1. Obitus was born in 2000, after the release of your first demo and the split of the next year, there is a period that although you were composing music for a new album, within the group there was some instability, period that lasted about four Or five years. What happened at that time? At some point was the continuity of Obitus at risk? Perhaps due to this situation is Obitus decided to be a band of only two members?
JH: Obitus has since its inception been a two person band, there was never any instability. We’ve also always been a studio band and we’ve made recordings when we felt inclined to do so, during a few years we had competing priorities and as such didn’t produce any material.
2. At that time you formed part of the death metal band Vaticice - Clonaeon, which was dissolved and you created Obitus, what did Obitus offer you regarding Clonaeon? Black metal is the style in which you feel more comfortable to The time to express yourself?
JH: Let me clarify, as your timeline is not correct. Anders and I (along with several others) formed Vaticide in 1998, in 2000 Anders and I wanted to play more Black Metal, so we formed Obitus. During this time we were still in Vaticide. In 2002 Vaticide changed name to Clonaeon, in 2004 Anders left Clonaeon due to time constraints and then in 2005 Clonaeon split-up (amicably). There was never any friction between the two bands; we played completely different types of music.
3. With two albums released to date "The March of the Drones (2009)" and the most recent "Slaves of the Vast Machine (2017)", we can say that the sound of Obitus is a black metal rather, let's say personal, with Clear influences of black Scandinavian ninety, not exempt of certain technique, where also they are seen influences of the death and also with some doses of industrial sound, elements already present in "The March of the Drones (2009)" and that they are seen Ratified in Slaves of the Vast Machine (2017), I know that for you it will only be black metal, but are you aware of all these influences and style in your music? If so, can you explain a little of where they come from These influences?
AA: We have both followed the black metal scene since its inception in Norway and Sweden during the early 1990s. Obviously those bands have in some way or the other influenced us and our perception on 'what is black metal'. So, although on an unconscious level, there surely are traces in our music of the early Scandinavian black metal sound. But that is more on the level of 'being in our blood' rather than a calculated decision, i.e. we never made a choice of how Obitus should sound with reference to other bands or styles. We were, on the other hand, quite particular in what kind of impression we wanted to give our listeners.
4. One thing that stands out is the inclusion of a single track on the album "Slaves of the Vast Machine (2017)", an aspect that was already about to take place in the previous "The March of the Drones (2009)", What do you intend to transmit to the listener with this type of edition? However, although there is only one subject, it is true that we can appreciate the different parts of it and the different bridges that are uniting and giving consistency to the whole, was it very complicated to have to compose in this way or is something Your music needs
AA: The 'single track' approach is about immersion. No interruptions, nothing that breaks the illusion of being someplace else as a listener. And that is our intention – to take on our work as a one piece. Obviously, the choice is yours.
Composing long passages of music is not complicated but presents another set of challenges compared to shorter pieces – how to create themes that could, although in different shapes, be reused; and, perhaps the greatest – how to renew but still staying within the same theme.
5. Speaking of composing, during these years you have not been a very prolific group in terms of releases, I suppose that although Obitus is important for you, in your life there are other aspects that are also like family and work, all Shapes, Can you tell us a little about how you composing?
AA: Composing comes with inspiration. On a more practical level, our 'single track' approach requires periods where I can work without long interruptions. Some level of continuity is necessary to stay in the mood and thus keeping the same tone and feel throughout the composition. And that might collide with the thing we call real life.
6. I guess the world around you is an inexhaustible source of inspiration when it comes to writing the lyrics of the themes of your albums, hatred, human weakness, common thinking, does Obitus somehow suppose a way of releasing and channeling These human miseries?
JH: While there is certainly much inspiration to be gathered from just reading the news these days, however in some aspects it makes it a bit harder. What was previously some dystopian future is now either reality or on the cusp of being real. On the other hand as miseries expand it should provide ample further inspiration. I remember reading something once, paraphrasing it went something like this: “We’ve got an Orwell threat model in a Huxley world. The danger isn’t that something bad happens; it’s that nobody cares”, as long as people don’t care the future is bound to be pretty bleak, which from a song writing perspective is helpful.
7. Sometimes you have a collaboration for choirs and help with the bass, although it is clear that Obitus is a band of two members, is it likely that some of these people will render their services and you can offer some concert, or another Is the issue of the concerts something already discarded by you?
JH: Obitus has always been a studio project, while we don’t categorically reject playing live I see it being very unlikely and many things would need to line up perfectly to make it possible. Think for a minute about our material, our last two albums consist of a single song about 45 minutes long. That’s about the length of your average live set for many bands, and we would end up playing one song from one album, I could imagine the audience feeling a bit ripped off: “I went to see Obitus and they only played one song” … haha
8. The black metal of the nineties as musical style and movement turned out to be very attractive and an important influence for several bands, but to this day with which musical influences do you feel more identified?
AA: I feel inspired by those how dare try new things with a passion and conviction. There are several examples of such band in black metal, though few from Scandinavia. However, there are far more trying to recreate what once was, which for obvious reasons are doomed and paradoxical as well – black metal is many things, finding and following our own path is one of them.
9. From Göteborg and at the time in the ass created Obitus did not see you involved or attracted by the whole movement that emerged around that time around melodic death? Or on the contrary was perceived as something very great from the outside and yet in The city was not so much?
JH: Well in the beginning I think it was fairly well received all around, however as it became more of a trend quality started to decline and with it its standing among many of the musicians in the city.
10. I think you should be satisfied with the important repercussion that your album "Slaves of the Vast Machine (2017)" has had, were you expecting something like that? Of all the reviews received, comments, interviews, etc, which is what But have you been surprised?
JH: It’s hard to know what to expect, working as long as we do on albums we tend to be happy with the product once we release it, but you never know if the listener will feel the same way. So far reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, releasing a single track album like “Slaves of the Vast Machine” is always a daunting task, I guess the biggest, positive, surprise has been that most people actually got it and enjoyed it.
11. How did interest and contact come from the Canadian record label Hypnotic Dirge Records to handle the "Slaves of the Vast Machine" (2017)? Are you satisfied with the work done by the label, in terms of editing and promotion?
JH: Well actually we were offered a deal with American “Black Plague Records” (BPR) they were going to co-release it with another label, however there were some delays getting the artwork done and once we were ready the label BPR were working with had already committed to other releases for the foreseeable future. So BPR reached out to Hypnotic Dirge (HDR) and they were willing to partner with us. So “Slaves of the Vast Machine” is co-released by BPR and HDR. Both have been very good to work with, HDR did a yeoman’s work in getting the release out to zines for reviews and helped with creating promo videos and PR so we have nothing but praise for them.
12. "Slaves of the Vast Machine (2017)" has been edited in digital format and cd, do you consider the possibility of a future edition in some other format? If you could choose between cd, digital, tape and vinyl formats, with which Would you stay
JH: Well it’s out on CD and digitally right now, I wouldn’t mind seeing it on vinyl, I know tapes are making some sort of comeback in the underground but I’ve never really been a fan of the medium.
13. With "Slaves of the Vast Machine (2017)", edited just half a year ago, what future plans do you have for Obitus in the coming days?
JH: Well for the time being we’re concentrating on promoting “Slaves of the Vast Machine”, at some point in the future we’ll start sketching on the next album, no idea when that’ll be or how long it’ll take. I’ve long given up trying to predict any sort of cadence between our releases.
14. Thank you very much for taking the time to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something to the followers of Obitus, this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
JH: Thanks for the interview, if your readers haven’t checked out our material it’s all up on bandcamp, if you enjoy it let us know, we’re on most social media even if we’re bad at updates.
AA: The world is a dark place. Let Obitus be its sound track.
Nevoa– The Absence Of Void
Sello:
Altare Productions – ALTLP013
Formato:
Vinyl, 12", Album
País:
Portugal
Fecha:
2015
Género:
Rock
Estilo:
Black Metal
Pistas
1 A Thousand Circles
2 Wind And Branches
3 Alma
Vocals – Cláudia Andrade*
4 Below A Celestial Abyss
Guest, Vocals – Pierre Laube
5 The Absence Of Void
Compañías, etc.
Mastered At – Caos Armado Estúdio
Mixed At – Caos Armado Estúdio
Créditos
Illustration, Layout – Misanthropic-Art*
Mixed By, Mastered By – Daniel Valente
Performer – João Freire (3), Nuno Craveiro
Producer [Produced By] – Daniel Valente, Nevoa
HAZTE CON ÉL EN : BLACK METAL SPIRIT STORE O DISCOGS
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