by Monika

In 2002 you release now your fourth album "Storm Before Calm", which is really a metal highlight! Your sound is wide, emotional, heavy, melancholic. When I listen to it, I really feel the music. It's like looking at a picture, which is getting bigger and each time more colourful. What was on your minds as you wrote the material? What inspires you?

- We just write, we dont really analyse things too much. We know we have our own style and we just run with that. There are too many inspirations to really quote, it could be absolutely anything. We just try and stay focused.

Your sound is grounded on a hard base (with Black Metal-parts), but then very melancholic, dark and also epic. Each minute a song is getting more intense and strong. What is for you important, when you write a song?

- Originality of course !, well we really try and write music with dynamics...light and shade. Not just simply place riffs one after the other, we are looking at the song as a whole, as a piece of music. Building the atmosphere.

You write a lot in your lyrics about your irish origin and "Storm Before Calm" is about history. Is there a special feeling you get from your origin, which you work in your music?

- Yes there is, of course. Our heritage and folklore is very important for us. We do things in a very Irish way.

In the booklet you can read some thoughts from you to the lyrics of each song and what "Storm Before Calm" should be about. Do you like to share your thoughts and feelings with the fans? Some bands make their music more for themselves even if they sell them through labels.

- I think things like this make the album more personal, brings people deeper into the music. Primordial is music that needs to be scratched more then skin deep. Real Music, simply put.

"Storm Before Calm" - why did you choose this albumname? I think it fits really well your music, as your music is on one hand filled with anger and heavyness but on the other hand wide emotional and dark.

- True, it represents again the usual Primordial cryptic way of looking at things, it can have many interpretations. However for me it is a challenge of your willpower...a challenge to Storm before you can have any Calm or Peace.

You recorded the album at Academy Studios, where also My Dying Bride record. You make also such an intense and emotional sound like My Dying Bride. Have you found in Mags the right producer with the same feeling for your music? I think, the production is really strong.

- Mags is great to work with and gets some great things from Primordial. He understand that with a limited budget what we are trying to do so we work together on it.

How important is for you such things as booklets, cover, etc.? I really like the cover and the whole art of the booklet. Why did you choose the big eye?

- Everything must fit in together, compliment each other and aside from being aesthetic for me must have a meaning tied in with the music. The simple use of an eye is a very obvious and multi faceted symbol that appears in all cultures.

What meaning has your music for yourselves and your lives?

- For me? Everything.

What do you think about the current metal scene? I think, that it's quite hard to find unique bands with their own sound and musical style!

- I think you are right !, I keep up with bands and the scene of course but I am more an 80's Metal child, into older stuff. However some newer bands making great music are still out there...Destroyer 666, Desaster, Ancient Rites, Root, Gospel of the Horns, among many others.

Unfortunatly I haven't seen you live yet. Can you create live also the dark and intense atmosphere of the album? Will you go on tour?

- We can...Primordial is intense and indeed totally Metal live...some people get quite a shock actually !. We will be on tour in Winter, watch out.

Which expectations do you have for the album?

- I dont know really...to grow, spread our wings, visit places we have never been before...meet more great people out there.

Thanks a lot for the interview and all the best with this brilliant, outstanding album. Something left to say?

- See you on the Field of Battle.