Interview: VARULV

Today, I am having an exclusive interview with Varulv’s drummer, Heimdall’s Auge and the guitarist and vocalist Irrah den Fryktelige. Hello guys and thank you for accepting the interview for the ANTICHRIST MAG. My first question in fact is not going to be about what happening with Varulv,but I want to go back in retrospective, Heimdall’s Auge have been in a band called Blessmon. Are you still on that band or not? Can you explain a bit your presence there?

Heimdall: Hail! My part in Blessmon wasn´t that big, we done one show together and we where jamming on new tunes for a new album wich they will release sooner or later this year, i´m not part oft he band but they are more active right now than the last 10 years i think.

Let’s talk about Varulv. This is a band with a very unique sound. How did you get together with this project?

Irrah: Well, at first we were all involved in some other Bands and then we found us together at Varulv. We had a lot of Line-Up changes in this time but at the moment it fits very well. With the experience we collected in the other Bands, we are able or we try to make Varulv to something special at least for us and for other people who like it.

Heimdall: Mario (one band member from the first days of Varulv) contacted me some years ago as i was the drummer of Blessmon – he wanted someone who can handle the job on the drums, and i nailed it.

When black metal heads hear that we’re going to talk about Austrian Black Metal, all, but all those people really get back into Abigor era. Now let’s talk about your musical influences a bit. Can you tell us more about them?

Irrah: Yes there were a lot of great bands in Austria in this era like you have said Abigor or I remember Summoning or the old Belphegor. But I think our influences come more from the Scandinavian direction.

Heimdall: When it comes to Austria i prefer bands like Hellsaw (R.I.P), Nocturne, Portae Obscuritas and so on. We got some Bands with Balls here, also we have a great label called Tallheim Records who „owns“ most oft the good bands here.

Is actually Varulv playing live or in a tour?

Irrah: Earlier this year we played some gigs in Austria, Italy and Germany but at the moment we have only planned to play a concert in Germany, in June but we are ready for all!

Heimdall: We want to play shows for people who deserve it to see us on the road, we are not going to play much this year so every show will be something special for us and the fans.

You’re about to launch the new album ‘’Sagenlieger’’ through Talheim Records. Listening a track entitled ‘’Irrlicher’’ I noticed some very good influences and a combination of The Early Norwegian Black Metal and some beautiful Atmospheric Black Metal passages. Also the vocals are really great. It seems you have worked hard to get this excellent result. Is the full material recorded in this album in the same combination and spirit?

Irrah: Thanks for your review! Yeah, because we didn’t want to make another standard Black Metal album about Satan, Death and stuff, Heimdall’s Auge came up with the idea to bring in some old myths and legends of Austria, especially Styria, so we worked out the music in the session room and he wrote the lyrics for it with the influence of some books and told stories. Then we went to the studio to record everything and the result is quite presentable.

Heimdall: When it comes to „Sagenlieder“ it was a hard way to have it all done this time, our bass player left us just some weeks before we entered the studio (big fuck off for this shit goes out to him) , so irrah had to record the whole guitars and bass on his own. I was writing all lyrics this time as Irrah sayed and wanted to do some fresh stuff including old sagas and legends around our beautiful country, this takes me some months, also the whole landscapes you see ob the artwork was photographed by my girlfriend on our holiday. This album is something very personal and emotional for me, and i hope that people can get into it as far as we did.

What are your favorites tracks you would recommend the most from this album?

Irrah: For me, “Die Trud” is my favourite. It’s the longest song and very atmospheric in my opinion.

Heimdall: For me it´s hard to say wich one´s my favourite, i really love all of them, but when it comes to one special song then i think it´s „Der Wassermann“.

Making black metal nowadays seems to be hard, not because there’s a lack of interest or devotion, but the new digital technologies sometimes deform the sound quality, or creates difficulties to reach the results wanted. What’s your opinion on this matter?

Irrah: I think the technologies aren’t really a problem because with that, you can work out as long as you need until you like it. More as a problem seems to be the online platforms like Youtube ,Spotify or whatever. I mean, I use it also but releasing a physical CD makes it feel kind of unnecessary. I like holding a CD of a good band in hand because I’m a collector as well but the amount of such people decreases steadily because of the possibility to just listen it in the internet.

Heimdall: I don´t really think much about selling quotes and so on. I think, if someone like our songs, then this person will buy the album as CD to have something in hands and to know that this will show respect and support tot he artist.

What are the topics treated on ‘’Sagenlieder’’?

Irrah: As already mentioned, myths and legends from Austria more precisely from Styria, our founding place.

Heimdall: I agree Irrah.

What are your plans for 2017?

Irrah: Nothing special at this time. Some live shows and maybe working out some new songs.

Heimdall: To get back on the road for a handful of shows, and as well to jam some songs out the way we allways do. If you feel that the black metal scene is strong enough to handle us, contact us for booking: VarulvBooking@hotmail.com

Thank you for the interview and I wish you a successful 2017 for Varulv.

Irrah: Thanks for the interview!

Heimdall: Greetz and Hailz!

https://www.facebook.com/VarulVAustria/