1. Hails TRIGLAV! This is just third interview with Ukrainian band for Mortem Zine, so I‘m going to enjoy it, he-he. We are glad that you accepted our interview request.

We are glad to take this opportunity to tell Czech metalheads about our group too! Also we’d like to present our apologies to Mortem Zine for vastly delayed terms of answering this interview!

By the way, which two previous groups were from Ukraine?

2. Now to TRIGLAV. Last year you released your debut full-length album without any signal (EP, demo etc.). And concerning the fact that you have been playing since 1999, was that an intention or you insisted to release the full-length first?

Yes, we had intentionally decided to release a full-length album, and did not put a task to debut with any demo stuff. We had been working on full-fledged stuff and considered not expedient to record its separate parts, as music turned to be integral and being perceived without taking a breath.

Yes, all had begun on the 22nd of December 1999 from creation of a sketch for “The Warrior of Honour”. Probably it was possible to record a demo or a single, but everyone was involved to other projects, and we had to “freeze” TRIGLAV. Everything had changed with Alafern’s coming, our work had been intensified, and a lot of music was created for the full-length album “When the Sun Is Rising Above the Earth”.

3. I am not sure about the members of the band, who handles which instrument and so on. You brought a few guests to album, which gave a little more space for originality, because those guests’ names are really good-classed. Can you tell us, who co-worked on the album and what every single member and guests did?

TRIGLAV consists of 3 persons:

Alafern - a guitar, a bass, a violin, keyboards, growling (back).
Morok - a guitar.
Arius - a guitar.

It concerns recording. As for creation of music, we had been working three together, equally. As for arrangements, Alafern had carried out the lion’s share, but at the same time it does not belittle the contribution of other participants, Morok and Arius in the framework of TRIGLAV’s creative activity – we are really triune.

Guest musicians took part as performers and did not participate in music composing. Attraction of session musicians had allowed realizing our artistic conception in full measure. We are obliged to Ann (THUNDERKRAFT, NEVERLAND, KOLO, MUNRUTHEL) for wonderful flute performance, to KoNStantin (ex-SVYATOGOR) for screaming, Wel and Sergey BoRaff Nosenko for clean vocals.

The lyrics had been written by ex-participant of TRIGLAV and our old friend Paulus (ex-SVYATOGOR).

4. When you recorded the album, was there something that startled you? Though how does it sound compact and energetic?

It is generally agreed that the album sounds in this way owe to very long period of work on it. Various fragments of songs were reconsidered many times; arrangements were made in many layers. We tried to come nearer to perfection (in our personal understanding of this word) as far as it was necessary. So, as for our composition, we were successful to do “full blast”.

5. Main device in the music are keyboards, which are participating in about 90 % of moments. They have a very unusual shade, but fortunately they aren't fighting with guitars. Do you intended to use them so much or that just came out during the composing or recording?

The matter is that keyboard in TRIGLAV should be perceived not as just abstract "keyboards", but as a great number of wonderful instruments whose set forms an orchestra. If you listen to our stuff attentively, it is possible to hear many wonderful themes and supporting voices performed by string and wooden wind sections, heavy brass instruments etc. Probably a real symphonic orchestra will be involved for the following albums. Negotiations on the given question are already under way. It is possible to say the following in the conclusion concerning the given topic: the orchestra (keyboards) in TRIGLAV’s music plays not an auxiliary role, but is a fundamental basis of TRIGLAV’s musical language. Music is composed in the way to play it alive by a big staff of a symphonic orchestra in which guitars, a bass and drums are solo instruments!


6. Are you a band that comes to a studio with everything prepared, with no-need to adjust things, "just come in, record everything and go out"? Or you stand for adjustment, set-ups and long work?

It is impossible to have prepared recipes in the true art. We do not adhere to any conventionalities. Today it can be in this manner, and tomorrow in other way - it depends on many factors, one of which is the stuff, its features: structure, instrumental staff and many other things. A studio and work with a sound producer play an important role too. If we speak particularly about this album, basically it has experimental character itself. Therefore, in spite of the fact that we came in the studio being absolutely prepared, we did not spare a minute of this stuff - ruthlessly shaping it up to that kind which it is now. In any case there is no limit for perfection. So, when you work in a studio, more and more ideas are to be born with the will to be realized. The main thing is to stop in time. Sense of proportion, as well as artistic taste, is a very important thing. As popular proverb says: the best is the enemy of the good.

7. I would say that owe to “When the Sun is Rising Above the Earth“ you should be accepted quite well in Ukraine. Have you noticed some responses for the CD?

Yes, this stuff was pretty cordially apprehended in our native country, and it is quite logical as our music and lyrics trace back to ancient traditions of our nation, and folk elements are the soul of our land! We had quite a few positive reviews on our music, both in Ukraine, and in Europe.

8. Its hard to see, how are the concerts proceeding in Ukraine, which bands are playing alive and which not. Are you playing live? If not, do you plan to change it someday?

At present we do not play concerts, but it does not mean, that we do not play alive. All participants of TRIGLAV are involved in "metal stage" not for the first day, and have considerable experience of live performances in their groups, which play alive. If we get reasonable offers concerning tours (please, pay attention: we mean tours, instead of separate concerts, because unfortunately we do not have time to rehearse our stuff only for one or two gigs per year), we shall take advantage of this opportunity with pleasure to play concerts as TRIGLAV’s staff.

9. Your work sometimes evokes to "Epokha Vodoleya" by Munruthel. It was his first Black metal album and he directly aimed for so many different influences and procedures that I simply fell in love. Do you feel some similarity too? What is your opinion about him? If you had to report about your album, what would you say to me? Imagine me as if I’d never heard your album.

Munruthel is a talented person, a skilled musician, a good composer and our friend. His music is really worthy of the highest appreciation and "Epokha Vodoleya" is a vivid example of it. He, as well as we, uses a wide spectrum of expressive means, a rich palette of paints and shades, a variety of a thematic material and melodic lines in music. We are on the same one way. By the way, at present we work on one of our new projects in his studio…

As for any description of our music … perhaps it is not a grateful affair, because every person perceives music in his personal way. Indeed, it is rather difficult to gain an understanding of the great amount of underground production nowadays, so whether musicians want or do not want, they are labeled as in shops. So, it is possible to put a label upon our band with something like “Sophisticated Sympho-Black Metal with Folk influences and Heathen Lyrics”…

10. Although your songs are of usual 5-minute length, you are particular about interesting lyrics. They can be read very well even without music, that’s positive. I suppose that you as many others of Russian and Ukrainian bands are singing about nature. Am I right? However we can find themes about nature but TRIGLAV’s lyrics is about struggles and war too. Can we say that in addition to the nature pride you belaud strength and honour too? Complete me, if I have forgot something.

The main leitmotif of lyrics from our album is the idea of revival of Indo-European Vedic traditions. The name of the album “When the Sun Is Rising Above The Earth” in the best way possible displays return to ancient values symbolizing the beginning of the new day, the new epoch. It is cyclicity of the Nature, changing of a day with a night that will be replaced by another day again. Change of seasons, changing of life by death and continuation of life of ancestors on behalf of their descendants. Whole Universe is founded upon laws of equilibrium. There is no white colour without black, a day without a night, good without evil, the beginning without the end, the order without chaos. Constant interaction of two origins represents whole basis of the Universe. It is the central idea of ancient Vedic knowledge. And all European Heathen traditions are branches of Vedism common for all European nations.

Vedism is the great Knowledge, and Heathenism is a national version of common all-Europeans Vedic traditions. Word "Veda" means “knowledge”, not “belief” (“vera” in Russian), and the verb “vedat’” in Russian means “to know”, “to understand”. Vedism does not require "sacred", "blind", "true" or "absolute" belief. The blind belief is a mean for manipulations with people. Vedism is not a belief, it is the Knowledge, so you have no need to trust - you should know and understand. It is based both on your reason, and on your heart, it transforms a person to a strong person, instead of making him a slave and a dweeb.

Our Slavonic Gods are our ancestors. Knowledge of our Gods is kept and lives in our blood, our language, our culture and the ground. The only thing one needs is to understand this Knowledge, which brings up a strong personality who knows what are honour and duty. It is displayed in ability of the person to stand against any threat of encroachments on his Motherland and native culture. These ideas are expressed in our songs: “The Warrior of Honour”, “Through A Battle Of Life”, and “Battle Hymn”. “Echoes Of The Past Victories” expresses memory of our ancestry’s feats, and "Full Moon" personifies the way of Mother Nature expecting the birth of a new day, having concealed Her breath, when the Sun is rising above the Earth…


11. CCP Records aren‘t too well known around the world. But they are releasing quite enough bands. How come that you signed so far-away label? Are you satisfied with their efforts?

In the usual manner - we had sent ССР our debut album; they liked it and offered the contract for 3 albums. Are we happy or not? It is difficult to say at present. It will be possible to answer this question only somewhere in half a year, when the matter will touch summarizing results concerning the first album and financings of our new album’s recording.

12. Every member has its side-project: Morok is playing in SVARGA; other members are playing in THUNDERKRAFT or SVYATOGOR. I know nothing about SVARGA, but those two bands aren‘t so different from TRIGLAV. The style you are playing is best for you as listeners? How long members know each other?

We do not agree with you absolutely - these groups differ strongly!!! THUNDERKRAFT plays death metal with folk and industrial elements, SVYATOGOR plays heavy black, and SVARGA, you are talking about, does not exist anymore for a long time (please don’t mix it up with the existing group in Kiev nowadays).

As for the style in which we play, of course we like it. All our projects are reflections of the various sides of our souls, therefore they differ mostly from each other in music though, certainly, there is something common in all of them.

Morok and Arius know each other for 11 years, Alafern joined us 9 years ago.

13. At conclusion... probably the most expected question. What about TRIGLAV’s future? What can we expect from the band?

A lot of driving music... Music will be same fast, vigorous and furious. You will get to know, when our new stuff is to be released :-).

14. As for me, that is all. I could make more questions but I wanted to put out the boring "dope." Well, THANKS! And perhaps you are not feeling sorry about giving us the interview.

A lot of thanks for the interview – your questions were very interesting and substantial, it was pleasant to answer them! It was the first interview for a magazine from your country. We sincerely hope that sooner or later we can visit Czechia for a concert!

And as usual: HOLD YOUR KIN SACRED!

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Name of this God sounds as ROD in Slavonic languages, it denotes both ROD as a God and the Ancestors, the Kin being deified. The root “rod” is a part of such Russian words as “Rodina” (Motherland), “narod” (nation), “rodniya” (relatives, kin, kinsfolk). Also pay attention to the word “rodyna” (family) in Ukrainian language. (The translator’s comment)

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Informace o článku: Přidáno: 26.06.2008 Přečteno: 46x Napsal: Fastred

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