During last year ukrainian black metal-band Grave Circles released their brilliant debut-ep Tome I, it doesn't sound all that original but like bands such as Mgla it feels like a natural evolution of the traditional black metal-sound.
The songwriting is really, really good and swirling melodic riffs keep floating into each other seemingly naturally with the next one being at least as good as the previous. So I decided to talk a little with the people behind this three man-band.
https://gravecircles.bandcamp.com/album/tome-l
How did Grave Circles form?
It happened because we had a lot of ideas that did not match Goatflesh (the members other band) concept. All began with the Goatflesh song "De Laude Flagellorum", that maybe was step to something different. We played as a guitar/drums duo and now we also have a third member. Some songs from that period will be on the new album "Tome II"
What message or themes would you say you want to convey with your music?
We don’t have any limits for our lyrics, but we have a lot of what we want to say to this world. And it is the personal experience, the experience of what is surrounding us and also as the part we take from our origins of inspiration, that can certainly change from time to time and it will affect music and lyrics. Mainly our lyrics touches what is "inside" and "above" the human.
Who writes the lyrics/music or is it a mutual process?
We have very peculiar process of creation, but usually all members are involved in it.
Why do you think ex-Soviet countries like Ukraine and Poland have become sort of minor breeding grounds for black metal? Especially in your country with nationalist bands like Nokturnal Mortum and Drudkh. Maybe the answer is in the question?
We don’t know enough about the polish black metal scene. But in Ukraine bands who mostly appeared in last 10 years are trying to copy Drudkh or similar bands, who started to play such kind of music.
Atmospheric black metal, which is very popular in Ukraine and abroad has nothing to do with black metal, neither musically or conceptually. It happened that people, who are interested in the ukrainian musical underground are only interested in this kind of product, that became the hallmark of the country.
The tag "Atmospheric black metal" itself is blunt, because every black metal and not only, can be atmospheric. Possibly for such kind of music "pagan metal" tag can be more appropriate definition.
But we really like ukrainian bands like early (The true) Lucifugum, Hate Forest, Lutomysl. Regarding more later bands - Kaosophia, Do Skonu, Nahemoth.
Do you adhere to any ideology yourself?
The people behind the music are not important. Everyone in the band have different views and opinions. All of that is mundane.
But now it’s a very interesting situation in the world and black metal too. Cancelled performances of a lot of bands in Germany and USA, statements about political positions or denial from some ideologies. Labels and groups are dividing into two camps.
It is not black metal when bands are screaming about killing christians/burning churches and it is ok, but when someone will say stuff about murdering muslims and destroying of synagogues/mosques - it is horrible and not humane!
When bands are under pressure to apologize for insulting someone. When bands make a statement, that they are tolerant and are not evil on somebody - it is not black metal, it is this mundane squalor, to which it has came.
Are there any contemporaries you like or do you mostly listen to the old black metal-classics?
I think it can be heard in the music, at least on the debut EP, that more later black metal cults have influenced us. But we are interested in different stages and edges of black arts and also other music besides it. We have different tastes and similar ones at the same time.
Do you think you will ever tour with session musicians or do you think you will be more comfortable with being a studio outfit?
We didn't think about it, cause we are currently working on album tracking and also some of us are involved in other projects. There are a lot of pros and cons, that are evident for every musician. But mainly it is more comfortable for us to work as studio project nowadays.
We performed live only one time. 4 songs are available here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0lrb90Tz7zGSd4Zwa_TJLA
Are you aiming to do to a trilogy with Tome? You told me your next release should be out early 2019, is it gonna be Tome II?
We are going to release a full length, with the title "Tome II" in the middle of 2019. About trilogy - we will see in the future.
