...And Oceans - is it metal or is it industrial-techno? You can't really categorize them and in my opinion you shouldn't even try. "Cypher", their recently released album will not answer those questions but it will show you how seamlessly those elements can be combined and how original and unique this band is. So, how did that mix of cold electronics and aggressive metal come to life? Kenny, the band's vocalist answers that and anything ...And Oceans. Here's the result of our conversation...

Chris


Would I be mistaken if I said that "Cypher" is a concept album? Can you tell us what is it about, a reason for 3-part song titles and describe the idea behind the title "Cypher"?

Each and every song is divided into three sections, but one of them stands as the profound title. The ones in cursive are the actual titles for each song, but it wasn't correct on the promo version. On the actual CD the titles are in bold and those are the correct titles. Making a concept album has been floating deep down in the corners of the mind for a while and as the music for "Cypher" turned out pretty compact, I chose to write the lyrics to go hand in hand with the music. The music is not complex and neither are the lyrics this time. The basics are pretty much the same throughout the whole album and decadence is under focus, but there are lots of different small nuances with different insights of what some people call reality. I have never been too concrete about anything and I never probably will because I always leave some space for the personal interpretation. It's like with any book, movie or painting: the first impression is your own interpretation. I can't see any relevance in the concrete forms before you have worked on it in your own personal way. It's better to formulate your own thoughts and if you then later on come to the same conclusion you feel much lighter and you can just sit back and enjoy with a tiny smile on your face. The lyrics on "Cypher" are covered in simplicity compared to the previous lyrics, but sure I have left some symbolic segments for the mind to chew on. It's not much different from the music itself, they are compact and therefore there are connections to one another. It's the same theme throughout the whole album and one can surely find the linking patterns, which the whole lyrical content is built upon. And what comes to the title itself is: "Cypher" has several meanings and most of its nuances are implanted behind the lyrical curtain, but one of the meanings stands more concretely out and bears a certain value, and that is "a person or thing of little importance" because it reflects the different perspectives in the lyrics. After reading the lyrics one will comprehend the actual meaning of the title. The word "Cypher" is so versatile so we decided to use it, as it reflects the different nuances in man and the presence of man. But what I was striving for with this title, in a more concrete form, of course, was the relevance of man's unimportance. I don't think I have ever made such "down to earth" lyrics as on "Cypher" and I think it's pretty obvious what the, so called message is, but of course I have left some gaps for the personal interpretation on the mental level.

On the album cover, does the writing on the wall, "Insect Angels and Devil Worms", only relate to the original title of your limited edition of "Cypher" or does it carry a special meaning?

The official CD version is titled "Cypher" and its subtitle is still "Insect Angels & Devil Worms", but this particular subtitle will more directly be used for the double vinyl version because as it is a double version we thought the bipartite title suited better the vinyl version. The original title "Insect Angels..." is taken from my forthcoming book which consists of the same topic and the title melted nicely into this theme of this new concept album. We also changed the title due to the fact that the cover artwork changed from its original form. We could of course have used the same title for both of the releases because they both represent the same idea and purpose, but we still wanted to divide these two formats from each other.

The band went through some personal changes did this in any way affect the songwriting or recording process of "Cypher"?

This time we have all been part of creating the music, and by having six members participating on the process all added their own salt to the soup. In a way it was easier than before, but at the same time much more difficult because you are very critical towards your own ideas nowadays. All in all the process of creating new material is always demanding and stressful if you have a schedule to follow. The new members of course brought whole lot of new ideas, ambition and most of all motivation to evolve the music into another shape.

Can you introduce the new members; tell us how you found them and about their musical background?

Well, I got in touch with Pete when he moved from Sweden to this shitty town and we just started to rehearse some material for some projects, and firstly he kind of was more of a stand-in musician when 7even ii was not present, but after a while Pete just melted into our mentality at the same time as 7even ii was drifting further and further away from us. And at that time we were already looking for a new drummer, but couldn't find a proper one for that job, so Kai from Rotten Sound was supposed to fill that gap as a session musician for "Cypher". After some weeks we just got the idea of trying out Sami, who we thought could be an option for us after hearing what he was able to do. We tried him and the package was ready to go. Pete's own death metal band is called Deathbound and they will release the debut album on Woodcut Records, but of course nowadays he is also involved in all these other bands and projects we are part of. Sami has at least two bands, All In Me being some sort of metal plus some other band, which plays Pearl Jam material.

Why did Martex and 7even ii leave the band?

When we started creating new material our old drummer Martex and the rest of the members got stuck in a gap called dilemma because Martex wanted to create something more melodic and music similar to our previous albums, but the rest of the members wanted to create something different and reach for new musical fields. And this time we decided not to do any compromises on this field, so Martex decided to leave us. Shortly after this the second guitarist 7even ii was drifting further and further away in a sinking boat and got finally replaced by a new member. There's no use in having members in the band when the chemistry isn't working together any more, so we needed some fresh energy and more motivation, which the new members brought along.

Which band member is the biggest industrial/techno fan and which one is still deep into metal?

I guess when it comes to music we are very open minded and we listen to a lot of different variations and genres of music. Anti and me are maybe the biggest techno-heads, but the rest of the members are also into industrial music, but maybe just not as much as the two of us are. We listen to music that feels great at a certain moment of time and it all depends on the mood may it be metal, techno, MTV or whatever. As long as the music feels good for that particular moment, it's great. I could never see myself categorized into only one genre. It would be like eating the same meal every day the rest of your life.

...And Oceans being above any style definitions and trends might be very hard to swallow for a typical metal fan and too heavy for the electronic/industrial crowd. Does the people's reaction concern you at all or do you write the music for your own pleasure first and foremost?

We make the music for ourselves because otherwise we wouldn't be honest to ourselves. And as we don't do this for money or fame it works more as therapy. But of course it's nice if people like the material we have done.

You came a long way from being a black metal band to today's version of ...And Oceans, can you tell us why did you chose this path and didn't try, let's say, symphonic black metal? Where did the fascination with electronics come from?

I don't think we have consciously chosen any certain path it's more like a development in a natural way. We had some so called symphonic elements inserted for a while, but it all took new forms after we got new soft- and hardware, and of course along the years the mental state has been pulsating its own life. We just wanted to create something more suitable for our minds of this presence. Maybe on the next album the electronics will be excluded, who knows? As we don't plan anything too much you can never actually know what kind of material will be created next time. The fascination of electronics is basically the atmosphere of a mechanical coldness that fascinates, as well as the wide range of possibilities to mix different blends of sounds and patterns.

Have you ever received any hate mail or personal threats regarding use of electronics and betraying black metal?

No, should we? Sending hate mail to people really shows how brilliant a person can be. We have received some mails from some moralists, who have pointed out that we are on the false path, but when their points of view had no impact on us they vanished. Seems like ignorance is still the strongest weapon. Haven't heard anything from any similar people in several years though.

Do you regret anything from your career? If so, do you try to plan next band's moves to avoid same mistakes or do you let everything fall into place?

I guess there are some moments that could have been left undone, but then again it's not like I'm ashamed of it or keeps me awake during nights. It's all in the past and has no affect on me anyway, so...but as we act out of impulses you never know what pops to your mind and what you manage to do.

I'm really interested in how ...And Oceans writes songs, do you first come up with electronic stuff and then add guitars and drums or is it still the way our fathers of metal did it: good riff first?

It varies from time to time sometimes a whole track can be based on a singular keyboard pattern and sometimes on a guitar riff. Some of the tracks on "Cypher" were created out of a drumbeat, keyboard pattern and a guitar riff. We don't have any particular formula to follow because one instrument affects the other as well as a certain pattern or sound affects the whole outcome of the track.

I think it has become an ...And Oceans tradition to make the last track fully electronic. Are you trying to prepare us for completely electronic album or just to piss off die-hard metal guys like me [laugh]. I have to say those are not my favorite ones from your catalogue.

Instead of having a cover track as bonus we usually tend to make a special track or a track done in collaboration with some other artist. This time we just wanted to get a cold oriented track for the end to wrap up the whole thing in the end. If the last track appears as an annoying one, I can sit down and just smile, [laughs].

Since the band is so dynamic and eclectic, it makes some wonder, does ...And Oceans have any musical restriction? For instance, would you limit yourselves to never play country, power metal or mix black with pop, or is the sky the limit?

We don't have any restrictions when it comes to creating material, but of course there are elements that never will appear in this constellation, and especially elements that don't appear in a positive way to us. Country is one of those repugnant elements, but it could work as an irritant, [laughs].

How do you deal with rather heavy involvement of the band's members in side projects? (Rotten Sound, Deathbound, Black Dawn, 6 Billion Ways To Die, Faeces - did I miss something?) Is ...And Oceans always everyone's main priority?

Yeah, you missed a couple: O, Irene's Kunt and Epäjärjestys. Each and every band is more of a main priority band, it just depends one, which one is under the microscope for the moment. At the moment we concentrate on ...And Oceans and Rotten Sound, next will be Deathbound and Black Dawn.

What are the promotional plans for "Cypher"? Where can we see you in a live environment?

Nothing special out of the ordinary: interviews and hopefully a European tour. I don't have any details on touring yet, but Century Media is keeping their eyes and ears open for a possible tour for us.

Speaking of tours, do you have any special or unusual requirements before you go on tour? What does your typical gig look like?

Nah, Century Media has been taking care of all the details when it comes that point, but of course it would be cool to make something really astonishing on a live performance. But we are just a tiny band among big stars and we can't require things that we really would like to do. We try to add something a bit more different to live shows, but unfortunately it's pretty difficult to do that during a tour. Something small will always be added, but we'll see what it will be this time [laughs].

I think that's all for now. Thank you for your time and patience answering my questions. Stay true to yourself, stay original and most important stay heavy. Anything you'd like to add?

Thanks for the interview and for the end: You are all my friends, if you got money and nothing to spend. It'll make no difference in a hundred years or so sooner or later we all make the little flowers grow. You will all get the fire and never get out of this world alive. Don't run and hide, it's no use I know, but sooner or later we all make the little flowers grow. All of you and the rest please don't blame me because I didn't start this mess. Some of us stay, but all of us will go, sooner or later we all make the little flowers grow. Thanks to Thrussell for lighting up the stars.

Autumnblaze recently shot through the Metalbite office (at least for me anyway) with extreme competence in their composition at mood and melody within the fields of EMO-rock. "Mute Boy Sad Girl" is the newest Autumnblaze record on the market and according to me an enthralling experience in the dark and aggrieving arts of a romantic work. Alvar Eldron (Markus Baltes) from Autumnblaze recently took a momentary lapse in his wailing pessimistic moods to scribe a few answers to some muddied questions...

Jack ‘Odel’


I love the new album, "Mute Boy Sad Girl", it was my favourite album that I listened to in the month of May. Could you start off by talking a little about how the concepts for "Mute Boy Sad Girl" came together?

Well, thank you for the compliments. As for the musical concepts I can say that I've gathered a lot of song ideas over a period of several months. Then, when I had enough song material for the album, I began to work out the lyrics and the vocal lines, too. This time I wrote all lyrics within one month so they are even more intimate and closer than before. But in the end the development of Autumnblaze's music is always a floating process without barriers. The music is drifting on invisible roads, so to speak...

What is the idea behind Autumnblaze's name?

Oh, I have chosen that name five years ago and the idea behind isn't so important. But I've been often inspired by the autumn. Many beautiful and tragic things happened in that season and Autumnblaze simply stands for the diversity and the emotional evolution of the indiviual. That's my present definition of our name. Maybe I'd tell you something different if you asked me a few weeks later. [laughs]

You are a German band, yet you write in English. Has your penetration into the music markets been more successful in German or English speaking countries?

I guess we have more success in Germany at the moment because we have a German label and the distribution is fixed on the German market more than other countries. But Prophecy Productions does a great job and they are always working hard to improve the distribution in other countries. I think it's important to reach as many people as possible and I wish that the Australian music lovers get the possibility to listen to our albums, too.

I've seen Autumnblaze get many positive reviews in a lot of metal press around the globe (obviously including us). Autumnblaze is not a metal band, do you think it is the label connnection via Prophecy Productions that has enabled you to work quite exclusively within the metal scene?

Of course, Prophecy Productions started more or less in the metal scene but now it becomes more and more an independent label with a strong weightiness on individual and trend-setting music. I don't know how Prophecy Productions is seen in other countries but in Germany they have the reputation of a small, exclusive and precious company and it's growing with the success of its artists.

The success of Autumnblaze infiltrating through the metal market is obviously unquestionable. Do you hope to succeed through other music genres as well? Where else do you guys get good exposure?

Well, we also have good response in wave, gothic or alternative magazines. I guess, Autumnblaze can't be seen as a metal, wave or gothic or alternative band but the different press is important to promote the band. Actually, I don't think too much about such things. I just want to concentrate on my music. That's all.

I imagine the reactions towards "Mute Boy Sad Girl" have been quite glowing. Are you happy with how things have turned out so far?

Yes, of course. Press reactions all over the world are great and promising but as I already said these things are not so important. It's flattering and good for the band promotion but not for my life. Just words and perspectives, so to speak.

Did the outcome of "Mute Boy Sad Girl" turn out the way you wanted? Would you have changed anything specifically about it, with a few months worth of hindsight?

One would always change something after some weeks or months as one is never 100% satisfied but you need the mistakes to learn again and to make the next production better. With "Mute Boy Sad Girl" I am quite satisfied but there are many things to improve for the future. But that is secret. [laughs]

Can you give me an idea about what sort of stuff "Mute Boy Sad Girl" deals with in a lyrical sense?

It's about relationships, fears of life, music... about things that are important for me and how to deal with difficult emotional situations in life. For each one who is interested in lyrics - read them. I won't explain too much.

What gives you guys inspiration to continue writing albums for Autumnblaze? Is it what deal you with on a personal basis each day or more from bands that come up with an interesting concept for an album that spurs you on to create songs?

It's everything. I need music to breathe and when I've written a song or a lyric, I am a happier person. The inspiration is given - it's everything that surrounds us, every word, every smile, every look, every dream...

Do you tour much for Autumnblaze? If so how many touring musicians do you need to help fill in the gaps, if any?

We've started playing live this year and including me on the vocal front we have four musicians (Jochen - guitar ; Carsten - Bass ; Michael - Drums) and the samples are about on mini disc. It's a very dynamic line-up with a lot of potential and we'll do some festivals in the summer and in autumn we are on tour with label-mates The Third and The Mortal. I Hope we'll have a great time together.

What would be your top 5 records of all time?

This Empty Flow - "Magenta Skycode"; Katatonia - "Discouraged Ones"; The Cure - "Bloodflowers"; Red House Painters - "Retrospective"; Sunny Day Real Estate - "The Rising Tide".

But I could also name five other records.

Is Autumnblaze a full time job for you? Do you work besides Autumnblaze? It seems most bands need to work nowadays to put food on the table in addition to their musical careers.

Autumnblaze isn't a full time job at the moment but music is a full time job for me. I also work on other musical projects and I am constantly thinking about music, songs or things like that. Unfortunately I can't really live from the music alone but I work hard to do that sometime in the future, but it's a question of patience and belief.

Why does Autumnblaze consist of only two members? Has it always been that way? Surely the workload must get pretty heavy when it comes to cutting an album...

I do all the songwriting and also I write all the lyrics for Autumnblaze. Schwadorf is my helping hand in the studio and it's always a pleasure to work with him and his skills. One could say that Autumnblaze is on the one side Schwadorf and me, and on the other side the live band. Both sides I control so the Autumnblaze vibe will never fade. [laughs]

I don't imagine you would have too many ideas brewing for a new album sometime in the next 2 years or so... or I am wrong?

Oh, don't think so. [laughs] In July we are recording a few new songs for a mini album to be released at the beginning of the following year and I suppose the next full-length album will be recorded in spring or summer 2003.

Now judging from some of the somber vocals and overall depressive aspects of "Mute Boy Sad Girl", would it be a wrong assumption to make that Autumnblaze as a collective unit are pretty down on life and somewhat pessimistic in judging things? Would that be a fair statement to make, or I am completely off the mark?

"Mute boy Sad Girl" shows just one side of me. It would be wrong to transfer it to my whole personality. I guess I am a very optimistic person with lots of dreams and visions and I have a very sick sense of humor. You will see that because I am currently writing on a very humorous and grotesque story and maybe it'll be translated into English sometime.

That said, will Autumnblaze ever record an upbeat, happy and ultimately enriching album that consumers will put in their CD players and will be instantly joyous in the happy lyrics that Autumnblaze write? The reason I say that is because it seems so easy to write more morose and disheartening music as a pose to the happy kind. Doesn't anybody get happy anymore??? What is wrong with humanity!?

I am just someone who loves melancholy and the feeling of yearning in music. Autumnblaze isn't a depressing band. We handle with deep emotions and there is always a little hope in our songs. But to answer your questions - I think you can say that if the music is happy mankind will be happier. I can only say that I feel better when I listen to This Empty Flow than I do when listening to a kind of happy pop music. There's something completely wrong with humanity but you can't solve the problem with happy music.

Are you ever going to tour Australia and maybe do a bit of a promotional tour down here? The main problem I imagine would be that exposure you would get down here would be next nothing... as in most music cases in Australia. Which is a shame because your music I believe would appeal to a wide consumer base in Australia.

I would love to play in Australia cause I have always dreamed to see Australia some day in my life. I guess the people are very nice there and it would be really a big dream for me and the band.

That is about all I have for you. Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to the next empowering and uplifting Autumnblaze album! Any final thoughts?

I want to thank you for the interesting interview and if there is a possibility to play live in Australia we'll do it.