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!
