Let’s start with a backward step to your previous album. Can you tell me how the fans and the medias reacted to it? Are you still satisfied with it?

- The last album “Spirit the Earth Aflame” was received very well by fans and media alike. I think some people were caught a little unawares with the last album. It was unexpected for many people. Now they have some expactations with the new album, hopefully we have met these. I am still very satisfied with the last album, there are things of course that could be done better but if it was perfect I should really give up after that.

Did you produce the new album yourselves or you received any contrubution from the engineer?

- We really produce all our albums together with our engineer Mags from Academy Studios. He helps us a lot in the studio and is a great musician himself and brings a lot out of Primordial. We try and work as closely as we can together, time is of the essence and there is often a tough job ahead of us all.

What are the main differences between “Spirit The Earth Aflame” and “Storm Before Calm”?

- This album is in my opinion heavier, the production is better and more dynamic. It still retains the old Primordial edge of melancholy but we have mixed more Might with our Tragedy with this album. You could say this album has more rage and aggression in parts and some more Black Metal within it. People who know and like the band will not be disappointed but we have not made the same album again.

Which songs of the new album are closer to your heart and why?

- They all are, everything has to be honest and true. Passionate and emotional. That is the only way for Primordial. They all have something special within them for all of us.

Is there one or more songs that you consider particularly experimental?

- I think the last track “The Hosting of the Sidhe” is quite experimental. We put a poem by William Butler Yeats to music, and most of it was made within the studio and it has this mantra almost shamanistic quality to it that just appeared within the studio. We often leave some things to the studio and hope the magic happens for us and it did with this song.

What is the most atmospheric song of “Storm Before Calm”? What is the most aggressive?

- The most atmospheric? It really depends on what atmosphere you are talking about? We try and write the songs to have many different atmospheres and light and shade. Perhaps “Cast to The Pyre” has the most melancholic and personal atmosphere on the album, a little reminiscent of “Journeys End” material. The most aggressive is probably the track “What Sleeps Within” which is very Black Metal in its approach.

Is the atmosphere more important than the impact when you write new music?

- I don’t think I really understand the question? surely the atmosphere is part of the impact? If you mean why do we build atmospheres and not only play at 100 mph, then I couldn’t tell you, it just has to be this way.

You start from black metal basis to touch different branches of music, not only metal. So, how would you describe your music to a person who has never listened to Primordial?

- Dark, Passionate Irish Metal. Raw emotional and Pure. Honest organic earthy music. Difficult question really. People find it quite hard to pigeonhole us.

In what percentage folk music is determining to write good music?

- Folk music has always had an influence upon us, it is really the purity of the music that inspires us more then actually lifting notes from the music, but over the years its importance has become greater and greater. And it is an influence I think only Irish people could adapt properly to Metal music. However we rather be the Dark underbelly of that kind of music and avoid the more happy, jaunty sounding traditional music.

Do you think that your music has all the qualities to appeal all metalheads, black metallers as well as power metallers, dark metallers and so on?

- Yes I do, especially in the live environment I think we can appeal to all Metal fans with the intensity of our live show. The only people I think who will be left behind by Primordial is brutal death metal fans. I don’t think we have any link to that form of Metal.

Your music consists of black metal, classic metal, dark/eerie stuff, folk music. According to you, which of these identities is the most prominent in your songwriting?

- I don’t know, we don’t really think about it. We just write as we feel and don’t really think or analyse too hard about what we are doing. We are not influenced by scene trends or politics we just do as we please. One day could be a track that is very Black metal in essence and another day we could think about making an acoustic track…

By including folk stuff in your music, do you hope that people rediscover this kind of music?

- This kind of music is very popular around the world, far more popular and well known then us of course, so perhaps it should be the other way around !. I don’t really think about it like this…if people want listen to us and want to find some albums by The Chieftains then that is good, especially for people outside of Ireland to gain more of an understanding of our musical culture but we don’t seek to do things like that really.

According to you, why Celtic music and history are still so fascinating nowadays?

- Its just an essential part of our culture and heritage. Part of our essence as a race, a nation and an island. Something that affects the way we live our lives everyday in every way. Against this alien fast food 3 minute culture we live in today it is vital to hold onto and embrace your culture.

What are the lyrics about?

- Many things. People, places, passages in time, history, sex, death, religion, culture, so many things I could not answer such a broad question !. They are just always from the heart, I take time and effort over the lyrics to make them as natural as possible.

What is the meaning of the cover?

- A very simple, identifiable symbol that means something to people from every cultural background. Be it the Eye of Lugh, the eye of Horus, the Watcher or even Illuminati. An eye is such an incredibly primal and simple symbol that can mean the most vital thing. I am not interested in multi coloured garish covers. This suits us fine.