Band: ALASTIS
Country of origin:
Switzerland
Style: dark metal
Questions by:
Kai Mathias Stalhammar
Answers supplied
by: War D. (guitars, vocals)
Most likely, you’ve
been asked this question for a billion times thus
far, however I
just can’t throw away the supposition that “Unity” isn’t just a regular
title for a regular album…
- We've entitled this album "UNITY" because of our common passion for the metal music which brought us to completely another level. With it's five members "united as the five fingers of the hand" ALASTIS proves it's own identity... We are unique and we prove to our disparagers that they definitely owe us some respect.
Unfortunately,
I still hadn’t a chance to give a listen your latest work a listen, therefore
you’ll inevitably have to tell me what it’s all about (perceiving me as
an ordinary freak on metal music – that would be easier)…
- If you want to get familiar with the band which don't mix up "darkness" and "sadness", listen to our new CD. With "Unity" we prove that Dark Metal isn't the right definition for all those pussy music bands - lacking "bollocks" and calling themself "dark metal". For sure you couldn't compare ALASTIS with those neo-gothic wannabes. Everything is true when it comes to us.
You’re currently
signed to Century Media Records, one of these
so-called “major”
labels, but something makes me think that ALASTIS still is more or less
an underground band. Does the label’s change mean anything to you, judging
by your behavior, attitude and way of life?
- First I considered Century Media a "major" underground label and neither before nor after inking a deal with them we never thought to change anything in our way of life. We're playing the music we feel, for our own pleasure before all, and thanks to Century Media we don't need to take care of the business around. When we're ready we can record a new album without any constraint and as we still consider ALASTIS an underground band we don't need to follow the actual trends... We've got some fans and we know that's not because we're fashion's actors... That's great.
ALASTIS has endured
numerous lineup changes throughout years; does it
affect the band
in any way? Judging by the fact the music hasn’t changed that drastically,
could we draw an equals sign between War D. and ALASTIS?
- Probably it's because I care about the personality before all. Maybe I've got some influences about their personal vision of life but I know that all the new and ex-members have brought something new into the band. One thing is sure, they are free to control everything and I know that I'm not irreplaceable.
Century Media isn’t
the only label you’ve been working in the past.
Getting back in
early and mid nineties, let’s recall those times when ALASTIS inked a deal
with Head Not Found, and later on – with Adipocere… Were they simply unable
to arrange massive promotional campaign and handle the marketing properly?
- With Head Not Found it was more of a friendship co-production which permitted us to record our first album and find a worthy label. Adipocere Records brought us the financial possibilities to record our second album "... And Death Smiled" with Waldemar Sorychta at the Woodhouse studio. Christian from ADIPOCERE really believed in ALASTIS and we'll obviously be forever grateful for all the effort he's put in our band. Then, through Waldemar, and thanks to the fact that Robert from Century Media got himself acquainted with our band through the underground, we've signed with Century Media... When I started the band in 1987 I never thought that we'll record something one day, but step by step we've given the band and it's ideology the possibility to reach our own Parnassus. You can do everything when you believe in yourself...
All
the way through, you’ve been compared to your countrymates, SAMAEL. However,
now when they don’t have anything to do with metal scene, don’t you think
that these (quite unfair, to say the least) comparisons should cease to
exist?
- We have good relations with SAMAEL and simply don't care about the rest.
What genre would you reckon ALASTIS to? Black metal? Dark metal? Whatever else?
- Unhealthy & powerful Dark Metal.... or just ALASTIS!
I still get high putting that round shiny thing, going by the name “The Just Law”, in my CD-player… Have you given it a listen lately? What kind of feelings does it arouse inside of you now, nine years after it’s been brought forth the light? Any plans to give this one a second birth, i.e. to re-issue the very first CD of yours?
- I'm still proud with this album but it would be better if nobody will start his / her acquaintance with ALASTIS through that one! I guess that I've listened to "The Just Law" only once last year ;-)
Back to the latest
offering of yours. What kind of ambience were you
aiming to force
on “Unity”?
- Through "Unity" we express our common feeling and try to translate our vision of life. Our aim is the great Unity and through the name of ALASTIS we're following our own way without any constraint...
I bet you consider
“Unity” a most successful and worked out effort in
your entire career,
don’t you? Do you see any possibility to approach the borders of perfection,
and if it has once been done, wouldn’t it be time to stop your activities
with ALASTIS?
- We've got new ideas for the next one, while each new studio session brings us another aim for the future songs!
A long-long time
ago (somewhere back in 1995), I’ve been reading one
of the interviews
with you, and discovered rather insulting assertions forwarded to SADNESS.
It seems like this band is no more, however let me wonder what was the
problem with these guys anyway…
- Sadness...? ?
Switzerland
has always been sort of a “secluded” scene, with only few acts capable
of gaining a certain status abroad. What is the reason for that? I’m twice
as sure that most of those who’re perfectly acquainted with ALASTIS, SAMAEL
and CELTIC FROST, can’t even suppose that your have any kind of metal scene
over there…
- We've got tons of metal bands here but nobody to support them (magazines, TV or radio)... So you have to be better than others in order to have a chance to appear in German or French magazines - otherwise, you die! Switzerland is a small country with six millions of people and four different language (German, French, Italian and Rumanchia)!
How do you perceive
what one of the friends of mine once named as the
“fifth element”,
i.e. Time? “Time doesn’t have it’s own substance, appearing as but a measure
of matter’s motion and it’s qualitative self-conversion in space”. Do you
adhere to such an assertion?
- For me, time doesn't mean anything in
regards to my vision of
life... Everything is just an illusion,
we're slaves of rot and time is just a constraint for the matter, nothing
to have in common with us...
Most probably,
you’re acquainted with the conceptions of determinism
and indeterminism.
Is the future of ours, as well as the future of every living creature,
foreordained or not?
- First I think that some "animals" have more soul than a lot of people that I consider parasites... In my conception humanity should be divided into three categories: masters, slaves & sheeps... We're fighting the sheeps 'cause without them the masters are nothing! Those who follow any kind of religions or political movements, or blindly believe in everything mass-media tells 'em about, are nothing but the sheeps. Our aim is to have the right to die, to never begin again!
Do you know anything regarding Russia? Any metal bands coming from the country of mine you’ve heard lately?
- I just know that Russia's got its own metal scene but I've never heard any Russian bands... We're looking for a small tour in your country but that's just a plan - we have some friends over there...
I’m not going to bother you anymore with demanding to answer this or that question, consequently this is the point our chat should be finished at. What’s for the end?
- Stay yourself, listen to yourself and be ready to die!
ALASTIS contact -
Email: ward@alastis.ch