1. Actual album „Gin“ is quite variable one, constantly brining new ideas, changes etc. Have you created something of the mentioned aspects with improvisation during recording or you simply arrived to the studio with everything ready?

The album was ready when it was recorded, improvisation in the studio is very limited. Theres always a little bit of tweeking that takes place if we hear something that would sound better once we are in the studio, but for the most part it was already written in our heads.

2. Concerning drums, rhythmic… It doesn’t have almost anything common with typical black metal patterns. Even in the term of metal music in general it is quite unusual playing. Have you been influenced by something vastly different? By different genre for example?

Erik has a lot of different influences when it comes to drums. We dont play our instruments to sound like a black metal band. Black metal is an influence on us of course but we are not trying to recreate the best black metal bands. I would say that when Erik was a kid he was listening to a lot of Nausea. The drummer in that old crust punk band was really unique too. We later covered one of their songs on an EP. Also I know Erik respects the drumming of Danney Carrey from Tool quite a bit. The fact is though that we are not trying to recreate anything. We make our own music.

3. When you start with the listening of the new album it’s not very easy to digest your music but after a while you stand before very proximate and catchy realm, not taking in account how different it is. What are the responses from people? Are there any fractions with different opinions?

We have had really positive feedback from lots of people. The press has been really into the album and a pretty wide variety of people have told us how much the music has meant to them. Most of the elitist black metal scene dont want to vary too much from their tastes, which is understandable. I am also pretty narrowminded about metal. The fact is though that Gin is indeed very dark, sincere and powerful. People that give the album more of their attention than just a background listen will be consumed by it.


4. Talking about the responses I wonder how it look during your live performances. Is the audience calm and more focused on music or they are simply raising hell in the pit? I guess that at the festival differences between fans would become clearly evident.

We havent played since just after the release of the 'War Metal' CD. That album was very aggressive and straightforward. It is kind of our 'Kill em all' record. Anyway the shows we played around this time were total violence and anger. Lots of broken shit, lots of hurt bodies and an overall hateful aura. We have plans to tour at some point again. I would imagine the atmosphere to be more obscure and trance like with our new music. We are not ever going to be a band that just stands on stage and plays music. Theres an aura to Cobalt that has to be presented properly.

5. Those who are familiar with other interview know that you don’t live at one place but that you’re more like a long-time hermit. You talked about the summary of experience from the specific life period which is then portrayed in music. It’s something like a chronicle where you have specific parts attached to a specific events or is it more abstract concern based on those live experiences?

My life has basically had its really obscure moments, dark and hateful moments and moments of triumph. I have been all over the world carrying a gun and living by my own set of values. I would say that the experiences that I have had tend flash through in lots of ways meaningful only to me. I dont write songs about one specific time or incident, its all an amalgam of images from my mind.

6. If I should portray a difference between European and American bands I would point towards the atmosphere. While the old continent tends to work with more traditional motives – grim mood, sacred majesty or simply universal depression. From United States I feel a cohesion with nature – Spiritualism with natural rawness. It’s like seeing shamanic ritual. Overall impression depends more on imminent experience than on “spooky” satanic imagery. Do you perceive something like this as a listener? If yes can you point out some reason of those differences.

I agree that European bands tend to focus on the more etheral and less on the visceral. I dont give two fucks about religion, the discussion of god/satan etc. What I am concerned with is not being spooky or even trying to be the worlds scariest guy. That shit is immature to me in some ways. If your ideology leads you to worship the dark side of life then do it, but dressing like a vam,pire and trying to present an aura of obscurity is childish to me. I have seen enough of the ugly side of life to recognize its true face, and its not that of a 18 year old kid talking about satan and dying his hair black. Its a burning old woman screaming in agony.


7. COBALT same as many others now quite successful black metal bands doesn’t need to copy overused themes like warpaint or over-the-top Satanism. How much do you think that this genre is dependant on its primeval image? Do you think that someday this classical blasphemous image might become only one of the many possible images?

I love black/war metal. Its my favorite music. I find a lot of truth in their aggression. Like you said its not about being spooky. I dont see bands like Blasphemy, Revenge, Conqueror, Sarcofago etc as being anything but sincere. Their image is blasphemous and strong, their convictions as people prove this to be the truth. Now, bands that are just rehashing the old european black metal ethos are more often just kids temporarily into the atmosphere. They really think they believe in all of the ideas that go along with it, but most of them are just temporarily following along. So yes, the inability for these people to move on from what was truly innovative in philosophy in black metal is an indicator of their own shallow devotion to its truths. There are those who truly are serious and devout and evil though and I respect those people very much.

8. By the way do you recommend drinking gin while listening the actual album?

Yes, or Sailor Jerrys rum!

9. In the end one necessary question about your live performance in Czech Republic. Can we expect it? Many thanks for the interview!

If we tour Europe, we will play the Czech Republic. Thanks for the interview.