1. If you were in position of a deinterested critic, what do you think would hold your interest on "Negative Megalomania"?

I think it's an album that can suit the interest of both Black Metal and Doom/Sludge listeners. There is a good balance between heavy, blackened-Doom parts and catchy clean vocals and arpeggios. The album has got a Rock-feel to it also, I think many different kind of people could like this new release. The production is very clear and powerful, no low-fi underground stuff. People interested in extremely Dark, gloomy Metal with a Rock feel and a slightly american-sounding touch should try out "Negative Megalomania".

2. Are you aware of some changes as compared with the previous albums? Were they purposeful? What´s the biggest difference in you opinion?

Yeah we know there are some differences from our past albums, but I think it was time to change a bit. We felt it was natural for us, the new album is simply nearer to what we are nowadays, we wanted to bring back our traditional Rock-roots, and mix it with our usual melancholic, negative-sounding Black/Doom trademark. The insert of some clean vocals are the other big news compared to our past releases.

3. Your new album is also quite untypical as for vocals. Traditional black metal voice is complemented (replaced) by an another one, which I can´t describe exactly (I would hate to insult you with some comparison). Is it your work as well? What´s its purpose (as for atmosphere)? It seems to me, that it could be some dialoque between two people...

Yeah, I took care of both clean and scream vocals on the album. I think these vocals really fits well the atmosphere of this new album, adding a lysergic, paranoid edge to the music. Many people told me they're "american-sounding" vocals, and I guess it's true in some way. The clean-vocals approach could be compared to bands such as Down, Acid Bath, Alice In Chains, Black Label Society and stuff like that. I think the clean vocals just fit better some riffs, they really were needed. A song like "The Scapegoat" would have not been the same without clean vocals, and the same goes for the other songs. I think I can represent many different atmospheres and moods with the clean vocals. I'll use them again in the future.

4. If we should compare "Obscura Arcana Mortis" and the current album, we´d find out, that the footages are almost twice as long. It seem, that you ideas about the composition and atmosphere of your songs develop a lot...

Yeah, haha. But I guess the real FT style was developed since "Songs To Leave". Our songs have always been lenghty. I think lenght was needed to create the atmosphere. Our songs are like some Doom-symphonies, haha. But I think we'll try to decrease the lenght of the songs on our next studio-album, so we can put more songs on it and play more stuff in a live-situation.


5. What exactly does the Negative Megalomania cover depict? Who did take care of it and whose idea was it?

I don't know what version do you have of it, I guess you have the promo-CD? There were 2 different versions of the cover-artwork. The first version is the one you see on the promo-CD, the final version is the one that ended up on the actual CD. The one on the promo-CD was a mix between 2 layers, some industrial stuff + a picture of the band. The final version of the CD shows a deserted basement, and it looks really eerie and discomforting.

6. Do you find it pleasant or motivative to have a contract with such a big label? Did you send them promo or did AR come with an offer?

Avantgarde Music is not so big, I mean it's not a major. It's still an indie label, but actually it's very well-known among indipendent labels. They released some very good stuff in the past. They're working good for our band, there's a good collaboration between label and band. I hope things will work out always better. We were searching for a new label, they said they were interested, so after some meeting we decided to sign a deal and work together.

7. What plans do you and band have now, after the release of album?

We are going to play some live-gigs around Europe, especially in the second half of 2007. A re-release of the old demo will be out soon, titled "Obscura Arcana Mortis: The Demo Years", on Eerie Art Records. Vinyl versions of both "Negative Megalomania" and "Love's Burial Ground" will be out soon too. Some other projects are still "work-in-progress"..

8. Why did you name one of your albums "Springtime Depression", although Spring is said to be the most optimistic season of the year? What´s so depressing about it then?

The "Springtime Depression" title depicts an image that often it happens to be seen here where I live: imagine a cold, humid and rainy day of April..The leaves on the trees are turning green, but the sky is gray, colourless, the breeze falls on your face and the city looks bleak and dead. That's the "Springtime Depression" title-concept.

9. What´s the purpose of your music? To evoke a depression? Or to help from it? If you should characterise Forgotten Tomb with some apposite phrase, how would it sound?

Well, obviously the only term I can use to characterise FT is: "Negative". I think currently there isn't a particular purpose in my music, I just like to play this kind of stuff. I like to deliver melancholic, gloomy, disillusioned music. I think every listener "feels" my music in a personal way, some of them harm themselves listening to it, others find a relief from their depression. It always rises some feeling within the listener, and this is the most important thing in the end. I could say that we play "Emotional Music".


10. Do you compose the music in some different way now than you did earlier? Forgotten Tomb have existed since 1999, but when did you start do compose? Was it for Forgotten Tomb or some other project?

More or less I always wrote music in the same way, on my guitar at home. Probably now I'm a bit more "technological", since I record all the demo-tracks for the new songs on my PC, with all instruments, and then I give them to the other members in the band so they can learn the songs. There are some riffs on every album that I originally wrote before FT was actually born. For instance, most of the stuff on "Obscura Arcana MOrtis", some riffs on "Songs To Leave" and "Springtime Depression", and some others on "Negative Megalomania" too. I wrote the final part of the title-track in '97 for instance.

11. Imagine, that you are a great source of inspiration and idol to many listernes and beginning bands... If it is reality or not, is not so important, but imagine it. How would you feel?

To be honest, it is already reality. A lot of bands said they started playing after they listened to "Songs To Leave" or "Springtime Depression", people ask me for autographs or they want to take pictures with me at concerts..We are quite popular for our genre. It makes me feel good, I guess everyone likes to be considered as an "idol" or to be a source of inspiration for other bands. It means that I made something meaningful for thousands, and this is absolutely great.

12. As you compose quite long songs, there must be some difficulties with live performances. Tell us, how do you pass muster with your listernes as for live performances?

No there aren't many difficulties. We just can't play more than 8 or 9 songs 'cause we already span over 1 hour and half of music, haha. But our audience really enter the mesmerizing, gloomy atmosphere of the shows and enjoy it a lot. Our new material is a bit more "physical", so we noticed some mosh-pit action during the title-track of "Negative Megalomania" too.

13. Don´t you think, that depressive projects are rather for single musicians? Are you able to share that authentic feeling?

In the beginning I thought I was going to remain a one-man band, but later things changed. Live-performances are important for promotion, and to show your real musicianship on-stage. I think many people appreciate us 'cause we're able to reproduce the atmosphere of our albums on-stage too, a lot of fans didn't believe it until they saw us playing live, haha. I don't need to share my feelings with the others in the band, since I write the songs alone, at home. When we rehearse, my emotions have already been written in the songs before.

14. What´s your opinion of friendship?

It's important but it's really hard to find. I don't know if it really exist. From my side, it surely exist, but after some bad personal experiences, I really have some difficulties in trusting people. I have a few friends, though.


15. Would you be able of suicide? What kind of situation could make you to do it?

After all these years I wouldn't kill myself. I became wiser with aging, I guess. In the end, nothing's really worth dying, unless you suffer from some terminal disease and you don't have any chance to survive. Life is a whore and you must fuck her. I've been through depression and self-destruction for years, so I know what suicidal thoughts mean, but I'm out of it now.

16. Do you think, that there´s any source (an emotion), which could not run out, and which is vital for our existence? Are you very emotive person? What else does influence you while composing?

I think we create our own emotions. Nothing's important except for the instinct of survival. I believe in the "survival of the fittest" rule. I used to be a very emotive person when I was younger, but I grew up stronger with time. Now I can manage my emotions a lot better than in the past. I'm kind of disillusioned, I'm not taking things of life too seriously as I used to do. I currently consider myself to be an active nihilist.

17. Is there a place for individuality in Forgotten Tomb or do you work in team?

I write most of the material, then I arrange it with the band. The band is really important and the guys are cool, but obviously I remain the engine of FT. I usually accept ideas from all the band members if they fit the songs well, though.

18. Thanks for time you spent with answers for Mortem zine, I wish you even more success, than you´ve achieved so far. Good luck!

Thanx a lot for the interview! Hope to see you all on tour, support the Negative Megalomania!!