среда, 29 октября 2014 House Of The Whipcord Zine
Woodtemple Interview
At last! Long awaited interview after the half-year pause, meet the Aramath and Woodtemple from Austria!
1.Hi Aramath! Hails to Woodtemple! Let’s start. For the first – you’ve founded the Woodtemple,
when you were 16. What was the main incitement or motive? Tell about the tastes and
inspirations at that time.
Hailsa!!!!
Yes that’s right, i founded Woodtemple at a age of 16 years.
Before that I played in a Death Metal Band named Gotland.
I was able to gather experience there, but after a few months I was fed up.
They didn’t want to evolve further and always did the same.
So I left the Band. I wanted to make my own thing where I could let out my feelings, and so I
decided to make Woodtemple a one-man-band.
My Influences back then were Burzum, Nastrond, Bathory and Graveland.
2.When new album will be finished and released and what caused so delay?
The Album is finished now and will be available end of September.
After the last Album Sorrow of the Wind I needed a break.
At January 2012 I started with the works on Forgotten Pride.
The Guitars have been recorded in Poland with Rob Darken, and the Keyboards at home. And
they took me half a year, cause I tinkered around much.
For the Vocals I wanted to try a new Studio. I wanted to work with two or three voices. But these
meant extreme extra costs. So I cancelled the appointment with the studio, and so a few months
came along until I found the fitting idea to arrange my plans.
I wanted to record the Vocals in my garden house. Rob grabbed some micros and all the stuff we
needed and built up a little studio in my garden house. Where I finally could record the Vocals,
and all that without stress and deadlines. My Label told me it would be released in December
2013. But then he meant he had some problems with press shop and he had to look after another-
and so it delayed till May 2014. And so I decided to look for a new label. Sacrilege Records was
the one that made the best offer. And so I signed to them.
The working on Forgotten Pride were hard and full of perfidy. But now it’s all done and the CD
will be released soon.
3.Tell about nowadays Woodtemple line-up. You and Darken are so famous person, but the
names of others are not so well-known for a wide audience.
Ok the Line up for Concerts is put together as follows:
Vocals & Guitar Myself
Drums Sebastian
Guitar Arathorn (Ancient Wrath)
Bass Rob Darken (S.M. from Trollskogen will take the Bass when Darken is on
Tour with Graveland)
.
The only fix members at Woodtemple are me and Sebastian for the Drums (since March 2014)
Sebastian is from Argentina, and a top drummer, he already had three Album and three Europe
tours with his old band Inferi. He really brings some drive with him. But you’ll hear at the next
Album.
Arathorn is a good friend of mine since many years (and a good musician too)
In the following days his second Album will be released, and also he will play with Woodtemple
in the future.
4.Return to the past. Next chapter of your creativity was the beginning of your cooperation with
Rob Darken, the person who doesn't need representation. How your cooperation began and how
you can describe the feelings from your cooperation of that time?
Oh damn, that’s a chapter where I could write books. But that would blast the frame.
The contact with Rob started in 1997, there I was 15 years young. One year later I started with
Woodtemple. In 1999 I recorded the first demo Swords of Hate. But because i wasn’t satisfied
with the sound i rerecorded it in 2001. I wasn’t happy with the new sound either and so Rob
told me to come to Poland and find the right Sound together with him. And so it all started, but I
really don’t wanna tell more here, we wouldn’t get to an end, sorry.
5. As far as Graveland affected your style? The first creations of Woodtemple very similar
to an album Creed Of Iron, not in negative way, surely, will be told. Excellent material.
My Main influence in former times surely were Bathory, Burzum and Graveland. But with time
you get your own style. And I think the last two Woodtemple Albums set themselves apart from
the typical Gravelandstyle.
Sorrow of the Wind for example has many influences in folk. Forgotten Pride is more
depressive. A important part at Woodtemple are the acoustic guitars. They get their place in all
the albums. Graveland and Woodtemple follow one concept.... But build it up in different ways.
Musically and with regards to content.
6, In general, how you compose a material? It is a set of riffs and texts or you feel any rhythms
and images inside and you try to transfer them to the real world, without having damaged them
thus?
Most of the times when I’m wandering through the woods, I have the best ideas. I have a topic
or a story in mind and try too converse it musically. When the music is done I start writing down
the text and elaborate it till it fits perfect do the music.
7. As far as I can judge on your photosets, you try to spend a lot of time in nature. Whether
truly to consider, what it is as well one of sources of your inspiration?
Yeah that’s right. I spend much time in nature. That‘s my balancing to the daily working stress.
Here in my surrounding there are many beautifull mountains and mountain pastures. There I can
forget all around me. Also our old traditions and rites inspire me. Like the “Perchtenlauf” there’s
no English word for that just google that thing and you’ll see. It’s an old tradition descended
from the heathens. You make yourself wooden masks and cloth yourself in animal hides. You try
to keep away the ghosts of nature (wind, winter, cold)
In Austria this tradition has become more and more to a trend. But out of the cities in the country
you see the true tradition behind it. I too have led one of those groups, but had to leave it this
year, so I could invest the time in music, cause I have more plans with Woodtemple.
8. Whether it happened to you to get into any wild and impassable places and to spend the
night there? May you tell about any mystical, unusual or even frightening experience
from similar cases?
I spent one or two nights outside at untouched places.
What do you understand under a mythic experience?
Honestly, if you go out at night into the woods, and settle there. You’ll hear sounds that you
wouldn’t be aware at daytime. So it’s something special but not frightening.
I believe that there are mythic places in nature. They radiate some special energy and draw
you to them, to their beauty. So it happens to me sometimes when I find inspiration.... I find a
beautiful place and there is the idea for a new song.
9 . Whether you agree, that in the nature there is the magic and sorcery, and that everything in
the nature has the soul and is part of a whole?
Yes I concede a point to so.
But everyone has his own imagination of it.
But I think I already answered this one with the question before.
10.I I know, that in Austria was also a some kind of circle, named Austrian Black
Metal Syndicate. Summoning was a part of it, along with Pervertum, Trifixion,
Pazuzu, Golden Dawn and Abigor. What can you tell about this and what do you
think about nowadays Summoning and their tolerant position about situation in whole
world and in Austria?
The circle was an important part oft he Austrian underground scene. A good friend of mine was
part of it and supported it. I was too young at that time to be an active member, but always got
information from him.
I’m sad that nowadays there is no such coherence. I remember gladly to the former times where
this was given. And metal wasn’t a trend, but something special.
To Summoning, they belong tot he most important bands in austria and also international. I
have great respect to them. And with Silenius I’m in good contact. And sometimes we meet, if
our time allows it. An important point too, is that they hold back and also in internet they don’t
relinquish much, and that in despite of their big name.
11.What do you think about this situation? What obstacles you meet on your way in the native
land? Whether there were different collisions with anti-fa? What you see possible steps for any
permission of a situation in a positive key?I had my problems with the Antifa too. But now I haven’t heard from them for a longer time, but
i don’t give a meaning to that theater. If I want to play live, there are enough possibilities, also in
Austria!
12. Except Woodtemple, what groups can you name else worthy from your country? And
from a Slavic scene?There aren’t many bands in Austria that interest me. Summoning, Ancient Wrath, Trollskogen,
Abigor, old Astaroth and Thirdmoon are important bands for the Austrian underground.
There is no Slavic scene in Austria.
13. Your relation to a situation in Ukraine? Could you give any comments concerning each
of the sides? In my opinion, imperial efforts of Russia in this respect aren't proved and
lawful at all, do you agree with me?
I don’t want to say something to this topic
14.Your relation to similar situation as Hitler tried to unite Germany and Austria to one “German
World” and to it’s consequences.
Even what i say to this topic, it brings just to much trouble.
15.Some prognoses from your about world situation and do you think, that Ragnarok is already
near?
Yes I think Ragnarok already is near, if this goes on like this.
16.Some words from you for the readers of the House Of The Whipcord Zine!
Wait for the next Album. I already began with it. It will be much faster, more technical and more
brutal than all the other ones. And with the drums from Sebastian will be much more pressure in
it.
Thanks again for the interview and the interest in Woodtemple.
Wotan with us.
Aramath