1. Czort was born in 2016, why did you decide to create the band? What can you tell us about the band's line-up, about which there is not much information?
I think the reason to create a band is always the same, at least for me... We just want to create music that we like with people who company we enjoy. That's it. And there is not much information about line up because we don't want to give any information. People should focus more on music itself, not on the musicians.
2. The name Czort refers to a demon from Slavic mythology, why did you choose this name to refer to the band? Are the themes you dealt with in your texts influenced by mythology in any way?
Not really. We don't have any mythology influences in our lirycs. For us it's just another name of the Devil but lets say more natural for us and the region of the world that we live in. It's just felt natural and honest in some way to call the band this name.
3. The first album took a couple of years to arrive, but from here on the release rhythm has been maintaining a constant rhythm and the reviews are quite positive. Focusing on the shared "Under the White Flame" (2019), how does the possibility of this sharing arise? All the participating bands being of Polish origin. Is this sharing like a vindication of the Polish black metal scene?
We have played concert with Occultum at the beggining of 2019 and I have known them before so we just talk during this event and I asked if they want to make a split album with us. They mentioned that they already have a plan to release split with Dagorath but we can join this one. Later on I spoke with Occultum on the phone and I suggested that maybe 4 way split will be even better than 3 way so after some time spend on researching another band Mordhell decided that they want to be a part of this release as well.
4. Focusing now on “Apostoł” (2020), how was the composition and recording process for this album? And what do you think has changed with respect to “Czarna ewangelia” (2017), in terms of sound?
Composition process was almost the same as with first album. Our guitaris spent some time alone composing all tracks, then he sends us raw recordings of it. We compose our parts and then we reherse it together in our basement. When everything seems to be ready we go to our friend's studio and we record it with no rush in really good atmosphere. Regarding the sound of Apostoł... I thing it's more mature than Czarna Ewangelia. Sometimes maybe too assimilable and polished for me personally but at the end of the day we are all satisfied with it. Of course we could find things that now we would do differently but you have to learn how to let it go to be able to focus on the future instead of looking back.
5. In the sound of your last album we discovered an important component of orthodox black metal with more current elements, which does not at all remind you of the classic sound of Polish bands. How would you define your sound? And what are your main influences?
I don't thing I want to even try to define our sound. It is what it is. Not everyghing has to be defined or labeled. Fuck it. When it comes to our influences. There is so many different kinds of music that we listen that it is probably the mix of it all. You could find among it: early hard rock, 80s black metal, 90s black metal, nowadays black metal, punk rock, grunge, electronic music and so on and so on. It's not like we want to copy or imitate any of the music that we listen. We want to create our own music that defines us. Do we manage to do it? It's not my role to judge it but at least I can say that we try.
6. A recurring theme within black metal is the devil, present in your texts. Do you consider the devil theme a fundamental element in the black metal scene? What is your opinion of the bands that deny this theme because they find it too superfluous ?
Depend on your perception of the Devil. For me Devil is the force of liberation of your own will. If your will is to deny the Devil in your lirycs. That's fine because at least you are honest and you follow your own path. That's paradoxically more satanic attitude than creating the lirycs about the Devil because it is required by the black metal genere or at least some people believe in that shit. We use a lot of diabolical symbolic and themes because for now it is synchronized with us. But in the future if we decide to completely resign from the demonological reference and it will feel natural for us we will do it.
7. Who was in charge of designing the album cover, how does it relate to the content of the album and what does it intend to convey and represent?
The vision of this painting occured to me one day. Just like that. But the person who painted it was Witchslaughter from Dagorath. He is a painter and I have seen his paitings before so after our split album with Dagorath I though it would be a good idea to ask him to make my vision of the paiting alive. Actually you can interpret this paiting in few different ways and I don't want to put only one righteous way to perceive it in anybody's head so let's say that whatever your personal interpretation of it is you're right.
8. Czort is a band that until recently took their proposal to live, does the equipment you use to record in the studio differ a lot from the one you use for live? What brands of instruments do you use?
Actually we started playing live concerts one year after releasing the first album so it's not so recently. It's been almost two years now. We use the same amplifiers that we use in studio because during the recording sessions we use our own equipment. We always try to make sure that we will sound like Czort, not some other band so using the same equipment and settings is fundamental in this case. I don't really want to talk about brands of instruments and etc. For me it's boring topic, the same as probably for a reader of this interview so fuck it.
9. The emergence of Covid-19 has been a severe setback for bands, especially in the section of offering concerts, how have you been hit by Covid-19? Do you see a short-term solution?
Surprisingly it happened, that because of Covid-19 situation we have played probably more concerts in Poland that we would play without it so... I think we are lucky motherfuckers. Regarding all this situation I think theres more panic than it deserves in reality but again... I don't want to talk about politics, all I care is music. We will wait, we will see how the situation will develop.
10. After your first album was released by up to three different record labels (Black Death Production, Total War and Under the Sign of Garazel Productions), in their corresponding and different formats; Both for the split and for “Apostoł” (2020) it was Under the Sign of Garazel Productions who edited it. Are you satisfied with the production and editing work carried out by Under the Sign of Garazel Productions? How did you get in touch with the record label? And as a fan, what is the format in which you prefer to listen to music?
I know founder of this label for many years now because I have released some materials with him before Czort was even created. He is very dedicated to his work and we are more than happy to cooperate with him. I think we can consider him as our friend by now so everything goes very smoothly with every album release. Regarding my favourite format... Usually I listen to mp3 player because it's handy when you are outside. But if you ask me which format I have the biggest sentiment to, I would say it's cassette because I'm the kid of the 90s so I remember borrowing them from my older brother who had quite big collection of them back in the time.
11. How were your beginnings in music: first concerts that you attend, first albums that you buy? What happened in your lives supposed that you wanted to be musicians and form a band?
When people ask me this kind of question I always tell them this story... because it's true of course... It was 1996. I was a kid and my older brother brought home cassette Moonspell - Wolfheart. That was the first time I fell in love with music even if I didn't understand it fully back then. I think that idea of becoming a musician by myself arose during the time. When I was 12 I held a guitar for the first time in my life. It was my older cousin's guitar. He tought me few riffs and I decided "alright, that's what I'm going to do for the rest of my life whatever happens". My first really big concert/festival that I have seen was Metalmania 2005 in Poland, Katowice. I was already a teenager and I loved the atmosphere of this event. And again... My brother and cousin took me there.
12. For you, which bands define what black metal is and why? What album are you listening to recently?
For me black metal is something that you can't and shouldn't define. It's something that you feel as an individual and it is very subjective matter. Recently I listen mostly new albums of bands like: Armagedda, Odraza, Cult of fire, Kvelertak, Paradise Lost and many many others. From older stuff I was listening for example Sisters of mercy.
13. What can you tell us about the Polish extreme metal scene in the area you come from?
I'm not sure what you want to know but I think can say it's very strong and in really good shape. There's many good bands from our area(I mean southern Poland - mostly from Silesia and Cracow) that I like. Mgła/Kriegsmaschine, Infernal War/Voidhanger, Embrional, Furia, Temple Desecration, Anima Damnata, Odraza, Biesy, Owls Woods Graves, Ashes, Medico Peste.
14. What immediate future plans do you have for Czort? Are you already working on new songs with an eye on future issues?
Yes, now we are focused on writing the new album. In the meantime we play some concerts to promote Apostoł but the album itself is behind us and now we can only look into the future. That's our attitude toward whole life. There's always something new to discover and you just have to set a new goal in front of you.
15. Thank you very much for taking the time to Black Metal Spirit, if you want to add something for the followers of Czort this is the place. I hope the questions are to your liking.
Thank you very much for preparing those questions. It's always a pleasure. Stay strong. Hail Satan!
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180g regular black vinyl release. Includes 12" booklet.
Hype sticker on shrinkwrap.
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