December 26, 1998.
From the cold landscapes of Russia, comes the mighty ROSSOMAHAAR. Is highly possible consider them the best Russian Black Metal band. Checking the debut CD "Grotesque", one can listen to an eerie mix of extreme Black Metal with melodic symphonic atmospheres that is really great. This interview was made with Herr Stalhammar, band's manager and the one behind the lyrics.
1) Greetings Herr Stalhammar! How is this dark soul of yours today?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Hail to thee... I'm fine, although everything could be better...
2) Introduce ROSSOMAHAAR to the people.
HERR STALHAMMAR: ROSSOMAHAAR is unholy Aryan black metal band coming from the ancient lands of Russia. The band was formed back in 1995, although first demo was recorded and unleashed (in very limited edition) only in Autumn of 1997. It looks like "Grotesque" (that's the title of our first demo) will be released officially by Russia's Hobgoblin Records very soon. Musically, "Grotesque" doesn't represent ROSSOMAHAAR anymore. It's kind of a mix between pure sympho-black metal and dark ambient, however now we changed our direction a bit into more bestial kind of music, more brutal and black metallish. Also, guitars is the main instrument now, in contrast to "Grotesque" which featured too much keyboards... Our second effort, "Imperium Tenebrarum", will be recorded this Winter and unleashed shortly after. If you want any comparisons, be it EMPEROR and DARK TRANQUILLITY, i.e. it's a cross between true unholy black metal, fast and truly diabolical, with more melodic structures.
3) ROSSOMAHAAR is an one-man band or are there more individuals on it?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Well, now ROSSOMAHAAR's lineup consists of three people. Lazar on vocals, guitars, keyboards and programming, Baalseguothstarius on bass, and me (Herr Stalhammar) responsible for poetry and concept, as well as management when it comes to Europe and America.
4) What motivates you to keep on going? What's the basic emotion or spirit behind the band?
HERR STALHAMMAR: It's inside of us... Sorry but it's really hard to explain...
5)
What you can say about the ROSSOMAHAAR debut CD
"Grotesque"? How can be described the style of this
release?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Well, I already said few words regarding the "style"... Actually, we're not very pleased with this output... "Imperium Tenebrarum" is true ROSSOMAHAAR, while "Grotesque"... erh... is a bit "outdated" material... we grew up since that... besides, it was recorded during only one night, so...
6) For the new album, the songs will follow the same debut's way? What is the main difference, from your point of view, between "Grotesque" and "Imperium Tenebrarum"?
HERR STALHAMMAR: NO WAY! The new songs have more emphasis on guitars, there's smaller amount of synths, the atmosphere is also a bit different... it's less "mysterious" and more "grim" and "anxious"...
7) ROSSOMAHAAR have already performed live shows? How important is for you to play live?
HERR STALHAMMAR: We played live only once, somewhere about few months ago (don't remember exactly)... We have only two individuals in the band who could play live, and you see, it's a bit confusing when there's only singer / guitarist and bassist on the stage... Live shows are of no importance to us... it's just a chance to gain few more listeners...
8) You will use lyrics in Russian any day? What language will be used in the future?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Well, I think that we won't use any lyrics in Russian. You see, it's easier for me to compose the ones in English... Don't ask me why - I don't really know... Maybe, I will a couple of verses in Latin in future, but I'm not sure.
9) Still about the lyrics, are writers as Tolkien and Lovecraft inspiring to you? What about the lyrics deal and what's your fave writers?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Tolkien's works are nice to read through, although I just hate those bands who use the themes taken from "Master Of The Rings" - suchlike acts spawn in enormous number and it makes me really angry. Lazar used to write lyrics inspired by Tolkien but I have another point of view when it comes to lyrics, so you won't ever find any Tolkien-inspired verses when it comes to future ROSSOMAHAAR's efforts. As to Lovecraft, yes, he is one of my favorite writers ever, although it doesn't mean that all of my lyrics were inspired by his writings. Maybe only some of them... My creations deal with various topics, from pure mysticism and lovecraftian myths, through sex and S/M, to Mother Nature and Racial Purity... As to fave writers... Well, these are Stefan Zweig, Knut Hamsun, Marquis De Sade, James Herbert, Stephen King, Robert McCammon, Peter Straub and few others.
10) ROSSOMAHAAR is an "Unholy Aryan Black Metal" band. How could you explain this title?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Well, first of all I should say that it's really sad to see that brainless representatives of mass-media consider the word "unholy" to be a synonime for satanism. UNHOLY is the opposition to everything that is HOLY... It sounds a bit banal when said in few words, so I'll try to explain you my thoughts upon it in a more detailed way. The image of god is sacred to christians, while the image of antichrist is sacred to those who call themselves "satanists", right? Did anyone of you study mathematics at school? Then you should know that derivative from similar contrary quantities (f.ex. the one with "+" and the one with "-") is always the same, just like it's relative spelling - "holy" - means one's belonging to certain mass-cultivated religion, each of them has his own "holy" idol / goal, in fact, always the same - to get rid of responsibility for certain actions or mistakes. I'm indignant with any display of enslavement inside of man. Man is different from various life forms dwelling the earthly realms first of all thanks to the presense of will and intellect, while diverse politic and religious leaders make attempts to erase the aforementioned qualities. Religion and power walk together, just recall US dollar and the statement on it: "In God we trust"... I don't know what was the primal meaning behind these words, but for me it means only one thing - that all religion and all power were put exactly in this dollar, which (metaphorically speaking, of course) slaughters and enslaves my nation. I hope that the meaning of this word, "unholy", is clear. I.e. the opposition, conscience and sincerity. National-socialism... well, again due to the stupidity and short-sightedness of some people, this term (just like "unholy") is being treated utterly wrong, while some even put "=" between national-socialism and hitlerism. No way. Of course, I should admit that the ideas preached by this man (many of them were stolen by the way) didn't lack common sense, or how else could he enslave the souls of many men? The general meaning stayed the same; power, religion (this time called "fascism")..., enslavement, just like every other ...ism! Everything's quite simple - just think carefully. Take these words as a whole and separately, take a couple of dictionaries and you'll understand everything. As to numerous indignations regarding "racial purity"... Who are those people who are exasperated by this slogan? The ones who come from those countries where blood-mixing is as usual as eating, drinking or defecating. Anyway, I'll try to explain my position regarding it. In contrast to all "new" theories, I support Darwin at 100%, I mean his theory of organism's changeability due to the external environment. Man is a product of thought's development, and the aforementioned development's apogee didn't take it's place while now. But it came out the way that European and Middle-Asia's territories were captured by "permafrost', and the southern lands still stayed the safe ones, where the monkey hadn't "think" or perform alike actions in order to get a food - it just had to pull the branch and here it is! Banana fell right up into it's mouth! Almost without enduring any metamorphosis at all and after capturing the chromosomes similar to human, these primates are invating into the human life day by day. Firstly, this plague took place in America, and now most of European countries are diseased with it, including Norway, as well as Sweden. Russia and East-European States (Czechia, Poland, etc.) are still relatively "clean" ones, but only for a while... More and more frivolous teenagers die "thanks" to the bane transported in the monkeys' asses. The real meaning of the word "Aryan" is to make people understand the danger of "black" invasion. "Holocaust" is not that effective method. The main aim for me is to make you UNDERSTAND, instead of getting pleasure of taking part in bloody bacchanalia.
11) What's your thoughts about National-Socialism and Satanism? And is really highly possible a connection between the two philosophies in your opinion?
HERR STALHAMMAR: I don't care about satanism. For me, it's the same with christianity. At least, it was invented by the same nation, jews! So why should I worship some jewish deity just because I play black metal? Why did most of you decide that black metal should be only "satanic"??? It's ridiculous! Yes, of course, I can't stand so-called "unblack metal" bands (like Australia's HORDE, for example), since I consider BM strictly an anti-christian music (well, actually, the same goes for death metal), but does it mean that it should be only "satanic"?? Yes, the first-ever BM bands were singing about satan and stuff, but if my ancestor was a christian, does it mean that I also have to be christian?? I hate all kinds of religions, since all of them only turn you into a voluntary slave, no more, no less. I think I already answered your question concerning connection between National-Socialism and satanism. These two things have nothing in common. And never will.
12) What about the Russian underground
scene? To live in Russia and are into Metal is "easy"?
Are there any preconceits like in another countries?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Russian underground scene? Hmm, it's quite weak, at least while now. As you probably know, Russia is a very big country, however we have only few true black metal bands here!!! Unfortunately, Russian people are extremely inert and lazy - that's the reason, I believe. Yes, it's rather "easy" to be a metalhead in Russia, at least we don't have any problems with police if that's what you mean (besides, I don't look like a metalhead, heh heh).
13) To which kinds of music do you listen? Do you praise any special bands?
HERR STALHAMMAR: If you want to know my personal favorites, you should check out Vae Solis. That's my webmagazine, located at http://www.rusmetal.ru/vae_solis. I have my "top 10+10 albums of the issue" list there. Speaking generally, I listen to the Music from the capital letter, be it black or death or doom or heavy metal, ambient or dark wave, grindcore or industrial... It should fascinate me, bewitch my very soul... In regards to my all-time favorites, these are: Danzig, Living Death, Pantera, Manowar, Motorhead, Running Wild, Burzum, Deicide, Naked Whipper, Death, Demilich, Septic Flesh, Solitude Aeturnus, Painkiller, Incantation, Hetsheads, Therion, King Diamond / Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse, Asphyx, Daemonium / Akhenaton, Graveland, Bifrost, Master's Hammer, Elend, Varathron, Fleshcrawl, Countess, Behemoth, Veni Domine, as well as some younger ones like Profanum, Legion Of Doom, Ancient, Opeth, Sinister, Dying Fetus, Nocturnal Rites, Mundanus Imperium, Graveworm, Nightwish, Beseech... Didn't I bore you with all these names? (Ed: No!)
14) Is the Nature an important element in the ROSSOMAHAAR's current? And, mainly, is there future to the Mother Earth?
HERR STALHAMMAR: There is no future for Mother Earth while there's Man - the most disgusting creature Nature ever spawned... And yes, Nature is very important to me. It's my object of inspiration and something that I deeply admire with...
15) If you could control the way you will one day die, what death would you choose to depart with?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Hmm, interesting question... I don't really know... Perhaps, provoking the Apocalypse and dying with the rest of the miserable creatures called "homo sapiens"...?
16) Yesterday was the Christmas eve. What do you think about this date?
HERR STALHAMMAR: Nothing. Just an usual day for me.
17) OK, this is the end. The last words are for you now...
HERR STALHAMMAR: You can contact ROSSOMAHAAR at: rossomahaar@usa.net (Lazar) or at stalhammar@glasnet.ru (Herr Stalhammar). Thanks for the interview... Don't let yourself forget your roots and ancestry... We still have time to stop and think once again of the future our children will live in... Keep the Sacred Flame alive... Meine ehre heisst treue...!
Contact ROSSOMAHAAR:
E- mail:
22135764
The Official ROSSOMAHAAR Homepage:
http://www.rusmetal.ru/rossomahaar
