sábado, 3 de julio de 2021

GRAVE GNOSIS - INTERVIEW




We could say that the origins of Grave Gnosis go back to 2005 at the hands of the band Nahemoth, what happened in Nahemoth to change its name to Grave Gnosis? Is there an important change in terms of style and concept between the two bands?

Grave Gnosis: Nahemoth was, and still is, the solo expression of our front man, Ø. It did not truly follow any strict concept of genre or direction. It was simply exploration and expression. Grave Gnosis, on the other hand, is the focused Will of multiple practitioners of the Occult arts. Pure in purpose and desire, and very strict on presentation and execution.


How did the birth of Grave Gnosis occur? Why did you choose the name Grave Gnosis, what did it refer to and how is it related to the band?

Grave Gnosis: The band truly came to be after a few years of the three main members (Vikzaru, Nova, and Ø) collaborating and working together outside of music. The results of this magickal collaboration was translated into music, and when we realized the depth of what was being done, we all felt no choice but to follow this new and sinister path wherever it may lead.

Discussions of philosophy and metaphysics led to a conversation of impermanence and the beauty of Death. The name has multiple meanings, all intrinsic to the nature of the band. Gnosis can be understood as a process or sometimes sudden understanding that is so deep that it changes the nature of one’s perception and means of interacting with reality itself. Gnosis can also be understood as a state of mind similar to a trance, wherein divine knowledge is passed down from one’s deity. This state is also very key to the process and methods of magick. Of course then, ‘Grave’ in English can be representative of Death, but also of the severity of a concept or event. Thus, we can say that the Gnosis of Death an experience so intense that it changes the nature of reality.


What main differences can we find as listeners between your previous “Birthing” (2015) and your most recent “Lux Nigredo” (2021) and also how has your way of composing and recording songs evolved over the years?

Grave Gnosis: On the surface level, the sound is much more refined, yet also much more diverse. We tend to find our place in the merging and mingling of opposites. This is true in our philosophy as well as our sound. Thus, we do our best to balance the raw and terrifying with the clean and beautiful. Over the years, we have certainly become more proficient at this. I would say that learning to play additional instruments that may not even be used in the album, or listening to music of many genres has helped us to round out our understanding of how sound works. We often don't necessarily compose individual pieces based off the standard conceptions of song, but of how the mind interprets sound, particularly when tones conflict. We are continually finding new ways to explore this.


Unlike other bands that prioritize music over the lyrical content of their work, in “Lux Nigredo" you have composed an album around a conceptual story written by yourself. How did you face this whole process of writing and composing the new album? What brands of instruments do you use for the entire recording and composition process?

Grave Gnosis: We approached the composition, as you said, by starting thematically. Concept came first, and then lyrics were formulated through gematria and associative magickal practice. From there, the rotations of planets and stars traditionally associated with these concepts and lyrics were converted into audible frequencies, from which scales, tempo, and interval timing were calculated.

We used a Yamaha keyboard, Ibanez Guitar and Bass, with Behringer amps, and a mix of Boss and TC Electronics pedals. The other instruments were from session musicians, so you would have to ask them for specifics.



In the album there are also specific collaborations by other musicians that enrich the sound of the album and open it up to different styles. How did the possibility of these collaborations arise and in what way do you think they have helped to define the sound of the album?

Grave Gnosis: In circumstances of the guest and session members such as Cello, Saxophone, Guest Vocals, and the ambient noise and textures heard on the album, the collaboration came about due to magickal connection, first and foremost. We connected due to our spiritual directions and similarities of purpose. The collaboration thus became more of a necessity.


Although the bulk of the album's sound can be defined in a fairly simple way as atmospheric black, it is no less true that “Lux Nigredo” also offers raw elements or melodic death, all of this in the hands of an album of equal length. than the previous “Birthing”, what sounds and bands have been an influence when defining your musical proposal? How would you define the sound of the album for those who have not yet heard it?

Grave Gnosis: Some of the biggest influences in regards to bands that shaped our means of expression are quite various. Some, like Akercocke, Nightbringer, and Dark Fortress, are more obvious. Others, like Katatonia, The Devil’s Blood, and Dir En Grey, are likely not so obvious to those who haven’t really had much time with these bands to compare.

For those who have not heard the album, I would describe the album as Psychedelic Occult Metal.


What themes do you deal with in your lyrics? Who wrote them? What meaning does a concept like orthodox black metal have for you? What feelings do you intend to convey to the listener with your music?

Grave Gnosis: The lyrics were written by Ø, the main vocalist and composer of the music. Thematically, they follow our work within the Occult, and present themselves as expressions of magickal formula, Theistic Satanism, and the worship of Death.

Orthodox Black Metal is something of a standard for us. To us, Orthodoxy in Black Metal is not about sound, but about true Devotion to Satan. To brand something as Orthodox Black Metal is to say that, no matter the personality behind the music, it was made with utmost malice and sinister fire that can only be expressed by those truly embodying the bloodline of the Serpent.

There's a great many complicated emotions and feelings we would like our listeners to experience. It depends upon the piece, and the intent behind the selection. Sometimes it is best for people to be confused, to react with fear, disgust, or an indescribable aversion. Other times, sadness, nostalgia, weightlessness in relief. All of this is a means to an end, however. Above all, we want people to feel what it's like to have their Ego stripped from their soul.


For the release of your latest album you have the support of Vargheist Records, how is contact with Vargheist Records produced? Do you consider it to be a step forward in terms of promotion and repercussion with respect to what happened with the self-release of "Birthing" ?

Grave Gnosis: We would definitely consider this to be a step forward, but there is always better, and always further. We do not intend to slow or stagnate. We are never satisfied.


Who designed the cover for “Lux Nigredo”? What is reflected on this cover and how does it relate to the music?

Grave Gnosis: The cover was painted by a tattoo artists and dear friend of ours, Ken Dean. In trance he painted these four images of the Thrones. The cover specifically depicts Leviathan, the serpentine deity of the oceanic depths. Conceptually, this matches the emotional tone and depth of the album, but it also specifically relates to the core of our spiritual beliefs as they are portrayed in the album. I won’t go in to specifics, as this is something that must be experienced, and cannot be so easily described.


"Lux Nigredo" has been released in the middle of a period of confinement, what did this period of forced confinement mean for the band? Has the impossibility of offering concerts and the consequent lack of contact with your fans been a major setback for you?

Grave Gnosis: The pandemic conditions did not truly affect the writing, but certainly the release. The inability to do shows has certainly changed a few of our plans as far as presentation, but the biggest damper in our plan was actually the issues we experienced in the actual printing and reproduction. There was a time during the pandemic when printing plants and labels were being extremely cautious, some not even releasing anything at all. So we had to adjust our timeframes for the release. In the meantime, we continued work on other releases that have yet to be announced.



In the past you took the band's proposal to live, how important is it for you to be able to offer a concert? Is it very difficult to bring the richness and nuances of the band's sound to the live show?

Grave Gnosis: The live experience is integral to the magickal aspects of Grave Gnosis. There are things that cannot be captured in recording, due to the nature of the live setting, and of sound itself. The issue is not replicating the recording on a stage, but in replicating the entrancing and overwhelming energy that is conveyed through our live rituals in a recording. This is why we include so much more in the way of layering and textures. It's the only way to accurately convey what occurs when you are surrounded by the putrescent essence of our gods, and open your mind to them.


You come from Florida which is always more related to the death metal scene, is it very difficult for a black metal band to get ahead in your area? How do you see the black metal scene in Florida?

Grave Gnosis: It is very difficult for a Black Metal band to do much of anything in Florida. This is part of why we use session members from out of state so much. Black Metal is simply not understood here. There are a few bands that pop up here and there, but most of those are closer to Death Metal in actual sound. Still, there are some that carry the Fire within them, such as Merciless Scum, and Led by Serpents, and that is what is important. I would much rather see a small handful of truly dangerous and devoted acts than a horde of mundane fools driven purely by aesthetics.


Which album defines for you the essence of black metal? What last albums have you bought?

Grave Gnosis: There are a great deal of albums that define the essence of Black Metal. That's why it's continued past the 90's. If it was so limited, it would have died and been a relic of the past. But no, we have a great number who capture and convey this Fire over the years. There are too many to name, but I would mention Precaria, Haggathorn, Maha Pralaya, and Atroce as a few of the newer bands that bare this Fire proudly.

Being in a band, we have a lot of compatriots trading albums. Most of our collections have come from trades with people we play with or connect with online due to similarities in purpose. However, the last album we legitimately purchased was Nixil: All Knots Untied. Very good album. Not necessarily traditional Black Metal, but very much carries a core of genuine Occultism.


How were your beginnings in music: first albums you bought, first concerts you attended, etc. What did you do in your life, did you decide to start playing an instrument?

Grave Gnosis: My father is a musician, so I grew up around a guitar. I learned piano when I was young, and was gifted my first guitar at 15. From there, I immediately started learning songs from Opeth, Nile, Behemoth, and Cannibal Corpse. Some of the biggest metal bands I knew at the time. I very quickly decided to start making my own music, but wasn't very good at it, so I abandoned traditional music composition in favor of Doom, Experimental Noise, and Ambient Drone.

There are a lot of significant firsts when it comes to metal for me. I was raised in a very strict Christian household, so I had to hide any music I brought home. I remember the first metal album I bought was by a band called ZAO, which was a Christian band at the time, but it opened up a great deal of the musical world for me. However, when I was 16 and could finally drive myself around town, I skipped class one day and went to a record store that has at this point not existed for about 10 years. I bought a few albums by bands I had at the time never heard of before, purely because the cover art and names sounded like they would shock and disgust my family, like any rebellious teenager would. I ended up getting Cradle of Filth: The Principle of Evil Made Flesh, and Gorgoroth: Under the Sign of Hell.


What more immediate future plans do you have for the band, in terms of upcoming releases, concerts, reissues, etc?

Grave Gnosis: The pandemic still has a great number of people too cautious to start playing or going to shows yet, so we are biding our time on this front. Once the time is right, we will come forward again. Until then, we have been working on third album, Pestilence Crowned, titled such long before the pandemic so the theme and name is purely coincidental. It's in the recording phase finally, but has been slow progressing as members are adjusting to current conditions. As well, we have about four different split EPs and a live album awaiting the right time to release.


Thank you very much for the time dedicated to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for Grave Gnosis the place. I hope the questions have been to your liking.

Grave Gnosis: Thank you for the time and opportunity.

Let the Words of Creation Fall Silent within your mind, and embrace Death as the Truth above the Lie of Life.

Hail Satan, Hail Moloch, Hail Tiamat

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Sauron ‎– The Land of Dead Sun (vinyl limited to 200 copies.) 27,99 €



Gatefold sleeve, 180 grams vinyl. Limited to 200 copies.





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