KRIEGSMASCHINE INTERVIEW
Apocalypticists, the brand-new album by KSM was out on October 21, 2018. In my view, tis` a good reason to inquire M about some details in connection with this very recording. I also allowed myself to ask about MGLA who are going to provide us with their new album quite soon. Ok, no need to waste our time. Lads and ladies, please read on.
Hello M. It’s been nine years since we spoke. A lot has happened during those years. I think that the premiere of KRIEGSMASCHINE`s latest album as well as MGLA`s forthcoming recording are good reasons enough to talk about your music. Can we start?
1. Exercises in Futility was released four years ago. Same for Enemy of Man. So much and so little time has passed, indeed. I am sure that you`ve been quite busy over the last four years, am I correct?
As for MGLA, we played live during that time. We did almost 100 shows in three continents over the span of two years. Of course, 100 wouldn’t be a shocking amount if we were a proper, incessantly touring band but for an independent BM group this number seems quite impressive. In December 2017, we suspended playing live. We`ll resume in March 2019. In the meantime, we stealthily recorded and released KRIEGSMASCHINE`s new album and are currently working on MGLA, too. As previously, we`re dealing with all the components ourselves, I mean we compose, record, release and distribute our music on our own; so, we`re quite busy but can’t complain, really.
2. Apocalypticists by KRIEGSMASCHINE was released in late October 2018. This album is much slower than your previous recordings. I would say this stuff is more atmospheric and one can clearly notice how much KSM have progressed over the last four years. As artists, you still have a lot to say. What Apocalypticists features is hardly comparable to what other bands can come up with these days. How difficult is it to write/compose original music presently?
To make a pure black metal album was one of our goals, however, using a different foundation by contrast with standard BM recordings. Due to this unorthodox approach, blended with this very overwhelming atmosphere of the whole recording, repetitive arrangements and so on, I, in result, expected Apocalypticists would be given a much worse reception than it actually did. I was “pleasantly” disappointed, so to say.
3. To say the least, the way Apocalypticists` has been recorded and sounds is, by all means, stunning. All the elements, all the minute details have been meticulously elaborated and worked on. I am curious to know how much time you guys spend on rehearsing/working on music before a proper recording session takes place? How often do you rehearse, in general? Do you work on music at home alone and bring rough versions of songs to your rehearsals or does the music get done while jamming and rehearsing together?
Thank you for your kind words. The first phase of working on a new album begins when we start gathering up ideas the moment the previous recording is complete. It takes, usually, a couple of years; after which we take a look at the basic, raw material we`ve brought forth, select what we need, work on further arrangements and keep writing and adding new parts. This phase takes some months. While working on Apocalypticists we didn’t rehearse at all. It all was pre-produced, so to say; I mean we worked on rough versions on a computer, those versions featured previously recorded parts, and when we had the song structures ready, we started the proper recording of tracks. KRIEGSMASCHINE is nowadays a purely studio band and its music is created “in layers”, I mean after we had recorded drums and lead guitar tracks, we composed and recorded additional parts of guitar and bass lines, then worked on vocals and so on. It went quite smoothly; in total, from the very first recording day to final mastering it took us three months in total.
4. I am wondering why so vital people like you guys certainly are, are able to create such gloomy and dark music. What inspires you to play such sinister sounds?
We create music which mirrors our inner self, which is based on and shaped into forms that interact with ourselves. These very specific parts of our inner selves aren’t manifested by musical activates exclusively. We strive not to, at least.
5. The KSM`s new album was composed by you and another guy, without Destroyer. Does it imply Konrad ain`t part of KSM any longer?
That’s correct.
6. I can still remember the time when KRIEGSMASCHINE used to play live a lot. MGLA, on the flip side, was a studio project. Now, it’s the other way around. Does it mean we`ll not get a chance to see KSM play live again in the future? I would say to play the whole Apocalypticists album live may arduous a task indeed.
Well, if this happens it will take place in remote future. First off, to do so, we`d have to regularly rehearse the album songs for a couple of months and ought to expand our line-up, too. It won’t happen in the next months, for sure, maybe even years.
7. While working on Apocalypticalists you guys were also busy with MGLA`s new album. Can you please spill the beans and tell us some more about band’s forthcoming stuff? Is it going to be in the vein of your latest album or should we expect something new and revolutionary?
We`ve elaborated a particular black metal style of ours and this style hasn’t completely dried up yet. We don’t expect any drastic volte-face to take place.
8. When MGLA`s new album is out, you will embark on a European tour together with REVENGE/DOOMBRINGER/DEUS MORTEM. Can you please tell us some more about this tour? Where are you going to show up? When exactly are you starting off?
The tour starts on April 27 in Berlin and will feature 19 gigs in Central-Western Europe, mostly in Germany, France as well as four live shows in Poland. All the participants have known and respected each other for years. The enterprise itself is a bottom-up project, including Steve who was responsible for our previous European tour with AOSOTH, as well as Mintaj of Left Hand Sounds, who`s been helping us out with organizational issues since the beginning of this year. We prefer to get our hands dirty but to stay independent with no heavily breathing tour agency supervising us; an agency run by a bunch of dynamic yuppies, skillfully adapting to trending requirements imposed by contemporary music industry. In other words, by sneaky rats.
9. You`ve already played live in Europe, USA as well as Australia. Are you going to show up in other Asian countries, like Japan, for instance, too? Are you going to partake in other events apart from the above-mentioned tour with REVENGE?
So far, we`ve got nearly 40 live shows confirmed. This year, it`ll be Europe only. In 2020, we`ll focus on other continents. Japan is planned on our way to Australia. South and North America will follow, that’s for sure.
10. Apart from KRIEGSMASCHINE/MGŁA you also are busy with recording other bands` music. Tell us about your recent doings, please?
My studio work is restricted to working on bands that belong to my friends. I am so busy with my own shit I have no time to run a full-time studio. In 2018, I cooperated with OWLS WOODS GRAVES, DEATH LIKE MASS, LVCIFYRE. The DEUS MORTEM`s new album is almost done and fully mixed. Also, there is something going on with MEDICO PESTE`s new stuff,
11. While chatting some time ago, you mentioned you had quite a number of ambient ideas you would like to record. Is it going to be another chapter of ARCA FUNEBRIS or something new?
I have recorded a lot of ideas but I have no time, motivation or interest to work on these, finalize these and release. In the recent years, I finally managed to enter the world of modular synthesizers, with the focal point on DIY and if time allows, I am going to realize a couple of ideas connected to generative music, which stands for self-generating where my role will be located somewhere between being an engineer and conductor. Stylistically, it can be considered dark ambient or some heavier forms of death industrial/power electronics; or somewhere in between – it all depends on my mood or what part of a day it is.
12. Let’s get back to Apocalypticists for a moment, shall we. I would say this album is very drumming – oriented. Was it your initial idea to expose this instrument that much or did it just happen on its own?
Yes, that’s correct. I would say that since Enemy of Man was out, KSM has become more and more rhythm oriented. The main idea wasn’t to make the drums sound as loud as possible but to base the structure of an album on other types of rhythms – different from blast beats and double pedal. In other words, to create a black metal album devoid of what I call a fundamental, rhythmic BM structure. MGLA is more conservative in this context. Riffs and vocals are of utmost importance, the aim of the percussion section is to provide a proper pulse.
13. A lot of great music to show up in 2018, for sure. Any favourite, stunning albums you can recommend to us? Is it black metal only or some other types of music, too?
Frankly, I don’t follow what’s new too much. I did enjoy CLANDESTINE BLAZE`s new album though. I also got to like FUNERAL MIST – did take me some time, I must say. As for BM I used to listen to KATHARSIS` World without End and BURZUM`s Hvis Lyset Tar Oss alternately and those two were enough for me. Plus, industrial, experimental and modern music. I tried to catch up with a number of older items too. To relax I listened to a lot of Obituary of the Americas by GENOCIDE ORGAN.
14. These days, we witness a number of spectacular reunions. TORMENTOR is back, Tom Warrior reanacts HELLHAMMER`s songs live. What is your view on this matter?
I have no view, whatsoever. It is because my perception of music is based on the 90s music. I have no sentiment about earlier stuff I mean it aint strong enough to get me interested again in it. Well, if Vikernes feels like reactivating his band in 5-10 years, I will surely have more to say.
15. Many ardent black metal fans claim black metal must correspond to Devil himself. What do you think about such an approach? Your lyrics don’t deal with Satan too much, I would say. If ever, indeed.
Indirectly yes, not mentioning the very Name. Because it, indeed, narrows down the issue, automatically. In my view black metal must be based on an emotional foundation as well as conceptual or ideological one. If these aren’t present, well, this sort of music becomes popular music which is beyond what I am interested in. Both as receiver and creator.
16. Over the years, black metal has evolved a lot. Frankly speaking, it doesn’t resemble the music it was in the beginning. Is it good or bad that this genre has changed so drastically.
First off, due to better distribution and increased availability, BM has ceased to be a niche kind of music. And thus, at least for an average listener, it`s become just another music genre. In result, many elements of black metal have penetrated pop culture, be it through inspirations other artists operating in other fields draw from BM; like aesthetics or symbolism, music arrangements and so on, then placed in totally different context. This is the tip of the iceberg, so to say. I mean these artists have learned about the most popular bands only; which doesn’t imply these bands are most important. For a person who originates from black metal underground, his natural reaction is somewhere between doubt and revulsion. Yet, statically speaking, we are a minority group. As for BM`s stylistic evolution, well, this is metal`s only subgenre where, I would say, new, interesting and inspiring things appear, constantly. Bearing in mind that black metal was supposed (all along) to be an anti-mainstream type of music, different from anything around there might be, well, I prefer looking for new ideas than listening to tribute bands.
17. Time to wrap up, I guess. If you want to add anything for our Old School Metal Maniac Magazine readers, feel free to do so. Thanks for your answers. Take care.
Thank you.
By NecronosferatuS
Poprawiony (niedziela, 10 lutego 2019 07:39)