- INTERVIEWS -

- E -

- ECLIPSE ETERNAL INTERVIEW -

Live interview with Voldamares by Mark Howitt (2009)

Mark Howitt - Eclipse Eternal has just played a big show with Mayhem in Toronto, and I just caught your set here with Absu. Amazing set indeed. How were both of these experiences?

Voldamares - The Mayhem show was excellent. It was much better than we expected just because with Marduk not being there we had a sneaking suspicion that the crowd might be a little hostile to anyone replacing them. Turns out this was not the case. I guess it was a good thing that instead of a bunch of death metal bands playing, there was actually some local black metal bands instead, so it seemed to be a pretty good crowd reaction.

M.H - Yeah, it seemed a bit strange to me that they would have death metal bands supporting a band like Mayhem, especially being a band so rooted in the black metal scene as Mayhem is. How was the experience playing with them? They haven’t played in Canada in such a long time and its rare for them to come to these soils and tour. It may have been a good thing that these bands cancelled because it gives local talent an opportunity to share the stage with Mayhem and get them onto their resume?

V - Absolutely. I guess you could say it was bitter sweet I guess you could say because Marduk are one of my favourite bands so for them to drop off and have us replace them its great for us and its kinda like having a knife fight with yourself because you are going to win and you are going to lose.

M.H - So what has been new with Eclipse Eternal? You have recently released Ubermensch, how has that been going for you?

V - Its going really good. We sold out of our first run of 500, and going on to our second run. Sales have been good enough though because we don’t have any real distribution, but we will be hopefully be getting distribution really soon because we have recently signed a distribution deal with Northern Storm Records.so hopefully they will do something. If they don’t, we’ll kill them. Or we will just do it ourselves like weve always done. We do our shirts, we do everything by ourselves. That’s the best way to do it and the response has been good, the reviews have been good and we just keep moving on.

MH - So you’re first album was released by Galy Records and after that you moved on to do it yourself for the second album. I understand that you are working on a new album?

V - We are yes. We left Galy on not so great terms and we would prefer not to speak about it. Moving forward though, the next album we do not have a working title for yet, but its going to be a great album. Right now we have basically added in some newer influences. Some Windir has been a big influence. Watain has been a big influence and we have played a show with them. Dissection has become a bigger influence than they were before. You will be able to hear these new influences on the new album.

MH - Sounds like a killer combination of influences for sure. Do you know when that is expected to be in the recording process?

V - We are hoping August. We have half the album written and we are just practising those. Every two days we do a whole set of just new songs and then we start writing more. That’s just the way we work. It typically takes us awhile to record an album because we are very meticulous. We want it to sound absolutely fucking perfect.

MH - Yeah, it is very common in the black metal world to try and get it like that especially when you are trying to form ambience with the music. That’s why Black Metal is so powerful I think is because people pay attention to that stuff.

V - Ya, there is so much thought that goes into it. Its not abrupt, its not just a one time thing. You really have to think about what you are doing and what you want to convey. That takes a lot of concentration and channelling of the spirits.

- So the second album was produced by Fredrik Nordstrom, you went to Sweden to record that?

V - We went to Sweden to mix it. It was very expensive but he did exactly what we wanted him to do which was make the album that we wanted. So you get what you pay for and we really cant complain. He was really good to us and we hope to use him again.

MH - So you will probably be using him for the next album?

V - That’s the idea. Well see, I mean the idea is up there but it all really depends on finances of time. We are a busy band, he is a busy man but the hope would be that we would continue along that road.

MH - Moving on to another subject, the Canadian Black Metal scene. You are a definite supporter of this ring of bands and you have created The Order of the Wolf and you have been promoting and playing Black Metal for a long time. Playing in Eclipse Eternal and promoting the countries bands. How do you feel that the Canadian Black Metal scene has evolved over the last few years?

V - We have got so much better. So much stronger. Music has evolved and I think now that people are finally clueing in to this type of music it is bringing people together in a good way. There is so much, I wouldn’t say support because that’s gay, but we really help eachother out and encourage each other to be better. I mean, when somebody is aggressive you know, we want them to be really aggressive . When someone has a strong belief we want them to strengthen that even moreso, to know that they stand behind them when they do their acts. When bands play we show up, and make sure that others show up because we have been there. We’ve played shows for five years now, and we’ve seen bands come and go but we are still here. We prefer to play with Canadian bands when we play. We prefer to have these bands playing with us because these are our country people. We have to support our own, because nobody else will.

M.H - Very true indeed. Moving on to a smaller level, a provincial level. Do you feel that the Ontario Black Metal community is thriving?

V - I feel that it is shrinking. The bands are shrinking mostly because the good are rising to the top and the shitty are falling to the wayside and that’s the way that it should be. That’s the way life is. There are really good local bands in Ontario but if somebody asked me to name them, I could probably name four. Weve got about two million people in this city alone and that does not include any of the outskirts and we have four bands. Four. We have four that we have played with and that are good. That is sad, but those four bands are fucking killer. And therefore, we don’t need anymore.

MH - I would definitely say that Eclipse Eternal is on top of that food chain. You guys have played shows with more bands than I can even count on my fingers and toes. Some top names too, pioneering bands. You must have a strong resume at this time, what are some of the best bands you have played with?

V - Last week we played with Mayhem, tonight Absu of course. Weve played with Watain, Averse Sefira, Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Enslaved, Dark Funeral. We have played with a lot of really good bands and it spans through genres. We have played with Akercocke, Nuclear Assault, Razor, Piledriver. We have played with a lot of different bands are we are very honoured to have done so.

MH - Sounds like you guys have probably the best resume out of any Canadian Black Metal band in my opinion. I can just see Eclipse Eternal going even further with this new album just from the materials I have heard.

V - We would like to bring this to Europe, to show Europe what Canadian Black Metal is. We don’t exactly have a great name across the world when it comes to Black Metal. Most likely they don’t even know that there is Black Metal here in Canada and I don’t blame them for that its just that there is not many in Canada that have really risen to the top or have worked quite as hard. To showcase themselves and really put themselves on the line. Cause it takes a lot of sacrafice. Not many people are willing to sacrafice everything for music. We have done that for five years now. Every cent we have, every hour we have is spent doing this music and it’s a huge sacrafice but it is definitely worth it and something that we have not regretted. Something we are not about to stop.

MH - Any last words?

V - Kill yourself!

- ENEMY REIGN INTERVIEW -

Email interview with Sherwood Webber by Drew DePietro (2009)

Archaic North - How exactly did you come to form Enemy Reign?

Sherwood - Justin, former guitarist had asked me if I wanted to come check out his band, and if I’d be interested in doing vocals. I went and checked them out with an open mind and things started to develop. It was slow at first but considering we’ve been together under 2 years, the stuff we’re writing right now for our full length sounds fully developed. The “Means To A Dead End” EP was and excellent training, the material we’re writing is the big game.

A.N - Also, how did you come to name the band Enemy Reign?

S - It was a collective idea. We’ll always be subject to some type of Enemy Reign, it works on both sides these days, the memory of the Bush administration and the reign of fear and paranoia that is hindering progress these days. It’s always present; you’ll never escape Enemy Reign, it just works for us. We’re not a politically driven band, we’re into universal evil.

AN - Were there any difficulties encountered while writing the EP? Musical differences, thoughts on direction, who writes what..etc.

S - Like I said above, it was a great learning experience. It was written and recorded with a second guitarist (Justin) in the band, that added a certain element. Everything we’ve written since he’s left the band has been written and arranged by the 4 of us. Nick contributes all the riffs, he’s very open to ideas and manipulation of what he brings to the table. We’ve worked hard on developing our sound, the EP was a start, our style has developed. It’s all about our new material. There is definitely a learning curve with a new band, but the Guenther brothers have a very disciplined work ethic. We’ve done a lot with arrangement and tempo mapping that has made us a much tighter and deliberate band.

AN - Was the task of self producing and distributing the "Means to a Dead End" EP daunting? Or was it something that just fell together and grew from there?

S - There was really no choice, we’re a brand new band, the economy sucks. It’s a digital world where music, if you want it, is essentially free. Record sales are down, labels are not just throwing money around, no-one is. While there is a certain pride in being self reliant, the DIY approach can only take you so far in this genre. Basically we just scraped together the money to finance the EP and did whatever we could to get it out there. I have to say it’s been really gratifying, anything worth having is hard work.

AN - Out of the 5 songs on the EP, which would you say has been getting the most ridiculous reactions from the crowds?

S - “Isolate”

AN - I hear the title for the upcoming full length is “How About.......Go Fuck Yourself!”......what's that about? Someone piss you off? Or is it to just send a message?

S - Actually, that’s just what I was thinking about calling a song, not the full length. We’re pretty outspoken folks, known to tell people to get fucked once in a while.. Haa.

- If someone were to come up to you and say "Hey, I just downloaded your new EP it sounds great!" What would your reply to them be?

S - No problem, in the digital age, being high and mighty about some broken down archaic business model is suicide. Fighting it would be like trying to bail out the ocean with a pint glass. There is opportunity to be discovered.

AN - As the world is aware, "downloading is gravely injuring the musical economy"...Would you agree with that statement?

S - Downloading is gravely injuring executive bonuses, I say fuck it, it’s about time. Time for a new model, who cares if the current musical economy is destroyed? I’m not talking about independent labels, I’m talking about the majors. Burn that fucker to the ground. Are people going to stop making music? Will it be a quiet world now? Bands at every level have been on the losing side of the business forever, this is really an opportunity. I respect the independent labels a lot. There is a huge overhead for a label for them to do their job correctly and it’s harder and harder with downloading. With change comes opportunity and for everyone to throw up their arms and not recognize the potential of a changed business model is quite close minded. There will be innovators and there will be progress!

AN - Are there any plans for a major tour coming soon for ER? Or are you all just focusing on the new full length?

S - Definitely focused on the full length for now, but A European tour is imminent in the Spring.

AN - After listening to the EP about 4 times in succesion, it has a very distinct sound. Quite frankly, it's very refreshing. It's heavy as fuck and it's full of hooks. What kind of output/input has the EP received since you've released it?

S - We’ve gotten a lot of great reviews and I’m really anticipating the slaughter review, it’s gotta be coming! hAaa I’m almost reluctant to give reviews as much credit as we have, it’s all subjective.. It is nice to hear some positive feedback about something you’ve worked very hard on. Journalists serve an important purpose, if someone reads a review and it initiates them to the band, we couldn’t ask for more. I agree with you, it’s heavy as fuck and full of hooks.

AN - I don't want to be a "bad interviewer" but I've read in your interview with U-Zine.net that you "Like metal alot..just because." What's the reasoning behind that answer?

S - That shit just makes me feel good, metal rules, dood

AN - If a promoter were to offer/ask ER to play a gig in their town, and they told you, they could only pay you in beer and cigarettes...Would you do it?

S - Beer and weed, sure



AN - Are you big on crowd participation? And if you are(which I'm assuming you are), What is your favorite thing to get the crowd to do?

S - Like the show so much they tell someone, continue to follow us, or buy a shirt, any of those work for me. Actually their presence is enough, no matter how they choose to participate.


AN - Can you remember the craziest fan you've witnessed?

S - This jackass named SLAYER that lurks around Denver. He may be back in jail.


AN - What is your favorite colour?

S - Green, or white


AN - Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with me for Archaic North Entertainment's Webzine. Hope to see Enemy Reign passing through Sudbury, Ontario sooner than later, Keep the horns high!!

S - THANK YOU DREW! and we’ll love to play up north, spread the word and we’ll come see you.