Silent
Stream of Godless Elegy interview for
VERSUS
Magazine
Hi!
Here you have my questions.
I would like to have your answers
as detailed as possible. Take your time, and feel free to say anything you
want.
(Please insert your answers after
each question)
Thanks for your time.
Jorge
Ribeiro de Castro
VERSUS
Magazine
1 -
Slava! First of all, I would like to congratulate the band for such magnificent
release after so many years in silence. You’ve been going for so many years,
have so much quality and deserve much more appreciation! Unfortunately, not
many people may know about SSOGE… So, tells us why you decided to have such
fantastic moniker? Do you think it’s easy to remember and that it embellishes
the spirit when one says it? Anyway, it has all the magic we can expect to hear
in your songs…
There is no secret story behind our
bandname, dude. Simply we were young boys fifteen years ago, keen on that doomy
bands with a long name like My Dying Bride, In The Woods and stuff like that.
So I remember I was thinking about a title which could describe our music and
would be long as hell. J It
is not easy to remember for sure and that’s way talking about us, most of fans use simply „Silent“. I realize Silent
Stream Of Godless Elegy is not the best bandname for posters, ads or
catalogues, but as you say – it has the magic…
2 –
In the beginning the band had some influences from Paradise Lost, Anathema and
My Dying Bride but you enhanced it, inspired in the folklore from the region
where you live. What you would say as the most probable definition for SSOGE?
Ye, you are right. In very truth, we
grew from doom/death metal music. But more and more we look towards the fusion
of our folk music and rock/metal, still with the strong doomy touch. That’s
what we like and want to do. The connection of our music and the land we live
in is entirely obvious. We go from folk-memory, culture and heritage of our
ancestors. You can find folklore motifs as well as verbal folk literature
motifs in our music and lyrics. I think you can make music the best if it comes
from the deep of yours. And we come from Moravia, the most eastern part of
Czech Republic.
3 –
Did you ever think that the band would be considered one of the finest and
original Folk-Metal bands in the world? Apart from appearing in 95, far from
this trend…
Honestly, I don’t like this cliché, but
it’s a natural way for us. More and more we are interested in our roots and it
has to show in our music as well. It is not about “folk-metal is trendy now“,
we exist for more than fifteen years and still go our way, not looking out for
what others do. And I presume to claim our style is quite unique, I don’t know
the similar band. Look at the most of present folk-metal bands – it’s a merry „pub”
metal, “pirate” metal, or black metal with folkish lyrics. And truly? I don’t
understand that. I like bands that makes music I can feel their roots in it
such as Orphaned Land or Amorphis do. Or Norwegian Gaate did. This is the way
we like.
4 –
Since the 90’s, you managed to appear in several compilations… How all of this
came about? Do you think it was a great promotional effort that managed the
band to be more known? Any other invitations for that?
At the beginning, in 1997, it was
“Breath Of Doom”, the compilation of Czech doom metal bands at that time. Then
in 2000 “A tribute to Master’s Hammer”, what was actually very funny matter as
there’s not even one black metal band on that tribute. Next there were two
tributes – to White Zombie and to Led Zeppelin - that helped us with promotion
especially in US as both were released there by Dwell Records. White Zombie?
Ok, none of us was listening to them, but Led Zeppelin? Dude, it’s a real cult!
So we enjoyed it as much as possible! Both songs (WZ’s Blood, Milk & Sky
and LZ’s Kashmir) excited pretty ambivalent responses – some loved it, others
hated. And that’s right, a hundred people, a hundred tastes… To tell the truth
we used to play Kashmir live for very long time as a bonus and audience love
it! The last compilation we took part in was “Carohrani…”
5 –
Was it odd to be invited to the folklore Cd ‘Carohrani aneb z Korenu Moravskeho
Folkloru vzesle’ being SSOGE a Metal band? Anyway, which song did you used
there? What were the comments afterwards?
Well, it was quite unusual as we were
the only metal band there. But it was an honour as well as there are really
“big names” of Czech folk and alternative scene like Iva Bittova or Hradistan.
So many people found we actually exist. J We used
demo-version of song „Gigula“. The ordinary version is placed at our previous
album „Relic Dances“.
6 –
Having won two Grammys (or Andĕl as it’s called since 2005) on the Hard N’
Heavy category, did you managed to be even more known in your own country and
also outside it? Anyway, the first time you won it with the album “Themes it
seemed to put a certain stress in the band as most of the members left… The
second time, with “Relic Dances”, things seemed more secure. Expect to win
again with this 2011 release?
In 2000 it helped us in a very strange
way as I had to kick off the most of band, there was no other way, I really
hate somebody acts like a rock-star. But I was quite successful with a rebirth,
so I value this retroactively as a very positive moment. In 2005 everything was
all right and this award helped us very pleasantly. With a stable line-up, we
have started to play at the biggest Czech open-airs, we had two-hour gig in a
national TV, lot of inties in a major mags. Very fine moment… As for our
expectation, to tell the truth we don’t expect anything. We do music for we
love music. If there is any award for us, fine, but it means nothing comparing
with we recorded another fine album and finally found a big and respectable
label like Season Of Mist are…
7 –
You were also invited to collaborate in the movie “Labyrinth” about two years
ago. Unfortunately, until now it hasn’t been released. You recorded two tracks
for it but only showed the eager public one: “Dufay”. Why? Anyway, do you know
anything about when the movie will be released?
Ye, unlucky “Labyrint”. We were offered
to compose some music for that movie and to provide some demo-tracks of our
coming album as well. All was fine, the movie was made, and then lot of shits
happened. The director argued with producers, they split their ways, then problems
with copyright and money, new production company, new fights… Man, I really
don’t know if this movie will be released ever. Actually they still owe some
money to us… As for our music, we composed and recorded two tracks, but only
one, titled “Dufay”, is under SSOGE name. The second one is the first result of
our (I mean some SSOGE members) side-project in the veins of alternative rock.
8 –
As you refer on your website, it’s a kind of a thriller… Did the director told
you the sort of atmosphere needed for the song(s) or in which part of the movie
it would be? As “Dufay” grants the listener such beautiful landscape, I wouldn’t
mind hearing the other track… hehe Do you imagine doing an entire soundtrack
for a movie?
We got a script before, so ye, we knew
what movie and atmosphere is about. An entire soundtrack? Sounds pretty
attractive, but I’m afraid it is not possible because of our present life. You
know, we have our jobs, families… But if I have music as my job, no problem, I
would appreciate that kind of work, it’s a challenge…
9 – Having an album released by Season of Mist
is a long time deserved gift that will propel the band towards a broader range
of public. How did that deal come up? Did you ever think it would be possible?
After all, there are five Cd releases before it and another five years in
absence…
The hope dies as the very last one… J With each album, we always tried to
offer the album to some foreign labels, but without any success. So we said
“fuck that!” and focused only to music. We composed, rehearsed hard, arranged
with our producer Tomas Kocko and guest-musicians, then we booked GrapowStudios
and recorded the album with Roland Grapow himself. With some tracks mixed, we
offered again our music to labels. And finally we succeeded. We got several
offers and chosen Season Of Mist as we like their roster and work. And if you
mention that absence – you know, though it seems it is about six years from our
previous album ‘Relic Dances’, it is not like we were working entire time on
the new album. Simply we were supporting the previous album for some time, we
were living our lives, you know - weddings, divorces, kids, flats, mortgages,
earning money... :) So I guess it is about last two years we put brain to
composing and arranging the new material…
10 –
Did you record the album at GrapowStudios after being signed to Season of Mist?
How much time you had there? Although you made a pre-production before entering
the studio, did other ideas came up when there?
As I’ve just said before, we recorded
entire album and then started to negotiate with labels. I guess we were
recording for two weeks, then Roland worked on mixing for some time and then we
made a final mixing. Ye, we made some pre-production. Talking about this, I
realize we haven’t been prepared for recording better than this time. All due
to our hard work and tons of home PC recording sessions. We have learned up a
lot actually…
11 –
The title of the album refers to a traditional amulet made from hair,
blackberry leaves, ash and other odd ingredients. What was that amulet used for
and why you decided to name the album that? Does it relate to any other song,
apart from the first which is the title track, thus creating a certain concept?
This amulet used to be made to protect
in Nav, whats a Slavonic term for underworld, in our mythology lying within the
roots of the big oak tree by the way. When we thought about the title of the
album, we were searching for the word which could „connect“ all songs together.
And found very old - not used nowadays - word „Navaz“. A talisman. Substantive „Navaz“
is derived from the verb „navazovat“ what means „to link something“ or “to join”
in our language. And as you say right, those old talismans were made by linking
up flowers with hair, feather, ash etc. And we like we succeeded by this to get
a secondary sense to the title of the album. “Navaz”, “the Join” in English –
we join (link) to our past, to our roots. And this album is a talisman for all
of you.
12 –
After “Relic dances”, why was it decided for the lyrics to be in Czech?
You know, it was a big dilemma
concerning the language as we used to sing in English before, but after all we
decided to use our native language as it seems to be a logical way – we play
music with strong folk roots, so why should we use English? But it’s little bit
treacherous to tell the truth as it is much more difficult to write and sing
lyrics in Czech (than in English). But I think it’s a right way and we will
continue that.
13 –
What are the lyrics in the new album about? After some research on your
website, I wonder if the titles were changed or you decided to record different
songs while in the studio… If so, why?
I guess no title was changed. All
lyrics, written by our female vocalist Hanele, take place in ancient pagan
times, and if there is something that join them, it’s a respect for nature and
a female cult. For example “The Mother Earth” (Mokos in Czech) is the Goddes of
the Earth, her equivalent is Hera in Greek mythology or Juno in Roman one. In
our story it is kind of metaphore when she is the wife and mother at the same
time. She is angry at warriors (her sons) who shed the blood and she refuses to
receive their bodies back. They plead for her forgiveness, their wifes pray for
them. At the end the Mother Earth, wounded and filthy by their blood, forgives
them and let them rest in her embrace, at the place they arosed from. Actually
this story is about peace. Both universal one and the piece of a soul. Just
enter the Earth Mother of yours...
14 –
For quite some time you’ve been having a stable line-up, the violinist, Pavel
Zouhar, being the last to enter in 2008. Anyway, I remember seeing a video on
You Tube, added February 2008, in which you play the song “Slava”, that is on
this album’s track list, with the former violinist at Masters of Rock 2007. Did
you compose most of the songs for this release from that time onward?
You know, we spend a half of our lifes
by composing music, we grow old. Some former members chosen a family life, some
lacked a persistence, and, of course, there are – from time to time – human and
musical conflicts. I take pride in we act like a family for almost ten years,
in a certain way we are a closed circle. If you spend hours and years with
somebody in the rehearsal room, in a van, on the stage, there is set a certain
kind of link that people from outside cannot understand. I think it’s difficult
to be – and to stay – a member in such kind of a band. As you mention Pavel,
ye, he is the last who entered the band as our former violinist Petra decided
to have a family and nowadays she has two beautiful kids. So we made a
competition and Pavel was the one who won. He's a gifted musician with
experiences from various folklore
ensembles. As for composing, though some tracks are older, it is about only
last two years we were working really hard on the album. Just as I said before…
15 –
After more than 15 years granting us such quality releases, now in Season of
Mist and probably having more gigs waiting, is there any plan to release a DVD,
as it would be a great move to show everyone else that can’t see you live what
the band is all about?
Why not? But as we are kind of pedants
and ambitious concerning the artistic side of view, we have to make it a point
to do a really good DVD. So, we are not in a hurry actually. J
16 –
How’s your own label: Redblack? Was the anniversary Redblack cd+dvd compilation
released and with your cover-version? If so, tell us more about it...
I have to clarify this. Redblack is not
my label, I was just working for them for some time and it’s a past for many
years for me. To tell the truth, there’s not any mark of their activity
recently, what’s a pity… As for that compilation, ye, it was about 2-3 years
ago we were offered to make some cover song for their anniversary compilation,
but then – silence… as for our cover, we conceived that very free, so we made
very funny Aerosmith’s “Taste of India” track. But I’m afraid now it seems it
will not be released ever…
17 –
Any plans to record anything with the music ensemble Slovácko ml. or merely
play again live? Is there any video of your concert with them available
anywhere on the net?
It is difficult, you know. We are bunch
of enthusiasts and we cannot provide to these ensembles anything else than our
enthusiasm. And when speaking about money comes, it’s really bad. J So we played about
2-3 gigs with Slovacko ensemble and it’s over. And as it is not our first
negative experience, we had to manage all this stuff in other way. So when we
thought about recording of our new album, we just spoke to some credible
friendly folk musicians and made a kind of „virtual“ music ensemble containing
dulcimer, several violins and string-bass. As it worked fine in studio, I guess
we will continue in that unless we find some fanatics similar to us. J
18 –
How can you describe Metal in your own country? Are there many festivals,
places for gigs or new bands that one should take in account?
Asking me this more than two years ago,
I could answer in a very long sentence as I managed a metal-shop in Brno and I
was “in a centre” of events. Now, moved to Ostrava, working in IT business,
unfortunately I don’t have a clue what’s going here. So I can presume only on
the basis what I can see concerning the SSOGE activities. There are two big printed
magazines, some fine e-mags and very few radio-stations which are able to play
metal music. As for TV, all fell down, damn! As for live playing, there is a
lot of festivals (I can mention Masters Of Rock or Brutal Assault as the best
known) and clubs here, but it really depends on the band’s position, you know.
And – we are still just a small country, unintersting for music business,
somewhere far in the east. J
19 –
Thanks for answering the interview. Tells us your spells for the coming moments…
Keep the spirit inflamed!!!
And I thank you for your support! To
tell the truth we wonder what’s goin’on in a near future. We release the album
through such great label as Season Of Mist are, we are in the same roster as
SepticFlesh, Cynic or Morbid Angel, what sounds like a dream. So there is the
only think I’m sure about – we have to work hard again and again. But we love
what we do, music is an integral part of our lifes, so we look forward the
future. Dive into the Stream, Listen to the Elegy!
interview npublished in portuguese in "Versus Magazine"
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