Band: WINDWALKER
Country: Sweden
Style: genius epic black metal
Questions by: Kai Mathias Stalhammar
Answers supplied by: Daniel Bryntse and Per Sandgren

First of all, why «Windwalker»?

PER - There was a local music festival and we were going to attend, but  we had no name. We went into a video store and we found the movie «Windwalker». As we thought we were only to use the name once, we didn’t mind much about what it meant... but it’s still with us!

How has the response to your first (and last) demo been so far?

PER - Very positive. I have only had one complaint about it. It was some dark-minded ‘satanist’ (or something like that), who thought that it was too soft. Many people thought that the music was "new", as we mixed several different styles.

I didn’t have a chance of hearing «Seeker» so can I assume that  music featured on this tape was different from we’ve heard on «The Dance Of The Elves» CD?

PER - It was basically the same. Perhaps a bit more doom, and less traditional metal, but the overall feeling is the same.

WINDWALKER’s debut CD was released through Swedish Voices Of Death  label, while this appellation sounds absolutely unfamiliar to me...

PER - Well, V.O.D. is a very new label. In fact we were their second  release, but we found them to be honest guys, so instead of recording a new demo, we recorded a CD for them.

Did you receive offers from other, bigger companies which could make  better promotion for WINDWALKER?

PER - No, not really. We were kind of hoping that this CD would open up  the larger companies´s eyes, so that our next album can get some better publicity, and better sound.

Daniel, how can you manage to sing and play guitars, bass, drums and  keyboards altogether?

DANIEL - Practice. I started as a guitarist, but later I started playing  drums because the band I was playing with at the time didn't have a  drummer. But I pick up the guitar now and then to ‘keep my fingers warm’. The bass comes with the guitar. I play the bass with a pick. I  try some finger-bass occasionally, but that's not my thing, really. All keyboards in our songs are quite basic. I guess anyone could learn our keyboard arrangements within a mater of hours. And the singing, that's something I've been doing all my life, but I haven't been practising singing that much. Hopefully my vocals will be better with time. And, of course I don't do all these things at once.

Does it mean, that WINDWALKER will always stay a studio-project?

DANIEL - Never say ‘never’... We have actually played live three times.  The firsttime we only played some covers and had a drummer, Markus Morf.  But he was never really in the band. The second and third time was  actually on a local music-competition (we made it to the finals). Magnus Bjork played the drums. Tobias Fredlund did the bass at the first gig and Tobias Bjorklund at the finals. Actually, we "have" a live-bassist (if that ever will occur).

I really liked your «clean» voice on «The Dance...» CD, Dan! Did you take any lessons to sing properly?

DANIEL - No, not any more than I've been able to learn from friends who also sing.

And what about your «black metal» vocals? Was you just sitting before  the mirror and croaking till death or there was someone, who trained your voice?

DANIEL - Never practice the «black» vocals, not even at rehearsal. The only time I sing in that way is when we record something. But it usually takes a day or something to warm up.

Who appears as more creative person, when it comes to WINDWALKER’s  music and lyrics - you or Per? Is his participation in the band really necessary?

DANIEL - In the past, I did most of the music and about 50% of the  lyrics. On the CD, Per has written almost all the lyrics (except «Seeker») and half the music. The new songs is mainly written by Per. Per is also the better guitarist of us two, so…

«... And You Will Forget My Name...» lyrics somehow assured me that  you’re not the kind of person, happy with it’s life... Do you really belong to such people as Einar Fredriksson of FUNERAL considering their lives as a «total failure» or it was just well turned lyrical motif?

PER - Everyone is depressed sometimes, but we are NOT miserable! We are  quite happy people, enjoying every part of life. We just want the lyrics  to fit the music, and sometimes as the music gets very dark, the lyrics follow... In this particular song the lyrics is more a thought of someone else, who is having some deep thoughts about his life - does anybody really care anyway...

PER - This song is about the day and the night. Where the night in this case is thought of as a «person». The night has only one enemy - the  light (the sun) and «he» doesn’t like it. «He» wants it to be dark, so  that «he» can rule the world himself... I hope that you understand what I mean.

«The Dance...» was recorded at Daniel’s bedroom - is it your home-studio?

DANIEL - Well, the drums where recorded at our rehearsal place, while  the rest was recorded in my bedroom on Per's digital 4-channel homestudio.

Are you able to enlighten me on the topic regarding your present recording place?

PER - As I said earlier, we are on a small label, with little money, so we had to keep the recording costs down. We couldn’t afford a better studio.

Do you consider WINDWALKER as a black metal band? Be the answer «yes» or «no» - please explain why...

DANIEL - No. We're absolutely not a blackmetal band, although I believe  our music may be appreciated by SOME blackmetal fans. We have nothing of the blackmetal image. We don't worship satan, etc... (if you worship Satan, it doesn’t mean that you’re black metaller, and on the contrary - if you don’t sing about «hellish» topics, it doesn’t mean that you are not - ED)
PER - We use some «black metal»-vocals though, to add some aggression when the music «needs» it.

Your music is undoubtedly original, therefore finding comparisons  was quite difficult task for me, heh heh... But finally I’ve found a couple of bands, which stand quite close to WINDWALKER musically - these are your countrymates from OPETH and EMBRACING. Due to this fact, can we talk about the birth of a new style in BM - something like «progressive black metal», represented with above-mentioned acts?

DANIEL - I would refer to us as epic metal or something. I have never thought about OPETH as a blackmetal band in any way and I've never heard EMBRACING.

What can we expect from WINDWALKER in the future? Can you tell me how your new compositions (not recorded yet...?) will sound alike?

PER - It won’t be to far from «... The Elves..» album. Actually we have  some 4 or 5 songs ready for our next release. Some of them are a bit more technical and some (read one) are far more doom. Anyway, the feeling is the same. We only hope that we will be able to use a better studio next time... hopefully we will be better musicians as well.

Talking about your band’s future... - aren’t you going to add more keyboards in order to make your music more emotional and atmospheric?

DANIEL - I don't know really. I am not that much of a keyboardist, but I guess we will use the keyboard whenever we think it will fit.

Such a high-flown word as «success» - what does it mean anything in regards to WINDWALKER? Where’re the limits to this term within the bounds of underground?

DANIEL - I guess you keep pushing the limits every time you achieve something. When we released the demo, success was the same as a record deal. Now when we have released a CD, I guess success means it get some fine reviews, sell well and to get signed to a big label.

Apropos, can you give me your definition for «underground»?

DANIEL - Anything that isn't mainstream is underground to me.
 
What black metal band would you name as the most SICK on this planet? (My answer will be UK’s ESOTERIC...)

DANIEL - If ESOTERIC is blackmetal, they're for sure one of the «sickest», and one of the better ones as well (exactly - ED). BARATHRUM and ABRUPTUM are also quite insane.

Could you tell me a bit of your beliefs? What is your attitude towards religion, as a whole?

DANIEL - Religion is unnecessary for me. If people need anything to believe in, then let them believe, but don't try to force me into it. It won't do any good. I don't believe in an afterlife, I don't believe in a destiny, I don't believe in ghosts or whatever. I believe what I see with my own eyes.

As far as I know, Daniel, besides WINDWALKER you’re also involved with a huge number of various projects - FEBRUARI 93, FORLORN, WITHERED BEAUTY, MORANNON... In short, tell me everything you have about these bands of yours...

DANIEL - I feared this question would come… This will be VERY short…FEBRUARI 93 plays folk-rock, a bit inspired by the 70’s progressive sound. We have released a CD on Solistitium records. FORLORN plays epic doom. After a break lasting over a year, we are now starting up again. We are in search for a vocalist. WITHERED BEAUTY will be releasing a CD on Nuclear Blast in April. Expect some 50+ minutes of aggressive yet melodic deathmetal. MORANNON is a raw blackmetal band. A demo should be out when this is published. Take a look at my homepage for some more info about these and other bands I’ve been involved with.

How do you contrive to keep all things up together? I assume that you also work or study somewhere...

DANIEL - It's very seldom more than 2 of these bands are «active» at the same time. I need the variation. At this moment I'm studying computers and computer networks.

By the way, have you heard of Norwegian FORLORN when you chose that name for one of your groups?

DANIEL - When we started FORLORN back in 1991, I doubt that the Norwegian FORLORN did exist. I've never heard their music.

Perhaps this question appears as rather orthodox, but... to which bands / music do you listen in your free time? Are there only metal acts in your list of favorites, or...?

DANIEL - I listen to a lot. Classical music, folkmusic, 60's - 70's music, hard rock / metal, progressive, pop... I try to be open-minded. BATHORY, AT THE GATES, IRON MAIDEN, EUCHARIST, ORPHANAGE, CANDLEMASS, KING DIAMOND, MOZART, MUSSORGSKY, GARMARNA, BLACK SABBATH, KENT and ANGLAGARD to mention just a few bands / composers...

Well, seems like it’s time for an end... As always - your final words...

DANIEL - Thanks for your interest.

WINDWALKER
Email: f96-psa@nada.kth.se
       doomydan@hotmail.com

WINDWALKER’s homepage: http://www.student.nada.kth.se/~f96-psa/wind.html
Daniel’s homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/6672/