*The Primordial roots were born in 1987, when the guitar player Ciaran Mc Unglam and the bass player, Paul McAmlaigh joined together to learn playing the instruments and doing some covers. What do you remember of those first years?
Well I wasn't in the band then. I joined back in 1991. The biography is somewhat misleading really as back in 87 when the guys started they were 13 and 15 years old just starting together. They did make a demo in 1988 of early primitive death metal  but it was all part of the learning curve and starting out with their instruments. From 1991 I remember lots of things, the magic of the early black/death metal scene and being a part of that, tapetrading, writing to tons of people, doing a fanzine and there being tons of new and interesting bands appearing almost every week. Ireland back then was still quite poor and we struggled through some hard times but we never gave in and here we are today.

*In 1991 your vocalist Nemtheanga joined the band and in 1992 the band changed the name to Primordial. Did you change your music when Nemtheanga entered the band?
Well I am Nemtheanga. In the beginning when I joined the music was more straightforward black/death metal but by the end of 1991 and start of 1992 we had started to write some music that was a bit different and really represents the first steps on the path to forging our own sound. The music just sort of evolved more or less naturally and when I joined it was another piece of the puzzle really.

*Was the success of your first demo in 1993 ('Dark Romanticism¹) the support to push your musical career?
Well we knew we had some good songs and I was confident we would get signed on the strength of them. All we had to do was finally get into the studio to record them. So in the summer of 1993 we recorded 4 tracks on an 8 track machine in this guys front room and spent about 6o old irish pounds on it.  The demo was met with huge success in the underground in the end selling about 1200 copies I guess. It was a great time as I said before and we contributed in our own way to the second wave of Black Metal. And I'm still proud of that demo now nearly 12 years later.

*With the first and the second album, 'Imrama' 1995 and 'Journeys End (1997)', you had the same problems: your record labels split, lack of promotion, difficulties to play live... Did you think in leaving it all?
There were problems this is true and a lot of inner conflict between the band members, but in 1997 we changed our drummer and a lot of problems were resolved. There were all these things you mention of course and there was some dark moments when I wondered about the future of the band but once we made Journeys end and put some of it behind us I knew we would become stronger and stronger. It just takes time but you've got to stand up to the
shit that's thrown at you.

*In 1998 you had the chance to take part at Wacken Open Air. What do you remember about this gig?
I remember it was fuckin awful that's what I remember. We had only played in england a few times and it was our first show in Europe and we were totally unprepared to say the least. Thankfully we learned from it and could return in 2002 to play a much better show and from that moment on in 1998 we started to adopt a far more professional approach to playing live.

*In 1999 you signed with Hammerheart records and you recorded the mini Cd 'The Burning Season' and the albums 'Spirit The Earth Aflame' and 'Storm Before Calm'. Your label re-released your two previous albums. But later Hammerheart had also problems. Was the bad luck following you?
Seems so wouldn't you say ?. hammerheart just lost a lot of money in America and it nearly sank the label completely. And we both just realised we had both gone as far as we could go working with each other. It took a long time to sort out so we could be free from our contract but again it was worth it. There seems to be this Primordial black cloud alright were nothing goes smoothly ever..

*You signed with Metal Blade in 2004. You have recorded this new album 'The Gathering Wilderness' with them. What do you expect about this new album and this alliance with Metal Blade?
Well to be honest after all these years its nice to be on a label were you don't have to worry that people are not doing their job properly, they have the ability to push the band much further and hopefully we can see the band grow in the year 2005. If we don't well then what can I say ?. nothing ventured nothing gained huh ?.

*After listening this album we have realized stormy and atmospheric sounds. Are the Irish musical and cultural roots an influence in your music?
Completely. I have been saying and always say we play music because we have to, because it is in our blood, part of our culture and we are continuing a great irish artistic tradition. We don't simply make music for the sake of making music or a good tune, we do this because we have to. Our relationship to our culture, history and heritage shapes us and moulds us and these are our roots. Without which we would not face the future.

*Which are the bands which have influenced to you along these years?
When we write these days we don't really think about other bands or musical scenes, we simply have our primordial style and we run with that you know, but I guess our musical influences now are the same as they were when we started the band. Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Bathory, Candlemass, Celtic Frost, Venom, Slayer etc.also the energy of the early second wave Black Metal scene and the old death metal scene as well. There are of course many other things that have influenced and inspired me over the years but we are very aware of what makes Primordial Primordial and we don't stray from the
path.

*Some people defines your music like doom metal. Do you agree with this?
It doesn't bother me at all, there are doomy elements in our music as there are Black Metal elements but I'm a massive fan of bands like Candlemass, Nemesis, Witchcraft, Trouble, Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Solitude Aeturnus, Reverend Bizarre, Solstice, all the old bands like Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol and also the old english bands like anathema and my dying bride to the suicide doom bands like shape of despair, pantheist and skepticism. so I guess you are right in your estimation !

*Do you like American bands like Kyuss, Hermano... and this style defined as stoner rock?
Yeah I don't mind them at all. Im a big Kyuss fan alright, not so much bands like fu manchu and that kind of thing but for example right now im listening to Sheavy from canada and I like things like that !. so I guess with all genres there are good and bad bands and Im selective but Im prone to the odd desert stoner session sometimes.

*This new album has been engineered by Billy Anderson (Sleep, Neurosis, Brutal Truth). What about working with him?
Haha, yeah he's a crazy and intense guy and he brought a lot of great ideas to the studio. There were some difficult moments but there always is in the studio but they got resolved in one way or another. What we wanted with this album was a rough and raw sound, like seeing us live but powerful as well. Far away from the over produced, plastic, computerised productions of many bands today. I think we got that.

*You have played with bands like Cradle Of Filth, Anathema, Dark Funeral, Morbid AngelÅ Which were your best and worst remembrances?
Fuck man we've played with lots of bands over the years. There have been a few really fucked up gigs but thankfully most people and bands have been cool and generally things have worked out more positive then negative. Most of those bands you mentioned were back in the old days.mid 90s and it was all a learning curve for us you know.

*Your unique experience live in Spain was in La Coruna in 1999. Galicia is a place with celtic roots like Ireland. What do you remember about this concert?
Actually not, we played in Spain with Immortal in Barcelona, Madrid and Irun in 2000 and also again in Irun with Rotting Christ in 2003 so all in all  we've played there 5 times over the years. I remember lots of things but coruna was a really beautiful place I thought and the gig was a really small Metal club but a cool place. Im very aware of the politics and history in Iberia as a whole as I've listened to many people there as with Primordial we are very connected to our culture and people interested in theirs seek you out to explain theirs. And also being from Ireland we have a long, dark, bloody and varied history so I can relate to people very well. Be proud of your culture, connect with it, find yourself within your history and try and use it to positive ends in your life and the people around you.

*Your last show was in Holland in a festival with Samael, Unleashed, Entombed, Suffocation and Impaled Nazarene last December. Did you play there songs of this new album? What about the contact with rest of the bands?
No we didn't play any new songs at that show actually. We are waiting for the album to come out before we start to play new songs. We knew Impaled Nazarene and Desaster from before of course and we met some new people like Gorerotted and 1349 etc. Generally we play hard and party hard as well so anyone we can relate to and get along with is fine.

*If we speak about Ireland and rock, the first names that goes immediately to the mind are Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott. Are you fans of Thin Lizzy? Which is your opinion about Scott Gorham and John Sykes using the name of Thin Lizzy?
Sure, we are all fans of Thin Lizzy. Im not sure I have mixed feelings. I havent been to see them yet so I guess its not fair to really judge them but in one way if they are keeping this great music alive and people go and check out the old Lizzy cds then you know why not ?, of course its not really Thin Lizzy but Phils dead now 20 years so what do you want ?, to bury the music with him ?.

*How is the metal scene in Ireland?
Small and closed knit. You want to check it out go to www.metalireland.com

ok thanks.
Joy and strength to you all

Nemtheanga