1. Hi, Alan! I remember we used to mix with you in the year 1996. I made an interview with PRIMORDIAL for GOTHIC ‘fanzine. At that time I’d heard only 2 songs from your demo tape. You wore leather clothes and had corpsepaints on your faces. Do you remember these «satanic» times? 


ans : 
  
  

2. I remember, you used to have your own fanzine. Don’t you want to be engaged in it again? Do you think it’s not for you? Do you prefer to be occupied with writing thoughtful lyrics? 


ans : 
i started one in 1990 i think in the beginning, full of bands like Massacra, Thanatos etc, and then went on to do I think 4 issues of my own zine and then collaborated on a few things. I still write for some mags from time to time but not as much anymore. Those old underground days I look back on with a immense fondness, it was a fuckin great and magical time. Im still involved with the underground of course but its not quite the same as it was... 
  
  

3. Recently your new album “Storm Before Calm” was released. Let’s start with its name. “Storm Before Calm” (Calm Before the Storm) – why did you use such a play on words? 

ans : 
to get people thinking really... 
I like this cryptic play on words. 
the title represents a challenge to you to change your environment, to change the way you look at things and to impose your will upon the conditions that surround you... 
  
  

4. The first composition “The Heretic Age” unfolds the atmosphere, the mood of the whole album. I suppose that a part of lyrics (or even all of them) is about people, about your perception of history, existence and time. Your comments. 

ans : 
thats it, that more or less the mood of the album, it is defiant of course as well, appealing to the rebel will in man but its more so about history and how you relate to it, how you find yourself within it and decide what to apply to your own life. 
  
  

5. Of course, I read the texts. But I’m sure that we have different opinions on this point. So could you please tell us more about your message inside this album? 

ans : 
The liner notes cryptically point you in the direction of where we are headed, as I said before it's really about history, read the lyrics and the liner notes and gather your own opinions. 
  
  

6. Your sound has become heavier and even more aggressive! It’s just great! After “Spirit The Earth Aflame” I thought that you would go on playing tragic metal with ordinary vocals and a lot of acoustic parts. And I’m happy that the new album is more metal than ever! 

ans : 
a lot of people thought we would do that, but we always wanted a heavier sound, a fuller sound. the songs were written in a shorter persiod of time and held on to a lot of aggression. I think the new album will be on the one hand grimmer then ever and on the other hand more acoustic parts as well. 
  
  

7. Today when I was reading your biography I had a strange feeling – Although we live in different countries, speak different languages, we go the same way. I mean, at first we listened the same music, then we played the same music, we published our fanzines mixed with each other. But then the moment came and now everyone of us has to go his own way. And all this happens on individual / personal level. 

ans : 
there are a lot of people from the old underground who shared a common evolution through the scene. and many people continue to do so, often the world is a smaller place then you think !. 
  
  

8. This question is out of the topic. How do you think, does everybody have equal chances for successful development / evolution (I mean mentally strong people, of course)? Do genetics play any role? Or maybe education? I think that everything depends only on a person. What do you think? 

ans : 
i disagree, certain people are obviously born with more chances to succeed and get ahead in this fucked up world, you cannot say someone born in a shanty town in brasil has the same opportunities as someone born in norway or something ?. Also I think you're breeding and genetics play an important part in the evolution. A lot depends on the environment you grow up in. 
  
  

9. You used to play music that was influenced by Death and Black Metal before. But now your style is unique. Nobody plays lake PRIMORDIAL! Liquid guitar sound, unusual acoustic parts, very special emotional atmosphere. Tragic. Every album differs from the other one but you can recognize PRIMORDIAL among the thousands other bands. 

ans : 
you are right !, what can I say ?. 
We just try and create as we see fit and forge our own path. 
  
  

10. How could you describe the special features of PRIMORDIAL style? What is its difference from the hundreds other bands? And what is the most important message of PRIMORDIAL? 

ans : 
just doing as we will, just creating what we want and not paying any attention to trends or what the scene is doing you know. The most important message is a message of individuality, of going against the grain and discovering yourself and your potential and relating to your culture and not being dictated to...basically !. 
  
  

11. Do you think that music and our messages are able to change this world? It would be a big victory if after listening “Storm Before Calm” even 10 persons would take thought and get interested, isn’t it? 

ans : 
I suppose it is, we are posing questions ?, whether we have the answers is something else entirely but if we can inspire some people with our art then that is surely the main point and as you say a victory. 
  
  

12. Let’s get back to “Spirit The Earth Aflame”. It was the first album released for HAMMERHEART rec. Why is the musical part of it so tragic? Without any wave of enthusiasm? What is the reason for it? Is it in your lyrics or in you mental condition? 

ans : 
who knows ?, you dont really think about it too much when you are on the inside making these songs. tragedy and might are the most important musical themes to primordial, they always have been. i guess underneath it all there is a great strain of melancholy within us all. 
   
  

13. As far as I know, after MISANTROPHY rec. was closed and before a contract with HAMMERHEART was signed, PRIMORDIAL had had a long period of inactivity. And doesn’t matter what people say, support is always of big importance. Every band needs a label that would arrange gigs and release albums. It’s easier and more productive to work in this way, isn’t it? 

ans : 
of course, having a supportive label makes a big difference. we always have our problems with labels, but they are problems that all bands have with all labels. art and business are awkward partners to say the least !. 
  
  

14. The Irish have a wonderful musical legacy but you don’t use it in your works. Why? I don’t want to say that you have to become like CRUACHAN (What do you think of them by the way? You’re on the same label…). 

ans : 
there is a big influence of irish trad music within primordial and other kinds of irish music, its just used with dark subtelty, simple as that. so i think we do use that legacy, cruachan are my friends for many years and although i dont like the music that they play i support them in what they do. 
  
  

15. And now let us take a look at what is behind the curtain. The Irish have another passion. Is it true that the Irish are fond of drinking Guinness and Jameson? People say that the Irish like to drink alcohol, just like Russians! And what about you? 

ans : 
drinking is perhaps the most important part of irish popular culture, we drink a fuckin lot my friend !... 
i have a few russian metal friends here and when they get going its fuckin insane !... 
  
  

16. The shining example is Shane McGowan. A legendary person! How do you like his creative activity and his way of living? 

ans : 
sure i like the pogues a lot, its cool drinking music with a great spirit. his way of living is another thing, i dont think i could live so unhealthily. but he is a legend. 
  
  

17. You dedicated your song “The Hosting Of The Sidhe” to William Butler Yeats. Could you tell us who is this guy? 

ans : 
hes an irish poet from the end of the 19th century to the start of the 20th, he wrote some great and moving stuff. he was also a member of aleister crowleys golden dawn. 
  
  

18. In the last interview I asked you about your relationship to the IRA. You told me that you don’t care about it. In the last time there are no news about IRA, intensity of emotions came down. Is it mean peace? Has your relationship to the IRA changed? 

ans : 
i dont think we will ever have peace. the history is long and complicated and too long for me to get into here. 
  
  

19. I suppose, you have a lot of appearances with you new album. Do you like to play live? I think it’s very exciting to have to have this special contact with audience, isn’t it? 

ans : 
touring is really fuckin great, a totally enjoy it, like a reward for the bullshit you go through from records labels and the rest of the business. We've toured with rotting christ for this new album and wil go on tour with thyrfing and ancient rites soon as well, should be cool. 
  
    

20. Thank you Alan! Hope that some day you will come to Russia! Till then we will listen your albums. 

ans : 
actually we have been contacted to play at the Black Folk festival with bands like Nokturnal Mortum, Carpathian Forest, Themnozor, and other bands like that, we'll see what happens !. 
hopefully we can play there... 
Hilsa