Interview with Steve Fabry from The Nightstalker and Sercati (Belgium)

This time Lachryma Christi would like to present you a interview with Steve Fabry. He is the bass player and singer of the band Sercati and the only man behind The Nightstalker.
The Nightstalker is a Atmospheric Dark Metal band which released the fourth album in January 2017 A Journey in Hell under Wolfshade records.
Fabry wrote a book on the story.

As for Sercati, they play Black Metal with progressive and ambient influences. They released their third record, an EP called In the Shadows and Sidewalks in May 2015 under Wormhole Death.

The two bands share the same concept about the adventures of an angel descended from heaven to help humanity. As Lucifer learns that, he will send troops to destroy and annihilate.

Let's see what Fabry has to say. 
And a review should come up very shortly too. 

Sercati and The Nightstalker share a running concept. What is the background of this and how are the two projects linked?

The two musical projects share the story of a character. The Nightstalker. A fallen angel who's decided to help Mankind against his evil brother Lucifer.
The two projects keep the Nightstalker at the center of the lyrics but take two different paths with the music and the way to speak about him.

Sercati focuses on the main story, The Nightstalker is more personal, more on the characters. 

How did the project arise and what were the original goals of the project? 

It did begin with Sercati. When we wrote the lyrics for the first album, I really wanted to have a story to link the songs of the album. For this I created the Nightstalker.
After recording the album of Sercati, Yannick told me to write the lyrcis but like a story throught the eyes of the main character. I really like to do it.
I've written a second story and a third until having enough different short novels to make a book. 

Sercati was really good but I needed to go deeper in the mind of the character so I created with Yannick's help a side project called The Nightstalker.
It was very nice to take his point of view and spend more time on some parts of the story.

I think the two projects are really perfect to complete each other.

How did the idea of doing the concept come about?

It was just when I saw a movie. My favorite movie is The Dark Knight. When I saw it for the first time, all the beginning of the story of the Nightstalker came in my mind.
I watch this movie four times a year to keep the original feeling in my head.

How has the concept progressed with the two projects and how far to go with it do you have planned for the future?

The concept becomes more and more complex with all the projects. Not only with the two musical projects but with all the ideas of each member. The universe created this way belongs to everybody not only to me.
I hope it will go on this way with new members in the future. Each conversation or each idea is a piece of this universe.

I really like the feeling that everybody has a influence on it.

For example, I didn't imagine making a movie like a found footage. It's just in a conversation that the idea comes in our mind. There is a lot of possibility, just to find the right person.
Actually we try some new stuff like a comic book and a video game. We hope to finish them. We would like to start another movie too but we don't know how to start it for now.
And finally the book takes a big place in the universe, i'm actually working on the second part and the third. 

How would you describe your style of music and how does it fit in with the themes?

For Sercati, it's black metal style with a lot of influences like pagan and other stuff. It's the right style to tell the main story with action. Something strong and really rythmic.

For The Nightstalker, it's sounds like ambient black metal because it's about inner feelings of the main character. Something really personnal.

What music or bands are you inspired by and how do they influence your musical output?
  
Without hesitation, Satanic Warmaster. I really like the songs and the work on the music (the different versions of Wolves of Blood and Iron are just amazing)
Agalloch too. It's a part of the music with Alcest and Fall of Rauros we like a lot.

What were you influenced with in regards to the concept?

I can say it with a big smile: Batman is the main influence. The Nolan version in the last trilogy. But not only The Dark Knight.
We also use elements from Catholicism. We keep in our mind some books of the Bible, to use this mythology for us and fit as well as possible with it.
We don't want talk about religion, we use it as a background to create our story. 

How do the two projects differ?

In different aspects, the two projects are different.

First is the music, Sercati is more nervous and with energy, The Nightstalker is more ambient and dark. The way to write the songs are really different too.
The Nightstalker is more spontaneous than Sercati. For Sercati we spend a lot of time on the songs together.

The second point is about the lyrics. The story is the same but the writing is different. In The Nightstalker, we stay focused the felling of the main character.
It's based on his point of view and his own feeling, how does he see the world around him and the other characters. Sercati tells the main story.  

The third point is about the composition and mixing and mastering. With Sercati, we work with Jonathan Mazzeo (amazing sound engineer) for our release.
But in the Nightstalker, I do recording, mixing and mastering by myself. So it's more spontaneous. Something more personal even in the way to work the sound. 

How have your ideas or output changed since the beginning if at all? 

They've changed a lot for many reasons. We are not the same persons. We have met a lot of people who changed our vision of music (I think of Jonathan Mazzeo, Carlo Bellotti and Andriy Molchan,...)
We need to evolve, like the story finally evolves with us, but without forgetting what was the beginning and the main meaning.

I said previously that for the first album, we have created the Nightstalker to have an album with all songs linked in one story. But since the first release of the Nightstalker

and the other album of Sercati, we work in the opposite way. We have the story and finally we write the music after the lyrics now. We write the music to support the lyrics.

What is it that you feel more encapsulates the full vision of what the band has been driving towards?

I think the concept is taking paths other than music but all is linked not only by the story but by the same faith to spread the story of the Nightstalker.
The vision is evolving on each new partnership. It's difficult the find only one kind of media to have the full vision.

The next album of Sercati (will be released soon) is more "cinematics" than the olders. We were very happy to take this way and it's more easier to give the story.
The movie (also released soon) gives the right ambiance about the city. But each media have his own signification in the full vision.

What is it about the style/genre of music you play that drives you to create it?

I don't think it's the style / genre of music who drives us to create. It's the story. We use the music to tell a story. Each part of our songs is created for the story.
We try to give music feeling according with the lyrics. It's very important to us to have this way to write music. The music is there to support the story.

How important is it for you to gain a more varied international audience?

Our goal is touch a lot of people, not for popularity but to give a message. I think through the Nightstalker and his story we can give a good message for everyone.
I hope the Nightstalker will become something bigger than us and our band. 

What if any would you say are the differences or similarities of your audience from different countries? Do you have any favourite places to play for example?

It's awful to say but we have more echoes from the audience from other countries than from ours. It's always a pleasure to play in our country but metal (specially our kind of metal) hasn't got
many places to play at. The venues are really difficult to reach.

You also have a book about the character. What is it about and how did that idea arise?

The idea to write a book came out when the music wasn't enough to tell the story of The Nightstalker. I take the time to write Sercati's whole first album in story. 
But I've developped a taste for writting this story and I've told another one and another until having enough for a book. 

In the first book, we discover how the Nightstalker came on Earth and his beginning as a nocturnal avenger.

Do you have plans for any more books or even films?

Yes, I've got a lot of ideas in my mind. I hope to realize all of them. I work on the sequel of the first book with my editor. 
After filming some short movies, we've worked on a "found footage" with some good friends. Kenny Vrancken, Ludovic Englebert, Michel Garsou and many others.
It was really nice to have all of them with us for this adventure. We hope to release it soon.

I have some project about a comic-book. I would like to have a bigger visual with the universe of our character. 

What are the future plans for the band? Long term and short term.

Short term : New album release for Sercati and The Nightstalker. We are working on it. A video clip for Sercati and The Nightstalker too. And the new book.
Long term : A comic book, I hope. A movie, another type that a found footage. And a lot of gigs.

Anything you would like to say to your current or potential future fans?

Listen our songs and The Nightstalker will watch over you...


Read more about The Nightstalker here:
https://www.facebook.com/Thenightstalkerofficial
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeL4jRqUP_c-mpOatP6NaJw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42YwBNzBjN8

Read more about Sercati here:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sercati
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeL4jRqUP_c-mpOatP6NaJw

Interview with Kosmogyr (Prague/Shanghai)

Kosmogyr is a Black Metal band, which members are located in Prague and Shanghai. In fact is a duo.
They will be releasing their first album Eviternity on the 9th of March.
We spoke to Ivan and Xander and thet have some very interesting things to say, so we suggest that you keep reading.
A review to the album will come soon too! 

How and when did the project arise and what are the themes or concepts behind the band?

Ivan: Just over two years ago, when Xander and I were at a dinner. We were talking about music, as we often would, and I’d mentioned how I’d been feeling a creative itch to start up a dedicated black metal project. Xander was down to give it a shot, and so off we went. It took us a while, but here we are.

What is behind the name of the band Kosmogyr?

Xander: Let’s save that one for another time.

How would you describe your style of music and how does it fit in with the themes?

Xander: It’s punishing and aggressive, and often quite bleak, but not without hope. There’s respite in the melody and the structures of the songs.

What music or bands are you inspired by and how do they influence your musical output?

Ivan: With metal vocals, I’ve always been drawn to singers who are able to deliver with multiple growling and screaming styles. Guys like Randy Blythe and Trevor Strnad — I’ll take a vocalist like them over a one-note automaton any day of the week. It’s something I’m always conscious of when coming up with the vocal parts for our music.

For the drums, I tried to approach the programming organically. I’m a drummer, but sadly not one with the chops and precision needed to handle this type of music. The beats and fills on the record are what I heard in my head as I listened to Xander’s riffs, and then I’d do my best to transcribe them as accurately as possible. It’s important to me that the drumming is convincing and musical, despite not having been performed by an actual musician.

You’re about to release your debut album Eviternity, What is the album about or what are the general ideas behind it?

Xander: We’d welcome listeners to read along with the lyrics as they listen so that they might create their own sense of meaning for each song. Each listener should be given the opportunity to approach the music on their own terms with as few preconceptions as possible, and so I’d prefer not to contextualize the album.

How long did it take to get to this point and how does it represent what the band is about?

Xander: It’s been a bit over two years since we officially decided to work together on a black metal band. If anything, I imagine that it conveys how ardently we believe in this music.

What are your plans after the release of the album? Tours etc.

Ivan: We’ll do our best to get as many ears on this one as we can, while thinking ahead to album #2. I’d like to maintain our momentum and continue creating more music. Touring isn’t quite something we’re able to do just yet, as we’re just two people half a world apart. However, I’d never rule it out, and we’d absolutely love to have the chance to play these songs live.

How have your ideas or output changed since the beginning if at all?  What is it that you feel more encapsulates the full vision of what the band has been driving towards?

Xander: We’ve been quite set on the structural approach of our songs and aesthetic choices of our sound we wanted from the beginning, and Eviternity is a reflection of these decisions. If anything, we became even more narrowly focused on what the sound of Kosmogyr should be as we worked on these songs.

What is it about the style/genre of music you play that drives you to create it?

Ivan: In the right hands, I find that black metal can be an intensely cathartic experience. I wanted to play a part in creating something that incorporated all my favorite elements from the ways black metal has been interpreted over the past handful of decades.

How important is it for you to gain a more varied international audience?

Ivan: It’s most important for me that the music has a chance to be heard. I’d love for it to be heard by anyone, no matter where they live.

What if any would you say are the differences or similarities of your audience from different countries? Do you have any favourite places to play for example?

Ivan: As a new band about to release our debut album, it’s a bit early on to think about this sort of thing, in terms of a global audience or something like that.

As for places to play, I’ll just say this: nothing beats a post-show meal of Chinese street food and street beers. There’s a legendary club in Wuhan called Vox Livehouse, and the entire street outside the venue is lined with food vendors making the most delicious stuff you can get anywhere in the world at 1am.

I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. China is the shit.

What are the future plans for the band? Long term and short term.

Ivan: We’re just getting started with this, despite having been working on this album for the past two years. I’m open to seeing where it goes, and I’d love to take it as far as we can.

Anything you would like to say to your current or potential future fans?

Ivan: Thanks for giving us your time and attention! I hope we can continue to deliver music that gives you whatever it is that you’re looking to get from it.

Read more about Kosmogyr in:

http://www.facebook.com/kosmogyr

http://kosmogyr.bandcamp.com

http://www.soundcloud.com/kosmogyr

Interview: Void Ritual (USA)

Void Ritual is a one man project by Daniel Jackson. In 2014 Void Ritual released its first EP called Holodomor and the reaction was very positive.
Afterwards, Void Ritual contributed with three songs for a split with Barshasketh, band from Scotland.
Now, in 2017 Void Ritual is releasing its first album. It will be called Heretic Wisdom and will come out through Throats Productions on the 18th of August.
Lachryma Christi had the chance to interview Dan Jackson. Here is what he has to say.

How did the project arise?

Essentially, it was just a decision to make black metal in a certain style. With me being just one person, you can kinda just decide to do things one day and then do it. I wanted to make music that reminded me of 90s Ulver and Darkthrone, so I just started doing it.

 How did you choose the band name?

A lot of people think of music as a cathartic experience, and the name relates to that. It helps relieve the tension that comes from the negativity we all experience in our lives. The Void Ritual , for me, means releasing this toxic shit from my brain, and putting it into my music.

How would you describe your style of music?

Black metal. I try not to overcomplicate things in that regard.

What music or bands are you inspired by and how do they influence your musical output?

For the new album, Heretical Wisdom, the strongest influences were Satyricon’s Nemesis Divina and Ulver’s Nattens Madrigal. Both influence the way I write guitar parts, and Frost as a drummer influences the way I program drums. There are also melodic Swedish influences, via bands like Sacramentum.

How would you describe your upcoming album? How does it differ or compare to previous releases?

Heretical Wisdom is probably a tad faster and definitely more melodic than my previous material. It’s pretty blast beat-centric, without much in the way of slowing down. It should be in your wheelhouse if you’re into mid 90s Norwegian black metal.

What is it about the style/genre of music you play that drives you to create it?

For me, black metal has always been the most expressive and emotionally powerful metal genre. I’ve tried creating in other genres, and it just doesn’t feel as natural or as “right” as black metal does. At least for now, it seems to be the only way I can express anything and feel any pride about the result. I’ve been listening to it for the last 20 years and no other style speaks to me, or allows me to speak, the way black metal has.

Why did you decide to  create everything yourself rather than with a band? What are the advantages of being a one man project?

I’ve been recording music on my own since I was in high school. I never released much of any of it, because it wasn’t up to snuff, production wise, but I stopped being in actual bands around 2005 or 2006. I was in a band where we rehearsed in the drummer’s garage. He sold off all of our equipment and moved out of state between practices and that put me off the idea for a long time. Now, it’s just about convenience, and not having to argue with anyone.

How would you describe your songwriting process?

I tend to use my recording software to help put things together. It helps me remember things and I can kinda cut/paste things together for reference. Sometimes it’s the guitars that sort of lead the way for a song, and other times I have a specific drumbeat that I think makes for a good foundation for something and I’ll write a riff to play into that beat. It’s always music first, then vocals. I guess if I had any talent as an actual singer, I’d try building songs off of vocal lines, like bands did in the 80s, but without vocal melody in play, it’s a lot easier to just write lyrics to fit what’s going on musically.

Do you think now it’s more advantageous to release music In various formats?

Sure. Everyone has their own tastes as far as physical media, and I’m not gonna fault anyone for what they like. People like what they like, so why not give them a version of the album they’d like most? I’ve been very lucky to have two different labels put out a CD (Throats Productions) and cassette (Tridroid Records) version of the album. I’d love to do a vinyl version eventually, if the interest is there.

Anything you would like to say to your current or potential future fans?

Thank you for giving Void Ritual a shot! I’m still pretty shocked that people enjoy it, so I’m grateful for anyone who finds something to enjoy about the music. I’ll try my best to not fuck things up.

Read more about Void Ritual in:

https://www.facebook.com/voidritual/

Tridroid Records:

https://www.facebook.com/TridroidRecords/

News: Bereft of Light release new album

Cascadian Black Metal project Bereft of Light by Romanian musician Daniel Neagoe new album Hoinar is out now and available via Loud Rage Music:

Physical version (jewel-case CD) :
http://shop.loudragemusic.com/bereft-of-light-hoinar

Digital version: https://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com/album/bereft-of-light-hoinar 

Tracklist:

I – Uitare
II – Legamant
III – Pustiu
IV – Freamat
V – Tarziu

Hoinar is now streaming in full here: https://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com/album/bereft-of-light-hoinar

Contact:

Bereft of Light
https://www.facebook.com/Bereft-Of-Light-2283859621840073/

Loud Rage Music
www.loudragemusic.com
loudragemusic.bandcamp.com

News: Mayhem on tour

Mayhem return to Europe with De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas in Autumn

 

MAYHEM tour
29 Sep 17 Berlin (DE) Colombia Theater
30 Sep 17 Dresden (DE) Reithalle
02 Oct 17 Stuttgart (DE) Wizeman
03 Oct 17 Graz (AT) Orpheum
04 Oct 17 Nilvange (FR) Le Gueulard
05 Oct 17 Köln (DE) Essigfabrik
06 Oct 17 Avelgem (BE) Hardrock Fest
07 Oct 17 Nijmegen (NL) Doornroosje (Soulcrusher Fest 2017)
08 Oct 17 Mannheim (DE) MS Connection
09 Oct 17 Colmar (FR) Le Grillen
15 Oct 17 Marseille (FR) Jas Rod
17 Oct 17 Roma (IT) Orion Live Club
18 Oct 17 Maribor (Sl) Stuk
19 Oct 17 Bratislava (SK) Randal
20 Oct 17 Katowice (PL) Mega Club
21 Oct 17 Warsaw (PL) Progesja
22 Oct 17 Riga (LT) Melna Piektdiena
23 Oct 17 Tallinn (EE) Tapper
27 Oct 17 Göteborg (SE) Brewhouse

MAYHEM festival
30 Jun 17 Helsinki (FI) Tuska
08 Jul 17 Viveiro (ES) Resurrection Fest 2017
03 Aug 17 Wacken (DE) Wacken Open Air 2017
11 Aug 17 Jaromer (CZ) Brutal Assault 2017
26 Aug 17 Crispendorf (DE) Wolfzeit Festival 2017
27 Aug 17 Bergen (NO) Beyond The Gates 2017
 

 

Line-up
Attila: vocals
Teloch: guitars
Necrobutcher: bass
Hellhammer: drums
Ghul: live guitar

Read more in:

www.facebook.com/mayhemofficial
www.thetruemayhem.com

Interview: Saille (BE)

Black Metal band from Belgium, Saille, have always been one of Lachryma Christi's favorite bands. They were number one of one of the yearly tops, and it is always a pleasure to review their releases. On the 13th of march, Saille released a new album called Gnosis. You can find the review here: http://lachrymachristizine.blogspot.pt/2017/02/review-sailles-upcoming-album-gnosis.html 
Gnosis is a lot different from the other albums, much heavier than the previous ones.
However, this time, Lachryma Christi had the opportunity of interviewing Saille, so keep reading to see what's going on, and to see what Dennie has to tell us. 

Saille is a very interesting name. From what we could find, it comes from the old Irish alphabet, Ogham, and it means willow. What does this word mean to you, as a band name?

You’re completely right about the meaning and old Irish alphabet! But to be honest, the name was originally chosen because it sounded pretty. It doesn’t have a real deeper meaning and is in no way connected to the band’s core message. In a way it’s a shame, I like it when the band name reflects the band, it adds to the whole. But, yeah, it is how it is and we’ve grown attached to the name, so it’s not like we’re going to change it to fit a certain concept.

How does your new album “Gnosis” differ from the previous ones, and where did you get the inspiration for it?

For starters, it’s a harder album. We’ve been aiming towards a more guitar oriented sound for a couple of albums now, but always had this thing or that thing holding us back. The departure of Dries (keys) and replacement of Jonathan (guitar) created an opportunity to finally push through several big changes (and we’re not done yet). The songs are more dissonant and harder, there’s less keyboard and the overall idea is more, ehm, holistic?
Concerning lyrics, for ‘Ritu’ and ‘Eldritch’ album I continued the line Dries (together with Filip from Gorath/Hemelbestormer) started with ‘Irreversable Decay’, one concept per album with a general ‘Beauty of Destruction’ band concept. Real nice and all, but for a band concept it’s quite weak imo, especially since I expect other black metal bands to have a strong core idea. For ‘Gnosis’ we updated the band concept, while trying to stay in line with everything we did so far: handing out ideas to the listener. The album concept and its Promethean/Luciferian theme is completely in line with this, without trying to make a pseudo religious/satanic band out of Saille. Most of us are atheist/agnostics, so that would be quite fake anyway.

How does the composing process work for Saille? Has it changed along the time?

It hasn’t. We’ve always created songs at home and use the internet to communicate and pass feedback to each other. The most practical way, I guess, since we live all over Belgium (which isn’t that impressive since it’s only 300 km wide, but still) and we barely see each other. And when we do we don’t jam, so no new songs there. Recording also happens this way, since all of us have some basic studio experience and the necessary computer software and hardware.

Do you get influenced by reviews you read about your albums? Does it change anything in the way you write or compose next time?

We try to read as much reviews as possible and try to get as much as possible out of it, without letting it guide us too much. In the end, we do what we want, but we’re not deaf to a healthy dose of critique. When someone says the guitar sound isn’t great or the songs are too long, we’ll review it and try to improve it, IF we agree. When someone else says we suck because we sound like festival black metal the guy can go fuck himself. We have no time for subjective shitposting.

Currently, are there any bands influencing what you’re doing?

Hundreds of bands, haha. I’m convinced that every band is the sum of the bands the individual members are influenced by. For Saille, this is extremely diverse, since each of us has a pretty different background (although black and death metal are a constant for each of us, but even that creates room for internal discussion about sub-sub-genres). Early Saille was apparently influenced by bands like Keep of Kalessin, Limbonic Art and Tartaros (or so every interview before 2014 says), but I guess bands like Behemoth, Shining (the Swedish one, not that shitty Norwegian band), Watain, Emperor and even Carcass are more important than those first three now.

Is there any band or artist you would like to share a stage?

Once again, this differs for every member, but everyone, except for me, would get an instant hard-on if Saille would share a bill with Meshuggah, haha. I wouldn’t mind sharing a stage with Attila Csihar. Best voice EVER in the entire history of black metal. Or a solo played by Selim Lemouchi from The Devil’s Blood, even though that’s never going to happen.

Which country do you enjoy more playing live?

*Cliché alert* We enjoy playing everywhere. But seriously, the 2 greatest countries for playing live are probably Germany and The Netherlands, great crowds and great venues! Especially the Backstage in München blew our minds! But we welcome every country to try and disprove that by doing better, haha!

Are there any words you would like to say to your fans reading this interview?

Thank you so much if you’re still reading at this point! Our new album ‘Gnosis’ is out now and is available on Spotify or iTunes and can be ordered at our web shop or that of our wonderful label Code666/Aural Music! Please talk to your local organiser about getting us there, we’re not stopping until we’ve been all over the world and we need your help for that!

Line up:

Reinier Schenk - guitars
Collin Boone- guitars
Dennie Grondelaers - vocals
Kristof Van Iseghem - bass
Kevin De Leener - drums


You can find more information about Saille here:

https://www.facebook.com/saillemetal/