MichaelMcCoyII
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:21 pm |
FESTER (Norway) Interview by http://www.bleeding4metal.de
By Akhanant
Through the years of darkness FESTER were in the nineties, an integral part of the Norwegian Black Metal underground scene, released two studio albums and just as fans and critics have suggested that it now really with the band go up should disappear, the band from the scene. Those who know the scene of the albums were regarded as eternal FESTER insider, even if they were not just to grab günsitg. 2011 it was called then suddenly: Reunion! A new album is on the shelves and the mere fact that the band is active again, should be rejoicing so many black root internally. Bleeding 4 Metal take the opportunity, with guitarist and band leader Bjørn "Tiger" Mathisen, the only remaining founding member, lead to a detailed and above all depth interview.
Hello Tiger and thank you for this interview ermöglichst us. How things are going these days?
Tiger: Hi, no problem. Just a long holiday was on the plan and all members were busy with other things than music.
Your new album "A Celebration of Death" is now out there for a few months. What were the reactions to it so far?
Tiger: The overall response was overwhelming! Almost only good reviews, including some top reviews in Metal Hammer, Metal Temple, Metal.de, etc. The reactions of the fans were great too. Of course there will always be someone who will not understand what we are trying to create or do not like it. But as I said, we are very happy with the reviews.
It took a long time to FESTER brought a new album on the market. 17 years between "Silence" and "A Celebration of Death." A long wait for the fans!
Tigers: Actually, 18 years ... he he. I always thought that you have to create something when you have to say something and not "just do it". Of course, 17 years a long time, but returned as the right feeling and the inspiration was felt it was right to revive FESTER. I would guess that this was not the case anymore since the last time in 2000, when we actually get together again.
I guess most of our readers have never heard of FESTER. So let us look back to the early days, times and give them the chance to discover the band. Your debut "Winter Of Sin" appeared 1992nd It sounded very pure, raw and as for the vocals sounded a bit like the Suicidal Black Metal bands of today. What goes through your mind when you remember the days of the first publication about?
Tiger: "Winter Of Sin" was the first CD on the unknown label of Thomas Nyquist - appeared - No Fashion Records. We were proud of this publication! To publish anything more than the other bands that ushered in the second wave of black metal. I agree that the vocals were very harsh, but with the thrashy, heavy metal-like, deadly and doomy riffs, combined with a dark black and feeling it sounded totally different anyway! I also remember that I went with a friend of mine (Thomas Nyquist) for a whole night to Stockholm to receive the CD's. We could not wait until they were sent in the mail ... haha. We were four teenagers who were proud of what they had created.
Two years later, the last album for a long time, "Silence". It was completely different and it sounded very grim, with an atmosphere that I had never heard before on an album. Until today! I would say that the debut of a little more typical of the Norwegian black metal scene was, but "Silence" went his own way and was difficult to classify. Why did you change the sound on this masterpiece so?
Tiger: When we rehearsed the album in the Phat Studios, we knew it would sound very different from "Winter Of Sin". The direction it took was very natural, but it was perhaps a "Fuck you!" at all "Truen" people out there who would take a heavy metal or death metal album not even in the hand. I've told schonmal and I say it again: We have never made music to satisfy a particular audience, and as long as you are honest with what you create, it will be real, no matter how it classifies. I agree that it sounded raw and less atmospheric, but it still has that dark and eerie sound.
If you have the statements of FESTER is pursuing a little, you do not seem entirely happy with it to be. Particularly in terms of the cover, which in the end of your former label Lethal Records was selected. What went wrong?
Tiger: There may have been some misunderstanding because of this album ... I always Meinug that "Silence" was a great record ... Somewhere I think it was melodic, but it was and still is his own "Beast" ... I know some love Lethal's cover of "Silence", but the painting, which was originally planned for "Silence" was a lot cooler! There was a crow on a pole, whose beak was pierced by a branch. I also never got an answer why this has not been used ...
Then there were the years in which FESTER disappeared and little information was available. The only thing I've heard, is that all things had taken the negative side of the black metal scene out of hand. Burning churches, the killing of Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth (Mayhem) at the hands of Varg "Count Grishnackh" Vikernes (BURZUM) and all these things that were once the focus on the press. Many smaller bands (such as FESTER) disappeared from the face of reason. Just a rumor?
Tiger: The aforementioned factors are not all correct, but a factor in many bands break up was the way the scene is developed ... I remember that we got a call from a magazine, when we were in Austria for "Silence" record. They wanted our opinion about the fact that Euronimous was killed. That was the day after the murder. I personally liked very much and Øystein this "War of power", which left there, would not interest me less able. As I said, none of these events was directly related to the resolution of FESTER. It may have been a reason to lose the inspiration, but it was our personal problems and the lack of proper feeling that caused the end of FESTER.
Somewhere on the internet I've read that FESTER wanted to start around the time of the millennium a comeback. Another rumor! True or false information?
Tiger: This is a true rumor! We had a comeback before 2000, but due to Jørgen (bassist) was that in the sand. No Fashion Records also released a re-issue of "Silence" with bonus tracks for our comeback plans.
Unfortunately, bassist Jorgen Skjolden died in 2000 and thus brought the band are any new publication. If I may ask you this ... what exactly happened with Jørgen and you're standing still in contact with his family?
Tiger: I read somewhere that he died of a drug overdose, but I do not know the autopsy report. Possibly. He had many personal problems in his last years and the life was one long struggle for Jørgen at the time, but I'll remember Jørgen always with a smile on my face, because he was a great guy! I'm his mother and visited his grave a few times, but apart from that I have no contact with his family.
What have you done over the years in which FESTER was out of the scene?
Tiger: I was in 1995, the first time father, moved to Oslo for some years and was very focused on my work and family life. I had no inspiration to make more music and had the scene and all that tired. To be honest, there were even 4 years in which I have not even touched my guitar.
Somehow it seems as if you were trying to avoid it, to play live gigs. Are you shy?
Tiger: No, I would not call myself a shy person, but I think playing live is something very personal, and especially in the past I always had the feeling that the people who came to the gigs with the music not so much linked, as I always did. I suspect this might be different, but you're right that I try to avoid playing gigs. I was tired of the types who were down the hall with his arms folded, trying to look soooooo bad. This applies not only FESTER, but also many other bands at the time. The other members are however totally eager to play some gigs, so we'll see what the future holds. But what I can say with certainty is that you do not live in 2012 will FESTER.
What's your best memory about the band, since it was founded?
Tiger: Oh, that's a complicated question! Since there are many, but if I only want to select one or two would be that when we first entered in 1991 the studio to record our first demo, and then as we are "A Celebration of Death" recordings. That all came so naturally was so great and it seemed as if time stood still ...
And the worst?
Tiger: No doubt when we decided our resolution. The fact that everything we had on the SOLID built up was lost.
Ok, let's get back to today and the new album. Are all the new songs on it, or you have used older material?
Tiger: The entire material is new and old material was not used. I had a riff tape, which Jørgen few weeks before he died in 2000, had made and the plan was to use some of it in some songs, but it did not fit into the overall concept of the album, so I decided to stay to leave. Maybe they are fit to a later release?
Please tell us something about the current lineup of FESTER.
Tiger currently makes Thomas Andresen is the main vocals Jon Bakker (KAMPFAR) plays the ax and I play all guitars. In the studio we also have great help from Raymond Pellicer (some guitars, synths, samples, etc.) and Audun Kleive on drums. We also have guest appearances by Mortiis, Guidio St. Roch (YSENGRIN) and Eivind Årseth.
The band has found a new home with Abyss Records. How did you come into contact and how is it like working with them?
Tiger: As published Kyrck Production and Armor 2010 our two demos on CD / LP, I had contact with several labels and distros that sold them. I started to email a lot with Dan (Abyss Records), and after a while came up with the idea of the re-release two albums to. The connection between us and the label is good. They are the right reasons in the business and have some great releases in their back catalog.
Meanwhile, I have "A Celebration of Death" has been heard several times and I think that this album is exactly like the child of "Winter Of Sin" and "Silence" sounds. Influences of these two albums are almost everywhere! Do you feel like a proud grandfather?
Tiger: Hehe, when I think about it, you could be right! I find it difficult to place it somewhere, but yeah, like you are really right. I think it sounds much colder and darker than our first two albums, but I still think that it sounds like FESTER. Yeah, I'm a proud grandpa!
Tell us something about writing, recording, etc. How does it feel after all these years to bring a new album on the world-PROOF?
Tiger: As mentioned earlier, it just felt right! The inspiration and creativity were given long and it was a lot of material written. It felt great! All the main riffs and song structures have been prepared on an acoustic guitar, complete with no distortion ... I wanted to try this to get a structure in place of ordinary akkordbasiertere riffing. The pre-and main guitars were made and then sent to a few vocal Guidelines to Thomas and Jon. When they were ready, they did their part and we have also added some more guitar tracks to the concept to make it darker and more sinister. The drums were recorded in another studio, usually in one take ... Raymond (main producer) has done a crazy job that bring everything together. I think that's the main reason why many people think it is a concept album and it's a long trip to hear the whole album, as the songs piece by piece.
The main contact and receive information about FESTER fans today on Facebook and Myspace. This means that you have no problem with using the Internet (many bands hate that). Will there be an official website in the future? It would be easier for the fans, on news that is definitely true to approach and it would eliminate the entire rumors.
Tiger: I know there are people who listen to him, not even the bands that are present on Facebook and MySpace and also that there are bands that do not use social networks. I mean, it's a question of balance. Apps, Twitter, etc. are not our thing, but it's great to have a strong and fast connection with our followers have. I loved the old days really, in those letters every day in my post box, flyers that were distributed through the mail, only physical things, etc., but you have probably come to terms with the fact that those days are over. At the same time but I must mention that I hate that people download MP3 files (read: steal from the bands and labels) and buy. I love physical formats! There are tons of great underground labels and bands that need to sell 1500 copies to make it to the next release, etc., but if download, people will continue over the things to buy, will collapse all and only the majors survive. An official website will be and will of course include a webshop with PHYSICAL publications and merchandise.
If we're at it, you still have another band called SINCERA running, which uses the epic elements of bands like EMPEROR and DISSECTION. Do you agree with that? Tell us more about it.
Tiger: SINCERA was intended as a project band with members of other bands from our area. It was founded in 2002 by Thomas Aamodt of WITHER / PHSYCOTOC PAIN and me. We have made a demo, we have never released for sale, played a few gigs and had blast samples and turned right on! Abyss released this demo along with some dirty harsh and brutal live tracks from a gig we played together with WITCH HAMMER. The album was released in September last year and was called "Cursed And Proud". The demo tracks are more melodic than FESTER, but still have this old-school feel. The live recordings are a lot more brutal ... This was directly recorded with a handheld camera to be impure, raw feeling in a dark, smelly, small concert, to be recorded. I'll agree with the reference to the mentioned who would still add ROTTING CHRIST. The band is on hold for a while now, but who knows? Maybe we are some of the unreleased songs that we have made record time in the future?
What can we expect this in the future?
Tigers: We will get together in the coming months and once the talk by ... What I can tell you before, is that a lot has been written on new material and will soon appear on demos ... If all goes as planned, the next release something that has never seen anyone. Something big and visual ...
Now people know up some more about FESTER. Do you have something in stock that you have told the press has never previously FESTER? Here's your chance, hehe!
Tiger: Hehe ... Since there will always be stories to tell ... A story that has never been told: I played in 1991 in another band called DEAD HEADS ... We played together in the same rehearsal room as FESTER (in the basement of Jan's (drummer) house. We played mostly cover pieces of MUDHONEY and Nirvana's "Bleach" album ... a nice contrast to FESTER, do not you think?
Thank you for making this interview with Bleeding 4 Metal. We wish you all the best and much success with "A Celebration of Death." The last words for your fans and our readers belong to you now!
Tiger also you all the best spreads and the madness continues. I hope that people anchecken FESTER. Keep playing loud and proud staying
This interview was originally written in German and has been translated using Google Translate. To view the original interview in German click the link below.
Interview link: http://www.bleeding4metal.de/?show=interview&id=583
Fester links:
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/festernorway
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fester/204292849614033
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/festernorwaybm
Last fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Fester
Abyss Records links:
Online Label & Online Music Store: http://www.officialabyssrecords.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/abyssrecordsofficial
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialAbyssRecords
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/label/abyssrecords
Last fm: http://www.last.fm/label/AbyssRecords
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MinionfortheAbyss
Other links:
To Order FESTER "A Celebration of Death" CD and other FESTER merchandise go to: http://www.officialabyssrecords.com/adv ... rds=fester
To preview songs go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWMGYQO2CjI or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xc7tab9jvs
To preview a song from FESTER "Silence" DIGI CD go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hiTvtM5hoY or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkSQoaAzGpQ
And to preview a song from FESTER "Winter of Sin" DIGI CD go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKH4_MK_6DI
Last edited by MichaelMcCoyII on Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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