BLACK CRUCIFIXION (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for answering our interview. What’s BLACK CRUCIFIXIION currently up to?
Hola, we are on the latter half of our twentieth anniversary. Working on new material to be released sometime in the future and also playing some more shows here in Finland. It has been a good year for the band, a great album out and playing good shows in good a good spirit.
– The band started 20 years ago but have been a long time of silence so, could you please introduce and make some history of the band?
We started playing black metal in 1991 in very north Finland and were part of the few bands shaping up the sound and the look for the genre. Since the Norwegians and many other nationalities turned the underground movement into a commercial venture, we went deeper underground and have stayed there. Appearing only when we choose to. We are free and our mission has always been to rebel against conventions and expectations, no matter if they are set by religion or the black metal purists who were not even bon when we were already playing dark music from our hearts.
– And what bands have influenced your sound?
One has to remember that when we started black metal did not exist as a genre, so we were influenced by the early rebellions: Sarcofago, Hellhammer, Tiamat, King Diamond, Possessed, Blasphemy, Bathory, Venom and Sodom. That is why our sound has been different from the bands that started after us. We have never been ispired by the latter waves of black metal but by many other gnres even outside metal that you can see even by looking at our rcord sleeves: they are not black/white/red bullshit but designed to fit our sound and philosophy.
– You are considered pioneers for Finnish Black Metal; what are your memories from those beginnings? What are the main differences between the scene back then and the currently scene?
Back then everything the bands did was fresh and new. Whatever we wrote to the songs was an inspiration for tens or hundreds of other latter songwriters have found inspiring. Like the songs on early Beherit albums for example. That is why it is funny to read German «journalists» reviewing our Hope of Retaliation and saying that the live tracks hace been influenced by Norwegian black metal. And they are talking about songs that we written before Emperor had a released a single album!
– You have just released your second full-legnth album, «Hope of Retaliation»; how’s going the reaction from the press and the support from your fans toward it so far?
The reception has been very mixed: fans and much of the press have loved it, for example in Finland the press coverage has been great with reviews mostly giving it 4 out of 5 points. In Germany on the other hand most reviewers have not understood the concept of the anniversary album at all. Probably because thepress release was in English languge, heh heh!
– What could you say are we going to find in this new record?
Four great new studio tracks and five new aggressive live versions of our old classic songs. It is the great «first BC album to get to know the band». And in my opinion our best one so far. It has been said that «Black Crucifixion is black metal for people who like music».
– In this piece we can find 4 brand new studio songs and 5 live from your career; how did you come up with this idea?
We wanted to celebrate or 20 years in music and offer new people an affordable way to get to know BC. And as the new songs are among our best ever we are really happy.
– How’s everything going with Soulseller Records?
SSR is run by an underground fan for underground fans. Support their great work for Black Crucifixion!
– After 5 years since your previous album; how was the songwriting for «Hope of Retaliation»?
We have plenyty of material always wsiting for recording. But we only want to release the work that has bern produced well enough. We a very ambitious and a small underground band. Outside the muic industry. That is why we choose to work slowly but well.
– And why did you took those years to unleash this new piece?
The 20th anniversary was a good time to release a new album. The song Retaliation we had been playing live for a year already and it always worked well so we wanted to capture this moment in the band’s history.
– Anyway, you waited none less than 15 years until your debut album, «FÅaustian Dreams», why did it take you so long?
Black metal went commercial and we didn’t want to play that game so we recordedntwo albums under the name Promethean with a more varied style. We started working of Faustian Dream in 1996 and in the end it took 10 years to be finished. Half of the material was never used.
– Soulseller Records has also released «»The Fallen One of Flames/Satanic Zeitgeist»; how much input did you have on this decision?
We wanted to give people the whole spectrum, from the earliest recordings of 1991 to the modern day. Th Fallen One… Is a classic that every one should own.
– Finally, what are your near-future plans? I read you will play some selected shows; could you please shed some light on this?
Yes, we will play some more shows and then work on new material in the studio. The story of BC is not over, we just do things our own way.
– That’s all, thank you once more. If you want to add some final words, feel free to do it.
We engourage all the black and dark meal fans in Catalonia and Spain to get our albums from your own favourite distro or from www.soulsellerrecords.com. Hope of Retaliation is now out as midprice digipak and a great 12″ vinyl. Also t-shirs are available. Find us at facebook: http://fi-fi.facebook.com/pages/Black-Crucifixion-official/158290864220689
Catalonia… nice!