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ANCIENT - Interview

Ancient interview All right reserved

Sehmetia: Hello. Good to see you back. What kept Ancient away for so long?

JesusChrist: head roaches

Dhilorz: Hails to you!
There are some reasons, first of all most of us were pretty busy with personal stuff, our private life, families, business/work etc were the main reason, the band got some offers to play around but was not very easy to manage things and in the end the band was just able to play some shows in South America last year and then when things were almost solved a minitour last december was cancelled because of some problems with the promoters, also the band had to deal with a line up problem, things now are better so we think we'll soon back on the road and also in studio with a new album!

About NightVisit I’ve read that each member has contributed more to the making of it as compared to the rest. Could you tell us more about this? What was so different about NV and how do you see your contribution to it?

JC: I was far away writing stuff and didn't get to work with the other guys at all, bastards! joke, so I have no idea what they were doing except I think they bickered a lot, I guess it was good I avoided all that

Dhilorz: It's true, during the songwriting of NV the band had the chance to spend more time together and the songwriting was more then in the past the mix of all our influences and ideas, I've worked more than in the past forsome reasons, I felt much better since we started working, I got back my guitar and together with Aphazel we've spent quite a lot of time jamming and doing demos, instead of work only about the bass, this time I tried to be more active ad with the guitar I've wrote some riffs for many songs of the album and also during the recording, I've done both bass and some of the guitars, rhythm, acoustic and even a solo in the end of Rape the Children of Abel, was a great experience since in the past years I was more concentrated on the bass... and now I'm still working more with guitar then bass, also with some other bands!

I see you have collaborated with female artists for NightVisit but none of them became part of Ancient. Is there a female member in plan? What can you tell us about the current line-up and its provisioned stability?

JC: I guess its a question about who is having sex with who and how bad they want to be in the band, oops! did I say that?

Dhilorz: As I was saying before the line up is now better then some months ago, we just announced with an official statement that Morfeus of Limbonic Art/Dimension DF3H joined us, the situation is still now complete though, the drums are still vacant but we're talking with some drummer and soon we'll announce the new one, the fact is this thought, we're not 20 anymore, we're not students just thinking to have fun, play and get drunk, at our ages we've more responsabilities and we've to deal with many other things... so the problems are the tours and in case the band will have to think about some session members, it's the only way to keep the band active for the live shows, if not... e risk to never have the same period free and not be able to tour for long time...time will say anyway bu I'm pretty optimistic about it.

What was the initial purpose of Ancient, in connection to the band name as well, and how well it’s been preserved? [as the sound changed, the Norwegian lyrics are gone, females appeared with their own ideas and style, the members have been from all over the world] Won’t you say it has taken Ancient farther from its Norwegian roots?

JC: Yeah, I think it has, but it has made it something different, and by the way I learned a while back that my heritage in Italy, was invaded by Vikings, So Suck it! I got some Viking blood!

Dhilorz: I'm not the best one to reply to this question since I play with Ancient from 1999, of course the band has Norwegian roots but now the members are really allover the world, the style also changed throughout the years, but is normal, almost noone of the bands that create the typical Norwegian sound are still playing the same stuff, Ancient like them had an evolution during the past 15 or more years, I think this is good, about the fact the Norwegian roots are maybe gone, I see that also some other bands from there played or still play with also member from other countries... the world changed in the few past years, I think on a way this is positive, but then we could spend hours taking about it!

How does the making of an album take place, considering the distance between you all? Deciding on the theme, the lyrics, musical line of the album… How many opportunities for rehearsal do you have?

JC: I don't get too involved in this, as I always have to leave so its futile, I would like to be more involved in this process but we do clash a lot of time on ideas, but thats distance and having such separate lives.

Dhilorz: With the actual technologies things are much easier then in the past, just need a pc, a program to record and some time to save ideas, it coudl be a riff, a part of a song or even a full song, it doesn't matter, then with internet files are be sent allover the word and the rehearsals are just the last part, usually the band in the past years rehearsed only before the tours and even for Night Visit, the time we spent together was the time we felt was the necessary one... to living on different countries brought us to a different view of how to work, optimizing the time and I think this is also a good thing, with time, after many experience the band is pretty much more professional then in the past, we know what to do even without talking, I like this way of wrk with the band and to be honest I also use it with other bands I'm involved too!

How was Ancient before you joined the band? How did you see it as an outsider and how did your perception changed after becoming a member?

JC: It was great, and now its all fucked up! (chaos ensues)

Dhilorz: When I joined the band Ancient just finished recording of The Halls of Eternity, in the beginning I felt like being part of something bigger then me, the first show I played was in Belgium and I was very nervous but also excited, I knew the band since the beginning I remember some years before me and my friends playing Svartalvheim in the car or at home while meeting together, then Trolltaar EP or The Cainian Chronicles, Svartalvheim is still a masterpiece and I love to play live some songs form it, also Trolltaar is a great song and the EP is awesome, anyway I remember the first time I listened to Cainian C. I thought that everything was different, from the sound (Dan Swanö did a great job) to the style, but I thought was great I like bands evolving, doing experiments...as I said I love the first period but also after the band did a great job, maybe not all of you think the same... but I still think that a band has to find always new limits and not just play the same riff on a different way... if we've all the things we've now it's because in the past someone tried to create something new and it's the same with the music!

Thorne[Scareifina]: I didn't know anything about Ancient before I started with them. I think that is a good thing because I didn't write to try to fit I just wrote what I was feeling about things I wanted to explore.

Ancient has had a lot of concerts. On the last tour Aphazel was not present. You did the vocals. How was that? And what was the feedback of the public? What memories do you have from the concert in Romania?

Dhilorz: Yeah in South America Aphazel couldn't play, it was quite messy before to leave, we almost cancell it but then the promoters told us that shows were sold out and the crowd there would have not understood it...so in few days I get all the lyrics and started sing and play them for the first time, was stressing but also very cool, in the end I think I did a good job, crowd was enthusiastic, the feedbacks really awesome, i'm sorry they couldn't see the band with Aphazel but was the only way for us to play there, I think they agreed, I had fun playing and singing on stage but it was a bit strange, i use to do lots of headbanging and this time I coudln't almost move from the mic, so was quite weird, I prefer to play only... at least with Ancient, with the other bands I'll see what to do.

I've pretty good memories of the show in Timisoara, was great time, everything was perfect, the crowd really awesome, I remember one thing, the security was done but the army, first time I sen it and I think was great I felt something like "we're dangerous" and also the same about the crowd... this is metal, something that normal people can't understand and is afraid about! I really hope to come back there soon...too bad the shows in 2006 and December 2007 were cancelled... I think this year Ancient won't miss to play there again!

Could you tell us your view on Proxima Centauri? It is an unexpected subject and it’s interesting how you always make a totally new interpretation of things, even though sometimes it seems so agglomerated.

Dhilorz: If you're asking about the music of P.C. I've to say that I consider it a great album, pretty various, with many little details to discover day after day playing it, about the concept of the song Proxima Centauri or why to call an album like this, well... I'm not the best one to ask about it, I thought that was cool a title that is not very easy to forget but I prefer to leave you the freedom to read the lyrics and get your own idea about them!

Thorne: I really don't know how the idea of Proxima Centauri came about, I only know about the songs I wrote. Being so far away from the other members it was difficult to discuss things.

Could you unveil “Audrina, my sweet” for us, and its connection to the album?

JC: I was working on musical compositional stuff, and I thought that could be an interesting break in the album, Thorne aka Scareifina from my other band "Wicked Little doll"did the lyrics, I was like, "this song needs some spoken words spooky style on it, write some shit!" and then she was like, about 2 hours later "here it is" and I was like "Thanks, thats great!" the hard part was getting The two voices synched up, as Deadly recorded in italy, without me, and I recorded Scareifina at my studio in NJ, so I had to edit like crazy, it was fun and amusing, and it came out great! I especially love the way it explodes into the next song.

Thorne: Audrina, my Sweet" has no connection to the album. I was asked to write a song last minute, so I just wrote a song about my favorite book. "My Sweet Adrina" by VC Andrews. I love her books because they are just as strange as my life, and I feel very connected to the charecter Adrina. She and I are very much alike.

It is said that Finish Devil worshippers listened to The Cainian Chronicle album before/while murdering a 23-years-old man. What is your opinion on this tendency of blaming the bands, the artists for other people’s actions? On the other hand, this might have been a plus for Ancient’s image. What do you think?

Dhilorz: Yeah the Finnish Murder is a very strange thing to accept, there are a lot of homicides and murders every day, of course when you hear that someone is doing such things listening to your music it's a weird feeling... for the imagine of the band for the true Black Metal fans maybe this a good thing (I hope not) in my opinion was a crazy thing and it doesn't matter if they were listening to Ancient, Deicide, Morbid Angel or even some crappy Hip Hop music (also talking often about murders) I've my idea, I prefer to keep it for me... anyway I think is not good that someone is going to kill other people using your words or your lyrics!

Thorne: Music is the messenger and sometimes people get the message wrong. Bands must have the right to say anything they want and not be held responsible for the actions of those that listen to it. People must take responsibility for their own actions.

Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends’ Japanese version had the bonus track “Morte El Potere”. The Japanese always seem to get special attention from various bands and artists. What do you think of this, why is it so and why did Ancient decide to launch such a version there?

JC: We were forced at gun point by Brian Slagel, oh yeah, where is the money from Japan sales, I need some beer, I mean a lot of beer, the kind of beer that requires money from Japan.

Dhilorz: In Japan they always ask for something more then European or American versions, I think it's a way for them to promote albums like "special" in their market, Proxima Centauri was released with God Loves the Dead MCD as bonus and Night Vist with also had the bonus... I've got some other Japanes albums of various bands in the past, they always have something more that you can't find around here... good for them!

Thorne: Record labels are willing to allow more money for art and such on albums for Japan because sales is so high in Japan.

[Jesus Christ!] Which lyrics composer you liked the most on this album [MGB] and how did you work on creating the music on the songs that wear your signature? On Proxima Centauri you appear a lot as a lyrics composer too. Please tell us about this aspect too.

JC: I like all the lyrics, but I was very close to thorne on this record so I got more time to understand what they were about, most of the time I don't worry about it too much what lyrics mean, as when you work with people you get into arguments and you begin to think they are about you, I have a knack for pissing people off when we work together, haha, except for aphazel, he and I just ignore each other for creativity's sake, and it works, as for my own lyrics, my favorite line is "Eat your own head and spit into space" that was cracking me up in the studio, yeah and also nothing is really too serious and it was all just thrown together, I get too picky if I don't just write it down and say my favorite expression "Fuck It"here it is, the all important lyrics!!! haha!

On both Mad Grandiose Bloodfiends [Sleeping Princess of Arges] and The Cainian Chronicle [Song of Kaiaphas] the Wallachian wolves are invoked as well as the land beyond the forest. Anti-christian themes and vampiric ones are like a mark. Why did you bond them? What else do you know and think of wallachian and transilvanian lands? What’s the purpose/history of these songs?

Thorne: I have always been captivated by Transilvian lands and history. It is very inspiring. I long to go there, and someday I will, in the meantime I enjoy evoking the spirit of thease lands through writting.

Is sorcery and magic the way to freedom? How do you dream/live life?

JC: It could be jail time for some crazy fucks out there, believing they have demons running amuck in their heads and nightmares, Don't get me wrong Satan is the funnest guy around town!

Dhilorz: I've my own idea about it, just prefer to keep it personal!

Thorne: Magic is always inside us. The whole universe is an oracle and there are no accidents one must always see with many eyes.

Could you tell us about the future plans of the band? What should we expect and by when should we prepare ourselves for an Ancient concert on Romanian lands?

Dhilorz:
Well, we're actually working about the new album, we don't have any dead line and we don't feel pressure to record something just because we've to do it, we're all quite busy so things will be done with the necessary time, about concerts we hope to come back on the road as soon as possible because this is the best part of being a musician, tours, teh amazing feeling on stage and the crowd in front of us while we play, it's really adrenalinic, i've to say that the best crowd ever was in East Europe and in South America... so this are for sure 2 "areas" I wanna come back very soon I can't promise anything, since we need a promoter there to have a show, but if possible we'll come and play in Romania very soon, and possibly afterit don't wait 5 more years before to come back again! I think 2008 will be the right year to see us on stage in your country!

And now, if you allow me a more hilarious question… How do you pronounce “Jesus Christ!”? The “!” makes me wonder – is it like “Jesus Christ! Oh, my god! What have you done?!” or is it more like a strong statement? Why choosing this name back then?

JC: Funny enough it is just a bad joke, I think religion is a joke, and following other peoples systems of belief are a joke, back then everyone had elaborate satanic names, of which I found to be too serious for me as a person, it just doesn't fit with my personality, and I gotta be real, it may work for other people but me, if people met me in person and we were drinking and having a laugh at shit the seriousness of my brutal name would seem silly, also I wanted to come up with some kind of name and I was like, Fuck It! I'll call myself "Jesus Christ", Aphazel understood and added the Exclamation point for added comedy, we are like a spinal tap style Black Metal band, we take ourselves seriously in a funny way that comes across as serious sometimes and a joke others, we just don't wear big rubber masks and foam prosthetics like puppets do.

I would ask the same question to all of you, regarding the name. How did you choose it and how does it influence you? Have you become the name or has the name become you?

Dhilorz: I am myself that's it! The nickname I got is something really personal, I wasn't looking for a strange name or something particular... "Dhilorz" is my nickname with the bands but I prefer to be called with my name..!

Thorne: I choose the name Thorne after my Grandmother. She taught me the ways of nature and magic. I was Thorne, but now I am Scareifina and that name is me comming into my own. Names are very powerful and they do change you.

What would you say about today’s scene [not the bands, but the audience]? They pay more attention to the bands if they have interesting names?Do they care about your work, owning it, or they prefer concerts? Would you say it’s getting shallow? Or not?

JC: People probably don't give a shit in most scenes, but I have and understanding that a lot of extreme metallers do like fancy names with there musical delicacies, but only in Black metal and that sort of thing, some people laugh at it and can't get it, but to each his own is what I say, and be your fucking self, don't take shit from others and do what you like to do.

JC: People are busy as shit just trying to get by doing what they do so DL all you want, if you really like it by the album if you can, if you can't come to a show, and I will sell you a shirt and a CD for cheap, this way we get to meet hang out drink some beers, shoot the shit and you get to leave with something, well I can only answer the way I would want it when I go to shows, I don't fuck around!

Dhilorz: I think internet opened new frontiers... on a way it's great on the other is pretty bad, I'll never stop to buy records when they are good and I hope people will continue doing it... if not I believe in few years most of the bands will be dead, already some labels and some bands stopped activities, the sellings aren't very good anymore so why invest lots of money in equipments or in expensive and professional productions when after you see that 10 years ago even a quite good demo tape was selling almost the same... about concert it's strange too, some people prefer to save money for the shows and then buy merchandise (t-shirts mostly) there, some other are not buying records and also not going to shows very often... the sellings for the band are important but not so important, since most of the moeny are for the labels, but the sellings are bad, the labels will close for bankrupt or just will brake the contracts and the bands won't have any other chances to record n,ew albums, for a band usually the best way to make profit (let's say to cover expenses for the equipments bought) is the live side, the tours, if tours are good the band can continue if people prefer to go to the pub instead of the concert...soon the band members will find something else to do!

I miss the old times, the middle of 90's for example cds (or Lps) were not so expensive as now, the concerts also and the crowd more interested in the bands works... I don't know I think someone should explain to most of the fans that we're not all rich driving Ferrari or Porsche and if they steal the album or miss the concert, they just risk to miss the last show or the last album of the band... this is for bands like Ancient, a bit bigger or especially for smaller bands... is completelly different for the big act... I don't have to name them!

Thorne: People seem to value really getting to know what we're about. People crave integrity and attention to your craft, and that will never change.

Is there anything you'd change about Ancient's videos? Or you'd like to make one yourself?

Dhilorz: The re are many things, biut when the budget is low, you can't make so much... for the next videos we'll try to use the experience we got in the past years and do something better... it's a goal of all of us to do things always better!

Thorne: I would have liked to have more time and a better bedget for the Willowthewisp video, time and money always come into play,we do the best we can with what we have. That video is very special to me.

Any behind the scene stories, happenings that you remember and can tell?

Dhilorz: Oh, yeah, there are so many...that probably I'd need more space then for the whole interview... I can just say few, like for example to get to the Border between Slovenia and Austria during the "Proxima Centauri European Tour", with Finnish Thyrane and Italian Stormlord as Tourmates, plus the crew, in December 2005 and get the police in the bus, asking for the passports and the various nationalities and when he was told them (Norwegian, Finnish, Italian, German, Swiss...) He just asked if we got also any Taliban inside... was 2 months after 09/11 and was quite weird!

Or to get late at the border between Ukraine an Poland on September 2005 and sicne the traffic jam was huge, to pass the border walking with all the stuff we had with us just not to miss the plane in Poland to bring us back home.

To sleep in Van in Norway in 2000 'coz we got a snowstorm and wasn't possible to drive anywhere else then outside of the gas station!

And so on, probably so many that you can't even imagine... and for me to think about them it's always like to think "We're crazy...and it's great"

Are you involved in any other projects?

Dhilorz: At the moment I'm involved in some other projects, a Swedish band called Nihil Nation from Gothemburg, another one from near there called The Anger, going to record a demo for the labelsfor a project called Dyin'Art and also trying to work out for 2 other bands, Morbidian and Black Trip, I've been played for a while with italian Black metal act Kult and just joined in the last days a french Act called Ad Hominem... if you wanna know more about this bands, just check on MySPace and you'll find most of them, soon I'll do an offcial statement about all my projects... in the last months I just figured out some things about my life and I'm focussing on some different things then in the past, I've the feeling I shoudl have done it before... but sometimes we understand things a bit too late!

Thank you for your time. I must find a way to stop my curiosity so I’ll just ask if you’d like to say a few words to your fans and readers.

JC: Step right up Folks and Check out "Horroble" and "Wicked Little dolls" I will sell you shirts and CD's cheap, my email is carnygoat@yahoo.com, I also enjoy going to the post office, DMV and other gov't run facilities, also remember we love you guys! in a strange not so awkward sort of non gay way, unless you are gay, then I guess its a sort of gay way at that point, oh! and Hail Satan!!! Say Hi if you see us around!

Dhilorz: I'd like to thank you for the nice interview, one of the best I've ever replied and also to thank all the Romanian fans, we've got mails and messages in the past months and we're sorry if after 2003 we weren't able to play there anymore, just watch out 'coz I think 2008 will be the right year to see us again on stage in your country... thanks for your support ad keep the black flame burning!

HORROBLE - Interview

Horroble interview All rights reserved

1. As far as I noticed you have a different view on beauty, fashion, trends of today’s society. It’s not that you don’t like beautiful women J, but even the band name – Horroble – is like a statement. Please tell us about this name and what is Beauty for you.

Luci: There you go again with your philosophy and intellectual thought, My view of Beauty is not different, its just as odd as yours, I guess its not decided by what others think but more about what I think, but thats actually pretty fucking common, Also about the name, there is no Secret, thought it would be entertaining to reply with“it’s Horrible” when people asked about the bands name, also I wanted people to be able to find the band if they looked for it, so I misspelled it, un-purpose, oh, I mean Fun-Purposely.

2. The design of the merchandise shows a concept that is offering two alternatives – to sell or no to sell your soul to the Devil. And the 666 and upside down cross are also present, but discrete. By this, you want to speak of choice or confusion in people?

Luci: it shouldn’t confuse anyone, have a good time; decide for yourself, lets not make any rules. personally I don’t need or want to pressure anyone, it makes life dull and everything boring, and imagine how pissed off I would be if I cared.

3. This being your band, how does it represent your personality and ideas? Are you caught somewhere between a horror and a goth style? What’s your favorite horror character? I don’t know why, but when I look at some of your pictures, I see Freddy Krueger.

Luci: I’m caught between Goth and Horror, Am I? today I was trying out a copy machine that I found, and I had demons in my brains according to the copy of my face I made. Really I am into Horror, and not really big into Goth stuff, a lot of it is also Horror related so I could see why, but its just really straight up Horror influenced, not Death, Goth, Psychobilly, Black Metal, I mean it has elements of each, but we don’t have rules like those other styles, lucky for me.

I like lots of Horror Characters, but the more sarcastic and crazy the better, ie. choptop, Leatherface, Toby hooper’s movies “Texas chainsaw..” as well as “Eaten Alive”“ produced a few not so pleasant crazy faces, also The original “the Hills have eyes” thats entertaining, I like George Romero’s “Martin” that character is so troubled, But i am a big fan of Fulci, for his camera angles, and story lines, and music choices, good stuff. I don’t know why you see freddy krueger in my photos either, but let me ask you, do you live on Elm Street?

4. People might already know you from your collaboration with Ancient as Jesus Christ! and then LuCi, but your band is something totally different. What reactions do you expect from the public from this point of view?

Luci: Bad ass reactions, I expect people to hear it and go “Cool! I don’t have follow rules now”, it’s way more cool, I also encourage people to wear Masks and Halloween Costumes to the concerts or when you just listen to it, scare each other for fun, its really fun to scare people and freak people out, i do it sometimes and I have a good time, the music is not scary, its just a little weird, but it has that vibe that is kinda like, fuck it! I’m going to have a good time tonight, but a little strange good time, the kind of creepy good time you tell your grandkids about, and then scare them.

5. What connection is there between the song “Horroble”[NightVisit-Ancient] and Horroble, your band’s band? Is there any?

Luci: It was a cheap marketing plot to get the name remembered, seriously it was, I am not a big fan of marketing, the lyrics, don’t really matter? I don’t put too much worry into them, if I did I would never release words on albums, I would worry that people would take everything too seriously, and for Horroble thats not the case, this shit is not some Preachy shit, nor is it a overdone party music, its Horror, and just as diverse, I actually allow lots of pretty girls into Horror at my shows, so thats really cool, its about Horror, and a good time with it, it really is something I have wanted since I was a child, hence why the music can be diverse as I want, if its Horror related it fits thats all, we are really trying not to be pigeonholed.

6. What was the effect of being involved in such different bands, including Wicked Little Dolls, both on your own self and on the concept and activities of the bands?

Luci: I have drank way too much beer, started hating people for no reason and that regular stuff that people do. Actually it’s the opposite, although I do drink a lot of beer, all the bands and projects are something I have to do to keep my mind from getting all messed up, I have a very active imagination, and I try to do everything myself, so it doesn’t get all off track, I just don’t get enough things done. All the time, I need stimulation, dammit! right now I am watching TV, Eating, Drinking a beer, doing this interview and editing a live music show for a friends band.

7. Has the band reached a stable configuration? How is the live aspect of the band? Concerts, tours, parties etc.

Luci: No! we don’t have a stable or anything to rehearse in, we are all still alive (at this moment) if thats what you are asking, I go to concerts all the time, parties and Events!!! so I am down for that party, Currently we are not doing fun things, but that will change soon, I am now on the west coast, and my bassist is on the east, I am trying to get him out here, cause he would enjoy it, but he is sometimes lazy, or broke, or both, he is cool though.

8. You also launched your own business – Carnygoat Records. What kind of music you want to shelter there?

Luci: Its really just a front for a bigger secret operation!

9. Are you planning on making a video? You must have thought about it. What song you’d start with and why?

Luci: Yes, I love videos and I love horror movies, thats the point of the band, “Werewolf Lover” looks like it might be the one to start, but that could change, it won’t be a very normal video, no super budget or anything, but it will be cool, I study a lot about films, angles and filming techniques, so expect something refreshing, if you like horror of course!

10. Except music, you have tried your writing skills as well. Would you say there is a difference between a poet and yourself/a band’s lyrics composer? What are the differences [if there are any]?

Luci: Okay, I am confused as shit about this, if you find any Peot books with my name on them then they are just using my name for the fame, SO ARE YOU TELLIN ME THAT THERE ARE FORGERER’S MAKING ME INTO SOME GAY ASS POET?

11. Do you believe in paranormal phenomena? Have you ever tried to explain yourself such things? What is your theory regarding the other world/underworld/this world?

Luci: The Horroble album is named “Death of Ghost, so I might have killed a ghost, or something with a ghost, now I have these demons as I said earlier, from the copy machine , actually I have a song about demons “ the Fever”, thats about demons in your head, I don’t really like to talk about this stuff too much, we all have too much to worry about, to worry about demons in our heads, thats just scary talk, oh, and i have seen some people that think they should write their congressmen about it and protest about it, and they were actually just crazy people, i feel sorry for those people as it might be rough sometimes for them, i think everyone just gets too hung up about things, ideas, its a waste of time to try to figure everyone out and convince them of things, it’s like politics, boring, boring politics(yawn).

12. Could you tell us how many instruments you play? What’s your favorite, how good are you at it? Have you had other occasions to manifest your talent except those bands?

Luci: I play Guitar, its my bag. I have some keyboard time on occasion, really I started with that for composing Soundtracks, the cello almost never anymore, the skin flute since I was a child and the beautiful lustrous lady flute since the tender age of 17, I own a bunch of guitars, I am having a custom guitar made right now by a guy in Colorado, “Revenant Guitars” cool shit! check em out, www.revenantguitars.com , until I get that I play my Gibson Flying V, it has such a cool mid range tone, so when I play it un-amped, it sounds great, I have as well a Les Paul, it has its tone but the action is too low, and I don’t want to fuck with it, an older B.C. Rich Bich and Warlock, these are both fun to play fast stuff with because of the semi-wide flat neck, and a Fender Strat, that neo classical tone is fun sometimes, I really fell in love with Hiwatt and Sunn Amps, they are just so fucking loud and clear when you play them, I’ve got a few pedals Like a Rangemaster Clone, Octavia Fuzz, and few others but I really like a more simpler setup, so I try not to go overboard. I used to use a some Digital stuff but at loud volumes it would mask my particular playing style, and that was boring, Digital is good for a lot of things, but I currently stay away from it

13. What are the future plans of the band?

Luci: We are making another album, a video, and just plain old causing mischief.

14. Could you tell us about the making of the album’s artwork?

Luci: it made me smile when I was doing it, I just said yeah that will be fun, Horror art is Fun! I don’t think I could ever paint a bowl of fruit though, I just wanted something interesting to look at when you listen, if people do that anymore, records are great for that, hmm, that reminds me I need to put the record out on vinyl someday.

15. And now… What’s your opinion about LaVey as an American?

Luci: I am proud that he was American and that he was not Norwegian or African, he has some great ideas, about how things should be, I don’t if he was a real angry person or what but I think he was just trying to have a good time without a lot of bullshit, there is a lot of bullshit in all religions , politics, music scenes, I mean what the fuck? get over it people, it doesn’t matter.

16. It’s always a pleasure talking to you. Would you like to tell us something in the end?

Luci: Time for a beer!

EQUITANT - Interview

Equitant interview

All rights reserved.

1. Hello, Equitant. Some people might know you for your involvement in Absu also. How was this band representing you at that time?

The band began in 1989 under the name DOLMEN. At this time we were playing classic style speed metal, like: Kreator, Sodom, Destruction and Slayer etc.. Only one demo/rehearsal was ever recorded. “On The Eve Of War”. It was later released by IRON PEGASUS Records on vinyl 12”. Only 666 copies were pressed, something that had such a bad sound quality really sold quite well.

After a line up change in the band we went though several name changes: Azathoth, Eternus and Necrotic. The name later changed to ABSU in 1991 with the first release called “Return of the Ancients”. Again, this was yet another Rehearsal/Demo release, since we had no money to enter a real studio at the time. I was 20 years old and the other guys; Shaftiel and Danny were 18 years old. We had no real jobs, not enough to pay for a good professional studio.

We were then offered a deal with Gothic Records (from L.A. California) for a 3 songs 7” E.P. “The Temples of Offal”. The style had changed from the days of Dolmen. We were more influenced by early 90’s American Death Metal. Such as Autopsy, Immolation, Incantation and Death.

From there we recorded our first full-length album “Barathrum”. And released it on Gothic Records once again. We then signed to Osmose Productions and re-released the “Barathrum” album. In the fallowing years we recorded a few more albums for Osmose Productions. “The Sun of Tiphareth”, “The Third Storm of Cythraul” and “In The Eyes of Ioldanach” and “Tara”

2. I’ve read there were some conditions to be fulfilled in order to join the band. One was referring to the bloodline [Scotch, Irish or Germanic]. What’s your bloodline? How well/deep do you know your genealogical tree?

There were no real conditions; Proscriptor might have said this in a statement or interview. But we didn’t care where someone was from, or what he or she was. We were all of Germanic, Irish, and Scottish descent. So, this was one reason why we took on the Celtic myths in the lyrical content. It was something that was close to us, more close to us than the ancient myths of Sumer.

I myself am German and Scotch-Irish. My father traced the American bloodline back to 1690 something. His side was German, and my name has origins in Bavaria. This is all I know of the European German side.

My mothers name is Scotch-Irish. With Germanic/English bloodlines too. Not too much is known about when/where they came to America. I wish I knew more on this subject, maybe one day I will research it more.

3. The music you are making now is so different from Absu. Would you say that one is easier to make than the other? Don’t you miss your guitar & bass and the metal arena?

The style of music I am doing now is mainly Electronic music, the projects: Equimanthorn, Starchaser Network and Equitant. This is far different from the days when I was writing Metal music. The ways of writing are much more different, and its mostly doing a click of the mouse, rather than playing something real with your hands. I use VST virtual synthesizers most of the time, various samples and drum machines.

I would say this style is much harder to write, it takes much more time to compose, get the right sound and edit it all together. Plus, I am doing this all alone, so I have not other input from other members. Some times when I write this music I arrange it almost how an old ABSU song would be arranged.

I do miss the old days of playing Guitar and Bass at times. I just did this for so many years; I was just burnt out on the music. I needed something fresh and new. So this is why I turned to doing electronic music. Maybe one day I will get back to playing Guitar and Bass, but for now its synthesizers and computers.

4. Has your perception on the metal scene changed [and what is it?]? What do you think of it and the Satanism involved in it? Is Satanism a strong/real movement/community?

Today I really don’t listen or follow new Metal. I will always get the latest Darkthrone, Enslaved, Mayhem or Aura Noir CD. As for other new acts, I just don’t fallow it any longer. I still listen to all the old legends, like Kreator, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Slayer, Tormentor, Mayhem etc.. I will always be a fan of this style of music, its what I grew up on and such a big part of my life.

These days I listen to Electro, EBM, Techno and Experimental music. Artists like, David Carretta, Anthony Rother, Terrence Fixmer, The Hacker etc.. The French have a very good electronic scene; I am truly fascinated by it. I also like older stuff like Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode and Klaus Schultz.

As for Satanism, I have never fallowed this path. I do like any old lyrics that deal with this. Mercyful Fate, Slayer, Venom etc.. I think it is a strong and real movement in the Black Metal scene, though some use it mainly for image, while others are serious and real about it. True Black Metal music must have some lyrics about Satan; it’s a must in this form of music!

5. What’s your opinion about occultism and Masonery’s role in day-to-day life or its impact on others? Do you happen to have any favorite among Crowley’s tarot cards?

I really don’t follow any Occultism; I prefer to study the history of it and history of myths. I do like the philosophy of Crowley and Friedrich Nietzsche. I would have to say I am Atheist, so I don’t follow any religions… The favorite card from the Crowley Tarot deck would be “The Queen of Disks”. Mainly since it was the cover art to the debut ABSU album “Barathrum..”.

6. Could you tell us about the current bands/projects that you are involved in at the moment?

My current and main projects are Equitant and Equimanthorn. Proscriptor and I also had a side project called Starchaser Network. This was very sleazy Rock/Electro/New wave music. We released one album on Proscriptor’s Tarot Productions a while back. I think the album shocks most people; it is nothing you would expect to hear coming from us. It was something we wanted to do, something different and fun.

The 2^nd project is Equimanthorn, a project that was formed in 1992 by the members of Absu. It was something for us to do on the side, something other than metal. The music back then was all improvised; we did it on the spot. The recordings consisted of any thing we could get our hands on, old synthesizers, glass bottles, wood, percussion and our voices. We just turned out all the lights, lit candles and hit record. What ever happened, happened on the recordings. No edits at all..

The 3^rd and 4^th albums were all written and planed out nothing was improvised. So, this is how the remaining recordings will be. Equimanthorn past and present has had members of Absu, Equitant, Zemial, Eldar, Melechesh and The Soil Bleeds Black. The current line up is:

Equitant:

Unseen Voices, Synthesizers (Moog and Arp 2600), Effects, Percussives and Lyrical Magic(k).

Ekimmu Abstractum:

Narrations, Alto Recorder, Wooden Flute, Samples, Entities, Chimes, Sixfold Bow and Synthesizer.

Dalkhu Zilittu:

Synthesizers, Sourcing, Pitch Shifting, Effects and Lyrical Incantations.

Vorskaath:

Voices, Chorus and Narratives, Electric guitar, Synthesizers, FX, African Iron drum, Tablas, Drum-set and Percussion Seism. The Overseer of Spells and Musing.

Dawn Desiree:

Unseen Voices.

Weibes Blut:

Unseen Voices.

Devamitra:

Voices from the Underworld, Synthesizers, Sampling, Effects, Bows, Sigils, Bones, Triangle, Indian Tamboura, Tin Whistle and Ritual Percussives.

Zyklon:

Synthesizers and Effects.

Proscriptor will not be on the new album, as his duties with Absu are 100% these days. Maybe on down the road Proscriptor will re-join Equimanthorn for another release. We will see!

As for my project Equitant, I have had a number of releases since 2001. I am writing what I call Electro/Techno. My first two official CD releases were released on Proscriptor’s Tarot Productions in 2006, “Zeit” and “Konstruckteur”.

As of now I release any Equitant music on my own Black Montanas Net Label, strictly digital downloads only. I also have 2 new releases coming out on The Fossil Dungeon. “Re-Konstruction” and “Elemente Remixes”. These two are artists remixing a few tracks from the “Zeit” and “Konstruckteur” albums, as well as a few remixes by myself of my own tracks. This again will be a digital release only through The Fossil Dungeon.

7. How is the creative process taking place in the case of Equitant? What does your music stand for?

The process usually starts with one part on a synthesizer, and then I will just layer the song with other synths and Drums, and last vocals. I will just keep transforming the song until I am satisfied with it, this can take ages to accomplish. No, the music has no ritual part in it; this is what Equimanthorn is for. With this music the image and out look of Equitant and mainly the Future, Science Fiction or daily events in life. It does however have a dark image, dark and futuristic.

8. How is it to work with Proscriptor on other projects except Absu? How do you get along?

Proscriptor and I get along very well when it comes to writing, we both have things in common as to what we want or need from a song or image.

I would not want to write with any one else, we just merge very well in that field. Maybe its cause we have known each other for so many years, most the time we are both thinking the same exact thing on a musical part or a piece of artwork.

It has been a pleasure working with him for so many years, maybe one day we will work together again.

9. There is a fictional story that you wrote about Agurak. Are there more of such stories? What can you tell us about your writing activities? What else is Agurak?

The story of Agurak is a fictional story I wrote in 1992. It is along the same lines as a story that HR Tolkien would write. The story is about a battle between good and evil, male and female relationships and the depressions of war. It was written for my first 2 demos “The Circle of Agurak” and “The Great Lands of Mins Ithil”. Most of the story was just spoken word (vocals by Shaftiel and myself) with ambient synths and various percussion as a base for the song. I don’t think the story is anywhere online these days, it was so long ago and my ways of writing these days do not deal with such subjects any longer. Agurak is a place of Darkness then Light..a far off land in another time. These days my recording studio is now named Agurak, as well as my Equitant official website, www.agurakelectro.com. It’s just a way to remember the old days, the beginning of Equitant.

10. Where do you find your inspiration? What books do you read and would recommend? Is music of any help when writing?

With my current music I find inspiration from movies mainly. Anything sci-fi, old to new movies. I don’t read all that much these days, I just don’t have time to sit and read a book. I have too many other things going on, from artwork to studio stuff to my label and promotion. I wish I had more time for this!

11. You are also a painter. A vast artist. Some of your works are for Absu, a dark and secret vision. Do you draw strongly influenced by music?

I have only done 5 or 6 paintings over the years; one was for the band DIVINE EVE, a t-shirt design. The other works were done with pen and pencil. All the Absu works were done so long ago, today I do digital artwork. From Equitant to making cover art for artists on my label, or designing a few logos for selected people. Once again I just don’t have time for artwork like I did in the past, it takes a large amount of time do draw like this.

For Absu I would listen to our music as I made the artwork, it helped a lot on the feel and direction the art would take. If the artwork were for a shirt design for a song or the album, I would listen to the whole album as I drew the image. It would help get a better feel for what the art had to convey. Other than that, it was all in my head as far as a theme and mood.

You can view old and new Equitant art here: myspace.com/equitantart

12. You created Black Montanas also. Tell us a little about it.

The birth of BLACK MONTANAS began in 1992, as a music magazine dedicated to the dark extreme music know as “Black Metal”. Founded by Proscriptor, and myself the first and “only” issue was well received amongst the worldwide Black Metal underground.

After the first issue was released, we made the decision to discontinue the idea of a magazine, due to endless effort and time it takes to keep such a publication going. The magazine then transformed into a distribution company for my early releases from 1992 into early 2003.

Today BLACK MONTANAS has transformed once again into a net label helping to provide worldwide digital distribution and representation for independent artists of an Electro, Techno, EBM and Experimental variety.

The first wave of the “re-born” BLACK MONTANAS includes some of the best in the art of Electro, Techno, EBM and Experimental. Equitant, Starchaser Network, Adolf Filter, Scorpio, Future, Dr. Siak, Uniflux, Crotaphytus, Raw Mechanics, Franck Kartell, Katelectro, The Breakwaters, Jonathann Cast, Dr. Lovelock, Elite!, Korporation, Maybe Mental, Mysterium, Valerio Orlandini, Tesla Monophonic, Eldar and Trifid Nebula.

It is strictly a digital net label. All of the releases will be available from all major digital distribution websites like: Itunes, Emusic, AOL Music, Napster, Beatport, MSN Music, Sony Connect, Snocap, Yahoo Music and Rhapsody to name a few.

I wanted to create a label for many years, so I have finally found the time to do so. Black Montanas now represents artists from all over the world with more growing day by day. www.blackmontanas.com

13. Do you think people understand your music, your path, yourself, even Absu? What would you add and unveil further more? Something that we should think of, a new vision maybe, a break out of the ordinary common sense of society?

I hope they do! ABSU has, over the years, been very misunderstood by selected people, from the lyrics to our image and even the sound. Most seem to hold Absu high in the Metal underground with a very large fan base from around the world. So, what we did (and what Absu is still doing to this day) is giving people an extreme form of Mythological Occult Metal. Raw and endless!

As for my solo efforts in the electronic world, some may not understand it; more have understood it than I thought would. Old Absu fans have told me they really love what I am doing now, so this means a lot to me. It’s important to have an open mind in music. The members of Absu have always been influenced by a wide variety of music, so our paths were never 100% metal, all the time. Things would get very boring if that were the case. A new vision would be to like what you like, not cause it’s a trend or your best friend likes it. If you like Pat Benatar or Willie Nelson, let it be known!

14. Have you had concerts with your new bands as well? What is the difference between them and an Absu concert? I mean, how are the people feeling, manifesting, thinking… What are your dearest memories of the two different experiences? And how nervous, or not, are you on stage?

With the electronic projects I have only played one show with Equitant (Here is San Antonio in 2003) and one show with Equimanthorn in 1992. These were of course much smaller in size from an Absu show, people wise. More of a less aggressive atmosphere. The Equimanthorn show was a night people would never forget in Dallas. We really messed up some people that night; they didn’t know what was going on. It was total darkness, smoke, candles and makeup. The dark sounds of Equimanthorn filled the Dallas streets that night, people were confused, and it was just brilliant.

With Absu I have many fond memories of playing live, every show had something new and exiting or something going wrong with the sound or equipment. I think the shows in 95-97 (Europe) were the best, and one of the best times of my life. Touring with Impaled Nazarene and Saditik Exekution was like non other, something was always going on with those two bands. We had a great time with them covering so many countries, drinking, eating and playing music we loved. Enslaved and Inferno were also very nice to tour with in 1997. We really had some fantastic shows.

15. What would you like to say to your readers and fans in the end? I must thank you for your time and thoughts.

Thank you for the interview Sehmetia, it has been a while since I have done one, so thanks! Many thanks to all Absu, Equimanthorn and Equitant fans out there. Be on the look out for the new Absu album in 2008, as well as a new Equimanthorn album and numerous Equitant releases planned.

My regards, Equitant

http://www.myspace.com/equitantmusik

http://www.myspace.com/equimanthornmusik

http://www.myspace.com/blackmontanasnetlabel

http://www.myspace.com/equitantart

MORDICHRIST - an older interview

1. Mordichrist appears to be a promising black metal project, but behind any accomplishment there are the members that give esence to the band. Could you ilustrate the personalities behind this name?

We are two Dictators who are connected to each other, with same thoughts and ideas like one unit. But of course we are two individuals: Nenia and Chaq Mol.

2. Still refering to individualities, do you have any other projects working on? And if you do, how have these affected the development of Mordichrist?

You can not call it for a project, but if you mean if we play in an other band. Yes! Chaq Mol plays guitar in Dark Funeral. I separate my work in Dark Funeral and Mordichrist.

3. You call yourselves "dictators" and in my mind rised the idea of a connection between the titles of the 3 demos [2001's The root, the embryo; 2002's Hatred on repeat; 2003's The blood rise] and this noun. Is Mordichrist based on an ideology, having a well defined path to follow?

The path is simple but also complicated. But let us be simple here. We are Mordichrist, bigger than above, below and all between. The first demo was when the embryo was growing inside us. The rest of the numbers of demos was the path of chaos and disorder who gave us a record deal with Danza Ipnotica Records. Mordichrist S/T was born and the demo era was seald in the cave of the past. From here and the future you are gonna see what Mordichrist are about.

4. I refered only the 3 demos because "S/T" is still a mistery for me. Can you unveil it?

All the songs on Mordichrist S/T are from the demos, so all of you that missed to by the demos, can now buy the Mordichrist S/T instead. The demo era is over.

5. Being more than one person, although the idea might be shared, the question is who is expressing it into lyrics, into sounds?

When we create a new song it starts with some guitar licks and a text idea. Chaq Mol starts with the guitar and then we arrange it together. Nenia comes up with the text and shows me some killer ideas. The rest is just magic.

6. What kind of reactions do you expect from the listeners to the fact that the vocals are sustained by a woman?

No reactions at all! If you think about the fact that Baphomet is both female and male. You can not separate that without consequences, you can not separate Nenia and Chaq Mol without consequences. We expect worship.

7. The configuration of the band has changed through the years. Is reaching a stable, permanent line-up a wish for the future? And has this anything to do with the fact that, at least for now, you are not a concert's band?

The only thing that counts are that we (Nenia and Chaq Mol) are still a unit. Then members can come and go. But in the future we will have a stable band and will also do gigs.

8. What determined you to found Mordichrist, a daring step, as art asks for its sacrifices?
   

It´s a need like nutrition for our dark souls.

9. What do you want people to think of when they hear Mordichrist, both the name and the music it creates?

When you hear the name Mordichrist and our music, you should expect that you always get a high quality product from the ice cold hell of Sweden. With chill races down your spine.
Till eder alla, en ond jul.
Chaq Mol and Nenia.

The band on Myspace: Mordichrist