E-ZINE - Raw & Wild - '80 heavy 'zine / Web

:: HELRUNAR

PRESENT YOURSELVES OUR READERS...
"Hei! Where shall I begin...? We´re Helrunar, a pagan black metal band from Germany... if you like Norwegian black metal from the nineties connected with unusual pagan lyrics, well, I think then we´ll be your thing..."

WHO ARE HELRUNAR AS BAND MEMBERS?
"Helrunar consist of Dionysos (guitar and bass guitar), Alsvartr (Drums) and me, Skald Draugir (Vocals)."

WHEN DID YOU HAVE FOUNDED THE BAND?
"In spring 2001."

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE VERY FIRST BEGINNING OF BAND...
"It all started quite small... the first rehearsal was done in my living-room without drums... we just composed the first guitar riffs. I have already composed some material before the band was founded, and that was the chance to use them. After a short time we found a rehearsal-room and then we started to make "real" music. We didn´t rehearse so often, but after some time we had enough material to record our first cd. Well, and that´s what we did then."

WHAT'S ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS RECORDING-EFFORTS?
"We recorded our self-produced demo-cd "Grátr" in 2003. This cd is now sold out for a long time. In December 2004 we recorded one song, "Hauch wird Sturm", for a split-cd with "Nachtmahr"."

WHAT'S ABOUT YOUR FOLLOWING?
"I can´t say anything about that. Dionysos and Alsvartr already composed some new stuff, but we didn´t write new songs until now. I think first we gonna play some live-gigs and relax a little bit after the release."

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS IN YOUR HISTORY?
"Every cd-release, every concert, and the signing of the contract with Lupus Lounge of course."

HOW TO INTRODUCE US "FROSTNACHT"?
"Frostnacht is a well produced pagan black metal album containing lots of different atmospheres, aggression, depression, sadness... the lyrics are mainly in German, but also Norwegian and old-Icelandic. They´re often influenced by old-Norse poetry."

WHY DID YOU SIGN WITH PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS?
"Because it is a good label with high quality releases regarding music and artwork, working very professional. And Prophecy Productions somehow have their own style... everyone who is honestly into dark music must know this label and the good artists it supports."

WHAT'S ABOUT THE PRODUCTION OF ALBUM?
"We started with the recordings in the Docmaklang.de studio in February 2005 and were finished within a week or so... then we started to mix the whole thing, but the label was not satisfied with the result. After some more tries we decided to change the studio. The endmix was done in August 2005 in the Klangschmiede Studio E with Markus Stock. It just took one day, and now we´re all satisfied. The sound is very atmospheric and powerful."

ANY PARTICULAR CONCEPT CONCERNING THE ALBUM?
"Maybe. The concept circles around memories... different kinds of memories. Subconscious knowledge from the darkside of the mind. Memories of old pagan wisdom. Painful experiences and how they live on in your memories and what they do with you."

WHAT'S THE MOOD OF IT?
"Well, you´ll find different moods here... it´s mainly dark and cold, but you also find a little epic Viking stuff... we tried to create different moods by using various musical methods, fast parts, slow parts, acoustic songs that have a slight neofolk-influence... all that."

THE SOUND IS AN AVANT BLEND OF BLACK METAL, RIGHT?
"I don´t know if we´re that avantgarde... our sound is merely raw and traditional, yet well produced. All right, we try to go a step beyond the borders of the black metal genre, lyrically and musically... but I wouldn´t call it avantgarde."

THE MOST SALIENT ASPECTS OF YOUR NEW ALBUM?
"I can´t tell you. That´s on the listener to decide."

WHAT'S ABOUT THE FEEDBACK?
"The feedback until now was quite good. We earned a lot of good reviews for the album, and the interest of the fans seems to be great."

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR SOUND?
"Do I want to communicate something...? I don´t know. I want to transport certain feelings and atmospheres. I think we´re satisfied if the listener is deeply touched by our music, if he thinks about himself, existence and maybe spirituality. "

TOURING PLANS?
"No touring plans until now. We just play single concerts from time to time."

YOUR LIFE'S PHILOSOPHY?
"If I would explain that here it would take far too long, hehe. Let´s say I´m heathen... my spirituality and way of life are influenced by the pagan religions of the old north, yet I´ve got a more "modern" view on it. Different philosophers also formed my perception. I don´t like the modern world with it´s materialism, and I hate great parts of mankind with their will to consume and their stupidity. Knowledge is a weapon-arm yourself!"

THE FUTURE OF THE BAND?
"Produce more stuff... I think, we don´t run out of ideas so quick..."

ANY LAST REMARKS?
"Nothing´s forgotten. Nothing´s ever forgotten."

Official website: www.helrunar.com

EMANUELE GENTILE

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