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Bylec-tum #10 2003
1. After the first excellent Cass.-Album "Na uroczysku…" Black Altar has unleashed the first work on CD-format entitled "Wrath of the Gods". Would you introduce the new tracks to the public?
 
"Wrath ov the Gods" is an Ep which contains 6 compositions and 2 of them are metal ones, the rest is 2 keyboards themes, intro and cover of Bathory "The return". This MCD was recorded in 2000 year and released not till then 2002 year as a split cd with Vesania. It keeps hold of an extreme and dark black metal climate.
 
2. Also this new Opus has been published through your label Odium recs. Was it your choice to publish all the Black Altar's releases through it, or would you prefer a bigger label for the next releases?
 
Since the beginning I've wanted to publish "Wrath ov the Gods" trough my own label Odium Rec and I haven't sent it to any label company. To publish new Mcd of Black Altar abroad I shall run seek for much more bigger label than mine, and I'll run promotion in Poland alone. If I couldn't find foreign label that will promote my band as I wish I'll do it myself with pleasure. I'm very satisfied with running of my own label, is something more enjoyable in it than to promote my own band?
 
3. How are the sells of the new work going like? Which are the responses from the public and Magazines? What kind of reputation Black Altar has in Poland actually?
 
The final unleashed of "Wrath ov the Gods" in Poland was few months ago, so it's not a long time. Till now few hundred copies were sold out, many copies went for trade and commission sale. I haven't got a one half of the edition. We're going to have a foreign premiere and we hold out much hope of that. I'm afraid that the amount of cd's won't be enough to cover the limit of the 666 copies hand numbered with blood. Reviews of the "Wrath ov the Gods" are good and very good. There were some remarks relating the sound of the album, despite the fact it was recorded in good quality studio (Vader, Behemoth), we wanted to get this raw sound, what doesn't have to suit everybody. Black Altar has got its position in Poland, we are known to everybody on underground and official scene. We've got a lot of worshipers here. I think the Mcd that is coming our position will increase.
 
4. What do you think about Vesania? It is the band that splits the CD with Black Altar actually…
 
That's a good band, otherwise I wouldn't split with Black Altar. Beside that I'm in close friendship with the leader of Vesania for a many years, that's in some way influenced my decision. They've recorded 2 compositions, good quality stuff, and I wanted not wasted it. In this moment they're recorded very good debut album. After that they signed to Empire Rec. The owner of this label is manager of Vader and main redactor of Thrash'em all magazine. It will be released in the beginning of 2003, so soon will be very loud about them.
 
5. Looking to your photos and CD's artwork, one can easily understand what kind of band he has in front of him. Black Altar stands with Satanic Black metal ideologies, and all the symbolism used in your artworks is the proof of that. Would you share with us about your ideologies, inner beliefs and creeds?
 
Black Altar plays Black Metal strongly influenced by occultic and satanic sources. This kind of texts, music, images is preferred by us. We are the same in our private life. We're interested in everything that's dark and extreme, whenever it's art or ideology. Personally I explore occultic mysteries for many years, I practice dark ceremonies. I believe the man through its selfperservarance in all ways, can finally reach the level of "Ubermanchen", descriped well by F.Nietzche.
 
6. Turning to music, old tracks like "The wandering of Souls", "Echoes of Departed Battle", "Silver Dagger" and the others sounded like Nordic Black metal stuff, a bit influenced by the old works of bands like Immortal (those of "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism")and Darkthrone ("A blaze in the Northern Sky"), for my point of view. Do you feel that same atmosphere of the early Norse scene listening to your own songs? Have been those bands some of your influences at the origins?
 
Indeed this stuff really sounds like old school Norwegian black metal, its raw, primitive and at the same time flowing deeply from the heart. As for as song structure is concerned I think that I've created succesfully something original. It came partly from that I've just started to learn composing, so they were incoherent with often change of tempo. I'm pleased with that you associate them with so great cd's, but this influence had been not concious. I'm a type of sentymental man and now when I listen to the debut demo "Na Uroczysku…", old memories and climate of contemporary scene are backing to me.
 
7. I know that many musicians have been introduced and kicked out of the band during the last years, until you've found three skillful members with the same boundless devotion to Black metal as you are. However, (with exception for voice and for the bass-guitar parts), the music is a bit different if we compare the sound of the new work with that of "Na uroczysku…" MC. It is atmospheric like in the past, but I think it's faster and it hasn't a so complex structure like that of the old compositions, do you agree? Was it your choice composing simplest but still direct songs, or was it the fruit of the introduction of different musicians in the Horde?
 
The difference beetwen a debut demo and Ep "Wrath ov the Gods" is enormous. Changes had been done on all counts, especially in music. I've just started to learn playing bass, composing. Black Altar was only one man band.While I had been recording the "Wrath ov the Gods" Black Altar was a totally different band. In the 1999 year two new skillful musicans, totally devoted to Black Metal Art, had joined the band and together we have recorded mentioned Ep. Also the same compositions although they go back 1998 are much more matured than this one from debut demo. I don't think so that compositions are more simple than new ones, they're only more coherent and that's the reason of this feeling. That so strong difference between debut demo and "Wrath ov the Gods" will be between new stuff and the compositions that I've recorded yet. New Mcd will be an enormous step in the development of Black Altar. Remaining musicans have got a word in composing of this stuff, so the new compositions reached new dimension. They are much sofististicated and extreme. They're discovering new regions of Black Metal Art.
 
8. Is Black Altar a live-band? How many shows have you performed in your country until this moment? How is the live-scene like in the zone near where you live?
 
Black Altar untill now hasn't played any concert played any gigs, because the rest of the band says definitly "No" for doing that. I can understand them. When I'm looking on the creatures that are coming on the concerts I lose the feeling doing that. To them is no difference if korn or DarkThrone is playing. Most important thing to them is to quickly get drunk and to jump in the music's rhythm. It's hard to expect from this insects to understand the message of Black Altar. If we ever be playing the concerts, it would be a dark misterium with full of blood and fire. In the region where I'm living there is a strong scene and the concerts are playing often. As you probably quess they value, especially ideological, is leaves many thing to wish behind.
 
9. Would you share with us about the texts of the new compositions? Which are the most recurrent subjects in your lyrics? Who is the composer of the songs' texts? Is there a precise concept behind "Wrath ov the Gods" CD?
 
Up to present time main I was the author of all music and lyrics. On the forthcoming Mcd much influence on the music and lyrics will have the rest of the band. On Mcd "Wrath ov the Gods" the lyrics are not connected with any concept. Black Altar is description of dark ritual while "Wrath ov the Gods" is inspired by the Necronomicon and talked about arrival of the Ancient Ones , whom are staying now dead but dreaming in other dimension, but will back to lecture about they heritage.
 
10. I'm curious to know your personal opinion about the church-burning, the profanation of christian's & jews' cemeteries, etc…
 
I think that in the past it has a sense, it was shocking, payed attention, gave to think. Now this activity is treated like a hooligan freaks a wouldn't have any response. Yet, from the time to time it would be nice to see some big church burning.
 
11. I know that Black Altar has get new songs for an other MCD. When will be it unleashed? What should we expect from the Black Altar's future releases?
 
The new Mcd called "Black Altar" we are planning to record around March 2003. Almost whole stuff is ready now. How it would be I've answered in previous question. I only add that in my opinion it will make flurry on numb Black Metal scene at least in Poland. The music and image of Black Altar always will be kept in Black Metal climate, in terms of that I'm a traditional. Yet, beside the black metal riffs there is some experiments that would explore the new regions of Black Metal and lead the towards right way, with out yield by wrong influence which doesn't suit to Black Metal. In the new compositions can be heard some riffs that would sound like Satyricon's "Rebel Extravaganza". I certainly know that with experiments in Black Metal I must pay attention, for many bands they were led to death.
 
12. Let's talk about the Polish Black metal scene. Apart the famous bands of the origins (still active) I've discovered some talented acts like Goetia, Besatt, Kataxu, Vesania, Thunderbolt, Swastyka etc. in the latest years, all interesting a lot (and some really killers!). What do you think about the actual Black metal scene hailing from Poland? Which are the hordes that you more like, both musically and lyrically speaking?
 
Black Metal scene in Poland is very strong. In the underground does exist many interesting hordes with an extreme ideology. To tell the truth the music level of many of them are not to high, but they are mostly care about ideology. To my favorite bands with whom mostly I'm in close friendship belongs amongst: Holy Death, Besatt, Thunderbolt, Vesania, Gontyna Kry, Wolf's Moon, Infernal War, Graveland.
 
13. What do you know instead about my country's BM movement? Are there any good acts for your points of view?
 
As I've noticed there is strong underground scene in your country, especially you've got many zines and distros. Supposing the bands I must say that most cult hordes are: Mortuary Drape and Evol. I know some names of other Italian bands, but unfortunately I haven't heard them.
 
14. Music influences the masses in many different ways: how do you think or try to influence the listeners with the music of Black Altar?
 
If someone is a worshiper of Darkness and Death and feel Black Metal climate with extreme image then with no doubt will like Black Altar. About the rest I don't care.
 
15. Well, it's the end. Future plans of Black Altar, Odium Records and final demoniac prophecies…
 
The nearest plans will be recording Mcd of Black Altar and releasing it (unless I shall find a good label that does that not worse than me). I've got my own solo project called Kriegsgott, which plays raw Black Metal. I'm planning to record soon in home studio debut Mcd and released it through my Odium Rec. Thank you for the interview and good luck with future work. Greetings to all Black Metal warriors, prepare to war on various plains. The hour of fight will soon come, and we show our strength. Victory belongs to Us! Let's sacrificed the hearts of your enemies upon the Black Altar! HAIL!
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