What made you to start ROSSOMAHAAR? 
         
- Somewhere a couple of years ago, my mind was obsessed with insane dream of endeavouring myself in black metal. Doing everything for it’s realization and testing many musicians as supplementary members of ROSSOMAHAAR, I spent too much time... In the end, adhering to the example of mighty Quorthon, I decided to do everything myself... 
           
Rossomahaar... Isn’t it just another way to spell ‘wolverine’? Why did you choose such a name for your band?
           
- Yes, taking concrete translation you’ll get «wolverine». It’s loathsome, fetid animal, known for it’s extremely vile temper... Besides, in Slavonic mythology «rosomaha» stands for a certain spiteful demon, also rather abominable. Interpret this name as you want, the main thing is that it sounds good...
            
Also your handle - Lazar, sounds a bit strange for a black metaller... 
           
- Yeah, definitely strange! Somewhere (don’t remember where exactly), I read about certain archbishop namely Lazar, who was possessed by the forces of Evil and performed a lot of disgusting deeds. In the end he was killed, but memory remains anyway... 
         
I gained the impression that ROSSOMAHAAR’s music is based on keyboards... Am I right?
          
- Well, it has guitars and other metal «artefacts», but yes, keyboards prevail and it aggrieves me a bit. The reason is quite simple - I had only three channels for guitars and some of their parts had to be played on synthesizers.
           
Huge number of  true  black metallers consider incorporating synthesizers in BM bands’ sound as regular «trend» nowadays, which, in my view, causes nothing but laughter - then isn’t it a «trend» to use electric guitars??! 
            
- Yes, using keyboards is an evil «trend». Real music should be performed on empty beer cans, combs, fifes, snivels with rumbling of  replete stomach! Then great «true» spirit of our fathers will return to their sons and say: «Fuck the keyboards!» Such people as Bach or Beethoven were great trendmen and deceived people using keyboards in composing and performing their music...
             
«Black Towers Of Mordor», «The Elvencraft», «The Orcish Tide»... Seems like your lyrics are inspired to Tolkien’s «Master Of The Rings»...? 
        
- Basically, my lyrics are inspired by everything which surrounds me... «Black Towers Of Mordor» and «The Orcish Tide» are connected with the book you mentioned in some ways and «The Elvencraft»... - as far as I remember, it’s instrumental tune. 
         
Do you really believe in what you're singing about?
          
- I’m not sure that IT can be called as singing... more like an injured dog's howling... oops, I meant wolverine...
        
How long has been black metal in your sphere of interests? It’s quite popular now to accuse young (I mean musical length of «service») black metallers in being posers or something even worse, reminding them of their doom / death past... Well, I consider it as rather amusing thing, since all these «true» accusers selflessly listened to CANNIBAL CORPSE-alike bands and «BM» was something they knew nothing about a couple of years ago. Needless to say that these kids are often twice as younger than those whom they consider as posers...
           
- Black metal will exist as long as bands playing this kind of music will do it sincere, without turning their art into poser crap. You should know that listener also feels when someone tries to deceive him, in order to set up their stupid pathos for true evilness and hatred - and most contemporary BM bands do it exactly this way... And as to accusations of being posers and suchlike things... I also consider it as the same worthless stupid pathos. Let the one do his own business without saying anything about others. The phenomena of bands who formerly played death / doom and now are into BM should be taken as natural progress and development, of course only if their music is done at sufficiently high level. F.ex. DARKTHRONE never developed themselves and their music in any ways, nor being death metal band neither being black metal one, which makes me to consider their musical capabilities and IQ as quite low (I have the same view... - ED). Talking about ex-CANNIBAL CORPSE fans who suddenly turned their faces to BM and utterly forgot their past... it can be explained by people’s mutability, nothing else. Such individuals must not forget that cursing anyone else, first and foremost you curse yourself...
         
You already told me the details regarding your demo’s recording, but could you do it once again for VAE SOLIS readers? Despite the fact that «Grotesque» was recorded at your homestudio, it’s sound quality appears as surprisingly good - how could you manage to reach such a good result?
           
- Yes, «Grotesque» was recorded by myself on certain studio equipment which of course couldn’t provide perfect outcome, however it was enough... for the beginning.
         
You said that you are not satisfied with your vocals and this was a reason for putting them somewhere in the background - then tell me, did you ever think of inviting a session vocalist, who is able to scream «better»? 
           
- Yes, I’m not satisfied with my aptitude for vocals in black metal way of seeing this subject. Surely, I’d like to spawn more obscene sounds, like wolverine does. Soon I hope to acquire this splendid animal in order to use it as back vocalist, though while now The Red Book prevent me from accomplishment of my wish.
             
Are you planning to go on with ROSSOMAHAAR? What path will you embark on further? Are there any drastic differences between tracks featured on «Grotesque» and the ones written after this tape was released (even if new songs exist only in your mind while now)?
            
- Yes, I’m the main force behind ROSSOMAHAAR, creating all music and elaborating the main conception. But generally speaking, I’m going to find drummer and keyboardist (bassist is already found) and perform few gigs. I’m also planning to record second effort which will be more «guitar-oriented». The immediate aim in the release of «Grotesque» through R.I.P. productions (are you sure you got my question right...???  - ED)
           
Are you conversant enough with Russian metal press? What mags / zines / etc would you mark out as the best ones (besides VAE SOLIS of course, heh heh...)?
           
- Legion ‘zine is not bad, as well as Raven ‘zine. As to Russian web-editions, I know only yours... (let’s hope that VAE SOLIS will stay as one of a kind - ED)
         
Final words of yours...?
         
- Less words, more business! 
     

P.S. This interview was taken a couple of months ago, and while I was preparing this issue, I received some news from ROSSOMAHAAR's camp. First of all, Lazar found permanent bassist (namely Kniaz'). Secondly, soon you'll be able to hear new album from ROSSOMAHAAR - it's called "Imperium Tenebrarum"; the recording process should be completed somewhere in Winter 1998. I already heard few songs which appealed to me much better than the ones featured on "Grotesque" - new tracks are more thoughtout and "epic" with evident emphasis on guitars. One more thing - now I appear as ROSSOMAHAAR's poet and manager...
             

ROSSOMAHAAR contact -
Email: rossomahaar@hotmail.com