After some days off for holidays, Lachryma Christi brings you an interview with Crest of Darkness, Black Metal band from Norway.
Crest of Darkness have been around for such a long time, more precisely since 1993, and they are releasing a new album later on this year, called The God of Flesh.
Lachryma Christi asked some questions to INGAR. In this interview you can read about his ideas about Black Metal, about Satanism, their upcoming shows and albums, and a lot more!
Hey! How would you describe the sound of Crest of Darkness?
INGAR: I'll give it a try... Dark and brutal Metal with elements from different musical styles. It's a lot of variations in the song material, we've been called a progressive Black Metal band, and I guess that's not so far from the truth. It's not easy to describe your own music, and personally I do have problems with this. Whatever; I like to present Crest of Darkness as a Satanic Metal band. Norwegian Black Metal also sounds good in my ears. We've been in the Norwegian scene since the mid nineties, we always believed in doing things in our own way, and nothing has really changed through all this years. We try to create music and art in our own special way. As all other artists I guess we do also try to stand out as something unique, -a band with it's own identity.
What does Crest of Darkness exactly mean as the name for the band?
INGAR: I first saw the expression "in the crest of darkness" in a poem I was reading a long time ago, and already back then I was thinking that this was the perfect name of a band! I guess that Crest of Darkness as a band name can be interpreted in many different ways. I also get different accusations myself.... at the darkest, in the darkest night, at the most "evil", when the man is following his instincts (to survive?!) That's some of my thoughts around our band name..... I don't know what more to say.. Many years ago I probably had a more clear idea about what was the meaning of the name, but like it is with my music, the name Crest of Darkness is more and more living "it's own life" nowadays. I like it that way, that I'm able to watch my own work from "the outside". At least I can do that to a certain kind of point.
Do you follow any type of religion?
INGAR: I'm a Satanist! I guess I have been that my whole life, but it was first in the mid eighties I really understood this. For some people I'm afraid it sounds like a cliché now in these days, but the truth is that it all started up when I read The Satanic Bible of Anton LaVey. Through his writings I finally found the inspiration I needed to live my own life fully! Unlike what many people believe Church of Satan isn't first of all a philosophy full of "rules". If there are any rules I'll say that the most important of them has to do with the fact that every human being should believe in itself, not follow a lot of "rules" made by others! Not follow the "rules" of a metaphorical, supernatural God! This has nothing to do with "good" or "evil" as predicted in many different religions! This has to do with scientific facts! But on the other side it's important to say that the Satanic philosophy as I see it, opens up for every persons inner world and fantasies, and everyone should be allowed to live in his/hers "own world". So as a Satanist I'm first of all worshipping FREEDOM!
Having been around for so long, how do you see the Black Metal music around the world nowadays? Do you think there has been evolution?
INGAR: Yes, absolutely! In the metal scene it has come a lot of great dark, emotional, sometimes very aggressive music the latest years, and many of these bands wouldn't have existed at all if it was not because of Black Metal. Some bands are playing more "traditional" Black Metal while others hardly can be called Metal at all... But for sure, the Black Metal genre has meant a lot to the whole music industry. Much more than many people are aware of!
What drives you to make the music you make? What are your main influences?
INGAR: I find inspiration everywhere. In my own life through my own experiences, but also through my interests in music, art, history, religion, Satanism, vampirism, folklore, being out in the nature... It's a long list. I've always been very much fascinated by the darkest sides of life, and that reflects in my music and art. It's a reason why I started to play Black Metal!!
What are your lyrics usually about?
INGAR: I'm writing about life itself, life and death, and most of the time I have a pretty clear vision, or should I say meaning, behind my lyrics. I'm using a lot of symbolism from different religions, my Satanic belief obviously comes through in my lyrics, some of my lyrics are based on my own dreams.... It's a dark and brutal world I'm describing, but there is definitely hope in my lyrics! What I try to say over and over again is the fact that people have to live their own life in full, as I try to do myself, and they have to do their very best to get something positive out of their lifetime here on earth! You have to believe in yourself, you have to take the most important decisions in life knowing that many of your choices will have big consequences for yourself and the people around you. Many times it's very sad to watch how we, the human race, is destroying everything around us, in the end the earth itself. But that doesn't mean that each and one of us don't have any kind of responsibility for our actions here on this planet!
How does the writing process work for Crest of Darkness?
INGAR: All the members of the band are influencing the music and taking a part of the song writing to a certain point. I want you to know that, we are a team. Whatever, most times I'm making the basic of the songs at home. To be more precise; It comes up ideas for new songs in my head everywhere I am. At home I'm structuring all this ideas, and making songs out of them. That's how I most often prefer to work with the song writing of Crest of Darkness, and I guess my bandmates just have to live with that. This is the reason why I started up with Crest of Darkness from the first beginning. I wanted to make something very personal, and nothing can change that!
But, and this is important, my bandmates make it possible for me to accomplish all this ideas! In the next step, when I feel ready for it, after I have worked with the songs at home, I present the song material for the band, and together we are doing the last work on the songs. In this part of the process I'm trying to be as open minded as I can when it comes to the input I get from my bandmates. I know that the band is sounding at its best when we are working well together!
You have been playing some shows and towards the end of the month, you'll be participating on the Garasjefestival in Norway, which is known to be a very intimate show. What are you expecting of it?
INGAR: (we have done the show now, but I can say something about it...) For several reasons it was great to play at Garasjefestival this year! It's a festival right in the neighbourhood of the band, that's very cool! And honestly; it's a great festival! -Quite small, but it's marvellous how many great bands they had on the line up this year! They have already got a very good reputation among many bands, and many bands want to play there simply because of the good atmosphere.... Lots of enthusiastic metal heads together with the bands are creating something quite special! It was an honour to finish the first day as the last band right before midnight!
How is a show of Crest of Darkness? What can people usually expect?
INGAR: The music itself comes first, that's for sure! Whatever, we try to give our audience a "bigger" experience, and we are sometimes using a few theatrical effects. It depends very much of the size of the stage, the equipment as light and sound, what we can actually do. Anyway, we deliver our very best no matter where we no matter if it's a very small place or we are playing at bigger events.
We try to have a set list that shows different sides of the band and our music. That means that we're playing everything from our most brutal songs to the more moody and melodic songs.
Last time you released an album it was in 2016, Welcome the Dead. When can we expect a new album coming out?
INGAR: We are releasing a new album in October this year, and we're looking very much forward to that!!
Watch this link for more details:
https://
What is in store for Crest of Darkness? What's coming up?
First of all we're focusing on the album release of THE GOD OF FLESH! We'll present some videos later this year, and it's more to come.
When it comes to live activities Crest of Darkness are set to play the following three dates in the UK with Stahlsarg:
Fri 6th Sep: Retribution Alive, The Black Heart, London
Sat 7th Sep: The Wheatsheaf, Banbury
Sun 8th Sep: The Soundhouse, Colchester
Whilst on the 12th October they will be at Good Omens, in Trondheim, Norway. More dates will be announced later....
Are there any words you would like to leave to everyone who is reading this interview?
INGAR: Thanks a lot to all you Metal Heads out there! Without you I wouldn't be here
I'll also send a special thanks to all our most dedicated fans who have supported me and Crest of Darkness in so many years! Some of you have been there since we started up more than 20 years ago!!
Thank you very much for your time!
INGAR: Thanks a lot to you!
(all photos taken from Patricia Thomas Management page)
Read more about Crest of Darkness here:
https://www.facebook.com/crestofdarknessofficial/
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