The Lodge @ Isvind Interview

Isvind
an interview with Arak Draconiiz

Initially, why did you settle on to start working again with Isvind after an interim of nearly six years? Who are the current members and what can we expect from the band, both in musical and conceptual departments with this new return?
I think it's actually more of a question why we quit, than why we started up again. A lot has happened with both the scene and apparently also the music since then. Back then, Black Metal was on the brink of really being recognized by the press and so on, which took away some of the initial excitement for me, I think. Anyway, we had been given the chance to release an album with our stuff as well as going on a tour and I was happy with that. Also, the circumstances just didn't fit for a period of 3-4 years, as we lived far from each other, but we've always been determined to start up again. Now it's the perfect time, as we're totally underground, unknown and unaffected of what's been going on (at least I have no idea...).
Goblin has made most of the new material and I'm contributing with a couple of tracks. It's all totally got the Isvind sound, although it's somewhat better technically, as Goblin is a good guitar player.
Conceptually, we're moving towards a fucking aggressive attitude with capitol A's - cold, grim, traditional, primitive Black fucking Christ-raping Necro Metal! Anti-Christian, the kick ass drummer of Black Comedy and previously also Tsjuder, will play drums for us on the album and live. Goblin plays guitar and I might do the bass on the album.

Back to the past now, how did you make a decision to call yourselves Icewind in the first place and why to change the name to Isvind later on (mostly due to Behram's exit) - was it also due to your debut demo's Norwegian title (Nivelheimen), or what was the actual cause then? Additionally, what does the name mean to you, personally?
You're right, Behram's departure was part of the reason we changed the name. Also, Isvind sounds hell of a lot colder than Icewind; it's more aesthetically correct. I'm sure Norwegians invented the ice, it's so goddamn cold here you wouldn't believe it. The Isvind obviously comes from the north, it penetrates your flesh like a cold knife and blows straight through marrow and bone, a real bitch. Extremely inspirational, I think!

Since the band is supposedly comprised of you and Goblin, how did you two first meet? Did you share common viewpoints, not only in Music, but also regarding other Life matters, such as Religion and Society? How would you define yourself under a philosophical or idealistic way and what are your standpoints on the subjects of the aforementioned creed and social order issues?
We're from the same area and have been attending the same schools, been into the same music and basically we're just good friends. As for society, we agree on a lot, such as what's cool and what's not. I really think neither of us could care less about anything, but I should of course only speak for myself.
I try not to follow any "isms" or organized religions, because it is bound to make me exclude something which might be interesting or worthwhile for a while. Society can be viewed on so many ways and whatever I say now is probably not what I would say tomorrow. I've always been interested in common denominators or patterns across any religion, philosophy, culture, science and so on, present or historic. I think European Occultism, in many ways, defines the borders of our possible knowledge.

Norwegian Black Metal has taken a vast leap from the trademark sound of early; what are your thoughts on this development and, due to the utmost sway it has on younger musicians, are you foreseeing a new method emerging from this hybrid of ingredients in the medium run? Are you an adherent of what bands like Arcturus, DHG, Mayhem and Satyricon have explored, based on the roots of the genre in question?
I really haven't listened to it that much, but especially Mayhem knows how to kick ass, I think. It's as if the attitude is more musical than conceptual nowadays, which is good in some ways. I think the energy level has soared, it works better live and it really hits you in your chest. Of course there will evolve a new way of playing out from this or that, that's what these bands and others are working on. As I implied before, I think it's a shame what happened to Black Metal, even though it had to happen, but I wouldn't call the music these bands are currently playing Black Metal, at least not in the pure form. While it has gained a lot musically, it has lost something intangible on the way (it might be because they are totally professional or something). The next "stylistic quantum jump" may come from anywhere, however.

Water in its various forms has always worked as a great amplifier of changes imposed on the climate system; it acts both as the Earth's central heating system and as the refrigerator; how these processes will evolve in a changing climate is as important a question as it's difficult. Since Isvind provided such a descriptive album title to its debut, how would you perceive the interactions between climate and the hydrologic cycle in the past, present and future? To wrap it up, provide your picture of Nature, within its magical, sinister and soothing side.
Man, this question is way too extensive to be answered, but I'll try and air some thoughts. "Dark Waters" symbolize blood. When the dark waters "stir", it means you are frightened or aroused in some way. Water is of course fundamental to Life on Earth and blood is fundamental to the body, so I guess I'll have to follow you on this one. However, the issue of global warming is way beyond my comprehension. The climate on Earth has been a lot warmer than it is today and I think much of the debate is fuelled by some poorly concealed political agendas. I'm now thinking about manmade carbon dioxide emissions and the means by which some people wish to reduce these emissions and the consequences this would have on our way of life. Trees are obviously reducing CO2 levels, but they are essential in the creation of rain. Deforestation is therefore a bigger problem than global warming, in my opinion. It's a sign of decadence when people cut down their trees without providing for new ones; it turns the land into a desert, thereby stopping the cycle of water from salt to fresh, which is essential to us. In Sumer, by the way, the ancient gods and especially Tiamat, were considered to be salt water, while the elder gods and Enki, would represent the fresh. In that respect, the prophecies of Abdul Alhazred leave us little hope for the future ("when the ancients once again shall rule" and so on). If the world is to become a desert in the future and the only water is salt water, this might be fulfilled that way. Not that it bothers me particularly (and there's a lot of stuff going on in the sea as well).

A waveform can also be comprised of multiple fundamental frequencies, which ultimately attains the same period as a waveform; as the Technical Research in Acoustic Neural Consciousness Enhancement can provide altered states of mind, can you enlighten me in relation to a number of your out-of-body experiences, in tie with your indulgence in astral projection? How and why did you move towards these veiled spheres and in what other forms do you face yourself to attain several equilibrium of sorts, bounded within your own psyche?
(Laughs) That's a good one! Those enhancements were not only acoustically driven, I can tell you that much. When I look back, I see the red thread, but as to why, I have no idea. The concept of repetition and the effect it can have on consciousness is quite fascinating to me. Reaching states of mind through, for instance, acoustic repetition, works like meditation, where the same pattern eventually unfolds seemingly endless possibilities of variation. This can be transposed to the infinite number of ways you can view reality. A cliché is that there are as many ways of conceiving Reality as there are people on Earth (I'd include animals as well). This opens for programming of consciousness of sorts, which can be very helpful in a number of ways, personally. Anyway, while in a meditated state, it's like the dimensions of time-space get supplemented with a fifth and sixth and connections which were not visible before, suddenly tie things together in a whole new way. The linear way of thinking and conceiving is replaced with something non-Euclidian, it seems, and events separated in time and space connect and make sense (opposite to what I'm making now, right?).
My favourite way of attaining equilibrium, is by being all alone doing nothing in particular, just processing and arranging.

Intrinsically, Black Metal is perceived as sinister and hasty music that employs harmonious growth to convey its themes, mostly relating to Satanism, Nihilism, Misanthropy and an outcast victorious declaration of the character - forging a strong affecting, nearly prosaic approach; essentially, what does Black Metal stand for you?
It changes from each time I listen to it. Some days it's the best party music, like an adrenaline rush, other times it gives me feelings of misanthropy and hate and other times it might feed a temporary depression or whatever, but always in a way which leaves me happy or something (hard to explain).

In a more earthly approach, let us delve into the person behind Arak Draconiiz, the musician; besides Music, what is your purpose in this Life? How'd you define your daily routine (in regards to other activities), what are your core interests, how did you like and began exercising this art and (according to the Gregorian calendar) how old are you?
I'm just trying to focus on things I like; I don't believe in ends justifying the means, even though I'm currently trying to get a formal degree which might not be exactly my core interest. These days I read Wilhelm Reich and find it kind of cool, as a continuation of all the stuff I've been reading since I was a kid. Apart from reading and studying, I usually hang out with friends, doing nothing, like any other 23 year old does.

In a farewell note, reveal what Isvind is guarding for the next year in relation to a record agreement, live affairs and other synthetic mental pictures you find suitable to be declared.
We'll release a CD with the best tracks from our demos, ranging back to the Icewind stuff, as well as some rehearsal tracks on Millennium Metal pretty soon, as a warm-up to the new album, which will hopefully be out soon. All the tracks are ready, but we haven't decided on a label yet (we might even do the whole thing ourselves) and we're also starting to rehearse for a couple of gigs we're going to do in Norway and Germany this spring.
Thank you for a very interesting interview and for your patience! Good luck with your rag!

© 2003 The Lodge

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