL EXISTING?
-Nothing much happens in my life except for GRAVFERD (even though I go to school I don't spend any time on it at all, so). I don't exactly remember when I started corresponding but I think it was in 1992 sometime. I think it was Morten (the drummer of GRAVFERD), or Mortiis I first was in contact with. I really do not remember it anymore. I am no longer in contact with Mortiis.
NORWAY HAS DOZENS OF BANDS WITH CD/ MCD-RELEASES AVAILABLE BUT COULD YOU MENTION ANY GOOD AND PROMISING BANDS ON THE DEMO/PROMO-LEVEL?
-I can name a few: WALLACHIA, COVENANT, DET HEDENSKE FOLK, KAMPFAR. I have not followed the underground here too much the last year so I don't know others.
I'VE SOME FRIENDS WHO WERE STRONGLY INTO PUNK-ROCK IN THE LATE '70'S/EARLY '80'S AND THEY HAVE LISTENED TO THESE NEW BANDS AND SAID THA THIS CURRENT BM-STUFF IS QUITE SIMILAR WHAT PUNK WAS ORIGINALLY SOME 15-20 YEARS AGO, WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS COMPARISON? ONE OF MY FRIENDS GOT BURZUM-STUFF FROM SOMEWHERE AND HE REALLY LIKED IT SAYING THAT IT REMINDS A LOT OF HIS FAVES FROM THE PUNK/HARD CORE-SCENE... IS THIS A SACRILEGE OR A PRAISE?
-Well, there might be something in it. I don't listen to old punk stuff and don't care for it either so it's a bit hard for me to talk about. But some of these old bands might have been favourites of the bands that started to play bm and so on. If that's it there might be a chance you know. But as I said, I don't know. What can I say about this BURZUM-thing. I do not really think that he can be compared to hardcore/punk at all. Hardcore/punk and bm can't be mixed at all. They are different as night and day. (Musically not lyricwise. Attitude, sounds, skills ... nothing in common? I can not totally agree with you -ed.) I'm sure we can find similarity between all kinds of music we want but ...
DO YOU FOLLOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN UG-SCENE WORLDWIDE OR DOES IT INTEREST YOU AT ALL? ANY COMMENT ABOUT FINNISH BANDS, ANYTHING YOU LIKE OR HATE ... ANY CONTACTS YOU COULD MENTION?
-It interests me to a certain point yes, but I do not follow the scene like I used to do. I do not have time for it anymore, as most of my sparetime is used on GRAVFERD. Finnish bands; IMPALED NAZARENE has some good tracks, the same goes for AMORPHIS. And I have heard some of DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED which are quite interesting. The WANDERER demo is ok too. I might hate some bands, but I do not spend my time on such bands. Can you recommend some Finnish bands? I would say hi to Isengrim & Crying Wolves mag both from Finland.
I COULD RECOMMEND YOU SEVERAL BANDS, BUT I RATHER SAVE TIME AND SPACE HERE BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT HERE ARE MANY BANDS WORTH CHECKING, REALLY! BUT ... WHAT KIND OF PLANS YOU HAVE ... PERSONALLY OR/AND WITH GRAVFERD?
-I have not made any plans for the future yet. At least not personally. With GRAVFERD it is to rehearse more often, write new songs, but most important these days to record our new material. That is about it. Nothing exciting really.
IF YOU WANT TO ASK ME SOMETHING ...
(Lars): What will happen to bm in the future, as a lot of bands are signing with major labels, etc. How "far" do you think this will go? Is this positive or negative?
-(Tommi): I hope kids would understand there are much more than black-metal for sale, not to buy all shit what is called bm. I'm sure hundreds of kids realize how stupid they look like and forget their "noble" ideas and ideologies when they wake up realizing all their ideas are just copied from others. Anyway, I think bm will turn even more commercial soon and I'm sure some think it's a death for it. Well, I don't even it's easy for me to say this 'coz I didn't enter the style in '93 when I began with my 'zine, I have listened to "dark-sounds" for over 10 years and this overwhelming amount of new bm-bands don't affect my taste, it only makes it easier to find even a couple of good new bands. I really don't care if major labels sign bands, all I care is the stuff bands make, I buy only good music whether it's released by a major or a small label. Anyway, I do understand the opinion that major labels destroy the style ... but you can find many other things that "destroy" bm, so it's too naive to blame only one thing. What happens, how "far" this all will go, only time shall tell but I hope there are still people who don't follow all shit but are able to think first. Listening to black-metal has nothing wrong but telling all kind of shit after only 3-4 years of experience with the style sounds really stupid, live and learn, suckers.
OK, FINAL GREETINGS ...
-Thanks a lot Tommi for this long and interesting interview. Good luck with your new issue. People out there, feel free to contact me. Thanks!!
LET ME DREAM (Fin) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Janne Peltoranta
DID YOU AND JANI HAVE ANY PLANS AND GOALS IN 1989, WHEN YOU STARTED TO PLAY TOGETHER? TO BECOME A ROCK-STAR, PERHAPS?
-It is a long time since we started so I don't remember exactly. Jani got a guitar for Xmas present and took some guitar- lessons. I lived next door to Jani, so we played together, and made plans to form a band. We had a dream to become as great and popular as METALLICA, of course!
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF MUSIC YOU PLAYED IN THE BEGINNING, BUT WHAT WAS THE REASON TO FEATURE "DETHRONED EMPEROR" BY CELTIC FROST AS A COVER-SONG ON YOUR FIRST DEMO? HAS THAT CERTAIN SONG EVER BEEN PERFORMED LIVE OR BEEN RELEASED ANYWHERE ELSE?
-Music was quite disorientated before the release of "promo'92". The style may have changed in each song. "Dethroned emperor" however, was chosen because CELTIC FROST is/was one of Jani's favourite bands, our style was close to the style of C.F. The song was performed quite many times on stage then, but not anymore.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS ON YOUR CAREER HAD TO BE THE TIME WHEN MARKO TUOMINEN/BASS JOINED THE BAND. TELL ME THE BACKGROUND ABOUT WHAT MADE HIM TO JOIN THE BAND? HE'S THE OLDEST MEMBER, SO DOES HE HAVE SOME SPECIAL "ROLE" IN THE BAND?
-You're right. When Marko became a member of CONGESTION, it was a great relief as he was already organizing UG-gigs, so we got more chances to play live. He also got the bass-playing in order. Well, we were planning the recordings of "Bed..." demo, and the studio was already booked. We decided to ask Marko if he could play the bass on the demo, so he is still a session member, heh heh. His role is not any different, he plays bass and sings. He's the oldest, but he's as crazy as all of us. Marko has been playing with very many bands, so that's why we wanted him.
"BED OF THE ANCIENT RIVER" DEMO WAS RELEASED IN AUTUMN 1993, AND I THINK THERE WAS SOME TOUCH OF THE PRESENT STYLE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. DID MARKO'S JOINING EFFECT THIS CHANGE OF STYLE OR WHERE WAS THE STYLE FOUND?
-Yes, we were getting closer to the own style. Songs were already finished before Marko joined, but the vocals were totally changed when Marko suggested the clear low vocals, which actually sounded great! I can't tell where the style was found, it came quite naturally. Maybe Marko's joining helped too.
YOU WERE LOOKING FOR A LABEL WITH "BED..." DEMO AND PROMO'94, AND ADIPOCERE WAS READY FOR A DEAL. WAS ADIPOCERE THE FIRST LABEL WHICH WAS INTERESTED IN YOU? WHAT KIND OF DEAL THEY OFFERED AND DID YOU SIGN IT WITHOUT ANY CHANGES?
-There were some labels interested in us, but Adipocere was the first which offered a deal for full-length. Label offered the deal for one CD, and it was accepted as such. Travelling expenses to studio and accommodation costs were asked for but they didn't accept it, damned!
THE ALBUM WAS RECORDED IN ONLY SIX DAYS. WHY SO QUICKLY, WAS IT DUE TO LACK OF MONEY? HALF OF THE SONGS WERE AT LEAST ONE YEAR OLD WHEN YOU RECORDED THEM TO THE ALBUM. WHY YOU USED SUCH OLDER SONGS?
-I'm totally pissed off when I'm reminded about those six days. Sounds and playing are total shit on the album. We had only six days, or actually only five days because the double-pedals broke up on the first day. Money wasn't the problem but there wasn't more time due to studies and work, and we wouldn't have had time to make new songs for a long time either. Most of the songs were planned to be recorded, and those songs on the promo'94 were featured on that tape only, not on any demo. I must say that I am not satisfied with the CD at all, even though it's good to have a CD available...
EVEN IF YOUR DREAM OF RELEASING A FULL-LENGTH HAD COME TRUE, THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS WITH ADIPOCERE ... TELL US ABOUT THEM?!
-Adipocere handled everything really well until the CD was released, we got 300 copies and then they just didn't reply to any of our contacts. We didn't know anything about sales, or anything else.
WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE NAME OF THE BAND BEFORE THE CD, WAS IT YOUR OWN IDEA OR MAYBE A PROPOSAL FROM ADIPOCERE? HOW DOES THE NAME DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC...?
-The change of the name was proposed by label and after that we began to think by ourselves that the name CONGESTION could be easily understood as a name of some brutal death metal band. Jani came out with the name LET ME DREAM. I can't tell how the name describes our music, we have lots of dreams so LET ME DREAM!
YOU HAVE BEEN CATEGORIZED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND I MUST SAY THAT SOME DESCRIPTIONS MAKE ME WONDER ... FOR EXAMPLE: "ATMOSPHERIC DARK BLACK" OR" DOOM/BLACK". I THINK YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ESPECIALLY BLACK-METAL, SO CAN YOU GIVE ANY BETTER DESCRIPTION...?
-Yep, even Adipocere advertised with such description as "gothic/black/doom", and I can not understand where these "black" descriptions come from either. Our music is "gothic styled pop with gloomy atmosphere"! Black-metal ... no way!
"MY DEAR SUCCUBUS" CD AND THE LATEST DEMOS/PROMOS, INCLUDE QUITE VARIED STUFF, AND I COULD EVEN DARE TO CALL IT ORIGINAL, BUT YOU MUST HAVE SOME PARAGONS AND INFLUENCES SO AM I TOTALLY WRONG WHEN I SAY THAT SOME GOTHIC BANDS HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF INSPIRATION FOR YOU? ANY BANDS TO MENTION HERE...?
-You are right, most important influences are from gothic-genre indeed. Jani does listen to lots of gothic music, and FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM is one of the main influences, and I think that CELTIC FROST has also been some sort of influence.
SUCH CONCEPTS AS "ATMOSPHERIC" AND "EMOTIONAL" APPEAR OFTEN WHEN YOUR MUSIC HAS BEEN DESCRIBED ... AND BESIDES THE MUSIC, ALSO SONG-TITLES ARE CREATING SOME KIND OF ATMOSPHERE ... SO WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS LIKE AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE FOR YOU?
-Our lyrics deal with various things because Jani and Marko are doing very different things. Lyrics have, of course, an important meaning, even though not as important as the music has. Lyrics tell about gloominess, own thoughts, dreams and also love as well. Vocal melodies have really big meaning in our songs.
VOCALS ARE ONE HIGHLY INTERESTING POINT IN YOUR MUSIC, AND VOCAL-PARTS ARE HANDLED BY MARKO AND JANI. FEELS LIKE MARKO'S CLEAN VOCALS HAVE BEEN INCREASED AND AT THE SAME TIME JANI'S BRUTAL STYLE HAS BEEN REDUCED ... AM I ONLY DREAMING OR IS THIS REALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED? HOW IS DECIDED WHICH STYLE IS USED IN A CERTAIN SONG?
-We have always tried to make vocals as varied as possible by alternating Jani's raw and Marko's clean vocals. We have much more Marko's singing nowadays. It depends on how the songs are divided and who made the lyrics. When Marko make the lyrics, he is also singing more on that song, I think. But we keep both styles alive for sure.
WHAT HAS THE FEEDBACK BEEN LIKE DEALING WITH THE CD AND "THE MAZE" DEMO V'96? ARE THERE ANY CERTAIN THINGS PEOPLE LIKE THE MOST OR DON'T LIKE AT ALL...?
-The feedback dealing with those releases has been really positive. We have been considered original, great - then again, some have considered us too soft. Sounds haven't been praised, and I don't like them either. Guitars are too "light". Everyone seems to like the vocals and synths as they bring more atmosphere. Synths and vocals are our trademarks, aren't they!
"STRING PERFORMER" IS THE INSTRUMENT JARI USES ON "THE MAZE" DEMO AND ALSO ON STAGE NOWADAYS ... WHY YOU CHANGED SYNTH TO THIS NEW INSTRUMENT? WHATEVER, IT DOES GIVE MORE ORIGINALITY TO YOUR SOUND...
-We've had synth as permanent instrument since the first demo, so until the album synth was bringing sound which was quite simple and monotonous in the long run. Then Jari bought this so called "string perfomer" that is quite an old instrument ... not any digital equipment but simple atmospheric instrument. You can create some great violin, cello and piano sounds with the instrument. Not any particular reason for the change, Jari just bought that Hohner mechanism. Great instrument!
EVEN LET ME DREAM IS STILL QUITE AN UNKNOWN BAND, YOU HAVE ALREADY PERFORMED OVER 30 GIGS HERE IN FINLAND, SO DO YOU ACCEPT ALL THE PROPOSALS YOU GET? HAVE YOU GOT ANY INTEREST FROM ABROAD?
-We've accepted many kinds of proposals, some gigs have been shit the others absolutely great. Nowadays we consider more carefully the proposals, all are not worth going. We've got some requests from abroad but they have never ended up in anything due to money problems.
YOU PLAYED MINI TOUR OF FIVE GIGS & EIGHT DAYS TOGETHER WITH TWO WITCHES IN FEBRUARY'96. WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE THAT TOUR WAS?
-We toured in northern Finland with TWO WITCHES. We played in Riihimдki, Tornio, Oulu, Rovaniemi and Jyvдskylд. Lots of fun and booze. Gigs went well, even though there weren't too much audience. But it was a great experince and would be a pleasure to make it again.
I HAVE HEARD THAT YOUR PLAYING ON GIGS IS VARYING COMPARED WITH EACH OTHER ... IS IT TRUE?
-It's true ... the quality of our gigs is varying. Everything just pisses us off sometimes, then also gig goes to hell. Conditions are varying, and they effect on playing and audience too. Our gigs go better nowadays, I hope we get more good gigs in the future.
YOU HAD ALSO SECOND GUITARIST FOR A WHILE, BUT JARNO KESKINEN WAS KICKED OUT AFTER SOME TIME ... HOW DID HE COME ALONG AND WHY WAS HE KICKED OUT SO SOON?
-Jarno moved to Oitti in spring'95, and we heard that he plays well, so I asked him if he is interested in joining the band. Jarno played about six months and four gigs with us. His thoughts and ideas did not match with me at all. We had often quarrels with this particular guy, and that almost crushed the team-spirit we have in the band, so we decided that it would be better to kick Jarno out!
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE EX-MEMBERS OF LET ME DREAM ARE DOING NOWADAYS...?
-Well, Jarno has his own things. Teemu, our first keyboard player, does not play anything special anymore, but he supports the band and has fun with us on the gigs. Then there was M.Pitk„nen who played in the band around '92, but I know nothing about him anymore.
ACCORDING TO AN OLD CONTACT ADDRESS, YEARNING, THE BAND WHICH JUST RELEASED DEBUT ALBUM ON HOLY RECORDS, HAILS FROM OITTI TOO. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON WITH THEM? AT LEAST I PICKED OUT THE BAND CALLED SURU FROM YOUR THANK-LIST ON CD-BOOKLET ... IS SURU THE SAME AS YEARNING?
-YEARNING comes/came from Oitti, nowadays band is rehearsing in Riihim„ki and only one guy lives in Oitti. We know the guys well, they even rehearsed at our place when all of their equipment were stolen. Two guys of YEARNING had the band called SURU but it broke up long time ago.
I THINK YOU WOULD DESERVE A QUALITY DEAL, BUT HAVE YOU GOT ANY INTEREST FROM THE LABELS ... ANYTHING TO TELL?
-Yeah, it'd be great to get a new deal. Some interest has emerged but nothing really special.
AFTER A SHITTY DEAL, HOW COULD YOU AVOID THE SAME SHIT HAPPENING AGAIN? IF I HAD THE CHANCE TO RELEASE YOUR CD, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT FROM ME?
-This is a tough one. We should check the deal out very well before signing, maybe we would verify the contract first. If you offered a deal? Well, we should see your terms first. At least we would want enough studio time.
YOU'VE ENOUGH NEW SONGS FOR A FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE SONGS IF YOU DON'T GET ANY DEAL? ARE YOU GONNA RELEASE THEM ON SOME DEMOS PERHAPS?
-Indeed, we have enough songs for full-length and we recorded a new promo which is sent to labels. We do not give up even we wouldn't get a deal, maybe this hard work is rewarded some day ... We try to release new tapes occasionally as we made new songs all the time. Let's hope we get a deal!
WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CRYSTAL BALL, WHAT DOES THE FUTURE BRING TO LET ME DREAM? HOW LONG YOU ARE ABLE TO WORK FOR THE SUCCESS, WHAT YOU THINK?
-The future looks very much the same as nowadays ... we will make new tapes. I am ready to work for a long time even if the success doesn't come. I enjoy playing in LET ME DREAM very much. The spirit of the band is really great, and it's one thing that keeps me going. And I don't have anything else than LET ME DREAM!
YOU HAVE ALSO SOME PROJECTS BESIDES LET ME DREAM, TELL US ABOUT THEM?!
-I have only one project going on at the moment and it's called HALLA. Marko plays bass and sings, Marko's brother Manu is the drummer and a guy from Oitti, Harri, plays guitar. I play synth and I've made couple of songs already. Manu played synth and I was drummer earlier, but Manu didn't handle the synth too well, so we decided to change places. Also our style turned softer at the same time. I have played some stuff with Jani too, but that is something we don't want to talk about. I would have lots of ideas to play alone as well, but not the equipment like drum- machine, good recorders, etc. to realize these ideas.
ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ASK FROM ME?!
... WHAT IS THE BEST LET ME DREAM-SONG YOU HAVE HEARD?
-(Tommi): Huh, to be honest, most of your songs are great, but the best... I say it is "The maze". Atmospheric and catchy, as most of your songs. Good work!
LAST WORDS, PLEASE! TELL US HONESTLY WHAT YOU THINK OF THE GREAT WORK OF ADIPOCERE REC.!?
-Thank you Tommi for this interview which was one of the best I have received. Greetings to all my friends! I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED AT ADIPOCERE!! Bye!
OPERA IX (Ita) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Cadaveria
HELLO CADAVERIA, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU AND THE OTHERS STILL KEEP ON GOING WITH OPERA IX/OPERA OF MYSTERY ... SINCE LATE '80'S?
-Simply because for us to play music isn't hobby, but a reason of life, a way of being and we strongly believe in what we do, and, finally, 'cause people have shown to appreciate what we do.
THERE IS THE 2ND FULL-LENGTH ALBUM COMING, BUT AS YOU HAVEN'T TOLD ME WHAT LABEL RELEASES IT, MAYBE YOU COULD REVEAL THIS SECRET NOW AND HERE?
-I guess you must still wait for some time, because the contract hasn't been signed yet.
YOU ARE AMONG THE ONES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED AS "CULT" BANDS, AND PIONEERS IN UG-SCENE ... BUT YOU ARE ALSO ONE OF THE BANDS WHICH HAS DEALT WITH WILD RAGS REC., AND ACCORDING TO MANY PEOPLE, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TREATED VERY WELL. COULD YOU TELL WHAT WAS THE MESS LIKE, I'M SURE MOST OF THE READER'S DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT...?!
-The fact that we had some problems with Wild Rags haven't anything to do with the fact that "we are considered a 'cult' band". What happened with Wild Rags happened because we were at the beginning of our story and were incautious and inexpert. The fact that we are spending so much time in finding a label for the 2nd CD is a consequence of what happened with Wild Rags and a demonstration that we have grown in this period! Anyway, if readers are interested in knowing the true story, Wild Rags proposed us to reprint the 7"EP + 1 bonus track on CD. We sent all the material (songs, photos, lyrics, CD cover and so on) but they did not answer anymore.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE 7"EP THAT WAS RELEASED BY WIMP REC. IN 1993? WHAT ABOUT OLDER RELEASES, "GOTHIK" DEMO'90 & "DEMO'92", HAVE THE SONGS BEEN REUSED, EVEN WITH REMIX OR SOMETHING, FOR 7"EP OR THE CD(S)?
-In 1993 we were satisfied with the 7"EP. Today that style doesn't represent what OPERA IX love to play. Anyway, all the responses were good! The two other older releases are only an indefinite memory. We haven't reused any songs from them 'cause, fortunately, till this moment we have not had any problem like lack of idea.
"THE CALL OF THE WOOD" CD, ONLY FIVE TRACKS AND STILL ALMOST ONE HOUR OF MUSIC WITH STRONG "PAGAN" FEELING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE LYRICS. MUSIC ITSELF IS NOT NEO-BLACK, AND FOR ME IT REMINDS OF MORTUARY DRAPE AND SOME OTHER CULT BANDS. THE MUSIC IS MORE THAN THIS COMPARISON TELLS, BUT IS IT EVEN CLOSE OF WHAT YOU THINK OF THE CD YOURSELF? TELL US ABOUT THE LYRICS...!
-Lyrics are very important in our songs. In each song, the lyric comes first, everyone who who have a "vision" can write a lyric. Then, with the music we must amplify the emotions expressed by the words, so every riff must follow the words, step by step. Our lyrics are written in solitude, and are inspired by experiences lived during rituals and meditations or are inspired by books of occultism, history, archeology, legends, traditions. The fact the songs are all so long is an our own characteristic, born by chance. We are not really able to make shorter ones! We are satisfied by this CD but we are looking forward to recording the 2nd.
YOU'VE TOLD THAT THE NEW TRACKS ARE READY, AND THAT THE 2ND CD WILL INCLUDE SIX TRACKS ... SO HOW LONG THE ALBUM WILL BE, 70 MINUTES PERHAPS? YOU TOLD ME THAT THE NEW TRACKS ARE MORE EPIC AND OBSCURE, WITH A LARGE USE OF KEYBOARDS, AND DIFFERENT VOCALS. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IT MEANS? IS THERE PROBABLY A SONG ON "THE CALL OF THE WOOD" ALBUM, WHICH GIVES A HINT WHAT THE NEW SONGS ARE LIKE? WHAT ABOUT BALANCE BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE VOCALS ... ARE THE FEMALE VOCALS IN DOMINANCE?
-Yes, the 2nd CD will last about 70 mins. The riffs are more black than in "The call of the wood", the lyrics often talk about ancient warriors as the Cimmeries, who believe in the force of the iron as the matter of their swords. There will be also a song in honour of Vlad Tepes, with devastating guitar riffs and imposing parts of keyboards. No songs from "The call of..." could give you an idea... Surely vocal parts are mostly performed by the female voice (mine) but the epic parts are well represented by the male voice of the keyboardsman Triskent.
WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE KEYBOARD- PLAYER FROM SILENT BARD TO TRISKENT? WERE THERE PROBLEMS, OR...?
-Silent Bard left OPERA IX to dedicate himself only to exoteric studies, he had no time to continue to play.
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR YOU TO USE STAGE NAME, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE NAME ALBERTO? DO YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SOULS YOUR NAMES REFLECT, OR IS FLEGIAS ONLY USED FOR THE IMAGE REASONS?
-Alberto's answer: Alberto is the name my parents gave to me, Flegias is the name I myself gave to me, the one that better represent my soul and my way of being.
NEXT QUESTION DEALS WITH CADAVERIA'S ROLE IN OPERA IX. SHE IS ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS HERSELF, BUT I DECIDED TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL FORM OF THE QUESTION, SO.... HOW CLOSE IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP, ARE YOU LIVING IN THE SAME TOWN, AND DO YOU HANG AROUND TOGETHER? WHAT ABOUT CADAVERIA ... SHE'S A WOMAN, SO IS HER ROLE/RANK SOME- HOW DIFFERENT? WHAT ABOUT HER MAN, DOES SHE "BELONG" TO SOME OF YOU?
-You are lucky, boy! Cadaveria is here to answer directly! We live in different towns but near each other. I have the same active role in the band as the other members. I am Alberto's girlfriend but I don't belong to him, I am completely self-sufficient! Thanks!
YOU HAVE ALSO SHIRTS AND VIDEO AVAILABLE, HOW IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INCOME THOSE ITEMS ARE FOR YOU? DO YOU PAY ALL THE COSTS FOR THOSE ITEMS BY YOURSELF?
-The video and the t-shirts have been produced by the band itself and they are the only source of money for us. In fact, we haven't seen nothing from our ex-label Miscarriage recs. yet, while the money we take from gigs is sufficient only to pay travel costs. So, only the merchandise produced by ourselves allows us to pay the rent of the room where we practise, and to buy instruments.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE VIDEO, SO TELL ME WHAT IS IT LIKE?
-The video tape contains two video clips of the 2 songs from 7"EP. It was realized by Alberto, who is a video-operator in some places (castle ruins and cemetary) near our home. I think it's a good work, also today that three years have passed since the release. The other songs on the video have been taken from a show, in Italy. The sound isn't so good and that live performance is now far from our actual shows, now we have gain confidence with the public.
SO WHAT IS YOUR STAGE-SHOW LIKE, ANY SPECIAL EFFECTS ETC., AND COULD YOU NAME THE BEST AND WORSE GIG YOU HAVE PLAYED?
-During our shows we try to reproduce the typical style of OPERA IX with the help of candles, incenses, veils, cemeterial objects, lights. The rest is done by the music itself and by my gestures. The best gig was two months ago, here in North Italy, there were many many people and the sound was really good, out and on stage, thank to a competent soundman. The worst was 4 years ago when we played for 30 people, in a social centre, in the afternoon, illuminated by the light of the sun, entering through the windows.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD PLANS FOR THE SCANDINAVIAN "TOUR", TO PLAY IN FINLAND FOR EXAMPLE? IF I HAD MONEY AND WILL TO ORGANIZE GIG OR TWO FOR YOU HERE IN FINLAND, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WOULD NEED FOR YOUR COSTS, ETC., AND WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO COME HERE TO PLAY? TELL ME EXACTLY, MAYBE I HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE THIS OFFER REAL ONE DAY, OR MAYBE SOME READER BECOMES INTERESTED IN ORGANIZING SOMETHING FOR YOU...?
-Plans? Every day we make plans but... realizing them is always a problem... It would be great for us to come to Finland. We ask only for travel costs, food, drinks and a place where to sleep. To play we need a good amplification system, a complete double bass drum, and many people who come to see us! If you are seriously interested, I will let you have all the details in my next letter. You, or the reader, let me know.
WHAT'S YOUR OPINION OF THE UG-SCENE, HOW MUCH IT HAS CHANGED SINCE YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCES?
-My opinion? There are too much bands. What has changed? Some years ago bands made demos, now too much bands make CD even if they don't know what means to play music.
YOU MUST HAVE PEN PALS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT WHAT ABOUT SCANDINAVIA ... DO YOU HAVE ANY SOLID CONTACTS IN HERE? DO YOU REMEMBER THE VERY FIRST CONTACT, AND IS IT STILL VALID?
-Too hard to remember! Anyway, actually, we mail with many people from Norway and Sweden.
WHAT IS THE SCENE LIKE IN ITALY? ARE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN GIGS, ARE THERE ANY PROBLEMS BETWEEN DIFFERENT BANDS, ANY TRUE/FALSE DEBATE GOING ON?
-The Italian scene is good, people are very interested in gigs. In Italy there are some bands like MONUMENTUM, MORTUARY DRAPE, NECROMASS, OPERA IX that merit to be known abroad. For what concerns OPERA IX, our fans support us around all Italy. About the problems among bands, personally I try to maintain good relationship with all. I'm not interested in this kind of "poors' war", I prefer to spend my time reading or singing instead of following these stupidities.
DO YOU HAVE OPINION OF "THE NORTHERN BATTLE"; CHURCH BURNINGS, DEATH THREATS, GRAVE DESECRATIONS, SUICIDES, MURDERS...? ANY SIMILAR ACTIVITIES IN ITALY?
-Yes, something like that happened in Italy. Personally I believe in freedom but also in the mutual respect. So, a person is free to make suicide but he is not so free to kill another man or to profane the tomb of another guy, I mean: Everybody is free to do and think what he wants, but isn't free to damage others' freedom.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THREATED BECAUSE OF YOUR LOOKS OR/AND IDEOLOGY ... WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE "A METAL HEAD" IN ITALY? ARE AUTHORITIES AGAINST BANDS OF DARKER MESSAGE, AND ARE THERE ANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH CENSORSHIP?
-The main problem for me is in ordinary life. In Italy it is still hard to be accepted by common thought if you dress in strange ways. For example, the world of works runs like this: if you work for yourself, that is if you are the owner of a shop, you are free to dress in the way you want, but if you have a boss you must conform yourself. In these last periods in Italy some events like grave desecrations have instigated a true chase to black-metallers, so you must be cautious in what you do. The problem is that authorities don't know anything of the black music, so they think all black metal bands usually kill people...
DON'T THEY THEN, EH. ANYWAY, WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE ... ARE YOU PRACTISING PAGAN RITUALS AND DO YOU BELONG TO ANY PAGAN ORGANIZATION?
-I don't belong to any organization. I prefer to practise rituals in solitude or with few trusted people like the other members of OPERA IX. I believe in the ancient forces of Nature and in the power of human pure mind, but most of all I believe in me. North Italy is a place full of old history and traditions, of places to visit to rediscover the old civilities, so I grew up with this culture.
WERE YOU INTERESTED IN METAL AND MUSIC IN GENERAL FIRST, BEFORE ANY PAGAN/ SATANIC OR WHATEVER IDEOLOGY/WAY OF LIFE, OR DID MUSIC BRING YOU TOWARDS THE WAY OF THINKING THIS MODERN SOCIETY TRIES TO IGNORE ALL THE TIME?
-About music, I grew up with VENOM and heavy metal in general, but surely the fact to play music today means to live strongly these occult atmospheres. It has become a way of life, a way to see the modern society with disillusion.
WHAT ABOUT UG-PRESS, ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS OR BOUNDARIES WHEN YOU ACCEPT THE INTERVIEW REQUESTS? ARE YOU FED UP WITH EDITORS ASKING YOU TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS? DO YOU CONSIDER EDITORS AS THE SCHAKALS WHO TRY TO GET FREE STUFF FROM THE BANDS/LABELS WITHOUT GIVING ANYTHING BACK, OR WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEM? HAVE YOU EVER MADE ANY 'ZINE BY YOURSELF?
-Surely there are some incompetents, as in all the fields. When I receive a new mail contact from a 'zine I expect there is a timbre on the envelope, the letter paper be professional printed and so on, so I usually mistrust of those who write on a common piece of paper and haven't any flyers of their 'zine. Anyway, in general, all editors make a good work and for underground bands it is important 'zine continue to exist. Personally I gladly answer all the questions, I refuse only the one that are really stupid. The problem is that I have no time to dwell. It was Alberto who made a 'zine by himself when he was sixteen.
ANOTHER FUNNY QUESTION, MEANT TO BE ANSWERED BY FLEGIAS BUT LET'S HEAR WHAT CADAVERIA TELLS ABOUT HER "MAN" ... FIRST THE QUESTION: WHAT KIND OF MAN YOU ARE?
-Obviously this question was for Flegias. (Really?-ed.) I can describe him for you, considering I know him so well! Flegias enjoy himself every moment, he loves to drink beer and he is a good drummer and an excellent video-operator. In the band, like in his life, it has a definite rule, he takes care (with the help of Ossian) of all Italian mail and organize gigs. I don't care of what people think of him and this allows him to reach his goals.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS, DO YOU ACCEPT THEM AS THEY ARE, OR ARE YOU TRYING TO CHANGE THEIR IDEAS/OPINIONS, OR DO YOU CONSIDER AS FRIENDS ONLY THOSE, WHO ARE LIKE YOU BY NATURE?
-My true friends are the members of my band and my parents. I must accept them as they are, if I don't, the cohabitation with them would be impossible! But, at the same time, I love to talk about problems than can exist, I am not able to live if something goes badly, I am a perfectionist: this is my defect but it's also the secret of the union between me and my friends.
ABOUT YOUR MUSIC TASTE ... ARE YOU LISTENING TO VARIOUS STYLES AND DO YOU CHECK OUT BANDS/RELEASES WHICH ARE NOT WHAT YOU USUALLY LIKE TO LISTEN TO, TO EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE?
-Yes, I listen to many kind of music (black, doom, classical, dark, celtic). I think they can be a good source of new idea adaptable to the style of OPERA IX, particularly of the classical, which is the main source of inspiration for keyboards sounds. Different is the topic of the lyrics, for which we inspire only to ourselves.
WHAT YOU THINK OF BANDS USING ONLY SYNTHS/COMPUTERS TO CREATE MUSIC, CALLING IT "RITUAL/AMBIENT/INDUSTRIAL", YOU NAME IT? DO YOU HAVE ANY PROJECT LIKE THIS?
-I do not like them so much, I prefer if the music comes directly from the hand (and from the mind) of the musician. I think the computer could be a valid support for an advanced band, but it must not replace the man. The result of the last SAMAEL CD, where the drum has been replaced by machine, is good but a little "cold". Lack of emotions is the main problem you meet when you make such experiments. No project like this for OPERA IX in future.
WHAT KIND OF PROMOTION YOU GOT FOR YOUR CD? HOW MANY COMPILATIONS FEATURE OPERA IX, AND ARE THERE ANY TRACKS WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN RELEASED ANYWHERE ELSE?
-We are not completely satisfied with the CD promotions. Miscarriage rec. is a very underground label and it haven't so many contacts for distribution. So, only 5000 copies have been sold and there are some parts of the world still virgin to it. I think "The call of the wood" has some potentialities that haven't been totally exploited. From some months the label take no interest in a 3rd reprint and so the CD has reached a situation of stasis. Now many people know OPERA IX and like them, but we had hoped in a better result. A new song called "My devotion" will soon appear on a comp.CD for the American Dwell recs. A new video (live) is now ready to be sell.
TELL ME THE PLANS/GOALS OF OPERA IX... ANYTHING YOU HAVEN'T TOLD YET?
-A new CD! In these last times it seems almost impossible to realize! The label with whom we had contacts for its realization is hesitating in giving a definite answer and we're looking forward to let fans listen to the new tracks. We trust in this new work and we want a serious label to release it. Be patient, once more!
MESSAGES, GREETINGS?! THANK YOU FOR THIS INTERVIEW, TAKE CARE!
-Thank to you!, to all the readers for their support, to all the fans for their trust! ...May the Great Portal be opened to you!!!
SAMAIN (Aus) download HERE
Questions Tommi Hakonen / answered by Warren Hately
I'M NOT ANY KIND OF EXPERT WITH OLD MAGIC AND PAGAN TRADITIONS SO MAYBE YOU COULD REVEAL THE SECRETS BEHIND THE NAME SAMAIN?
-SAMAIN is the old-Irish version of the better known Samhain. It has many diverse meenings which revolve around the fact of Samain being a name for a festival of pagan tradition falling on October 31st. I understand the name SAMAIN through the concept of eternal winter.
YOU PLAYED IN A BAND CALLED NAZGUL A FEW YEARS AGO, HAS THIS BAND ANYTHING TO DO WITH BAND CALLED NAZXUL WHICH ALSO COMES FROM AUSTRALIA HAVING A FULL-LENGTH TITLED "TOTEM" AVAILABLE?
-No, nothing to do with them, just some sort of strange coincidence.
YOU HAVE RELEASED "AN LEANABH NAOMH (BRISTE)" DEMO IN 1994 AND ALSO DEBUT CD "INDOMITUS" IN 1995 ... TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THESE RELEASES?!
-Yeah alright. Our demo "The holy child broken" was not promoted very widely because we gave a lot of tapes away to 'zines. That ended up either not existing or giving up before doing another issue. The demo is quite popular amongst the tape traders now, though. It was 35 minutes long ... quite straight-forward compared to our "newer" stuff ... but it was very extreme, crazed, and had the sound a lot of bands today are trying to capture for brutality (ZYKLON B, ODIUM, SWORDMASTER,...). The CD is available now after a full year of waiting: it was recorded September 1995!!! It is a 60- minute triumph of progressive, celtic-folk-influenced black-metal. US$20 from my address.
DEBUT CD WAS RELEASED BY BLOODLESS CREATIONS RECORDS BUT SEEMS LIKE YOU SHOULD HAVE PAID A BIG PART OF THE COSTS BECAUSE YOU TOOK A LOAN TO RECORD IT, IS THIS SOME SHITTY BUSINESS OR WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT IS/WAS THE DEAL LIKE ... FEEL LIKE STUPID QUESTION BUT ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE DEAL?
-Hell, I'd always like more money for it ... on the surface it is a pretty shit deal, but then again it is the standard "100 CDs out of 1000 pressed"-deal that many bands get on their first album. The deal was offered according to the label's capabilities. The minute Shane secured near worldwide distribution through MIM, he guaranteed no royalties and all that sort of shit. I took a loan out as we had to cover the recording costs of the CD. That is fucked, I am perfectly aware. The deal is okay (could be better) but there are defenately some good points to it (distribution, etc.).
DID YOU GET ANY OTHER (BETTER?) OFFERS OR WAS THE FACT THAT THIS BC IS AN AUSTRALIAN LABEL THE MAIN REASON TO SIGN FOR THEM?
-It's certainly easier dealing within our own country, ha ha, we always have the option of catching a plane and going to spill some brains if we get fucked over. However, this would not stop me signing overseas if the chance arose. We have not as yet received any serious offers, though No Colours and Osmose had offered us decent distribution for the demo just after we stopped making it...
WHAT ABOUT SPLIT-CD WITH II MOONS APART & ABYSSIC HATE ... IS IT COMING OR NOT?
-No, I don't think II MOONS APART even exists now. As for ABYSSIC HATE ... well, I don't know.
YOU DESCRIBE THY ART AS "CELTIC- METAL" BUT AS YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AS A BLACK-METALLER, WHY DON'T YOU TELL IT STRAIGHT ... IS IT BETTER TO TRY TO DIFFER FROM OTHERS BY USING DIFFERENT DESCRIPTIONS?
-I think titles and descriptions themselves are a waste of time anyway. I mean ... to tell it straight ... celtic black-metal has just recently began to boom somewhat, so I guess you would say this is a "trend" too?
WHATEVER THE DESCRIPTION, YOUR STUFF HAS SOME EVIDENT FOLK-INFLUENCES. I AM INTERESTED IN HEARING NEW MELODIES AND IDEAS FROM EXTREME BANDS BUT I MUST ADMIT THAT SUCH PRAISED BANDS AS PRIMORDIAL AND CRUACHAN HAVEN'T REALLY ATTRACTED ME ... AND I STILL THINK THAT ONE OF THE BEST BANDS WITH FOLK-TOUCHES WAS THE ENGLISH SABBAT BACK IN THE '80'S. I DON'T KNOW THE REASON BUT I THINK THAT BANDS SPOIL THE GOOD IDEAS WITH SOME KIND OF "DULLNESS", I JUST CAN'T GET EXCITED BY THEM ... AND I MUST SAY THIS THING OCCURS WITH YOUR STUFF, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HEARD ONLY THREE SONGS, BUT STILL. AM I JUST TOO NARROW-MINDED?
-Perhaps it's just not your "thing"? Who knows? As you have said, three songs does not make an album, and if you are not into the idea behind the band/music, then maybe you never will be ... I personally think PRIMORDIAL are a great band. You might not be narrow-minded, but if BATHORY is your favourite band ever (what you have alluded to me) then in many ways this is a very different style to folk- based metal (at least only BATHORY).
YOUR BIO STATES THAT ONE OF YOUR ATTEMPTS IS TO "BRING TO LIFE THE DARK AND MYTHIC STORIES OF THE GAELIC TRADITION". IN GENERAL, WHAT IS THIS GAELIC TRADITION LIKE ... EDUCATE US!?
-The Gaelic tradition is simply to keep alive a unique cultural form (originating from Ireland, Scotland, Wales) that has been subdued by a overwhelming amount of "Englishness". The language of Gaelic has been nearly eradicated by the dominance of English. The myths and tales of the Gaelic tradition have been affected by Christian revisionism. All we want to do is participate in helping ourselves remember our individual histories and identity ... to try and stave off the assumptions of homogeneity that ideas like the United Kingdom and (post) colonial Australia imply.
ABOUT PAGANISM... YOU ARE, ACCORDING THY OWN WORDS, PAGAN BY NATURE BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN YOUR EVERY-DAY-LIFE?
-Stripping my values and beliefs back to those that are reflected in the natural world. Trying to devalue the training that society has "naturalized" in my mind ... to try and override unconscious, socialized behaviour. I am an atheist, but I observe the old calender festivals as well.
I CALL MYSELF "A PERSON WHO IS ABLE TO THINK WITH MY OWN BRAINS". I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF AS SATANIST NOR PAGAN, I AM NOT PRACTISING ANY PAGAN CEREMONIES EITHER. I'VE MANY SIMILAR OPINIONS/IDEAS WITH DIFFERENT "-ISMS" BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE A PART OF ME BY NATURE. DO YOU PRACTISE SOME CEREMONIES, ETC. OR WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PAGAN?
-Yeah, well paganism isn't about "good and evil" either. I do not believe that for you, me or any other human, anything is "a part of (you) by nature". From before we can talk, or even walk, we are immersed in the cultural/social stream, conducted through language, where different things have different values for people of varying race, social class, wealth, sex, education ... Every decision anyone makes, every belief that is held, is a product of a socially-implated way of thinking, reflecting that person's situation (social context) and background (social history). A person who "thinks with (his/her) own brains has gathered ideas and ways of thinking from parents, school, television, books, films, general society and the people of similar circumstances you share time with. Such social people are inculcated into modes of thought which pre-date the individual existence (they function before you are born and they form you as you grow). Paganism is a form of de-programming, in a way. It is trying to remove all the values, attitudes, beliefs, opinions ideas and social conventions (etiquette and morality) by replacing them with non-social equivalents formed in the non- cultural, natural world (or as close to a perception of this as we may come).
ARE YOU STUDYING ANY OF YOUR BELIEFS AND IDEOLOGIES?
-Yes I am doing a cultural studies degree at university. Also I read extensively, and research the "Gaelic tradition".
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FINNISH MYTHOLOGY? AT LEAST, YOU ARE INTERESTED IN NORSE MYTHOLOGY, AREN'T YOU?
-Yes, I've read Kalevala several times, though not for several years now (more than that, really). I am interested in parts (at least) of nearly all European cultural myths.
NORWAY HAS "MANAGED" TO BRING THE BLACK-METAL MOVEMENT INTO MEDIA BY SEVERAL ARSONS AND OTHER ACTIONS AGAINST CHRISTIANITY AND RELIGION IN GENERAL. DO YOU HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SIMILAR MOVEMENT THERE IN AUSTRALIA ... ARE YOU FIGHTING AGAINST CHRISTIANITY OR JUST IGNORING IT?
-Oh, maybe there has been a church burnt down on the other side of the country, but there is no proof, some grave desecrations ... I ignore Christianity by actively fighting it with combatitive ideologies. I'm a devoted anti-christian. We can not hope to affect everyone, but we can at least double our numbers.
MY KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AUSTRALIA IS LIMITED BUT I THINK THAT DUE TO HISTORIC FACTS (IMMIGRANTS, ENGLISH DOMINATION, ETC.) ALSO THE CHURCH IS QUITE VARIOUS HAVING CATHOLIC, ANGLICAN AND MANY OTHER POLICIES, WHAT IS THE SITUATION LIKE ... ARE YOU FACING ANY PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN BELIEFS?
-The wide variety of different European- delivered religions plus the stress on "multiculturalism" in Australia (what a joke) means that generally the power of religion is weakened. Satanism is actually illegal where I live though, and the biggest restriction on my beliefs is the many stupid laws full of Christian morality that say I shouldn't kill people etc.
FINLAND FEELS LIKE A DISTANT PLACE WHEN I JEALOUSLY READ THE LETTERS OF MY GERMAN OR EVEN SWEDISH PALS WHO ARE ABLE TO SEE THE BEST METAL-BANDS ON STAGE WHILE ONLY THE BIGGEST (MOST COMMERCIAL) BANDS ARRIVE HERE ... MY "PROBLEMS" FEEL BIT FUNNY WHEN I THINK OF THE AUSTRALIAN METAL-HEADS AND UG-PEOPLE, BEING ISOLATED FROM THE MAINLAND MUST CAUSE SOME HARMS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE BANDS WHICH CAN'T JUST DRIVE TO OTHER COUNTRY TO PLAY OR GO TO SEE SOME KILLER BANDS THAT CAN'T COME THERE DUE TO COSTS?
-If you are distant, at least you are in Europe! Australia isn't close to anywhere interesting, and in Australia, where I live is thousands of miles from the cluster of big cities, so I am isolated again. It's kind of great, really, ha ha. We actually do occasionally get tours, but we are the arse-end of the world, and none of these big bands put any real effort into it. I totally understand what you mean about not being able to see any decent, especially UG-bands. Hell, in Perth (where I live) we find it hard to get other metal-bands to do live shows with.
I'M NOT VERY AWARE OF THE AUSTRALIAN SCENE BUT SEEMS LIKE THE BEST KNOWN BANDS (BESTIAL WARLUST, SADISTIK EXEKUTION,...) ARE VERY INTENSE AND THAT THEY HAVE SOME SIMILAR TOUCHES. COULD YOU MENTION SOME AUSTRALIAN BANDS BECAUSE THE SCENE CAN'T BE FULL OF "NOISY" UG-BANDS, OR...?
-No, I think it does seem sometimes like the Australian "sound" is noisy, chaotic stuff like those bands you mentioned, plus DESTROYER 666, SPEAR OF LONGINUS, ANATOMY,... Also there are some great,sort of different bands ... ABYSSIC HATE; NETHERWORLD; STARGAZER; ORACLE OF THE VOID. Other bands DARKLORD; NOCTURNAL; SERAPHIM, nothing that special.
IS THERE SOME KIND OF "DEVIDE" IN MUSIC/SCENE BETWEEN WEST AND EAST? AT LEAST THE DISTANCE FROM PERTH TO MELBOURNE IS REALLY HUGE, SOME 3000KM...!
-Basically there is no metal scene here. There are a few bands, but nothing very much happening.
IS THE "SCENE" LIKE "A CLUB FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE" OR WHAT IS THE REASON WHY SOME KNOWN BANDS SEEM TO RELEASE MUSICK WITH THEIR "NOT TOO DIFFERENT" PROJECTS TOO?
-Many of the better known bands are either very much influenced by SADISTIK EXEKUTION, or are ex-death metal bands trying to play black-metal since it got well known here. You must realize that most Australian's only found out about black-metal in mid 1994. Also, bands like DESTROYER 666 & BESTIAL WARLUST are all from Melbourne, so maybe that explains their similar sound.
ARE YOU CORRESPONDING A LOT? WHAT KIND OF PROMOTION BC IS ABLE TO GIVE YOU AND DO YOU HAVE ANY "BIGGER" DISTRIBUTORS IN EUROPE, FOR EXAMPLE?
-Yeah, I do more mail than I can enjoy, that is for sure. Also my girlfriend's computer blew up last week so now I am answering with a pen (sorry). Um, we are yet to really see what the promotion from Bloodless C. will add up to. In Europe our distributors are: Audioglobe(Italy); Osmose(France); Merciless + NB in Germany (also I think No Colours + Malicious); House of Kicks(Sweden); Spinefarm in your country; Voices of Wonder / HNF(Norway); Plastic Head(UK); Witchhunt(Switzerland); Damnation(Holland); Repulse(Spain); Pingo (Denmark); Napalm(Austria). Then there are a bunch of smaller distros & labels.
CONTACTS IN FINLAND ... ANY OPINION OF FINNISH BANDS ... TELL ME!?
-Yeah, Finnish bands are okay. I think we have some different opinions there though. I really loved the 1st AMORPHIS CD, + demo, DEMILICH. For some reason I can't think of anyone else decent at the moment. I tend to think (in general) of the Finnish scene, at least once, was made up of many very original bands. But now...? What do you think??!!
THERE'RE MANY GREAT BANDS IN FINLAND BUT LET'S GO ON. AS YOU ARE AN ARTIST, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW YOUR OPINION ABOUT DRUGS AND OTHER "MIND-EXPANDERS" ... ARE SUCH NEEDED TO REACH THE UPPER FEELINGS AND IDEAS?
-I do not take drugs, nor do I drink. I think "mind-expansion" is a total illusion brought on by physical changes in the body (brain, eyes, ears, etc.) by drugs. I think it is a bit lame when people go on and on about how great music is on drugs. Maybe I am too firmly rooted in reality, maybe that is not a good thing? I don't know, but it is pathetic when people can't rely on themselves for creativity.
HAVE YOU EVER MADE ANY SERIOUS GOAL TO SAMAIN, SOMETHING TO REACH, AND IF YOU HAVEN'T WHY IS THAT SO?
-We have reached our goals so far (demo release, CD-release, live shows). Now I'm only interested in refining what we have done, perfecting our sound. I want to do a concept album and maybe travel a little with the band. We are not totally over- flowing with ego, but we have will-power, drive ...
NEW FULL-LENGTH ... ANY ESSENTIAL CHANGES OR/AND IMPROVEMENTS?
-I really want to do a MCD next, so that then the next full-length can be a concept album (still metal, not some kind of lame ambient shit release). There are some parts of our sound I can already tell we are leaving behind. Mainly this is to do with some very unsophisticated, simple parts. The overall style (speed, vocals, heaviness, acoustics, etc.) remains. I am always more interested in layering the sound to a greater degree.
YOUR CHANCE TO ASK ME SOMETHING ...! ... HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN PEOPLE SAY JOURNALISTS ARE ONLY FAILED MUSICIANS?
-(Tommi): Hah, I think that is possible, in some cases. I have never played any instrument or ever tried to be a vocalist either, so I don't consider myself as a musician of any kind, not even failed so. Maybe this exception confirms the rule, I don't really know or care.
FINAL GREETINGS AND MESSAGES ...
-Keep an eye out for our future stuff and destroy your lives trying to buy it all. Hail to you Tommi and everyone I'm in touch with. Salute as a free person!!!
TIERMES (Ger) download HERE
Questions MW / answered by Jarkko Toivonen
SO JARKKO, HOW IS LIFE THESE DAYS? YOU ARE LIVING IN TAMPERE NOW, ARE THINGS SETTLING DOWN FINALLY?
-Eh - I & my mistress got clamydia when I did bloodoath with Lahti area's Temple of Tiermes member. It was nobody's fault 'coz this virus can live in your body years without showing any symptoms. Good news for my enemies ... but which doesn't kill makes you stronger as Fred wrote.... Things are really settling down, Tampere feels like home now. Last time I visited Imatra I got depressed. I thought how the hell anybody can live in this Russia-like town. Full of drugs and violence. Of course I didn't remember how violent it was, so I got to streetfight & the result was for me one broken rib + some minor injuries (bruises). One female was smashed to face but I don't know what happened to the others. Hopefully bad injuries. I was delighted to come back here from "Russia".
YOU USED TO PLAY IN DOOM BAND UNHOLY WHICH RELEASED TWO CD. WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE BREAK-UP OF THE BAND? DIDN'T AVANTGARDE RECS. (WHO RELEASED THE SECOND ALBUM) WORK OUT WELL EITHER (AFTER LETHAL RIPPED YOU OFF)? OR WAS IT WHEN PASI (BASS/VOX) QUIT/GOT TIRED THAT YOU COULDN'T FIND A REPLACEMENT? I ALSO HEARD OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS...
-I didn't like the ideas of Pasi & Ismo. So I didn't go to rehearsals anymore, I just played my guitar at home & did "Easy living", drank beer + smoked pot. In fact UNHOLY is now preparing to do 3rd CD as a 3-piece session band. Again for Avantgarde! Avantgarde didn't work well. Always delays etc. Pasi is now again in UNHOLY. Perhaps his "SALAISET RASIAT" band wasn't enough for him. Punkrock. Of course the label had financial problems. Everything from flyers (which wasn't even printed!) to major promotion was fucked up. That was also one of the reasons why I left the band & then after a while I moved to Lahti & then here.
UNHOLY WAS ABOUT TO DO A EUROPEAN TOUR, WHICH NEVER HAPPENED, WHY? THERE WAS ALSO TALK ABOUT OPHTHALAMIA NOT WANTING TO TOUR WITH YOU, IF I'M CORRECT. IN DARK MOON #1 YOU CALLED "IT" (VONDUR/ OPHTHALAMIA/ABRUPTUM) "SH-IT" AND "A SWINDLER", WHAT WAS BEHIND THAT? WHAT IS THE SITUATION LIKE BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU THESE DAYS?
-As I said ... Avantgarde fucked up everything. For example Roberto informed 5 days before the BLACK SABBATH/CATHEDRAL & (guess who) tour that we should travel to England! I wasn't in Imatra back then, and when I returned, we'd have 3 days to rehearse, buy passports, take insurances etc. shit. Unbelievable! "IT" wanted not to tour with us. It was days of Finland vs. Sweden & Norway. I called "IT" sh-it because he said in one Finnish mag. That Finland is full of idiots and losers. I don't remember the mags' name. I have answered about 500 interviews and I don't have photographic memory so... Besides he did rip-off to me. A really major one. I went to bankruptcy! He did want to trade ABRUPTUM-7" to my pornmags. I sent porno to him but never got the 7", that is the size of it ... it was ridiculous. So I guess black-metal can also be funny sometimes. Sh-it happens you know it! Haven't heard about him for many years.
AND WHAT ARE THE OTHER UNHOLY GUYS DOING NOW? IS ISMO STILL DIGGIN' GRAVES?
-Ismo stopped gravedigging and started working in steel factory. I don't know what the others are doing.
TIERMES' MUSIC STYLE IS AMBIENT, AND THE FIRST ALBUM IS OUT NOW ON ELFENBLUT (A SUB-LABEL OF MISANTHROPY REC.). WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO SWITCH STYLE TO AMBIENT, AND ARE YOU HAPPY WITH ELFENBLUT? ANY FEARS OF GETTING RIPPED OFF AGAIN, OR IS IT "KOLMAS KERTA TODEN SANOO"?
-Doom metal & bm had nothing to offer for me. I had done my work in doom metal music and wanted to explore new fields. I have always been into alternative. Yes, I'm very happy with Elfenblut. After we signed it took only few months and the album was out. Elfenblut is prof label, not any "hobby" like the smaller labels. They have good promoters & distributors. Well, anyway, I'm an artist, I am not so much into materialistic things. No fears about rip-off.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO FORM TIERMES AND HOW DID YOU HOOK UP WITH JUSSI SAIVO? DID YOU BOTH AGREE RIGHT AWAY ON HOW TIERMES SHOULD SOUND?
-It took about Ѕ hour. We met in CIRCLE's gig and decided to start co-operation. Yes, but we are still experimenting. Soon we will find the very personal TIERMES style. We are cosmical tools.
YOU'VE DONE TWO PROMOS WITH TIERMES, BUT THE FIRST "GANDHARVA CONSTELLATION" WAS NEVER RELEASED. YOU EVEN SAID THAT IT WAS OUT OF YOUR OWN REACH, SO PLEASE TELL US WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE?
-It was too experimental. I used human skulls & other weird instruments. Besides it made very bad feeling if using head- phones. I studied how some frequencies affect to human brains. If frequency X comes to your right ear and frequency Y to left ear, the left and right side of your brains creates frequency Z! Then both sides start vibrating (in neurotic scale) creating different states of mind depending what frequencies are used. I used frequencies which make you feel very bad. That's why I didn't want to release it. Too dangerous in wrong hands.
THINK YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PLAY A GIG IN LAHTI, WHERE THERE WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN PERFORMED MAGICK, S/M, ETC. DID THIS EVER HAPPEN?
-1Ѕ years ago Temple of Tiermes' members performed in "St. Maurice's Blood Party". S/M & screaming guitar + razor cutting my arms. It was a short performance in this live role-play because the fire-engines was alerted there. Total chaos... 400 people L.R.P. Last L.R.P. "Song of Deceased" was cancelled (summer'96).
NOW TO SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS. SOMETIMES AGO YOU WERE ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION OF DRUGS, BUT INSTEAD OF GOING TO JAIL YOU GOT TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THE SALVATION ARMY. HOW DID THE COPS KNOW TO RAID YOUR PLACE, DID SOMEONE TIP THEM OFF OR SOMETHING? ARE YOU AN "OLD AQUAINTANCE" OF THEM PERHAPS?
-Yeah, some asshole phoned them, besides I was under surveillance. Fuckers searched me every now and then. When I moved to Tampere it didn't took long when 5 or 6 cops raided my house. Nothing was found. I know now who phoned cops, my friends will give him hard time.
WHAT WAS THE TIME IN THE SALVATION ARMY LIKE? DID THOSE PLANTS (AS YOU REFERRED TO THEM) GLADLY ACCEPT YOU, OR WERE THERE ANY PROBLEMS? PERHAPS YOU JAMMED WITH THEM!?!?!?!
-Because they're plants - putting clothes from table to a box 8 hours/day for who knows how many years. They seemed like some autistics with empty gaze so I don't know their reactions. No, I didn't jam with zombies ... in fact my "inmate" (financial crimes) gave me good ideas how to make some money without getting caught. Visa speaks! And I told him how to smuggle stuff from Russia. Ok, it was only 4 hrs/day, 2 times/week for 80 days. Easy "job".
TEMPLE OF TIERMES - THE ORGANIZATION ... WHAT KIND OF ORGANIZATION, NUMBER OF MEMBERS, ASPIRATIONS AND GOALS, GENERAL PHILOSOPHY, WAYS OF SPREADING PROPAGANDA - LET US KNOW!
-Organization for artists, egyptologists, occultists and philosophers. General philosophy: individualistic, open minded and persons into speechless knowledge. No Church of Satan crap (membercards, etc.). I don't reveal more. About propaganda, I just tell I write to every religious jerk who sends me Christian bullshit.
HAVE YOU EVER USED, OR THOUGHT OF USING AN ARTIST NAME?
-Yeah, in '88 we had those stupid kinda "Azazeot'lgr... Necroanus Cthulhu, Desmodamoaboath" shit. Though my name is given in Christian baptism it's better than those ridiculous nicknames. I don't belive kids using those nicknames in home or school or in rehearsals. Stupid, besides Germans usually call me Jarko. Is 2 K's really so hard to spell! I think Wienerschnitshel is harder.
HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN THE GATE BETWEEN CONSCIOUSNESS AND UNCONSCIOUSNESS OPENS DURING FUNGUS TRIPS? DO YOU SEE DIFFERENT THINGS EVERY TIME, AND HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BAD TRIP? IS THE INTENSITY OF THE EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THE AMOUNT OF FUNGUS CONSUMED?
-Perhaps "mind expanding" or "my real self appearing" would describe it best. When self are connected to cosmos ( or chaos, whatever person on this state of mind wants to call it) I see everything as it really is. It is really great to understand hundreds of things at the same time. I see things only in dreams, I mean Castanediad meaning of dreams. Not day- dreaming or when you sleep... To meet allies in "art of dreaming", it is unbelievable. So far I've met messengers of 3rd level. This needs practising. Messengers of 3rd level appear in dreams of "normal" people as their close friends or parents. I mean as "normal" people those who don't practise these kind of things. Oh, I missed the point. Allies & messengers are not the same thing. Yes, I have experienced bad trips. No the amount of fungus is not important to the result. At least psilocybe semilamceata mushroom. Smallest amount was only 10 psilocybes & the experience was same as hundreds of mushrooms. Seeing things I would call experiences. The more you're experienced the more you learn.
SUPPOSE YOU ARE IN THE STUDIO. SUDDENLY, A POLTERGEIST TAKES POSSESSION OF THE PLACE AND STARTS TO DESTROY THINGS ... THINGS FLY AROUND, TAPES ERASE THEM- SELVES AND WHEN YOU PLAY THE ALREADY RECORDED STUFF, ALL YOU CAN HEAR IS SOME CANNIBAL CORPSE-LIKE DEATH METAL. HOW WOULD YOU REACT AND HOW WOULD YOU TRY TO BANISH THE POLTERGEIST? WOULD YOU EVEN TRY, OR JUST CHANGE STUDIO?
-Nice and funny question. I would send the tape to Earache!
ON THE MAILORDER CATALOG OF A CERTAINS DUTCH RECORD COMPANY UNHOLY'S SECOND ALBUM IS DESCRIBED AS BLACK METAL. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
-Actually nothing, I just wait when my meal is ready.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE GUITAR AS YOUR MAIN INSTRUMENT? IS SEVEN DIMENSIONS THE ONLY WAY? DESCRIBE THE ULTIMATE JARKKO TOIVONEN CUSTOM MODEL!
-I guess when I heard "War pigs" I wanted create something like that - then when I was 18 I bought Les Paul and then Strat. Guitar has so many possibilities compared to any instrument. Ah fuck you! Thin neck 25 inch. 2 humbuckers + 1 single-coil 24 frets. Fretmarks & mic's are fluorescent. Floyd rose tremolo system. 7 strings + some "tricks" I've add something to my instrument. (I don't mean guitar effects)
YOU SAID IN AN INTERVIEW THAT YOU KNOW THE TIME OF YOUR DEATH. FROM WHERE DID YOU GET THIS KNOWLEDGE AND DOESN'T IT PUT UNNECESSARY STRESS ON YOUR LIFE, KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING DONE BY A CERTAIN DATE?
-I got the information while Xysorium witch noticed my eyes were glowing green. I just was visiting him. I have no stress besides I know it in 1-2 years exactness.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO MANY FUNERALS IN YOUR LIFE, AND HOW DO YOU LIKE THE ATMOSPHERE AT FUNERALS IN GENERAL? DO YOU SOMETIMES FIND IT CONTRIVED?
-I hate funerals. I haven't been in any funeral... Anyway, I was almost able to see my grandmother dying. I went to visit her but she had died 2 hours ago. At least I had possibility to see a dead person. She looked quite peacefull though her mouth was grotesquely open. The silence was incredible. Well, I sometimes walk at graveyard (our studio is about 200 m from medieval church + graveyard). Some years ago I found human skulls + some bones from Imatra.
CAN YOU TELL SOME THINGS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED ABOUT YOUR "SELF" SINCE YOU STARTED SEARCHING? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY SURPRISING DISCOVERIES AND HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP SEARCHING?
-Shortly. Every now and then I discover something amazing. I don't stop it until I'm dead.
THE LAST SONG ON UNHOLY'S SECOND ALBUM IS VERY WEIRD. IT REMINDS ME OF "INTO THE PANDEMONIUM"-LIKE AVANTGARDISM. WAS THAT TRACK RECORDED UNDER THE INFLUENCE?
-I & Pasi made it in half an hour. Under the influence ... I'm not sure, I guess yeah!
IF YOU COULD HOLD THE PRESIDENT'S NEW YEAR'S SPEECH ON TELEVISION AND SAY WHATEVER YOU WANTED WITHOUT HAVING TO FEAR ANY CONSEQUENCES, WHAT'D YOU SAY AND WHO WOULD GET SOME SHIT?
-Ha haa!! Hmm... I would say: Hello dear citizens. I, Martti Ahtisaari now declare every Christian activities forbidden. Tomorrow dear citizens, churches are changed to gig places. Members of church will be sold as slaves to northern Russia archbishop John Wickstrцm will be hanged in Senaatintori. Everybody is welcome! Hanging will take place tomorrow at 3PM. Before that, let's all eat well! There is food for everyone! Happy new year! Lenkkimakkaraa ja koskenkorvaa sek„ olut- ta riitt„„! After that public hanging & Christians to Russia! Tomorrow this tv- channel does not exist. Same things does happen to TV1, TV2 & PTV4. New TV1 is pornochannel, TV2 will be for movies, MTV3 for good music and PTV4 for alternative things. By pushing this button, I shoot XL 5, AIKAKONE, Samuli Edelman & some others to sky in huge new year rocket! (Kaboooom!). Happy new year, let's party! Hard times are over tomorrow, we get good money for the Christians and the unemployment does not exist, burp! (drinking Lapin Kulta beer). The speech is over dear citizens. Let's paahhtayh!!!
WHAT'S THE WORST GIG YOU'VE BEEN TO, AND WHY DID IT SUCK?
-I guess Parikkala gig. Very small town, population 5000! Audience of 200! No beer drinking allowed etc. The audience was ok but the gig arrangers were probably Catholics or something... because we were "rockstars" they did pay us only about few hundred FIM. Usually they pay about 1000FIM. So, I shouted to arrangers to fuck off and other hatefull things what came to my mind. They tried to stop the gig but we continued. Again I cut my arms with razor & the assholes were stunned. Then we started to hit our instruments against the amps etc. They said that our services are not needed never again in Parikkala.
DO YOU THINK SOMEBODY OUT THERE PRAYS FOR YOU? IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR YOU ANYWAY (HA HA)?
-I guess the Christians whom I send "hate" letters. Next time I ask money from them & tell their prays didn't make my financial situation better. If they knock my door I ask money + to suck my cock. Then to lick my ass & feet + lay down & open mouth so I could piss & shit there. Then I would thank them and say: "See you soon!"
N THE PAST YOU CONSIDERED UNHOLY TO BE THE BEST BAND IN FINLAND. IS TIERMES THE BEST IN FINLAND NOW? WHAT DOES TIERMES MEAN?
-It's about the person's musical taste. I think we did better album than BEHERIT (at least!). This is good album for the 1st one.
UNHOLY ALSO DEALT WITH WILD RAGS. WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCES DID YOU HAVE WITH THEM? IT SEEMS MANY BANDS HAVE BEEN TREATED BADLY BY WRR.
-Total rip-off label. Fuck them.
ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ME, TOMMI, OR BOTH OF US? NOW IS THE CHANCE! ...
-(Jarkko): This for both of you: what's your opinions of psilocybe? Do you consider it as a drug (like shooting speed etc.), or suitable "doors of perception" opener for people whose psyche is strong? Have you ever tried 'em? What do you think of Schopenhauer's & Wittgenstein's theory that reality is same as dream, only creation of the brains? Is it insane to say "2+2 is at 3 o'clock exactly 4"? Or "there does exist only one 1"? If you unite Schopenhauer's & S.W. Hawkings' "Grand Unified Theory" The last two questions get new meanings. so? (wormhole theory/Schopenhauer...)
-(Markus): I've never tried psilocybe myself, so I don't have any personal experiences with it. Yes, I'd consider it a drug, maybe not as serious as speed and other hard drugs, but since it affects your mind, I'd say it's a drug. The same drug can affect different people in different ways, so before you start to take e.g. psilocybe, you should somehow make sure your psyche is strong enough to handle it. The question is; How do you know (in advance) that your psyche is strong enough to handle the drug you are about to take? That is where the uncertainty lies for me. As for S. & W.'s theory, it could very well be true. However, I also think that reality and dreams depend on each other, without reality there wouldn't be any dreams and vice versa. As for reality/human existance only being a creation of the human brain, that's a bit too hard for me to believe. I think that we are all here, very concretely, on this globe of shit called Earth, it's too depressing a place not to be real, ha ha. I wouldn't say it is insane to claim that "2+2..." etc., but as far as I know, 2+2 is 4 at all other times as well, or?!?! As for uniting the two theories, hmmm..., I have never read Schopenhauer or Hawking myself so I can't comment on that question, sorry.
-(Tommi): Never tried psilocybe either, and I consider it a drug. And I consider it as serious as any other drug, because all of them destroy human being sooner or later, no matter how strong one's psyche is ... one just may not realize what is happening. As for the other question, I think Markus already told it.
HERE THE JOURNEY ENDS. FINALLY YOU COULD TELL THE READERS WHAT THEY SHOULD NOT TRY AT HOME IN 1997!
-If your toothbrush disappears don't use chainsaw instead of it. Call 112 and ask their help. Mouth hygiene is important, take it seriously. Also do not watch "Wheel of fortune" & "The bold and the beautiful". It will cause serious brain- damage...
For and behalf of TIERMES
Jarkko Toivonen