LIFELOVER INTERVIEW

March, 2015

LIFELOVER… MUSIC BEYOND DESTRUCTION

After 6 years, life is ready to witness the echoes of its dark ironic lover in an archaic cave; Balve… Here, Lifelover is talking about death, self-destruction, psychology of human mind and limits...

You will take part at Prophecy Festival with Empyrium on 19.09.2015 on Bavle Cave. How do you feel about that special festival? Will we see some special show at there? Is this a beginning for Lifelover or will you bury Lifelover after show again? 

Every show we have done and will do is special. There is no beginning or end. But if you would like to divide, it can be split into eras. I’d call our previous one as creation and the current as celebration.

It has been four full-lengths and extraordinary memories with B. So, what do you wanna say about him? Please share...

Considering how he put himself into everything he created, there is nothing to add.

Lifelover was founded in 2005, 6 years active with last album released in 2011. So far 10 years passed by drug abuse, addiction to benzodiazepine, opioid, amphetamine, cannabis and alcohol. Can you tell us how this living on the edges, what did that life style bring to you and Lifelover when you look back?

I’ve never had any addiction. However, I’ve had an obviously unhealthy attitude towards the world of intoxicating substances in my youth, which still exists widely in the world around me. It was definitely a very interesting way to get to know the limits of yourself and others. After all, if you are going to destroy yourself, why any limits? There are always boundaries to break or shackles if you may.

Lifelover has always been in extremes like people love or hate it…What do you think about the band’s complete musical career so far?

The world always needs an opposition.

Lifelover is compared with Swedish Shining in terms of self-destruction and the suicidal, post black metal music that brings new approach to black metal scene. What do you think about this comparison or resemblance?

You’ll see…

Do the band members have other projects lately?

We’ve had active bands prior to Lifelover that are still active today and a new band with most remaining members of the band called Kall, which continues where we left off. Carrying the weight of devotion.

By taking into consideration of psychological nature of sadism, it is all about negation, severe destruction and torture but for masochism; it is suspending the reality and simulation. Do you think if self-destruction can be seen as masochism? What does self-destruction mean to you?

It’s all about personal preference. You can turn anything in any direction you may please to suit yourself or others. Just because something has a preconceived notion of what it is supposed to be does not have to define it if you are stubborn enough to claim it for what it really can be and become. Anything can be masochistic if you’re too weak to utilize it differently. Many things can be self-destructive. But to not make this into a thesis, I’d say it is to accept limitations rather than surpassing them. To not be passionate in and about everything that you do. Ideally, every day you do not devote yourself to your beliefs, is a day wasted on stagnation.

As we have a gap between endless desire and joy, which is called jouissance, a state of pain one meets when goes beyond. Thinking about Lifelover or any art, do you think if one needs a suffering, misery in order to create any kid of art?

It is rather a strong power or emotion that is necessary to create, regardless of its attributes. Any word or tool is nothing but words or tools until they are given a purpose.

For suicide…Do you think the suicide is:

Bloodthirsty good?

Dying by one’s own hands like Dead from Mayhem, Einar from The Funeral, Hemingway, Sylvia Plath, Pavese, Chatterton from literature, John Robeck from philosophy, Gorki, Pollock, Rothko, Modigliani, Gertler from art did?

Or, nonsense as the life itself?

You may view the life of yourself and others as nonsense and that is what it may be. Preferably it is a grand obstacle to transcend.

Speaking of negativity, how the melancholy and misanthropy find places in your lives and how do they affect Lifelover?

It allows us to walk our own path with utmost precision and devotion.

I’m curious about your thoughts about the prevalence of psychiatric drug usage under various mental treatment in Sweden or lets’s say in entire Scandinavia.

It’s still in an infantile state, like a social financial experiment, more about the ideas and whims of doctors and pharmaceutical companies than their customers, which a patient is nothing more than that. Personally I rather take my time and business elsewhere more deserving. Anything can be beneficial for an individual if certain objectives are set to be reached. But that principle is often disregarded.

Do you think being drunk; hangover or high is the only way to open doors of perception to create music?

Absolutely not. But for some it can be the key to that door.

Which music styles or arts, authors are you influenced from personally?

Take yourself beyond the civilized world and you will find the greatest artist of all.

How do you know Turkey as country and metal scene in here?

Nothing about either.

Please say your last words and wishes for Filhakikat readers…Thank you for the interview…

Thanks to everyone for your continuous support. Hugs and drugs!

Originally published on Filhakikat.net.