Post by drawnsword on Mar 16, 2015 16:47:03 GMT -6
Here's an interview i did with Flaskavsae back in 2009 that was published in Untombed zine #1. Thought some of you will find this interesting as you may have never seen or got the zine.
1.Where do you draw your inspiration's from and what bands/projects have been your greatest influences?
> most of my inspiration comes from our LORD, Jesus Christ. being inspired by His grace, love and mercy. other inspiration comes from my mind, nature and more so than anything, life itself. i think one of the reasons my writing has been so fluent the past few years is because of how intense life is. that manifests itself in so many ways, its easy to continually find inspiration...as far as other music goes, most of my influence is pretty obvious (at least i think); Leviathan (USA), Sapthuran, Caina, Darkthrone, Taake, Drudkh...not much from the Christian underground; some Antestor, Erasmus, Elgibbor...i dig a great deal of the EEE stuff as well, i have found some of the best Christian underground art is coming out of EEE Recordings. It is a blessing to be on the same roster as a lot of their projects.
2.With playing all the instuments yourself,how do you go about composing your songs,and do you ever write on the drum kit first and then experiment in adding the other instruments etc?etc?
> usually all of my songs start on the guitar and kind of develop into all the other instruments. the only songs i have ever written on the drums are the noise/ambient tracks. i just make up some kind of tribal beat i like and flow with it. i have also written a few songs on the keyboard first. but not many. depends on the style usually.
3.Using an electric drum kit has it's advantages in many ways?what do you use?and also with your other instruments?
> yes and no. i will always prefer real/acoustic drums to e-drums. the sound is incomparable. e-drums are better as far as recording goes. easier to control the sound, timbre, recording method...plus where i live, if i ever wanted to bust out my acoustic kit and play, would not be smart. my neighbors would not be pleased. therefore enters the e-kit. much easier in many ways...the past few years i have been recording with a Yamaha DTXplorer. which i have not been to excited about because the sound is not the best, but i just scored a new e-kit and it sounds absolutely amazing. i spent a pretty penny on it but i just got a TD-12KV V-Drums Set. it sounds SO good. i am actually re-recording the drum tracks for 'Two Pillars' with this drum kit, you will hear the difference.
4.I hav'nt heard the Christmas EP at the time of writing this question,but how does it compare with past offerings,and what were you aiming for in total?
> like most of my past output, each recording is a step forward. i try not to stagnate on one thing for too long. the only thing that ties all my work together is the underlying 'un'black metal sound of fast guitars and scissor drum beats. i think the Christmas EP is a good example of what Two Pillars will sound like. not completely, but a lot of the same elements are prevalent. especially since they were written and recorded pretty close to each other...my only hope for the Christmas EP was to write a set of Christmas songs that glorified Christ properly and were not cheesy. i am sick of hearing the same Christmas songs every year, most of which are not even about Jesus anyway. Santa Claus or Father Christmas are improper representations of what that day is supposed to mean. to me anyway...nothing says Christmas like blasting unblack metal, ambient and noise right?
5.I am really looking forward to the upcoming album"Two Pillar's",which has allready been recorded,can you share some things about this?
> TP is my favorite record i have done, in all aspects. i think the song writing, performance and production is the best in the Flaskavsae catalog. the only way i can properly describe the sound of TP is if you know my past work well; it sounds like a mix of In Memory and Philosophies. it mixes unblack, ambient, noise, thrash, doom, post-rock, death and some other metal stuff as well. hard to describe your own music, since i cannot look at it objectively, it is an extension of myself...all i can say is if you are interested in what it will sound like...buy it when it comes out!!!
6.There's going to be some re-releases of past recordings this year,right?what will they be and are they going to contain any changes?
> hopefully. the goal is to have EEE re-release the Philosophies and Parallels To Nothing albums. we shall see though. my main goal is to get Two Pillars released. the only change in the re-releases will be the packaging and i am hoping to include at least some of the lyrics. only time will tell what truly happens.
7.I have never seen any Flaskavsae lyrics with any of the cds,why has that been?The song titles are very interesting.What topics do the lyrics cover?
> there is a multitude of reasons. a lot of the non-Biblical lyrics are very personal to me and hard to share with others. i would have to provide explanations for some of the songs, since a lot of it comes out very fragmented and hard to comprehend unless you know the story behind it. my lyrics cover many topics (i use a LOT of scripture as lyrics, this describes my own stuff); life, emotions, religion, relationships, society, history, politics...no topic is taboo i guess.
8.How do you get your vocals to sound like a windstorm etc?do you constantly experiment with vocal textures with each recording session?
> holy vocal chemistry i cannot give you my techniques, for it would take away from what i do. i can say this though; much experimentation with effects, textures, recording techniques, vocal methods, etc...every album i try to implement some kind of new aspect to my vocals, to see what i can accomplish. no vocal track is ever recorded the same.
9.Another amazing and important part of the Flaskavsae sound is the production,layering ,mixing etc,how much part do you have in this along with W.,and what is the idea and goal behind this style?
> my part in the production is not as big as you might think. i only know what i want the end result to be. i have some recording knowledge, but that is why i record with W...he knows how to accomplish what i want and how i want. especially on the new album, we managed to get some great guitar and drum tones. i am very pleased with how the results have turned out. i think a lot of people do not give W. the credit that they should. a lot of the productions he works on are much more complicated and in-depth than people realize. some of the most amazing unblack metal productions have come through and out of the Hall of Svendersuhn, in my opinion anyway...the HoS is THE underground unblack metal recording studio, with one heck of a producer to boot.
10.Are you currently working on any more material?
> yes. but not Flaskavsae material. i am currently helping write the upcoming Njiqahdda record (i perform drums, bass and vocals in Njiqahdda). which is taking a lot of my time and creative space up. but once that is taken care of i will be back to writing and recording Flask stuff. but we (Njiqahdda) are considering and rehearsing for the possibility of playing live, not sure if it will happen yet, but its something we are playing around with. as far as Flask goes, i might do another new EP or split sometime in 2009 as well, but we will see how everything else fleshes out first. i take things as they come.
11.Thanks very much for the interview,blessings.Any final comments?
> thank you for the interview and for being a huge Flaskavsae supporter, i cannot express my gratitude to you properly or enough. but thank you. thanks to EEE, Sullen, Untombed, Jesus Metal, Undark Metal and all other fans, supporters, readers and awesome people who help make Flaskavsae what it is. most importantly i want to thank God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. there is none higher. best wishes.
Psalm 9
1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my right and my cause;
you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6 Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.
7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He will judge the world in righteousness;
he will govern the peoples with justice.
9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.
12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of the Daughter of Zion
and there rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
16 The LORD is known by his justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked return to the grave, [c]
all the nations that forget God.
18 But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.
19 Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but men.
Selah
1.Where do you draw your inspiration's from and what bands/projects have been your greatest influences?
> most of my inspiration comes from our LORD, Jesus Christ. being inspired by His grace, love and mercy. other inspiration comes from my mind, nature and more so than anything, life itself. i think one of the reasons my writing has been so fluent the past few years is because of how intense life is. that manifests itself in so many ways, its easy to continually find inspiration...as far as other music goes, most of my influence is pretty obvious (at least i think); Leviathan (USA), Sapthuran, Caina, Darkthrone, Taake, Drudkh...not much from the Christian underground; some Antestor, Erasmus, Elgibbor...i dig a great deal of the EEE stuff as well, i have found some of the best Christian underground art is coming out of EEE Recordings. It is a blessing to be on the same roster as a lot of their projects.
2.With playing all the instuments yourself,how do you go about composing your songs,and do you ever write on the drum kit first and then experiment in adding the other instruments etc?etc?
> usually all of my songs start on the guitar and kind of develop into all the other instruments. the only songs i have ever written on the drums are the noise/ambient tracks. i just make up some kind of tribal beat i like and flow with it. i have also written a few songs on the keyboard first. but not many. depends on the style usually.
3.Using an electric drum kit has it's advantages in many ways?what do you use?and also with your other instruments?
> yes and no. i will always prefer real/acoustic drums to e-drums. the sound is incomparable. e-drums are better as far as recording goes. easier to control the sound, timbre, recording method...plus where i live, if i ever wanted to bust out my acoustic kit and play, would not be smart. my neighbors would not be pleased. therefore enters the e-kit. much easier in many ways...the past few years i have been recording with a Yamaha DTXplorer. which i have not been to excited about because the sound is not the best, but i just scored a new e-kit and it sounds absolutely amazing. i spent a pretty penny on it but i just got a TD-12KV V-Drums Set. it sounds SO good. i am actually re-recording the drum tracks for 'Two Pillars' with this drum kit, you will hear the difference.
4.I hav'nt heard the Christmas EP at the time of writing this question,but how does it compare with past offerings,and what were you aiming for in total?
> like most of my past output, each recording is a step forward. i try not to stagnate on one thing for too long. the only thing that ties all my work together is the underlying 'un'black metal sound of fast guitars and scissor drum beats. i think the Christmas EP is a good example of what Two Pillars will sound like. not completely, but a lot of the same elements are prevalent. especially since they were written and recorded pretty close to each other...my only hope for the Christmas EP was to write a set of Christmas songs that glorified Christ properly and were not cheesy. i am sick of hearing the same Christmas songs every year, most of which are not even about Jesus anyway. Santa Claus or Father Christmas are improper representations of what that day is supposed to mean. to me anyway...nothing says Christmas like blasting unblack metal, ambient and noise right?
5.I am really looking forward to the upcoming album"Two Pillar's",which has allready been recorded,can you share some things about this?
> TP is my favorite record i have done, in all aspects. i think the song writing, performance and production is the best in the Flaskavsae catalog. the only way i can properly describe the sound of TP is if you know my past work well; it sounds like a mix of In Memory and Philosophies. it mixes unblack, ambient, noise, thrash, doom, post-rock, death and some other metal stuff as well. hard to describe your own music, since i cannot look at it objectively, it is an extension of myself...all i can say is if you are interested in what it will sound like...buy it when it comes out!!!
6.There's going to be some re-releases of past recordings this year,right?what will they be and are they going to contain any changes?
> hopefully. the goal is to have EEE re-release the Philosophies and Parallels To Nothing albums. we shall see though. my main goal is to get Two Pillars released. the only change in the re-releases will be the packaging and i am hoping to include at least some of the lyrics. only time will tell what truly happens.
7.I have never seen any Flaskavsae lyrics with any of the cds,why has that been?The song titles are very interesting.What topics do the lyrics cover?
> there is a multitude of reasons. a lot of the non-Biblical lyrics are very personal to me and hard to share with others. i would have to provide explanations for some of the songs, since a lot of it comes out very fragmented and hard to comprehend unless you know the story behind it. my lyrics cover many topics (i use a LOT of scripture as lyrics, this describes my own stuff); life, emotions, religion, relationships, society, history, politics...no topic is taboo i guess.
8.How do you get your vocals to sound like a windstorm etc?do you constantly experiment with vocal textures with each recording session?
> holy vocal chemistry i cannot give you my techniques, for it would take away from what i do. i can say this though; much experimentation with effects, textures, recording techniques, vocal methods, etc...every album i try to implement some kind of new aspect to my vocals, to see what i can accomplish. no vocal track is ever recorded the same.
9.Another amazing and important part of the Flaskavsae sound is the production,layering ,mixing etc,how much part do you have in this along with W.,and what is the idea and goal behind this style?
> my part in the production is not as big as you might think. i only know what i want the end result to be. i have some recording knowledge, but that is why i record with W...he knows how to accomplish what i want and how i want. especially on the new album, we managed to get some great guitar and drum tones. i am very pleased with how the results have turned out. i think a lot of people do not give W. the credit that they should. a lot of the productions he works on are much more complicated and in-depth than people realize. some of the most amazing unblack metal productions have come through and out of the Hall of Svendersuhn, in my opinion anyway...the HoS is THE underground unblack metal recording studio, with one heck of a producer to boot.
10.Are you currently working on any more material?
> yes. but not Flaskavsae material. i am currently helping write the upcoming Njiqahdda record (i perform drums, bass and vocals in Njiqahdda). which is taking a lot of my time and creative space up. but once that is taken care of i will be back to writing and recording Flask stuff. but we (Njiqahdda) are considering and rehearsing for the possibility of playing live, not sure if it will happen yet, but its something we are playing around with. as far as Flask goes, i might do another new EP or split sometime in 2009 as well, but we will see how everything else fleshes out first. i take things as they come.
11.Thanks very much for the interview,blessings.Any final comments?
> thank you for the interview and for being a huge Flaskavsae supporter, i cannot express my gratitude to you properly or enough. but thank you. thanks to EEE, Sullen, Untombed, Jesus Metal, Undark Metal and all other fans, supporters, readers and awesome people who help make Flaskavsae what it is. most importantly i want to thank God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. there is none higher. best wishes.
Psalm 9
1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonders.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 My enemies turn back;
they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my right and my cause;
you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.
6 Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy,
you have uprooted their cities;
even the memory of them has perished.
7 The LORD reigns forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He will judge the world in righteousness;
he will govern the peoples with justice.
9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
proclaim among the nations what he has done.
12 For he who avenges blood remembers;
he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
14 that I may declare your praises
in the gates of the Daughter of Zion
and there rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
16 The LORD is known by his justice;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked return to the grave, [c]
all the nations that forget God.
18 But the needy will not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.
19 Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Strike them with terror, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but men.
Selah