I´m not too famous with
your band´s history, so would you enlighten me a bit?
I began with Golden Dawn back in
the year 1992, in ´94 and +95 three demos were recorded, the best
one being "Way of the Sorcerer". My CD-debut was on the A.B.M.S (Austrian
Black metal Syndicate, -ed.) compilation "Norici Obscura Pars" and
as I received pretty good critics for this contribution Dark Matter Records
offered me a deal for three albums.
How´s the UG-metal scene
in Austria? What about other "scenes"? Finland? Could you tell something
about "the Austrian Black Metal Syndicate"?
The Austrian Black Metal Syndicate
belongs to the past as none of our bands are not really interested in co-operation
and common promotion. We haven´t got the same quantity of Black Metal
bands in Austria as in many other countries but we do have a few individualistic
artists/bands who make extreme and untrendy music, namely Abigor, Summoning,
Pazuzu, Korova, Golden Dawn and maybe some more. Of course scandinavia
still breeds the best black metal bands in the world, I think nobody would
deny this fact, it is just boring to see how many uninspired bands or side-projects
appear, there is fewer and fewer creativity and individualism in today´s
black metal movement. When I think of finland the Mighty Unholy come to
my mind first, they were really a unique cult band with very deep
emotions and great ideas.
What kind of reactions you have
caused with your demos & your CD? Have you got a lots of interviews?
The reactions I received so far
were all somewhere between good and excellent, but this is relative I think,
because you always receive letters only from those who liked your music,
the others just don´t write at all. But it seems that the interest
in Golden dawn is still growing, I receive quite many interviews these
days. Up to now I have received very few negative critics for my releases
as most people appreciate my attempt to create unique and original music
without sticking to any current trends.
What isnpires you to create music?
What if someone would somehow make an attempt to destroy your band?
In fact I don´t need any special
kind of inspiration for my music, I just try to transform my innermost
feelings directly into chords and melodies. Music is like any form of art
a kind of personal therapy, just like an author or painter I try to reflect
upon the mystery called life and express my self through art. Those who
share my feelings and are of similar spiritual constitution will like my
music, those who feel differently than I do will ignore it. This is why
I wouldn´t care if I received some very negative critics, which hasn´t
happened so far, but as long as Golden Dawn is respected I don´t
worry what others think or say about my music. Golden Dawn can´t
be destroyed by anyone except my self, no matter who attempts it.
What the name Golden Dawn means
to you? I know there is the Hermetic Order Of Golden Dawn... And what do
satanism & occultism mean to you?
I don´t have any special relationship
with this hermetic order, the name just fits to my lyrical contents and
my general interest in everything that is beyond the reach of what is referred
as "reason" or "common sense". I belive in parallel aspects of reality
that are accessable for those who are able to to canalize and store their
energies and to awaken their astral body. Occultism is not for fools, magic
is a dangerous thing and especially a life-long learning process, only
he who breaks all earthly chains and rejects any egoism is able to receive
cosmic knowledge and transcendental enlightenment. If we act as individuals
we will never experience these things, wisdom is only for those who forget
about the self and are one both which is often called god, but I prefer
to say "nature" or "cosmos" instead of god, as the higher dimensions are
impersonal.
What do you think when facism/nazism
is connected with black metal?
This is foolish, because Black Metal
should be a synonym for an individual path of dark knowledge beyond the
reach of those belonging to the herd. Fascism is mass hypnosis and works
only with huge anonymous herde of weaklings who accept leaders above them
telling what to do. Dictatorship and fascism leaves no room for individual
thoughts and art, just think of the Nazis who burned thousands of books
which were not conform with the ideas of the system. I am no racist who
thinks that some races are superior and others inferior. I think that most
people are inferior, no matter to which race they belong. Normally every
weak animal which hasn´t got the power to survive is selected and
dies, much to my regret this is not true for man. We have got a society
based on social and christian values, this is why stupidity and and pathetic
inferiority survives just like the doctrine of the weak crucified Christ
survived. The strong should survive, this is what I think, but I don´t
have anything against Jews or other races. All those who connect satanism
with fascism have completely misunderstood creation things.
Would you describe the atmosphere
of your music?
My principal goal is to create time-
and limitless non-commercial music, this is why I integrate elements from
different centuries and cultures. Golden Dawn reflects obscurity, occult
knowledge, dark passion and majestic enlightenment.
I noticed some industrial/techno
feelings in your song, "Sub specie Aetarnites" Aren you into such kind
of music? What kind of music tastes you have besides metal?
I don´t really listen to techno
but I think that the powerful, rhytmic and hypnotic elements of this music
style fit quite well to the energy of metal. I won´t continue with
such influences in golden Dawn but I have got a side project called Vanitas
where I experiment a lot with trance and industrial patterns in connection
with distorted guitars. Besides metal I love every kind of dark electronic
music, especially things like Klaus Schulze, Jean Michel Jarre and so on.
Furthermore I am fond of medieval music and of some classic pieces, especially
the monumental music of Richard Wagner is something I am really into.
What about the following?
- Venom - Grindcore - violence - beer - Manowar - hippies - suicide
Venom were no great musicians and no talented composers but they were fucking extreme and the first who created music with a kind of demonic feeling. I still respect their first three albums, they are still milestones in the history of black metal. Grindcore is not my cup of tea, too much stupidity, too little creativity. Violence is for those who can´t accept their own inferiority and insignificance, I don´t think that violence is the best way to solve a problem. But I don´t care about other human beings anyway, this is why I would never fight with someone. Beer is something I consume form time to time but I don´t really like it as a drink I prefer wine or harder drinks. Manowar is cult, I really love their hymnic metal, besides they are very good musicians. Hail and kill, death to false metal! Hippies, well I don´t really share their opinions, life is war, that´s how nature works,peace is fucking pathetic! But don´t misunderstand me, If I say war I don´t necessarily mean physicla violence against othr people, war can also mean a battle which you constantly fight spiritually or against your own inner weakness. Suicide is something I respect, because nobody of us was asked if he wants to live or not, so if someone doesn´t want to live any longer, why should he? It can easily happen one day that I can´t control my hate against our superficial western society anymore, then I will also chose my final day on earth myself.
So, you are the only member of
Golden Dawn? You had also some additional musicians on the CD...?
Yes, Golden Dawn is my solo-project,
but as I am composer and no musician I need the support of studio musicians.
On "The Art of Dreaming" we engaged a session drummer and a professional
singer who was able to to add an atmosphere to the clean vocals parts I
couldn´t give to them. Finally the producer Martin Schirenc helped
me with some complicated guitar parts in order to let the album sound really
professionally.
How long you have been playing
your instruments? Are you self-learned or have you got some musical education?
What was your first instrument?
I have never learned or practiced
any instruments, but if you compose and play songs for five years your
fingers become faster and you develop some musical and technical skills.
I got my first guitar on my 14th birthday, one year later I got myself
a keyboard and a synthesizer. The demos were recorded on a four track recorder,
nowadays I record all guitars. keyboards, vocals and the bass on my computer.
What would you do in next situations:
- Michael Jackson would run to
you alone in dark alley way
- Someone would send dead rats
with killing threats to you and tell you that you are a white metal band?
Hm, I think this must be a
double then as the real Micahel Jackson is a puppet who makes no step without
his bodyguards. But I don´t htink there is something I want to talk
about Michael Jackson. Concerning the dead rats - I have never received
such threats but I would be amused and proud to receive a killing threat.
But unfortunately the senders of killing threats are cowards who are
unable to let actions follow their words. I don´t have anyhting against
white metal bands, such as saviour machine as it is much more courageous
nowadays to write christian instead of satanic lyrics. But I think that
everyone will recognize that Golden Dawn is no christian band but an occult
one.
A boring question, but what do
you think of the famous events that took their place in Norway some years
ago...? Any similar happened in Austria?
It is weak to destroy and murder
without intention, if you destroy something you have to create something
new. I don´t care if some weak human beings kill each other, nor
do I care for a few burnt churches, I mean this is good as symbol but if
you want to fight against christianity you won´t reach anything with
church burnings or grave desecrations, you have to change an attitude.
But I´m not interested in trying this, in my opinion religion is
for fools and I don´t care about the problems of the fools, if someone
feels obliged to fall on his knees before a crucified corpse he should
do so. (Yes, but I think it´s not good that such idiotic lowlife-scum
are telling everyone what to do! -ed.) In Austria we had one case of
satanic murder and I think some grave descecrations and attempts of church
burnings as well, but nothing really serious or spectacular.
How´s the living in Austria?
Some really beautiful nature over there, right?
Yes, the nature is wonderful here,
but we have all those masses of tourists all he time. Austria is a small
country, I think in Finland everything is much huger and you can really
be on your own if you wish to. But the majestic mountains in Austria are
really great.
Have you played any gigs or have
you got plans to do so?
For the moment I am not interested
in training my songs with other people and in all the technical shit that
would be necessary for a Golden Dawn gig (a computer would perform all
the classical arrangements and the drummer would have to play click track).
What really would fascinate me is playing together with a choir, an orchestra
or at least a string or brass ensemble. This would be a worthwile experience
but I don´t think that I can ever realize such an event.
If you would know that soon yo
will be dead, from what you would want to be remembered and what would
you like to say for your final words?
Perhaps I will once be remembered
because of my music, but this is not what counts. A wise man doesn´t
wish to be famous or to be remebered after his death. I don´t think
that I will have something special to say in my final hour.
I think your CD can be musically
compared with bands like; Gehenna, Arcturus, Emperor, Thy Serpent... What
do you think?
As I know that the second Golden
Dawn album can become better than the debut in all aspects if all persons
involved try hard I would agree to this. (Well, kind of misunderstanding
here... I actually did mean if Golden Dawn´s style is maybe a bit
similiar to those bands mentioned -ed.) I think that in one year´s
time Golden Dawn will definetaly belong to the most original and respected
bands.
What records you have been listening
to recently?
I love Blind Guardian, they play
on a level no black metal band has ever reached! I aslo listen to early
Helloween, early Metallica, Bathory, Manowar, Dead can Dance and related
things, classical and ethnic music and all kinds of avantgardistic synth
music.
Anything to add?
The second Golden Dawn album is
already composed, I will probably record it in summer so that it will be
released in September or October. Except symphonic, bombastic and polyphonic
Metal in its most intense form. Finally tahnk you for your support
and hail to all supporters of extreme art in Finland.
Well, I guess I have to thank
you, Stefan for good answers for my more or less boring questions! According
to my knowledge the second album of Golden Dawn hasn´t been released
yet... But wait and see!