Yattering is a band that many of you might not be too familiar with comparing to other Polish heavy hitters like Behemoth, Vader or Decapitated and that's a real shame cause those 4 guys have a lot to offer. Any metal fan that craves for uncompromised fury, utter brutality and tremendous dose of aggression should take a close look at those guys. Be warned that presented by them chaos is served on a 'wicked' plate where jazz like solution and broken rhythms create unforgettable listening experience but not well digested by casual listener. After years of trouble Yattering sings a new contract with British Candlelight and releases their new child "Genocide" proving their talent and dedication. Zabek (drums) answers all my questions about troubled times, new album and impact of Polish vodka on the album's final outcome.

Chris


Lets start by giving us some info on what was going on in Yattering's camp over the last two years or so. If not for your website not too much press or any kind of promotional activities would have been going out for the rest of the world. It almost felt like you guys were still behind the "iron curtain"...

Several things happened during the last two years. It's difficult to explain it all, but such a long silence wasn't really our fault. We did our stuff as usual: performed, composed new pieces, recorded them and so on. And we had gone through a hard battle... However, I'm of the opinion that such a long period of silence was to our advantage. Now we come back with a new album and it will be the best proof of our activity during that time. I am sure that our trust in what we are doing and sincerity of our message will remove this "iron curtain" soon.

Can you tell us why and how things got so bad between you and your management (Massive Management) and old label (Season of Mist) and would you handle it differently if you had a chance to do it all over again?

Sure, we have nothing to hide. The whole problem arose after I had participated in Vader's European tour, replacing their drummer. I haven't been paid for this. As I bluntly expressed my opinion on this matter, Mr. Kmiolek became very annoyed and he tried to persuade the band to get rid of me, or he would terminate the contract. He did it and now we are free. In addition, it turned out that he signed a bunch of bad agreements and we still bear consequences of our cooperation. The fact that he has been trying to slander us in every possible way isn't even worth mentioning. He is a wicked person with a kind of parochial complex.
Our struggle with SOM was quite similar. They sell our albums throughout the world and we don't receive any royalties. They were really unprofessional; for example, they modified all the graphics on "Human's Pain" and "Murder's Concept" without our agreement. Just take a look at the re-edition of "Human's Pain", thanks had been cut out and there are four of us on the picture, even though only three of us participated in the recording. And these fucking drops of blood on the discs... it was enough for us to refuse further cooperation. If everything had been all right, we wouldn't have changed the label! If we had had a chance to start again, we would for sure avoid both Massive Management and Season Of Mist. They destroy the music...

I've read the interview with Michael Berberian (Season of Mist's owner) and I was quite shocked and surprised at things he had to say about Yattering. Would you give us your perspective on things he mentioned?

Yeah, we were shocked as well. Although he threatened us that in case we didn't give him the album, he would ruin us and blacken our reputation, we didn't expect such lies and backbiting! Our personal point of view is as follows: Mr. Michael Berberian is ridiculous! We strongly discourage other bands from establishing any cooperation with his label. If they do, they may soon face problems similar to ours, and it was really a difficult situation to deal with. Everything happened because we dared to reveal the bitter truth about this music business. A band must be very careful to avoid dishonest producers. Luckily, we finally managed to find a reliable and professional label.

I understand that there's not much love between the band and Michael Berberian but can you set the record straight and tell me if 'Message to M.A.R.I.O' is dedicated to him or your other 'close friend' ex-manager Mariusz Kmiolek?

We dedicate 'Message to M.A.R.I.O.' to all the people who slandered us and preyed on us. It is a kind of protest, of demonstration, maybe a little bit funny but such effect was intentional, as it clearly reflects our attitude. Despite all the harm they did, they didn't manage to stop us. Yattering still performs and everything is fine. We love music and playing, and this is our priority, we don't want to deceive people by selling shitty albums. We believe in the music.

It's not up to me to judge the situation between the band and interested parties but I have to thank those two gentlemen for getting you motivated and inspired to release such brilliant piece of brutal death metal. How much this situation was a distraction or a motivation for harder work and did it influence your work at any level?

In spite of such an unpleasant atmosphere, our recording session went on smoothly and calmly. We know what we want when we enter the studio and we just carry it into effect. The whole situation was like a red rag to a bull, it made us even more determined to do everything as good as possible – and we achieved it! At last we managed to fulfill our plans. There is a strange coincidence: we managed to achieve our aims just after we got rid of all those tricksters...

Before we dive into the new release can you tell me how should I number "Genocide"? It's 4th full length you recorded but "III" has never seen the light so, do you treat it as your 3rd release and will "III" ever be released?

"Genocide" is our fourth album, but it's a logical continuation of the first and the second one. However, we would like to release "III" one day, because it's a really good album! Although it has nothing to do with the Yattering you know, it's a fine piece and it should be judged by our fans, not by some assholes.

Speaking of your unreleased album, I've heard that "III" was recorded in a metal and non-metal version and non-metal one was sent to Season of Mist to get you out of the contract. Is it true?

There is only one truth. We have recorded two albums: "III" and "Genocide". With the first one we wanted to end up our cooperation with SOM. I can't imagine giving "Genocide" to a company, which hasn't even fulfilled the earlier contracts so far. If we had done this, you wouldn't probably be listening to this album by now... For us, music and all the other things like graphics are equally important, and SOM took no notice of our expectations. Not the company, but members of the band create the group's image! And, assuming that SOM would be the producer of "Genocide", there would probably be another drop of blood on the disc... [laughs]... it's pathetic!

Enough of the past, you signed a contract with Candlelight, your new album "Genocide" is a piece of art, things look bright in Yattering camp again, don't you think?

Yes, everything seems to turn better. We hope that Candlelight places equal confidence in us as we place in them. We don't have any reasons to complain so far and we are very satisfied with their intentions and actions. I hope it will never change, well, we believe in the British accuracy. Candlelight was a good choice!

When you recorded "Genocide" were you still under the contract with Season of Mist or did you already know that it would be released under Candlelight? How did that situation reflect on the atmosphere in the studio?

We weren't under any contract with SOM anymore, because we had already offered "III" to them. We had no idea under which label would "Genocide" be released. We would rather split up than waste another album by giving it to SOM! The atmosphere in the studio was, as I have already said before, really calm.

While "Murder's Concept" was a very good album from the material standpoint, production side was not really up to today's standards. "Genocide" seems to take this side of the record to another level. Are you satisfied with the work of Piotr Lukaszewski and how "Genocide" turned out?

I am aware of the fact that "Murder's Concept" was poorly produced. It was our former manager who had chosen the sound engineer (B.Q.). We were really disappointed when, after all the mixing, we could listen to the recording for the first time. How could he screw it all up to such extent? That guy was a total amateur! We wanted to repeat the mixing, but Mr. Kmiolek didn't agree and he released the album without any correction. The music itself is relatively good, but spoiled by poor production – but we are not to blame.
Fortunately, "Genocide" was recorded in completely different conditions. We had a very good and professional sound engineer, Piotr Lukaszewski. He is familiar with all this business, he knows how it all works. He was very helpful and everything went so smoothly thanks to him. It was a great recording session, really.
He knew our expectations and he managed to fulfill them perfectly. We would like to record our next album with his help as well, provided he is willing to participate [laughs] I think he will agree, as he likes doing original things.

You really surprised me with "Genocide"; compared to you previous record this is a much easier listening experience. I'm not saying that it's easy-listening but at least it doesn't cost a trauma after few spins. What would you say are the biggest differences between "Genocide" and your previous work?

As I said before, the greatest difference resulted from working in a good studio with a professional sound engineer. It was our key to success. The studio was like our second home, especially since it was located in the city we live in. The drum parts were recorded in our rehearsal room, which is a fantastic place.
"Human's Pain" was quite a mess, the second album was screwed up by a hopeless sound engineer and both "III" and "Genocide" are well produced. We haven't changed our approach to recording, we do it with great engagement and dedication, but we must have a good partner. On the other hand I'm sure that our music evolves, we intend to go further and further while many bands pay no attention to the importance of progress. We just love playing, music gives us incredible pleasure.

How do you compose such 'disturbing' pieces of music? Is it a work of one man or does each member have its input on the final outcome?

I composed my drum parts for "Genocide" first, then guitar parts were added step by step, and all the vocals came at the end. We worked on it together, and even before we entered the studio, we had twelve complete songs, which we could play on stage. In fact, some of our fans could listen to them long before "Genocide" was released. And I can reveal a secret: while waiting for "Genocide" to be released, we have already composed some new songs... If someone cannot bear "Genocide", he would better step down and not follow us any longer.

Rather than asking for your musical influences, can you tell me what has greater impact on your music, beer or good-old-pure Polish vodka?

Huh, I don't drink vodka anymore, it has already damaged my mind, [laughs], but Hudy and Trufel never refuse. We all love beer, I think it is our favorite beverage... and I must point out that beer in Poland is really great. Every time we come back to Poland after some tour, we are happy to drink real beer, instead of that foreign piss (ermm, there are some brands I can exclude from that group, e.g. Heineken, which is one of my favorites). ...As for "Genocide", we used some other stuff to broaden our minds [laughs].

Is there anything else that has an impact on the outcome of your music?

Nagual – everything, with the exception of things that we are able to control.

What are the chances of seeing Yattering live on this side of the ocean? What are your touring plans at the moment?

Man, we would love to, but nobody has come forward with such proposal yet. Actually, our former manager and producer were shiftless and incompetent and we couldn't even dream about such tours. They made empty promises and we kept on waiting... in vain. Now the time of "Genocide" has come and we hope we will be able to visit the United States and perform there. We are really looking forward to it!
As far as I know, we will play in Poland in May, in Western Europe throughout July, and in October we shall give some concerts in Europe as well, together with Nostromo (a great band!).

I think that would be all I have at the moment. Once again, congratulations on outstanding "Genocide" album. Please fell free to comment on whatever subject you want...

We greet all our fans overseas! Follow the sounds of "Genocide", find power in it and hate everyone who destroys your dreams!

Black metal has come a long way since the days of olde when the threat of violence and the reality of Devil worship filled Norwegian hearts with fear. It has - thanks to brilliant artisans and visionaries the world over - evolved into the most artistically explorative genre of music that the world of extreme metal has to offer. Contemporary artist, Maxime Taccardi, has proven to be a champion of both its visual and sonic realms. For me, the most amazing thing about visual art - aside from perception versus actuality, which is something you'll get a taste of here - is how it goes hand in hand with music. Maxime understands and sees both, not as separate, but as joined entities that when synthesized create a melding together of the senses; resulting in the most immersive experience possible. To explore his art is to explore the altar ego, afflictions, death, grief, the daemonic, the Satanic, and of course black metal… During this exclusive interview, Maxime Taccardi goes in depth about his art, his music, and the things in life that have inspired him the most. He also provides some insight into his many black metal and BM-related musical projects including his most active endeavor, K.F.R.

Jeger

Greetings, Maxime, and welcome. I've been following your work for some time, and it was your "Dead" piece that initially grabbed my attention. We'll get to that later, but I want to ask you first about your background. Are you formally trained or is your work strictly the product of natural talent? 

Hello, Thank you for the words, that means a lot. I've been drawing and painting since I was like 2, but I did get a master's degree in art and also one in teaching. That being said, I don't think it is relevant in terms of art as anyone can delve into it. What's most important to me is passion and sincerity. 

What was it that inspired you to want to explore the darker side of art? 

I've always been attracted to the dark side of things, even as a kid, but I can say my art became even darker after my parents passed away from cancer. Painting was a way for me to cope with it. I did one entitled "Cancer" as a tribute to their memory, and also to show what they went through in terms of suffering. When you see someone you care about deteriorate day after day, it does something to you. 

Your collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures is quite eclectic. You've even created some pieces in book form: The Book of Demons and The Book of Death. They almost seem as if they were inspired by Evil Dead's Necronomicon in the way they're put together. Can you give us some more insight into these volumes? From what evil were they inspired and how do they differ from one another? 

I am really into the concept of total Art initiated by Wagner, and I love to touch every medium from painting to music, videos, sculptures, etc. I do think it is important to experiment in all fields. Life is short and we are permitted to do so for only a small amount of time. I published 4 books so far, The book of Death, The Book of Shadows, The Book of Demons, and Beyond Khaos. I can see why you would mention Evil Dead because my books are also manuscripts, but the comparison stops here because I see them as some sort of diaries filled with my poems, essays, and illustrations. The Book of Death is the first one, and I did it over the course of three years. I'm currently working on a new one entitled The Book of Satan and this time, it is entirely written and illustrated with my blood. It will be published by Heavy Music Artwork who already published my previous books.  

There's also a series of paintings that you've done over recent years that depict - quite accurately - the dread associated with specific mental health disorders such as depression. These disorders are depicted as shadows looming over their victims. These pieces really hit home for me as someone who suffers from mental health issues. How are you able to capture the essence of suffering and the malevolence of these afflictions so profoundly? 

Thank you, I can say there is a little of me in all my pieces. Art is the easiest way to put my thoughts together than just talking. I used to work in a mental facility some years ago, and talking to patients was really eye-opening and interesting. I always felt outside of the box in terms of society, and I can somehow understand the pain and struggle of others. I had some dark moments in my life, and I do know I'm different than the common beings, even though I haven't talked to any therapist since primary school when teachers thought I was crazy and sent me to medical examination. They realized I was hyperactive and had trouble concentrating in a classroom, which resulted in me being a bad student. The irony of it all is that I became a teacher for over a decade, but I quit to focus on my art. 

It seems we're men who share similar irreligious views and it obviously shows in your work. But it's not so much the real Satanic or blasphemous stuff you do that speaks to me the most. It was the lonely man on the church pew under the cross that really got me. He just looks so broken, confused… unfulfilled. As a reformed Christian, I can very much relate to it. There are similar pieces to this one in your collection that cast faith in an appropriately dark shadow. How do you view Christianity and what drives you to challenge it through your art? 

This particular piece is actually a portrait of my father at the funeral of my mother. I remember him sitting in the church looking like he was somewhere else. He was already sick then, and he knew he was condemned. This is not a cross-referring to Christianity or any religion but more about the idea of death. He told me he couldn't wait to die and see my mother again. To me, Satan is just an idea; a concept of freedom - the one who does not submit and goes on his way. This is deeper than the common evil imagery you can see here and there, especially in black and death metal. Real evil lies within men, within us all…

Now, let's get into some black metal. BM is obviously one of your passions. How were you led to it? 

I was never really into music growing up, because nothing would hit home except for movie soundtracks, but one day I bought an Iron Maiden CD when I was on a school trip in Germany. I was like 12, the cover attracted me and from there, I looked for more obscure stuff, and the first extreme metal album that really had an impact on me was "Morbid Visions" from Sepultura - a perfect album in my opinion. After that, I came across Mayhem and the Norwegian bands and got hooked ever since. 

You've done some very impressive paintings in your own blood of more than a few of black metal's most notorious artists: the aforementioned Jon Nödtveidt (Dissection), Dead (Mayhem), Satyr (Satyricon), and Quorthon (Bathory) to name just the ones that I'm familiar with. But it's Per Yngve "Pelle" Ohlin (Dead) that seems to have the most influence on you as evidenced by the fact you've painted him more than once. I have to ask, how do you feel about Dead's legacy as it stands today? 

It has to do with the fact that I feel very similar to some of his experiences regarding the other side when he described - in his own words - what he saw with the blue light engulfing him. I've been experiencing sleep paralysis since I was a kid and saw shadow beings way before I even got a chance to see any horror movie that could have led my mind to it. The cut is also something we have in common. There is something pleasant and appealing in self-destruction because I create from it. It's like destroying the old to build the new, and pain is a very interesting feeling. It shapes you as a human being, it teaches you who you really are. Being able to endure pain and survive it, whether it is emotional or physical makes you stronger. Going back to Dead, his vocals were something else and same as for his live antics. He was the definition of black metal, lived by it, and died for it in a way. 

Naturally, you've also ventured into the realm of recording and creating BM of your own. Let's talk about your project, KFR. This is some really expressive and intense material. Influentially, It's difficult to really tie it to any school of black metal that I know of. What inspired it and what is its purpose? 

I created K.F.R for the sole purpose of giving a soundtrack to my paintings. They are almost like partitions for some of them, and when I look at them, I can imagine their sonic translation. I mentioned having sleep paralysis prior, and sometimes I hear music during those. strange music which is not of this world, and I also try to recreate these moments with my music. I also wanted to go deeper in terms of black metal and forget the convention to mold something of my own so I would say it became more than a genre. 

"The Mouth of Vices" is one video that really grabs my attention. Downright fear-inducing stuff. This is subjective of course and coming from the mind of an individual who has struggled deeply with past addictions, but I've always equated the screams to the agony of addiction; the nightmare of needing to get my next fix. And the images of you wielding and intently posing with your sword without any perceived purpose - for me - has always been an interpretation of someone like myself who - once he's gotten his fix - Is just lost within his own world and oblivious to everything around him. But I'm probably way off. Can you tell us about the video from your perspective? 

I can understand the analogy even though I don't do drugs nor smoke or drink. I actually have a strict way of life, and I trained most of my life in kickboxing which I taught for years, and fitness. I would say this is my drug of choice. I always loved boxing and being able to build my own body like a fortress no one can penetrate. Perhaps it is also a way to mask my own demons. Like you said, I do live in my own world as well, and the characters I portray in my videos are all different versions of my alter-ego. I'm also glad you can relate to it and interpret it in your own way. 

What does the future look like for KFR? 

I have a new album which is my most personal one entitled "Pain/ter" coming soon. Kvarforth from Shining is a guest on it, and I will reveal soon two videos I did for it. There will be also a split with Shining in the near future. K.F.R has always been a quest to reach true darkness for me, so each new release is darker than the previous one, and this new album is by far the craziest. I started to record some parts using frequencies known to cause anxiety and distress since Pure Evil. It is subtle but it is there, engulfing you. 

Are you involved in any other black metal bands/projects? 

Yes, I do have a bunch of other projects and also collabs. Saturnian Tempel is black metal as well but focused on the cosmos both in terms of sound and imagery. The latest album from that entity was "Kronos" back in 2020. 

Griiim is a mix of black metal, electro, dark hip-hop beats, and whatever I feel like adding to it. I would recommend the album "Pope Art" which came out via Purity Through Fire to get an Idea of what it stands for. 

Kyūketsuki is a project that started as ambient on the demo, but evolved progressively into black metal influenced by Japanese folklore and played with Japanese instruments, especially regarding the rhythm parts. I think the albums "Seppuku" and "Himitsu" are the most evocative of that oriental horror feel, and I'm very proud of them.

Lamentum is my dark ambient/dungeon synth project. The latest album, "Anneliese" came out on vinyl only via Purity Through Fire, and I would say it is a dark experience for the listener. It is a concept album about Anneliese Michel who was supposedly possessed and died of exhaustion after repeated exorcisms. 

I also have Necröse as a black ambient project and some other bands now on hold like Trinity, Mentïs Morbüm, Djinn and De Vermiis Mysteriis. 

Do you find black metal to be a better conduit for expression than painting and sculpting? 

No, they go together. I don't know if you are familiar with the concept of synesthesia but that is something I'm trying to convey with my work. Melding all human senses into one. 

What was once censorship is now referred to as "cancel culture". I feel like it's a very real thing as evidenced by its impact alone on the black metal scene: shows canceled, visas denied, protests outside of concerts, defamation, false accusations, etc. It appears more and more people are becoming indoctrinated into PC culture as the years go by. Do you fear for the future of art and black metal? 

Art has always been a target of censorship and I'm no exception. I'm permanently banned from being able to monetize my videos on YouTube because of my art, I get stuff removed all the time on social media and this is frustrating and infuriating. This cancel culture bullshit just makes people angrier. They want a soft world full of happiness but it will never be the case. The world is a dark place and always will be. Trying to camouflage what's considered abnormal by society is going to divide even more.  

What's the most valuable thing you've learned through your art? 

It is a good question. I would say that art is an extension of the self, and it brings truth to what we really are, so we can learn from it. I always thought Art was more than just a visual outlet; it is a stand and a way to make people react, and move things. It is a revolution and a necessity. Life would be even more miserable without it. 

Do you have a message for your followers? 

I'd like to personally thank everyone who showed support and interest in my work.

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Explore Maxime's eclectic collection right here:

https://giin.bigcartel.com/

Germany’s pure metal powerhouse Primal Fear were forged by four well-known individuals in the scene including Mat Sinner, founder and songwriter of popular 80’s band Sinner, and Ralf Scheepers, the robust singer for Gamma Ray. Their unrelenting metal attitude and oldschool approach has made them the kings of metal in their own country and if they keep it up the world will follow. Their latest album “Black Sun” has been compared to Judas Priest classics like “Painkiller” and I’ll be the first to admit this band is the true successor to the Metal Gods! This is modern Priest mixed with classic Iron Maiden! Excited? Let’s hear from Mr. Sinner himself.

Luka ‘Wrath’


A congratulations, first of all, on the brilliant album "Black Sun"! Tell me, what has the reaction been like so far around the world?

It’s been really good all over the world so far, it came out just Monday in Europe, last Wednesday in Japan and Korea and the response from fans and magazines has been great! It’s on Germany’s Top 40 charts... so it looks good for us!

Can we expect a tour anytime soon?

We will start with Russia in June and we’ll be all around Europe in September and October. After that we’re heading to South America and perhaps the U.S and Canada... and Japan is calling too, so... we’ve got a lot to do!

The whole world, essentially! Now how did the plan to go to Russia come about? Not a lot of bands tour the country, what is the scene like in eastern Europe?

Well Nuclear Blast has a good distribution deal there and so they invited us. Russia was mainly a land of bootlegging so far, but now they [NB] have an official distribution plan there and they’re doing a lot for us. We have a lot of fans out in Moscow, so that will definitely be a big show for us!

The closest bands Primal Fear can be compared to are modern Judas Priest, and Halford. How much of an influence are these bands?

None.

For me, at least (laughs). I mean, everybody else in the band is into them and we are seen as a band that is very influenced by Judas Priest, because I think the guitar riffs are similar, and Ralf [Scheeper]’s vocals are very similar to Rob [Halford]’s, but if we do have a strong Priest influence it would be from albums like “Screaming for Vengeance”, or “Defenders of the Faith”, and of course “Painkiller”, but not the new material.

What do you think about bands like that, Priest and Maiden, still cranking out pure metal after so many years!? Do you think the energy and power is still there, or are they getting old?

Yes it’s good, why not? There’s a lot of new bands arriving on the scene so the music is still very alive, and the old, quality bands can still survive and they’re doing a great job.

Do you think all the energy and power is still there?

Yeah, of course! They can still put on a great show, I saw them [Iron Maiden] about a year ago and it was great.

Do you think you could do it for another, say ten, fifteen years with Primal Fear?

Wow! We’ll see! I mean, it depends on whether it’s still fun for us or not, that’s all.

OK, let’s talk about Sinner, after almost 20 years of running that band, you‘ve built up quite a reputation and fan base in Europe. With Primal Fear, does it feel like you’re starting all over again, from the bottom?

No, that’s the great thing! With Primal Fear it was a lot easier: it was well accepted and well reviewed from the first day and we started on a very big label right from the start. There was no playing small clubs or anything like that, the reaction in Europe was very good from the first day, so we were never really newcomers like Sinner. When Primal Fear came out on stage it was, like, everybody wants to see it, you know?

Are you still gonna keep going with Sinner, or have you made a complete switch?

We’ve had a lot of talk about that. For the last few months I’ve had to focus totally on the new Primal Fear album but I think there is some songwriting coming up in the summertime for Sinner. I’ve been getting calls from the old line-up and they’re definitely interested. So we’ll see, perhaps we’ll have a new album out by next summer!

Sounds good. Do you keep in touch with today’s huge underground metal scene? What are you favorite bands as of today?

Yeah of course, we listen to a lot of bands, I mean we have a lot of support bands from Europe for our shows and we’re really into the kind of stuff they’re doing. It is just impossible to pick out any in particular ones though, there is just so much going on. The scene is very big.

I agree, it just keeps growing; 2000 and 2001 have been very groundbreaking and productive years for underground metal, the strongest in a long time. Do you think real metal is slowly returning into the mainstream world once again?

It depends on a lot of things and not only on the number of fans. There is a lot of them, certainly, we saw the turnout last year in the U.S. was great and the people, they knew our songs and all that. But it also depends on the media. A lot of them want to ignore traditional heavy metal, or other types of really heavy metal and give it very little exposure, so that is what makes it difficult for us.

How do you like playing in the U.S., as opposed to Europe?

Well Europe is home for us and we can basically play our whole show with the pyrotechnics and everything there. Now flying over to North America all we’ve got is our guitars and that’s it, you know? So the show is kind of stripped-down, but in the end if the band is in a good mood and the audience is enjoying the show then it can be something really special.
We did a festival last year there and all the fans that were used to their American bands saw us as some kind of strange and “exotic” band from Europe or something (laughs), the crowd was really loud, I mean, they gave us a great time and we enjoyed playing there.

Now how do you feel about Napster and all the internet pirating going on? Is it a positive thing, or negative?

It’s negative, of course. I mean, people will download a whole album for nothing so how can a musician even exist? For us it’s all work, songwriting, lyrics, producing, it goes on for months and months and then two weeks before the album even comes out you can download it on like Audio Galaxy or something. And I think this will eventually destroy the music. The people who always use this should think about what they’re doing to the musicians they like. If we were selling millions of albums and were rich I wouldn’t give a shit, you know? But a lot of people and musicians in Europe really believe in what they’re doing and they’re not rich off their music. So they’re working really, really hard and if their music is downloaded for free it will destroy their career.

Tell me, what was it like working in the little-known Sonic Ranch studio in Texas? Why did you choose to do the mixing there, it is basically in the middle of the desert!

Yeah it was kinda weird but very nice, we decided to go there for complete peace of mind and total focus on the album without any outside distractions. No cars breaking down, no lawyers, tax people, girlfriends or any of that (laughs), so we got to really focus on the album and it was a great time for us.

I understand you contributed vocals on a few songs like 'Mind Machine'. Is this something we can expect to hear more of later on?

We’ll see. I do a lot of backing vocals anyway so it was not new to me or Ralf either. We share vocals all the time on stage and it was his idea to put it on the album. Normally I’m coming more from a rock side, I’m more of a rock singer than metal singer so I don’t contribute as much.

My favorite song from Black Sun is definitely 'Mind Machine', do you have a favorite?

Lots! (laughs) Well, working on the album for such a long time and working on every single detail it becomes very hard to choose. 'Armaggedon', 'Lightyears From Home', 'Mind Machine', 'Fear', 'Controlled'... they’re all like babies to me.

How does the songwriting process happen? Do you write all the music or does everyone contribute?

Well the good thing with Primal Fear that helps us keep the pace with album releases is that every guy in the band has a small recording studio at home where we record all our ideas and bring it all together in the practice room where we work together on the material. We’re a very creative team and we generally have a lot of fun in the creating process!

Can we expect the sound and musical direction of Primal Fear to change over the next few albums?

I don’t think so, no, it’s just that we know the basic idea already for the next album and we will prepare it well because it’s a long way down the road, and we just released this one! It will definitely be a variation of the sound but it will still be very much Primal Fear.

It’s certainly good to hear bands that still have so much commitment.

Yeah, our slogan is that “if Primal Fear is on the outside, Primal Fear is on the inside” so anyone buying our CD knows exactly what they get, and it’s top quality.

The good thing about European fans is that they’re very committed, and we have a very strong fan base here, and I think that maybe it’s easier for us than some of the American bands who are trying to change their sound to always be modern. So there is no real need for Primal Fear to go on the modern side, a lot of new bands that are popular now like, say, Puddle of Mud, are nothing new for me because I’ve heard their sound before and they are just following trends. With traditional metal, it never changes, so I could be doing this five years earlier or five years down the road and still be successful.

That’s right. Well some things never change, and this style of metal certainly wouldn’t be called traditional if it did.

That’s right (laughs).

Well, thank you for your time Mat, any closing remarks?

Thank you very much for the interview, and I hope to see you sometime when we tour!