The new album is titled „To the nameless dead“. Is there any dedication in particular connected with your album? As it deals with nationhood, which is an universal topic and always will be strongly connected to mankind (you still find topics like this in the news today, f.e. the war in Iraq), why do you concentrate in such a modern, universal topic now?

there are several different themes of course but one of the main currents running through them is that of nationhood. Why a certain people believe they have rights to a certain land. The movement of borders. The eclipsing of nations, what happens to their folklore, folk heroes, languages etc. the people upon whom empires are built. The nameless dead who gave their lives in wars, in the mud, shit, blood and filth remembered only as numbers. To people who gave their lives thinking they were making a better life for their people only to have it all taken from them. People the world over who in their own way fought for what they believed in…testament to the tenacity of the spirit in man to resist and rebel. Nationhood is as relevant today as it was in the age of Empires.

What do you think, how important are values like “pride” and “honour” in the context of nationhood? Personally speaking, what do men bring to defend their countries or to conquer new territories?

of course values like pride and honour are important but I think the urge of a people or a race to own their own state, a land to call their own is a primal atavistic urge that drives all men. It has done for centuries.

Do you think more Metal bands should pay attention to universal, serious topics like this instead of telling fictional stories about dragons, demons, gore,… and other bullshit?

it’s not really for me to say what other bands should write about, but I’ll put it this way. I don’t ask other bands to be like primordial and they couldn’t be. We stand out because we chose this path, we didn’t take the easy option of fantasy or romance or retelling old celtic myths which would be perfect for metal or deciding we were Vikings. Some people simply want entertainment, their band is their social club. No problem. The Metal scene needs variation.

What do you think about bands like Legion Of The Damned, who like to take promo pictures on soldiers graves/cenotaphs? Isn’t there any respect missing just to look cool on such pictures?

I don’t really have an opinion about that. I know the Legion guys and I’m sure they wouldn’t mean something like that in a disrespectful way.

How does the cover artwork of “To the nameless dead” fit to the title of the album? What do you want to express with it and why are there two different versions of cover artwork? How would you describe the cover to blind people, is there any story behind the cover artwork or any special idea?

We wanted something that stood out from the usual photo shopped, fantasy, comic book hocus pocus. Something with more depth. I wanted something iconic and I think on both editions, the book and normal we have created this. Paul from Scald has done a wonderful job in interpreting the band and I think it really stands out in the modern metal scene. I was as with the last album inspired by the care and attention to aesthetic employed in the neo-folk/wave scene. For me at least the whole package is very important. I wanted the digibook to look completely different, why not is really the answer. There is no particular story behind the cover I just wanted it to be relevant to the lyrics and have the right atmosphere. To tell someone who is blind I would simply discribe what it is...

The productions is much stronger/massive than on previous releases of Primordial. Was this something you wanted to do better this time and how did this isolated area of your studio contributed to the recording process of “To the nameless dead”?

Well we learned a lot from recording the last album and we had some very definite ideas this time around and the studio is old itself. It’s full of old gear and we could wake up and jam with each other all standing in the same room and get our ideas out. I don’t like the computerised sound of most modern metal records, they don’t have and life or soul. The frequency range maxed out completely and no space between the instruments. Anyone who tells me the drum sound on the new „insert name of modern pro-tools sounding band“ cd is better then Mob Rules or Killers is missing something. We aren’t looking for perfection, we are looking for something honest and real sounding and while everyone is trying to make something sounding more perfect then the next album they are missing one thing. Soul !…I’d rather listen to Venom or The Ramones then something that sounds like it’s been played by a computer !. The differences this time round were that we recorded as much as we could live and went for less layers of guitar only heavier, very much like a traditional old Metal album, two rhythms panned left and right, we fired up some old compressors and went through a big old desk. Not a laptop. The way at least I think Metal should be…The location of the studio meant we could concentrate on the music without distraction.

Although I like the whole new album very much, songs like “Empire falls” and “No nation on this earth” are absolutely outstanding because of their great, powerful melodies and the interesting song structure. Do you have personal favourites on the new record and which songs will you most preferable play live on gigs?

At the moment I would agree with the two songs you mentioned along with As Rome Burns as my favourite three but that’s only marginal. We’ve only played 4 shows now with new songs so you will have to ask me later in the year for my favourite tracks live.

In comparison to previous Primordial albums your voice sounds cleaner than before, where we could find more Black Metal oriented vocals. Do you agree in this point and what was the flash point here? Were you fed up with the old style or do clean vocals fit better to your new song material?

I don’t really agree to be honest. Even on the first album at least half of the tracks have normal or clean vocals and the clean singing has become far dirtier and rawer then for example on albums like Journeys End or Spirit the Earth Aflame. I just try and do whatever suits the atmosphere of the songs. No more no less.

Your vocals are very emotional – how do you prepare to sing these songs? Do you think in advance how to accent the chorus lines or is this depending on your mood on this day when you record your vocals?

well we rehearse of course and 80% of my ideas come out there and then when I get in the studio and everything becomes clearer I get a better idea of what the final direction will be. Of course some things are left to the studio. To be honest I prefer recording vocals on my own with only the engineer and usually late at night as I’m more of a night person.

Some bands reconfigure their record studio in order to create a special atmosphere, which may influence the mood of the vocalist. Do you relate to such practices and do you have similar ones? How do you get in “shape”?

I think the atmosphere of the studio itself helps a lot. We recorded this one in a huge old barn on an old isolated farm in the north of Wales so the atmosphere was perfect in that respect. Generally I don’t do anything particularily special, just light a few candles and make sure my voice is warmed up and then hope I hit a vein of inspiration.

Please tell me something about your “Metal Cruise” experience… do you consider this as a real adventure to play on a ship or is it just a new way of attracting Metal fans?

We played because our friends in Desaster asked us to. It seemed like an interesting idea so why not ?. the sun shone, I met some old friends and at the end of the day we got to play metal on a boat travelling down the Rhine.

You played few Festivals only during the last years, some of your tours were cancelled or you weren’t interested in them anymore. Are you hungry to play tours through Europe now to promote your new album, are there any plans yet?

I don’t think its fair to say we aren’t interested in touring anymore. Its fairly obvious to anyone that festivals are killing tour. One good festival show can be the same as reaching 3 tours worth of people. Of course we are always hungry to play gigs but we are not 21 anymore and we have unfortunately responsibilities so weeks and weeks of touring are not going to happen anymore realistically. We will do what we can after the summer is over.

As there are years between your releases, how long does it take till you enjoy your composed songs? Is it easy to write songs for Primordial and when do you know that a song is finished in composing?

its not easy no. we live far away from each other and don’t rehearse often. When we start writing for a new album it all sounds pretty primitive but slowly it begins to take shape. When that moment comes I know we should be in the studio in about 6 months.

As there are long breaks between your albums and you prefer to work everything 100% out, isn’t it getting harder for you until you are satisfied with your music? And, does this lead to an end of Primordial sometime when you feel, that you can not top your previous release?

we don’t really worry about it to be honest. There isn’t any pressure. We work to our own time schedule and we don’t rush. If nothing happens for 3 months then so be it. We don’t exist like most bands do. It never feels like a burden. Playing in Primordial is not a job, we don’t make a living from it. We never did. We only have ourselves to please.

What can you tell us about the “scene” of your country, is there any? I only know bands like Mourning Beloveth and Mael Mordha, which just released a very cool Pagan Metal Album with a great Doom Metal approach. Is the Metal scene in Ireland growing in any way and what role does a band like Primordial play here?

I suppose Primordial is the standard bearer. The largest and most respected band from Ireland and hopefully by being out there in the scene internationally we can make it easier for new and older bands to get some attention. If you want to examine the scene check www.metalireland.com

Do you think it was more difficult for Primordial to get well known to people in Europe because you are from Ireland? Where could Primordial stand right now if you were coming from a country like Germany? Did you ever think about things like that and would Primordial sound different, if you were based in an other country?

it cuts two ways. On the one hand if we were from another country then we wouldn’t sound so distinct and different. Yet if we were from Scandinavia with probably half the talent then we would no doubt sell more records. The scene is generally Scand obsessed, especially Germany. Sad but true. I think if you are from one of the underdog countries then you have to be twice as determined and work twice as hard. I’m proud to be where we are from and wouldn’t change anything.

Do you feel the same when you record a new album now and release it in comparison what you felt in the past for your first album? Are you still excited to see the final product or are you used to it now? And are you still nervous when you enter the stage to perform your songs as you were at your first gig?

of course. I am not complacent about anything. I still feel the adrenalin rush and the nerves. The metal energy. I’m always excited to travel and meet new people and especially to see new countries. When I cease to be hopefully I will have the honour to quit.

Please tell me something about your second band, which seems to be a Cover-Band. What’s the name of this band, do you concentrate in one band only and do you play live or is it just a rehearsal band?

myself, the drummer and some friends from Mael Mordha etc. have a covers band for fun and we play shows sometimes when we can find the time. Wasp, judas priest, dio, saxon, rose tattoo, ac/dc etc. its fun and keeps my throat in action.

Alan, you will take part in the next Void Of Silence release. What can you tell us about your part there and why did you decide to join their ranks, as they sound very different to a band like Primordial?

What would be the point in joining a band that sounded like Primordial ?. it would make no sense to do that, and yes I will sing on the new Void of Silence. We are working towards that this year.

You contributed a song to the Bathory Tribute album “A tribute from the hordes To Bathory”. Although your roots are in the old style of Black Metal I wondered why you didn’t decide to choose a song from the Viking Metal era of Bathory, as this would fit to your lyrical and musical style better?

Because this song was already recorded live back in 1993. we didn’t have the time or money to enter the studio to record a later Bathory track. We talked about it but it would be difficult to capture the atmosphere of one of those tracks if you are just in the studio for ½ days to record a cover. Maybe next time.

As this fanzine is named after Bathorys classic album “Hammerheart”, I have to ask you about your point of view concerning this album. I read somewhere that you mention “Blood, fire, death” as your favourite album, why? What do you think about the albums of Quorthon, “Hammerheart” and “Blood, fire, death” in special and his last release, the mighty “Nordland” saga (where the second album is by far better than the first one, personally speaking)? In what way did Bathory influence a band like Primordial?

Without Bathory I can say we would not exist the way we do. Q showed us you could tear up the rule book, not compromise and mix epic metal with a cultural side. To be honest I am not completely sure which Bathory is my favourite. Any one of the first 6 potentially. I love the first one as much as Twilight. Nordland was ok, it sounded a bit forced and sounds like he recorded it in his bedroom on a pc which sucks but there is one mighty album in there between the two.