Wehrgoat

Man of many Traits and Sounds

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!

Wehrgoat Official Bandcamp