At the end of 2017, Grim Spirit released „Elegies Of The Stellar Wind“, the latest album of his solo project EVILFEAST and a masterpiece of cold, majestic black metal that was perfectly balanced in its composition and sound. In our interview we asked the Polish maverick about the content of his new songs, his way of dealing with production, his opinion on black metal in general as well as his political views.
The name of your solo project EVILFEAST seems to indicate raw black metal, however, you are also making use of majestic keyboards. Why did you still choose to go by this name?
Because I don’t see a single reason to change it. I came up with this name probably at the age of 15-16, and as far as I remember it was supposed to reflect the outburst of wrath, hateful and dark feelings I experienced back then. And these emotions have been the foundation and principle of EVILFEAST till the very present day, sure I sense them in far more mature way now, but far more profound as well, so the name still depicts the project’s essence, even if someone may now consider it unsophisticated and naive, I don’t care. EVILFEAST is and will forever be Unholy Black Metal – dark, hateful and majestic… Against light, monotheistic dogmas and “morality”, dealing with aspects that in this moribund, degenerating world are labeled as evil. Of course, there is also a strong touch of sorrow and melancholy within the project, but always inseparable from the above mentioned dark approach. These are simply two sides of my spirit, two streams from the same source. Undoubtedly, over the years the name has grown together with my project, and I’m sure for the appropriate individuals it is inseparably connected with its whole appearance and attitude. And if some “newcomers” overlook EVILFEAST due to misjudging it by the name, well, it’s their loss, not mine.
You are also part of two other black metal bands: Ravenmoon Sanctuary and Revenge. In which way does EVILFEAST set itself apart from these two other projects?
EVILFEAST is my only project. My first creation, my greatest work, which accompanies me now for the better part of my life, and to a great extent IS my life. There’s no comparison with the other bands you mentioned: They’re creations of other persons, I just help them sometimes, because they asked me to, and due to my respect for them. Ravenmoon Sanctuary is mainly a band of Wened and Colder, I only did the keyboard parts for some releases, but at the moment don’t know if Ravenmoon… exists anymore at all. Revenge is a band run by my comrade, I’m just a session drummer there.
Why was it important to you to have a solo project beside playing in these two bands? And which one of the three projects are you mostly focused on?
I guess I’ve answered above, and I have to correct you and once again emphasize: EVILFEAST is not a “solo project beside other bands”, it’s actually totally opposite – it was created first, and any other possible activity of mine is only an addition. EVILFEAST is always and forever most important and before any other band. EVILFEAST is me.
A solo project is a lot of work since you have to do almost everything on your own. Which aspect of working alone is the most difficult one to you – composing, recording (maybe a certain instrument) or the production?
I would say the production, mainly because I’m a total amateur in that subject. Every recording session is a bit like walking in the dark, with trials and errors, and an unknown at the end. So far I’ve always managed to finish the recordings with satisfying results, even if sometimes quite different from my initial visions. But all in all I don’t consider any aspect of working in EVILFEAST as difficult or problematic, as the process of creating Black Metal is not hard work, but a spiritual fulfillment.
You recently released „Elegies Of The Stellar Wind“, your fifth full-length record, six years after its predecessor „Wintermoon Enchantment“. Why did it take you twice as long as with your previous releases?
Time seems to run faster and faster, I didn’t even feel the passing of these six years. Basically the music for “Elegies…” was ready in 2015, but then technical problems occured. In short – I had to replace a lot of equipment and other stuff, and therefore was forced to refresh some of my habits when it comes to recording and producing music, learn certain things from scratch. Besides, the last years were a period when I travelled a lot, and it was an additional factor making me delay the start of the recordings. Anyway, I hope the breaks between albums will however be shorter in the future.
While there were some shorter instrumentals on „Wintermoon Enchantment“, your recent record consists solely of long-tracks between 8 and 15 minutes. Is there a certain reason behind this?
No certain reason, it just happened this time. I always start composing from single themes and melodies, which I start to merge into more complex structures. At some point of the process, a concept begins to emerge, concerning the number of tracks, their sequence, duration, etc. It all comes in a natural way. As you know, “Elegies…” actually has intro and outro, and the fact that they’re not separated songs but parts of the first and the last track, is rather of secondary importance.
Do you consider one of the tracks of the new album as your favorite and if yes, which one and why?
There is no such thing as the established favorite track of mine, as in my deepest conviction they’re all at the same high level of majesty and might. I can only say about a kind of interim favorite for the present moment, and it still keeps changing, depends on the temporary mood or I don’t know what else. Currently I would probably point at “From The Northern Wallachian Forest… Tyranny Returns”, but I’ve no idea why, when I think of the album now, it just somehow seems most enticing for me. I’ve had the same feeling repeatedly about every single track since the release of this album.
There are a lot of sound samples to be heard on the album, like for example flowing water or a galloping horse. What’s the thought behind this?
Enhancing the atmosphere and to some extent reflecting the lyrical concept of each track. Broadening the spectrum of experiences from listening to the album. Adding profundity, building the impression of dealing with a great entirety, a journey divided into chapters…
Do you tell an ongoing story throughout „Elegies Of The Stellar Wind“ or does each song deal with another subject?
There is no linear story within the lyrics, but there are main themes I deal with on this album. Out of the triad of concepts “Tradition – Heritage – Destiny” being a leitmotif for at least two of my last albums, “Elegies…” is dedicated mostly to destiny. The lyrics are basically separate stories, but they all deal with notions of fate, destiny, strength and wisdom, overcoming human limitations in strife with overwhelming the burden of the external astral forces, creating one’s own dark path, an endless quest against stagnation and degeneration… They are also connected by certain phrases, sentences, metaphors, that are repeated in various songs in slightly different context. The poetry on this album is probably even more metaphoric, deep and multi-layered than ever, to reflect the above mentioned subjects I use various means. For example “The Second Baptism… Shores In Fire And Ice” contains my impressions of the sea, and was inspired by my own experiences, like an autumnal trip to Pomerania, or a summer storm I faced on the Ruegen Island. “Lunar Rites… Beholding The Towers Of Barad-Dur” – as title says – is connected with Tolkien’s work, but it’s not any sort of a fairytale about elves, rather something like my personal attempt to make a reversed glance at the allegory of good and evil omnipresent in his works, and by this occasion – my own manifestation of standing eternally at the dark side. “From The Northern Wallachian Forest… Tyranny Returns” is kind of a legend written by me, its action takes place in the title region, which I visited several times and admire. The legend has also strong allegoric aspect and can be referred to the present times. “Archaic Magic… A Cenotaph Below The Cursed Moon” was inspired by my numerous journeys through the region of the Polish-Czech-German borderland – Lower Silesia, Saxony, Lausatia, Erzgebirge, Polabian & Sudetian Mountains, etc. One of the most haunting & inspiring lands I’ve ever been to. The lyric contains my impressions on its beauty, atmosphere, nature, history, of course in a very dark approach to the subject… Alright, I guess I could spend hours speaking about the lyrics, but enough for now. I recommend everyone interested to delve into this unholy poetry on their own.
The gloomy artwork is a painting by Edmund Koken. How did you stumble across it and why did you choose exactly this picture?
I’ve known this painting for years, since I’m an admirer of the 19th century visual arts. I just recalled it at some point of creating the new album, and came to the conclusion that it would be a perfect visual invitation to “Elegies…”. First of all, it’s just haunting with its cold, mysterious and majestic atmosphere, just like the album itself. Second – you can find a lot of metaphoric aspects within it, like nature versus human work, a church overwhelmed by the forest, a gate and a forest path as the choice between two ways… Aspects that can be related to the general concept and lyrical themes of the album.
„Elegies Of The Stellar Wind“ was released through Eisenwald Tonschmiede. Why did you choose this label in particular and how did it come to your cooperation?
In the last years I’ve received plenty of release offers from various labels, they were still coming. Some guys almost begged me for letting them release the new EVILFEAST album, of which not a single minute was even recorded back then. So, when the work on “Elegies…” was getting close to finish, I just started to view all these offers, and eventually the choice has fallen on Eisenwald. They just seemed like a serious underground label, reputable, respectable and respecting themselves, that means preferring quality over quantity, carefully choosing bands to cooperate with, instead of polluting the scene with hundreds of poor and mediocre stuff, so I decided to give them a try.
The production of the record seems to be raw on purpose, definitely not because of a technical lack, which shows especially through the keyboards. Is it hard to create this 90s style black metal sound, while still living up to the standards of more modern music?
I don’t intend to create a “90’s sound”, I always intend to create a sound that is raw, powerful and with its own individual character, even if sometimes hardly digestible for some (Black Metal shouldn’t be too easily digestible for everyone). The fact is, that this kind of sound production is associated with 90’s, but that’s a secondary thing. I just hate the majority of contemporary production – cliched, schematic, featureless… EVILFEAST is in opposition to this. I wouldn’t say creating the sound is a problem for me, I always work on it till I achieve satisfying result. I’m sure that – paradoxically – my lack of professional knowledge is helpful to make a different and in some way unconventional and individual sound, as I’m not loaded with schemes concerning production work. However I have to mention, that in case of “Elegies…”, the finished stuff has been actually sent to the professional producer Greg Chandler of Priory Recording studio, and he gave the final touch to my raw ideas, without losing their raw essence.
There are a lot of bands that try to reproduce the magical feeling of second wave black metal and many of them fail. What, in your opinion, makes the difference between a band that succeeds in authentically playing that style and a band that just sounds like a badly done copycat?
Talent, passion, devotion and sincerity – these are the factors, that are finally always critical for the value of the band. Maybe that’s why they fail – because they try to “reproduce” something… While EVILFEAST is not any “retro” or “old-school” band, I just hate these terms. EVILFEAST is – no more no less – a tribune for my own darkest feelings, ideas and visions. I’ve chosen this majestic, raw, hateful, still melancholic and ethereal Black Metal as the perfect form to express them, and it hasn’t changed since the beginning. So EVILFEAST is not any kind of “nostalgic return”, cause I don’t have to return anywhere, I just keep creating the form of art that is still closest to me. And it shouldn’t be at all considered in the context of time, as something “assigned” to the 90’s and now “outdated”, since in my deepest conviction, true Black Metal art is timeless, and now exactly as fresh, timely, potent and valid as it was 20 years ago, and as it will be in the next 20 years.
What do you think of more modern styles of black metal?
I dislike them, be it “religious”, “depressive”, “Post-BM” trends, some pseudo avantgarde crap, or something that is nowadays called “Atmospheric BM”. Most of the bands dealing with those styles are totally unable to create at least an ersatz of the atmosphere that could touch my soul in any way, so I don’t give a shit about them.
Some musicians of the Polish black metal scene have been really controversial in the past because of their radical political views. What’s your personal stand on this?
I hail the old radical Polish Black Metal. Much more valuable than today’s new-fashioned mess. However, I think the term “political” is often too widely used, although it’s a matter of where to place the border between ideology in its spiritual, esoteric and political aspects. If the band proclaims the need for preservation of cultural, national and racial heritage, is it politics? Maybe, maybe not, depending on what form it takes, which aspects are emphasized etc. As for EVILFEAST – I share these views to a great extent. EVILFEAST is – inter alia – a manifestation of a wide spectrum of values & ideas, that I could briefly and summarily depict as Elitism, Ancestral Spirituality and National Romanticism. I consider my project a part (and a carrier) of ancient European heritage. Still I don’t see it “political” in any way, as this project is more personal and introspective, not directed to invert anyone and call to built any “new era”, (mainly because modern society is already lost within materialism and weak, nature-adverse doctrines), I just care for these values & ideas within myself. I realize though, that in present times the above-mentioned views are for many people enough to call me “politically radical”, and I’m pretty much fine about it, as my ideology is eternally the fist in the face of this modern, degenerated world.
EVILFEAST will most likely stay a pure studio project without playing live shows, am I right? Do you personally value live performances or do you think they’re not fitting for this type of music?
I’m not a great fan of Black Metal “live-shows” in general. As well as of any event that gathers a crowd of people. EVILFEAST over the years has received some proposals of adding session musicians and performing live on some festivals, but I’m not convinced of such an idea. Yes, I rather think that my music, to be truly experienced, should be experienced in different circumstances and with a different audience. For example, an audience of trees in a forest.
How will you continue with EVILFEAST? Will the next album also take longer to be released than before?
At the moment my decision is that the next EVILFEAST stuff will be the next full-length album exclusively, no EPs, splits etc. (although I don’t exclude that I’ll change my mind in a while). I even have composed some first tunes for it lately, but it’s just the very beginning of the road. As I’ve said – I hope the break between albums will be shorter this time, on the other hand – I will devote to every material as much time as I deem necessary. EVILFEAST is not about releasing some average album every year, my standards are far superior.
Let’s continue with our traditional Metal1.Info-Brainstorming:
Ambient: Some forms are interesting, most is not my cup of tea.
Darkthrone – Dimmu Borgir: Both once glorious, both for me non-existent for many years.
The European Union: Abstractly speaking – potentially a valuable idea, but in practice, due to basing it on wrong principles, its collapse seems inevitable.
Top 3 albums of 2017: in alphabetical order:
– Domgard – “Odelagt”
– Häive – “Iätön”
– Krolok – “Flying Above Ancient Ruins”.
Satanism: A way of wolfs among sheep.
EVILFEAST in five years: Still on my ancient path, but five years further.
Alright, I want to thank you once more for this interview. Do you want to end by saying something to our readers?
I guess enough has been said. Thank you for the interview.
13. April 2018 Stephan Rajchl