BlackmetalTR - Krieg

1- Firstly band’s name was Imperial but then it was chanced as Krieg what was the reason?

Two other Imperials existed at the time, one a Swedish and another a French. So it seemed natural to want to distance myself from them to avoid any legal trouble. The idea of the name was brought up while recording the first album and it seemed appropriate. The rest I guess is pretty well documented and I’ve kept the name now for eleven years.

2- When Imperial start to making music?

The first demo was written and recorded in early 1995, February or March maybe. The second and third were done in early 1996, but only the second demo “Endless Path” was spread to about 5-700 copies in early 1997.

3- Can you talk about darkness and hate in Krieg’s music?

Not the usual “dark god of oblivion” sort of shit but more based on the personal hells that permeate my waking and dreaming hours. I try to only focus Krieg on my own ideas, philosophies, and nightmares. Over the years a lot of what you could call my “mental condition” or “state of well being” has crept into the music. I’m not an extremely pleasant person and I think it shows.

4- What was factors that pushing Krieg to Black Metal?

It couldn’t be anything else.

5- You are from New Jersey. There is a lot of Glam metallers. What are advantages and disadvantages making Black Metal in New Jersey?

I havent seen any “glam” folk in New Jersey since I was a lot younger, maybe there’s clubs and group picnics but I sure as fuck don’t know about them. As for New Jersey for creating black metal, I wouldn’t know what advantages or disadvantages there are. I don’t create out in the open so my environment when I leave the house doesn’t play much of a part of it and I’m too old now to really care how it’s viewed locally. The only problem I have is my mail being searched and consistant police harassment.

6- Why did band split up in 2005?

I was too fucked up to continue it properly.

7- What are speciality that discriminating Black Metal from other type?

When it still meant something or currently? Currently with bands being on television and in magazines that specialize in “loud rock” etc I don’t see much taking black metal away from pop music standards. You should have asked me ten years ago when I might have had an answer worth telling.

8- Why you are mentioning war, destroying etc. in your lyrics?

Because flowers and kittens are used by bands like Dimmu Borgir enough I figured I needed something different.

9- Is there any Black Metal type symphonic, depressive etc. that you think it’s unnecessary?

I think most people are unneccessary so obviously a lot of what kind of music irregardless of genre is unneccessary to me.

10- What is the best album for Krieg? What do you think?

I haven’t made it yet. Probably if I had to choose a finished recording “The Black House” comes closest to what I want to achieve. “Blue Miasma” as well. I’d love to combine the best aspects of both records and release it as “Black Miasma” but I don’t think the record labels would find that as great as I do.

11- Krieg is in Black Metal from 1995. Do you think it is just amateur or Professional?

Well I look at professional in two terms: money and how you conduct yourself. If money is professional then I am very fucking amatuer because I’ve lost tens of thousands of dollars from my activities in Krieg from self funded recordings to tour promoters that dissappear when it’s time to pay. I think a lot of bands are in this state as well. In terms of how I conduct myself, these days everything I do is presented with as much class as I can muster. Krieg will always be an underground band but I look at it more as an expression of myself and art than in “band” terms.

12- Which bands do you think that affecting you ? And what about Turkish bands do you know any?

Currently the black metal bands I find appealing are Satanic Warmaster, Vordr, Urfaust, Circle of Ouroborus, Lifelover, Shining, The Deathtrip and a few others. Finnish bands still are the most interesting to me. I don’t listen to a lot of new bands because I’m very bored with a lot of shit. This sounds pompous and stuck up but honestly I have a large enough record collection to keep me pleased. As for Turkish bands, I’m afraid I don’t know much of your scene. I remember in the late 90’s a band called Ebonsomething…thats it. In this answer I severely fail.

13- You are in Black Metal at least 13 years. In 80’s as well when everybody was buying an album they would be so thoughtfulness. But anymore everbody is roling darkthrone mayhem etc. what do you think about this?

I don’t think much has changed. There’s still people who listen to black metal for purely mindless reasons and for these people there are limitless mindless bands. These mindless bands and people then form little clubs and sit around listening to mindless music and talk mindless shit (at least in the United States, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows anything about the US). But there are still bands and individuals with important music and important things to express. They’re rare but they’ve always been, it’s up to the educated individual to stand up from these stupid clubs and go out and search for what speaks to them.

14- Do you think that black metal is just keeping it’s reality or Black metal will vanish slowly?

Black metal’s real underground will continue just as real death metal and real underground punk music has continued to thrive even years after their originators lost their way.

15- What about your other projects?

Right now I’m rehearsing with my other bm band Nil for a 3 or 4 song recording. I have a noise/black metal project in the style of late Havohej and power electronics bands like Whitehouse (Total Sex era). I’m also still kicking around with March into the Sea, which was a doom band who released a demo and full length in 07.

16- Finally what do you want to say BlackmetalTR’s members?

Listen to Strid