Forum-Interview II

[Administrator]

Questions by Wintersun (Forum-Member)
Will there ever be a compilation of some unreleased Falkenbach-stuff, such as demos?

Well, at the moment there are no plans for such a project,
but maybe some day such an idea will be realised as quite alot of people frequently ask for the unreleased demo material.

Why did you start making music back in 1989?

In the beginning music has been a way for me to express my "religious" feelings. Most of the songs were never released, not even given away to others. Same goes for the "demos". Actually those tapes were never meant to be demos, as they were not done to "demonstrate" something, but just some sort of compilation for friends and people close to me.
That´s for example why the tapes did not even need a "bandname" back then.

What do you think about the "viking metal-boom" nowadays?
For example bands like XIV Dark Centuries, Menhir or Riger from from Germany or Ensiferum, Finntroll, Enslaved and Moonsorrow
from other countries are really popular, not just in circles of metal-fans.

I haven´t bought a new CD for years now, nor did I listen to too many bands in the meantime.
I don´t read magazines and stuff, and therefore I am not someone to ask about what is going on in what scene ever.

What was the main reason to "use" session-musicians in form of the Vindsval-members?

I know those guys for years, and I really appreciate them as musicians and friends.
It´s been an honour for me to had their help and support.

Can you give us some recommendations for very talented bands, which are unfortunately rather unknown?

No, I don´t think so. Probably there are a few bands worth a recommendation, but obviously I don´t know them.

In case of (a) future concert(s), will there be a release as a DVD or live-album? Would be great to adhere it.

I don´t think so. Of course it would be a nice idea, but on the other hand this needs alot of equip, alot of money, alot of pre-work etc etc. At the moment I think a gig should be a gig, not a video-shooting, but maybe my mind will change. At least there´re no aspects that would make it impossible in my opinion.

When will the long announced vendue happen?

That´s not sure yet. There are several reasons for why it had to be postpointed. Before the vendue will start, I want to give you an exact overview about what is meant to be supported with the money.

Question by Rattlesnake&Wintersun (Forum-Members)
Which bands were and still are your hugest influence? Other influences like nature etc.?

From my point of view there are no bands having any influence on Falkenbach.
The only influences are tradition, culture and faith.

Question by Nappyrob (Forum-Member)
Do you plan to release a new album in near future?

Depends on how you define "near" I guess. You should not expect a new album in 2007 as far as I can say now.
Questions by Taliesin (Forum-Member)
Did you write the Latin lyrics of "Woutan Impossuerunt" yourself?

No, it´s a song completely using quotations, from the Edda, Tacitus etc.

What instruments do you play?

Guitars and keyboard mainly.

Question by Orest & Taliesin (Forum-Members)
Why are actually most lyrics in English?

Question by Gezeitenfürst & Orest (Forum-Members)
Will there be ever a chance to see Falkenbach live?

A good question, at least I probably cannot come up with an answer that might answer your question to 100%. I don´t plan songs in advance, not the lyrics. There is no way to answer why a song is slow, or why another track offers acoustic guitars, and a third one flutes. Same goes for the lyrics. It just comes to my mind and seems to be "right". So far quite a few languages were used, english, german, latin, old-icelandic, an ancient form of german etc.

Question by Laeknishendr (Forum-Member)
With which musicians you would co-operate?

Well, I do not know too many musicians, at least by far not good enough to answer such a question.
Beside Hagalaz, Tyrann and Boltthorn of Vindsval of course as you know,
Rahab (Ordo Draconis) and Alboin (Geist) just to name a few.

Questions by Sunn (Forum-Member)
-Is there any video clip planned? I think it would be a great thing for band's fans.

Definately no. It´s a nice idea, and back when "Magni Blandinn..." was released, Napalm Rec. asked for a Video already.
The plans for a video and a live-tour were never again so close to realisation compared to back then.

-In your early works (“…En their medh…”, “…Magni blandinn…”) the lyrics deal also with an opposition between christianity and paganism
while in “…Ok nefna..” you write much more about ancestors’ pride, patriotism etc –
why there’s such difference? Your views on christianity became more philosophical?

I think the question was answered already. Nevertheless there is something I want to say about it.
Christianity (or opposition to Christianity) is just one aspect of many in all the Falkenbach lyrics.
The main things are culture, tradition and faith, with all its aspects.

I always tried to explain that understanding Falkenbach lyrics asks for more than just reading them.
Let´s have a closer look on the "En Their Medh..." album and check the songs if they deal about this "opposition topic":
Galdralag - no ; Heathenpride - 50/50 - the story yes, the deeper aspects not ; Laeknishendr - no ; Winternight - no ;
Ultima Thule - no ; Asum ok Alfum naer - no ; Into the ardent awaited land - no.


Questions by Heathen (Forum-Member)
Would you like to include this legendary story about Rurik and his famous brothers into the lyrics of your future album(s)?

I don´t think so, as topics about "epic heroes" are rare to find in Falkenbach lyrics.

Can fans of Falkenbach hope for the new album in the nearest future?

Probably not before 2008.

What thing is more important for your works in Viking culture and history:
paganism (gods, creatures, violent sacrifices etc) or “art of war” (the great feats, bravery, valour, honor and glory of the heroes etc)?
I would be grateful, if you don’t answer “both things”.

My answer is not about viking culture only, but about western and nothern cultures in general, and viking is just one single part of this.
Too many people don´t know much more than "viking", probably because it´s - thanx to Norway - called viking metal.
To Falkenbach it is paganism, but I am not sure if I agree with your explainations to both asepcts.
A "great feast" for example, including all the "typical" stuff like honey-wine etc, today to 99% is probably nothing but a big bunch
of posing, drunken stupids who try to look as heathen as possible. Values and honor on the other hand to me are neither pagan nor
"art of war" aspects, but a questiuon of character and education. To wear a bearskin on a summerday having 40 degrees celsius and to booze
the f**k out of your brain with honey-wine does not give you any value nor honor, and it does not make you a pagan.

Questions by Negoroth (Forum-Member)
What do you think about the NSBM-Scene? Is it just some kind of provocation? Or is it a "danger" for the Metal-Scene when it would be underestimated?
Will there be some Songs with german lyrics in future?

I really hope it is ok to answer with copy/paste. The answer was given to the Legacy Mag a couple of days ago.
If needed a translation will follow as well.

Um ernsthaft auf Deine Frage antworten zu können, müsste ich mich überhaupt einmal damit befasst haben, was nicht der Fall ist. So hart es auch klingen mag, meine Zeit ist mir zu wertvoll um mir Gedanken über irgendwelche "Subgenres" und etwaige "Unterwanderungen" zu machen. Für Menschen, die sich darin wiederfinden, und die tatsächlich ein Teil davon sind, mögen solche Fragen ohne jeden Zweifel wichtig sein, aber mir ist das Thema zu fremd als dass ich ernsthaft dazu Stellung beziehen könnte. Auch ob "Bands bewusst mit diesem provokanten Dingen spielen", wie Du es ausdrückst, kann ich nicht sagen, wie auch, wenn ich seit etlichen Jahren keine einzige neue CD mehr gekauft habe. Ich kann und will nicht für oder über andere Bands sprechen, von denen ich keinen blassen Schimmer habe. Für *mich* ist es vollkommen natürlich Symbole zu verwenden, die im *von mir gewählten* Kontext ihren Sinn haben, und vor dem Hintergrund Falkenbachs auch nur mit klarem Vorsatz Missverstanden werden können. Ich lasse mir nicht vorschreiben wie ich mit Symbolen aus meiner eigenen Kultur umzugehen habe, auch dann nicht wenn *andere* darin politische Aussagen sehen. Wenn ich ein Odal verwende, dann wegen seiner runischen Bedeutung. Ich muss mich dafür nicht rechtfertigen, und erst recht keinen moralischen Tribut zollen. Ich muss mich nicht von Dingen distanzieren, zu denen ich mich nicht bekannt habe, nur weil manche Leute zu engstirnig, oder auch einfach nur zu faul sind richtig zu verstehen. Ich lasse mir mein Verhalten nicht vom falschen Verständnis anderer diktieren, und ich lasse mir meine Freiheit nicht von Dummheit beschneiden.

Question by Hildr Valkyrie (Forum-Member)
There was always one thing that I couldn't understand, why the fans of Falkenbach always wanted to know something for your personal life.
How do you explain this?

A question I am not able to answer. Recently for example someone asked me about my name, and I asked him why he´s interested in it at all.
He couldn´t answer my question. If the people who ask me don´t even know, how could I know?

Questions by Orest (Forum-Member)
Are you working on the new album now?

No, at the moment not. I haven´t had my hands on any instrument for at least half a year now,
as there´re too many thing in life that ask for nearly all the time I have.
That´s also the reason for why I do not find time for emails etc.
Those things are about family and certain health problems of people close to me mainly.

Question by Mordbrann (Forum-Member)
Is there a particular sound you wish to achieve but have not been able to yet?
For example Magni was very intense compared to the other discs while Ok Nefna was very mellow compared to the others.

Definately yes. But it´s impossible to explain this sound unfortunately.
On the other hand that´s not the reason for the different sounds of the albums,
but stuidoequip etc.

Question by Bondage (Forum-Member)
How or where did you get the beautiful nature sounds for your songs from?

Usual compilations you can buy.

Questions by Hammerhjarta (Forum-Member)
Are you interested to do cover versions from songs you like?

No, I don´t think there´s a song I´d like to cover at the moment.

Your clean vocals are awesome, why we don't hear it more in the falkenbach songs?

As I mentioned already, I cannot plan songs in advance. Whenever an idea comes to my mind, it sounds "right" or "wrong".
If clean vocals sound right, they are used, of screams sound right, they are used.

Question by Hedan (via E-Mail)
Why did you decide to don´t release the lyrics of all your songs, but keep some of them secret?

Well, mainly the oldes tracks do have such lyrics. You need for example a deeper knowledge of Vatan to understand them.
To most of all people those lyrics would give nothing but a weird impression, so there is no need to publish them, I guess.
It contains some sort of "incantation", repetitions of appositions of Runes, a journey through and beyond nine worlds.

Question by Vind (via Email)

Does Falkenbach have any political background and/or message?

No, not at all. And I do not think anyone´s able to show me just one refrain that might give such an impression.

Question by Candle (via email)

Based on your statements I know also the demos of Falkenbach were about norhern and western germanic cultures, traditions and religions.
What is your opinion about other old cultures like Aztec for example?

I have got deep respect for such old cultures, and also for those rare people who still try to preserve them these days.
Today to most people such religions are nothing but a bunch of fairy-tales, but once they were powerful and an important part of the culture, values and the way of life.


More questions / answers will follow

[Taliesin]

Thank you

[negoroth]

Very interesting!
Thank you very much.

[Wintersun]

Thanks a lot! Really interesting stuff!

[hammarhjarta]

thank you...

[sigfodr]

You say that you will not publish old lyrics because most people would not understand them. I think you underestimate your fans by saying this. All the "secret" lyrics that has leaked out on this forum, has been rip-offs from old classical, English and Norse literature. I think it’s a little strange to say that you are one of a few that understand the meaning of it. I don't now what Galdralag and Blond is about, but my guess would be that these are also rip-offs from Norse texts.

[leander]

Don´t know if you misunderstood this statement with intent or accidentally.
The explaination, why most of the older lyrics were hard to understand was given clearly, and of course was not meant about any classical textparts like you said.
You just ignore the answer and give your own one :"I don't now what Galdralag and Blond is about, but my guess would be that these are also rip-offs from Norse texts. "

My guess was that people like you might be one of the best examples for what Vratyas said in one of the latest interviews:
"About some topics I did stop talking in interviews. In the beginning I tried to explain several things in detail, but obviously people did not like the results, and no matter what I said, rumours remained rumours, and people said what they said before already."

Beside that, just for your own pleasure...Tacitus is neither english nor your loved "Norse".

[sigfodr]

leander said:

Don´t know if you misunderstood this statement with intent or accidentally.
The explaination, why most of the older lyrics were hard to understand was given clearly, and of course was not meant about any classical textparts like you said.
You just ignore the answer and give your own one :"I don't now what Galdralag and Blond is about, but my guess would be that these are also rip-offs from Norse texts. "

Beside that, just for your own pleasure...Tacitus is neither english nor your loved "Norse".

So which lyrics do you mean? The lyrics of Laeknishendr and Skirnir (old version) are taken from Norse litterature. The lyrics of Infernum and Wuotan Impossuerunt are taken from classical (by this I mean Roman litterature) and old English litterature.
Pardon me for drawing conclusion based on this pattern for the last two songs with "secret" lyrics; Galdralag and Blond.

I this two songs contain lyrics that Vratyas has made up himself, I understand that he wont't publish them, but this does not explain why he has not published lyrics for all the other songs.

[Archwyrm]

Does it really matter if Vratyas uses a Norse text or not? What is written in those texts used to be well known amongst all the Germanic peoples. Sadly, it is only preserved in the Norse texts, but I for one am glad that it has been preserved at all.

So, I say if it fits the music and meaning then it should be used.

[negoroth]

If Vratyas want to puplish the lyrics of the old songs, he would do it. I understand that he did not puplish it because it is the decision of himself. So I think it is the right to keep it in secret.
This is the magic of Falkenbach!

und auf deutsch: Wenn Vratyas gewollt hätte dass er die lyrics veröffentlicht werden würden, dann hätte er es auch. Ich denke das macht auch die Magie Falkenbachs aus, da jemand der die Musik wirklich liebt sich auch mit den Texten auseinander setzen würde und die Lyrics dadruch erschließe würde und deren Bedeutung und intention erfahren würde .

[grimulf]

I think your right! If you LISTEN(!) to the lyrics you feel what they are meaning. And you feel that Vratyas is giving his heart- blood to sing it and what it "means" to him. To Vratyas: But I don´t know it realy, of course. The HIM is just an retorc answer, and not an answer of Vratyas himself!

Ich denke das du da recht hast. Wenn du wirklich den Text HÖRST, wist du fühlen, was er bedeutet. Und du wirst erkennen, daß Vratyas sein Herz- Blut gab, diese Texte zu singen und was sie für ihn bedeuten. Vratyas: Dieses "ihn"soll eine retorische Aussage sein und dir auf keinen Fall eine Antwort in den Mund legen, die du nicht gesagt hast!
Ar ok fridr, G.