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GENOCIDE
MAGAZINE
Volume III - Winter 1996197
Logo originally by Sanrabb.
Redrawn and fixed bv Scott Crinklaw.
Front and backcover aft
copyright by Scott Crinklaw.
(should not be used without written
permission from the artist himself.)
EDITOR
Karsten Hamre
CONTRIBUTORS
Shane Rout,
Ronny Fredriksen (RX'.),
and Michael Flanagan.
Special thanks to:
Rossana at the Devil Doll fanclub
for all the information I've received,
Scott Crinklaw for giving me permission
to use his art in this issue of Genocide Mag,
and Neue Slowenische Kunst
for excerpts of Laibach inteniews.
All interviews & articles.
except where stated differently,
typewriting, errors and other mistakes
brought to you by Karsten Hamre.
All mail and stuff for review must
be sent to the following address:
GENOCIDE MAGAZINE
P.O.BOX 67s
4OO1 STAVANGER
NORWAY
Nothins in this magazine is meant
to encourage vou to commit a crime.
There is no censorshin in this magazine.
but I am in no way resoonsible for the
interviewed
persons
expressions. Other
peoples
statements are not mine at all.
as I am able to think for mvselfl
Edi tors Note!
Once again I'm back, and this time I'm proud to
present the third issue of Genocide Magazine Since
last issue there have been some changes First ofall
the size have been changed from ,{4 to ,A'5, and this
issue focus more on variety when it comes to dffierent
musical genres. I personally think that you are able to
grow more spiritually, and as an artist when you are
open towards different kinds of music. The most
important thing for me is that the music I listen to
have a certain degree of quality within, and I believe I
set a pretty good standard when it comes to bands and
artists whose work I listen to, buy albums of and of
course feature in my magazine. It doesn't matter if
they play black metal, industrial, gothic, darkwave,
synth/ambient or death metal. I only demand quality.
I hope you enjoy my magazine after all, and bands
who feel they meet the quality standard I've set for
this magazine should send their promo-packages for a
possible interview in an upcoming issue. Labels
should also send their releases for reviews.
Below you find some words from the artist who has
made the frontcover and backcover art. and also some
to find within the pages of Genocide Magazine #3. I
leave you for this time with his wordsl
GREETINGS!
My name is Scott Crinklaw and Karsten has grven me
this excellent opponunity to present some of my
artwork in the pages of Genocide. I shall start with
some artists whose work I admire. Among them are
Hieronymous Bosch, Akbrecht Diirer, Pieter Breughel
and more modern artists like H.R. Giger, Robert
Venosa and Michael Whelan. My personal style of art
is a meshing of poetry and surrealistic images that I
am only now beginning to define. I use watercolour,
india ink, charcoal and acrylics to achieve my visions.
I prefer to capture emotion rather than tedious
attention to form and function and the surrealist
realm allows me this freedom. The lyrics and poetry I
include in my personal rvork is ofvarious subjects,
that range from antichristian thoughts, hate towards
mainstream society and the general evils mortals have
unleashed upon earth and nature I believe words can
have much more power than images in many cases.
My other time is spent on my band, Scholomance,
reading, nature, and tape trading. I usually do not
charge bands for using my art and ask only for a copy
of the CD, tape, or shirt that my art appears on.
However, due to my rather htgh postage costs I do ask
that you pay the postage on the items I send you
Those wishing to contact me, please do so and I hope
you will enjoy my visions.
SCOTT CRINKLAW
8118 N STATE HWY AC
WILLARD, MO. 6578L
U.S.A.
DEMO REVIEWS
WALLACHIA (NOR) demo
' 96
This demo contains four tracks of emotional black
metal . The musi c i s wel l pl ayed, but the vocal s are too
high and the guitars are too low. The music is getting a
bit boring when they start to play one piece over and
over again, One ofthe traclc are entitled "knus den
hellige irnd" (crush the holy spirit), but the demo says
"knus den hellige and" (crush the holy duck). The
music on this demo is quite OK and to get your copy
you have to send s0NOIg7S(Europe) or 8$ (elsewhere)
to: Wallachia, c/o Lars Stavdal, Bogavn. 55F, 7700
Steinkjer, Norway or Wallachia, c/o Eystein Garberg,
Kirmo,7320 FANNREM; Norway.
@F.)
"A History Of A Time To Come"
Proem #1 comp.tape (BUL)
This is the very first release from Bulgaria' s Madara
Productions, and it' s a very good one indeed. This
compilation tape feature ten bands from Norway and
Sweden only, and has a total of twelve tracks. When
buying this you also get a 20 pages A5 booklet with some
information on the contributing bands. These bands are
Beyond Dawn, Landscape, Necromicon, In The Woods,
Helheim, Penitent, Kampfar, Dark Tranquility,
Mithotyn and Primordial. The bands contributions are
taken from from demos/promos the bands have
released, and there are lots of good music on this one.
The sound is actually quite good and I suggest you order
a copy of this to find out more about the above
mentioned bands. It' s for sure worth the 75 you have to
pay t o get hol d of t hi s one. Send your order now t o:
Madara Productions, cJo Kiril Kardashev, Stramna 4,
2600 Dupni za, Bul gari a. (R. F. )
SCHOLOMANCE (USA) Promo' 96
OK! I have a big problem here because I can't figure
out if I like it or not. This promo tape has four tracks of
what you definitely can describe as experimental metal
or somethi ng l i ke that. It' s al most i mpossi bl e to
pinpoint the accurate musical style which Scholomance
plays so verT well. Experimental is the only clue f'm
able to come up with as a description. I have certainly
never heard anything like this, and the music grows
stronger for each time I listen to this promo, which I
woul d say i s not common i n todays scene. What more
could I say about this than you just have to check this
band out. The promo is worth the money, that's for
sure. Order it for 75 from: Scholomance, c/o Scott
Crinklaw, 8118 N State I-[WY AC, Willard, MO. 65781,
u.s.A (RF.)
APOLOKIA (ITA)
"Frozen
Erocation"
demo' 95
Thi s i s Apol oki a' s debut demo whi ch cont ai ns i nt ro and
4 tracks ofdeath/(black) metal. The vocals are cold and
(s)creamywhile tha sound isn' t the best. Beside that
t here aren' t much t o say about t hi s demo. I t ' s wort h
l i st eni ng t o and probabl y cost 6$. I f you want i t send
your cash and order to: Apolokia, c/o Alex Catania, Via
Aklo Moro 48, 67100 Laquila, ITALY. (R.F.)
NEETZACH (NOR)
"Pi nsel tronenrr demo.
This is a great tape indeed. It contains intro and 4
tracks of very dark and symphoni c metal , and the musi c
is also very well played. The sound is perhaps a bit too
dark Nothing more to say than that this is a MUST.
Send your 7$ to: Neetzach, c/o Gidim Xul,
Kongsteinssmauet 4, 4012 Stavanger, Norway. (RF.)
SHADOWDANCERS
(NOR)
"Son
of the Wasp" demo.
I sort of agree with Shadowdancers when they say that
they play obscure and melancholic indie-rock with
gothic influence, but I think that this is a Meat I-oaf
rip-off. "Son of the Wasp" contains intro and 3 tracks.
Quite
relaxing music, but leave Mr. Loaf alone and
start making your own music. This demo is yours by
sending 50NOK/8S to: Occultus Productions, P.O.Box
489, lTOl Sarpsborg, Norway.
@F.)
[Personally
I find this demo to be of very high quality,
something which isn't that common with demos these
days. And how my helpful friend Ronny can compare
Shadowdancer's demo with Meat Loaf is something I
can't understand. Sound, music vocals and packaging of
this demo is great and those who don't get this demo
have missed something greaL
-
EDI
SABATAN (SWE)
"Sombre" demo.
This tape contains seven tracks of dark synth music
Some parts gets a bit boring, and the sound could have
been better. Though, the music has more quality thau a
lot of other acts into this kind of music, and it is indeed
worth to be checked out The price for this demo is
probably 6$ and can be ordered from: Sabatan, c/o
Thomas Karlsson, Jaktfalksvigen 31, 30261 Halmstad,
Sweden. For info only, send 2 tRC's.
@F.)
MERESSIN (LIT)
"Satan,
oro te, Reoportas patererr demo.
This is actually quite good. Sometimes it sounds like
Venom and Slayer, but guess what? Their nrusic is sort
of black/death/speed metal or something similar. The
demo contains eight tracks with an O.IC sound, but a
guitarist with some problems playing solo's. This is
worth buying and even worth listening to as well. Send
your order and 6$ to: Meressin, c/o Zydrius Augulis,
P.Genio 15, 5610 Telsiai, Lithuania.
@F.)
CROWN OF AUTUMN
(ITA)
"Rui ns"
demo' 96
This demo which contains 6 tracks has a very good
production as well as a professional packaging. What
we get our ears filled with this time is veru well played
metal, and there is no doubt that these italians knows
how to handle their instrument, but nevertheless some
parts on this tape reminds me a lot of Metallica. The
rest i s actual l y of a standard whi ch i s pretty much
above the average. I certainly believe that this band
will give us more music to enjoy and they must be one of
the best demo bands emerging from Italy. It's worth
checking out. Send your 75 to:
ORION, Res. Fontanile 5ll,
20090 - MI2, Segrate, Milano, Italy,
SAMAIN
conduct ed by Shane Rout
HOW WOULD YOU TRY TO DESCRIBE SAMAIN
TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER HEARD YOU
BEFORE? I would say something along the lines of:
picture traditional Gaelic folk music hybridised with
contemporary forms, modernized so as to merge with
a very dynamic form of black metal. be prepared for
focused, triumphant songs that run from ultrafast,
hyper distorted to acoustic atmospheres, from rocky
and up-beat riffs to technical rffing. Expect an
ouflook not of this modern age, with pagan,
rationalist anti-christian ideology. Samain is "geared"
towards the promotion of wisdom, and the druidic
natural philosophies of balance.
WHO WOLTLD YOU CLASSIFY AS SAMAIN'S
INFLUENCES, BOTH MUSICALLY AND
LYRICALLY? Lyrically I could not say as it can be
argued that we are hyper-sensitive to all texts we
come in contact with, and therefore every piece of
writing from the Book of Kells to a McDonald's
advert may be seen as influential. I like dense, passive
writing, heavily constructed, that nonetheless denies
its limits to emerge highly metaphoric ad conveying
inordinate numbers of "overdetermined" images.
Musical influence is somewhat easier to pinpoint as
Uwe are so selective in our taste, in what we allow
ourselves to be exposed to. For myselt I enjoy folk
and folk-rock, and some of the new progressive metal
bands around now. Nick I know was rarsed on
Malmsteen and Vai, Iron Maiden and early
black/death bands like Destruction, Morbid Angel,
Sodom. Kreator etc.
FORGIVE MY CURIOSITY, BUT HOW THE I{ELL
CAN A McDONALDS AD BE INFLUENTIAL IN
ANY WAY WflA-TSOE\IER? Sorry, it was on the
TV as I was writing. Maybe you would like me to tell
you it is the driving concept behind "Indomitus"?
Hail
McDonalds, harl satan, hail blah... All I mean is that
all written, spoken, sung etc. texts carry ideolory,
carry values and ideas that shape and form our way of
thinking. Therefore, even the lowly McDonalds
advert canbe seen to typiryvalues ofits audience.
How else does the advertiser forge his connection
between product and audience?
SINCE SAMAIN'S INCEPTION, YOUHAVE
RECORDED A PROMO. A DEMO AND NOW A
FULL LENGTH CD. DO YOU THINK THE SOUND
OF TT{E BAND HAS CHANGED MUCH
THROUGH THE RECORDINGS? ARE YOU
PLEASED WITH THE FINAL OUTCOME OF
"INDOMITUS"? I think each studio outing has been
a step towards refining a sound. Obviously there was
no one here initially that really had a handle on
mixing our music. I think myseH and our engineer
Alan Smith have worked well together in figuring
out
all the many little problems that stand in our way.
Compensating for how each instrument partially
"eats" into the signal of some others has always been
diffrcult, working towards a balanced soundscape.
Slowly we are emerging with good sound, where the
bass can be loud. as well as the kick drums. and
without makrng the guitar a staticly, trebly mess.
Black Metal, especially ours, is a difficult proposition
for an engineer. In old death metal it was easy to get a
heavy sound, because usually the bass was non
existing, playing the same bass notes as the guitars.
For Samain the bass is used to help write the songs:
some parts are formed on the guitar, others are first
written on the bass. Naturaily the bass is required
then to be audible, and present in a strong way.
Furthermore, we want guitars with power, and drums
too who are driving, not like a click-clack or a drum
machin. Of course
,
when you then start adding
vocals and acoustic guitar, this adds to the degree of
diffrculty. So I feel that "Indomitus" is a big step
towards our ideal, but we are not there yet. You must
remember though that we recorded the CD in two
days with an additional 6 hour vocal session. If we
had not had to rush to do an hour of material then we
would've had more time to fuck around with the
particulars of the sound. We recorded our 35 minute
demo in the same time, minus the extra vocal session,
so go figure out our progress.
TI{E DRUMMER OF SAMAIN, LIAM, HAS ruST
QUIT
TlrE BAND, WI{Y? DO YOU THINK HIS
DEPARTTJRE WILL AITECT TI{E BAND IN ANY
WAY? I really don't think Liam himself honestly
knows why he quit. I think I am very demanding on
him, at a time in his life (he is 17) when maybe he
doesn't want responsibility, or to achieve, or to put an
effort into anything. He told Nick that he basically
wanted to play jazz. Probably he want to be a clinic
drummer, as I know he was fairly terrified about
playing live like we have been plaruring. He was a
fucking good drummer, but if that is his attitude and
he is weak, then I am glad he is gone. Besides,
Samain will be fine. It looks like we have found a
new drummer. He will take some time to learn the
parts properly and I don't think he's the most skilled
one, but he is incredible eager, very motivated and
has been a fan of ours for nearly two yearc. And if he
doesn't turn out. we will fire him. We have other
options, and it is always positrve to approach a
dilemma from a completely different angle.
FIAVE YOU STARTED WRITING NEW
MATERIAL YET? WILL THE 3 WAY SPLIT CD
WHICH HAS BEEN PLANNED BE THE NEXT
RELEASE FOR SAMAIN? Yes, hopetully the
compilation will be next for us. I really like the idea
of finally teaming up with our comrades in GOTH
and Abyssic Hate. Also I like the idea of the different
format of a mini-CD. Since Liam quit, and our plans
to play live were killed, Nick and I have thrown
ourselves into songwriting. We aim to make our
writingprocess more effrcient than it has been in the
past, both financially and timewise. I don't know if
the 3 new songs we have will be for the 3 way split, it
depends what happens, right? I know the guy from
Abyssic Hate is really dragging his feet, ha-h4 but for
us it is an excellent chance to experiment with the
shorter format to really focus the arrangements of our
songs, add the syntasm of the tracks combined to
convey a tnre and trght atmosphere. We also have
some material on the side that at the moment is
unmarkable, the start of an "opera" based on the Tain
bo Cuilagne, and an "operetta" which is a drowning
out of the ideal taie begun on "Indomitus" and will be
called "The warrior of the Red Shield".
I AM INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOU"T THIS
''OPERETTA". CAN YOU INFORM US ABOUT
THESE TALES YOU SPEAK ABOUT AND HOW
TI{EY HAVE INFLUENCED YOU. DO YOU FIND
ANY INSPIP.ATION IN TIIE''OPERETTA' S'' OF
MASTER'S I{AMMER? The materid is a long way
from finished. The "Tain bo Cuilagne" (Cattle raid of
Cooley) is a tale from the Ulster Cycle of Irish
mythology, + details the deeds of the legendary
warrior Cu Chullaine. "The warrior of the Red
Shield" is a Scottish story about a warrior of low
regard, accompanied on a quest, that proves himself
the zuperior of the high born men he is with. "Tain bo
Cuilagne" is album length, whereas the other is only
for an MCD.
SOME SAY THAT HERE IN AUSTRALIA WE
HAVE ONE OF TIIE STRONGEST SCENES IN
TIIE WORLD, OTI{ERS SAY TI{AT AUSTRALIA
IS FTJLL OF SECOND CLASS BANDS. WHAT IS
YOUR OPINION ON WHERE AUSTRALIA SITS
AMONGST SCENES FROM OTIIER NATIONS? I
share both opinions really. I think Australia has a
small group of highly graded metal-related bands. In
this category the bands are organized and dedicated,
and have been in the scene a good while. Their age I
think maybe accounts for some of their quality, as
they bring experience and maturity to their art. Then
there are a widespread and disorganized scene of
young bands (not all ofthem though, and not all at
only the demo stage) who are boring and yes, 2nd
class. Personally I don't give a fuck about scenes, as a
scene can't guarantee a good band. Norway for
example is an (in)famous scene, but they only ever
had halfa dozen good bands (great bands) and then
some more who rode on the loaftails of their society.
People go on about the Greek scene, but the only
bands I ever liked from there was Rottrng Christ and
Night'all, even though one of R.C's sidebands whose
name I can't remember have
just
released a good
album. And America in general is a total shitfight as
far as good bands go. I can't think ofany.
DO YOU FROWN UPON UNORIGINAL BANDS?
WHAT ABOIJI BANDS WHO MAY BE NOT SO
ORIGINAL, BUT ARE EQUALLY GREAT AS
THEIR MAIN INFLUENCE? FOR INSTANCE,
GEHENNAH FROM SWEDEN ARE TOTALLY
INSPIRED BY VENOM, BUT THEY ARE SO
MUCH BETTER THAN TFMIR MAIN INFLTIENCE
(IN MY OPIMOI.I). It wouldn't be hard to be better
@lasphemer!!
Ha, ha). I don't c:ue so much about
originality, I like conviction in a band. That has
always been tlte attraction for BM for me. No matter
how good a riffis, if you know the band is fitll of
posers it loses some of its magrc.
TO lvtY KNOWLEDGE, SAMAIN ARE YET TO
PLAY LI\IE. WILL SAMAIN REMAIN A STUDiO
BAND OR ARE YOU PLANNING TO HIT THE
STAGE ONE DAY? Well, as I think I mentioned we
were right on the way of gigging when Liam quit, a
decisive factor. We have a person here who is nearly
shitting herself trying to convince us to let her be the
one who lines up our gigs, but with the new drummer
this is delayed. Besides, we have a recording
scheduled + songrvriting to keep up, as well as
normal lives to live, so there is not much we can do.
If playing live we would most of all not so much play
to the public, but do a gig with our brotherbands
worldwide.
For more details on the band rvrite to:
SAMAIN
P.O.BOX 237
LEEDERVILLE, WA
AUSTRALIA,6007
'171/fbo vvsre the (elts?
The Celts were a group of peoples that occupied
lands stretching from the British Isles to Gallatia. The
Celts had many dealings with other cultures that
bordered the lands occupied by these peoples, and
even though there is no written record of the Celts
stemming from their own documents, we can piece
together a fair picture ofthem from archaeological
evidence as well as historical accounts from other
cultures. The first historical recorded encounter ofa
people displaying the cultural traits associated with
the Celts comes from northern Italy around 400 BC,
when a previously unknown group of barbanans
came down from the Alps and displaced the Etruscans
from the fertile Po valley, a displacement that helped
to push the Etruscans from history's limelight. The
next encounter with the Celts came with the still
young Roman Empire, directly to the south of the Po.
The Romans in fact had sent three envoys to the
besieged Etruscans to study this new force. We know
from Livy's The Early History of Rome that this first
encounter with Rome was quite civilised: The Celts
told the Roman envoys that this was indeed the first
time they had heard of them, but they assumed the
Romans must be a courageous people because it was
to them that the
fEtruscans]
had turned to in their
hour of need. And since the Romans had rned to help
with an embassy and not with arms, they themselves
would not reject the offer of peace, provided the
fEtruscans]
ceded part of their superfluous
agricultural land; that was what they, the Celts,
wanted.... If it were not given, they would launch an
attack before the Romans' eyes, so that the Romans
could report back how superior the Gauls were in
battle to all others.... The Romans then asked rvhether
it was right to demand land from its olvners on pain
of war, indeed what were the Celts going in Etruna
in the first place? The latter defiantly retorted that
their right lay in their arms: To the brave belong all
things. The Roman envoys then preceded to break
their good faith and helped the Etruscans in their
fight; in fact, one of the envoys,
Quintas
Fabius krlled
one of the Celtrc tribal leaders. The Celts then sent
their own envoys to Rome in protest and demand the
Romans hand over all members of the Fabian family,
to which all tfuee of the onginal Roman envoys
belonged, be gven over to the Celts, a move
completely in line with current Roman protocol. This
of course presented problems for the Roman senate,
since the Fabian family was quite powerful in Rome
Indeed, Livy says that: The parry structure would
allow no resolution to be made agarnst such nobleman
as
justice
would have required. The Senate... therefore
passed examination of the Celts' request to the
popular assembly, in which power and inlluence
naturally counted for more So it happened that those
who ought to have been punished were instead
appointed for the coming year military tnbunes with
consular powers (the highest that could be granted),
The Celts saw this as a mortal insult and a host
marched south to Rome. The Celts tore through t}te
countryside and several battalions of Roman soldiers
to lay siege to the Capitol of the Roman Empire.
Seven months of siege led to negottations whereby the
Celts promised to leave their siege for a tribute of one
thousand pounds of gold, which the historian Pliny
tells was very difFrcult for the entire city to muster
When the gold was being weighed, the Romans
claimed the Celts were cheating with faulty weights.
It was then that the Celts' leader, Brennus, threw hrs
sword into the balance and uttered the words "vae
victis"/"woe to the Defeated". Rome never withstood
another more humiliating defeat and the Celts made
an initial step of magniflcent proportions into history.
Other Roman historians tell us more of the Celts.
Diodorus notes that: Their aspect is terrifing .. They
are very tall in stature, with rippling muscles under
clear white skin. Their hair is blond, but not naturally
so: they bleach it, to this day, artrficially, washing it
in lime and combing it back from their foreheads.
They look like wooddemons, their hair thick and
shaggy like a horse's mane. Some of them are
clean-shaven, but others - especially those ofhigh
rank, shave their cheeks but leave a moustache that
covers the whole mouth and, when they eat and drink,
acts like a sieve, uapping particles of food... The way
they dress is astonistung: they wear brightly coloured
and embroidered shirts, with trousers called bracae
and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch,
heavy in winter, light in sunmer. These cloaks are
striped or checkered in design, with the separate
checks close together and in various colours.
[The
Celts] wear bronze helmets'lvith figures picked out on
them, even horns, which made them look even taller
than they already are... while others cover themselves
with breast-armour made out of chains. But most
content themselves with the lveapons nature gave
them: they go naked into battle... Weird, discordant
horns were sounded,
[they
shouted in chorus with
theirl deep and harsh voices, they beat their swords
rhyhmically against their shields.
Diodorus also describes how the Celts cut off their
enemies'heads and nailed them over the doors oftheir
huts, as Diodorus states: In exactly the same way as
hunters do with their skulls of the animals they have
slain .. they preserved the heads of their most
high-ranking victims in cedar oil, keeping them
carefully in wooden boxes.
Whet
is o
C"lt
and who eve
rbe
Qlosgorry
(eltics?
The people who made up the various tribes of concern
were called Galli by the Romans and Galatai or Keltoi
by the Greeks, terms meaning barbarian. It is from the
Greek Keltoi that Celt is derived. Since no soft c
exists in Greek, Celt and Celtic and all permutations
should be pronounced with a hard k sound. It is
interesting to note that when the British Empire was
distinguishing itself as befter and separate from the
rest of humanity, it was decided that British Latin
should have different pronunciation from other
spoken Latin. Therefore, one ofthese distinguishing
pronunciational differences was to make many of the
previously hard k sounds move to a soft s sound,
hence the Glasgow and Boston Celtics. It is the view
of many today that this soft c pronunciation should be
reserved for sports teams since there is obviously
nothing to link them with the original noble savagery
and fiuore associated with the Celts.
/ne
-9ix
(eltic
Jienguages
There was a unifring language spoken by the Celts,
called not suprisingly, old Celtic. Philologists have
shown the descendence of Celtic from the original
Ur-language and from the Indo- European language
tradition. In fact. the form of old Celtic was the
closest cousin to ltalic, the precursor ofLatin. The
original wave of Celtic immigrants to the British Isles
are called the q-Celts and spoke Goidelic. It is not
known exactly when this immrgration occurred but it
may be placed sometime in the window of 2000 to
1200 BC. The label q-Celtic stems from the
differences between this early Celtic tongue and Italic.
Some of the differences between Italic and Celtic
included that lack of a p in Celtic and an a in place of
an the Italic o. At a later date, a second wave of
immigrants took to the British Isles, a wave of Celts
referred to as the p-Celts speaking Brythonic.
Goidelic led to the formation of the three Gaelic
languages spoken in Ireland, Man and later Scotland.
Brythonic gave rise to two British Isles languages,
Welsh and Cornish, as well as surviving on the
Continent in the form of Breton, spoken in Brittany.
The label q-Celtic stems from the differences between
this early Celtic tongue and the latter formed p-Celtic.
The differences between the two Celtic branches are
simple in theoretical form. Take for example the word
ekvos in Indo-European, meaning horse. In q-Celtic
this was rendered as equos while in p-Celtic it became
epos, the q sound being replaced with a p sound.
Another example is the Latin qui. In q-Celtic tlus
.rendered as cia while in p-Celtic it rendered as pwy. It
should also be noted that there are still words
common to the two Celtic subgroups
As an aside, take note that when the Irish expansion
into Pictish Britain occurred (see below), several
colonies were established in present day Wales. The
local inhabitants called the Irish arrivals gwyddel
savages from which comes geYdil and goidel and thus
the Goidelic tongue.
The Irish and the Scots Are From the Same Tribe
Ireland used to be divided up into five parts, the five
fifths. There was a northern fifth, Ulster, a western
fr-fth, Connaught, a southern fifth, Munster, an eastern
fifth, Leinster and a middle flfth, Mide. The Ulster
Cycle is a set of stories which are grounded in the five
fiffhs. Indeed, they are primarily concerned with C'
Chulainn, the Ulster hero and his king, Conor Mac
Nessa in their wars against the king and queen of
Connaught, Ailill and Maeve. These figures play a
prominent role in the what may be the greatest story
of the Ulster Cycle, the TBinB% C'ailnge, The Cattle
Raid of Cooley. Sometime after 300 AD, Ulster
became steadily less important in status among the
five farthings and the ruling family of Mide, the LJ'f
NUill. Sons of Niall started to take over large parts of
Connaught and most of lllster. A similar move was
made in Muster by the mling family of Munster, the
Eoganachta family. Thus was Ireland divided almost
entirely into two halves. The people of Ulster were
pushed to a small coastal strip bordering the Irish Sea.
The kingdom changed it's name to DRI Riata. Yet
eventually DBI Riata fell under the rule and influence
of the U.f miiU. fnis family, not content with the
boundary presented by the sea, launched colonies
across the Irish Sea into then Pictish Britain. Thus
was Scotland founded, for it was these LI\i NUill that
the Romans called Scotti, not the original Picts.
Indeed, it was this Irish Expansion which led to
Christianity in Scotland in 563 AD. St. Columba, the
paEon saint of Scotland, was a member of a powerful
family in DBI fuata and in order to keep his ties in
Ireland he settied on an island that rvas close to both
Scotland and Ireland, Iona. Of course, even more
bizane is the fact that St. Patrick, the man responsible
for bringing Christianity to Ireland in the first place,
was from Wales.
Dalriada Celtic Heritage Society have more great
information on the Celts and Gaeldom in general.
ELNTE NdUSNG f"ROM
AUSTRTALNA
by Shane Rout
Greetings! Although the "scene" here in Australia is
very much an undiscovered thing to most countries
knowledge, we have an incredible strong scene filled
with some amazing bands (much like the Norwegian
scene!). Of course we, like every country, still have
shit baads who strll worship Cannibal Corpse as god.
These bands deserve the attention we would also give
to Mortification and Horde, ie, absolutely none!! The
black metal scene contains a great number ofbands,
some good, others not so good. Although I seem to
have neglected one or two bands, I will inform you
about some of the elite Australian bands who have
quality recordings available for you to hear (or will
soon!).
BESTIAL WARLUST: Bestial Warlust have a
lengthy discography attached to their name including
a spot on 2 compilations, namely "The wine of Satan"
ald "Blackend". Yet their most significant recordings
to date have been 2 full length CD's on Modern
Invasion Music. Their first CD was entrtled
"Vengealce War til Death" and contains 30 minutes
ofbarbaric chaos. Their second offering called "Blood
& Valour" was released in January
'96
and is slightly
more structured with a much improved sound, but
still chaotic as helMf you enjoy bands in the vein of
Blasphemy and Beherit, then do check Bestial
Warlust out as they have a ferocity that outweighs the
above mentioned bands.
DESTROYER 666: Another MIM band who a while
ago released the debut CD "Violence is the Prince of
this world". Unfortunately this release was plagued
with problems from the outset. The initial recording
session suffered from a bad sound and poor
drumming, thus another dnunmer was recruited for
the recording to learn two tracks which needed to be
completely re-recorded. After these new tracks were
added, the Destroyer 666 main man strll felt that the
initial session contained to many drumming flaws
and so it was necessary to replace some more tracks
which were taken from the Destroyer 666 demo "Six
songs with the devil". In the end the album is a
melting pot of drumming styles and different
productions which can be a little frustmting. Don't
get me wrong though, the songs themselves are
totally amazing being strongly influenced by early
80's death metal but with a modern touch added. I'm
sure that the next Destroyer 666 release, which
promises to be out very soon, will be a truly
magnificent album well worthy of a spot in anyone's
collecfion.
NETHERWORLD: This 3 piece baad relatively new
and unknown but have a very promising career ahead
of them. They have received a great deal of interest
from abroad including al offer from Head Not Found
which will go ahead in 1996 I think. Anyhow, they
will be releasing a CD very soon through a good label
which will contain their unreleased Promo
'95
as well
as some new tracks which are recorded especially for
the release. Netherworld play a style of music which
is kind ofhard to describe: part Darkthrone, part
Storm, part this, part that.. alarge array of inlluences
so it's hard to pinpoint a particular band they sound
like, if any!
SADISTIK EXEKUTION: The most insane band in
the world are planning their second album for
Osmose Productions later this year I'm told but of
course, this could all change within a day as with Sad
X, you never know what is in store. Anyone who has
heard about the Impaled Nazarene, Absu, Sad X tour
will know all about their antics! Their debut fi-rll
lenglh album is called "We are death, fuck you" and
as you all know, was released by Osmose. Their
earlier recording, which is titled "The Magus" is
available now on CD with some new "unusual"
tracks. This has been released by Vampire Records,
who also released the original vinyl version as well
some lime ago. I'm sure most of you are already
familiar with Sad X so it should be unnecessary for
me to say too much about them.
AGATUS/ZEMIAL: Both Eskarth & Emperor
Vorskaath relocated to Australia from Greece a little
while ago (not too sure when?!) and I must say, I am
a big fan of both bands! Starting with Agatus, they
have so far released two promo tapes called "A night
of the Dark Ages" and "Black Moon". They also have
an unreleased recording called "Dawn of Martyrdom"
which I hope will be released one day. Agatus also
entered the studio to record some more material but
have encountered problems. The sfudio owner
remarked that he was unable to tolerate Agatus and
that he should leave the studio. Now Agatus must
search for a new studio so hopefi.r.lly things will
improve for the band very soon. In the meantime,
however, "A night..." will be released as a MCD on
M.V.Daoloth of Necromantia's orvn label who's
name I'm unsure o{ so keep an eye out for that.
Zemial have recorded a 7"EP for Gothic Records
called "Sleeping Under Tatrurus" and it is truly
excellent. They havejust completed recording a
planned CD (also for M.V.Daoloth's label) which
hopefully will be released very soon. Agatus and
Zemial, for those unfamiliar with them, play black
metal which is strongly in the Greek vein of Rotting
Christ, Thou Art Lord etc but Agatus and Zemial
have a certain element I can't pinpoint, lvhich makes
them stand out above the rest.
NAZXUL: Here we have another band who have the
characteristic Blasphemy/Eleherit style which so many
Australian bands are known for. Nazxul have so far
released a demo tape called "Eden" which was
followed by the end of
'95
by a full length CD entitled
"Totem". Both recordings were financed and released
by Vampire Records. Nazxul sound similar to Bestial
Warlust except for some major distinctions: Nazxul
have added keyboard to their sound and they also
have vocals which are loaded with effects
(mush like
Prophery of Doom). These vocals are present in
almost every riff and I find it a little overbearing to
hear almost no vocal breaks within the songs.
Nonetheless, Nazxul have received a great response
from almost everybody who has heard them so ignore
my words and go check out their CDI
Now time
for
a bit of shameless promotion (ha, ha).
The
following
bands will all have some sort of
product out through my own label Bloodless
Creations sometime in 1996.
SAMAIN: They have released in their short career a
not so great promo and a truly magnificent demo,
both which went under the title "An Leaaabh Naomh
@ristle)".
Samain play an origrnal form of black
metal which is a rarity amongst bands these days. The
best description one could possibly give Samain
would be that they're a Celtic version of In The
Woods but much more black metal sounding.
Confused? Well, my best advice is to check out their
debut full length CD which is titled "Indomitus" and
sample their music for yourself. I guarantee, you will
not be disappointed.
MYSTERIUM: A completely unknown band with no
discography. They will soon enter the studio to record
their debut CD. Mysterium really have no need to
record a demo as they have some truly amazing tracks
lined up which are far beyond the demo stage!
Mysterium play an extremely emotional form of death
metal which is laced with dark ambient sections.
Again, it is a task within itself to describe their
music. If you enjoy melancholic bands such as Lllver,
as well as heavy brutal death metal, then Mysterium
will be your dream come through. Their yet untitled
CD will be unleashed upon the world in may'96.
GOTH: This is a new band formed by the vocalist of
the now defunct Gospel of the Horns who played 80's
inlluenced metal heavily inspired by Celtic Frost.
Anyhow, after the split, a more gothic, extreme
direction was taken by the vocalist (hence the name)
and Goth was subsequently formed. They will be
recording their debut CD soon which will be called at
this stage "Those who Embrace Love, Embrace Hate"
and for a third time in succession, I am having
difficulties making a comparison to other bands. To
be extremely general, the sound is inlluenced by
Emperor, Samael, Kampfar as well as others. There
should be no need for me to stress how majestic their
music is. Keep on the watch for this new and
upcoming band who's CD is due in the latter half of
' 96.
MISTS OF DARI(NESS: This band does not play
metal. Having been reviewed in Nordic Vision #4
under the name "dark ambience, unknolvn", some of
you may already have a small idea on what Mists Of
Darkness may sound like. If you enjoy projects such
as Archon Satani & Lustmord as well as some of the
darker Cold Meat Industry bands, check this out.
Bloodless Creations will be releasing a cassette
format, "The Lightless Lands" trilogy. Part I is
available now on professionally printed covers and
cassettes. Part 2 will hopefirlly be released in April
1996 provided no delays are experienced.
ABYSSIC HATE: I guess I must mention my own
band as well. To date, there has been
just
the one
recording which was recorded and mixed in a meagre
12 hours on a small budget (l90US$). This recording
is called "Cleansing of an Alcient Race" and has
been repressed onto CD by Head Not Found. This
recording is highly inspired by Darkthrone yet the
newer material has developed it's own style
somewhat I guess. An album entitled "Suicidal
Emotions" is due for release sometime in 1996
through one ofseveral interested labels. At the
conclusion of 1996, Samain, Goth and Abyssic Hate
will be involved in a 3 way split CD which shall be
released on Bloodless Creations.
Well, there you have it! As you can see, we have a
number of bands down under, all which are doing big
things at the moment. Bloodless Creations now have
Australia' s largest black/death metal mailorderservice
so send an IRC for a newsletter which comes
complete with a huge catalogue and interviews with
Mists Of Darkness, Samain and Goth. If you wish to
write to any of the bands or labels which are listed
below, remember to enclose an IRC where possible as
the postage rates are bloody ridiculous here in
Australia!!
BTOODLESS CREATIONS/
ABYSSIC HATE
GPO BOX 118A
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA
AUSTRALIA.3OOl
Bestial Warlust
P. O. Box 294
Mont Albert, Victoria
Austral i a, 3127
DesEoyer 666
P O. Box 3005
Pt. Melbourne, VIC
Australia, 3207
Agatus/Zemial
P. O. Box 3366
Rundle Mall
Adelaide, SA
Australia, 5000
Nazxul
P. O. Box 335
Annandale
Sydney, NSW
Australia, 2038
(Reply not guaranteed)
GOTH
P.O.Box 244
Kedron
Queensland
Austral i a,403l
Mists Of Darkness
P. O. Box 1182
Windsor, Victoria
Austrdi a,3l Sl
Modern Invasion Music
P.O.Box 100
Gardenvale, Victoria
Australia, 3165
Vampire Records
P.O.Box 669
Epping, NSW
Australia, 2l2l
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8 I l 8 N St at e Hwy AC
Willard. N{O. 6578i LJSA
si{i'it'#ii:;rri:;'tiffii:
qSEKPEK
GREETINGS! HOW ARE YOU THIS EVENING?
INTRODUCE YOUR BAND TO TI{E READERS
OF THIS MAGAZINE TFIE WAY YOU WANT?
HaiM'm stoned this evening. We
just gor back from
picking
up a big bag of weed. Usurper is: Diabolical
Slaughter
- Vokills, Deathgrunts and Chanting. Sythe
- Six string Attack, Twelve String Hypnosis and
Speedfreak. Apocalyptic Warlord -
Percussion,
Drums and Bongs. Necromancer (myself)
- Bass and
Alchohol.
HOW WAS TIIE RESPONSE ON YOUR DEMO
AND HOW HAS TI{E RESPONSE BEEN ON
YOUR ALBUM? WOULD YOU SAY THAT
TT{ERE ARE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
THESE RECORDINGS, AND WHAT WOULD
THAT BE TTIEN? Tremendous. The demo sold out at
over 1200 copies- We had sent most of them out to
various
'zines,
tape traders and small distributiort
services throughout the underground. Almost all of
the
'zines
reviewed it favourably, and since we had
sent so many out, we got tons of requests from people
who wanted to buy it. Towards the end they were
going really fast and people still write, ordering it.
We
just
don't have the time or money to keep
pressing it and we're all down to one copy each, and
nobody is going to part with their only one.
"Diabolosis" is still selling really well. It's pretty
much mimicked the popularity of the "Visions from
the Gods" demo, only on a much larger scale, which
is exactly what we were hoping for. Since we only
had limited amounts of the discs, we printed up a
four-song promo tape for the purpose of sending them
out to
'zines
or radiostations to review. So far we've
gotten an even greater positive response through
reviews and mail. It has good distribution through
Voices of Wonder worldwide, and in places where
they don't reach, smaller distros have picked it up.
We're extremely pleased with the outcome of both
releases.
HOW HAS USURPER DE\IELOPED FROM
,VISIONS
FROM THE GODS'' DEMO TO YOUR
DEBLII ALBUM "DIABOLOSIS"? We haven't
changed our style at all, but we did progress a little
bit. The songs are more involved and create a mood.
Each song has its own personality. There's also some
more experimental elements on the album. Diabolical
Slaughter used some different vocal approaches on
some of the songs. He added more chanting and
backword messages, but it doesn't stray from his
triumphant vocals too much. The differences are very
subtle. There's also more acoustic parts in the
background, adding to the overall mood ofthe songs.
We also introduced some piano parts in the
background, and there's even a viola playing in one
of the songs. Our sound is almost exactly the same,
just
darker than on the demo. We made sure to record
at the same studio so that everytlung had the same
feeling.
FROM WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR
INSPIRATION? WHAT INFLUENCE YOUR
MUSIC AND LYRICS? WHICH ARE TIM TOPICS
YOUR LYRICS DEAL WITH? We draw our primary
influences from the great metal bands of the mid-
eighties scene. We all grew up banging our heads to
bands like Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Possessed,
Kreator, Mercyful Fate, the mighty Venom, old
Slayer etc. These are bands that know how to write
great metal songs and albums, and present it with the
classic metal image. It seems that many bands
nowadays have lost the feeling that the originators
had. Our lyrics deal with topics that interest us.
Topics such as war, religions, occult ceremonies,
ancient prophecies and warriors, ruin cities and
paranormal experiences.
WIry DID YOU CHOOSE USURPER AS A
BANDNAME. AND WHAT DOES IT REPRESENT
TO YOU? A usurper is someone who takes or seizes
power by force. It
Eymbolizes
a person or group of
people with great strenglh. We chose it because we
feel that it best represent the dark and powerfiil
aspects ofour songs and lyrics.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSICAL
STYLE, AND HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
TIIE TRACKS ON "DIABOLOSIS"? Very cold and
very dark. The tracks on "Dianolosis" are the epitome
of the Usurper sound. As I mentioned earlier, all the
songs on the album are stnrctured to create a mood
and feeling throughout the song. They're notjust 30
parts tfuown together and called a "song". Most are
dark and powerfirl, with an occasional hardrocker
thrown in now and then.
HOW WOULD IT BE POSSELE TO LIVE A LIFE
WITHOUT METAL, SPIKES, LEATI{E& BOOTS,
BULLETBELTS ETC.? HOW IMPORTANT ARE
THESE THINGS TO YOU? It wouldbe impossible.
Leather and spikes have been a part of metal for over
fifteen years. They're a part of the whole package the
same way that distorted guitars, feedback and extreme
vocals are. We always practice in full metal gear,
though we don't wear corpsepaint. That's
just not our
style. It alljust adds to the feeling and integrity of
metal.
WHAT IS YOIJR DAILY LIVES LIKE? WHAT
HOBBIES ETC. DO YOU HAVE BESIDE YOUR
BAND AND ITS MUSIC? None. The band is our
lives. We practice three or four days a week for an
average of four hours a practice. We're constantly
working on new material, and perfectrng our old
songs. We never get tired of it. When we're not
practicing we're in the studio. We're constantlu
booking time to record new matedal for future
releases. The nights we have off we spend at home.
Diabolical Slaughter answers all the mail, makes new
contacts and corresponds with different labels. Sythe
locks himself in his room and writes songs. I answer
the flood of interviews we've been receiving, and
Apocalyptic Warlord keeps playing drums. What a
lunatic. Anyway, we don't really have time for too
many hobbies. Unless you include going to bars and
smoking pot a hobby. (I surely know some who thinks
of that as hobbies
-
ED!)
HOW ARE THE SCENE IN TIIE U.S. AND YOUR
AREA ESPECIALLY? A}.TY NEW BANDS
EMERGING WHO ARE WORTH MENTIONING?
The U.S. scene sucks. The death metal scene here is
finally dead, so that's cool. There were way to many
rip-offbands out here. No one sounded origrnal
anymore. Now the scene here consist mostly of
eighteen year old death metallers who don't have a
clue, and even younger kids trying to put together
black metal bands that have no feeling in them at all.
They think that if they
just play as fast as they can
with a shitty production and sing about Satan they'll
be huge. All the wrong things for the wrong reasons.
Don't get me wrong. There are still a few good bands
into it who know what tley're doing. One is the
Chicago band Serventor headed by main man
Desmondius. Unfortunatly they won't be pufting out
anything for a while because Desmondius is in prison
for robbing a church out ofabout 10.000 in cash,
while still waiting for the finish of a murder trial
from a previous crime. Too bad because they're great.
Plus that the guy has got the Usurper logo tattooed on
his chest.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ABOUT RELIGION IN
GENERAL? WHAT DO YOU BELIE\IE IN? We're
not religious at all. We feel that religion is a waste of
time. I'm tired of watching people do things because
they want "god" to approve of them. We do what we
want, when we want because it benefits us. I have
enough problems. I don't need to sit around and
worry about damnation as one of them.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TI{ERE EXIST A
HIGIIER FORCE/SPIRIT. AND WHAT WOULD
THAT MEAN TO YOU? Personally, no! I don't feel
there is some almighty being sitting in the sky or the
ground calling all the shots. Whenever I say this
people always ask me how can I explain the world
and mankinds existence. I can't, but I don't care. I
live for the here and now. We bow before no one. but
won't rest until the world is at our feet. Our only god
is our Metal!
WHAT ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH? DOES
SUCH A THING E)flST AT AIL? Honestly I have
no idea. I'm not dead yet (or am I?). I will promise
you this; When I do die, if I discover that there is
some sort of afterlife, you'11 be the first person I
contact.
WHAT ARE TIIE FUTURE PLANS FOR
USURPER? WHEN CAN WE E)GECT A NEW
ALBUM FROM YOUR BAND? WILL YOU GO ON
TOUR SOON? We've
just
signed a new contract with
Typhon and Necropolis Records. Our first release
through them will be the "Threshold of the Usurper"
mini-CD. It has five new tracks in a similar vein of
"Diabolosis", and a cover of Mercyful fate's "Black
Funeral". That should be out this fall. Actually, you
caught me listening to it right now and it still gives
me shivers wen though it was recorded over six
months ago. We're also releasing one song on
Primitive Art's
"Headbangers against disco" single
series. "Diabolosis" is being re-released on vinyl
through R.I.P. Music. It's a gatefold with a new
cover, different inside layout and photos, a bald
poster with lyricS and a bonus track. That should
hopefully be out by the time you're reading this. In
fact it may be sold out by that time because it's
Iimited to 1000 copies. After that we are re-entering
the studio to record our next full-length album whrch
also will be out on Necropolis Records. Most of the
songs :ue already written, we just have to iron out a
few things, plus concentrate on the other releases
also. Affer that we plan to tour extensively. If all goes
well we'll tour America, Europe, South Amenca, and
hopefully Mexico and Australia. We've also gotten
some offers from smaller labels to re-release the
"Visions from the Gods" demo on CD. We've been
thinking about it, but right now that's the last thing
on our list ofpriorities.
AND NOW TIIE GRAND FINALE! END THIS
WITH YOI.IR WORDS OF MSDOM OR
WHATEVER YOU FEEL LII(E. Words of wisdom?
Drink, smoke pot, fuck anything that moves and
listen to Usurper.
For bandcontact rvrite to:
USURPER
P.O.BOX 388897
CHICAGO, IL. 60638.EE97
U.S.A.
lDaurlkw,o,rorrdlss
MIY
lE,etrrrorrrlhr,edL
TO MA}.|Y DARKWOODS MY BETROTI{ED IS
STILL A UNKNOWN BAND. W}IAT MADE YOU
FORM THIS BAND AND WI{Y? CAN YOU GIVE
ME TIIE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BAND? ThE
idea to form DMB was Pasi's (vocals) in the
beginning of 1993 Our debut demo "Reborn in the
Promethean Flame" was released'7/93 andbecause of
poor quality and little knowledge about the existence
of the UG-system spread only in 50 copies Still it
caused some affrrmative response so we decided to try
again with some new material and so we made "Dark
Aureoles Gathering" demo 3/94, which should be
quite well known. That led to a contract with
Hammerheart in the fall of 1994 and the debut album
"Heirs of the Northstar" was released 3/95.
WIry DID YOU CHANGE YOUR BANDNAME
FROM VIRGiN'S CUNT TO D.M.B.? WASN'T
TI{E OLD NAME SUITABLE A}.YI\4ORE OR
WHAT? IN YOUR OPIMON, WHAT IS TTIE
BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAST AND
PRESENCE? The reason was
just like you stated. not
suitable anymore. You mean the difference musically
(I think you do)? We have become more technical
(the lst demo was really primitive), added some clean
vocals, narrations, more slower riffs and improved
hell of a lot as a band.
"DARK AUREOLES GATI{ERING'IS YOUR
SECOND DEMO AS A BAND, BLN T}IE FIRST
UNDER THE NAME D.M.B. IF I'M NOT
TOTALLY WRONG. I, MYSELF HAVE NEVER
IMARD IT. BIJTKNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO
SPEAK VERY HIGHLY OF IT. WHAT WOULD
YOU SAY IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT? ARE YOU
SATISFIED WITH TI{E RESULT OF IT? HeII, I
guess the people you know think that "Dark
Aureoles..." is our first demo. It's very unprobable
that they have the first one and even more unprobable
that they would speak very highly of it. The music
was in the really old vein, very primitive and the
sound shitty, but still there was some spirit in there
Maybe some day we will let a small label re-release it,
who knows.
YOU'VE HAD SOME LINE-UP CHANGES SINCE
TI{E START. WHAT IS THE CURRENT LINE.UP
AND IS IT NOW COMPLETE OR IS SOMETHING
MISSING? Actually we have had no line-up changes
excluding the taking of Tuomas as the session
keyboardist to the album. The line-up is as follows:
Pasi (all vocals), Jouni (guitars), Teemu
@ass),
Tero
(session dmms), Tuomas (session keyboards) and the
next album will introduce Tomi on acoustic guitar on
session basis. Maybe we will try to find a permanent
drummer in the future, so gigs and stuffwould be
possible. Thrs region isjust hopeless in finding stable
members acceptable into DMB.
SOME PEOPLE CLAIM TI{AT PASI'S VOCALS
ARE A RIP-OFF. IN IvfY OPIMON THIS ONLY
SHOWS THAT SOME PEOPLE E}.I\TY PASI FOR
BEING CAPABLE TO SING iN SUCH A UMQUE
WAY. AND TO POSSESS TI{E ABILITY TO FILL
HIS VOCALS WITH A SORROWFUL
ATMOSPI{ERE. WIIAT' S YOUR HONEST
OPIMON ABOLTI THIS? My honest opinion: I agree
with you l0l%. Some guys have claimed they're a
rip-offfrom Varg of Buranm, but I see very little
similarity there. The 2nd album will introduce a huge
improvement in vocals, they'll have more variety and
as a wholly new thing, there'll be some nice 3-voice
backing vocals etc.
YOUR DEBUT ALBUM 'TMIRS OF THE
NORTHSTAR" MUST BE TIM BEST ALBIIM
EVER COMING FROM A FINMSH BAND. HOW
HAS TI{E RESPONSE BEEN? ARE YOU
SATISFIED WITH TI{E OUTCOME OF IT? What
you stated as the first line, seems to be the general
opinion - the best Finnish band (is that so much...?).
Generally the response have been very good, varying
from "quite boring but ok" to "fucking great". I'm
quite satisfied with it, although there are lots of
things to change. I'd like to change the sound to a
rougher direction, get rid of the playing mistakes,
change a couple ofllrics (5th and 6th ones) and
re-arrange some riffs. All in all, it's a very good
debut.
YOURDEBIIT ALBL]M WERE RELEASED BY
HAMMERFIEART PRODUCTIONS. W}IY DID
YOU SIGN ON A LINKNOWN SOUTH KOREAN
LABEL? HAVE HAMMERF{EART PROD. DONE A
GREAT JOB WITH YOURDEBLTT? HAVE OTI{ER
LABELS SHOWN TI{EIR INTEREST? We signed to
them, as at that moment there were no serious offers
for a full-length album (there were several offers for
ep's and MCD's). HIIP have done an ok
job with it,
considered that it's their debut release, we are quite
an unknown band and they come from Korea, which
is a little disadvantage when coming to the European
market compared to European labels. At least half a
dozen labels have shown their interest after the
release of the album. Now we're signed for 2 albums
on Solistitium from Germany. Other bands on that
label are Helheim (nor), Iwind (nor), Perished (nor),
Nattvindens Grit (fin) and last but not least
Behemoth (pol).
Our second album will most likely
be released in April (it's out now, and are entrtled
"Autumn Roars Thunder" - ED!).
HOW IS IT TO LIVE IN F:INLAND NOW THAT
YOU'RE A PART OF E.C.? HAS THINGS BEEN
BETTER OR WORSE AFTER JOINING E.C.?
Living in Finland is ok. I have all the time been for
our membership in the EU and I still am. I think it
offers opportunities that staying outside would kill.
The Finnish economy isn't so strong as the
Norwegian one, and thus we had no other choice,
although some Christians and commie rats
complained... fucking idiots. Also an advantage is
that we can bring more alcohol when coming back
from abroad, he-he.. As you might know, alcohol is
almost as expensive as in Norway (yeah, that's for
sure, but w do have some home made stuffcalled HB
or 96Yo
- ED!). Farmers complain about our
membership, but they represent only a minor part of
the populatron ('7%), so who cares? In a few years the
membership should show all its advantages in
industrial and that way economic growth, if our own
politicians don't fuck it up. Well, I'm quite sure they
will.. a bunch of brainless bastards.
WOULD YOU CONSIDERIT AS ANHONOURTO
DIE FOR FINLAND OR WI{AT? WHAT WOULD
YOU SAY IS TI{E BEST THING TO DIE FOR? NO.
I would not. I think this is a nice country to live in,
but no country is good enough to die for. The best
thing to die for is when defending your own life.
Nobody will see me fighting for politicians and other
scums property like the idiots in the army do. I have
so little properry, that I can pack them and flee to
Sweden if the rusky assholes would attack. I have
healthy national pride, I'm proud to be a Finn, but
I'm really not an extreme nationalist, like you
probably have noticed already.
WHAT MUSIC AND BANDS/ARTISTS DO YOU
PREFER TO LISTEN TO? HOW IS THE SCENE IN
FINLAND? ANY NEW BANDS WORTH TO BE
MENTIONED?WHA-TAREYOURFAVOURITE
BANDS AND ARTISTS? I'm very open-minded
when it comes to music. I just listen to what sounds
good from classical to 60's and 70's progressive rock
to 80's heavy, doom, black to 90's metal. Favourite
bands myriad... to name a few, Bathory (The One),
Candlemass, Manowar, King Diamond, Rush,
Genesis (only the old snrff), Rainbow, Demon, Unah
Heep, Skyclad, Tiamat, Iron Maiden, Sorcerer (swe),
Decoryah, Isengard, Storm, Helheim, Burzum,
Sodom (old), King Crimson, Hawkwind, Einherjer
and many more. The scene in Finland is not too
glorious, but at least we don't have 1000 bands that
sound the same... worthy new bands, hell, that's a
diffrcult one, maybe Wanderer, at least they're quite
ok. The best bands from Finland are Tarot,
Barathrum, Decoryah and Thy Selpent.
BACK TO D.M.B. AGAIN. WHAT ARE YOTIR
FUTURE PLANS? WILL YOU PLAY LIVE IN TI{E
FUTURE? ANY PLANS FOR A TOUR OR
SOMETHING? WHAT WOULD A PERFECT
D.M.B. GIG BE LIKE? ANY SPECIAL EFFECTS?
The future sees the new album in April ald another
one in ayear or so. There has been some plans about
a couple of gigs in Finland and possibly a
middle-european tour with Helheim and Behemoth,
but nothing is sure. Some things make our live gigs
quite hard, as we can only rehearse on weekends etc.
We haven't planned too much about the live show. If
we do gigs, we will try to look for something not used
before.
WHAT MERCHANDISE CAN YOU OFFER YOI.IR
FANS? WHAT ABOUT VI}IYL? WIIAT'S YOIIR
OPINION ABOUT VI|IYI-? We don't sell an1'thing.
All our goods can be ordered from tle label. The
demos are sold out, but there might come a re-press of
"Dark Aureoles Gathering" as picture 7", a limited
edition most likely. Also some T-shirts are to come.
The first album is only released on CD. It was a
decision by Hammerheart. The second album will be
released on both CD and vinyl. The vinyl version will
be a true collectors item, as it will be limited to either
500 or 1000 copies, it will have a different cover than
the CD and probably "Whispers" re-recorded as a
bonus track. Vinyl is ok, but I as alary fucker prefer
CD. Vinyl versions have got really neat covers.
THAT'S IT. IT'S TTIE TIME FOR YOU TO MAKE
YOLIR WISI{ES! Get our stuff, folks. Also check out
Nattvindens Grit's "A Bards Tale" out on Solistitium.
You should be able to get it from your local distro. 47
minutes of epic atmospheric doom/heavy with
originality. This far great feedback received (except
Nordic Fishing, who slaughter every Finnish band..)
Ok, that's it for tlus time, I guess. Thanks for your
support Karsten. I{AIL & KILL!
Contactaddress
(include I.R. C. rvhen writrng) :
Darkwoods My Betrothed
P.O.BOX 30
82501 KITEE
FINLAND
(also
the contact address for NaWindens Grit)
[WORDO&
You started back in 1987 with the black metal
band AR6G. What attracted you to that musical
style? Why did you change style with the birth of
MORDOR? What's the biggest difference between
past and presence? At this epoch, we were very
interested in darkness, violence, occultism, and
against tlus absurd materialist society; it was there-
fore very logic that the first wave of black metal
influenced us a lot. It was not very usual that music
and doctrine were blended, because black metal was a
vision of the world and for a long time we had have
thought that music is a means (like writings) to speak
about different subjects, and to express them with
other things than words. But we had thought for a
long time that a synthesis between different dark
music was possible; and as in the same time we
explored more deeply esoteric doctrines, it was the
occasion to create a new band, i.e. Mordor. On the
level of the contingences, multiple problems with
musicians convinced us to work with machines. And
a magic experiment was the main reason of "Odes"'s
recording. In fact, Mordor is an Arcig's deepening
doctrinally and musically, even if the form is a little
different.
How would you describe your music? Do you look
upon yourselves as musicians or artists? We often
say that "dark" is the more appropriated word to
describe our music, but you don't have to forget that
it exists a metaphysical sense of Darkness. And we
don't see us simply as "musicians" or "artists"
(especially if you speak about the modern vision),
which is an uncomplete definition. Our aim is
metaphysical, we try to
join
the supraworld through
muslc.
What's the main difference between "Odes".
"Black Roses from the Dawn of Chaos" and
"Csejthe"? How would you describe these
releases? If "Odes" possesses a very dark and
oppressive atmosphere, it also includes a cosmic and
a ritual dimension. Even if "Odes" is not a concept
work, the basic elements in Mordor are already
present (it was the case for Ardg too): the quest of the
transcendence through Darkness, the important of the
female hierophany (especially in a extreme vision)
myths, spiritual vivility. Musically it is based on
hlpnotrc rhythms and "shooting" riffs, slow tempo
and qynthesizers, low growls and "spatial" sound (not
for the panoramic but for the sense of distance).
"Black Roses from the Dawn of Chaos" is ahvays in a
repetitive and tribal vein but perhaps more rhythmed.
The subject of the song is linked with a female
hierophany, alchemy and you can find another
symbol yet... "Csejthe" is a conceptual release, based
on a metaphysical pnnciple, Evilution, and Her three
incarnations in human History, from the ancient
Egypt to the modern civrlizatron and the end of the
world. The music possesses more complex structures,
a little different from "Odes", perhaps a little more
"musical" with different classical synthesizers, duet
between male and female vocals etc. but in any case,
it is already the same bottom in Mordor, because we
want the being. Only the form, wtuch is becoming,
can change.
Your music is for sure original and very
experimental. Do you think it is important to be
progressive? Why is it important to explore new
styles? Do you think experimental and industrial
bands have more depth in their thoughts and views
than
"traditional"
bands? Why is this? First of all
we have to speci-ff that we are resolutely opposed to
the modern ideologies of"progtess" and "evolution".
Our aim is not to propose something "original" and
"new" like uzual culture want, but something which is
bonded with the true reality (of the Being). That's
why we use m1ths, legends, cosmologies and the
impersonal side of our own experiences like themes
for our songs. That is because of the complexity of the
subjects ofour songs (which often relate a story and
therefore ask different atmospheres) that we create
now a complex music. Perhaps experimental and
industrial bands in their thoughts are deeper than
usual ones, but they are not often nearer to the truth,
because their vision is generally pewerted by modern
ideologies. Now it is very probable tlat a man who is
pawned in a serious way will not play commercial
music and will make a one coherent rvith himself'
Unless he watches commercial media as a means to
distribute his ideas
Mordor' s musi c are defi ni tel y not made to spread
ttl ove"
and
"happi ness".
What i nspi res and
influence you to create such dark and hateful
music? What are your lyrics about? A stereotype of
the dark music is to reject the word "love".
It is
perfectly normal if you speak about I'amour-bourgeois
or ofthe babas cool but unnormal ifyou speak about
the power of Eros; true love can be a force which can
destroy a life, to change the destiny of a country, a
force which can be as violent as hate. besides,
tantrism shows that passions are energies which can
be used for an ascese. But the magical dimension of
love is perhaps reserved to someone which can see
more than a simple copulation to find an ephemeral
pleasure in it. Mordor indeed doesn't propa3ate a
vision oflife based on hedonism and happiness. On
the contrary, we prefer gnostic, stoitisist, bouddhist
but also tantric one. "Life is suffering", the aim
therefore is to overstep life and human condition. The
true felicity, ananda, is beyond happiness and
misfornrne. Another important thing to understand
the ideology behind
Mordor:
that is the fact that for
the esoteric doctrines which influence us, the modern
world is not the summit of mankind, but on the
contrary the summit of the decay. Nordic tradition
speaks about the Age of the Wolf; Hesiode spoke
about the Age of the Iron; Indian tradition speaks
about the Kali-Yuga; it is the age where man is
submitted to the matter, possessed by the profane
intoxication of the becoming; The last age where
quantity reigns instead quality, lies instead truth,
wrong knowledges like science, psychoanalyse,
philosophy instead metaphysic, democracies instead
Empire, multiplicity instead unity. That's why this
age is called a dark age and the fundamental a.\iom of
original Left Hand Path traditions like tantrism is "to
use poison like a cure". And because of our
idiosyncrasies and the desastrous situation of our
epoch, we are attracted by the dark side of the
mountain, by Shiva and Kali. The basic inspiration
behind Mordor is metaphysic; it inlluences political,
artistic, social domain and it is therefore a revolt
against the modern world.
You've said that Countess Bathory is your major
influence on "Csejthe". What is it with Her that
fascinates you so much? What's "Csejthe"
all
about and what does the titte mean? "Csejtle" is
the name of an ex-hungarian village where one of Her
castles lies and which was used to tortue young girls.
We can say that the Bloody Countess looks like an
hierophany of the Goddess Kali, because She rvas
very near to the extreme archetlpe of the Feminity,
the abyssal one which is blood, darkness and
destruction, the Witch opposed to the Mother But for
us, destruction is trans-formation, lvhat is beyond the
form. She is like the Dante's Beatrice: La Dame du
Salut. And a myth is not an intellectual game; it must
be lived, that's why we se current incarnations.
What's your opinion about people who claims to be
"evi l " and "satani c"?
Woul dn' t you say thi s i s
becomi ng a cl i ch6? How do you thi nk a real l y evi l
and satanic person should be? Satamsm is a
complex question which would ask a lot of time and
pages to be dealt with correctly, but it seems
important to us to say that it has never existed a
coherent doctrine called "satanism"; this word was
cointed (like the one "paganism") by the Christian
church to discredit ancient tmditions. Goat and
sabbaths can be relied to the old cults offertility.
Orgies and human sacrifices are not the fact of a
"evil" doctrine, on the contrary. The notions of"evil"
and "good" are moral and sentimental, especially at
our epoch with the triumph of an hypocritical
humanism whereas from a metaphysical point of
view, it is evident that the Principle, (impersonal
divinity) is beyond the contraries and human notions
like "good" and "evil". But it is also evident that
amoral doesn't mean immoral; a regression to the
animal instincts. Discipline and self+ontrol are
important for a true ethic; and following an ethic isn't
justified
by sentimental reasons but by metaphysical
principles. It exists also some "modern satanism"
which are in our opinion not very interesting, based
on a social-darwinist docrine and hedonism. They
are a kind of naturalism, lacking totally the sphere of
the spirit and in fact not very in rapport with an "evil"
cult. Now if we speak about a true satanism (i.e.
something against the divinity), from the
metaphysical point of view, it doesn't exist a god and
a devil with an absolute role. Indeed, the Principle is
the origin of everything, beyond the oppositions, but
it can exist a removal of the Principle and the best
example is the modern world. With technology,
sciences, industries, you have an application ofwhat
is really satanism: not orgies and cults of goat but
materialist mentality and current societies... At last, it
exists the "Satar's Holies", ascetes who want the
removal of the principle; but these don't play music,
write books or "play" with magic and we don't think
their nature is human. The absurdity of the modern
life implies that a lot of persons search in violence,
darkness and nihilism a sense of their life. That
explains the phenomenon of the trend about satanism;
but someone who possesses a minimum of mind has
to search further.
I know you've done some experiments in ruins!
What can you tell me about these experiments?
IIow do you feel when rvalking through such
monuments? We have effectively done some
experiments in France rvith friends, especially in a
big ancient castle from the Middle-Age. Perhaps you
can imagine the atmosphere, during the night with
just
the light from the moon, fire and candles. During
this instant, the usual notions of space and time were
not valid; it is the experiment of the quality of time.
To see these marvellous ruins is also a contemplation;
to search in himself the bond between everythrng; it is
also to understand that all the world of the becoming
is ephemeral and that the daily life is a lie. Other
experiments with these friends were based on long
walking and fatrgue to achieve a special state,
characterized by an amazing lucidity.
What motivates you to keep on going? What's the
basic emotion or spirit behind the band? The only
justification
of Mordor's existence is spirituality, even
if this world is often deformed by modern
interpretations. Mordor is the express of our quest of
the supraworld, a "weltanschauung" not subjective
because it is not simply a personal one, but a one
based on ancient doctrines which possess a
superhuman origin. It is also the reminder that it exist
anothervision of the world than the modern
materialist ideologies. The subjective domain
(depending
on our idiosyncraqy) is the fact that of
course we are more interested in some doctrines and
symbols than others, but that is a personal factor
which has only a real importance for us. Othenvise,
things are not simple like in capitalist mentality
which wants success
@ut
always a quantitative
success, not a qualitative one) and rejects failure.
Failures, solitude and death can be useful on the way
that we follow. And with Mordor, we must learn the
power of the contingences and material problems.
Tell me all there are to know about Dark
Industries. What bands/projects are a part of it?
Wi l l i t be establ i shed as a l abel ? Whi ch bands
would you like to sign in the future? Well, the only
Dark Industries' release was the compilation "The
Way of Nihilism" in 1993, including beside Mordor
and Art Sneider several project bands. A long time
ago we thought that creating our own label would be
the best solution for us, to get more liberry and to
avoid losing time in different problems, but because
of the lack of time and means, it is not currently a
valid solution. Dark Industries is therefore only a
little list of distribution, but perhaps we will release
some other project bands and compilatrons.
You also play in other projects/bands beside
Mordor. What would you like to tell me about
these acts? Would you say that they are reflections
of your personality? Which act reflects what part
of your personality? Even if Mordor plays a complex
music and use several styles to arrive to an unity, it
still exist a lot of possibility of experiments in music.
That's why sometimes when it is possible, we play in
several projects. Gora is our mear one, based on a
blend between noise, industrial and grindcore, to
express a total nihilism, using extreme persons,
catastrophes, and bestiality like subjects. From a
simple point of view, this project seem opposed to the
Mordor's aim but in fact it is a meninder that we
search the "conciliation of the opposed". And Gora is
a total revolt against the modern world. Vorsaken and
Cult of Noise projects were used for "The Way of
Nihilism" compilation, thus Odessa. Vorsaken was
slow, repetitive, and heavy music, based on a simple
instrumentation (bass, guitar and drummachine) and
destined to express the reject ofthe usual life and
hedonism. Cult Of Noise was long high notes without
rhythms and very "spatial", trying to evoke "what is
beyond time and space". And at last Odessa was a
solo work based on samplings from a Mordor
member. To say that all these projects are reflections
ofour personality is perhaps right, but it is "active
impersonality" that lve want. It would be better to say
that these projects express in di-fferent manners the
subjects that we
judge
important.
You dedicated the song "In search for the pure
negation" to the way that you follorv. How would
you describe that way? This song essentially relates
the passage from the personal to the impersonal. It is
the search of the pure vacuit-v, a Nothingness wluch is
in fact Totality, beyond the notion of Being, i.e.
No-Being. In some doctrines like negative theology
(Denis I Aerophagite), the Principle is described only
by negations. Our way is mainly based on the Left
Hand Path of Tantrism, Julius Evola's indications,
especially from the book "chevaucher le tigre", and
different elements which are important for us, but I
don't think that this way is applicable to a lot of
people.
How do you see what people call "the complete
evilution"? In the "Csejthe" concept, the word
"evilution" has to main significances: the one as a
metaphysical female principle and the second one as
"play on words" with "evil" and "evolution", showing
the true face of the progress and modern sicilization.
The ambiguity between these two means reveals that
diyinity is beyond dualism and misunderstanding
manicheism.
Do you believe in the existence of "tnre love"
end
"happi ness"? What' s i n your opi ni on the most
constructive emotion there is? All depends on what
you call "true love". In our opinion, only few persons
know the real love, i.e. something which is not simply
the fact ofinstincts, hedonism or sentimental reasons,
but something of magic. L'amour-passion is the
nostalgy of the primordial unity, when male and
female were one. Then sexuality can be the occation
to experiment that and to reform the Androgyn, but it
is not given to everybody and has nothing to do with a
simple quest of pleasure. "Happiness"... Here is a
word which has no serious sense in this civilisation:
often happiness equals material comfort therefore
death of the spirit. True felicity is beyond pain et
joy,
it is ananda!
How do you feel towards emotions such as love,
hate, pain, sorro\ry, happiness and sadness? Eow is
it possible to find beauty within the dark and
depressive? Energy! To understand that our real
being is not a body and a mind but the "Self'. To
understand that passion are energies which occur to
me and to use them as an ascese. Of course, it is
diffrcult and dangerous, because suicide and neuroses
are often very near but it is one ofthe only solution of
our epoch. Self-Control, and use ofpassions are
harder for a human being than for a machine. An
emotion, from love to hate, from sadness to
joy
can
unify the personality;
but it is often a passive
unification whereas we search an active one. And for
us, it is evident that it eists something beautiful in
darkness and blood by example. The Kali's disciples
see Her like the most beauti.fi.rl woman. even if She
dances on corpses and wears a necklace ofskulls.
What kind of music do you prefer to listen to?
What are your favourite bands? We like different
styles, from black/doom and death metal, industrial,
electronic, experimental, gothic to classical music
(including contemporary onel) and ethnic. Some of
the bands that we estimate very important are
Whitehouse, Laibach, Swans, Foetus, Emperor, Dead
Can Dance, Darktfuone, Mayhem, Death In June,
Bumrm, Bathory, Celtic Frost, Sol Invictus,
Tangerine Dream, GodIlesh, Univers Zero, Winter
and a lot of others. In classical music, apart
electro-accoustic and bruitism, we like Stravinskv.
Rachmaninov, Prokoviev etc.
You have mentioned two bands as your influence,
Foetus and one of my favourite bands, Laibach.
Why is this? What's so special about these two
bands? The inspiration from Foetus is essentially
based on the musical plan, to blend different styles
from
jazz
to classical music and to make a brilliant
musical terrorism. His crazy atmospheres are very
interesting, especially on the album "Thaw". About
ideology, we know that he is interested in the Church
of Satan, which is not for us a major reference.
Laibach convinced us for the power of their music,
their picture and some of their ideas. Albums like
"Macbeth", "Opus Dei", "Nato" or "Nova Akropola"
are really masterpieces. And Laibach is one of the
only groups which has understood that music is a
means. The NSK includes philosophies and artistical
departments too, therefore it is near ofthe concept of
a Totality. And we love their totalitarian picture,
which is more than a challenge to the "political
correct" democraties.
What are the future plans for Mordor? Will you
play live in the near future? It is the eternal present
that we search; funre is often used by the
demagogues to have their elections or revolutions;
and it is in past that it exists a treasure to discerne.
About Mordor, we want to finish our third album for
the middle or end of 1996, if werything goes well.
Perhaps we will play live, but it is totally uncertain.
We would like proposing not simply "musicians
playing their music" but also something conceptual in
rapport with our ideas, and it is for sure not easy.
The end is here! Close this interview as you rvish
to! The end, the beginning, that's the two terms of
something, but here is the aim: the fire of the
Knowledge must destroy the
rycle
of the birth and
death.
Contactaddress are:
MORDOR
B. P. 360
IO2O RENENS VDl
SWITZERLAND
-{ampfav
WHY NOT START WITH AN INTRODUCTION
FIRST. HOW AND WHEN WAS KAMPFAR
CREATED? WHAT WAS YOUR MUSICAL LIFE
LIKE BEFORE KAMPFARWAS BORN? Well, to
start with the beginning I can tell you that I was a
member of Mock. Mock started up in
'91
(me and 2
warbrothers). Together we created something original
at least at that time, namely Viking MetaMn
'93
we
entered a studio to record a demo called "Cold
Winter". This demo is now out on a split CD with
Tumulus (Ger)
on the dutch label Hammerheart
Records. A MCD recorded in
'94
is also out there
now. Mock splitted up in
'94
due to inner problems in
the band. Kampfar didn't take place before the split
of Mock in
'94,
but it have always been an idea, but
due to much work with Mock etc. it didn't occur
earlier.
HOW ARE YOU TIIESE DAYS DOLK AND
WHAT ARE TIIE LATEST NEWS IN TIIE
KAMPFAR CAIvIP? I'm fine thank you. i can tell
that Kampfar will now (august) enter studio to record
the full-length (debut) album, and the now sold out
promo'95 will be re-released on MCD. One bonus
song will also be included on this MCD.
I MUST CONGRATULATE YOU WITH AN
ASTOMSHING PIECE OF WORK WITH YOUR
BRILLIANT PROMO' 95. HOW HAS THE
RESPONSE BEEN ON THIS RELEASE? WI{AT
ARE YOI.JR TRTJE FEELINGS REGARDING IT,
AND DO YOU THINK SOMETHING SHOTJLD
HAVE BEEN DONE OTHERWISE? Thanx! The
response have been enonnous actually. The promo
(250 handnumbered copies) was sold out within 2
months and I have now got something like 30 offers
for a record deal on various labels, so I must say that
I'm quite satrsfied with the response. Nevertheless
considered that this is a demo/promo and the first
stuffKampfar ever did I must say that I'm also
satisfied with this result, but of course if I would have
done this all over again, there are certain things I
would have done differently. but all in all I think this
is a great release.
FIRST YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO RELEASE
YOTIR DEBUI FULL-LENGTH TI{ROUGH TI{E
BIG JOKE. BLACK TOWERRECORDS. WHAT
HAPPENED WITHB.T.R. EXACTLY? WHO WILL
RELEASE IT AND WHEN? WHAT CAN YOU
TELL ME ABOUT THIS AND TI{E RELEASE OF
YOUR PROMO'95 ON CD? Yes, it was planned that
the debut album should have been released by Black
Tower Records, but certain things went wrong. I
don't know exactly what happened or happens with
B.T.R. cause I have not been able to talk with
Aasmund lately. The only thing I can say is that the
Covenant debut CD/LP will still be released there!
(Not quite right. "In Times Before The Light" is set to
be released by Cacophonous) Kampfar's debut will
be released by Malicious Records, and as mentioned
before "we" will enter studio in august to record it.
Hopefully it will be released in October/ November.
The MCD (promo + bonus) will be released on the
French label Season of Mist. The MCD is a release
due to tle great response on the promo'95.
IN THE EARLY DAYS KAMPFAR WAS A ONE-
MAN BAND, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW ONE
MORE PERSON HA\IE JOINED TIIE BAND. WHO
IS I{E AND WI{AT ASPECTS HAS HE ADDED TO
KAMPFAR? Kampfar started up as a one-man band,
yes, but in these days I've got a brother which handles
the guitars. He participates in the music writing/
making as much as me so Kampfar is no longer a
one-man band but a two-piece. He is 24 years old,
Norse and paganby nature so our co-operation works
well. He fills Kampfar with more aspects from
folklore and metal in generally. It makes the complete
sound of Kampfar even more unique than before.
WHERE DO YOU GET T}IE INSPIRATION TO
CREATE KAMPFAR' S MAGNIFICENT MUSIC
FROM? HOW IS THE PROCESS EVOLVING
WHEN CREATING A NEW TRACK? MY
inspiration comes with no doubt from my ancestors
pagan beliefs and life, and of course from this mighty
land and nature itself.... Hill Norvegr!! The process
creating new tracks... Hmm, I think Kampfar create
music/tracks just
like any other band. Tons of ideas
and riffs which we put together until it fits our sound
and concept.
WHAT DO YOUR LYRICS MAINLY DEAL WITH
AND WHATHAS MOST INFLUENCE ON YOUR
LYRICS? HOW IMPORTANT WOULD YOU SAY
T}IE NORWEGIAN NATURE IS TO YOU, AND
WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON
YOUR LIFE, MUSIC AND LYRICS? Well, my lyrics
mainly deal with the same as my inspirations. My
ancestors pagan beliefs and life plus my homeland
and nature. I guess my lyrics mostly deal with the
heathen/pagan Norse myths in general and this strong
belief which is followed by this, before the pathetic
Christianiry took place. Of course the mighty nature
of Norway can't go without being mentioned because
I can't explain how much this means to me. This is a
religion itself1
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOI.]T ART IN THE
WIDEST MEANING OF TI{E WORK? IN CASE
YOU HAVE. WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE
PAINTE& COMPOSER POET, AUTHOR,
DIRECTOR ETC.? WHA-T MAKES TmM SO
GREAT? llmm... Art is a very difftcult matter to
discuss. It depends on which eyelperson who see, but
in my opiruon art don't have to be done by human
hands. I don't have any special favourite painter
composer etc,. My favourite poet/writer is Karsten
Hamre (he-he).
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC AND BANDS DO DOLK
PREFER TO LISTEN TO, BOTH METAL AND
NON-METAL? My music spectre is kind of large
actually. I listen to almost everything that gives me
something emotionally, but nevertheless I can't say
that I'm so very open-minded. I live and breathe for
this black cult so I do for sure listen to most bands in
this genre.
WHAT'S YOUR OPIMON ABOUT RELIGION
AND POLITICS IN GENERAL? WHERE DO YOU
STAND? I've got tons of opinions about religion and
politics but I guess I will not mention too much here
as then I had to write a fucking book or something. I
can ofcourse say that I am an anti Christian person,
without doubt. I think this tells a little bit at least.
WILL WE E\1ER BE ABLE TO E)(PEzuENCE
KAMPFAR LIVE? WHAT WOI.JLD THE
ULTIMATE KA}IPFAR GIG BE LIKE? A].ry
SPECIAL EFFECTS? I don't know, but it's not
impossible that some gigs and tour(s) will follow.
Right now it's to early to say something about it, but
if so happens I both guess and hope that it will be a
great show with some effects. In aly case we have to
have some "live" members, and that's not discussed
yet either so I guess the future will tell what happens.
WHAT CAN WE E)GECT FROM YOU IN THE
FUTURE? TELL ME ABOLTT ALL TI{E FUTURE
PLANS YOU MIGFIT HAVE. WHAT CAN WE
LOOK FORWARD TO? ANY NASTY DETAILS?
As mentioned before we will now release the debut on
Malicious records and one album more is to come
there so watch out for this Norse Pagan Folklore
Metal piece.
BEST WISI{ES FOR YOU AND KAMPFAR. END
THIS TI{E WAY YOU WANT, DOLK! Thanx for
thy interview. In these days I'm doing a
distribution/prod. called Nature of Holocaust so if
anyone is interested in a free distributionlist,
just
fucking write. I can also tell that N.O.H. soon will
"release" the first and only official Mock(R.I.P-)
T-shirt, so if you want to get hold of one before it's
too late..... Write! All Kampfar items will also be
distributed here.
For bandcontact rvrite to:
DOLK
MIDTASEN 14E
1624 GRESSVIK
NORWAY
Paganism
Paganism is a loose word for the large variety of
polytheistic,
shamanistic, and mystical non-
monotheistic religions Paganism exists in all
cultures, from paleolithic to technological, but has
htstorically waxed and waned. The ancient Egyptians
are an example ofa highly pagan society; so are the
ancient Romans; and all paleolithic cultures from the
Old Stone Age to the present have strong pagan
elements. An example of a less pagan culture would
be the West for the last thousand years or so, since the
centuries following the Fall of Rome. The domination
of the Middle East by Christrans and Moslems has
also largely shut out paganism. Characteristic of
paganism is a tolerance for other pagnistic ideas, even
those that literally contradict one's own. Such
persecutions as have been directed against paganistic
religrons by each other are by-products ofpolitical
struggles and mass population movements rather than
ideologically motivated. The same is to some extent
true of early Judaism, which was the direct inheritor
to the traditions ofa strongly pagan society. A slave
revolt apparently led to a few hundred thousand slaves
with no place to live; to get them, they butchered the
inhabitants ofpagan cities and took up residence in
the cities themselves. They invoked their war god to
justi$
this action. Similarly, when the beginnings of
the modern Greek mythology were laid down, it was
as a result of invading Northern barbarians
supplanting the earlier (and somewhat gynocentric)
Titan mythology with their imported religion, which
grew more refined and less aggressive later on, as
happened with Judaism. Before it came under the
thumb of monotheism, the West was dominated by the
highly civilized Roman culture. The Roman Republic
and Empire were characterized by an unusually large
number of religions together in a single social whole,
frequently sharing the same geography and even the
same temples. This explicitly eclectic (or
"syncretistic",
as it is more usually known in studies
of the Romans) synthesis is more similar to modern
neo-paganism than any other form of histoncal
paganism I know of. However, it ended after the
Christian emperors took over and Rome fell. The
post-pagan West experienced frequent resurgences of
paganism in various forms. If we date this at 1000 CE
for convenience, we see first the Inquisitorial period,
where paganism was punished with death and torture.
Then there comes the Renaissance, in which pagan
symbolism and ideas in art and philosophy were
somewhat more common than explicitly Christian
ones. The Renaissance lasted until the l6th century.
Note that the Inquisitions lasted effectively until the
Enlightenment period, and were bad during the
Renaissance, but ceased to be mostly ideologically
motivated after the first three centuries. The
Inquisition had become a political arm of the Vatican,
a force useful in many ways other than suppressing
heresy. It spent much of its time accomplishing
political, antifeminist, and covert goals of the Church.
We see in the tnal of the Templars in the fourteenth
century that uncommonly faithful people were caught
in a secular political struggle between the King of
France and the Pope. They were routinely tortured,
the usual prompted confessions were given, and they
were executed, for reasons having nothing to do with
ideology or heresy except as excuses. It is also during
the Renaissance that we begin to have evidence of
what we may consider explicitly religious paganism
again. Most of the grimoires we have date from this
era; alchemists, often overtly Christian but employing
pagan symbolism and texts, \ryere most common
during the Renaissance; the Kabbalah and Tarot
onginate in the Renaissance, forming the backbone of
modern pagan symbolism The Renaissance also saw
the obscure origins of a rebirth. in improved form, of
Greek humanism, technically pagan because of its
suppression by Christian Rome and its use of theistic
symbols. The Reforma[ion was again a less pagan
period; Protestant rulers like Elizabeth and James
carried out their own anti-heresy pogroms,
annihilating most evidence of witchcraft. Of
particular interest in the Reformation is Scot's "The
Discoverie of Witchcraft", lvhich presents the
humanist and rationalist perspective on witches which
has generally triumphed today: that witch accusations
were more often driven by factors such as ugliness,
personal enmity, poverry, and so forth than on
ideologrcal grounds, and that in fact there were no
witches. This is probably true only of the later
Inquisitorial period. Earlier on, the Inquisition
certainly did help in the temporary stamping out of
paganism; so if pagans are witches, there were
witches. We need not bother much with Murray's
supposedly anthropological study of English
witchcraft in the Inquisitorial period, except to note
that it has been devoutly accepted by many modern
pagans, and to point out some of its flaws. Based on
late Inquisitorial evidence and the consistency ofthe
confessions obtained by the Inquistors, and tossing in
some disjointed scraps of English folk history and
legend, Murray asks us to believe that a paleolithic
subculture lasted in England, living semi-naked in the
bushes, until nearly the beginning of the Reformation
at least, and possibly until the curent day. Of course
late Inquistorial confessions lvere consistent; they
were practically dictated to the torfure victim. A much
better account ofthe relationship ofpaganism to
Christianity before and during England's post-pagan
period is Jessi Weston's classic "From Ritual to
Romance". Its conclusions rvere denved from decades
of intense study of the Grail mlthology and its
anthropological, myhological, and social context. As
a parting note on the Reformation, lve may note the
peculiar phenomenon ofcourt astrologers and
alchemists and their ilk, the most notable examples
being the sorcerer John Dee and the seer Edward
Kelley under Elizabeth. These rvere the inheritors of
Paracelsus and the other alchemists and Chrisuan
medicine doctors, using pagan symbols and methods
with a veil of Christian symbolism. Kelley stopped the
work of Dee and Kelley under unknown
crrcumstances; he is said to have been told by the
angels to form a group sex arrangement with Dee and
his wife, which they supposedly did for a while; in
another version, Kelley was driven from the work by a
prophecy ofa new age dawning, which was heresy.
So, on to the Enlightenment of the seventeenth
century This was more humanistic than religious,
though humanism is a religion on alternate Tuesdays;
it all depends which of the many reasonable
definitions you use. In any case, the seventeenth
centuries saw the first applications ofthe renewed
Greek humanism that originated in the Renaissance.
The counter-Christian current was running stronger;
more and more, people were beginning to demand
equal treatment for all, and freedom from the rigid
boundaries ofthought and expression imposed on
them by governments and churches alike. This
humanism has colored most "opposition" religious
movements in America since this time, much for the
better in my opinion. This is beoause principles of
respect for the individual were put into the American
system of government (as an afterthought - the
humanistic heyday had ended in the 1780's in
America, and the new would-be ruling class had to be
forcibly reminded), and the governmental structure
was such that it was able to make progress in its
understanding of freedom. Things did not work out
quite so well in France's humanistrc revolution,
largely due to Robespierre, the atheistic moral
grandfather of Stalin and Pol Pot. He interpreted
opposition to monarchy as punishing high birth with
low death, and then set out ruthlessly to purge
opposition and deviation. Soon monarchy was
re-established in France. The nineteenth century was
a period of resurgence of paganism. The neorlassical
movement was explicitly devoted to rediscovering the
virnres of the highly pagan societies Rome and
Greece. This movement was to be by far the dominant
force of the century. Humanism was further applied to
the institution of slavery, resulting in war and social
upheaval. The Prometheans such as Blake, Shelley,
Byron, and so forth were widely considered to be
among the greatest luminaries of the period. The
method of science and its results made avarlable much
more information on religions of the East and of less
civilized cultures. Contact between reli giously
different but politically equal forces invariably leads
to mutual excuses for the other, largely to help keep
trade going, but also as a result of time spent in
foreign climes observing the practice of religion. This
creates, although not in great numbers at first, a
different attitude toward religions than the dogmatic
denial ofall other religions possible only under a
large and self-suffrcient monolithic theocracy. Other
religions are seen as not neccessarily conflicting with
one's own any more than another art movement does
with one's own favorite. There was a more oDen
resurgence of sorcery in less overtly Christian forms,
particularly in the last half of the century This
attracted many notable adherents, and from the
publication of "The Magus" by Barrett in I 80 l,
created a magical library in modern English which is
still widely read and used. It used the work of
Renaissance magicians, court sorcerors, Kabalists,
and so forth, and attempted to apply the psychological
principles of the day in various original fudgings.
There was also the Theosophical movement, largely
discredited by Blavatsky's proven cheating on tests of
psychic powers, and rather more like spiritualism
with Eastern allusions than any Eastern religion. The
psychical movement, which changed its name to
parapsychology, grew out of spiritualism, which grew
out of mesmerism, which was apparently fairly
original and totally ludicrous, but did yield the secret
of hypnotism. This led legitimate investigators to
examining the claims of other groups usually brushed
off as mystical. The early Sociefy for Pqychical
Research, founded in 1882 and led byprominent
scientists such as the American psychologist William
James, was formed "first, to carry on systematrc
experimentation with hypnotic subjects, mediums,
clairvoyants, and others, and, secondly, to collect
evidence concerning apparitions, haunted houses, and
similar phenomena which are incidentally reported,
but which, from their fugitive nature, admit of no
deliberate control." It is to be noted that there is still,
a century later, no replicable experiment to
demonstrate the existence of anything but hypnotic
subjects in this list. It is also worth noting tlat while
general models of the layout of the psyche continue to
be employed in psychotherapy, there is still no
generally agreed upon experimental methodology to
falsr-ff feahrres of these models. Finally, it should be
noted that the ritual magic methods employed by
many pagans, in other times as well as today, still
have not been placed under real scientific scrutiny to
determine whether or not they produce any physically
measurable effects. (My feeling is that such effects are
limited in scope to participants in the rituals and
people who have knowledge of their occurrence,
whether such knowledge is true or false.) Various
factions of magicians struggled to survive in the early
half of the twentieth century, against an increasingly
Christian atheist culture; that is, a materialistic
populace considered almost exclusively with
day-to-day life and easy entertainment, but still
paying occassional lip sewice to Christianity and
suspicious of all other religions. Most of the inheritors
of nineteenth-century magical paganism were
hopelessly fragmented and dogmatized, incapable of
working together and resolving their differences. In
the late forties, Gerald Gardner began publishing
books on witchcraft. Gardner lvas a known associate
of Crowley's and his rituals use a lot of symbolism
drawn from Crowley, but only a felv actual references
to Crowley. He is also repo(ed to have associated
with Theosophist groups. Crorvley rvas one of the
chief inheritors of the iumble left at the end of the
mneteenth century, as well as a traveller and student
in Eastern lands. In any case, Gardner (a-fter Crowley)
called for yet another neo-classicism, following the
pattern of all the other resurgences of Graeco-Roman
paganism,
but more explicitly religious. The laudable
looseness of Gardner's system was more attractive to
magically inclined people than the Golden Darvn and
Theosophy splinters remaining. It freed them to create
on their own, and they went at it with a vengeance.
One reason for the greater effective freedom was that
Gardner was not as hard an act to follow as many of
the Golden Dawn leaders. He was soon gone beyond
by hrs students, many of whom went offto form their
own Gardnerian splinters and mythological histories
of their origin. Another reason was the less
formidable Gardnerian system of initiation. Most
magical groups had complex multi-layered spiritual
hierarchies. These were supposed to represent
psychological fact, but little in the way of acceptable
empirical observation was used to correct these
schemes, mostly drawn from loose interpretations of
the Kaballa, and they can't be said to have really
compelling inter-individual force. These were
replaced by a simple hierarchy of three grades. This
was the high-level structure of the Golden Dawn, and
of a number of Masonic groups, which divided their
degrees into categories. The third grade was no longer
reserved for secret chiefs who almost certainly never
existed or for mythological prophets, and the
initiations had a more
joyful
and celebratory
character, rather than a system of awful psychological
ordeals. (I feel that the emphasis on ordeals and
spiritual hierarchy was a product ofChristian
influence, with the triumph of martyrdom as a
supreme spiritual experience and the hierarchic
nature of the Church, and that a simpler formula
based on Thelemic growth, like the dominant
neo-pagan formula, rather than Christian
death/rebirth is more appropriate.) A common claim
among neo-pagans is that paganism was suddenly
revealed to the world in the fifties after cenruries of
hiding. This is demonstrably false; all that is needed
is a bit of history, textual analysis, and symbolic
comparison to see how close neo-paganism (as the
movement came to be known in the sixties) is to its
known historical antecedents. But mythological
histories are themselves traditional in world religions.
While it is important to know the real history of a
religion, this does not invalidate the possible value of
mlthological tales of the origin, because these serve
as fictional statements of intent, often incorporating
powerfirl symbolism. They have literary value in this
respect; and literary or other artistic value is a type of
spiritual value. Modern religious paganism has made
a unique contribution. No eclectic/pagan movement of
the historical past has brought the contributions of
paleolithic
shamanism into the fold as well as has
neo-paganism. In large part this is due to a rise in
knowledge of such religions at the same time as the
rise of neo-paganism. This is an extremely valuable
contribulion: in shamanism lies the roots of all human
religion. A coven meeting still resembles a GD lodge
considerably more than it does a shamanistic lodge,
despite the valuable addition oftechniques originating
in shamanism. This has been a neccessarily brief and
incomplete account. I have not mentioned Rabelais,
tJre Rosicrucians, the decadent poets, Nietzsche, de
Sade, Levi, Gurdjieff, James, Augustine, Shakespeare,
Masonry, Paine, American utopian communities,
Jung, Merlin, art and spirit, or Gnosticism, all of
which are vital elements of the story; I have given
short shrift to the psychical movement and its
inJluence on nineteenth and twentieth century
paganism; and I have neglected many other relevant
topics. But I hope this will suffrce as a brief overview
ofthe pagan history preceding neo-paganism
TANTRIC
MASTTIRBATIOI\
by Master Xul Kharesh
I prefer an outside location against the
base of afriendly tree,or on a deserted
beach. Vl/here I now live, I have access to a
Iarge shower with a carpet and a big soft
upholstered lounge chair thut works well.
My greatest success happens during my
moontime when f am menstruating. At that
time I
feel
a substantial quantitative
increase in the internal heat generated by
this techniqua
Sealing
To seal means to close the chakras (the energy
centers ofthe aura) and the body onfices, with a touch
and a visualization. I lightly touch my fingertips to
the top of my head, forehead, eyes, nose, ears, mouth,
throat, between my breasts, solar plexus, genitals,
anus and feet. With each touch I visualize a circle
closing, like the petals of a florver closing for the
night. I finish the seal by drarving a circle around
myself. I pass my hands over my heart center, over
my head, along my body, under my feet, and back to
my heart center. At the same time I visualize a blue
light trailing from my fingertips, making a blue oval
to enclose me.
When I seal before masturbating or making love,
I feel an increase ofheat in my heart and genitals; and
I don't feel tired or drained or lonely or scared when
I'm done - I feel warm and cherished, by myself or by
my partner. I also find that if I do not seal or protect
myself during my moontime, I experience a much
more severe exhaustion after using this technique, a
'loss of energy' similar to that which my partner
describes when he ejaculates frequently. I hear from a
lot of Tantric writers that male bodies must conserve
their energy, but that female bodies may give
endlessly; from my experience I do not find that
statement to be true. Female bodies also lose fluids
Breathi ng Rhythmi cal l y
I use a 6-3-6-3 pattern. I inhale for six
heartbeats, hold the air in my lungs for three
heartbeats, exhale for six, and rest without breathing
for three. An easier and more common pattern is to
inhale for four beats and exhale four beats. Whenever
I do any kind of magic, I use this breath pattern, so
for me it's linked to feeling sacred and powerftrl lt
also makes me breathe more deeply, which relaxes
me. Breathing meditation in general helps me clear
my mind. Later, there will be a time to generate
images. For now, I want to clear out extraneous
material. I'm not going to think about the article I'm
writing or what I'm making for dinner. I'm going to
make love to myself, and only that. The breathing
helps me to concentrate.
Autoeroti c Sti mul ati on
The first step in acnrally making self-love is to
stimulate myself and watch while I'm doing it. I'm
not talking about
just
stimulation of the clitoris (or
penis) by hand
- I rub my body against the surface I'm
on - earth or sand or soft cloth. I stroke the whole of
my body, and suck whatever I can comfortably reach
with my mouth. The quality of this touch is light,
gentle and cherishing ... which doesn't mean that it
isn't passionate, only that it is not perfunctory or
violent.
Hei ghtened Pl easure
Just before I climax, I stop. I visualize a column
of gold or white enerry rising from my genitals to my
heart center hot. When I stop the physical stimulation
just
short of contraction, I get some of the same effects
as in full-orgasm. I feel sensation in my clitoris, a
sense of my body trembling slightly, a brief cessation
of thought, and perhaps one or two very small vaginal
contractions. My partner experiences similar effects
,
including penile contractions. However, I don't allow
myself a full set of contractions, and he doesn't allorv
himself ejaculation. We call this 'climax without
ejaculation' and'climax without contractions.'
(Obviously,
our language isn't set up to discuss this.)
This (hopefully specific) description does not convey
the pleasure of the experience. This is a
smaller-scaled orgasm, not as intense or as
uncontrollable as a full orgasm, but still fun. lVhen I
start a session, I require some stimulation and time to
climax (without contraction) the first three times.
Thereafter, I experience a sort ofperpetual state of
almost<limax (with contraction). I become very
physically quiet, limiting stimulation to clitoris only,
and hit a series ofpeaks ofintense pleasure.
Parenthetically, my partner reports a very recent
experience He's getting a climax with partial
ejaculation. He reports the sensations and penile
contractions are slightly less intense than allout
orgasm. The ejaculate is a di-fferent color: clear, not
white. There is no loss of erection or arousal. We
don't know what's going on here biologically It is, at
this point, an involuntary experience. The advantage
of being able to make love while retarning a more or
less indefinite state ofarousal is obvious. Tantric
masturbation is a good place to learn, where no one
will be upset if you go over the edge, and where tle
learning can progress more quickly because you're in
complete control.
Vi sual i zati on
The second stage of making love to myself is to
generate imagery. I close my eyes and lift my head so
that my spine is more or less straight. In my mind's
eye, I see a column of gold or white light rising from
my genitals, along my spine, through the chakras, and
out through the top of my head to a globe two or three
hand-widths above. At the same time I feel an
increase of internal heat where the column passes,
until my central body, from genitals to head, is a
flame. Some people refer to this as 'rousing
Kundalini.' They visualize the flame as a serpent
raising its body. This is supposed to bring
enlightenment. It is also supposed to make the entire
body shake uncontrollably, and to be dangerous to do
without the guidance of a master. I experienced that
kind of reaction once. It did frighten me. I stopped,
and it immediately went away. I have a friend who
experienced this kind ofvibration in a chakra
meditation and thought,'WonderfuM'm doing
something right.' So I think that what a guide might
do is explain that the reaction is normal and safe.
Indian Tantric mythology talks about a dancer,
Shiva, and his snake, Shakti. They create the
Universe. I know another myth: Eurynome, the
Goddess, who danced in The Void and formed
Ophion, the Snake, from the wind. They created the
Universe also. I use both images. The idea is to raise
the Kundalini in my spine ( the snake) up to my
crown chakra (the dancer) and to unite them. The
snake coils around the dancer's legs, body, genitals,
and chest, licking the dancer's face. I imagine how a
snake would feel coiled around my olvn body of light,
slippery, and moist with my srveat, undulating
rhythmically. Alternatively, I see a being of light
whose outlines dissolve in radiance, neither male nor
female, remote from me, infinitely compassionate,
with me and yet apart, stretching hands out to almost
touch me, imparting great love and rvisdom.
NTONUIWENITUIV,l
As you probably are tired of answering questions
about the bands history I will drop it. As I haven't
heard your
"Musaeum Hermeticum" demo, what
would you like to tell me about it? It was an OK and
inaovative tape for those times (1989): now I can
hardly listen to it! It will be repressed on digital
format by Nocturnal Art Productrons (Norway) later
this year though. At the times we were really
influenced by Celtic Frost (Into the Pandemonium
times).
The first time I experienced Monumentum's music
was when I heard the split 7" with Rotting Christ.
How was you able to create this magnificent
music? Who did the vocals (it's so fucking great!),
and what's the reason why they are done in such a
unique and special way? Well, those two tracks are
in fact taken from the demo itself. It was not that
maglificent! Anyway the vocals were influenced by
Tom Warrior ("Mesmerized") and Rozz Williams (of
Christran Death). I don't know what's the reason, it
was really spontaneous!
It has taken quite some years before your debut
album finally was released. What has happened
during these years? Eow did you manage to
overcome the problems you have been through the
past 5{ years? Tell me all about it. Monumentum
went through several split-ups and reformings, and I
had troubles in f,rnding the right balance with myself
(as musician) and with other people (to form a new
line-up). Then we burned basically two years to fix
the label thing, after Oystein Aarseth brought 6 feet
under the ground our dreams and plans to be on DSP,
and Candlelight took
joke
of us for almost a y'ear, Shit
happens.
In 1993 "In Absenti a Chri sti " was pl anned to be
released by D.S.P. What happened to
MONUMENTUM after the murder of
Euronymous? How did this affect your life? As
previously said, we got approached by thisjerk at
Candlelight who promised a lot and maintained
nothing. We lost a whole year hoping that this nut
would hurry up his ass, but nothing happened. Finally
at last Misanthropy Records showed up and we got
the deal. My life hasn't been a.ffected after all.
How was it to walk the path which Ied to your deal
with Misanthropy? I guess you were relieved when
Diamanda gave you the offer, and how would you
expresVexplain the feelings you felt when you
finally put your signature on the deal? It was like a
delivering from heavy chains, you know. And
especially the day when I mailed out the DAT tape it
was the end of a nightmarel
You're the only originat member left in
MONUMENTUM, or maybe there is one more
from the old days still in the band. What happened
with the other ones, and how are the new ones?
Who is permanent members of the band now? Are
the other ones from
"In
Absentia Christi" only
session members? Mox (the drummer) also was in
the original line-up. I don't give a fuck about what
the older members are doing right now as I aren't
quite in good terms with them, so I even hope they're
dying somewhere in the hell of Italy. Nobody is a
permanent member in Monumentum except from me:
the band doesn't exist at all by the way. It purely and
only exist in my mind only. I will always use people
giving me enough warranties to fit perfectly in the
music and persons with a capital "P". I'm not
interested in using "sessions", they must mean
something to me!
As many people thought that you played black
metal. What are the reactions on the album so far
and how has the response been? Why have you
included a coverryersion of VISAGE's "Fade
To
Grey" on the album? Well, I don't know why.
Probably it's because of the DSP thing, but I never
promoted the band as black metal, so therefore... they
eventually wasted 20$ offtheir wallets! The response
has been very good, especially from the media and
from other musicians and bands. Saleswise you
should ask Misanthropy Records. I loved the original
version of "Fade to grey", I always thought it was an
incredible sad and dark tune, and I rvanted to give my
personal interpretation. I hope you like it. I love
british pop from the 80's. Especially Depeche Mode.
Your al bum i s a masterpi ece from begi nni ng to
end, and it's for sure the greatest album being
released in 1995. Your music is filled with sadness,
pain and a suffering which turns out to be
extremel y mournful . Why i s thi s? Woul d i t be
because you're a depressive person filled with
dark emotions? What more can you tell me about
this? I thank you for these great words as they are
sincere. It's great that you caught the atmosphere that
I wanted to create with this album. I didn't know why
it turned out this way: everything is really
spontaneous and extremely sincere, texts and music,
feelings and moods. No wanna-be-evil posing here
"In Absentia Christi" is a musical representation of
my personality and character, yes!
MONUMENTUM's lyrics are quite mystical.
What do your lyrics deal with? Where do you get
your musical and lyrical inspirations from? Eow
important are the lyrics to you? They deal with
spirirual and religious discomfort: my personal
drscomfort towards any religion and the uncertainty
leading our existences. Inspiration I got from daily
life and moods: positive and negative events of my
life. The lyrics are not important at all, especially
shouldn't be for other people, they're personal and I
don't give a fuck really to lyrics + do not mean to
glve out any message.
There are used both synths and samples on the
album. How will this and the fact that you don't
have permanent line-up affect you when it comes
to playing live? Will we be able to experience
MONUMENTUM live in the nearfuture and will
you then play in Norway soon? How will your gigs
be like? Any special effects etc.? Norway is one of
the few places where I would like to play live. In deed
anyway it would cost an hell of money to set up
everything in order to obtain the original sound and
atmosphere that we had on the album on the stage
too. Almost impossible. I have my own idea about
how a Monumentum gig should be, but I guess it's
rather more belonging to my mind fantasies than
anything else.
Both music and vocals on "In
Absentia Christi" is
different from the split 7". What would you say is
the main difference between old and new
MONUMENTUM? What's the reason rvhy you use
different vocalstyles on the album? Tell me more
about it. Well, 5 ye;us went in between the old and
new Monumentum releases, and that's it. Everybody
changes in a 5 years period, personally and musically.
I'm anyway happy that the change was rather good
than negative. I'm even quite embarrassed about our
ol d sound, so...
What's your opinion about black metal and its
future? Horv long will it be able to grow, and
whi ch bands wi l l be abl e to conti nue? What rvoul d
be your favourite B.M. bands? Hard to say. For sure
there will be no more black metal after 1997, and we
will witness the next trend. Passively, as usual. My
fave black metal band? Probably Emperor.
What kind of music do you prefer to listen to?
What do you think of synth/ambient,
industrial/experimental music? What are your
favourite bands/artists? I mainly listen to
commercial shit and ethnic music. Some dark
industrial too! I try to disregard my attenlion from
any actual trends, especially in the metal field. My
favourite band is Depeche Mode.
To me music is an artform. What do you think of
other artforms such as paintings, poetry, films
etc.? How do you think art affects peoples minds?
What would you say is so great with art? Who are
your favourite painter, poet, composer,
filmdirector etc.? Yes. music is an arform,
sometimes though it's a "plaform" because ideas are
really missing nowadays. Music is the only arform
that I follow. I only like architectue, especially old
roman and the Greek ones. And that's it. Poets, my
favourite are Italian and French
poets
in between
1850/ 1950.
How do you see death in general? Is it a beautiful
or an awful thing? What's your opinion about
suicide? Do you think death is the final end or is it
the beginning of life? Substantially, I don't think at
all. Death is the end of all, but end of what? Still I
haven't found a personal dimension in this life, so
you can understand "how much" I care about death.
"Suicide"? I don't know, it's very personal. You can
not understand what kind of pulses pop into a mrnd
when somebody decides to commit suicide: arrryay,
they own their lives and can get rid offthem in any
moment. It's their own right.
How do you see the evolution of mother earth, and
the people who lives on this planet? Mother earth is
in gangrene, and we are accelerating her decay. I'm
witnessing, passively as usual.
What would you say is the most powerful emotion
one can have, and why? How is it possible to find
beauty within pain, sorrow, depression etc? I think
the most powerful emotion you could have would be
to watch your daughter being decapitated in front of
you. When you are conscious of your olur nature of
living dead, or a walking shadow ifyou prefer, you
actually learn in seing beauty and serenity in any
tragic event you witness in your hfe.
What are the future plans for MONUMENTUM?
What can we expect a nerv album from you, or rvill
it take another six years for that? Ifow soon rvill
you be pl ayi ng l i ve? What about pl ayi ng i n
bcauti ful and mi ghty Norway? I am rvorki ng now
on fwo new songs for a l0"/miniCD to be released
after the summer Well I hope that you won't have to
wait 5 more years sure. . but who knows, maybe I'il
split up the band again, and forever, in a few weeks
time Nothing is certain except the noise of motier
putrefactron bites Can you hear it? It's consumrng
your bones Playing live, I guess there are no plans at
all. "Mighty Norway"? What's so mighly about
Norway? Not even nice women anymore over therel
(What's mighty about Nonvay? My "wild" guess
would be the nature, and especially the
fiords
not so
far from my hometown. PS! Ask Stefania!! No ruce
women! Heyl In which cave have you been, or under
whi ch rock?? - ED!)
Wel l , that' s ai l ! Thanx for answeri ng my
questions. Add whatever you like, and end it as you
wish. Thanks for the interview!!! Good luck with
your magazinel IN DECAY WE TRUST
To contact Monumentum wri te to:
AVANTGARDE MUSIC
ATTN: ROBERTO MAMMARELLA
P.O.BOX 19
20010 VANZAGO (lvIrLANO)
ITALY
N,e,crrolnnilcornr
GREETINGSI HOW ARE YOU AT TI{E MOMENT
AND HOW ARE THINGS DEVELOPINGFOR
NECROMICON? Ave. I'm feeling pretty good at the
moment. Things are
just great with Necromicon,
although we are taking a little break now after the
release of our CD.
HOW AND WHEN WAS NECROMCON
SPAWNED TO EARTH, AND WHO ARE TI{E
CHARACTERS BEHIND TI{E BAND? Necromicon
was created under another name in the summer of
'93.
It was me, Henrik and Robert who started the
band with the intention to create brutal. sad and
atmospheric music.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL ABO{.]-|
YOUR TWO PREVIOUS DEMOS, 'WHEN THE
STIN TURNS BLACK'AND ''THROUGH THE
GATES OF GRIEF''? WI{AT WOULD YOU SAY IS
SIMILAR AND DIFFERENT WITH THESE
RECORDINGS? "When the sun hrrns black" was
recorded in February
'94
and contains 3 songs of
atmospherical deathrblack metal with some grind
parts. This demo wasn't spread widely in the
underground at first, but is now spread all over the
world. Our second demo of
'94,
"Through the gates of
grief' was recorded in July and contains four songs of
sad and brutal black metal, with some death touches
and keyboard parts. This demo is spread all over the
world and are stiil gefting very good reviews. The
only thing that's similar with these demos are that we
recorded the song "when the sun turns black" on both,
but then of course the song was improved a lot.
Musically it is not very similar.
YOURLATEST DEMO AISO GAVE YOU A
CONTRACT WITI{ THE FRENCH LABEL
IMPURE CREATIONS RECORDS, AND TI{EY
HAVE NOW RELEASED YOUR TRULY
MAGNIFICENT DEBI.,|I ''REALM OF SILENCE''.
HOWHAS THE RESPONSE BEEN SOFA& AND
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH T}IE OUTCOME OF
THIS ALBUM? At first, thanks for your good words
about our CD. The response has been great. Some
people say that this is the debut CD of the year. We
are satisfied with the layout and so on, but it could
have been much better. but I.C.R. is a small and
young label and they have done a greatjob.
HAVE YOU GOT OFFERS FROM OTI{ER
LABELS AFTER TI{E CD OR WILL YOU STICK
WITH I.C.R.? WHEN CAN WE E)GECT A NEW
ALBUM FROM NECROMICON AND WHAT
WILL IT BE LIKE? We haven't got any offers after
the release but we are for sure hoping for a great
contract. If we don't get any better contract we will
stick with LC.R. for sure, but only if they can get
better shrfffor the layout etc., and of course more
pages in the booklet. I think that I.C.R. will be big in
the future.
WHAT'S YOUR OPIMON ABOUT RELIGION IN
GENERAL? WHERE DO YOU STAND IN THIS
AND WHY? Well, religion can be interesting in
some forms, but all in all I think if s sick. Christianity
is a very sick and stupid religion. I mean how can you
cast yourself under any god. Be yottr own master.
What more can I say, I'm interested in satanism and i
also try to learn some magic. I also study some
occultism but only when I have the time. Maybe you
can call us antichrists (for sure) or atheists, but of
course I'm very interested in the spiritual world and I
believe in that Yery sfiongly.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO PEOPLE
WHO MIX HEATHEMSM AND PAGAMSM
WITH SATANISM? Not much. Let them do therr
thing if it feels right for them.
HOW IS THE SCENE IN SWEDEN COMPARED
TO NORWAY? WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOIIR
SCENE IS BETTER AND DO YOUHAVE ORDID
YOU HAVE SOMETHING WE DIDN.T? I thinK the
scene in Sweden are better than the one in Norway,
although Norway gets some new and interesting
bands nowadays. Sweden has more great death metal
bands like Dissection, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity,
At The Gates, Unanimated etc., but of course Norway
have (had) the true Mayhem.
IN ONE INTERVIEW YOU ASKED T}IE EDITOR
IF HE HAD EVER HEARD A GOOD DEATH
METAL BAND FROM NORWAY. I CERTA]NLY
HAVE, HAVEN'T YOU? WHAT DO YOU KNOW
ABOUT CADAVER? Yes, I'm sorry for that. I don't
know how I could forget Cadaver. After all I have
their CD's "Hallucinating" and "In pains".
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE METAL BANDS
AND WHAT MAKES TI{EM SO GOOD? Mercytul
Fate, King Diamond, Cradle of Filth, Mayhem,
Helloween, Luciferon, Morbid Angel, Dismember,
Black Sabbath, and Morthinm. It changes from time
to time and that depends on how I feel and so on.
DO YOU LISTEN TO OTI{ER MUSIC THAN
METAL? WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE
NON-METAL BANDS/ACTS? Sometimes Elend is
great.
WHAT WILL }IAPPEN WITH YOUR SOUL
AFTER YOUR BODY STOPS WORKING?
WOULD YOU SAY THAT T}IERE IS A LIFE
AFTER DEATH, AND WHAT'S YOUR VIEWS
ABOUT IT? I think you will get a real calm feeling.
My soul will live on forever somewhere, but actually I
don't know what to think.
WTIA--T.S T}IE MAIN SOURCE OF INSPIRATION?
WHO WRITES AND COMPOSE T}IE
MUSIC/LYRICS IN NECROMICON? HOW LONG
DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE SUCH A GREAT
ALBUM AS "REALM OF SILENCE"? The musical
inspiration for me is Mercyful Fate and Cradle of
Filth mainly, but of course it's from the whole metal
scene. For our lyrics we get inspiration from death,
sorrow, grie{ Tolkiens stories, Necronomicon. We all
take part in creating the music, but when it comes to
lyrics it's individual. It took about two years to create
the whole "Realm of Silence" album.
WHAT ARE YOURFUTURE PLANS? WILL YOU
PLAYLIVE SOON AND HOW IS NECROMICON
LIVE? ANY SPECIAL EFFECTS? WLL WE EVER
BE ABLE TO SEE/DGERIENCE NECROMICON
LIVE IN NORWAY? Making ne\.v songs for our next
CD, at least l0 acts, we have already played live rvith
Necromicon about 25 trmes. I guess our live shows
are sad and atmosphenc. The keyboard creates a very
somber feeling. We use corpsepaint when we feel like
it, and it depends on people who is at the gig and the
atmosphere. I sure hope we can play live in Norway
as I think it would be great. Well, if somebody pays
for our travel we would come for sure.
END THIS AS YOU WISH! Thanx to you Karsten
for this great interview, and all who worships fast and
brutal black/death metal with sad atmosphere. Just
write, all letters will be answered, but it can take a
while cause I'm a very busy man. Order our CD now.
T-shirts out soon and our second demo is still
available. Take care, the ancient ones awaits, stay
dark and depressed.
To contact the band write to:
NECROMICON
C/O Nicklas Sundkvist
Utterstigen 7
97453 LULEA
SWEDEN
"Realm
of Silence" is yours by sending
17USS in well hidden cash to:
IMPURI CRIATIONS RECORDS
8. P. 902
26009 VALENCE cedex
FRANCE
DflAD SOULS RN,5N6
As there are probably many that never have heard
of Dead Souls Rising before, and never read
something about the band such as reviews, articles
or anything else, could you please introduce the
band to the readers at first? How was D.S.R
spawned to earth? Dead Souls Rising was formed in
December 1993. Based in Lyon, France. We released
our debut demo in February 1994, managed to earn
prestigious support for lots ofbands such as Tors of
Darkmoon, Project Pitchfork, Malda Fronta, and we
were invited to play at the famous NEMA festrval in
Strasbourg, France (with Numb etc.) in July'96.
Dead Souls Rising consist of two members: Alastrelle
(vocals)
and Sebastien (music, synth and guitar). We
released our debut CD "Ars Magica" in December
1995, and we can describe our CD as 13 new songs of
gothic, darkwave, industrial and dark style, powerfi.rl
rhythms aad gloomy atmospheric songs accompanied
by devilish female vocals.
It seems that D.S.R have deci ded to use el ectroni c
sounds onl y, besi de dmms and of course the
yocal s.
What has been the main reason for choosing
synthesizers instead of traditional instruments
such as guitar etc.? Would it be because synths are
much easier to play or what? We don't use only
electronic sound because most ofour songs contain
guitars, but it's right that synths have an important
place in our compositions for the simple reason that
we are only two members. In fact, with synths you
can use very different sounds without having to
search for guest musicians. More, we have never met
people with the surme concept of music as us.
As I have never heard your demo which were
released in 1994 I would like to know what your
opinion of this recording is. How has the band
developed both musically and lyrically from the
demo to your debut album "Ars
Magica"? For the
first demo, we were tfuee members: a bassist, a
gurtarist and vocalist. One side of the tape was purely
cold/goth style while the other side was very much in
the vein of Diamanda Galas' songs with gloomy
atmospheres, but since our use of synths, our music
has evolved to a wider range of style.
"Ars Magica" was released on Darkside
Distribution, a rather unknown label. Why did you
decide to sign on this label? What did they offer
you that other labels didn't? How has the response
on "Ars Magica" been, and are you satisfied with
the outcome of the album? We have been working
with Darkside since our very beginning. They
distributed our first demo, then they offered us to
release "Ars Magica" and we said yes. Greg and
Maryline of Darkside are our friends, and they have
recently signed the US band Black Atmosphere for
their forthcoming CD. Our first CD received good
reviews in many
'zines
and we are quite satisfied.
If you had to describe the musical direction of
Dead Souls Rising, what do you think it would be?
Maybe some kind of depressing ritualistic-
darkwave industrial with haunting vocals, or what
would it be? We have a few new songs ready for the
next album. At the moment we have to work and
figure out some ideas, so actually we don't know what
will come out of it.
What inspires you personally rvhen composing
music/songs? Are there any special emotions,
feelings and/or impressions you try to "use" to
create melodies or lyrics? The lyrics and music of
D.S.R. are only the expression and the true fulfilment
ofourselves.
Who compose the music in D.S.R and rvho rvrites
the Iyri cs? What topi cs do the l yri cs usual l y deal
wi th? How i s a D.S.R track normal l y created? Do
you first write the lyrics and then compose the
music or what? Seb usually writes the music, for the
lyrics we can write them or if a text appeals to us, and
get on well with the melodies, we can use it. That's
the case with "La mort des amants". Magic, death,
and dreams are the essential themes of our songs. Our
Iyrics are often poems, short stones, or incantations.
Music is written first and then we add the lyrics.
Is there a personal interest in spiritual or occult
things such as Wicca, Thelema etc. or do you
dislike dealing with stuff many declare as religion
and/or as a sect? What is your opinion about
religion in general? What positive or negative
aspects can religion bring to ones life? We are
involved since a long time now, into this musical
culture that finds its roots in all the negative feelings
and the sects of black magic. We are against all forms
ofreligions, we have never been involved in any sort
of movement or institution, we would rather be
involved in what the religions arc trying to hide. The
only good things that religion brought was
architecture (paintings,
churches...).
There seems to be many ambient projects released
into the Black Metal scene in the past couple of
years. The majority that I've heard are very
poor... What is your opinion of these inferior
attempts? Dead Souls Rising seems to be aimed
more for the ambienUindustrial or darkwave fans
than those of Black Metal though, it seems? How
has the response been from both scenes? Yes, that's
right, more and more black/death metal bands turn to
ambienVindustrial music. Not with great success
though. Well, maybe they don't have the sensibility
for this music. I don't know. We got good response
from the gothic/industrial
scene and quite some good
responses from the metal scene too, with interviews
and reviews in various
'zines.
What do you think of people who claim to be
"evil" or "satanic"? What are your impression of
these people? Eow would a really evil and satanic
person behave according to your opinion? A lot of
people claim to be satanic, but they are not really. It's
only a way of identifying themselves to something,
and in a way a sort of provocation. Most of them are
nor senous.
What forms of music influence you, and horv easy
is it for you to get hold of? What are your favourite
bands, both metal and non-metal? Some yearc ago
we were inspired by cold wave, than gothic, industrial
ald electronic music. It's very diffrcult to choose
some bands because we like a lot of bands, but our
favourite oldbands are Bauhaus, Neubauten, Skinny
Puppy, Diamanda Galas and more recent bands such
as Das Ich, London After Midnight etc...
When I listen to D.S.R I can hear elements from
the music of early Laibach (mostly from albums
such as Macbeth, Opus Dei, Let It Be and
Slovdnska akropola), and the
yocals
ofAlastrelle
sometimes reminds me a lot of Diamanda Galas?
What relations do you have to Laibach and
Diamanda Galas? What is it with their music that
inspires you so much? What would influence us in
the music of Laibach are the heavy and gloomy
percussion they used at the beginning. Diamanda
Galas has got such a talent to use her voice, and the
way she uses it. The name Dead Souls Rising comes
from one of her songs.
In my opinion there are several labels that would
be perfect for your band, but will you stay on
Darkside Distribution? What about other labels
and how haye they responded after the release of
"Ars Magica"? I don't know the labels what you
think, but for the moment we will stay on Darkside
Distribution. we zren't in contact with other labels.
So, in which direction do you see your band going?
Do you see it as a progression of some darker acts
of today? In what direction are Dead Souls Rising
heading? What are your future plans? When can
we expect a new album from Dead Souls Rising?
As we said before, we can't tell you in what direction
the music of D.S.R. will go. I think it will be a
mixture of all the music we like. In September we're
going to Gent
@ELGIIJM)
for a gig with The Moon
Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud, and soon in Italy and
England, but are looking for other dates in other
countries. Our second CD is on work, we hope it will
be released in the beginning of 1997.
F'or bandcontact write to:
Sebasti en Fi cagna
Chemi n Montchatel
Resi dence La-Croi x-Bl anche
OI22O DAGNEUX
FRANCE
To order your copy of their debut album
"Ars
Magica" I guess it should be enough with
sendi ng 20USS i n wel l hi dden cash to:
DARKSIDE DISTRIBUTION
BP 1021
01 OO9 BOURC..EN-BRISSE CEDEX
FRANCE
TlUVorcmuG DIAMANDA
by: Michael Flanagan
"
Thanles to the descriptions in Homer and tragedy,
we can reconstructthe course ofan ordinary Greek
sacriJice to the Olympian gods almost in its
entirety... .Generally it is hoped that the animal wiII
follow
the procession compliantly or eeen willingly.
Legends ofien teU of animals that offered
themselves up
for
sacrifice, apparent evidence of a
higher wiU that commands assent.. . .Now comes the
death blow The women raise a piercing scream:
whether infear or triumph or both at once, the
"
Greek custom of the sacriJicial scream" marks the
emotional climax of the event, drowning out the
death-rdtle."
- Walter Burkert
Diamanda Galas' music is by its very nature
political. Whether addressing issues of torture (as in
"Eyes Without Blood" or "Insekta"), the homicidal
rage of the betrayed (Wild Women with Steak
Knives), or the AIDS epidemic ("Masque of the Red
Death" Trilogy and "The Plague Mass"), her music is
both challenging and obstreperous This is not the
nice music of a person who wants to play fairly rvith
the forces against which she aims her sonic assault.
This is terrorism, pure and simple. It is odd, but the
most eloquent praise of Galas work is often found in
reviews by people who find it nearly impossible to
listen to her. Critics have referred to her as being
"louder than heavy metal bands" and "a weapon to
use against your worst enemies. " This is, of course, as
it should be. Schoenberg was not concerned about
whether his music sounded prefty
- he was depicting
the life of refugees escaping Hitler. Diamanda Galas
should be proud to be causing such foment at the end
of the twentieth century, much as Stravinsky's
Firebird caused riots at its beginning. Songs as
commodities are a part of modern living; it was not
until the phonograph that songs became things to buy
and play. Before that time, producing music (outside
offolk and indigenous traditions) required sheet
music and a musician or musicians. It has only been
in the past half-century that the business of music has
been concerned with how many units of product are
sold and how soon the next unit ofproduct can be
released to build upon the artist's upward market
curve. Galas's work stands apart from, and in
opposition to, this trend. She has given many
marketing and accounting personnel in the recording
industry insomnia with her single-minded insistence
on pursuing themes both controversial and
unpleasant. One can almost hear them say, "Holv dare
she dedicate a decade ofher life to a despised
minority?"
One often reads of Galas's incredible (3.5)
octave range. There is no doubt that she possesses
a
tremendous instrument. I have often felt, however,
that it is wrongheaded to make too much of this.
After all, pianists at the piano are presented with 7.5
octaves. It is not so much the range of the instrument
as its use that deserves cornment Diamanda could
probably have had a successfill career in the
mainstream of classical music, but she, like many
other singers, would have had little impact outside of
that cloistered world. Instead, she has taken her
instrument and challenged the boundaries of both the
musical world and her listeners. Even when
compared with her contemporaries in classical and
avant-garde music (forms exempt from the
assembly-line ethic of pop music), Galas stands out.
For example, minimalism has often seemed mirumal
not only in its form, but also in its content. Music
inspired by tribal and native form uzually pales in
comparison with the original. Neither a minimalist
nor an ethnic musicologist, Galas exists separate from
these forms, creating powerfrrl music spanning the
two worlds of politics and art. Galas's music has been
called satanic, particularly by biblical literalists from
the Christian Right. Her video for "Double Barrel
Prayer" found its way into rotation on the Chdstian
Broadcasting Network. "The Litanies of Satan"
appears as background music in Reel to Real
Ministries'video
"Hells Bells" (1989); the narrator
explains the blasphemy in her music: The eighties
have seen the emergence of a macabre brand of rock
that combines elements of punk, new wave, and even
classical music. The occult elements within this new
genre are even more disturbing than those in heary
metal, because they are combined with an intelligence
and poetic passion rarely found in the latter. For
example, Diamanda Galas, whose voice was used to
suggest the sounds of demonic possession in the
movie The Serpent and the Rainbow, closes out her
7'LP "Litanies of Satan" with these words:
To thee o Satan, glory be, and praise.
Grant that my soul, one day,
beneath the Tree Of Knowledge may rest near thee.
"The Divine Punishment" . . . is an eerie recitation of
Old Testament scriprure with one exception: Galas's
'Son o L'Antichristo' (I am the Antichrist). The
message is married to the most dangerous catalyst for
satanic insurrection: a sense ofreligious and poetic
transcendence. In this the devil may lose an
occasional human sacrifice, but he gains something
that from his perspective is of much greater value: a
multitude who is willing to sacrifice hope in life's
meaning and faith in God's love.
Of course "The Litanies of Satan" was
written by Charles Baudelaire well over a century
ago, but it would do little good to point this out (and
just
as pointless to tell a literalist that this is a
symbolic work -- one can only wonder what the
speaker makes of authors such as L. Frank Baum).
Galas seems to be of two minds concerning this
identification with satanism. With regard to the more
pedestrian view of ritual, she says in "Search
Publications #13: Angry Women:
I was in Berlin and some girls came up to
me and said, "Oh, you are Diamanda --
please do
another record for us soon. We have witchcraft rituals
and shoot up speed and chant to the Devil and listen
to your music." I thought, Oh, fuck you could get a
Julie Andrews record an do this kind of stupid shit.
However, concerning the view of Satan as accuser,
avenger ofthe oppressed, and anathema, she also says
in the same interview:
Pl/hen a witch is about to be burned on a ladder in
flames,
who can she call upon!
I call that person
"Satan...."
It's that subversive voice that can keep you olive in
theface ofadversity.
I have this turt
"You
call me the shit of God?
I am the shit of God! You call me the Antichrist?
I am the Antichrist.
So you say,
"Yes,
I am the Antichrist,
I am all these things you are afraid of "
The spirit of the satanist in Galas' music
could also be called the spirit ofthe terrorist or the
spirit of the warrior. Unlike those who sit back and
wait for the mercy of the Church, Galas is willing to
defend her polemic. Among works concerning AIDS,
Galas's "Plague Mass" and her "Masque of the Red
Death" trilogy, "The Divine Punishment", "Saint of
the Pit". and "You Must Be Certain of the Devil"
have a particularly important place. She began them
very early in the epidemic and has continued to
perform them with fervour (some would say
obsession). Masque and Plague Mass were not her
first political works. In the interview in Angry
Women, Galas explained: Oriana Fallaci said, "Life
is war!" Ever since I composed Panoptikon my work
is always preoccupied with freedom.
[In
"Wild
Women with Steak Knives"] I wanted to produce an
immediate extroversion of sound, to deliver a pointed,
focused message like a gun. Even before her first
recording in l98l "Litanies of Satan", which included
"Wild Women with Steak Knives", Galas was
concerned with freedom in extreme situations. Luke
Theodore (I-iving Theatre), upon seeing her work in
19'76,had suggested that she perform in mental
institutions with her back to the audience. These
performances led to her role as the lead in Vinko
Globokar's Un Jour Comme Une Autre, a work based
on Amnesty International's documentation of a
Turkish woman's arrest and death by torture for
treason i n 1979.
Galas began the "Masque of the Red Death"
trilogy in 1984. In an interview wrth Robert Hilferty
(he and his lover, Tom Hopkins, had attended Galas's
performance at the New Horizons festival of the New
York Philharmonic) she commented that she was
planning a piece based upon Poe's "Masque of the
Red Death" and that it would have metaphorical
implications about AIDS. In the fall of 1984, while
visiting a friend in San Francisco Galas opened a
Bible and read the first thing she saw Psalm 88,
which is the supplication of a man in mortal illness:
Oh Lord God of my salvation,
I have cried day and night before thee.
Let my prayer come before thee;
incline thine ear unto my cry.
For my soul is
fult
of troubles,
and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
I am counted wilh them that go down into the pit.
I am as a man that hath no strength.
Free among the dead,
like the slain that lie in the grave,
whom thou rememberest no more;
and they are cut offfrom thy hand
Immediately after reading this passage she
went into the studio and recorded "Free among the
Dead." which became the first piece of "The Divine
Punishment" Galas had been directed toward the first
Part of the Masque by an act of bibliomancy, a form
of divination in which a person takes guidance from
written material, particularly the Bible. This tradition
traces its roots to Saint Augustine, who, in the fourth
century recommended taking omens from the Bible
"in all cases of spiritual difficulty." Bibliornanry was
a common practice irmong kings, bishops, an d saints
searching for signs and solutions to problems. "Free
among the Dead" was produced during the first
American presidential election year of the AIDS
crisis, and yet AIDS was not addressed in this
election by either party. "Like the slain that lie in the
grave, whom thou rememberest no more, " indeed.
The work was dedicated to Tom Hopkins, who had
dweloped fullblown AIDS in June 1985 and was the
first person whom Diamanda knew personally who
had developed AIDS. With Tom, she witnessed first
hand the moral ostracism related to AIDS. On one
visit, Torn told her (through a device that amplified
his single functioning vocal cord) that his family had
disowned and abandoned him; they felt his illness
was a punishment from God for his homosexuality.
Tom had been raised in a strict Baptist environment
full of hellfire and speaking in tongues. He and
Diamanda discussed how the ranting of Baptist
preachers was similar to the glossolalia she practiced.
Tom died in November 1985 Echoes of his whispers
(as well as the whispers of many other friends) can be
heard throughout her lvork. Already the "Masque"
was becoming elegiac as well as metaphoric.
N\\N
iIiN
:fi
!:I
In 1985, Diamanda received her first grant
to create what would become the Masque trilogy. At
that point, she decided that it was inappropriate, in
the face of AIDS, to do a work based on the bubonic
plague. She wrote the grant sponsors and informed
them that the work would now deal specifically with
AIDS. To deal with AIDS only metaphorically
seemed inappropriate to her in the face of such a
catastrophe. In the fall and winter of 1985 she went to
London to finish recording "The Divine Punishment"
("This Is the Law of the Plague," "Deliver Me from
Mine Enemies," "Lamentations," "Sona
L'Antichnsto"). "The Divine Punishment" is the most
biblical of the Masque trilogy; most of the works
derive their texts from Leviticus, Psalms, and
Lamentations. It can be divided into works that deal
with legal sanctions and approbations concerning
illness, pleas and supplication for protection, and
laments at abandonment and punishment. As much of
the literature of popular culture was intent on
blaming the victims of this disease, The Divine
Punishment can be seen as a parable illustrating the
desire of the pious to look for proof of their own
blamelessness. "The Divine Punishment" was first
performed at the ARS Electronica Festival (at the
Osweg Shipyards in Linz, Austria) on June 23,1986.
When Galas returned from recording "The Divine
Punishment" her brother, Philip, playwright of Mona
Rogers fame, had taken ill. In May 1986, Philip was
diagnosed with AIDS. He died shortly thereafter. In a
stmnge twist of fate, Diamanda found she had been a
Cassandra. What had started as a work of tragedy that
concerned others, including friends, had now touched
her family. She told Hilferty (in 1990), "The horror of
his death and departure from my life do not diminish
-
they increase like the nightmares of anyone who
has witnessed a homicide. Two weeks before Philip
died, he gave Diamanda a book of poems that
included Gerard de Nerval's "Artemis" and Tristan
Corbiere's Cris d'aveugle
@lind
Man's Cry). These
works, as well as Baudelaire's Heauton
Timoroumenos (Self-Tormentor), "Deliver Me" and
La Treizieme Revient (The Thirteen Returns), make
up "Saint of the Pit", the second work of the "Masque
of the Red Death" trilogy. It is in Saint of the Pit that
the Moirologia tmdition of Greek funerary music
finds its most eloquent expression. This tradition of
singing is notable not only for its beauty, but also for
the messages it transmits. Moirologia is the attempt
of those left behind to stand bravely and face their
grief and mourning. It is also a call for revenge
against those responsible for the death. "Deliver Me"
in particular evokes the emotions of those who are
mourning fallen sons and heroes. Moirologia music
is usually associated with "other" states of
consciousness (states
that in our modern medically
oriented societies would be thought excessive, erratic,
and abnormal), and is accompanied by the rending of
garments and hair. In Orthodox countries this fype of
music was outlawed and considered profane, as it
relates to a heritage that predates Christianity.
In "Saint of the Pit" (released in 1986) we
hear the depth ofdepression that has become all too
familiar to those of us enveloped by the AIDS crisis.
There is also, however, an undercurrent ofrage here,
which predates the coming of militant advocacy.
Galas work was again visionary. I first met Diamanda
Galas in August 1987 when she was preparing to
record "You Must Be Certain of the Devil". She
requested information on specific cases of hatred,
oppression, and discrimination from the AIDS
information organization I work with. She was
intending to use this material not literally, but as a
matrix on which to base her work. I particularly
remember providing her with information about a
young Mormon who was excommunicated by his
church as he lay dying of AIDS. Even though I knew
of many horrors of this kind, I was amazed by the
ferocity of "You Must Be Certain of the Devil" when
it was released in 1988. Here was a frontal assault on
the forces of bigotry. This work was a call to arms
(literally) for tiose faced with quarantine, a call to
face the clerical hypocrisy with a forty-five-caliber
indulgence. Witness the lyrics to "Double-Barrel
Prayer":
The dogs have come today
The dogs have come to stay
It's time to get your gun out
And drive the dogs awaY
And if the faith-firl were not frightened offby the call
to arms, a "Malediction," or curse, was included for
good measure. It is, however, the haunting "Let My
People Go" that has attained the stature of an anthem.
It compares the government (whether through
volition or lack ofattention) to a Poisonous arachnid
that sucks the life and hope out ofan oppressed
people:
The devil has designed my death
and he's waiting to be sure
that plenty of his black sheep
die before heiinds a cure
O Lord fesus, do you think I've semed my time?
The eight legs ofthe devil
now are crawling uP mY sPine
I go to sleeP each evening
now dreaming of the grave
and see thefriends I used to know
calling out nty name
O Lord Jesus, here's the news
from
those below:
'The
eight legs of the devil
will not let my people go.
" You Must Be Certain of the Deyil" was released in
1988. In July that year Galas delivered a talk about
the Piece to the New Music Seminar (an annual orgy
ofself-congratulation for being "cutting edge" held by
music industry insiders in New York)
,
which she
later titled "New Correlations in Male Heterosexual
Impotence and Homophobia"
Itve just
complaed a trilogy that is dedicated to my
brothers and sisters,
Persons h'ith AIDS who are now living and
dying in Cadillacs, in hotel rooms,
crucifted in hospitals,
and everywhere you don't think they are.
And let me tell you something else while you're
sitting here having a good time,
think about somebody who's lying in vomil bags,
lying in perspiration and in dirty old sheets......
and when you aren't too busy eating pussy
and g etting aut ogr ap h s,
you might go to an ACT UP
meeting tomorrow night.
There's a little bit of education
for
all you
impotents,for all of you cowards,
for
all ofyou ass-Iickers,
for
aII of you motherfuckers,
but that wciuld be too nice
for
you.
Galas- nemesis of the record promoter
- had struck
again. Upon completion of the trilogy, Mute released
the works packaged together. She toured to support
the completed work in Dallas and San Francisco and
also in Australia, Sweden, Yugoslavia, the
Netherlands, Italy, Sparn, and Germany. In Bavaria,
where a quarantine was in effect, she turned to the
cameras during a talk show and began shouting ring
"Forced quarantine is homicide".
In i989 The Masque of the Red Death was
performed
at
Queen
Elizabeth Hall, in London, and at
the Lincoln Center. On December of that year Galas
participated
in the Stop the Church action ar St.
Patrick's Cathedral. In response to Cardinal John
O'Connor's fight against the distribution of condoms
and threats to excormunicate Catholic politicians
who supported abortion, ACT UP and WAC
(Women's
Action Coalition) disrupted a mass and
picketed outside. In one of the more memorable
moments at the trial of the protesters, Diamanda was
asked by the prosecutor (Dan Rather's son) if she
would scream the way that she had at the cathedml.
She responded: "I usually get paid for my
performances."
The "Plague Mass" evolved from Parts of
Masque of the Red Death: "This Is the Law of the
Plague", "Sono L'Antichristo," "Cris d'aveugle," and
"Let My People Go." 'To these pieces, Galas added
"There Are No More Tickets to the Funeral," "I Wake
Up and I See the Face of the Devil," "Confessional
(Give
Me Sodomy or Give Me Death)," "How Shall
Our Judgement Be Carried Out upon the Wicked?"
"Let Us Now Praise the Masters of Slow Deatl." and
"Consecration." The work was performed in the form
of a mass in Europe (Berlin, Basel, Barcelona, and
Helsinki). It was suffrciently recognizable as a mass
to be considered blasphemy by members of the Italian
government when it was performed at the Festival
delle Colline at the Villa Medicea De Poggio a
Cainao. Parts of "The Plague Mass" were performed
for the Coalition for Freedom of Expression at the VII
International AIDS Conference in San Francisco. The
first complete performance of the mass was at the
Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York on
October 1990 This performance was committed to
disc, and released by Mute in 1991. As the current
title "Plague Mass" (1984-End of the Epidemic)
implies, the work has not ended. Much as
"Tragouthia apo to Amia Exoun Fonos " begat "The
Divine Punishment" and "Masque of the Red Death"
begat "Plague Mass", "Plague Mass" begat "Vena
Cava". "Vena Cava" originates in the clinical sefting
of "l Wake Up and I See the Face of the Devil" from
Plague Mass. It premiered at The Kitchen (in New
York) in Febnrary 1992 and was described in the
introduction to the piece as: A set ofsonic
incantations which return to the themes of
claustrophobia, schizophrenia, stigma, extremity,
catharlic obsession, and psychic violence. Drawing on
a personal understanding of-- and medical studies
concerning -- the relationship between the dementia
of severe depression and what is referred to as AIDS
dementia "Vena Cava" is centered around the
character ofthe depressed and isolated individual,
suspended within the institutional void of the modern
hospital. The work explores the destruction of the
mind in extreme isolation.
In this phase of her work, Galas has moved
from the external political and medical aspects of the
epidemic to the personal, mental effects. Here,
distinctions between AIDS and other types of illness
become less significant, for tlough only some people
face AIDS, everyone faces mortality, which is
difficult to do calmly. At this, perhaps the darkest,
point in the work, there is a great equalizing message:
You too will face death. It would be easy to View
"The Singer" (released after "Vena Cava" was
performed) as something separate from the tradition
of the "Plague Mass". However "The Singer" works
as Plague Mass's voodoo hymnal. It takes traditional
forms, the spiritual and the blues
@oth
associated
with oppression), and turns them on their head:
encouraging endurance, penetration, and overthrow
of the oppressor. "The Singer" has the familiarity of
an old church hymnal, and yet it is somehow other --
as if Paul Robeson has been [ansported to the theatre
of Dionysus and is performing tmgedy. Calling this
work a voodoo hymnal is not hyperbole. Much as
Voodoo hides within the form of Christianity, The
Singer takes the form of Christian music and puts it
to its own end: The desire to subvert and overthrow
thc
l udgrng
phari sccs Songs l i kc "Werc You There
Whcn Thcv Crucrfi cd l vl v Lord' ]" and
"Bal m i n
Gi l cad" succeed because they chal l enge
(through
i nference) the meani ng and context ofthe ori gi nal
rvorks, Si nce the emphasi s here i s on Voi ce and
piano. The Singer delivers the message to the ltstener
on an almost subconscious level Songs like "ivl.v- Love
Wi l l Never Dre" and "Gl oom-' ' Sunday" use the
ori gi nal form of the bl ues and del i vers i t i nto the
rvorld of biohazard. The rvork gives tribute to the
talent of the rvriters and vet transmits Galas's message
in a hidden. almost retroviral. rvay. "Judgement Da1'",
the video of this rvork, rvhich premiered at the 1993
San Francisco Lesbian and Ga,v Fiim Festtval, is a
visual record of how this message is convey"ed. The
rvork can be taken at face value, or the vierver can be
caught sub rosa in the undertorv.
On Jul y 8-9, 1993 Gal as opened the Senous
Fun! festival at Alice Tully Hall of the Lincoln Center
rvith a performance of Insekta. Surrounded b.v razor
rvire, on what appears to be a battlefield. Galas opens
this 'rvork with the beautiful "Sanctus" of Charles
Gounod. Then she descends into a cage (quite
literally') of torture (both physical and mental) of
apocalyptic proponions. The piece and the main
character are described in this manner in the
program:
Insekta: the survivor of repeated trauma within an
enclosed space preventing escape or opportuniQ
for
impacting stressors themselves --
in torture and other
attacks which may be randornly clelivered sttch as
rape and other physiological/psychological
experimentation, the ensuing anxietlt disorders, and
splitting into many dif,erent mental states or comfort/
discomfort zones, Insekta. nameless, conternptible or
dishonoured -- in reference to human populations
whose anonymity and/or perceived potverlessness
makes them practical
for
the advancement o/'
research.
Does the artist see reflections of herseli or parts of
her personality, in this rvork'l That rs possible. but
rvhat is certain is that in her e.xploration of persons in
hospitals (mental and general care) and victims of
torture she has found a common psychology" in the
years
that I have known Diamanda and done research
for her, my awe and respect have grorvn. I have seen
her lvork encompass more and more of the lvorld --
here dealing rvith death, there lvith madness until she
seems less like a person and more like a cosmological
entit-v, a black hoie that absorbs and consumes more
and. more matter into her orvn dark universe She is
drfficult to discuss rvithout engaging in'rvhltt must
sound like hlperboie to someone unfamiliar rlith her
rvork. In the end. the only thing left to do is to listen.
.Qevil .@oll
by Karsten Hamre
The first time I experienced the truly magnificent
music of Devil Doll I was literally possessed by
something which is close to artistic perfectron. When
I listen to such an powerfiil expression I almost can't
believe what my ears are hearing and my soul is
experiencing. One question keeps popping up in my
head; What kind of mind is capable of creating this
astonishing piece ofart? This is not a once in a
lfetime thing, as Mr. Doctor has so far created flrve
albums which a limited part of earth's population has
been able to experience. Mr. Doctor himself is a very
mysterious character, as he never let people interview
him. Over the years there have been published
various articles about Devil Doll, but none of tlese
can give us the answer of who IUr. Doctor is, nor wrll
this article give you that. Nevertheless, this article is
meant to open up some doors into the mysterious
world of Mr. Doctor. On the quest of obtaining
information about Devil Doll I contacted the bands
fan club which is located in Venice, Italy, whrle Mr.
Doctor lumself lives in Ljubljana, the capital of
Slovenia. If you who read this article keep on
wandering around blinfolded and without having
experienced Devil Doll after reading this to the end,
you only have yourselves to blame for being
narrowminded. For it is only you who then will
wander around in the wilderness without ever being
familiar with the Art of Artistery.
"A man is less likely to become great the more he is
dominated by reason...
few
can achieve greatness -
and none in art
-
rf they are not dominated by
illusion".
-Mr.Doctor
Devil Doll is nothing short of and much
more than purely astonishing. Devil Doll has to be
one of the most bizarre, frightening, confronting and
satisSing bands who exist today. To obtain
information about the band and the mastermind
behind it, Mr. Doctor, could be compared to the quest
for the holy grail. Until this very day Mr. Doctor has
never glven even one mterview and only a few
articles about the band has been published vanous
places on this earth. Devil Doll's music is a chilly
assault on the senses, a unique and possessing
atmosphere one seldom find in music these days.
There is simply no way to explain in details the
feelings and emotions this supenor art gives us. To
firlly understand what this music is capable to give
you emotionally and spiritually, you have to dive deep
within the worl of Devil Doll. for it is indeed a world
of its own.
"In order to conquer the Future: and Destroy it!
I go back - once more - into the abyss of my Nothing.
You lcnow, the Dead have the virtue of looking like
eachother. 't
'
(excerpt
from
the album Sacrilegium)
In their first four years ofexistence, the
bands fanclub, with no advertising, record deal with
the band, passed the 1000 member mark, and by the
summer of 1996 they had almost 3000 members from
all over the world. As said before, the mastermind
behind Devil Doll is the genius Mr. Doctor, who lives
his daily life in Ljubljana. Some has described him as
the David Lynch of modern music, and I do believe
he deserves that description as I find Mr. Lynch to be
a truly magnificent movie maker. It's no small tribute
to the man's talent, and it's for sure in its right place.
As much a mystery as the band, Mr. Doctor is a
legendary character, cloaked in intrigue. He does not
give interviews. The closest you can get to an
interview with him is to send your questions to the
fanclub, and hope that they are able to get the
answers for you. Mr. Doctor is the total opposite of a
rock star. He does not believe that "music" and
"business" belong together. He's a man totally
commited to artistic purity and art as a way of living,
and he does not care if Devil Doll fails to sell even
one record. In fact, only one copy ofthe first Devil
Doll album was pressed, a copy which Mr. Doctor
handpainted the cover to and thereafter kept it for
himself. Devil Doll's music has been described as "an
elaborate and bombastrc collision of styles" and "a
pewerse, yet brilliant soundscape of some forbidden
netherworld". Devil Doll's albums are a
journey into
the unknown theatres ofthe unexplored soul and
mind, they are like a sick cabaret of unsuspecting and
at times soul-possessing opera. As the bands
Magistratus, Mr. Doctor has been cited as saying his
influences include; early english punk, classical
composers (such as Bartok and Wagner), Bernard
Hermann (the man behind the "Psycho" hlm score),
Edgar A. Poe and Ambrose Bierce.
"For long endless millions of instants
I drank at the goblet of illusion
ti lling tumours and
fo
I lies
de sperat e ly w an de ri ng through
the DarkTunnels of the Bone Box...
Then, submitting, I chose to drown
in the Ashes of my Dreams."
(excerpt from Sacrilegium)
Devil Doll is like a drug which you can't get enough
o{ an intense mix of metal, opera, and classical
music with gothic overtones, a sense of theatre which
you can't and will not be without when you've got the
first taste of it. Lyrically Mr. Doctor is what one
define as a poet with class, a master of twrsted
thoughts which few can be compared with. His vocals
are as life itse[ constantly changing. They contain
everything; glowls, screams, shouting whispers,
enchanting calls, a voice whispering like the wind of
aufilmn, speeches, all in order to be able to touch you
in a way which makes the hair in your neck rise, or
comfort you into a possessing lullaby.
Every Devil Doll album is a pure creation put to life
by One Man and could fall to pieces in one minute
with Him. Itdr. Doctor himself insist on recording his
vocals in First take, and then merely in a state of
trance. That way he does not know what will happen
next in the whole performance which a recording is.
Once he was asked: "What is Art?" and he answered:
"A MIRACLE!". As I see it, Mr. Doctor's way of
working with music is the way of a true artist, and the
only way to create Pure Artl
"The Devil Doll sect" began in 1987 under
the guidance of Mr. Doctor. In those early days the
band was split in two parts with one based in Italy
and the other one in Slovenia. In the same year the
band recorded
"The Mark of The Beast" but only one
copy was pressed, a copy which Mr. Doctor kept for
himself. In 1988 the band began working on "The
Girl Who Was Death" (with producer Jurij Toni,
which is most known for working with Laibach), a
zuite in seventeen parts that explored themes from the
british cult TV-Show "The Prisoner". In 1989 the
album was released by the fanclubs own label, Hurdy
Gurdy Records. Also following was a second live
performance of "The Girl Who Was Death", and at
the concert 150 of500 copies ofthe album were given
away to the audience while the remaining 350 copies
were destroyed by Mr Doctor. Two other releases
also saw the light of day in 1989, namely "The Black
Holes of The Mind" and "Eliogabalus", rehearsed,
performed and recorded (on one release). The two
sects of Devil Doll were united in l99l when the war
broke out in Slovenia. After this, Devil Doll recorded
the superb "Sacrilegium", which were released in
1992.In 1993, "The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms", t}te
soundtrack to a film written and directed by Mr.
Doctor was released, and 900 copies were sold out
within 72 hours. The most impressive thing is that
everything has been done witlout any advertisement
at all. Tragedy struck Devil Doll as they were
completing a new recording in Tivoli Studios,
Ljubljana. A fire broke out in the studio and the
building was completely destroyed; the band escaped
but the session for "The Day of Wrath" were lost for
ever. This disaster wasjust another chapter in one of
the strangest stories of musical history. The materid
was re-recorded in september 1994 and was released
under the title "Dies Irae". Devil Doll is a superior
kind of art filled with a beauty only the few who have
experienced it knows about. You can only find this
sort of music (as Mr. Doctor says), in two places... In
Heaven.... Or Underground!
I certainly didn't take a trip to heaven when
I for the first time became familiar with DEVIL
DOLL's many MASTERPIECES! ! !
YOUR JOURNEY INTO TITE ABYSS ARE ABOT.]'T
TO START.....YOURDESTINATION IS TIP TO
YOU... NEXT STEP COULD BE TO WRITE TO:
THE DEVIL DOLL FANCLUB
SAN MARCO 5499
30124 VENEZIA
ITALY
l4ll
oPgve
lf
hod
owl4// olf
AS THERE ARE NO PREVIOUS INFORMATION
ABOUT YOURBAND I GUESS THERE ARE
MAI.IY THAT EVEN HAVEN'T I{EARD OF
WAMPYRE SHADOWWOLF, ATLEAST NOT
YET. WHAT DROVE YOU TO START T}IE
BAND? HOW AND WHEN EXACTLY DID
W.S.W. START? Yeah, rightl There is no previous
information about WSW. We have never released a
flyer and only a few pen-friends all over the world
had an advance tape of our CD. We started playing in
summer'95. At this time we started recording the
first track which led to the "Wampyricon" album. It
was strange how we decided to start the band. I was
in the studio when Rotting Christ were recording the
promo-tape which led to the contract with Century
Media and I did a small vocal part in their track
"Snowing Still". Magus Warnpyr Daoloth liked it
very much and he asked me to do the lyrics and the
vocals in a track of N.A.O.S. entitled "The Fall"
which will be included in the bands forthcoming
fullJength album. As both me and MWD were fond
of experimental and atmospheric music we decided to
record some tracks
just
for our own pleasure. Another
friend of ours, WoE did the guitar parts. In fact we
started WSW just for our pleasure and inner
expression. In our first steps, there was no idea of
releasing anything.
WHO ARE T}M PERSONS BEHIND W.S.W. AND
WHAT DO EACH ONE OF TI{EM DO IN T}IE
BAND? WITY TI{E NAME AND WHAT DOES IT
REPRESENT TO YOU? The persons behind WSW
are Magus Warnpyr Daoloth
@ass
and keyboard),
Wolf (gurtar) and Shadow (vocals). The name of the
band includes all three names of its members:
Wamppe, Shadow, Wolf. Furtherrnore, all names are
representatives of the night-time, othenvise the
darkness.
YOU HAVE ruST RELEASED YOURDEBUT
ALBTJM "WAMPruCON", BUT YOU HAVE AS
FAR AS I KNOW NEVER RELEASED A DEMO
WI{Y NOT? WOTILD YOU SAY THAT T}IERE'S
ONLY POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT DOING IT
THIS WAY, OR IS TIIERE ANY NEGATIVE
ASPECTS? As I told you before, when we were
recording the first tracks, we were not thinking of
releasing anything. So, it was no need to release a
demo or a promo tape. Unexpectedly John of
Darkside Records visited the studio and he asked us
to release the album. By that time we had recorded
three uacks and five more had to be recorded. One
positive thing in not releasing a demo is that the
listener will never have a mid-quality product of
yours. He will listen to the CD, having in front of
himself the lyrics and a good quality sound. On the
other hand it is diffrcult for anybody to buy a CD
when they know nothing about the band, but we will
let obscurity work for us.
YOURMUSIC ARE FOR SURE DGERIMENTAL
AS YOU MIX VARIOUS ELEMENTS AND
STYLES INTO IT, B{.JT IT'S VERYHARD TO
DESCRIBE IT. HOW WOULD YOUDESCRIBE
YOURMUSIC TO SOMEONE WHO }IAVEN'T
HEARD YOUR ALBUM? It's very difficult to
describe the music of Wampyre ShadowWolf because
of that mix, but I would say that we play weird-
psychodark-atmospheric-symphonic-melodic music
with elements of gothic, industrial and black, but
everybody should
judge for themselves.
DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO E)ELORE
AND MIXDIFFERENT AND NEW STYLES, AND
WIry DO YOU THINK SO? Though we didn't try to
explore or to mix different styles (we just made music
according to the musical styles we like). I think that
it's very important to approach music in depth and
not to follow any receipts as many bands have done
the last few years in the underground scene.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT E)GERIMENTAL AND
INDUSTRIAL BANDS HAVE MORE DEPTH IN
TIIEIR THOUGIITS AND VISIONS THAN
"TRADITIONAL" BANDS? WHAT MAKES
INDUSTRIAL/E)GERIMENTAL MUSIC SO
INTERESTING FOR YOU AND TTTE REST OF
W.S.W.? Experimental and industrial music is always
deeper than any "tradiLional" approach Experimental
music has to represent the sinking into the deepest
self. That's what all of us in WSW like very much in
the experimental era.
YOUR ALBTJM IS FOR SURE ONE OF TTIE BEST
IN YOUR VEIN, BUT I F{EAR CERTAIN
SIMILARITIES TO THE EARLY WORK OF
LAIBACH AND EVEN TI{E BRILLIANT DEVIL
DOLL. WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE
INFLTIENCED OR INSPIRED BY THESE BANDS?
IF SO. WHAT IN PARTICULAR IS IT THAT
INSPIRE AND INFLUENCE YOU? Well,I don't
think that "Wampyricon" is as good as you say. It has
been arranged, recorded and re-mixed in 50 hours, so
in my opinion, many things could have been better.
"Wampyricon" is just
the recording that shows the
direction that will be followed in our future
recordings. AII of us do like the music of Laibach.
The might of their music have inspired us a lot, but I
haven't heard the music of Devil Doll. I just ordered a
couple of their albums from Misanthropy's mail order
and I look forward to receiving them.
WHO WRITES YOUR MUSIC AND LYRICS, AND
WHATTOPICS DO T}IE LYRICS DEAL WTTH?
We are all responsible for the music of WSW but
M.W.Daoloth and Wolf have worked harder on it
while I have worked harder on the lyrics. In
"Wampyricon" the lyrics deal a lot with night-time
and darkness. You can find a couple ofinvocations,
some stories of sadness, a wampyre based track and a
song ofmight. This album hasn't a concept but I
guess that our future work will be based on a
particular subject.
WHAT IS YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF
INSPIRATION TO YOUR L}'RICAL WRITINGS?
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN OTFIER PEOPLES
WRITINGS, AND WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE
POETS AND AUTHORS? My lyrics are based on
personal adventures in my inner self but I'm
interested in poetry and literature. There are lots of
poets and authors that I like very much. Some of them
are Edgar Allen Poe, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Jack
London, Philip K. Dick, Clive Barker and many more
I can't recall right now.
WHAT' S YOUR HONEST OPINION ABOI.]"7
PEOPLE WHO RUNS AROUND AND CLAIMS TO
BE
UEVIL'OR/AND
'SATANIC'? To claim that
you are evil or satanic is opposite to the idea of
mysticism. I know many bigmouths in the
underground scene. Ofcourse I don't respect their
stupidity, covered weakness and emptiness. For them
to establish themselves as evil or satanists, is the only
\,vay to hide the lack of creativity and the emptiness of
their souls.
WHAT WOULD A REALLY EVIL AND SATAMC
PERSON BE LIKE, AND HOW WOULD F{E OR
SHE BEHAVE? He/she would follow his/her personal
ways until death.
HOW DO YOU SEE TT{E EVOLUTION OF
MOTHER EARTH? Disintegration! Let us stop all
weak, stupid and useless that rule this planet by now.
WHAT'S YOI.IR GENERAL OPINION ABOUT
RELIGION, AND DO YOU BELIEVE IN A
HIGHER SPIRIT. UAL FORCE/SOURCE? AII
religions, through the history of man on earth, are
teaching the ways of not thinking. Millions of people
all over the world think as sheep, believing in Allah,
Christ or Buddha. I hate all religions as I hate all
sheep. I don't believe in any higher power except in
the power of my inner self. By that, I mean that I can
do whatever I think and that I can think in the
deepest way. In my opinion every man should believe
in his inner self instead of believing in weak
jew
assholes as the one called Christ.
HOWDO YOU SEE LIFE AFTERDEATH? WHA-T
WILL HAPPEN W]TH OUR SOULS WHEN OUR
BODYS CEASE TO FUNCTION? In my opinion,
under some conditions, soul and spirit can survive
after death. I participate in an experiment to this
direction and I hope that it succeeds. Makes one think
of wampyres...
DO YOU BELIEVE IN TTIE TERMS 'TRUE
LOVE" AllD
TII{PPINESS'?
WHAT WOULD YOU
SAY IS TI{E MOST CONSTRUCTIVE EMOTION
TI{ERE IS? As far there is "true hate" and "sadness"
there is "true love" and "happiness" also. I think that
there is no emotion without its opposite. Yin and
Yang as ancient chinese use to describe it. The most
constnrctive emotions are the deepest ones, no matter
if they are positive or negative.
HOW DO YOU PICTURE FEELINGS AND HOW
DO YOU FEEL TOWARDS EMOTIONS SUCH AS
LOVE, HATE, PAIN, SORROWHAPPINESS, JOY
AND SADNESS? It's very difficult to describe in
words the deepest feelings. Though I think that they
are involved unconsciously in the creative process of
lyrical writings and in all of my other artistic
attempts. Concerning the emotions that you
mentioned, they are all part of my life.
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND BEAUTY
WITHIN THE DARK AND DEPRESSIVE SIDE OF
LIFE? The deepest beauty dwells in darkness. You
have to walk dangerous paths until you approach the
captivating image of your illusions. On the other side
depression is helpfirl in order to sink into the depths
ofyour inner self, where you can face your deepest
emotions and illusions.
TO ME MUSIC IS ART. WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT OTMRARTFORMS SUCH AS
PAINTING, MOVIES. PHOTOGRAPHY ETC?
WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PATNTE&
COMPOSER, DIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPItrR ETC?
I respect all artists no matter if they are musicians,
painters, film directors or photographers, because
they are at least creative. It's great to try to express
your deeper feelings by making art aad this means
thatyou have feelings to express. I don't include
those who are trying to make big money out of stupid
and uncreative masscrap. My favourite painter is Van
Gogh and my favourite composer is Wagner. I like a
lot of old movies by Hitchcock, most of vampire
films, a lot of thrillers and many more. I don't know
much about photographybut I have seen a lot ofgood
photos here and there. One ofthem has been done by
you in the cover of Gehenna's MCD "First Spell".
Also, I like a lot of ancient Hellenic drama that has
been created by Aishylos, Sophocles and Euripides
between 1000 and 500 BC. I have the chance to
watch performances of drama quite often.
NOW LET US RETTJRN TO WAMPYRE
SHADOWWOLF. WI{AT MOTIVATES YOU THE
MOST TO KEEP ON GOING? WHA.-T.S THE
MAIN SPIRIT AND EMOTION BEHIND TI{E
BAND? It's absolutely natural for us to continue
playing music. This is the way of our lives. Everyone
of us would keep on playrng even if there were no
contracts or nice words for our music. Every song is a
hard trip in our inner self where the deepest feelings
dwell. Even if we wanted to stop, it would be
impossible.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC, BOTH METAL AND
NON.METAL DO YOU PREFER TO FILL YOUR
HEART AND SOUL WITH? WHAT ARE YOUR
FAVOURITE BANDS/ACTS? I do like a lot of
classical music (I have already mentioned Wagner)
including baroque and medieval music. I also like
dark and industrial music, mostly bandVartists like
Death In June, Sol Inyictus, Current 93, Fire & Ice,
Into The Abyss, Flowers Of Romance, IVON/Boyd
Rice, Einsturzende Neubauten, Laibach, old Dead
Can Dance, Blood Axis, Nick Cave, Virgin Prunes,
N.A.O.S., Coil, Strength Through Joy, Kari
Rueslitten, Penitent (have you ever heard of them?),
Cernunnos Woods, Endura, Lacrimosa, Nefilim,
Mortiis and many more. From the metal era I like
Black Sabbath (ofcourse), lots ofthrash, death and
black metal bands. Some of my favourite bands are
Emperor, Ulver, Ancient Rites, Necromantia, Thou
Art Lord, In The Woods, The Gathering, Tiamat,
Zemial, Agatus, Legion of Doom, Bewitched and
many more which I can't recall right now. I also
listen to a lot of other music styles such as
psychedelic, 70's progressive etc. I'm also very much
fascinated by the music and productions of Bill
Laswell who is one of the best musicians and strons
minds all over the world.
WHEN I FIRST T{EARD ''INVOCATION OF MY
DEMON BROTI{ER'' I GUESS IT WAS YOU WHO
HAD TIIE VOCALS, ATLEAST THE VERSION
YOU SENT ME ON A TAPE. I MUST ADMIT
THAT I LIKED THAT VERSION BETTER THAN
THE ONE ON THE CD, BL]T W}TY DID YOU
CHANGE VOCALIST ON THAT TRACK?
WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER WITH TIIE FIRST
VERSION, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK? You are
one of the few who've got that track with my vocals.
Ian Reed, former of Current 93 and Sol Invictus, now
in Fire & Ice, listened to our tape and he was
interested in doing a vocd part for us. We are very
honoured of that. In my opinion, Ian Reed has done
the best than any vocalist. He sent us a DAT with his
voice but I think that his voice "had to be treated in a
diferent way" as Douglas P. of Death In June
mentioned in his last letter.
WHATDO TI{E MEMBERS OF W.S.W. DO
BESIDE TT{E BAND? YOU'RE
QIJITE
BUSY,
AREN'T YOU? HOW DO YOU FIND TIME AND
NOT AT LEAST TFIE ENERGY TO DO SO MAI.IY
THINGS? It's well known that M.W.Daoloth is also
playing with Necromantia ard that he also has a
solo-project, N.A.O.S. Wolf is also playing with
Vanity, a progressive death metal band. I have started
working on my own solo-project, Lord Winter, but
it's too early to talk about that. Yeah, right! I'm
working really hard as I'm the editor of Sub Terra.
You know how hard it is to publish a magazine. My
daytime
job is in the Hellenic edition of Metal
Hammer. To much to do, for sure, but more that the
most important thing for me are Wampyre
ShadowWolf and Sub Terra which is also a label and
have released the albums of Zemial and Agatus.
WHATDOES TI{E FUTLIRE HOLD FOR W.S.W.?
DARKSIDE RECORD S RELEASED
'WAMPYRICON'' BUT WILL YOU STICK TO
THIS LABEL? WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WCII,
Darkside Records ripped us off. This edition of
"Wampyricon" is limited to 500 copies. The label has
not got the rights any more. "Wampyricon" will be
released by Cacophonous Records in
september/october
'96
with different artwork. Our
plans for the future is to record a mini'CD with cover
tracks (probably Laibach, Fire&Ice, Sol Invictus,
Current 93 and Virgin Pnrnes) entitled "Honour".
Also me, M.W. Daoloth, Mortiis and Gunther Theys
of Ancient Rites are going to record an album by the
fall of'96. Later on lve will record our second album
but it's too early to talk about that.
THAT' S ALL FOR NOW! CLOSE THI S WI TH
YOUR FI NAL WORDSI !
Thanx very much Karstcn for thi s great and deep
i nteni e' ,v I' l l end rvi th the motto i hat i s al so on our
AIbUM WA]V{PIRES DO EXISTI BCTVATC
For bandcontact Ivri te to:
! Vampyre Shadowl Yol f
c/ o Shadol v
D. Areopagi t ou 7
P. O. Box 27050
I I 702 ATHENS
GREECE
LAXBAE+{
EXCERPTS FROM INTERVMWS
GIVEN BETWEEN 1980.95
How and when was the LAIBACII group formed?
In what circumstances and for what reasons? The
formation of the group is closely linked with the rise
of modern consciousness and the new socio-economic
relations, whose function and meaning were fully
exposed precisely in Trbovlje, a town with a strong
revolutionary and industrial tradition. The workers'
movement gathered considerable momentum in the
period befween the two world wars in the Zasavje
regions, namely in Trbovlje, Zago4e and Hrastnik.
The workers, led by their party, gradually took over
the leading role of the Slovene nation and in the
following period - during the National Liberation
War and the socialist revolution - fulfilled this role by
securing for the Slovenes their freedom, their own
state, social liberation and passage into socialism.
In the years between the two wars, the Communist
Party was formed in the mining districts, and the
Commune of Trbovlje (Trboveljska Komuna) was
created. The biggest miners' strike ensued, and the
first fascist actions ofthe bloody organization of
Yugoslav nationalists Oduna were repelled. The
miners occupied tlte mines and went on a heart-
rendering hunger strike. The youth ofZasarje showed
great fighting spirit and the miners' wives actively
took part in social events. During this period, large
workers' cultural societies were founded in Zasavje.
They cultivated theatre, singing and music. Poets,
writers and actors emerged. The first workers'
athletes and alpinists, the first children's groups as
the avant-garde of future pioneers, appeared. The
socialist idea, which came to the mining regions in
the last quarter ofthe previous century gradually
captured the workers' mind. The communists, who
were well versed in public activities as well as in the
new forms of underground activities, were an
inspiration to the workers. Socialist ideas became a
living guide for action, for the preparation and
execution of the socialist revolution; The reforms
wtrich struggled to keep the capitalist order
functioning were no longer the essence and meaning
of the workers' struggle; they were replaced by the
task of overtfuowing the bourgeoisie and fighting for
the nrle of the working class. In 1924 a miner poet
wrote:
Rebellion is the ever-existingforce of life
Rebellion is a prayer composed by the masses
Rebellion is a step towards the temple of resurrection
Rebellion is anger rooted in hunger
Rebellion begets new worlds
Today, these mining districts are changing their
image. A contemporary industrial worker lives among
the factories and mines, no longer silently chained to
his mountain-bound valley. He has become a
working, socialist man, with a natural instinct and
feel for class affrliation. Few towns show such great
antagonisms between the old and the new as Trbovlje.
The legary of the former capitalist society had to
relinquish its place to the new social economic order,
heralded by the constantly oppressed working class,
by all the working people and citizens, who are
paving the road of future progress by satisffing
collectrve and general interests. The group LAIBACH
was founded in Trbovlje in 1980.
Is there an official or unofficial manifesto of the
group? Every historical manifesto, as a program, a
collection of aims, forms and principles of a
movement is basically incomplete, burdened with
itself and left to the dynamism of time (e.g. the
Communist Manifesto, 1848, the Fururistic
Manifesto, 1909), which exposes the short-lived,
demagogic character of its foundations. LAIBACH is
the realization of the universality of time; our
organized activity is intense agitation and permanent,
systematic, propagandist and ideological offensive. In
keeping with this, our basic orientational standpoints
are constantly being discussed and revised. Thus the
progra.m is not a theory of dogmas, but is
continuously being amended, zubject to dynamic
transformation, i.e., constant reeision and
redefinition. A complete manifesto-like version
therefore does not exist, but the basic theses and
program documents are formulated and systematized
in several regional giroups, and concentrated in them
tfuough the 10 items of the Covenant. These ten
items represent the fundamental program of
LAIBACH KUNST's doctrine.
I have noticed on the map that the old name for
Ljubljana was - Laibach. Why did you choose this
name? Does it have anything to do with your
image? A name signifies the reification of the Idea on
the level of an enigmatic cognitive symbol. The name
Laibach first appeared in I144 as the original name
of Ljubljana, the city; by the stream; (Bach) and; the
moor (Laibach). It appears again during the reign of
the Ausuo-Hungarian monarchy, this time as an
alternative to the already existing Slovene version.
LAIBACH again appears in 1943, after the
capitulation of Italy in the Second World War, when
tie Germans took control of the city. This was the
pedod when the Nazis and Belogardisti (White
Guard) arrested, tortured and murdered those citizens
of Ljubljana who did not believe in the victory of the
Third Reich. In 1980, rvith the emergence of a youth
culture group, the name LAIBACH appeared for the
fourth time, suggesting specific possibilities for the
formation of a politicized
-
systematically ideological
- art, as a consequence of the influence of politics and
ideolory. In this sense, the name summarizes the
horror of the communion between totalitarianism
and alienation generated by productron in the form of
slavery.
With what kind of principles does LAIBACH
manipulate in creating atmosphere at a concert?
Our appearance has a purifying
@XORCISM)
and
regenerative (HONEY +
GOLD) funcdon. With a
mystical erotic audiovizual constitution of the
ambivalence of fear and fascination (which acts on
the consciousness in a pnmeval way), with a
ritualized demonstration of political force, and with
other manipulative approaches, LAIBACH practices
sound/force in the form of a systematic
(psycho-
physical) terror as therapy and principle ofsocial
organization. Pumose: to provoke maximum
collective emotions and release the automatic
response of masses; Conseouence: the effective
disciplining of the revolted and alienated audience;
awakening the feeling of total'belonging and
commitment to the Higher Order; Result: by
obscuring his intellect, the consumer is reduced to a
state of humble remorse, which is a state of collective
aphasia, which in turn is the principle of social
organization.
How do you justify
the violence which you inflict
on the audience (the aggressive sound, the tiresome
repetitiousness, blinding spotlights directed at the
audience, large black banners and posters with
punch? When social antagonism culminates ir
political and economic crises, only force remains as
the ultima ratio; of social integration.
Force must assume the form of systematic (physical
and psychical) terror, organized in accordance with
social relations: terror assumes the function of a
productive force, extorting discipline and adaptation
of the masses to existing relations of production and
the existing apparatus of production. Systematic
terror becomes the constitutive instrument of
government. Thus, violence is not a system or
aesthetics and even less so entertainment. Violence is
a brutal necessity, to which we have zubmitted.
Who are your role models; from where do you
derive your ideas? Surely you do not claim that
these ideas of yours are original? Do you associate
the production of LAIBACH with some similar
(contemporary) attempts abroad (I have various
fields of artistic production in mind)? What is your
reaction to the remarks of critics that This Heat
and Throbbing Gristle provide your basic (not
only musical) inspiration? Abroad, as well as at
home, in every age, there exists a mass of authors,
who build their work (and life) on similar aesthetic
principles as LAIBACH. Some of them have come
close to perfection in their expressive efforts,
primarily thanks to the historical conditions in which
they lived and worked. Consequently, LAIBACH
recognizes inJluences (originaliry is an illusion of
false revolutionaries), but only as physically necessary
influences of a secondary importance, which are
embodied in us only as a historical base ofthe presenr
moment (and their selection is unlimited). That is
why every classification and determination is
erroneous in terms of LAIBACH's primary tendenry.
Our basic inspiration (role models, which are not
models by form, but are themselves the material of
LAIBACH manipulation) remains industrial
production, Nazi-Kunst, totalitarianism, bruitism,...
and, ofcourse, disco.
You say that the need for authority is stronger
than the will for independence; (LAIBACH, The
Instrumentality of the State Machine, SKUC
publication, 1983); how do you justify
such a
statement in the light of the Yugoslav National
Liberation Stmggle (resistance against Nazism)
and the post-war nonalignment (rejection of
subordination to a stronger power)? AUTHORITY
is the force of the will which zubordinates orx
(LAIBACH's) activity to its own purpose.
Independence and a certain autonomy are obligatory
from the standpoint of the authority of artistic
practice. Psychohistorical dislocation is the problem
of collective consciousness in its search of symbolic
forms as collective formulation; it is the inability to
exit from the individual's existence as a machine,
which is the neurosis of death. Propaganda is the
aspect of mass communication, which acts as a
psychohistorical dislocation of eternal vizual and
audiotive conceptions and thus supports non-
alignment. NON-ALIGNMENT is the need for
dependence, and dependence forms the process of
creation of the force of the will, which is
AUTI{ORITY.
Eow do you understand freedom in general? The
image of freedom changes with time: the freedom
which is possible in a period of prosperity is not
allowed when scarcity reigns. Our freedom is the
freedom of those who think alike.
LAIBACH's studio projects greatly differ from
their live projects: the records increasingly
emphasize rather simple disc-recording trends'
while in concert you approach total
experimentation, which is also close to the
avant-garde classical music. What is the unifying
characteristic? Militant classicism is a form which
unites the mechanics of organic rhythm and the
confirsion of intuitive sound interventions into the
Harmony of the Beautiful Idea. We have monopolized
the right to chaos so as to underline order, The
difference between studio work and in-concert events
is based on the consideration ofcontext and the
nature of the medium.
Your new recordings are more open, more
populist: is this an opening-up trend of LAIBACH
or something else? There are quite a few disco-
mentality tracks on your records, some are even
potential disco hits. The relation LAIBACH -
dance floor listeners? The apparent techno-
revolution of our music has parallels in the growth
and multiplication of machines. We are fascinated by
disco aesthetics and the introduction ofdisco
elements in the production of our music is not a
novelty. It only affects the purification and
apostophizing of rhythm, which is - as regular
repetition - the purest form of militantly organized
rhythmics of technicist production and classicist
beauty. Disco rhythm stimulates automatist
mechanisms and co-forms the industrialization of
consciousness according to the model of
totalitarianism and industrial production.
How does your music originate? Do you compose it
or does it occur spontaneously? What is its musical
value? The effort of achieving a composition affirms
us in the sterility of the effort. A composition is
totally structued; the composing process is a dictated
ready-made product. Industrial production is
meaningfirlly developmental, but if we extract from
this process the element of moment, we thereby
designate to it a mystic dimension (antipode: history -
mysticism) alienation, which reveals the magical
component of the industrial process. Technical
reproductiveness liberates rock practice from the
parasitic function in the ritual; it replaces it with
another function: foundation in politics. But our
politicizing ofsound can be absolute sonority.
Are those peopl e who hear i n your proceedi ngs
emphati c modul ati ons of futuri sm, dadai sm and
Duchampian flirting with the industrial from the
beginning of this century, in the right? Every
revival of the past, as a form of what is contemporary,
conceals a creative lethargy. We are acquainted with
the aberrations and contradictions ofthe disillusioned
artistic avant-garde. We have no intention of
reproducing or intelpreting it. The ideology of
surpassing; has been surpassed and it must never
happen again that the spectator - consumer confuses
the packaging with art. All of our work, present and
future, must leave behind all past works, regardless of
their greatness. The dead past shouldbe no match for
us, who are alive. !
What is the relation between LAIBACH KUNST
and the Slovene or world historical avant-garde,
with reference to the fact that its first generations
acted during the period ofthe (rising) totalitarian
regimes? Is LAIBACH KUNST avant-garde?
When we speak of avant-garde, we believe that the
most beautifirl of all were the performances of those
avantguardists who performed between 1920 - 1940
in Rome once a year and executed exceptionally
skilled corporal drills. That is what the schooled
youths between the ages of thirteen and eighteen were
called. They moved their slender limbs and bodies in
a precise rhythm as a single body. In the feudal
period, the term avant-garde denoted hound dogs in
a hunt. Later, the trophy which was hounded and
ripped apart by the modern avant-garde became man
himself. The history of the world art avant-garde is a
symptom of &e agony of the world, caught in the
demonism of capital and mafter. The history of
modern avant-garde is the history of gradual
destruction of man. The death of art. towards which
the last avant-garde movements tend, means the
death of man.; We do not soil our hands with such
blood.
Is LAIBACH the triumph of conceptualism or,
such as it is, the preparatory phase towards the
triumph of creation? If the term conceptualism
means a certain artistic practice (and idea) of modern
art, which renounces its own actualization, then
LAIBACH has nothing in common with this practice,
except oppositions. LAIBACH articulates itself
through its own actualization and signifies the
triumph over conceptualism. Every classification and
determination from the standpoint of primary
LAIBACH tendenry is incorrect and meaningless,
although in picture and word we do not reject the
labell trans-historical (real) realism as a preparatory
phase towards the triumph of the monumental
retrogarde.
Considerin g industrial reli giousness and reli gious
industry as a basic distinction of your times, what
is the new stand of LAIBACII towards POP art?
POP art is only one of the forms of reactionary
realism; a conscious reproduction without the search
and exposition of the meaning of the depicted (as
modern realism demands). The rejection of the
meaning of what is depicted indicates resistance to
the depiction oftruth and its overt repression.
Furthermore, POP art is linked through a distant
artrficial irony to a certain aspect of social nihilism;
LAIBACH KUNST rises above such tendencies and
wants to show the truth as it should be, restoring to
things and people their unadulterated meaning.
What is the position of LAIBACII towards
traditional art? Total negation, critical
acceptance or absolute autonomy in relation to
other types oI art? The ruling class must firmly
dictate traditional art genres through its political,
aesthetic and ideological mechanisms, surrounding
them with the characteristics of eternity, immutability
and finality. The position of LAIBACH on traditional
art is selection. which must rediscover and
re-evaluate history, return power to the institutions
and conventions and decrease the distance between
artistic expression and collective consensus.
LAIBACH KUNST, which in its musical
productions
takes advantage of the high-industry
mass media technologr, is quite surprising in its
elementary painting technique (oil on canvas)? The
starting point ofour activities lies in a unified concept
which expresses itself in each media in accordance
with is laws. LAIBACH makes use of pop media in
their musical production, while in painting they take
into consideration the classical values ofauthentic
art. Authentic art has its own thought, its own
history, its own tradition, its own reason for being
and its own order. It has its own eternal technique -
and that is oil on canvas. Technique plays an
tmportant role in the origin of objective appeaftmce,
as it is required by the essence offigural art. The
more the presence
of the hand is noticeable in the
execution, the more objective is the picture. This
realization favours traditional technique and the use
of permanent materials.
Why OCCUPIED Europe Tour? OCCUPIED
Europe Tour
- first LAIBACH tour. Europe is the
western pan of Asia. Because of its cultural, political
and economic role in the world, it is considered a
special, privileged
continent. The name Europe
comes from the Assyrian word ereb, which means sun
set or setting in general. The Greeks adapted it from
the Phoenecians in the meaning of the west coast of
the Aegian sea. Eventually the entire continent came
to be called this. Todays culturally, politically,
economically and militarily divided Europe is an
unstable neryous center and a barometer of world
events. The state ofoccupation is a categorical
imperative of its role and existence.
The reactions of the foreign press were
considerable and rather strong. Was this only a
response to the concerts themselves, to the image
of LAIBACH, or did you also provoke them in
other ways? LAIBACH practices provocation on the
alienated consciousness, but provocation does not
serve its own purpose, nor is it a basic method of our
activities. Provocation by LAIBACH is a consequence
of the internal vitality of the spirit, the energy which
is repeatedly released at every recurrent embodiment
of the Idea and at every realization of its fertility with
each fulfilment within the relevant space.
You provoked mass indignation with your
television interview, you were condemned as
Neo-nazis and the host of the show, Jure Pengov,
proclaimed you Public Enemy Number One. Today
we know that it was a matter of mutual mani-
pulation... Why did you decide to appear on
television? What was your basic intent? The
necessity of a comprehensive, structural recon-
struction of the Organism and the collective,
psychological and physical reorganization of the
spirit of the living productive force is revealed in a
period of the unbridgeable gap between the ldea and
its realization; the establishment of the further dis-
illusioned technicist consciousness of the individual,
with the capacity for maximum identification,
sacrifice and subordination to the higher, superior
system of values (the collective, ideology...) is
necessary. The reformational structures need, for the
realization of zuch a harmonious social balance, an
allegiance with progress, decisiveness and the
inclusion of powerfirl, functional mass media qystems
of enforcement, mass media such as TELEMSION.
Television is, within the industry of consciousness (in
addition to the school system) the leading moulder of
uniform thought processes. The television program is
firndamentally centralized, with one broadcaster and a
mass of receivers/consumers. while communication
between them is disabled. The television message by
its nature demands a thorough involvement of all
senses, which causes supersatuation. Such an over-
load of the sensory paths (complete focusing on the
perceptual region) successfully produces defense
reactions of the organism: hypnotic apathy, lack of
critical awareness, The collective and indepth
experience of the TV message gives rise to an
automatic resistance to the details of cognitive
analysis and calls for generalizations of emotional
experience; the television personality (TV sub-object)
becomes spatially and temporally shortsighted,
incapable of anal)'tically foreseeing the consequences
or causes, and completely incorporated only in the
televisions present moment. Television thus
functronally decreases analytical capabilities and
emotional response, causes apathy and insensitivity,
and as such, psychologically edifies and fortifies the
consumer. LAIBACH, through television perception,
by provoking collective emotions and automatrc
associations, serves as a reorganizational
spiritual principle and as a means of work incentive:
by destroying every trace ofindividuality
(critical
judgment)
it blends individuals into a mass and the
mass into a single humble collective, responsible to
its own status in the system of production.
Were you offended when you were called Nazis or
were you protected from such unpleasantness by a
collective stance? We are not against interpretations
which - potentially - affrrm the element of alienation.
Names (such as e.g.. New Barbarism, New
Rationality, etc.) are always dictates, which - in
regard to the perception of the masses - create
inequalities. Nazism has focused on selected groups
and established the principle ofleadership and
followers. LAIBACH is not interested in dichotomies.
It cannot be offended and it need not defend itself:
practicing control is not an item ofour stand.
The principle that you consistently adhere to is the
principle of manipulation. This means that this
fact of society does not hide behind ideals, but
forms a constituent part of your image. This, of
course, does not increase your popularity in the
media, but rather bars you from them because the
media are essentially based on mass-manipulation
and administration of information. Have you ever
thought about your own medium? Manipulatton,
manipulation! To manipulate people, natue, living
and dead inventory, words, ideas, things and feelings!
Here you have the beginning of a new
rycle
which
brings death to the human race. It is not the demon
who will choose you
- it is you who will choose the
demon! God and Satan are innocent, guilty is the one
who chooses!
Speaking of music, are you interested, for instance,
in Bach's and Mozart's counterpoint and
harmony? We are. Music is a credible metaphor of
reality. Mozart and Bach both reflect the bourgeois
dream of harmony more precisely than all the
political theories of the nineteentl century together.
Harmony is the true supreme form used by authority
to demonstrate its power, satisfaction and its political
scenic arrangement. Primitive polyphony, electro-
acoustic music, etc., etc. any kind of music is an
attribute of authority, its tool and its bond rvith its
people, rvhatever it may be.
Do you have any special reason for having selected
music as the way of your artistic expression? Music
creates order out of chaos: rhithm imposes unanimity
upon the divergent, melody continuity upon the
disjointed, and harmony compatibility upon the
incongruous. Music is the law of Nature.
Laibach in sound, word and image do not give off
much warmth, humor, love, sunshine. This may be
a bourgeois notion, but I demand that they be a
part of the emotional range expressed by art. Are
Laibach as grim, intense and humorless as they
seem? Humor is a moral irresponsibility of a person
in relation to the factual nature of actual relations
between individuals and community; it is an alibi
which permits all kinds of compromises, denies the
demands set by reality and affirms the principle of
satisfaction. According to Darwin, laughter is an
expression mostly common to idiots and, according to
English pqychologist M. W. Brody, it represents the
concluding part ofaggressive usulpation. It is well
known that the word humor springs from England
and that the English are proud of it; however, it is
also known that England has nothing left to laugh at.
Its humor is a leftover of narcissoid hedonism, its
weapon against the outer world and a proof of its
pseudo-dominion over the actual situation.In art, we
appreciate humor that can't take a
joke. Antlers. I'm
told that they are, to indu-lge in a little light-hearted
semiology, a signifier of Slorvenische Kunst. They
seem incongruous, even humorous, to a British
audience unaware of the background.
Coul d Lai bach expl ai n thei r rel evance? The
mzurow of the forehead bone of the animal (a stag)
first sends the stimulus (the impulse) through the
nerves to the nerve center of the antlers. The intensity
of the activity of the optic nerves depends on the
amount of light and on the degree of blindness. When
the nerve centers ofthe antlers receive the signal,
they stimulate the hypophysis. The hypophysis is
hidden under the cortex and is composed of three
layers. Each layer secrets its own hormones. The most
important hormones are those secreted by the front
layer of the hypophysis and among them the hormone
of growth, wluch stimulates the activity of genital
glands and the thyroid gland. The testicles,
stimulated by the activity of the hypophysis secrete
the sexual hormone and produce semen. The activity
of the growth hormones causes the growth and
development of the sexual hormone and development
of the antlers. The growth progresses until the sexual
hormone enters the bloodstream. During the growth
period ofthe antlers the gristle tissue is soaked in
blood, zupplied by the double blood circulation
system, the external and the internal one. The venous
system leading from the marrow to the gristle is the
intemal conduction of blood and the one between the
fur and the periosteum is the external conduction of
blood. The colour of the antlers is more intensive and
darker when more blood remains in the antlers after
brutal tribal combats. It is strange for us to have to
explain about the anflers to the British when it is a
well-known fact that Great Britain is very rich in
antlers and ranks second, immediately after Germany
and before the U.S. Nowadays, of course, Great
Britain has completely lost its primary sense of
reality; this is the price it has to pay for the modern
market principles that have caused a degeneration of
consumption and a depreciation of value. Hence the
void in understanding. The English public should,
consequently, be satisfied with the following
explanation: the antlers personi$ the striving for
purity, sublimity and ennoblement, uniting eternity
with power, dignity with courage and love with death.
Why did you choose to remake Let it be? Let it be
(F I A T) is a prophetic title which covers the ill-
starred nature of an operation that gave us pop music
and its industry. The Beatles record itself stands as a
cheapskate epitaph, a cardboard tombstone, a sad
and tatty end of an era when it all started. We have
enough imagination not to do a cover version; rvhat
we are doing is rewriting history, which every nolv
and then has to be corrected and reinterpreted to be
useful for the future.
Are cover-versions superior to sampling techniques
as a foundation for musical production? The
essence of music is a miracle of technology, rvhich is
based on mechanical principles of the universe- The
essence of mechanics is Ewige Wilderkehr des
Gleichen (Endless Repetition of the Same). On this
basis we find no superiority in the cover-versions over
sampling techniques. Our work, however, which is
original, or rather a copy without the original, is
superior to the historical material.
Reflecting on the possible potency of art, SPK's
Graeme Revell once said that you can't do much
else but art, unless you want to be a terrorist or
kill yourself. Would you sign this statement? This
is a very nihilistic statement. If the positive part of the
world consisted only of artists, we could expect the
same result as in the case ofterrorists and suicidal
persons. The aim of art is to give immortality to
everyday practical behaviour and work, which is
necessary if life is to provide us with a ladder leading
to divinity.
It is said, in one of the songs by LAIBACH, that
there is life before death. Does this statement, in
the sense that each work of art itself may be
regarded as an act of hope, in principle imply
optimism? What is the role of existentialist
moments in your work? How does one live before
death? Our conception of death transcends the
existentialist view of the world. Death is the final
moment and the eternal loser as opposed to the
infinite principle of all-transcending Absolute, in
which life is never extinzuished. Life is life and
Death is for death.
What is LAIBACH's attitude towards MTV?
Through the channels of cable and satellite television,
rivers of the unintem:pted progEms of world
television stations flow (like MTV), radically
brainwashing millions of young people, altenng
- in substance and essence - their psychosomatic
structues in the direction of monstrous mutations.
thus implementing the totality of rock'n'roll music
and the TOTALITARIANISM of its determinants. In
this way the psychosomatic structure becomes the
outermost extension of the network of rock'n'roll
communication, a kind of bottomless box in which its
contents are poured, creating and satisffing needs,
exhausting and seemingly regenerating its energies.
The system of rock'n'roll moronisation by means of
TV programs like MTV lowers the intelligence level
of its devotees below the indispensable level of sound
judgement.
To those with more distance MTV is of
course nothing but cherving gum for the eyes, and
Maiken Wexo stretches it for us lvith great dexterity.
Who do you esteem in the fields of politics, art,
theolory and economy? We respect large systems,
organisms, bodies and immortal inventions, we also
have esteem for great artists, but our praise would
sound like vengeance.
Having succeeded to penetrate the most
demanding market, the group LAIBACH
represnts a model of success and marketing
lucidity. What is the difference between the
European and American audience and between the
European and American market? The difference is
smaller than it is as seen from a satellite. America
will be Europe's master as long as holiness is a
matter of business and business a matter of manners.
The immense popularity of American culture shows
us that Europe is merely an unfinished negative of
which America is the proof. And this in turn tells us
that Europe is nothing but a big auction-house, and
Europeanism impenalism with an inferiority
complex.
Is it still possible today to perceive Laibach as a
danger, as happened ten years ago? LAIBACH in
itself is not a danger; the true danger resides in
people, it is implanted in human beings like the
age-old fear of punishment, and from it the earthly
seed of evil stems..Our evil is its projection, so we are
a danger to those who in themselves are dangerous.
Do you think music should take on the role of a
propagator of political ideas? Music must use the
language of politics in such a way that politics takes
on the role of a propagator of music.
Should a musician avoid daily politics? A musician
should first of all avoid daily music.
Do you think music can change the world in the
sense of LiveAid and Nelson Mandela? The world
is, in general, unchangeable, and in the context of
such actions music can change only itself.
What was the reason for establishing the NSK
State and what is the attitude of this state torvards
the Republic of Slovenia? LAIBACH and NSK
related themselves to the territories of Slovenia in its
utopian dreamstage. Utopia automatically cancelled
itself when it became reality. Because we concern
ourselves with reality and not a dream, we have
created our own state with its own apparatus,
passports, embassies, etc. It's a mobile state wlthout
borders and territory which can exist anyrhere and
inside any pre-existing system. It functions to convert
material capital into the spiritual kapital essenlial to
its well-being.
Reactions to LAIBACH reveal extreme
controversy and it seems that many people
misunderstand you. Do you feel responsible for the
consequence of your actions? Our only
responsibility as engineers of human souls is to
remain irresponsible. We cannot concern ourselves
with the fulfilment of other people's expectations of
us. We believe that in art morality is nonsense, in
practice it is immoral, in people it is a sickness.
Can utopia ever become reality or must it always
be a dream away? A dream away is a reality we live
in and we don't call it utopia. On the contrary utopia
is a total lack ofrealiry and as such it does not exist
for LAIBACH as a relevant problem. The purpose of
utopia is not to be realized, and LAIBACH on the
other side is a project ofconstant self- realization.
Utopia can only work with the application of
force? If force is necessary does it immediately
negate the idea ofutopia? Force is real and utopia is
unreal. Certain systems can only exist through the
systematic use of force and they are not less utopian
for that reason.
It is a fact that the stage appearance of your band
is very militant, with all its set, slides, films, the
sound itself, rhythm? The militant is not necessarily
bad. A militant stance is one reflecting stability,
decision, an immutable fact. Our stage appearance is
not only militant, it is mechanised. We live in the age
ofthe cybernetic machine, ofa new ontology of
survival and death. in which the militant means both
cause and effect.
What then is the difference betrveen
totalitarianism and democracy? There is no
di.fference at all. Democrary is
just
a euphemism for
developed totalitarianism.
What is the opposite of totalitarianism? By
definition, totalitarianism is all-inclusive.
What would you consider as an ided state?
The NSK state, of course.
And what are its characteristics? It has no territory
and no physical borders, and it daily makes Utopia a
reality.
What about the future of metaphysics? We cannot
talk about the future; we live in the present time
which is constantly decanting into the past and this
past is our future. We are therefore tommorow's
future. "Every minute of the Furure is a memory of
the Past." - Life is Life
Language and music, message and sound, the left
and the right brain, the artist and the audience -
is there an alternative to this basic schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia cannot be understood without
understanding despair. Schizophrenic behaviour is a
special strategy that a person (and society) invents in
order to live in an unlivable situation. There is an
alternative to the basic schizophrenia you're talking
about, but from the positron ofpolitical correctness it
could easily be wrongly understood.
Your idea of a state in time without boundaries?
Europe is coming closer and closer to a state of
non-statehood where state mechanisms are losing
their binding character. The authority of the state is
being eroded from the top by Uans-European
regulations from Brussels and the international
economic ties and from the bottom by local ald
ethnic interests, while none of these elements are
strong enough to fully replace state authority From
all this it is thus necessary to draw what at frrst
glance seems a paradoxical, yet crucial conclusion:
today the concept ofutopia has made an about-face
turn
-
utopian energy is no longer directed towards a
stateless community, but towards a state without
a nation, a state which would no longer be founded on
an ethnic community and its territory, therefore
simultaneously towards a state without territory,
towards a purely artificial structure of principles and
authority which will have severed the umbilical
chords ofethnic origin, indigenousness and
rootedness. As far as art, according to definition, is
subversive in relation to the existing establishment,
any art which today wants to be up the level its
assignment must be a state art in the service of a
still-non-existent country. It must abandon the
celebration of islands of privacy, seemingly insulated
from the machinery of authority, and mustvoluntarily
become a small cog in this machinery, a servant to
the new Leviathan which it is summoning like a
genie from the bottle. This is why NSK is founding
its own state. The NSK state in time is thus an
abstract organism, a suprematist body, installed in a
real social and political space as a sculpture
comprising the concrete body warmth, spirit and
work of its members. NSK confers the status of a state
not to territory but to mind, whose borders are in a
state of flux, in accordance with the movements and
changes of its symbolic and physical collective body.
Culture and art - two sides of the same illusion:
that people are condemned to progress? All that is
human must retrogarde if it does not advance. What
WE call progress is the exchange of one illusion for
another illusion, but YOUR progress is but a gradual
discovery that your questions have no meaning.
Where are Laibach heading at the end of the
millennium? At the end of the millennium
LAIBACH is heading to where there are no flies.
So you have your own NSK State. At the same
time, Laibach declares itself as an organism, a
collective whose members have no individuality of
their own. Is the NSK State, too, a state of non-
individuals? This arduous pleasure is required by
LAIBACH only from its members, not from the
citizens of the NSK State. Citizens fall under the
definition which says a multitude of one million
divided by one million equals one individual.
In the document Laibach and NSK: The Birth of a
New State, the word democracy is nowhere
mentioned. Is the NSK State totally undemocratic?
Can NSK passport bearers in any way influence
the state's will? Democrary is a system exercising
the subordination of the minority to the majority, in
Communism the reverse is true, whereas the NSK
State is an all-embracing alloy in which
subordination is the universal imperative of common
happiness. NSK and Laibach are a product of
European culture and, therefore, its representatives.
How do you view the unfriendly looks and insulting
words exchanged between American and European
cultural pundits, and, generally, the relationships
between these two cultures.
Who do you address your comments and views on
this problem to? We are as much a product of
European culture as European culture is a product of
African and Asian culture. We are not Europo-
centrists, and the conJlict between America and
Europe does not affect us in the least. In our opinion,
these are not critical problems and don't need to be
dealt with more seriously, it is already too late for
anything like this; there is therefore no problem, and
where tlere is no problem there is no solution either.
With its technologr NATO could easily find its
way to the ear of dance-obsessed Europe. Are you
going to perform in some German or British
discotheques and at rave parties as rvell? Europe
has been imbued lvith the mentioned technology for a
long time, and it is perhaps for this very reason that
contemporary Europeans haven't the slightest idea
about dance, unless by dance you mean mass
trampling-in-place and a schizophrenic rubbing of
dislocated limbs.
In the video spot
"The
Final Countdown"
Laibach's elected speaker is distinguished from
the other three members only by a few facial hairs.
Have you invented an ideal homunculus, have the
other members finally totally blended with the
collective? At the turn of the century, in the years of
deepest engagement in the study of atom structure
and the development of quantum theory, Physics
discovered the alchemy of collective work - even
more: at that time Physics itself became the greatest
collective work of science and showed the way to
twenfieth century art. Unfortunately, the artists did
not understand the experience ofPhysics, and that is
why in the second half of the twentieth century the
structure of the Ego, and with it art, radically
retrogressed. So today we find ourselves in a
paradoxical situation: in this time of the total
dictatorship of market ideology, the artist and its
work voluntarily participate in a mechanism whose
main task is the suppression of individualism,
although he believes that at every step he sovereignly
represents the illusion of absolute individuality
LAIBACH works as a team (collective spirit),
following the example of industrial production and
totalitarianism, which means that it is not the
individual who speaks but the organisation.
(From the
first item of the Covenant, LAIBACH: 1982). Thus,
our homunculus already has its age.
Why the titte NATO? Why are you concerned with
NATO at all? Wouldn't a title like Warsarv Pact.
for instance, be more interesting, more provocative
for the West (as was often your intentionX We do
not choose titles for their provocation but to name a
particular theme we are dealing with at a given
moment. What would be more provocative for the
West is therefore not our problem, but the fact is that
the Warsaw Pact is dead matter and NATO living; in
choosing between life and death, LAIBACH would
decide for the former.
The changed text ofthe song 2525 on the record
NATO deals with the future. A few years ago you
stated you could not take an attitude towards it
si nce i t i s unnameabl e. Why do you then predi ct
the future? Because today the future is no longer
what it once was.
The members of Laibach have never presented
themselves by narne. Why?
Quite
simply, because
such is our modus operandi. We work as a team
(collective spirit), following the example of
technological production and totalitarianism. We
reject individuality as meaningless for the evaluation
of our work, which we believe should be examined
only on the basis of the laws of which it is made. We
do not believe in the originality of authorship either,
and we claim that plagiarism does not exist. Why
then names?
Laibach is often accused of borrowing music and
artwork related to Fascist ideologr. How do you
respond? We don't. Accusations are based on bad or
no arguments, produced to offend. LAIBACH cannot
be offended and it need not defend itself.
What are your weapons? Do you have them in
sufficient quantities? Our weapons are the
weaknesses of others. And these are always in
abundance.
What is the group's opinion about the revival of
European fascism and radical events occurring in
certain countries? Is the operation of such
movements acceptable from the point of view of
Laibach ideologr which suggests that problems
should be solved by reviving old conflicts? Fascism
is not reviving; fascism is the product and the shadow
of democracy: under the disguise of democracy it is
the rule of financial capital itself. Illuminate evil and
it will disappear. For a while.
In the manifesto 10 items of the Covenant you
wrote that the material of Laibach manipulation is
Taylorism, Bruitism, Nazi-Kunst and Disco. Please
explain why you use this material for your
ideological attack, and the role Nazi-Kunst has
within it? LAIBACH analyses the relation between
ideology and culture in the late phase, presented
through art (from the 2nd item of Covenant). To this
end we use all expressions ofhistory united or
combined in the follorving four symbolic definitions:
L Taylorism is the rationally organized working
process in (capitalist)
factories
- how to maximize the
productivity of working labour and machinery
(demarcation, intensive specialization, time and
motion studies, piecework...). Regardless of the
cosmetic improvements of the last
few
decades,
taylorism is still the basis of capitalist production
process and, by extension, the basic regulatory
principle of (western) society and its psychologt.
2. Bruitism is the art/philosophical movemenl that
shows the world as it is in its most elemental, naked
and brutal
form.
3. Nazi-Kunst is mainly the label
for
the art of the
Third Reich and as such clearly deJ'ines the
fundamental
relation of art and ideologt.
4. Disco is both the most precise psychological
expression of contemporary culture, and surrogate
of the other three terms (faylorism, Bruitism,
Nazi-Kunst)
(Mix the four elements together in precisely
ca-librated measures and you have LAIBACH.)
Now, 12 years later, would you say the material of
Laibach has changed because the situation has
changed? And if so, in what way? If the time has
changed, then LAIBACH will automatically change,
because we are fused to the erid of time.
even better it could be described with an American
proverb: Only the strong survive, i e. free yourself
by
enslaving the other.
Peopl e and mass-medi a preach, over and over,
love, peace and freedom against violence and hate.
Which, for you, is the right way to achieve those
principles? People preach love, peace and freedom
but produce violence and hate. Maybe the way to
produce love, peace and freedom is in the opposite. If
one is not able to hate, how would he know what love
is? Ifhe never experienced war, what does he know
about peace? And if he was never jailed
there is no
freedom for him.
Heroism, Hierarchy, and Imperium are three
essential values in the spirit ofthe golden age.
What kind of importance do you give to those
principles? In a technobureaucratic age, none. These
used-to-be values have turned into pragmatic daily
principles without any metaphysical meaning.
Hierarchy is the basic principle of a modern society,
based on the economic rules and the dictate of
Kapital, inside the wer growing Imperiums of
mega-corporations and trans-national companies.
And Heroism is just
the privilege of the privileged.
Could the conception with which you worked
mainly on the albums Let it be, Opus Dei,
Sympathy for the Devil, be described with a
German proverb: Wenn sich zwei streiten, freut
sich der Dritte, i.e. free yourself by letting one
symbolic order loose against the other? Yes, but
ALBUM REVTEWS
DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED
.
"Autumn Roars Thunder" /Solistitium
Darkwoods My Betrolhed's second album isjust about average.
Thougtr, the music isn't that bad. It's still epic as their debut albunr,
which in my opinion is way much better than this follow-up. The
songs are long and the sound is great. When it comes to singing the
vocalist still haven't improved even a tiny linle bi! and at times it gets
a bit ugly. Stick to your screams ofsorrow, Pasi. That's your strongest
force when it comes to vocals and leave the singing to those who know
how to do it properly! By all mears, do not ever use a paining as
childish as the one on the cover of"Autumn Roars Thunder". It'sjust
the kind of painting the childran in the kindergarden comes up withl
OXIPLEGATZ
- "Worlds And Worlds"
Fairytale
Ex-A1 The Gates member Alf Svensson gives us this magnificent
album "Worlds And Worlds", which is the second Oxiplegatz album.
This is violent and brutal death metal, but indeedvery experimental.
With elements zuch as oper4 symphony, folk, some weird elemen8 I
can't describe and female vocal-parls, this is something you shouldn't
miss. It should also be said that the female vocals are in a leazue of its
own.
BEI{I'MOTH
- "Grom" /Solistium
This must be the best black metal from Poland, and Behemoth's
second album "Grom" has to be the best album ever presented by a
polish band. The pioduction is good and there are for sure several
gleat songs on this albunr, but I can't choose which is the best ones as I
really enjoy the whole album. This is very well played black metal,
and what more can you ask for these days. It's for sure worth the
money you have to spend lo obtain a copy for yourself The only
minus I can find is the female vocals. Buv or die! This album kicks
ass !
BETTIZAIDA
- "Nine
Worlds" /Seasons Of Mist
"Death metal with brains" is a description some have come up with
regarding this alburq and I must say I totally agree with that
statemenL It fits well as a description ofthis band Not so fast death
metal, but atmospheric and melodic. Good production too and
well-played songs, which indeed are good, and you even get to hear a
flute!
EMPYRIUM
- "A
Wintersunsel..r'
Prophecy Prod.
Some people complains sirnplu because Empyrium has dedicated this
album to molher nature. I on the other hand can't see anything wrong
wilh that Afler all there are a lot ofpeople into the scene who hails the
nature oftheir country, so why do they complain about this
dedication? I don'! do you? The music is breathtaking "A
Wintersunset." is magrficent, mysterious and symphonic, with tons
ofatmospheres and deep emotiors. Ifthis album doesn't touch you,
you have a serious problern The music is part black, part gothic, part
this and part that Great production with dark music which is both
beautiful and emotional... What more can you possibly want?
IIADES
- "Alone Wallgring" /Avantgarde Music
This mini CD which contains their demo was recorded in 1993, and
are now finally released on CD. It contains 3 songs ofraw and mighty
black metal, done the Norwegian way. No surprises, but still quite
good.
MOONSPELL
- "Irreligious"
/Century Media
Moonspell is back with what olher people describes as: "yet another
masterpiece". In my opinion this is far Aom the tnrlh. When I first
listened to "lneligious" I would quote a friend ofmine, "I'm currently
listening to a band's funeral...". Instead of taking my words about this
album as a review you should take it as a necrologue! With
"Irreligious" you can't believe what you hear and see. A different logo
and an ugly booklet, which in my opinion only appeal to the masses
who believe everything is supposed to be ugly these days. You can
hear that a lot ofmoney have been wasted on the production. The
result are so predictable, and Moonspell have tumed into a metal band
for the masses, while they used to be something really outstanding and
unique. This is a loss for the true fans. "Wollheart" is a tnre
masterpiece, but after "Irreligious" I'm not sure if I will be able to
appreciate it in the same way:!s I used to. Ia the end one could ask a
dozen questions why this sudden change have occured and so oq but I
will limit it to one: Did the record comp:my have somerhing to do with
this "evolution" which it surely will be called or have the band
completely lost their brairs? (K.H.,CD!)
SABAOTH
- "Sabaoth" /Stormsouls
They come from Paraguay and plays lraditional black metal, much
better than other BM bands from South America that I have heard.
They are better than average and I do like their debut album.
Traditional black metal can at times be very enjoyable to listen to, and
that is also the case with Sabaoth Do chech this out if you do enjoy
traditional black metal.
THIS EMPTY FLOW
- "Magenta Skycode"
Avantgarde Music
A very strange album indeed How to describe this is no easy task at
all. Sometimes is barely sounds like metal, instead some parts sounds
a bit like Pink Floyd, but not as good as the originals. Synphonic and
weird it is, but a great album which has to be listened to several times
before you enjoy it When you give it a few spins you might like it
more and more for each time. ar leasf I did
TIfY SERPENT
- "Forests of Witchery"
Spinefarm Rec.
Another noteworthy & essential release from Spinefarml This is truly
epic & monumental black metal from Finland featuring
multi-instrumenlal maiffnan Sami Tenetz with Anni Litmanen (from
Helsinki-based band Babylon Whores), & three other confederates:
Luopio on bass, Azhernin on synths, & Agathon on drums (both
Luopio & Azhemin provide the double-vocalists attack). Raging &
bnrtal in some parls, but also melodic & soaring in others, Thy
Serpent's "Forests of Witchery" is a remarkable album with high
quality music and great packaging.
IIECROMANTIA
- "From
the past we summon thee'r
Wild Rags Rec.
What we have here is a CD5 (CD single) containing three tracks fiom
this well known greek outfit I have cenainly heard better things Aom
rhe band than lhis. Not inpressive at all. The sound is awful and a total
mess if you ask me, and I don't find it necessary to commenl this
release any further. The sccne don't need this release, but ifyou're a
die hard Necromantia fan you will probably don't care ifl say that it's
a waste of money to buy this CD single.
PRIMIGEMUM
- "...As
eternal as the Nighl.."
Wild Rags Rec.
One more CD5 release. This time containing 4 tracks of bad quality
black metal from Spain. This only goes into the big pile of CD's that
never should have been released It's a waste ofmoney to buy this and
I will not come with more corrirnents about it as it would be a waste of
tlme.
JIJDECCA
- "Awakened By The Stench Of The Dead"
Wild Rags Rec.
Yet another CD5 rclease. Thre lracks of what is said to be brutal
death metal from Florida The on.ly comment I have for this is: How is
it possible for one label to put out a whole lot ofjunk? Doesn't they
have any sense for quality at all?
VELES
- "Night on the Bare Mountain"
No Colours Rec.
9 tracks ofpolish black metal (except for the intro and outro) with no
talent whatsoever. This release
just adds up in the amount ofbands
who soundjust the same. This album doesn't give us anything new
when it comes to creating music, as you, like me have heard this a
trousand times before.
GRAVELAi\ID
- "In the glare of burning Churches"
No Colours Rec.
SAMAIN
- "Irdomitus"
Bloodless Creations
FORGOTTEN
WOODS
- "The Curse Of Mankind"
No Colours Rec.
The first time I got familiar with the music of Forgotten W.oods was
whel I was working on the first issue of Genocide Magazine. This is
really not my cup oftea. This CD has six tracks ofwhlt I would call
GEHENNA
- "Malice"
Cacophonous
FALKEI\BACH
- "...en their medh riki fara..."
No Colours Rec.
AIGAION
- "Vox Clamentis"
Avantgarde
Music
The "Vox Clamentis" MCD was recorded in
furil
1995 also lhat in
the Studio Abyss. This time four tracks were recorded all new These
songs are shorter and much faster than the Oimai AJgeiou material,
now with Peter of Hypocrisy behind the drums. The tacks are called
Vox Clamentis, Throughout Times, See What is to Come and Cupidus
Imperii and appear in lhat order.
NECROMICON
- "Realm Of Silence"
Impure Creati ons Rec.
A great album by this swedish act Here they give us eight tracks of
well played black/death meral, creating a dark and melincholic
WAMPYRE SIIADOWWOLF
- "Wampyricon "
Darkside Records
musical directions. The industriaVexperimental side of Wampyre
ShadowWolf is more or less comparable to the well known siovenian
DEVIL DOLL;
"Dies Irae"
Hurdy Gurdy Records
Once more Mr. Doctor does THE MIRACLE. The one before rhis, the
truly fabulous "SACRILEGIUM",
was so great rhat &e lirst time I
listened to it thought that it wasn't possible to overcome it in grearness,
but then came "DIES IRAE". It's so magnificent that it has no
problem with being ranked higher than the one before. Mr. Doctor
surpasses his earlier achievements so easily that it seems to be a
mastermind the genius Mr. Doctor, who rcfises any conlact wirh lhe
outenrorld. The esoteric and puzzling nature of His Works of Art
Irae" is a continuous suite lasting for 46 minutes, and is by all means
worth cheching ou! as well as all the other DEML DOLL albums.
For more mysterious reading I suggest you read the article about Devil
Doll somewhere else in this magazine. Enjoy the article now' and
hopefully also you will be able to enjoy the musical masterpieces
Devil Doll's albunr are soorl Start creating your own nightmares as
you know where to find the soundtracks! ! |
I'll end this review wilh an lyrical excerpt from "Dies lrae,';
"BEHIND
EVERY KISS: A POTENTIAL ruDAsI"