First of all, introduce us your latest effort, the "Balsyn" CD...

- It is what I would call... something like suicide dark / black metal, some people do simply call it blackmetal. It contains 9 tracks, 7 from our demo + 2 new ones.Me and Forn are the ones behind it, this is our own philosophical ideas and deep inner thoughts and feelings. The music is very personal and we expect people not to ask us to help them understand our lyrics. You have to read between the lines and eventually have the same (or at least similar) ideas to understand it completely.

You have had incredibly long rehearsal period (the whole summer!) before POTENTIAM entered the studio... Why so? Did you want to make sure that all the tracks sound perfect rehearsing with the band in order to get a perfect recording session at the studio as well as the perfect result?

- First of all, we didnt rehearse that much over the summer, we were also busy doing other things. And one of the producers that we wanted for our record was busy recording his own album.He has a very interesting (non metal) band called SIGURROS.

By the way, may I wonder where did you beget "Balsyn" CD (the studio, I mean)?

- We recorded it at Studio Nulist,we will be going there again with our second album. We like it very much and had a nice cooperation with our 2 producers. Really great athmosphere with lights off and candles.

Drumming sounds great (being quite non-typical in the same time), however it seems like... the drummachine was used?

- Yeah,we apparently use a lot of 3/4 beats in our music (if you know what I mean?). No,this is not a drum machine, this is G.O.Palmason from SOLSTAFIR. The summer went in rehearsing those songs with him cause he didnt play on our demo. He was a session and not very likely to become a member of POTENTIAM.

Who did the "Balsyn's" coverart? You know, I must admit that this CD has undoubtedly magnificent appearance! Fascinating, grim and anxious... almost mesmerizing!

- Well, that was Jonsi, the producer from SIGURROS that made that obscure artwork. It was mysterious enough for our taste and fit well with the concept. The cover is a photo of that strange thing which our label boss, Roberto fixed on his computer. Out came this brilliant cover. Well,what can I say...glad you like it! We wrote those songs and lyrics under very special circumstances. Everything at cold and gloomy winternights.

Do you still collaborate with G. O. Palmason of SOLSTAFIR in any way? How are they doing now? Any new releases since "Til Valhallar" era?

- As I said before, I dont think G.O.Palmason will be on another POTENTIAM record. He is busy with SOLSTAFIR and another project called MIND AS MINE. SOLSTAFIR just signed a deal with Ars Metali from Germany and right now they are recording a album in that same Studio Nulist. The sound will not be the same though, their music are too different from ours.

What about the current band's lineup?

- Me and Forn of course, we have also added a bass player and a drummer that we seem to be having a little problem with right now. He's a brilliant drummer though, very technical.

Although few tracks feature lyrics in Icelandic, I couldn't find any trace of paganism and stuff - the same goes for the way your band sounds, since I bet that no one will ever dare to compare you with ENSLAVED and alike bands. What does your poetry deal with and why didn't you compose all the lyrics in English?

- All the lyrics are in English! (Well, perhaps, but three tracks carry Icelandic titles - ED) Only the song "Latum Oss Bidja" has a small magic verse in the end of it wich is in Icelandic and thats all. We will probably have some lyrics in Icelandic later on,even our next album. We should not at all be compared to ENSLAVED, our music deals much more with the unknown dimensions and the black sides of the soul than with paganism or stuff like that.

Could you tell us more regarding THULE and HEL, e.g. the former bands of yours?

- I was the frontman in THULE. It started in '95. We went into studio 3 times before releasing a split demo with ASMODEUS (Iceland). It has 7 tracks of blackmetal material from '95 - '97. The demo is still (I think) being spread around. HEL was a name that me, Forn and G.O. Palmasson came up with in '97. Forn had made 4 blackmetal songs and I filled in it with lead guitars and handled the vocals. Forn on guitars and bass and of course (like always) G.O.Palmasson was on drums.

Your very first recording was comprised of four songs, although only one of them found it's way forth the light being featured on "Balsyn" demo (and further CD). I wonder if there're any plans to unleash that unreleased stuff in the shape of MCD or something like that?

- Yes, we recorded 4 songs, only one of them came out pretty well. That song is called "Hrafnaoing" and is on our demo. We did not release that one on the CD. The main reason for us, not to was because of some sample material in it (taken from Hrafninn flogur movie (paganism)) that we didn't have permission to use. That song will stay only on our demo (limited in 50 copies).

The time has come to wonder what is "Potentiam"? As well as what forced you to take exactly this name?

- To make it short, it stands for a great power, our concept is alot about energy / powers from the soul and the universe.

POTENTIAM, SOLSTAFIR and FALKENBACH are the only BM acts coming from Iceland I've heard - of course, if we can consider FALKENBACH an Icelandic band... Consequently, it seems to be natural if I'll ask you to do me a favour and shed light on this subject?

- I would not consider FALKENBACH as an Icelandic band NO! Nobody here does! His so called Icelandic language doesnt make sence at all. I mean it isn't even old Icelandic, it's just full of crap.

What do you know about my motherland? Any Russian metal bands you've heard lately?

- Well, I know your economy isn't very good,and that you drink alot of dry vodka, and some people even cut holes in the thick ice over waters and bathe in the icecold water. The cold here at winters is nothing compared to some parts of Russia. The soil itself,I don't know much about. I've also heard rumours of a clan there that are burning churches and stuff, maybe similar that happened in Norway some years ago?? I haven't heard any metal band from Russia, where I come from it's really hard to find that type of music, most of the stuff I own myself is bought through mailorder. If you know of a Russian blackmetal band that also have Russian lyrics then please let me know, in my opinion this is one of the coolest languages in the world.

That's all for now. As always, final words of yours...

- Many thanks for the support with this inteview, good luck with your zine.

POTENTIAM's contact via Wounded Love Records / Avantgarde Music:
Email (Wounded Love): wounder@tin.it
Email (Avantgarde): greylife@tin.it
Email (Stefania - promotion department):
wlover@tin.it