Sycronomica
Sycronomica is a German
band that has managed to find and explore the paths of creative existence
in the stagnant scene of extreme metal, offering us a remarkable work that
all true and dedicated fans of black metal should listen. Max, the band's
bass player, made sure to give us some really interesting and thought-provoking
answers in the interview that follows...
1. WHAT CAN ONE SAY EXCEPT FOR SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS
FOR YOUR ALBUM? AMAZING!
Well, first of all, thanks a lot for your
praise! It has been an honour for us to get such a good review as you gave
us. It was a long path for us to complete the album and to find suitable
musicians for forming a serious line-up. We are quite satisfied with our
work and content with the good feedback we earn.
2.FIRST OF ALL INTRODUCE THE BAND AND BAND MEMBERS
TO THE READERS AND POINT OUT YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS...
Sycronomica was founded in 1995 under the
name “Outage” playing only cover-songs from bands like Satyricon, Samael,
Katatonia etc. After one year the band changed its name into SYCRONOMICA
in order to compose own material .The first big shows were played in 1998
as a support for groups like In Flames, Borknagar, Tristania and Haggard.
After this glorious period, the band had to fight hard with a lot of line-up
problems and nearly the whole cast of the band changed. In early 2000 a
new line-up was born and the band released 2 demo-cds and another promotional-cd.
After that long time of existence, we decided to go to a professional studio
to record our first CD without having any contract, but in hope of getting
signed. To complete answering your question, I would say that our most
important achievements for now were the above mentioned concerts
and of course Gigs with HOLY MOSES, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER, CRYPTIC
WINTERMOON, FLESHCRAWL etc. as well as our open-air concerts during the
previous summers. And of course our first tour through Bavaria last year!
3. "PATHS" IS YOUR DEBUT ALBUM. SO, ARE YOU SATISFIED
WITH IT FROM EVERY ASPECT? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU´D LIKE TO CHANGE?
I think we are all quite content with our
work. Of course there are some things you´d like to change afterwards
but that´s always the same, isn´t it? I often listen to the
album and while listening I recognise little things and I think: "Hey,
the guitars could be a bit louder at this part - or the drums a little
bit more powerful" and so on. But, to be honest, -there are also musicians
who are not able to complete even the beginning of their composition. You
know what I mean?
4. WHICH ARE THE MAIN SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
AMONG "PATHS" AND YOUR PREVIOUS 3 DEMOS? ARE ANY OF THE SONGS FROM
THE DEMOS INCLUDED IN "PATHS" AS WELL? IF SO, WERE ANY CHANGES MADE?
The main similarities are the usage of a lot
of keys in our music and the strange guitar parts. The music is still very
dark and full of mysticism. But I also have to say that the sound changed
a lot considering speed, arrangements and harshness. The songs from the
first Demo "DURCH DAS GEÄST" were more or less a bit simple (as you
can hear), compared to the newer material. The only song contained on Paths
is "DURCH DAS GEÄST". The songs from our second Demo/Promo are all
to be found on the album. But of course we made some...ehh...I´d
call it: little but important modifications, hehe!
5. DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE PROGRESSED AND EVOLVED
AS SONGWRITERS? WHAT´S THE GENERAL AND USUAL COMPOSING PROCEDURE
YOU FOLLOW? IS IT A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OR NOT?
We all try to do our best in beating Florian
(Winter - Keyboards) in composing new stuff - but always fail wailing,
haha!!! No, to be serious, we all have got our ideas which can be presented
during the composing of a new song and if they are good we use them. If
not, the band member who tried, has to pay a beer, hehe! So, yes it is
more or less a democratic process. But the main compositions and melodies
are from our keyboarder. He is a very gifted musician with a lot of crazy
ideas. Sometimes we all think that he will be soon a new victim for the
loony bin, haha!
Concerning your first question, I can only
speak for myself and say proudly: "Yes, a progress took place - and I am
very happy about this fact!"
6. YOUR MUSIC IS THE PERFECT AMALGAM OF ALL THE
BLACK METAL ELEMENTS, SOUNDS AND COMPONENTS. IT´S AGGRESSIVE AND
EXTREME AND YET IS BUILD UPON BEAUTIFUL, MAJESTIC AND ENCHANTING MELODIES.
HOW EASY IS IT FOR YOU TO CREATE SUCH A SOUND?
Yeah, thanks a lot! Your experienced sense
of hearing really surprises me! As I already said, mainly responsible for
the music is our keyboarder Florian Winter. I don´t know what he
feels while writing and playing music. I think he´s quite influenced
by classical music. But personally I can say that it is quite easy to get
inspiration and new ideas up here. We don´t try to force ourselves
to be creative while writing music, we just play our instruments and then
we see what happens. You´re always influenced by your feelings and
these feelings influence the music you make. That´s the secret.
7. MOREOVER YOU DON´T TEND TO CONCENTRATE
ON ONE SPECIFIC INSTRUMENT, BUT EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE HAS EQUAL RIGHTS
AND THIS IS OBVIOUS FROM THE FACT THAT THE MELODIC LINES AND MUSICAL THEMES
ARE WRITTEN BOTH ON GUITARS AND ON KEYBOARDS. PLEASE COMMENT ON THAT AND
TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS...
Yes, you´re absolutely right in your
assumptions. But the main melodic lines are written on the keyboard. It
is just the better instrument for this job. Often we use ideas -written
on guitar- later on. How it comes, how it goes...
8. IF SOMEONE CAME ASKING YOU TO DESCRIBE "PATHS"
FOR HIM, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL HIM? WHICH ARE THE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOUR
MUSIC THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY?
It is very difficult for me to answer this
question because every individual has got its own way of understanding
music and its descriptions. For some people the music of Cradle Of Filth
isn´t Black Metal and in the point of view of another one it definitely
is. We feel and understand totally difference. I´d choose my words
very carefully and I´d give the person the advice to first listen
to "Paths" before forming an opinion. I think our music is definitely rough,
dark and full of mysticism but also dreamy and (for some) relaxing with
a lot of melodies and sophisticated arrangements. Melodic Black Metal -
so simple but powerful in its meaning.
9. IS THE ALBUM BASED ON A GENERAL CONCEPT? WHAT
KIND OF SUBJECTS INTRIGUE YOU TO TALK ABOUT? WHICH ARE YOUR SOURCES OF
INSPIRATION? TELL US SOME THINGS ABOUT IT..
No, the album isn´t based on a general
concept. You could form the lyrics to one story but we hadn´t the
intention of making a concept album for our debut. Mainly our lyrics concern
themes such as darkness, personal views and statements, lyrics about the
myths of nature, desperation, sorrow, battles of honour or disgrace (The
sound of Horns) and stories which have its source in our personal thoughts.
Even vampirism and romantic stuff can be found on paths (vampiric dances)
Concerning now where from we get our inspiration: We all live in
southern Bavaria and our landscapes are full of melancholy, great nature,
grand mountains and dark woods full of myths - so it isn´t really
a problem to be creative. Nearly all members of SYCRONOMICA are confronted
with this beautiful nature every day. Even the way to the rehearsal room
is surrounded by a very vast forest. I think that creativity is nothing
but a result of inventive inspiration.
10. DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR LIVE SHOWS OR FOR
A TOUR? PLEASE DESCRIBE A TYPICAL SYCRONOMICA LIVE SHOW...
"If you´ve got the time to go - come
and see our metal show - with girls and spikes and hellish fire - HAIL
we are SYCRONOMICA, your desire!" haha! No, I was just kidding! In the
past we had the possibility to play a tour where we were acting as headliners,
through whole Bavaria. It was awesome and a very interesting experience
for us all. Next week we will play together with ENSLAVED and VREID from
Norway. In summer there are further concerts planned. Just have a look
on the "Dates"-section on our website www.SYCRONOMICA.de
for further information. So far, I can say that we´ll play wherever
we are invited to. The typical SYCRONOMICA show in full of energy and stage
acting. We don´t need corpse paint or other childish gimmicks like
other bands use. We are able to convince the listener without any "helps".
11. I THINK THE ARTWORK IS IDEAL FOR THE KIND
OF MUSIC YOU PLAY. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT AND CONNECT
IT WITH THE ALBUM´S TITLE "PATHS"?
Responsible for the artwork is our drummer
Michael. He´s a very talented painter and also painted the artworks
for several other bands. I think he´ll be very glad about hearing
such nice words, praising his work. If the reader is interested the possibility
is given to visit his website www.ravenarts.de.
As you can see on the cover, there are several
paths which all lead somewhere. Where they lead lies in darkness but they´ll
all end sometime. Which path is the better one? The one through the mountains
or the one through the woods? Will the one who takes the first of them
be exposed in sudden danger? Or will he be victorious? These are also the
questions you have to answer while walking the path of life. We will reach
our longings - but how long will it need and what are the dangers? Who
knows?
12. WHAT LED YOU TO FORM A BAND OF YOUR OWN? I
READ IN YOU BIO THAT BEFOREHAND YOU COVERED SONGS FROM SOME OF YOUR BELOVED
BANDS AND THEN YOU DID THIS TURN AND DECIDED TO COMPOSE SONGS OF YOUR OWN...WHY?
DO YOU THINK IT´S THE INNER NEED FOR CREATION THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE
OR IS IT JUST A WAY TO RELAX AND HAVE A GOOD TIME?
Both, I think! For me it is first of all a
way to express myself and to be creative. The will to create something
unique. That was why I decided to form a band of my own. Composing songs
gives me a warm feeling. But it is also a way to relax after a hard day.
Once I felt really depressive and while rehearsing the songs I realised
how all the negative feelings I had disappeared. After the whole "set"
I had a totally new and gently feeling and wasn´t upset anymore.
A very nice experience, indeed.
13. WHAT ARTISTIC NEEDS OF YOURS DOES SYCRONOMICA
FULFIL? WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER OF FORMING ANOTHER BAND OR A PROJECT PERHAPS
IN ORDER TO COVER SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR NEEDS? IF SO, WHAT OTHER KIND
OF MUSIC WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY?
The members of SYCRONOMICA fulfil their artistic
needs also in other bands. It is a matter of fact that "just" one band
isn´t enough for a creative artist. So some of us were or are still
involved in other bands. Our singer Olli just quit playing bass at Festering
Saliva, a very talented death metal band from Munich, due to a lack of
time and problems with the two bands as well as other things. Our drummer
Michael plays at a local Viking Metal Band and also runs a sort of Grindcore-project.
Flo, our keyboarder, is involved in a jazz band and joined a classical
orchestra in Munich recently. I personally sing and play bass at my Pagan-Metal
project HELFAHRT and used to play bass at a dark/folk-Metal Band called
SOMBERSERENITY but also quit playing there due to a lack of time. All these
projects and bands are covering aspects which we need to stay creative
and to improve our musical capabilities. But Sycronomica is of course our
main band!
14. MANY PEOPLE ACCUSE BLACK METAL AND THERE ARE
RUMOURS THAT CREATE A CERTAIN ATMOSPHERE OF MYSTICISM. SO, WHAT IS BLACK
METAL TO YOU? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS KIND OF MUSIC?
The contemporary exceptional competition between
music and ideology. A marked misanthropy which is against people who follow
the herd instinct and clamp to mass-identities like belief for example!
Black Metal combines contrasts like (evil) euphoria and mourning, light
and darkness, tranquillity and aggression which are based on a high standard.
This high standard is, as we all know, very seldom or nearly unique to
find in a superficial world of Pop and Rap music. Black Metal is art! Some
outputs of Black Metal could be compared with even classical compositions.
The ideology of Black Metal art can´t be defined because it is influenced
by so many changes which occurred in the past and still occur. But there
are of course basics like the occupation of dark, mystic and occult themes,
with mythology (Greek, Germanic, Norse) and last but not least with death!
The ideals of this music can´t be arranged with mass-ideology like
religion, nationalism, communism, materialism, anarchism etc., etc....
Just because of the simple fact that the true ideology of this music stands
above these views.
15. I SAW IN YOUR BIO THAT SYCRONOMICA HAVE NOTHING
TO DO WITH ANY KIND OF SATANISM OR RIGHT WING IDEOLOGIES AND I´D
LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT! NOT MANY BLACK METALLERS HAVE THE STRENGTH
TO ADMIT THIS. THIS IS THE MUSIC OF SATAN - MANY TEND TO BELIEVE AND THUS
A WHOLE CONCEPT AND MYTH IS BUILD UPON BLACK METAL AND THE BANDS IN GENERAL.
MOST OF THE BANDS TRY TO FEED THIS BELIEF WITH THEIR STATEMENTS, IMAGE,
ATTITUDE, ETC. I DOUBT HALF OF THEM BELIEVE WHAT THEY´RE TALKING
ABOUT... SO , ISN´T IT BAD FOR THE SCENE? DON´T YOU THINK CREATING
WRONG IMPRESSIONS HARMS THIS MUSIC? IS THIS WHY YOU DID THIS STATEMENT
IN ORDER TO KEEP DISTANCE OF ALL THESE?
I think the scene is smart enough to realise
that many idiotic statements are just some sort of a joke, or just laugh
about them tiredly. If someone believes in Satan, HareKrishna, or Saddam
Hussein - it´s his personal thing and I don´t care about it.
Everybody has got the right to do whatever he wants. But I don´t
like idiots who try to tell me or SYCRONOMICA that our music isn´t
evil enough to be true Black Metal because we don´t use satanic verses
or other childish stuff in our lyrics. Come on guys - piss off! We are
tired of underlining our attitude all the time. And we are tired of discussing
whether Black Metal is more left or more right-wing orientated. SYCRONOMICA
stands above these attitudes and views! That´s why we chose this
statement in the past.
16. ...AND SUDDENLY BLACK METAL BECOMES
POPULAR. DO YOU THINK THIS WILL ALTER AND "DESTROY" TRUE BLACK METAL? ARE
THERE LIMITS AND BOUNDARIES TO MUSIC AND BLACK METAL IN SPECIFIC OR DO
YOU THINK BANDS SHOULD BE FREE TO EXPERIMENT WITH THEIR SOUND?
...Of course not! We become rich and famous.
And I can buy everything I ever wanted, hahahaha! No, seriously. Every
music dies if it becomes mass-commercial. Just take a look at the "Grunge"-movement
in the nineties. It became popular and then it died so sudden like it came
up. But I think it would never come so far with our music, because Black
Metal is too extreme and extravagant. This music is too harsh for "normal"
people!
Limits and boundaries in Black Metal? Hmm,
no - a bad idea. For a musician it is important to experiment with the
sound and to experience new possibilities. Otherwise music becomes boring.
Look at Satyricon. They experiment with their music but are still involved
in the same metier, which is actually Black Metal, isn´t it? And
I really can´t say that their music has become bad.
17. MANY PEOPLE IN BLACK METAL TURN TOWARDS OCCULTISM,
SATANISM OR MYSTICISM. FURTHERMORE THERE ARE NOT FEW THE OCCASIONS OF FASCISTIC
IDEOLOGIES AND RACISM INTRUDING THIS MUSICAL GENRE. WHY DO YOU THINK THIS
HAPPENS? WHY IS BLACK METAL THE "EASIEST" KIND OF MUSIC FOR THOSE BELIEFS
TO FLOURISH? PLEASE COMMENT ON THAT...
Hard question to answer. Black Metal is an
extreme form of music and the attitudes of most of the listeners are very
extreme too. Fascism and racism are also very extreme. So this kind of
music is maybe a little bit more susceptible for false ideologies.
18. IF YOU COULD BE A HISTORICAL PERSONALITY FOR
A DAY WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO BE AND WHAT PERIOD OF HIS/HER LIFE WOULD
YOU LIKE TO HAVE A TASTE OF?
Hmm, maybe Friedrich Nietzsche in the 19th
century. Then I would change the idea of the "Übermensch" (superman).
His idea of the elite awareness was misunderstood so many times I could
puke!. It is really a pity. Who read Nietzsche knows that his idea will
never be related to a group of people nowadays. Only when the human is
over-come the "Übermensch" can live! A totally new species: better,
more evil, more intelligent but - in every case - lonely!
19. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION WHAT WOULD IT
BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
It would be a mixture of fear, mourning and
depression but also an edifying feeling of pride. A painting? Just have
a look at our CD-cover!
21. THANK YOU! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU´D
LIKE TO MENTION? LEAVE YOU MESSAGE TO THE READERS!
Ok, first of all thank you for the interview,
it has been very interesting to talk to you! Hail to all readers and supporters!
Be true to yourself and keep the torch burning. Maybe it´ll be possible
to come over sometime, to share a few beers with you, folks! We are always
interested in playing some Gigs in other European countries! And please
visit our website www.sycronomica.de
and post you opinion about our music. Death and Glory!
Christine Parastatidou
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