What was the main reason for VINDSVAL’s formation?
 
Krig: The main reason for VINDSVAL’s formation was that Berzerk, Hagalaz and me have been listening to the same kind of ( metal ) music for years and we thought that we should put together our dark fantasies and musical abilities to form a very dark and agressive band ourselves.
 
Your band was formed in the winter of 1996, so you still look like newcomers in the BM scene. Please, tell us a few words regarding VINDSVAL’s past...
 
Hagalaz: Berzerk and me started to cover old thrash-metal songs and so we discovered that we had a perfect musical coordination. With Berzerk's ideas we composed songs very quickly and we cooperated in a perfect way. So we wrote the raw material for the songs under the name of VINDSVAL and went looking out for an adequate drummer. With Shadow (drums) we found one and came to know the rest of the Luxemburgish BM scene. He and Mogon (bass) also play in an other luxemburgish BM band called BLACK CANDLE. But we threw Mogon out of the band because he didn't put the strength in the band he should have to.
 
Your band’s name and lyrics are strongly inspired by Northern mythology - don’t you think that this may become a reason for accusing you in «following the trend» and suchlike things?
 
Krig: In fact, our band name is taken from Northern mythology; Vindsval is the name for the father of winter. But we think that this name perfectly reflects the idea behind VINDSVAL: absolute and majestic coldness and despair. We have got three songs which are inspired by Northern mythology, but I have to say that the lyrics have been written long time before our band was formed and before this 'Viking-Trend' even came up. I thought that the lyrics were too good to be wasted and so we put them together with the music. But even though I am very interested in Northern mythology, these are the only Norse lyrics. Our new lyrics are based on my dark fantasies which take place in a grotesque world I created.
 
What is so attractive exactly in Scandinavian myths? I mean, you have your own tales of Ancient Past which could serve as the source of inspiration for VINDSVAL’s creativity...
 
Krig: Scandinavian myths are so interesting, because of the people who put their faith in them. I mean the Norsemen were great warriors because of their beliefs. They swore oaths to their gods and thought that they would give them the strength to fight victoriously. Scandinavian deities have got very human characters; they are absolutely not perfect and one can identify with them. In two centuries the Norsemen reached a level of conquest and culture that practically no other people achieved. And concerning our tales of ancient past, we will perhaps use them in our future songs.
 
What happened to your rehearsal room? Could you enlighten us concerning the fact of it’s loss?
 
Hagalaz: We had a good rehearsal room together with BLACK CANDLE. It was placed in an old building and it had the perfect atmosphere for rehearsals. But after some time the owner threw us out, because he didn't have a good feeling when lots of people dressed in black occupied his room week for week.
 
You all come from Luxembourg and I bet that there’re not too many BM bands in this country... Can you say for sure that VINDSVAL is the only black metal horde that ever existed in your motherland? If yes - is it hard to be the ONLY ONES (i.e.: does it cause any problems with finding new bandmembers or performing gigs)?
 
Hagalaz: Apart from us, there are two other namable BM bands in Luxemburg: BLACK CANDLE and SARGATHANAS. But those two bands mainly consist of the same members. We all know each-other and support each other in the best possible way.
 
Please, few words about each of VINDSVAL’s members so we could create their image in our minds...
 
Krig: I am responsible for the lyrical atmosphere of VINDSVAL. I made up the idea behind VINDSVAL with all of the thoughts involved. Berzerk writes all of the music. He is more a quiet kind of guy that lives with and for the music. He doesn't want to make his character accessible to other people. Hagalaz refines the songs, Berzerk writes and involves his own ideas into the whole. We three are the main members behind VINDSVAL because we know each other very well and harmonize in our thoughts and impressions.
 
Had any label or distro-company showed interest in your music?
 
Krig: Well, you must know that our demo was not thought to be released properly or for promotion purposes because of it’s sound, but we thought that we could send it to various people to have an impression of what other people think of our music. Even if we haven't sent it to labels or distro-companies, there is a label that told us that it would perhaps be interested (even if I don't know how they come to know us!).
 
Would you like to tell me anything about your personal beliefs? What do you think of people blindly believing in various non-existent deities, as well as their antithesis - the ones who reject everything, but themselves?
 
Krig: I for myself believe in nothing the human mind created and imposed upon others, be that any kind of god or other spirit. I believe in the power of nature and in myself. My lyrics reflect my fantasies, not my beliefs. I think that people believing in one perfect god are just too afraid to face the earth as it is. They make up their image of an almighty deity to feel secure. Their mind is too weak to build an own strong character. People putting their faith in monotheistic religions, believing in one almighty and perfect god, believe that everything they do, be that good or bad, is wanted by their god and so they cannot be blamed for their mistakes. That's what makes me furious. I think it is just as stupid to believe in the anti-thesis as it is to believe in the 'original' deity. I mean for example the idea of Satan is just a christian belief and a so-called satanist should never roar: «Kill the Christians», because his own belief is of christian origin. I do not consider myself a satanist, and I would like all kinds of religions to disappear from the surface of this earth, be that christianity or islamism or some other mad ideas that are forced upon humans.
 
Can you name a couple of latest BM recordings, which really staggered your imagination?
 
Krig: Of the latest BM recordings, there are almost none that really impressed me. The only one I could think of is the new FALKENBACH recording. I think that there are practically no newer releases that can reach the originality and quality of discs such as SATYRICON’s «Shadowthrone» or EMPEROR’s «In The Nightside Eclipse» (you’re WRONG, damn it!!! You just couldn’t say such things after listening to the new CD’s from SEAR BLISS, ASTRAL, CHILDREN OF BODOM, COVENANT, GATES OF ISHTAR, OPERA IX, BEHEMOTH, PROFANUM, NECROMICON, EINHERJER, NOCTES, INFERNAL GATES, XYTRAS, SAMAEL, BAL SAGOTH, LUX OCCULTA, IN AETERNUM, OLD MAN’S CHILD, DECAYED, ELEND, CRYPTIC CARNAGE, etc, etc, etc....!!!! - ED).
 
Now it’s time to ask about your band’s new creations... Is there any difference between former songs and the ones composed recently? «Of Heathen Blood And Soil» demo featured some ‘Norse-inspired’ raw black metal - did the things change somehow or VINDSVAL still sounds the same?
 
Berzerk: I think that the new songs still have got the VINDSVAL sound, but they have got more alternation. I am trying to create a personal style for VINDSVAL and so the songs are always gonna sound like VINDSVAL, but they are becoming more melodic and yet more agressive.
 
Why did you decide to cover IMMORTAL’s song? Whose idea was that? And how did you like their latest CD, «Blizzard Beasts» (which is their best album so far, in my view)?
 
Berzerk: Well I don't remember whose idea it was to cover that song but IMMORTAL is my favourite band and play black metal as I think black metal should sound. We played that song often on our rehearsals and so we put it on our tape as well because we think it is a great song. Their new disc is of course very good but I prefer their second album «Pure Holocaust», which features BM of hellish speed and a totally demonic atmosphere.
Hagalaz: I am happy that the new album is still true and that it is not accessible for everyone. It is neither better nor worse than the previous albums, except for the improved sound.
 
Who writes music in VINDSVAL and what inspires them? I believe that adding a permanent keyboardist would do only good for your band - don’t you think so?
 
Berzerk: I have written all our songs and I must say that I am not inspired by any kind of other bands. I do not listen to BM music very much, because I want to create a new sound for VINDSVAL which is not a rip-off of other bands. I listen to classical music such as Bach or Albinoni to get in a special mood to write the songs for VINDSVAL. Perhaps I will be playing keyboards on our future songs but I don't know yet if we will use keyboards in every song and if we will use them constantly or just for brief moments to improve the cold atmosphere.
Krig: We will never drown the metal guitars in keyboard sounds as f.ex. DIMMU BORGIR do!!
 
Let’s move from music to cinematography... It might be interesting to hear what films you consider as your favorites and what criterions you are guided by, appraising the movie?
 
Krig: I almost don't watch TV and so I can't say which movies I like. I prefer reading books from authors such as Lovecraft. The lovecraftian feeling could never be recreated on film!
Berzerk: I was impressed by «Braveheart», a great movie because of its battle sequences. That clashing of armies was enormous!
 
You left «support the war against christianity» statement in my guestbook - statement which appears to be rather sacramental nowadays... So let me ask you a quite provoking question - what have YOU done for the destruction of this tormenting religious dictatorship?? You must understand that singing in a BM band does NOTHING for making christian reign’s decline come closer...
 
Krig: It is obvious that nobody alone is able to make christianity or other religions disappear. It is stupid to think that destroying religious buildings or whatever will destroy the religion itself because the churches or temples will be rebuilt with our money, and the public (even if atheist) will sympathize with these oh so poor believers and turn their hate against those who want to make people aware of stupid and embarrassing religions. Two thousand years of worshipping a made-up deity are enough wasted time. My 'war' against christianity is of spiritual and not of physical kind. People must be aware that religions just harm the natural process of humanity.
 
What is «blasphemy» to you and what do you deem as the main goal beyond this act?
 
Krig: Blasphemy is just an act of annoying and not of stopping religious believers. It is an act of showing opposition to the main thinking, more an act of provocation than of great achievement.
 
Lately I’ve heard one of my pals saying that «violence is the only way to save this world», and unfortunately I didn’t have a chance of asking him to explain me this statement’s meaning... Maybe you have any suggestions...?
 
Krig: I think the quotation is too vague to be clearly discussed. In some points I agree, in others I don't, but I think that it would take too much time to tell my own opinion, even if it is an interesting phrase.
 
Well, it’s time to get back to the music... Are there any plans to record your new material in a professional (at least, 8-track) studio and release it as second demo or maybe self-financed MCD? Can you manage it?
 
Krig: Well, at the moment we are still searching for a rehearsal room. We can only write the basic structure of new songs but we need to rehearse them to record something new, but we will for sure record the new songs in a far better way than we have till now, but we do not know how we will proceed for the recording.
 
Do you think that BM fans have to listen only to unholy music or should a perfect listener be «open-minded»? B.t.w., who is an «open-minded» person in your comprehension and is there anything bad in being one?
 
Krig: I think a black metal fan is not supposed to listen to BM music only. I listen very much to classical music such as Grieg, Bach or Mussorgsky, because of the atmosphere it creates within my mind, but that's all I listen to: BM and classical music. If others like to listen also to different music styles, I don't care!
 
It’s 4 o’clock at night and I want to sleep like hell, therefore the time has come to end this interview. As always - your future plans and final words... (sorry, I can’t manage to ask anything more original now as my dark soul is awfully tired).
 
Krig: Our future plans are to write new songs and to record them in the best possible way, so we hope that we can get the support of a record company as soon as possible. By the way, soon our homepage (http://www.uni-karlsruhe.de/~ucna/vindsval) will be ready, so take a look! (do it right now, since it's already avalaible! - ED) If anyone is interested in our tape, then send an e-mail to: vindsval@hotmail.com. Thanks for the interview and continue with your great zine! Keep the underground alive!