“Nargaroth” INTERVIEW by Keith Clements
Greetings from MHF, How are you and how’s things out there in your country?
I am doing okay. I am living far away now, so I ignore what happens to the world.
“Era of Threnody” came out last month, What do you feel about the outcome of this album?
The album reflects and expresses perfectly what I had to process with it, what makes it a potent and useful album to me.
Most of the fans feel a new “Nargaroth” in the new album, what according to you is this change all about?
On what you base that statement? Did you speak to most of the fans? Or do you just display your own opinion or just the opinion of a few, that posted something in the internet? I get annoyed by such generalized assumptions or statements. In my opinion there is no change in NARGAROTH at all. I did melodic albums before. I did good quality studio albums before. I did challenging elements in my albums before. So, where is the “New” in all of it? The new album follows the tradition that no album shall resemble another, because new experiences that get to expressed by it, gonna sound different and not always the same. The new album is no experiment, no experimental attempt and not a new way of NARGAROTH, but the continuation of the old NARGAROTH tradition. Don’t expect a similar album or anything else. The more you expect, the more you’ll be disappointing. Any following album gonna be different – in any way.
You feel like a solitary man and you always said that you were in the wrong place, what has brought on these feelings? How do you feel at this moment in time?
I do not mix well among others and feel more comfortable being alone or with close people. I grew up on a farm, that is where I feel okay, that is the way I live. On my land, far away from others. I feel misplaced in the nowadays world, that is dictated by (false) democrats and (fascistic) liberals and mental illnesses, that I am not only forced to accept, but to support openly or I get kicked out of society (jobs and so on). Every day I see the news I get the feeling old timers like me, with old values and traditional family pictures are not only outdated, but unwanted and the new evil in the world. I am tired of this nowadays world with its sick attempt destroy all I hold dear and stand for. I won’t change, because I don’t share the nowadays worlds view.
Years back you mentioned that “The European Scene is Dead” and there is no place for you to dwell, what made you say that, has things changed for you since then?
The scene is filled with envy, fake images and more and more non-metallions that dare to judge people like me or Black Metal in general and make it to a tamed, insignificant art to sell it to more and more kids that might like certain images, but can’t identify with metal at all. Lies, internet scandals, fast food music, fake images and artificial bands – all that is what I despise. I stand for authenticity even if that meant to display mishaps and mistakes. Nargaroth never been on major festivals, magazines or labels and still I am here and known. Many fake magazine cover balloons are gone as fast as they were pushed up. Authenticity will always prevail in the end.
You have always been a man of your vision and lived through it all your life, you never cared what others say or think about you, what molded you to have these characteristics?
Well, probably the way I got raised. Also from the start I was more an outsider and I followed my dreams even though other found it silly. When I want or envision something, I do all to make it happen. I don’t want opportunities and greatness in this short life pass by only because I am lazy or scared. I have seen great things around the world most people only dream or talk (lie) about. That’s why I don’t take most critic seriously, as they haven’t seen what I have seen or dared what I have dared. I am not saying I live right, I just say I live the way I live best.
There have been times when you have got angry with the audience for not being so black metal and you have vented your anger by doing certain things, why did you choose to do something like that to your loyal fans and who have come to see you perform, respectively?
First of all, not all visitors are loyal fans. Second, that’s the problem with nowadays BM. Its tamed and predictable. That wasn’t that way in the 90’s, when you often didn’t know if you get home unharmed. Black Metal is indecent, so people shall not expect a safe space. Yet, nothing I ever did endangered anyone. So keep calm.
Nargaroth’s music is made of hatred, sadness, Insanity, melancholy and it’s all connected to emotions, does it actually reveal your inner self or it’s just a muse or an act for Black metal?
Aside that you forgot Love, Hope and Consolation, if you really think that “just a muse or an act for Black metal” would be even in its slightest possible in NARGAROTH, then you are wrong here. In my 20 years history I have proven my authenticity! Therefore I don’t have to answer this question.
According to you the modern day black metal is full of fakes and lies and not so true and you have said Nargaroth has followed the true spirit of Black Metal, can you tell us what has gone wrong in terms of Black Metal and what exactly do you see in being a Black Metal artist?
See therefore my answer to why the BM scene is dead.
You always called black metal as an art rather than a genre of metal music, can you please explain about it, there would be a lot who would really love to hear this?
A music genre is nothing but a label. A category. Considering what Black Metal means to people and what international impact Black Metal has in so many walks of lives (including outside the metal community) shows that we are dealing with something bigger than just another genre. Its an art of expression.
Thanks very much for your time and the patience to answer my questions, do you have a message for the fans around the world?
Ignore the media, make up your own mind. If you want to support ANY band, try to get original merchandise instead of just download for free. Being a fan shows substance in actions and not just a shallow Facebook post.
Keith Clements/MHF Magazine
