1. Salutes to you, Code! Summer ends, same as the festival season. How do you evaluate those summer gigs and most importantly, the Brutal assault? It was the first Code´s performance in Czech republic, so how do you look upon it now?

Hails by return. The gigs this year were basically about closing the first chapter and catching up with lost time. We never gigged before the London show last December and we decided that we needed to do the music on the first album justice and get them out in the live environment before moving on. We did four gigs in all, and got a great reception each time so we couldn’t ask for better. The one persistent problem was getting the line up sorted for the gigs as we had to use a number of session musicians, so each time we didn’t get the opportunity to work together as much as I would have liked. Considering the circumstances, the shows were a success for us.

2. Let´s look back to 2002, when the band started. Could you enlighten us about the birth and the evolution of the Code? Frequent line-up changes are quite usual in the band so it´s sometimes confusing who takes responsibility for the musical stuff.

I was basically coming to the end of working a number of years on a solo project when I met Kvohst. We had similar ideals and tastes when it came to music so we worked together to initially get a demo together. We realized pretty quickly that our styles clicked and that the demo was something we were really into so we shopped it around and signed to Spinefarm. We then needed to fill out the line up so I got an old friend of mine, Vyttra on second guitar, and through mutual contacts we got Vicotnik and AirwrikiaR to join. We then recorded ‘Nouveau Gloaming’ and the rest is history.

All the songs initially start with me, I write the music with rough bass lines and drum patterns. Then I hand them over to Kvohst to look into whether we need any arrangement changes for his vocals. Each member of the band then works on their own parts, passing files back and forward until everyone is happy…then it gets committed to tape. .

3. It has been 3 years between the release of “Neurotransmissions” demo and the debut full-length “Nouveau Gloaming". During this period your line-up and music has changed significantly. You gave your music it´s own face, which distinguished you from others. What made you to do this?

Well I don’t think there was a radical difference between the demo and the album as four of the songs from the demo ended up on the album anyway. We refined them a little, the bass lines changed but apart from that they are very similar. The songs we wrote after the demo for the album were obviously a step up for us as we knew more about what the band was at that point. The demo was a first step from which to take stock and build an album upon. We tried to create music with more of the eerie feel for the rest of the album like on songs such as Brass Dogs and Tyburn so I guess you could feel a progression in that sense. We always just try to write the best music we can, each time we try to better ourselves. Remaining static is not on our agenda.

4. Can you elaborate more about the very composition of the album and about it´s themes? I guess that the story is as interesting as the music itself.

I have already talked about the compositional side of the album, but lyrically I think Nouveau Gloaming was a real triumph. Kvohst has a very unique way with words and is not afraid to work in conjunction with others for the best end result. A friend of his named Andrew Nicol wrote a number of the lyrics on the album and Fenriz co-wrote The Cotton Optic so all that goes add more depth to the feel of the songs as a whole.

In terms of themes, there are a wide range of loose subjects dealt with but the primary goal is always to create the right atmosphere and feel and for the lyrics to complement and enhance the music. Some of the topics dealt with include paranoia, the paranormal, inner turmoil and of course death.

5. I just have to adjudge the album as a great. But there are still some negative aspects and the sounding is the main one. I guess that it was involuntary. What was the reason behind it? Bad studio, production or what?

No, you are categorically wrong. We recorded the album in a studio known for clear powerful sounding metal albums and mixed the album at a high quality studio that covers musical styles from black metal to jazz. If you listen to the albums that come from the studio we recorded in, you can hear that we could have easily got a contemporary sounding album to those….but we didn’t want that. We wanted the album to have an individual sound, we wanted it to be harsh and abrasive…we didn’t want sterility and every aspect was voluntary. A lot of work went into how the album sounds and it sounds just how we wanted it to. Production values are all down to perception, one man’s mess is another’s diamond.


6. Second negative aspect which troubles me are the vocals. Sometimes I find it a little out of tone and false. But they were incredible live. The questions is, who really sang on the album? Kvohst or Vortex? I´m a bit confused about the line-up on the both recording and between them. Vortex is stated almost everywhere but according to your website, Kvohst did the vocals. Please resolve this problem.

The only person singing on Nouveau Gloaming is Kvohst, with the occasional backing vocals from Vicotnik. Vortex has never recorded anything with us. Kvohst as a very unique sounding voice which has developed a lot over the years, the other aspect that shouldn’t be forgotten is his understanding of melody and how to twist his vocal lines away from the obvious. Again it comes down to perception, sterility can be found elsewhere….we create and perform from the soul.

7. Kvohst did his live performance incredibly. As a person with “f-up” vocals and presentation he nicely underlined your “f-up” music. Khvost now writes lyrics and is preparing his vocals for the upcoming album . How else he is influencing the band?

Since the very inception of < code >, Kvohst has always been the lyricist and master of the visual aspects of the band. Things fell by the wayside a few years back when we parted ways but he is back now, where he should be. For me, < code > is the meeting of minds, myself, Kvohst and Vicotnik….it is our quirky attributes and off-kilter musical styles that make the band what it is. It was hard for me to rationalize < code > without Kvohst as I think our styles work together so well, he always finds a home in my music.

8. It´s imperative to ask you about the new material. There are many informations about the new album on internet. But I´m interested how are you doing now and what can we expect? Don´t hesitate to elaborate deeply. Piquancies from behind the scenes are welcomed.

There may information here and there on the internet but none of that will be a guide to how the album sounds. It is a huge leap in every aspect for u, we are extremely proud of how tight and purposeful the album is and are really looking forward to releasing it. Every aspect of what < code > is has been tightened and perfected. The songs are much more concise and purposeful with a real attention to true song-craft. Musically it is much richer in terms of chord colours and progressions. Vocally it is dynamic and immediate with the harshness, weirdness and beauty all exaggerated more than ever before. The basslines are Vicotnik’s best yet by a country mile and the drums are much more present and upfront than before. It is true step up in all aspects for us.

9. So what is the final line-up for the upcoming album and how are the individual members involved in composing? Is the Code your personal project, or are you opened for the collaboration with others?

The line up for the album is myself performing the guitars, Kvohst on vocals, Vicotnik on bass and Adrian Erlandsson on drums. Everyone has stamped their personality and style on this recording and it is most certainly not a project. Adrian is performing as a session musician, but myself, Kvohst and Vicotnik treat < code > with great reverence and consider it as much more than a project.

10. How do you cope with the fact that some member are from UK and some from Norway? I guess that it is quite difficult to meet and rehearse together. How are you handling this?

It has only really started to be an issue since we started playing live. When it comes to writing the albums we tend to work in isolation to a large extent anyway, and with the ease that files can be transferred electronically these days, living distances from each other isn’t a major issue. Organizing shows and rehearsals for shows however has been a big problem, but I have been working on solidifying our live line up for the coming year so hopefully life will be a little simpler from now on.

11. I have to ask you about Vicotnik. I know that he once have been the part of the Code. Now he probably dedicates himself fully for DHG. I find it obvious, that person with such musical potential has to leave some mark on the band he got involved with.

Vicotnik is still very much a part of < code > as I said earlier. He performs a big role in the sound of the band and gets a lot out of working with us. DHG does not take up 100% of his time so he still has plenty of capacity to dedicate to < code >. His experience and unique style of playing have been a big part of the core of this band since he joined so I am always keen to hold onto that.


12. And what can you tell about the cooperation with your label? Satisfied? Are they full-filling your demands, or are they somehow limiting you?

Yes, life with Tabu is going very well at the moment. They have been very supportive and are really providing us with everything we need to make a really high quality product so I have no complaints right now. They are also working on some licensing deals which should see a big improvement in the distribution of our album so I’m looking forward to hopefully getting the < code > name in peoples minds more next year.

13. What is your opinion about the evolution of Black metal in these days? Are the good bands difficult to find in the flood of mediocre bands? How do you view the future of BM? Do you think that the genre itself still has the possibility to reach new areas? Do you have some less-known tips in obscure young bands about which you think we will hear soon?

I don’t really waste much energy bemoaning the state of BM at the moment. I think in general it is in a much better state than 10 years ago. There will always be a lot of bands due to the nature of the scene….everyone seems to be doing something active as it is so easy to pick up a computer, some software, a guitar and make your own music. Of course that is a good thing and a bad thing, but the really genuinely good bands will always find their way to the top…you can’t cheat reality forever. I’m not the hardcore underground freak I used to be 15 years ago but I still hear of the odd band here and there that really grab my attention. I really like some of the Finnish bands around at the moment like Ride For Revenge, Black Christ and Bloodhammer. Also Necros Christos from Germany blew me away with their latest album, godly stuff.

14. What are your plans after the release of the second album? Do you feel like relaxing or you are going to jump into the touring? If yes, I wonder if you could visit Czech republic?

We are not going to relax at all. We will be playing a number of gigs next year with any luck. We are busy planning our live schedule at the moment. The first show we have booked is the Inferno festival, and we are planning a few club shows around that time too. The summer will hopefully be a big time for us to get around again too. The Czech Republic is definitely not out of the question if the right offer comes along.

15. Kvohst told me on Brutal assault that you are going stay in Czech rep. little longer and visit some places. I guess that you visited Prague and that you explored it more. Common visitor just browse the historical centre of the city, in the evening they´re enjoying some fun with Czech girls and beer. Were you just like those typical visitors?

Actually I went straight back to England after the Brutal Assault show. I think Kvohst and Heimoth took a day or so in Prague though and seemed to have a nice time. Next time I am there I would at least like to have a look around the city. As long as there is nice architecture, nice coffee and good record shops I am usually happy.

16. I don´t want to bore you to death with questions so thank you for the interview and I wish you success with Code. Last words are yours.

Thanks for your support and interest in the band. Look out for the new album ‘Resplendent Grotesque’ in the first quarter of 2009 and look out for gig listings in your area in the new year.

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