Grab a bible, hold tight to a crucifix and stash away all your liquor because Sweden’s IXXI are back with another slab of unholy and evil sounding Black n’ Roll.
Throughout 55 minutes Nine/Eleven violently bash out a raw and filthy hybrid of Black, Thrash-Metal and Rock n’ Roll riffs, which the Swedes brand as their own version of Black-Metal overhauled for the new millennium. Indeed, in many instances IXXI adheres to a catchy and groovy riffing that displays a slight modern-day influence, which becomes pretty damn apparent when “Southern Tribes” kicks in with a groovy riff undeniably reminiscent of Sepultura circa “Roots” days. However, I wouldn’t say the band’s tendency to incorporate such latter-day strokes within a more stripped-down, rudimentary and old-school riffing inspired in Celtic Frost entirely works in their favour as there’re several moments throughout “Elect Darkness” that sound ill-sorted and somewhat insipid.
Despite these shabby arrangements, “Elect Darkness” has nonetheless its points of interest and the focus of the these eleven songs is primarily on slower to mid-paced, catchy riffs that have a similar crunch to Satyricon-post “Volcano” and the ghoulish snarls of vocalist Totalscorn that hint heavily at Mayhem’s Attila Chisar.
Album opener “Underworld” is probably where the presence of Satyricon is most prominent with its rock-based and catchy riffs flowing at a mid-paced almost militaristic pace.
Another song worthy of mention is the album’s closer “A Bitter Lesson”, where the band veers a little off the main course into a more slow, mournful and atmospheric composition.
If only IXXI could develop some of the more interesting twists they display here and there, “Elect Darkness” could eventually become a more interesting proposition and easily warrant repeated listens. (5/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/ixxiofficial
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

Denmark’s Hatesphere return to the fore following a turbulent period of time that practically decimated the entire line-up that recorded their highly acclaimed “Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes” album. Guitarist and sole survivor Peter "Pepe" Lyse Hansen had the difficult task of rebuilding a new formation from scratch that would be able to sustain the hardship of a touring band like Hatesphere and most crucially, to pull off the level of intensity and fury the band is renowned to bring out on record.
Judging by the unrelenting and violent onslaught Hatesphere unleash on the first three songs of “To the Nines”, I believe there are absolutely no signs whatsoever of the Danish combo running out of gas.
Guitarist Peter Hansen have surrounded himself with an extremely talented batch of musicians that prove that they can be just as furious and memorable as they ever been and deliver what most fans have come to expect from them.
Even though the current line-up of Hatesphere is 80% new, I should mention that “To The Nines” doesn’t stray too far from the framework explored on previous works. The band essentially has made subtle chances in their sound, delving deeper into areas far heavier, thrashier and somewhat more streamlined.
In fact, Hatesphere feverishly opens with the frantic title theme, displaying an aggressive and Thrash-influenced riffing similar in intent and tone to Swedes The Haunted and the brutal growls and ferocious screams of novice singer Jonathan "Joller" Albrechtsen.
Certainly, some of this extra aggression found on “To the Nines” comes from the new vocalist and quite honestly what Joller lacks in diversity and interest in contrast to previous singer Jacob Bredahl, he makes it up with a gruffer, deranged and monolithic growl that totally suits the sonic chaos supplied by the remaining band.
Speaking of new blood, new drummer Dennis Buhl is equally worthy of mention, for he is an endless powerhouse of energy and mechanical precision.
On the following two songs, “Backstabber” and “Cloaked in Shit” the band continue to plunge into a gargantuan and fierce Thrash-driven riffs and pummelling percussion, only reprieving from such stormy attack when fourth theme “Clarity” slides in with a more mid-paced, restrained and catchy riffing.
On the downside, while “To the Nines” is a brutal slice of prime Thrash-core Metal, I do miss the somewhat sludgy riffs and non-so-linear approach to song-craft that made their “Serpent Smiles and Killer Eyes” so overwhelming.
Nevertheless, if you seek some devastating aggression bound to inflict some serious aural damages, “To the Nines” is most definitely worth checking out. (7/10)

Band info: www.hatesphere.com
Label info: www.napalmrecords.com

HateSphere - To the Nines

After 2003's well-received “Reality Check” work, Denmark’s leading Death-Metal act Konkhra dropped off the radar and was never to be heard from again.
Until two years ago that is, when word got out that guitarist and vocalist Anders Lundemark had regrouped with bassist Lars Schmidt and were preparing to release a new album featuring new members Mads Lauridsen on drums and Michael Skovbakke on lead guitar, thought it’s former Death/Testament guitarist James Murphy that plays on the new album.
On first listens, “Nothing is Sacred” sounds way more vile and brutal than its antecessor, like a musical statement of anger and repulsion at today’s collapsing society and the suffocating influence of religion.
Bandleader Anders Lundemark is angry at the world, that much is obvious on the very first moment the album’s introduction “Prelude to Prejudice”- a spoken sample of a George W. Bush Jr. (rightly altered) speech ends and “Hail to the King” kicks in straight into a frantic Death-Metal blast-beat. Heaving a furiously fast and severe drumming along with a harsh and brutal riffing, “Hail to the King” goes straight for the jugular and only reprieves momentarily when guitarist James Murphy churns out a remarkably technical and lethal solo. Having a talented and experienced guitarist like James Murphy as session member, it’s actually his third Konkhra release, obviously means that there is more than its fair share of dazzlingly and razor-sharp lead-work throughout “Nothing is Sacred”.
On the following theme “Religion is a Whore”, the guitarist weaves one of such killer solos on top of a more Thrashy and catchy approach from the remaining band, a direction that brings to mind the mid-period of Sadus, a band with whom Konkhra always shared a certain similarity in the way they blend Death and Thrash-Metal riffs together.
For the remaining part of “Nothing is Sacred”, it sounds almost like the Danes have recaptured some of neck-snapping brutality that was one of the most revered attributes of Konkhra’s first works, just check out the relentless brutality of numbers like “Defy” and “The Promise of Antagonism”, though we cannot see the new work as a record designed to rehash the past.
All things considered, “Nothing is Sacred” is not a bad comeback album at all! (7/10)

Band info: www.konkhra.com
Label info: www.targetdistribution.dk

If you’re unfamiliar with Denmark’s The Burning, the band churns out a straightforward and crunchy Thrash-influenced Metal with some Hardcore and Death-Metal ingredients thrown in for good measure. The Burning are mostly renowned in their homeland for their intense and no-holds-barred live performances that already made them win the Best Live Band prize at last year’s Danish Metal Awards.
“Reawakening” is the group’s second full-length work that follows a very successful debut record entitled “Storm the Walls” and it’s basically an intense 47 minutes ride of highly energetic and straightforward Metal that goes straight to business. The dense and punchy guitar work of Rasmus Normand is all over the place, veering from a slow-paced groove somewhat reminiscent of Pantera to a faster and more brutal approach sometimes akin to a hard hitting Death-metal act like Dying Fetus. The rhythmic section comprised of bassist Thue Moller and drummer Tobias Host Now is tight and pounding, not too dissimilar in structure and intent to a Hardcore styled group like Sick of it All. Now add a genuinely ferocious and aggressive vocal performance delivered by Johnny Haven and you get a pretty damn close idea of how “Reawakening” sounds like.
Although the album as a whole sounds pretty enjoyable and memorable, I’ve found most of songs to be slightly similar and repetitive, which could become a bit tiresome after repeated listens.
Nevertheless, apart from that small complaint “Reawakening” is a rather good collection of killer grooves and downright catchy riffs. (6.5/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/theburningdk
Label info: www.massacre-records.com

Who would ever have guessed, ten years ago, that a Black-Metal band from Texas called Absu, whose premier source of inspiration resided on Celtic mythology would grow to become one of the most respectable acts within extreme music mostly on the strength of holding tenaciously to a vitriolic and idiosyncratic musical style.
Though I had never fully grasped the chaotic nature of their old-school approach to Black and Thrash-Metal, I do recognise value in their savage and intriguing musical vision, especially on their “Tara” album which to this day is touted as the band’s seminal work.
Well, eight long years have elapsed since “Tara” and during that time a lot has happened to the Texan tyrants, main-man Proscriptor McGovern shattered his wrist, played with Melechesh during six years, auditioned for a drum spot in Slayer and have seen members Equitant, Shaftiel and Kashshapxu gradually stepping aside from the group.
Now with all these obstacles surpassed, Proscriptor have surrounded himself with a revamped line-up that includes new guitarists Zawicizuz and Aethryis McKay and new bassist Ezezu to create an album that somewhat follows the furrow ploughed by the band on their previous work, which could be described as a breakneck and intriguing Blackened Thrash Metal assault.
Sure enough, when “Between The Absu Of Eridu & Erech” erupts from the speakers, it’s quite obvious that we aren't in for a smooth ride, its highly energetic speed-thrash impetus with some symphonic traits sets the tone that predominates throughout most of the remaining album. There’s a ravaging storm of razor-sharp Thrash-influenced riffs and some incredibly fast and thunderous drumming gushing from practically every song of “Absu”. Just check out the skull-crushing barbarity that Absu unfolds on “Sceptre Command” for further evidence.
However, the new album isn't all merciless savagery as there are moments scattered throughout the album where the band delves into a more experimental song-craft with some progressive leanings. Especially on the haunting and macabre “…Of The Dead Who Never Rest In Their Tombs Are The Attendance Of Familiar Spirits…” and the symphonic “Those Of The Void Will Re-Enter”.
Essentially, Proscriptor and his cohorts have further cemented their reputation as one of the most intricate and fast Black/Thrash-Metal acts around with their new album and I’m pretty sure “Absu” won’t disappoint anyone familiarized with the band’s ferocious onslaught. (8/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/absu
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

With former members of Dawnrider in their ranks Miss Lava is a new name to add to the growing list of refreshingly captivating and talented Portuguese bands leaning on the sludgier and dirtier end of Heavy-Rock like Men Eater, Dapunksportif, Dawnrider and Satans Revolver.
Their self-titled debut EP features four songs displaying a groovy vibe somewhat reminiscent of bands like Kyuss, Corrosion of Conformity and old Soundgarden, all flowing at a hugely enjoyable laid-back pace. A great thing about this EP is just how immediately likable it is and what makes it so damn addictive are the riffs, huge, bouncing and super-catchy riffs roaring out of the speakers with a tremendous energy and vibe.
Another great feature about Miss Lava is the powerful voice of Mr. Johnny Lee, whose tone can be compared to the remarkable John Garcia of Kyuss fame.
All these attributes combined make “Miss Lava” very worth hearing and if the Portuguese group can harvest all the potential and talent evidenced here into a full-length then I believe only the sky is the limit for them. (7/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/misslavarock
Label info: www.ragingplanet.web.pt

Obituary have been one of my favourite Death-Metal groups ever since “Cause of Death” come out in 1990, so obviously I was eagerly looking forward to hear the long announced collaboration between the Tardy brothers, vocalist John and drummer Donald.
Initial listens proved to be slightly disappointing, mostly because for the most part, “Bloodline” is firmly grounded in Obituary’s trademark sound. Indeed much of what occurs here treads an excessively similar approach to their anchor band, merely a slighter emphasis on melody and Hard-Rock soloing can differentiate the two, so it’s hard to fathom why they have decided to plunge into this side-project in the first place.
Nevertheless and despite “Bloodline” not being exactly what I had imagined beforehand, it still features some great songs, some of them capable of standing head and shoulders above some of the most recent material of Obituary.
The title track with its pummelling rhythm along with a trimmed down, hook-oriented riffing and John’s inhuman voice is one of such songs, it totally reeks of Obituary. “Deep Down”, “Fate's Call” and “Eternal Lies” also belong to that category, coming off sounding like their main band.
As stated before, some moments in “Bloodline” lean over a more melodic edge, much of this comes down to the guitar work of Obituary’s Ralph Santolla and original Executioner guitarist Jerry Tidwell, whose riffs and solos often shift towards a more Hard-Rock, Heavy-Metal approach. See album opener “Bring You Down” for example, where The Tardy Brothers undertake a bouncing and straight out Hard-Rock rhythm with great aplomb. “I’m Alive” follows a likewise mood, exuding an incredibly virtuous guitar solo as if we were listening to a Death-Metal version of Van Halen. “Scream Descendent” is hands down the most surprising and deviating song from “Bloodline, it’s musically equivalent to a band like Iced Earth jamming with flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia with the gruesome vocals of John Tardy on top.
“Bloodline” is good for what it is, but can hardly be seen as an essential purchase and is only worth buying if you just cannot wait for the new Obituary record that is currently in the pipeline. (6.5/10)

Band info: www.tardybrothers.com
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

Ukraine’s Khors comes recommended for fans of Kampfar, Moonsorrow and Borknagar, yet for the most part of “Mysticism” the band focuses on mellower and atmospheric sections that display a greater affinity with musical genres like Doom and Gothic than the Folk-Metal of the aforementioned acts. There’s a slight Folk-tinge in their sound that’s unquestionable, perfectly audible when Khors meander into dreamier and acoustic moments, though not to the extent of a band like Moonsorrow for instance. I believe their third work cannot be narrowed to a singular style as it displays traits from all sorts of disparate genres like Black, Doom, Gothic and Progressive Metal. It’s all refreshingly well-done and well-balanced as nothing sounds constrained or cheap and all songs flow with a remarkable ease.
Album opener “Through the Rays of Fading Moon” is a subtle atmospheric instrumental that paves way for “Raven's Dance”, an incredibly dynamic song that straddles between a gloomy Black-Metal impetus and a melancholic Doom-Metal atmosphere with splendid guitar melodies and keyboard embellishments.
Following theme, “Milk of Heavens” sees the group indulging in a Gothic lull with gentle whispered vocals and progressive flourishes giving a more intimate and emotional warmth to their intriguing musical vision. “Winterfall” and “In the Cold Embrace of Mist” are nicely layered songs with plenty of classical guitar picking and progressive keyboards, constantly oscillating between aggression and melody.
“Pagan Scars” is an instrumental theme with a folk twang where the group uses clean chords, acoustic guitars and flutes to generate an intimate atmosphere musically closer to a progressive 70’s band like Jethro Tull.
The album closes with “Red Mirrors”, another incursion into Gothic fields that evokes memories of Moonspell, Helg’s clean vocals have a rich and warmth tone that isn’t too far removed from Fernando Ribeiro’s deep vocalizations.
Simply try to let go with the diverse moods and sounds of “Mysticism” as they come, without looking for a label or tag for guidance, then the experience of listening to Khors’ third album might be extremely gratifying and irresistible. (7/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/khorspagan
Label info: www.paragonrecords.net

Satans Revolver is sort of a super-group formed by members of well-known Portuguese acts like Aside, Twentyinchburial, Reptile, Forgodsfake and Before the Torn, among others, and whose sonority could be described as more laidback and unpretentious when compared to their main projects. Invoking themes of pure amusement and a state of spirit inebriated with all sorts of liquid substances minus H2O, Satans Revolver gives the idea that was spawned during one of those alcohol-fuelled party-nights between friends and whose main goal is to have fun.
Is this statement somewhat accurate for vocalist Guilherme Henriques? How did Satans Revolver born in the first place?

“Right… Me (vocals) and Franjas (drums) were at Champagne (Lisbon strip club-ED) spending notes of 20€ as if there was no tomorrow, when we noticed this dude who had just paid 200€ to a stripper for only showing her boobs, at that moment we immediately knew that the guy would be our guitarist, that was João. The three of us took of and headed to the casino to burn some money, already altered by the heat of the alcohol and the 30º of that summer night, we went to bet in the horses right way just like the Indians of the Circleville. At a certain point without any money and between a tremendous confusion, Franjas tried to steal 3 ships of 50€ to an old man who was spending his pension there and we were invited to leave by force by five gorillas.
We practically shitted on the scene and followed to a tavern at Cais do Sodre, where we started sipping shots of old jack, then we saw these two dudes picking on two ladies of the night that were walking by, working just like any other night. So after lots of gross remarks one of them asked the ladies the price of a whole service, then this guy walks in and it turns out it wasn’t their pimp but the boyfriend of one of them, apparently they weren’t prostitutes. Glass cups started flying out, chairs started landing one someone’s backs, eventually breaking some bones, and lucky me, my shot of jack was kept intact while I was at the balcony having this completely senseless conversation with the barman of that bar… The two dudes that started that true bar fight were Ricardo (guitarist) and Kapa (bassist), with whom we ended the night at the street drinking and speaking about Rock. On the following day we all started rehearsing… basically that’s how it happened.”

How do you feel about the label of “super-group” glued to Satans Revolver? Does it represent some sort of burden, the fact everyone are constantly mentioning the names of others groups you are involved with or these references end up being beneficial for the band as some type of résumé?

“A burden! No, not at all… Let just say that all we are proud of that label, even if we don’t live it… The references could be good for some and bad for others, I think that Satans Revolver is different from anything any one of us have made in the past, so listen and take your own conclusions…”

The band had recently released an EP called “The Circleville Massacre” through Ranging Planet, which have earned various comparisons to bands such as Every Time I Die and Cancer Bats a little over the whole press. Were these two of the bands that helped to define and shape the sonority of Satans Revolver or it was merely a convergence of the distinct influences of each band member that stretches from Hardcore to Rock?

“I think that it’s a little of both, we fight to be the most original as possible, but clearly and admittedly, any one of these two bands is part of our daily playlists.”

“The Circleville Slaughter” conciliates the toughness of Hardcore, the groove of Rock e the harshness of Metal throughout five songs that despite the disparity of influences are extremely cohesive and contagious. How do you create your songs, they’re the result of improvisation or it is the product of a more elaborated and controlled method of conception?

“More improvisation and unforeseen is impossible, our sound comes from moments of truly inspiration or lack of it, but also all of us have been in bands for several years and we know what we want and can see right way if a riff is any good or not.”

Currently there are a growing number of Portuguese bands influenced by a more aggressive and laidback brand of Rock and Heavy music commonly known as Stoner-Rock or Sludge-Metal, like Dawnrider, Men Eater and Miss Lava among many others. Do you think that nowadays there’s an increasing market for this genre of music in Portugal or the principal idea is to expand Satans Revolver beyond the borderlines of our country?

“No, there’s still not enough market for a band with our weight, or any of the bands that you mentioned to be able to climb up to a musical career in full-time, not yet. I think that any band with some ambition wants to win outside our country’s limits and we aren’t different.”

“The Circleville Slaughter” seems to have a concept that circles around the world of westerns, the song titles, the graphic design, etc all hint at such theme… If the sonority of Satans Revolver could be compared to a classic western movie, what would it be?

“Without any doubts it would be “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” or a “Once Upon a Time in the West”.

More info at: www.myspace.com/satansrevolver

The instrumental song opening Ground of Ruin’s EP “Upon the 13th Hour”, with its gentle acoustic guitar playing and the sound of rain pouring down surely doesn’t hint at the musical blitzkrieg unfolded by the following and proper theme “Cloaked in Doctrine”. For the most part of its seven minutes duration, these Irishmen charge over at hyper fast pace, firing way Thrash-driven riffs with a Black-Metal tinge. A sound that is severe and intense, yet at the same time well-measured and disciplined, proving that Ground of Ruin can handle their instruments rather well and have developed a good sense of efficient and compact song-craft.
The way Ground of Ruin blends German-influenced Thrash-Metal riffs with a Death-Metal razor-sharp drive and infused it with a Black-Metal grim malevolence throughout the remaining two songs sets them close to those old Swedish bands like Sacramentum, Necrophobic and Sacrilege, though the somewhat sophisticated production values and playing skills prevents the Irishmen from being simply regarded as another retro-fixated group.
Perhaps the biggest downside to this EP is the lack of truly knockout moments capable of making Ground of Ruin stand out from such overcrowded metal scene, but nevertheless I believe they’re one a righteous path to ascension and a record deal is definitely on the horizon. (6.5/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/groundofruin

In a world largely dominated by themes of utter chaos, violence, bible bashing and occultism, it’s extremely rare to find a group in heavy music whose main source of inspiration relies on the Buddhist doctrines and the ever-going search for inner enlightenment and contemplation.
With a lyrical thematic predominantly revolving around the Buddhist scriptures, Portugal’s The Firstborn is a unique and exciting musical entity and their new album “The Noble Search” is proving to be their most daring and compelling work yet, delving deeper into the Tibetan culture and Buddhist philosophies.
Scratch the Surface approached vocalist Bruno Fernandes to discuss the guidelines to their musical creations and discovered a man for whom Buddhism is more than just a lyrical inspiration, it’s a sacred code of life.

Buddhism-inspired Portuguese collective, The Firstborn return to record releases three years after "The Unclenching Fists", an album that marked a change in the group’s sonority towards a more dynamic, interesting and demanding musical path, having been extremely well received in Portugal.
Did you expected such positive reactions from the press and general public, considering that the more elitist followers of the musical style that characterized your initial steps, namely Black-Metal, tend to be little tolerant to changes and innovations?

“Quite honestly, that seldom crosses our minds, if anything there was a certain degree of curiosity, especially regarding how the new album would be received by those who thoroughly enjoyed "The Unclenching of Fists". We are quite aware that only a handful of people will like our entire catalogue, and I am definitely not one of them!
In the end, we never snugly fit into niches anyway, thus I suppose it never has been that much of a problem. Sometimes, especially in concerts, we might get the odd request to play an older song... we tried it and they simply feel too different from the newer material to be included. Maybe we might revamp them a tad someday so they blend in better, but until then it's just nonsensical.”

Now surges "The Noble Search", a record where The Firstborn develop the ideas initially explored on its predecessor, an incursion through labyrinthine and distinct musical paths like Black-Metal with ethnic contours and Death-Metal with progressive leanings. Do you see this album as another evolutionary step in your extensive and in some way mutable musical career?

“Most definitely... we are like water, ever-changing. If now the mutations are of subtle nature, that doesn't mean they're not clearly there. It is a natural process, even if you just consider that we never had the same line-up in each album, new musicians bring new ideas, and especially new ways of handling our ideas.
It tends to get tiresome, especially the part in which they have to learn the back catalogue all over again, but on the other hand it's also good and refreshing to get to work with new, talented people every now and then.”

Following several spins I felt the impression that "The Noble Search" is a much more intimate and organic record than the previous "The Unclenching Fists". Do you agree with such perception, do you really felt the necessity to confer the new songs with a deeper and more organic ambient?

“This album was composed in a very simple, straightforward way by myself, with a guitar, no distortion whatsoever just that clean guitar sound and trying the lyrics over whatever came out. That's why, in my opinion, it all sounds so natural, whereas in the past we tended to sound contrived to some extent. Obviously that atmosphere transpired into the compositions themselves, even after working on them with the whole band and adding all those layers you can hear in the final result.
Another aspect that particularly pleased me in "The Noble Search" was that we could finally work as a band again, jamming in the rehearsal room until it all clicked. That is definitely something I want to do more of in the future, after so many years of working in solitude, or near solitude, composing with our former guitar player Paulo.”

This search for an intimate and organic feel was a determinant factor for the band to opt for an analogue studio to record “The Noble Search”, in this case Foel in Wales?

“Yes, hearing the way the songs were turning out we clearly felt a "modern" production would butcher them, stripping away their essence. After some research, we came up with a few options, very few mind you, that would suit our purposes. Our budget wasn't that big which limited us somewhat, and after talking with the Primordial fellas about it they recommended Foel where they had just recorded "To the Nameless Dead". After hearing the final result and all their praise for both the studio and the people there we just went for it and booked some studio time.
In the end, it was the best thing we could have done, the album wouldn't sound the way it does if not for all the hard work Chris Fielding put in, and the singular nature and atmosphere of Foel and its surroundings. Being cut off from the world for a month was, at times, maddening... but it was the only way for this to work.”

The new album features participations of diverse musicians such as Vorskaath of the Greeks Zemial, Luis Simões of Saturnia, Hugo Santos of Process of Guilt and Proscriptor of Absu. These invitations had some special intention according to a necessity to give certain aspects and details to the new themes or that was something that happened quite naturally?

“One of the faults we immediately recognized in "The Unclenching of Fists" was its overall abuse of sound samples throughout the album. We were experimenting a lot when writing that album, and didn't filter the outcome as much as we should have, perhaps. Regardless, one of the main changes we decided on was to reduce the use of such samples, and with that in mind we got in touch with a few people to play in the album... due to successive delays in recording it, some of those contributions had to be cancelled, but in the end we managed to avoid resorting to that "trickery" at all and we're quite proud that every single note you can hear in "The Noble Search" was played and recorded by ourselves and the guest musicians that feature in it.
Some of these contributions happened by chance, whereas others were well thought of. In the future we will definitely work with these people again, if possible, and hopefully add a few more in the process... especially musicians in the "World Music" genre.”

It’s frequent to see the words avant garde associated with the current sound of The Firstborn, a concept that although have become a little ambiguous in the last few years, is generally invoked to describe something experimental and innovative.
Can this be seen as some sort of creative freedom that the group possesses, that allows them to avoid any sort of stylistic barriers?

“Call it what you will, we never cared much for label or other such constructions. We fumbled our way to this direction for a good few years, releasing music that should for the most part have stayed in the drawer and we have earned, the hard way, our right to be carefree when creating music. In almost 15 years we had to put up with a lot of grief that would have made most people simply quit and move on, yet we persevered by sheer stubbornness and maybe some idiocy. Be it as it may, we are still here, and of all the past mistakes we learned how to mature and progress... and that's where we find ourselves at the moment, a band finally grown.”

I would like to ask you about the concept that involves the new album "The Noble Search", the little in itself seems to transmit a message of inner contemplation ingrained in the Buddhist doctrines. What kind of ideas do you intend to transmit with this new record?

“This album is based on the "Buddhist Scriptures", a very loose collection of texts dealing with the multiple paths to enlightenment, and nirvana itself. What I found most charming about this was its multiple answers to the same question, and the multitude of paths seemed quite fitting to our volatile nature as a band. As such, every song deals with a different, at times paradoxically aspect of the "Search" for enlightenment, and the object of said "Search". If one is to find, one must know what to search. This ultimately allowed for a somewhat "looser" album in form and content, when compared to our previous effort. The concept devised for "The Unclenching of Fists" was a fine tool to guide us in a time of experimentation, but now we clearly needed a tad more freedom to create. Another aspect that influenced the music was the more philosophical nature of this subject when compared to the formal religious content of the "Bardo Thödol" which called for a different kind of atmosphere to transpire.”

What aspects of the Tibetan culture and the Buddhist religion inspire the band to make music?

“Initially, it worked the other way around, I found myself looking for an "exotic" subject to fit the music we were creating at the time, and ended up embracing Buddhist philosophy to an extent I certainly didn't foresee. Nowadays it's more than a simple source for lyrics, it permeates every note we compose in a very natural way.
What inspires us is as ever-changing as our own nature as musicians, sometimes it might be a simple piece of local music we hear that triggers something, a text and its very particular form of poetry, a landscape, a painting, a mandala... it's hard to define what clicks at a given moment. It just does, and that is enough for us.”

More info at: www.myspace.com/unclenchedfists