SATANIC WARMASTER INTERVIEW

November, 2017

Hello Werwolf, how have you been lately? Is there any upcoming projects for Satanic Warmaster? You performed in Colombia in July. How was the audience, organization? I suppose you should have met with many Satanic Warmaster enthusiasts at there.

Both the organization and the audiences were brilliant on the recent mini-tour in Colombia and Mexico. Especially seeing the maniac crowd and meeting legends from bands such as Reencarnacion, Parabellum, Blasfemia, Nebiros and Maleficarum in Medellin was like a dream come true for me.

Satanic Warmaster has a long run from 2000s. Your latest full length is Fimbulwinter released in 2014 which I find more melodic and epic with norse mythology influences than the previous works and it is also one of my favorites after Carelian Satanist Madness album. What do you think about evolution of Satanic Warmaster music?

I have always considered all my albums to be entities of their own that reflect the visions and the ambitions of the time they were made in. I always start building a new album from a clean slate, with no reference to the previous albums. With this recipe a Satanic Warmaster album can be anything and even I don’t necessarily know how it will turn out in the end.

Black metal found its real form in the beginning of 90s with Norwegian black metal bands and spread all over the world. But however it is a Scandinavian music with the themes of wild Nordic nature, coldness and isolated attitude. How do you interpret black metal as a Nordic band carrying the specific culture?

I wouldn’t say the wave started by the Scandinavian bands is necessarily the “real” form of Black Metal, as there have been so many other interpretations of the idea that have been equally pure. Despite the fact that nature has always had a certain level of impact on me, the core and the primal force that reflects into Black Metal through me is Satan.

Finland had been out of the inner circle back then. In the beginning of 90s Norway ruled the scene and there was some contradiction between Norway and Sweden. In 2000s Sweden started to be dominant and many recognized bands have shown up. What has been Finland’s position in the scene so far according to you?

I really cannot consider Finnish Black Metal as a positive trait anymore. As it happened in other countries that gained attention because of the bands that emerged from the country, sub-par bands are now exploiting the trend in Finland as well. The amount of true bands such as Musta Surma, Warloghe, Clandestine Blaze, Goatmoon, Behexen etc. is still as low as it ever was.

You have released an EP in Chinese in 2015. What is the story behind?

This was actually just the vinyl re-issue of the “Gas Chamber” demo tape that was previously not released on vinyl.

In 2016, you released instrumental versions of Strength & Honour, Carelian Satanist Madness and Opferblut. What is the reason of this idea?

I was going through my archives, and found tapes with instrumental versions of the albums. As things like this were spread in the ‘90s through tape trading circles, I thought they might be interesting for some maniacs.

I would like to ask which parts of the town influence you while creating your dark art. You know towns like Bergen, Goteborg are identified with their specific sound created by the bands from there.

The parts that not in the actual city, but as far away from it as possible.

What does Carelian region mean to you? Lapppenranta is part of it where has a specific subculture inside Finland. Have you tracked any history or folklore about this region?

It is where I was born, and the lands given to my blood by kings are here. There are several pre-christian sacred places, sacrificial stones, sacred meadows and such.

You had a contradiction with journalist Kim Kelly. What happened really? What is the problem of this man?

Politically motivated journalists who try to drag you into their little games have no value. Kelly obviously needs to grab reality with both hands.

What does black metal mean for you as it has diverted paths lately including nationalism that has taken roots from Burzum?

Black Metal has never had real boundaries, if it’s Black Metal, then it’s Black Metal. No matter if it deals with national pride, suicide, love or whatever. If it’s life loving and equality preaching shit, then it’s not Black Metal.

Misanthropy has always been part of black metal that is used in lyrics and found its place in the ideology with isolation. How do you define misanthropy for your life and in black metal?

I define it literally: a dislike of humankind.

Satanic Warmaster lyrics are also into themes as vampirism and lycanthropy which are part of horror literature. As a horror story author, I am curious which authors; poets are you interested to read?

Vampirism and lycanthropy are not horror, they are reality and a part of magickal work, paragons of the true Satanist and symbolic archetypes of great power. When you bring these characteristics to the real world, horror literature has no value. Personally I am not a great aficionado of poetry.

As a band carrying its name, what is your point of view to Satanism? There are many ecoles while interpreting Satanism. There is a satanic mass in Scandinavia which sounds like an organized religion; Anton La Vay has his own ideas; or symbolic Satan as a rebellious figure where the art is called dark arts.

I am a Satanist. I believe in the Satanist’s ultimate power over the weak, and the destructive and therefore initially creative force of the dark king of the universe, Satan.

Have you ever taken influences from melancholy? What is that ancient black bile mean for you? Is art born from suffering?

There have been darker times in my life when melancholy has reflected in my music as well. In many cases art is indeed born from torment.

Finnish people are known with their drinking habits. What do you think? What is your favorite drink if you are into? How is Sahti by the way, does it worth to try?  As an interviewer, I am coming from wine country and I always think that wine fits black metal more than any other drinks. Could you please tell us your favorite grape if you like wine?

I personally like to drink a lot. I like a lot of different kinds of drinks (wine as well, even though I am not really an expert), but good vodka is always the best.

For my point of view, in Finnish culture being in extremes, pushing the limits and being weird are way more common than any other culture. Do you think if this extreme life style might be the reason to let people discover black metal?

Finnish people have a similar characteristic with f.ex. the Japanese, that if we find something that we truly appreciate, we embrace with excessive passion. Those willing to venture deepest into darkness will naturally sometimes discover Black Metal, too.

Please share you last words and wishes. Thank you for the interview. 

Thank you for the interview. LUX EX TENEBRIS. Ave Satanas.

KARG INTERVIEW

August, 2017

Hello Wahntraum, how have you been lately? What is the news from Karg’s side?

Nothing special so far. I’m currently working on two EP’s. A Black Metal one, and one with acoustic tracks. Unfortunately, that’s all.

You released Weltenasche which is another ambient masterpiece. How do you feel about this album? Please tell us about the composition process?

The composition process was kinda hard. I lost my cellphone with all the demos I recorded, so I had to rewrite the album, because I forgot nearly all the riffs that were on my cellphone. The good thing is, that this was a time where I played the guitar nearly every day, so I had many new ideas. The writing was then finished like a year ago, and I recorded everything last summer. And yeah, thanks for the nice words, I think it’s one of my best works so far.

What are the lyrics of Weltenasche album about?

The main topics of the lyrics are farewells and partings. In the time “Weltenasche” was written I ended a long-time relationship which lasted my whole adult life. One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. This is one part of the lyrics. The main subject is the death of one of my best friends who I grew up with. I lost him to the noose, nearly the same time. The remaining lyrics deal with such things as estrangement and agonie.

Cover art resembles a death end, union with despair for me. Who did the cover art? Why did you choose it?

I chose it because it resembles grief, sorrow, death and for sure despair. It’s a simple, but a dark piece of art, that what I think, perfectly fitted the music and the content of the songs.

At some previous cover arts and photos you use for Karg, a symbol of triangle includes a Horus like eye took my attention. Is it a reference to any symbolism or something that you created for your way of thinking?

I chose it because it’s a strong symbol with an interesting history and a strong meaning.

You have been writing lyrics in German? Is it about phonetics of German language that fits the atmosphere? What are your reasons? Do you have any plan to write in English or tell about concepts of albums to your audiences who do not know German? As you know lyrics are very important in black metal as well as music.

Haha, every german guy would cry if you say the lyrics are in german, but no problem, how should you know better 😉. They are written in a sort of austrian dialect which is spoken around the Tennen Mountains, a part of the alps where I originally come from. But I sang in written german language before “Trümmermensch” in 2013, that’s also right. I always knew that I want to write the lyrics in my native language, I never had to think about it. And yeah, to me the lyrics are very very important, as important as the music, cause to be honest, I see myself more as a poet than a musician. I never had plans translating them to English… I don’t know if it would make sense. But maybe one day, who knows…

Since “Von den Winden der Sehnsucht”, 9 years passed. What had changed for Karg over the years? You stopped giving concerts for instance, what was the reason?

Many, many things. When I recorded “Von den Winden der Sehsnucht” I was like 18 years old and still went to school. Since these days I moved a lot around, lived in different cities and for sure also changed the style of Karg a little. We played like 50 shows with different line-ups. I had a lot of fun, but I never felt it. The other problem is, when you found a band when you are still very young commonly your fellows and bandmates are too and with the years their priorities begin to change. They don’t want to play Black Metal anymore, found a Jazz Band, can’t arrange their political interests with this “scene” anymore or whatever. Karg was a band of friends, not even one professional musician ever played in this band and so it began to become a pain in the ass. Lousy concerts, unmotivated people, the list is endless and for sure I didn’t want to fire my friends. I also played in two other bands at this time, so I decided to quit Karg and continue as a studio project like it was in the beginning.

Karg music is a new approach with creating the darkness with acoustic parts, raining screams in suffering and eerie atmosphere that feeds the artistic vein of black metal. How do you define black metal in your own words?

To me Black Metal always was another word for freedom. This might sound pathetic, but as a teenager I felt like that. A music and a basic attitude where I could define myself from the 08.15 society and their rules. Musically it was the same. I always had a small feeling of artistic freedom in the Black Metal scene. When the music was cool and had atmosphere, it didn’t matter how good the Master sounded or who produced it. It was always music from maniacs for maniacs. Individuality as highest bid.

The very feeling hunts me is melancholy while I am listening Karg. What does melancholy mean for your art and for your personal life?

I’d call myself a melancholiac. It’s a feeling that was and is always there, doesn’t matter if I’m happy, sad or whatever, so also my art is and will always be melancholic. I don’t think this feeling of yearning will ever leave me.

I have one special song from the first album that I cannot start the day without listening these days. What is the story behind song “Dammerung Im Herbst” from “Von den Winden der Sehsucht”?

Fuck, if could remember my intention behind this song I’d tell you, but I don’t really know, it was 10 years ago I wrote it. In English the title’d be something like “Autumn Dawn”, and that’s basically what also the lyrics are about and what I tried to express musically. Good to know somebody remembers this one.

What are the sources of influences for Karg?

Life on a daily basis, I’d say. Things are so fucked up and I’m desperated by this life, humanity and everything around. Humans give up friendships and relationships so easy, they forgot what love means in this fast moving world. And of course this is just one example. This is what lead me into depressive music, lyric and drugs and at least writing music for Karg.

Where do you see yourself in terms of self-destruction? What does Karg brings to you, a healing, escaping from ugly reality or destroying self to create? Do you think if art is a suffering?

It’s a little bit of both. I have something doctors call a borderline personality which contains self-destructive behavior. But it’s part of my character, no stupid Black Metal image shit, I was like this since I was a child. But it’s getting better I think, the older I get. So Karg and also my other bands are part of the disease but also part of the therapy as well. But yeah, the best art comes out of suffering I think.

What did you read last? Do you have any favorite authors, books?

I am and have always been into authors like Bukowski, Henry Miller or some austrian ones like Stefan Zweig, but lately I didn’t read that much. I try some times, but mostly I’m simply to restless to sit down and read.

Can you give a few names for latest black metal albums that you appreciate? You are the founding members of Harakiri For The Sky which is also one of my favorites.

Yep, I’m one of the two founding members of HFTS and the singer. Thanks.

I listened to a lot of black metal in the last months, but I can give you a few examples:

1    A Light in The Dark – Vanished 

      Violet Cold – Anomie

      Numenorean – Home

4    Oathbreaker - Rheia

5    Sun Worship – Pale Dawn

6    Addaura – And the lamps expire

7    All My Sins – Lunar/Solar

8    Unreqvited - Disquiet

9    Ashborer – Bloodlands
Ultar - Kadath
Azelisassath - Evil Manifestations Against Mankind
Forteresse - Thèmes pour la rebellion
Nehëmah – Shadows from the past

And everything of the Swedish band GRAV

If I am not wrong you moved to Vienna. I have been in Vienna couple of times. As an outside view, with architecture and boosting of museums, galleries, expositions, it seems fantastic. As a local, how is the living in Vienna? How is the metal scene (audiences, concerts, organizations, pubs) there also?

I hate Vienna. In my opinion this city should be burned down like emperor Nero did it with Rome. Living there is just a compromise to me, because of studying, working and for sure because of playing in HFTS. But yeah, the cultural side of Vienna is great. When I’m out drinking, I visit a lot of concerts, but mostly Hardcore, Post Rock or Indie Gigs. I hate the Metal Scene nearly as much as Vienna.

Please end this interview with your last words. Thanks!

Thanks as well.