To The Nameless Dead... what a job!! Did you go into this knowing it would turn out so immense? And what expectations do you have for it?

We always go into things more or less prepared. Perhaps 80%. We leave some things to chance, to the creative process. This time was no different. We only get around to making an album every 2/3 years, we don’t rush things. Unlike some other bands we aren’t locked in the cycle of album/tour/album/tour/festivals etc. we don’t make a living from the band so in a sense we aren’t compromised in that way. However there comes a point when the songs begin to feel “Primordial”, I can’t explain it any other way then that. Usually it takes a few months after that and I start to push recording time upon everyone. Sometimes you need a focus, a goal. A little bit of pressure to make things happen. I knew the songs were strong, I’ve felt that going in to record any of the albums.

Given that you take your time writing, what percentage of time would you say is taken in actual creation / compilation of songs, and what in editing and adjusting?

We don’t live near each other anymore so rehearsing is often done at a premium. We work when we have something to do, we aren’t one of those bands that sits in the rehearsal room 3 nights a week, we would literally kill each other and it would kill the band as well. Less time then you would think probably goes into them, when the overall feeling starts to head in the right direction then sometimes they click very easily. The editing and adjusting is more or less done in the studio, that’s what the studio is for. We don’t write on computers and send each other mp3’s or any of that, its all still done face to face in a sweaty, dark, dingy cellar as I think it should be.

Your vocals on this display a heartfelt passion moreso than any other Primordial release (and considering past albums, that's saying a lot!). What was your main drive and inspiration for giving such an outstanding performance?

Well last time with “The gathering Wilderness” I was happy with the vocal performance but the sound was a little dry and isolated. It sounded a little cheap, this time we spent some time looking at better sounds for the voice and then once that was in place I decided to put more layers and relatively complex harmonies down for the first time. I’ve learned more and more over the years and singing again in a covers band doing Judas Priest, Maiden, Manowar, W.a.s.p etc. has helped me as well. Its part confidence, part natural ability but the most part is singing something that means something to you, something you can stand behind, something you feel. Sounds stupidly simple but for me that’s the key. I couldn’t stand there and sing about angels, fast cars, zombies or how metal I am, (I know that already)…its just about being natural and honest and approaching things in a pure fashion.

While this is undeniably a Primordial album there's still a real progression evident on many songs. As Rome Burns, for example, isn't like any other Primordial in places, yet it remains recognisable. What's the secret?

I agree there are some parts on this album people will instantly think sound very different for us yet they all work under the Primordial framework. We are always adding new things here and there. You can hear bands we grew up with shining through here and there. We were lucky enough to find our sound, too be able to say that we are doing something instantly recognisable as us. The reason ?…is hard to quantify. Part of it is evolving in relative isolation from the scene on the fringes of Europe, part is blending our culture, both musical and historical into the music and thirdly the fact that we don’t follow trends or never really paid much attention to what the scene was doing at any particular time. However we are very aware of what makes Primordial sound like it does, the energy and vibrancy. We know when it doesn’t sound right, Bands often become complacent. We still feel we have a lot to say, we haven’t mellowed with age or forgotten the reasons or feelings we had when we began the band. You can see the strain running throughout the band from our demo in 93 til now yet we don’t repeat ourselves !. That is very important.

Recording all went well & without hitches? Highs / lows / memorable moments?

Better then ever to be honest. We missed the monsoon high point by one week, its very possible if we had flown into the Uk one week later we would never have even got to Wales from Liverpool but the gods smiled on us and it all went without major complications. I had said I was looking forward to standing in the sunshine after a take but that wasn’t too happen. The whole experience in a sense renewed my faith in recording which was severely tested by the last album “Gathering”.

The album art seems to have polarised opinion a tad. Why do you think this is? And what are your feelings on it?

Again, I don’t really pay attention to what people think. 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. The cover/lyrics/liner notes should go hand in hand with the music and thankfully now we have a label behind us that is committed to supporting our vision of the band.

What will the digibook packaging contain?

Well apart from actually being a book itll have an extended 40 page booklet with expanded artwork and that kind of thing. A completely different cover to the normal jewel case edition and a 45 minutes live bonus disc from Rock Hard Open Air recorded last year in Gelsinkirchen, Germany. We haven’t overdubbed a thing, its raw and really full of energy. As live recordings go I don’t think it could capture us better. Sure there’s some fuck ups here and there but we left them in.

How much say / collaboration did you have with the label on the format & content?

Well they trust us to create something that’s looks special and proper. They don’t interfere with what we do or tell us. Sometimes some advice about what is and isn’t possible as regards packaging but overall they let us do as we please knowing that it will sound and look complete. Then once we have done that then it’s up to them with the advertising and promotion so it’s a two-way thing.

You shine in your ability to create songs with epic-sounding intros that build and then explode, that work perfect in a live setting.  There are a few of those on here (No Nation On This Earth, for example). Do you write these with a live performance in mind?

No we don’t write with anything like this in mind at all. As opposed to most bands we don’t write to any formula. Songs don’t start out with the Slayer riff into the whoever riff. We don’t have the verse/chorus/verse/solo/middle 8 break whatever straightjacket to fit into. The atmosphere of the song is what is important, like one complete piece of music. The songs work well because we have taken care and attention of the dynamics of the song. Making sure there is dark and light to the composition. The songs don’t rush to their conclusion or worry about how many bpm’s there are. They finish when they finish and when the story has been told.

Oslo, Inferno. First (and overdue) appearance in Norway. Given your status in the scene do you feel you should have been there long before '07. One of the 2 best bands of the festival, also. Did you notice that in crowd reaction / feedback?

Norway is a strange country. In that Metal is popular but the scene there is very overground and also very insular. The big bands are all Norwegian and even demo bands can pull several hundreds to shows. The only foreign bands there who generally do well are big foreign bands which we are not. It was great of course to finally get there and we had a very good show that I think surprised many people there who as I said are very much centred around their own bands. Underground bands that for example can tour in Finland and pull good crowds of people who know them…such as Necros Christos, Axis of Advance, Destroyer 666, Nifelheim, Root even us etc. are virtually unknown in Norway for some reason. Perhaps the people are too spoilt by their own success and there is a certain arrogance that dictates you need not be bothered with smaller foreign bands. Maybe its changing now I’m not sure…

How did the vocal work for Marduk come about? I interviewed them... they considered it a huge honour to have you as part of their album. How does it feel to be considered this way by a band that are essentially legends in the genre?

Well I worked for them on a few tours of Europe and we had so much in common. Music, history so many things. Me, Morgan and Mortuus talked about the possibility of me contributing something to their new album. He wrote the song with me in mind and we play two biblical characters. I am the Accuser and he the Opposer. I had no idea how the track sounded or the lyrics before I went there to Sweden to do the vocals and the product of about 3 hours work is what you hear on the album. I think it turned out incredibly well, added a different angle to Marduk and I’m very proud of what we did together. Rom 5:12 is most definitely the strongest Marduk album to date and goes to show what a band can achieve when you stick to your guns and don’t give in. My utmost respect and comradeship to the Marduk war machine.

Saw your mentions on MI about leaking albums etc. What are your views on d/l'ing and leaking albums? I assume you consider leaking to be a greater evil than d/l'ing. But how do you feel that all of this, in general, will effect the metal scene?

Its such a double edged sword. The net is a great promotional tool on one hand and bands can get their music out there so easily. The down side of this is of course that a whole generation of people feels its their right to get music for free. So who pays for it in the end ?. we are given money from our label, within which we have to record our album. Its our choice if we want to give them some crap pro tooled bedroom recording, but we don’t. we have to repay that money through our sales. If we don’t sell anything, we get dropped, we don’t have money to record, go on tour etc. many bands face the same problems. The music industry is changing so fast, labels are not in charge anymore really and have to adapt to other mediums to survive. Metal Blade seem to be doing this very well and we sold more of our last album then the ones before. The argument for me is kinda simple. I have to pay to make Primordial’s music so why should someone else get it completely for free ?. and if all you have to do to hear a band is to right click and you have it I think a whole generation will never feel the same love for music as we did growing up. Call it a romantic view if you want but for me at least music seems to becoming less and less special. It doesn’t define people like it used to its just another 3 minute pop commodity. All I can say is for as long as Primordial exists we will stand opposed to it and create real music. How the label get it out to you is up to them….

How do you feel the scene in general / and the Irish scene views Primordial these days? Have things changed in any way since the release of TGW?

Well its sad even though things are changing and our profile is bigger that a band like us can only sell perhaps 500 copies in our home country. When we signed to Metal Blade they thought, ok the biggest band from Ireland has to be selling into 4 figures in their home country. We sell nearly 3 times more in Greece then we do in Ireland for example. There was always a history of begrudgery in the metal scene here but it is changing with the younger fans who don’t seem to make the distinction between us and x band from Sweden, whereas before it was more like…who do they think they are ?. However as with everything else we don’t take heed and continue regardless. Right now I think the climate is better then ever for a strong Primordial album. There are more bands from other countries then Scandinavia doing well (although they still rule the roost), the pagan metal scene is currently flavour of the month and it seems like more intelligent bands are being given more space then 3 or 4 years ago and seeing as this is a Uk publication it seems like things are better then ever in the Uk. Metal isn’t a dirty word anymore and real music is being given a chance again. At the end of the day we have never been flavour of the month anywhere but we’ve never compromised, not back then, not now and not ever. What goes around maybe comes around….

Still doing the backdrops? How's that going?

Haha yeah when I get the time I help people out here and there….

The future for Primordial?

Getting out there and playing the new songs live when we can, hopefully travelling to some new places. Making new friends, meeting old friends. Experiencing what we can where we can. Primordial is such an institution in our lives it would be hard to imagine life without it. Albums, tours and festivals don’t come around often and they won’t last forever so its time to sharpen your blades and prepare for battle one more time….

Nemtheanga