There are musicians who channel all their work into one project, but
there are musicians who are the opposite, ending up with an infinity of
projects and collaborations and etc. Wehrgoat is one such case.
From Czarnobog
to Sturmfolk, through Weligor, Winterfullmoon and a few more. I will try to
synthesize the entire musical creation of this young Russian that goes by the name of Wehrgoat, in one interview.
Welcome, first of all. The year 2020 was, regardless of the pandemic
that we are going through, quite productive for you: Belzazel, Sturmfolk,
Moorgeist, Czarnobog. Can you shed some light on the way you work? I work when I feel the time is right to do so. All my music is mostly
created out of a spontaneous idea. It all depends on the right feelings I have
to each project I work on. Belzazel is your most recent project. I suppose the reason you created
it is due to the need to work on a musical line that, until then, you had not
focused on? Belzazel is only a Side-Project I am in. All I have done there are the
key parts. How did you create a project that includes musicians from different
parts of the globe? By the way, how did the creation process go? It´s all a matter of contacts I know. We may have same ideas, visions
to create something that fits to our own imagination. Most of times I haven´t
created any of these side projects with different members, I mostly just joined
them to take my part in. The creation process is mostly the same. If someone
record guitars, the guitar track will be passed via e-mail to the drummer and
so on. The finished raw mix gets to the vocalist, as it is for example for
“Winterfullmoon”. Most of times the music gets mixed and mastered by me. The cliché question and one that you must have been asked a number of
times, but how and when do you know that the X riff fits into the sound reality
of band Y? You end up having, nowadays, the most instinct for that, don't you? It´s most of times intuition or just instinct as you say. But also the
basic experience through different types of other bands I listen to. I
understood the concept of the different riffs to each project which fits where
mostly and where not so much. Of course I am inspired by many different bands,
but I also like to make my own sound individual and not just a copy
band/project. What is the lyrical concept / context behind your work? Are there
substantial changes from project to project? Occultism (Early), Vampirism (Mostly rare), Paganism, Mythology,
Ancient History and Legends, Death, War and personal influences... Is the vision and message you intend to convey, in each of these
projects that you create, the same? Is there a guiding line between what you do
in Cosmic Isolation and Krigsvinter, or in Ruins of Unlight and Sterbendes Licht?
Or are there differences between all your musical realities, in all aspects /
senses? Each project is its own world, as I would say. Taking a little advantage of the conversation path: in what sense does
Black Metal remain as the musical vehicle of a spiritual belief? Do you try to
make your music reflect that idea or is it totally devoid of spirituality? Are
you an individual free from spirituality? I wouldn´t say it is totally spirituality free. I think it is more a
mix of both. Spiritual free music, and music which goes more into the depth;
but again, everyone have its own understanding of spirituality. Do you see today's Black Metal, be it old bands or recent bands, as
honest to the genre? Do you think that the genre still lives on what it did,
about 30 years ago? I think pretty much have changed. I noticed it by listening to many old
bands from the second wave especially. The music was first not about to reach
the mainstream, but more created by individuals who had a plan to create their
own world and they did it right. In addition, I really enjoy the old records
from the 90s or early 2000s. It made a huge impact on me indeed. I like some of
the newer bands from today too but there I hear a clear difference. The
emotions, the feelings and the atmosphere most of old records have are not the
same as it is with (most, but not all) newer bands. Again, it is just my
opinion on that. In terms of musical influences, for you as a person, and for you as a
musician, which ones can you highlight? The weight of these still
"guides" you when creating? Well, I will give you this time some of older bands I listened to in
the last few months: Thornium ("Dominions
of the Eclipse"), absolutely amazing
release I haven´t heard of before, really recommended! Nefandus, Incarnator,
Demonic, Drux, Utumno, Thirst (The might of Pagan belief), Algaion, Musta Surma,
Blodsrit, Poccolus (Great Lithuanian Black Metal), Thy Serpent, Rundagor,
Hyperborean Frost. And sometimes I enjoy Dungeon Synth Projects, for example
Old Tower or Depressive Silence and many more. A underrated Genre but in my
opinion if you search for the older projects, you may find many amazing gems
around to inspire yourself. I wouldn´t deny that some Finnish Bands inspired me pretty much, also
because I somehow feel the riffs most of times, hard to describe but I have a
feeling they always get me as if it is something familiar to my own self. Nevertheless,
in overall of that, I try to create my own individual sound as good as I can. I have already focused on this point before, but allow me to go a little
deeper into what the lyrical theme is about. Books, works. Which do you
consider essential for what you are as a person and a musician? Books about Slavic Mythology and different European Legends inspired
me. Some Occult based texts and legends. European History, mostly the Dark Ages
or Pre-Christian times. I also like to read poetry of different people around
the world. Mostly Russian or German. And the future, what will it bring us? Well, next year a new Full-Lenght Album of Czarnobog will come out. In
addition, I am working on a new Sturmfolk Album. And some small Split Releases will
come out soon. It was a pleasure. One that I hope will repeat itself soon, and that
there will be more music to delight us. Cheers, mate! Thanks for your interest on my projects. Stay tuned about the new
releases that will follow next year. Cheers and Hails!
Beyond Helvete - “Anthem of Decay” (Immortal Frost Productions, 2022). Immortal Frost Productions has given us 2 tremendous Black Metal works this year: Corpus Christii and Pyra. Both different, but both within the realm of Black Metal (and Death Metal). This work, by Beyond Helvete, is the 3 rd IFP work I have access to, and we again drop into the universe of Black Metal. Slightly different from the already mentioned ones, but still ferocious and full of power. Beyond Helvete has been around since 2007, and Natrgaard, the man behind it, has been delivering the goods. Imagine the strength of a band like Marduk, that endurance, that consistent show of power… Beyond Helvete lives in a similar bubble, although not reaching the quality the Swedes have gathered throughout these many years of presence in the Black Metal Global scene. Nonetheless, it sounds as a good example to describe one of the facets of the German musician without limiting it to A or B. The track that names the alb...
Psychonaut 4 “… Of Mourning” (Immortal Frost Productions, 2024) Psychonaut 4 have been spreading their specific human condition for several years now, 14 to be more precise, and only now have I contacted their sound! The name was well-known, but the music was not. I have never been a fan of the more depressive side of the genre, and these lads live inside that sphere; thing is, their sound has small details that sound differently. There is a different dynamic in all their sound, an almost progressive and psychedelic approach. No, not a Floydian one, ok? They have guitar solos that sound quite cheerful. Wait… are they not on the depressive side of the globe? Maybe they are… The more you listen to this record, the more you are able to hear the different moments the band has crafted. Several emotions and stages of existence. Funny how their sound has these 2 opponent personas: sadness and joyfulness. Well, I can hear and feel moments of clarity and clear skies. But sadness does ...
Kratti “Matka Kohti Kosmista” (Signal Rex, 2024) “Kratti are the ascending newcomers of the bleak fields of Finnish Black Metal!” That is one bold statement, right? You need to be good at something before you go out and say that. Well… let’s find out. Kratti is a 3 man Finnish straight to the throat Black Metal act. They do have a point when they state they are the “…ascending newcomers…”, for their sound is stone cold ripping Black Metal. It is Finnish, and you can almost feel it in your bones. The melodies merged with that Finnish violence – that is not violence, but a harsher approach – that we all love. Come on! It is hard not to enjoy what the Finns have been doing for decades, their mastered sound, their own vision of Black Metal… Kratti goes down that path, successfully, and oh man! I was never into complex music, maybe due to my Hardcore Punk background, so when a band goes straight to the point, I am in for the ride. To say that these lads are doing something tha...
Comentários
Enviar um comentário