CALVARIUM (Interview 2004)
CALVARIUM is a newcomer in the CALVARIUM is a newcomer in the Finnish black metal scene, but the members have already played in different bands like ALGAZANTH,BEHEXEN,FUNERIS NOCTURNUM,SATANIC WARMASTER or BAPTISM.After two Rehearsal tapes,they released the great’The skull of Golgotha’.with this album,they manage to create an impressive atmotsphere of malaise. Let’s Veilroth and Molestor kadotus talk about their black horde.
Hi Veilroth! You’re not newcomers in the black metal scene. You played before in ALGAZANTH and you’re a member of BEHEXEN; Lord Sarcofagian is the leader of BAPTISM. Why did you want to found CALVARIUM? Can you tell me the history of the band?
V: I myself just wanted to express my thoughts and view of life by playing this kind of Dark Art, after the modern black metal we performed in my previous band. It’s like”getting back to the roots”. It’s all about respecting the old days of this genre. Hmm, about the history... Calvarium was born after the death of second millennium, it’s impossible to say more precise date of birth. The idea and some of our riffs had been born long before we even had any place to rehearse the material as a band. The music in the first rehearsal tape was composed during 1999-2001, the lyrics in that piece are written by Nefastos and Sargofagian in the year 2001, I believe. Shortly after the recording of the tape Kadotus joined to Calvarium as a main vocalist and we recorded new rehearsal tape in early 2002 with improved versions of old songs and new ones as well. In May 2002 Calvarium entered to studio Lutakko with five completed songs and lyrics to be recorded and released as a promo/demotape. Change of plans occured when we decided to make a deal with (my) label Dynamic Arts Records, we settled that the old five songs would be re-mixed and three totally new songs would be recorded to as a full-lenght instead of a demo or promo tape. “The Skull Of Golgotha” has now been unleashed and we’re fucking thirsty for more blasphemy!
What is the main ideology or concept of CALVARIUM?
V: The idea/concept is not to make something new or different but to play BLACK Metal, and do it professionally. The music serves the ideology, not the other way around; our music & lyrics are supposed to go straight to the point. Satanic propaganda!
The first thing that amaze when listening “The skull of golgotha” is the oppressive atmosphere you manage to create. Is this atmosphere a good representation of your personality?
V: Well, hell yeah it is, that’s for sure!
The second thing is the powerful production. Your album was recorded in 2 different studios (Lutakko, Perkele), why?
V: Well, there’s quite an interesting story behind this one… We had reserved the time for studio long time before the recordings and the night before the recordings as we were ready to head towards the “studio-city”, Sami Kokko (the studio engineer) called that there had just been an electrical fire which destroyed most of the electrical equipment and as the result we had to change our plans re-schedule the date of recordings. We were supposed to record the 3 additional tracks for the 5 previous ones. The reason for using two different studios was because of that fatal fire. There’s no knowing how much it would have taken to wait for the new equipment, and Kokko presumed it would have taken a while. We chose studio Perkele because we knew it would serve us well and Sami Jämsén is an expert on his field. Recordings took 6 days, first 3 in Lutakko and the rest of course in Perkele. So the older 5 songs were re-mixed in Perkele to achieve an identical sound to all of the songs. About the sounds, yeah, as you mentioned the production is powerfull but in the future we’re going to focus a little bit harsher and uglier sound, if you know what I’m mean?
One of the best song (in my opinion) is “Jumalviha”. I think this song is a good representation of what is CALVARIUM (oppressive atmosphere, malaise, power but also melodic). Are you agree with me? What are the lyrics about (because it’s in Finnish)?
V: Actually, I totally agree you with this case; very “Calvariumish” song indeed it is. Molestor Kadotus: The concept of all the lyrics is pretty much the same; hatred, anti-christianity, self-destruction and praise of satanic powers/thoughts. Basically those are the main subjects in Black Metal and they are also the kind of topics of which my lyrics derive. The most important source of my lyrical inspiration is hate which for me is the strongest and most powerful force. My lyrics are quite straight-forward. Their meaning and message is always quite clear and, should I say, easy to understand, not some symbolic astral planetary nonsense. Of course I write in a poetic way especially the Finnish lyrics but in a comprehensible way.
Two other songs are in Finnish, “Siunatun Surma” and “Herramme on saapuva”.Why didn't you use Finnish language for all your lyrics (because I think it’s a perfect language for the vocals of Molestor Kadotus, these 3 songs are the best example!)?
Molestor Kadotus: First of all I thank you for the compliment on my vocals. Yes, Finnish language is very suitable for Black Metal vocals though it's articulation etc. is quite different than in for example in English. I personally prefer to sing in Finnish both because of the lyrics and also because of the pronunciations etc. But still the spreading of our blasphemy and satanic propaganda is important to be spread in commonly understood language also and mere translation to Finnish lyrics wouldn't be enough in my opinion. At least I like it when a band has at least like a couple of songs in English too eventhough their material would be otherwise excellent with the language they mainly use. It perhaps brings the listener closer to the message behind the words..
It's actually a quite common solution both in Finnish bands and bands everywhere to perhaps include some songs with their native tongue but also sing in English as well. My Finnish vocals are often compared to Horna (mainly the older material with Satanic Warmaster on vocals) which in my opinion is wrong and results only because of the same language and somehow proves either that Horna is the only Finnish sung model to compare or the reviewer isn't so thorough with his work on that case at least. About Horna I think they are one of those few who should in my opinion stick only to Finnish lyrics as they after all are something of a pioneer on Finnish sung Black Metal and that's what I was fascinated back when I first came to know Horna. It fits them quite good and I think the balance of both English and Finnish lyrics suits well for Calvarium.
Shatraug (ex-HORNA, SARGEIST) wrote the lyrics of 3 songs. Is he a spiritual member of the CALVARIUM horde? What do you think about his new band, SARGEIST?
V: Hey, what are you talking about man, I mean Horna has not split up... At least not to my knowledge. Yeah, to us Shatraug is spiritual member of Calvarium, he supported us with his poetry and we have known him a long time, a man who is very dedicated to its work in the dark side of life. Sargeist? Ooh, a very fucking great and dark worship to almighty imperator.
Are you satisfied with your label DAR?
V: Well, in fact, I’m a bit involved with this record label myself, so it was only natural for us to let D.A.R. release it. Actually there were some other directions interested in publishing Calvarium, but Dynamic Arts just felt like the easiest solution for us. The result was promised to be professional, and I myself made sure of that it also ended up to be. We got digipak CD’s with the greatest cover artwork... so yes, yes we’re satisfied with DAR.
Is that exist a strong brotherhood between the black metal bands in Finland? What do you think about bands like SATANIC WARMASTER, HORNA, INFERI, TORTURIUM.......? Why all these bands are not from Helsinki? Is it impossible to play true black metal in this city?
V: We have lots of contacts to bands from other towns all across Finland. Not always good ones but it’s not supposed to be. Our goals and set of values piss a lot of people off but we’re not here to make as many friends as possible. We are in good terms with the worthy ones and the rest of the worms have nothing to give us, so we couldn’t care less for them. Satanic Warmaster and Horna are really worth of their “reputation”, guys behind these bands knows what they’re doing, and I’m not only talking with musical talents here. About Inferi and Torturium; I haven’t heard about them. Maybe these bands who are really devoted to the “subject” just happens to live somewhere else than in our capital of Finland, Helsinki, so I don’t think that it is impossible to play “true” BM in Helsinki.
Have you done some gigs until now? If yes, can you describe to me one show of CALVARIUM?
V: None of gigs have done yet, and maybe never will, though it just depends on many things like circumstances and what is the possibility to use right scenery in stage and so on...
Which bands influenced you the most and what do you think about the present black metal scene?
V: Hmm, let’s say that no certain band has influenced us but era of early nineteen’s bands has been especially in my all time favourites so that could be the thing that has subconsiously taken effect when writing songs.
Are you interested in the French black metal scene?
V: Yeah, of course I’m, you’ve some very good bands over there like Torgeist, Vlad Tepes etc. Could you recommend some good new act/s?
Thank you Veilroth! I let you conclude this interview!
V: Thanks for the interview, hail Natas and if you're into worshipping the dark arts try our music!
Mikael
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