AN INTERVIEW WITH FALKENBACH…
Saturday, March 22, 2014 Category: BlogTags: black, Falkenbach, folk, germany, Interview, metal, viking

This interview was supposed to be released a few months ago, but Vratyas had some personal problems to take care of as well as was too busy and it took some time to answer it. I’d like to thank him for not forgetting this interview and also for finding time to answer it. It is very hard to find people that are this commited nowadays. One more reason to admire Falkenbach even more.

01 – I’d like to thank you very much for taking your time to answer our interview. I am aware that you are very busy right now and I deeply appreciate this. Please, introduce yourself to our readers/ listeners.

The 1st tape of Falkenbach was done in ´89, followed by several more tapes. In ´95 the 1st album was released, the 6th, most recent one, Asa, was released at the end of 2013.

02 – First of all, I’d like to congratulate you for the release of Asa. In my humble opinion, it is such an exquisite work of art, well balanced between beauty and power. Can you tell us a bit about the production of the album as well as how would you rank among all of your releases? Also, how was the response from the fans so far?

The production didn´t change too much compared to the former albums. As always, we changed some minor details, for example some aspects about the bass and drums. To me personally, all albums and tapes are equally important, so I cannot really rate one single album in comparison to the others. Apart from that, nevertheless Asa has been, and still is somehow different to me.

03 – Asa has more blackened songs, differently from Tiurida. Why did you decide to return to the “older roots” (something I was quite pleasant with) and do you predict that, in the future, you will still release blackened songs?

There was no such decision, there´s never a plan about such things in advance. Songs just come to my mind, no matter of rather rough, fast or slow, they just have to feel right. And right isn´t a question of such things. Same goes for future songs, I never know in advance what´s going to happen. To most of the people, mainly those who don´t know about those tapes which are done beside the CDs, it might feel like a „back to the roots“, but actually it isn´t. There´re always songs with different characters.

02

04 – Concerning Asa’s lyrics, could you tell us the concepts and inspirations behind the release of this new album?

To be honest, I prefer to let people read the lyrics and make up their own minds about such things.

05 – I believe that the lyrical video of Eweroun was pure beauty (just like the album). How satisfied are you with it? There are some great tribute videos to Falkenbach around the internet, videos that truly fit Falkenbach’s musicial mood, are you familiar with those? Do you feel like releasing a new video whenever Falkenbach releases a new album or even for Asa?

The video for Eweroun itself can´t be seen as a typical music-video. The visual part is just an aspect to support certain aspects of the music and lyrics somehow. I´ve seen some of those youtube-clips, but probably not all of them, I guess. A new video, well, I am not sure. For Asa certainly not, and for future releases, hm…probably depends on the question if Prophecy Prod is asking for one. Personally I do not really need a video, but there´s also no problem with it for me.

06 – Still on Falkenbach’s music, you have been playing for many years and always managed to keep your music innovative. You listen to a certain song and you immediately knows that is Falkenbach, yet you’re never repetitive. Seriously, how do you manage to do that?

I really cannot answer this question. As a matter of fact, I am not able to create something different from what Falkenbach stands for, not even if I wanted to, I guess.

07 – I’ve read of the official Facebook page something that many of us have been expecting for years: Falkenbach playing live. It seems that you’ve found some solutions for some problems that you’d probably face. What can you tell us about it as well as about playing live and also, what do you expect from the people attending Falkenbach’s show? Also, is there one Falkenbach song in particular that you really would like to play live?

We´re still in the process of finding solutions for a couple of questions, but we´re still doing our best to make this happen in the future. About playing live itself I didn´t make up my mind exactl so far. We didn´t even rehearse up to now, and I guess it´s too early to think about details on stage.

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08 – This is a question you surely have answered before, but perhaps your opinions could have changed… Falkenbach exists for over two decades. After so many years, with six acclaimed full-length albums released, what motives you to keep on going?

That´s a question I am asking myself sometimes, too, and to be honest, I´ve been thinking about quitting releasing CDs more than once meanwhile.

09 – You are signed now to, in my humble opinion, one of the best labels out there, Prophecy Productions, not only when it comes to being professional with the musicians (that’s what I’ve heard from them), but also with the costumers (and no, I’m not being paid by them, not even some free albums, hehe). Have you been satisfied with their work so far? How do you compare them to your previous label?

So far, things are ok, but it´s to early to say, I think. To really rate such a cooperation, we should wait 1-2 years, to see how things turned out. Up to now, things are mainly fine.

10 – There are some questions I always ask because I think many people would like to know what some of the personal views from the musicians are. The next three questions are among those. Music is truly important for many people. It is said that music is the soundtrack of our lives (and it’s true). It helps them to go on through hard times. I personally have a very stressful work and life and when I listen to some bands (Falkenbach included), this helps me to go on, to gain more strength, simply to hang on. How do you feel when you get to know that your music has helped and still helps people to forget about their problems, to go through a tough phase?

The feedback from people, and I am not talking about reviews etc, ranks amongst the really important things for me.

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11- Lately we have Bandcamp, Spotify… Prophecy Productions streams completely for free during a period of time their releases, but, still, the amount of illegal downloads is always increasing (of course we have to also understand that the world is facing a terrible economical crisis, but even before that, illegal downloads were already a big problem). What is your view concerning this matter?

I can´t change this, and people are doing whatever they want to. If people think, it´s -support- for a band to updoad songs for free, get featured in the likes of kasino pa nett, I can´t do too much about it. As soon as the first album makes a loss, I´ll stop releasing CDs, no matter if there´s a million view free downloads. I am more than fine with doing limited tapes in the future, too.

12 – One more of the few personal questions I’m asking you. Even though I’m not a religious person or even a spiritual one, I do like to study spirituality, esoteric themes, old and new religions (organized or not) and to know what are the people’s views about such subjects. I’m not going to ask you your views on organized religions or anything like that, but rather: do you believe in some sort of superior or superior beings? Could you share with us your views on spirituality, god (s) and organized religion?

To explain this in details would take far too much time, I guess, and apart from that, I am also not into talking about such things in public, to be honest. But for sure personally I am not into any kind of organized comunities, moreover not religious ones. To me, this is something personal, I don´t need other people around me at that topic.

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13 – A few questions about the man behind Falkenbach regarding his/ your musical and movie tastes. What have you been listening lately? And what kind of music/ bands/ musicians are you interested outside the metal world? Do you enjoy cinema? I personally love many German movies and directors, do you have favorites?

I haven´t been to a cinema for about 10 years, simply because I am not into movies in general, I think. The last thing I´ve listened to were old Falkenbach tapes, which I recently tried to transfer to my pc, including work on restaurations, although I also enjoy other kind of music and even karaoke songs, that I also sing using the best bluetooth karaoke microphone for this. Apart from Falkenbach I do not listen to metal in general that much.

14 – And we reach the end of this interview. I’d like to thank you one more time for this, I’ve always wanted to interview the mastermind of a band I highly admire its music for many years. Any last words for our readers/ listeners?

Thanx for your patience and support!

The Vikings' True Voice
CoC talks to Falkenbach
by: Adam Wasylyk
A blend of black metal and Viking rock, Falkenbach play the sort of music that breathes life into a genre polluted with wannabes and copycats. Mesmerizing keyboards, black metal snarls, driving guitars and rock beats, while Vikings serve as the imagery and ideologies behind it all. Having recorded their debut _... En Their Medh Riki Fara..._ for No Colours, the band signed to Napalm Records in Austria and released _... Magni Blandinn ok Megintiri..._, one of the better records of 1997, with hopefully many more albums to come.
Sole creator and musician Vratyas Vakyas wrote back to my queries on his band and what he's up to presently.

"The whole thing began in '89, I think, when I decided to record my first songs and lyrics" began Vakyas on how Falkenbach got started and whether the Viking imagery was the initial inspiration. "Back then, I searched for a new kind of sacrifice for the Goddesses & Gods besides blood, life, etc. I also wanted to give something direct from my heart and soul, a donation made of art, emotion and yearning. So you could say not the Viking period itself inspired me, but the Goddesses & Gods who ruled that age on Midgaard, and who will rule forever!"

Getting into detail about Falkenbach's prior releases, Vakyas said "All in all, I've done seven tapes so far, all in a strictly limited edition, furthermore a tape called _Promo '95_ and the debut CD _... En Their Medh Riki Fara..._. The earlier stuff is mainly folkloristic music with percussion, acoustic guitar and clean vocals, but during the years also drums, distorted guitars and keyboards became more and more important. Every recording differs a bit from its predecessors due to the fact that more instruments were added to the songs, and my musical skills grew a bit, too."

As to what happened with No Colours and his leap to Napalm Records, Vakyas explained "No Colours did a good job for Falkenbach, but this step simply had to be done, as I don't want any stagnation with Falkenbach ever! Napalm offered a deal about one year after the debut album was released and after some changes in the offered contract I signed to Napalm." Vakyas also went on to explain his role in Falkenbach, which could be called a one-man project but it wasn't necessarily designed to be that. "Since the very first days, I'm the only musician involved in Falkenbach, and not even session musicians were used for the recordings. Maybe this will change for the third CD, as I'm looking for a session drummer and flutist, too. By the way, it's not that I don't want any people to be involved, but as a matter of fact it's quite hard to find musicians who're both skilled in playing their instruments and good characters, who fit 100% into the concept of Falkenbach. Trust me, it's hard to find worthy people!"

On my first few listens to _... Magni Blandinn ok Megintiri..._ I made the comparison to some of Bathory's Viking-era material along with his last (and brilliant) effort _Blood on Ice_. I thought the feelings captured by both _Blood on Ice_ and _... Magni Blandinn ok Megintiri..._ had some parallels, both dealing with Viking themes at a rock beat pace. As to whether there are any similarities to Bathory or if he's taken them as an influence, Vakyas states "In my opinion, there are not too many similarities between Bathory and Falkenbach, not music nor lyric wise. I used to play this kind of music from the very beginning, so I can't say any bands or musicians influenced Falkenbach anyway. The only band I know playing a bit similar music [to us] is Vargas."

I also ask what the lyrics deal with, despite the overwhelming chance that it has something to do with Vikings. "Most of the lyrics are about Asatru, the religion of Germanic and north-European tribes, and Vartan, a mixture between science, art and philosophy, which is based on Asatru. Viking themes are the way to describe them, as the lyrics of Falkenbach are usually written with metaphors. Every character, every symbol used has a deeper meaning, so mental power is needed to understand those lyrics and the message they convey, but superficially will only lead to misunderstandings."

After asking about newly written material, Vakyas affirms "At the moment around 20 minutes of new material does exist, but it's not recorded yet. None should expect any "stylebreak", but, as always, the new songs are one step further in the right direction. I can say the new material contains clean vocals, flutes, powerful guitars and drums, acoustic guitars, ancient percussion, etc., but most of the arrangements are much improved! I can promise this new release will be far better than both of its predecessors! It's a fact that my main intention isn't to be successful, or to be popular, but to be relevant!"

What does Vakyas see black metal evolving into in the upcoming years and into the next century? "Countless new bands, and 99% worthless crap will enter the market. We'll have to wait and see who's still left after the next five or six years, then we can say who's true and who's not."

(article submitted 1/9/1998)

Our Heathenish Foray – An Interview with Falkenbach
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One of the primary reasons we started this blog was to be able to interact with and promote material from our favorite artists. Falkenbach have long been a personal favorite to throw on the record player and one of said artists in mind when starting the blog. The Viking metal infused with folk and blackened elements on albums such as …Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri… or Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty never ceases to please my eardrums. About a month ago I was pleasantly surprised (okay giddy as a school girl) to hear that Falkenbach main man, Vratyas Vakyas, was willing to grant a rare interview. So I consider it an honor to present an interview with Vratyas Vakyas of Falkenbach…

Thank you for taking time to speak with us. How are things going for you in Falkenbach? How is the album progressing?

At the moment we’re working on the last details of the layout for the new album. As soon as all the work is done, Prophecy Productions will make up their mind about the release date. I think there will be some news the following weeks.

What inspired you to write the kind of music Falkenbach records? Are there any particular artists that inspire you or to whom you enjoy listening?

There’s no other music inspiring me. Sometimes I used to listen to classic music like Wagner, Grothe, Grieg etc, but mainly I listen to Falkenbach itself. Beside that, I cannot answer your question about “inspiration,” I guess. There’s no need for a certain mood, a certain place or things like that. It’s something you fall into, it comes to your heart and mind when the time for it is right, it just can’t and shouldn’t be forced. And the Falkenbach songs are no more and no less than the result of such situations.

I really enjoyed the new single, “Eweroun” as well as the lyric video. First, what is the significance of the song’s title? The language used for the lyrics in the video is very interesting. Is it Old Norse or Old German as with some previous songs? Why did you choose to sing in that language?

Eweroun can be translated in several ways, but in the end “Forever & Forevermore” seems to be the best way to translate it. The language itself is some kind of German/Dutch dialect, once spoken in a rather small area of western Germany, parts of the Netherlands and Belgium. Why I did chose this language…it’s the language of my grandparents and those before them. Also my parents are still able to speak and understand it, at least a little, as they’ve been used to it when they were young. It’s been a very hard task to learn at least enough to put the lyrics into words. This language/dialect was spoken only, in written form people used standard German/Dutch back then, and this lead to alot of regional differences of course. Though I did never use to speak this way, I’ve had the pleasure to listen to my parents here and then, when they used it to talk to their siblings or old friends from that time. However – it´s an homage to this area, my homeland, to the language itself, and to my parents and family. It’s been a part of my family’s history, and therefore of myself, and I tried my best to give life to this nearly lost tradition, though I’ve to concede there’re probably more than enough spelling and (most of all) writing mistakes.

Is “Eweroun” indicative of the rest of Asa or will Asa be similar to past albums i.e. a mix of songs with clean vocals, songs with no clean vocals, and an instrumental track or two?

Asa will be a quite diverse album, I’d say. Clean vocals as well as screams, faster and slower songs. “Eweroun” doesn’t tell the whole story about this album for sure.

I had read online that “one of the tracks for the new album is a rerecording of a song from the first album.” What is the motivation for this? Can you tell us what song it is?

I always used to re-record older songs, even on the old tapes I re-recorded older material quite often, and same goes for the debut album, featuring some older songs. I think meanwhile it became some kind of tradition for Falkenbach. All the albums contain old songs, some more, some less, it’s something I am used to, and something I really like. For the moment, I am not going to reveal the name of the re-recorded song from the 1st album, but I can tell you there´s also one song taken from a tape recorded in between the 1st and 2nd album, must have been ´96 or ´97, I guess.

Are there still plans to make Falkenbach a live act and tour? What are your feelings on playing live?

Yes, the idea is still there, and there’re also precise plans. Nevertheless it’s still a long way to go, we had and still have to solve several problems. But the chances have never been better, I’d say, so even if it might take much more time, the chance is still there, and playing live in 2014 is a goal indeed. I tried to build up a line-up for playing live several times now, but there’ve always been problems I wasn’t able to solve in the end. This time it’s different, that’s for sure, and at the moment it seems Falkenbach live is less a question of yes or no, but more of “when exactly.” One of the last things to be solved is time/money, as the whole process of rehearsing and pre-studio work will take a lot of time and money unfortunately. My feelings about this, well…a hard question, and I guess my answer will be different depending on the day you ask me.

On Falkenbach’s first two albums, I believe you handled all the instruments, vocals, and production yourself correct? Why did initially start as a one man project and why did you decide to use additional personnel for later albums?

That’s correct, except for the production, as I entered a regular studio back then, too. In the time between the 2nd and the 3rd album, I got to know Bolthorn, Hagalaz and Tyrann, as well as I decided to move to another studio, where Hagalaz worked. First of all, I just wanted to remove the drum-computer, something I was looking for all the years since the very beginning, and that’s how Bolthorn became part of a Falkenbach recording for the first time. Tyrann, being a real friend of mine (as well as Bolthorn and Hagalaz) comes up with the best screams I know, and as the 3rd album just had one song with screams, it’s been a short way to ask him about it. Hagalaz, working at the studio, and producing the whole album anyway, became automatically part of the recordings, adding a small solo guitar here, acoustic guitar there, etc. Since those days their presence in the songs increased, they have been part of every Falkenbach song recorded, and even contributed a riff here and then (Hagalaz for Sunnavend) or the lyrics for “Time between Dog & Wolf” (Tyrann). I hope this won’t change in the future, as they’re an inherent part of Falkenbach, not just for studio recordings, but also for playing live, and for sure people I use to call my friends.

For a time, Falkenbach was put on hold so you could focus on your record label, Skaldic Art Productions. Are you still active with your record label?

Actually Falkenbach was never put on ice for anything but myself, for sure not for Skaldic Art back then. There have always been periods without new songs and albums, but as I said, for no other reason than myself in the end. Skaldic Art itself was an idea, the dea of supporting young and talented ands with a non-profit label, but I had o realize running a label is simply not my cup of tea, I´m not made to run a business like that, I guess. So Skaldic Art was put on ice a long time ago, and will most probably never be reactivated.

What lies ahead for you and Falkenbach?

I never know what lies ahead, not for Falkenbach, and not even for myself. There are alot of little “maybes,” but time will tell, I guess.

Thank you for answering our questions. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for your support!

Check Facebook.com/Falkenbach for news.

Thanks again to Vratyas for taking the time to answer our questions. We eagerly await more news on Asa. Be sure to “like” Falkenbach on Facebook to keep up with news from the band.

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Unaware What Time Will Bring

Prologue
Vratyas Vakyas, aka Falkenbach, is one of the most mysterious and interesting figures on the European extreme stage. He’s done three full-length albums in the best traditions of viking metal, but there was a different reason for this interview – the re-recording of old material, which dates as far back as 1995, and which is now released under the name "Heralding The Fireblade". We had to wait for quite a long time to get the answers from Vratyas, but the unperturbed musician explained the reasons for it and told us many other interesting things about Falkenbach.

Your latest album “Heralding The Fireblade” came out in late 2005, but the material for it was ready yet 10 years ago. Why did you decide to record it again? What are the main differences between the current version and the one you had in 1995? Have the lyrics changed?

The material was ready, yes, and back then I tried to record the album indeed. It was my first step into a studio, and I did a lot of things wrong. The studio sucked, the engineer sucked as well, and the result sucked of course. That’s why I decided not to waste even more money and stopped the recordings. Some of the songs appeared on other albums, but in the end I always kept "Fireblade" in mind. Now time had come for a re-recording, in my opinion, and I tried to keep and save as much as possible from the original versions. The arrangements and structures of the songs did not change, some parts of the lyrics were improved, but the meaning of them remained the same. Still some songs are missing from the original album, on the other hand the bonus track is not an original “Fireblade” track, but taken from a demo.

What is more difficult – to record absolutely new material or to re-record the old one?

In this case it was much more difficult to record the old album. A new album is free to sound the way it will sound. But this one had clear rules, as I wanted this album to sound as original as possible. We invested a lot of time to find a guitar sound close to the old one and stuff like that. A new album needs guitars that sound good for the album, but this one needed guitars that sound exactly like the ones from 10 years ago.

Why did you choose TidalWave Studio for recording? How much time did it take? What is the hardest part of the process? Is it difficult to record the choir parts alone?

The TidalWave Studio is without any doubts one of the best studios in Europe for metal, still some sort of hidden treasure. Beside that, Patrick Damiani is for sure an outstanding engineer and musician himself, someone who has been listening to Falkenbach and other kinds of metal for more than 10 years. How long the whole recordings did take I really cannot remember. The choirs are one of the easy things to do, to be honest.

Your albums usually have Icelandic names. Why did you choose an English name this time? And why was it changed from “Fireblade” to “Heralding The Fireblade”?

Well, I usually find the title for an album when the songs are finally recorded, not earlier. And back then, the album was not meant to be released. But in a couple of interviews I spoke about the unreleased album, and I decided to tell them the "working title" I used, what was simply "Fireblade". Now, as the material is still the same, but as it’s not exactly the album recorded back then, I wanted the people to know what to expect. On one hand it’s "Fireblade", on the other hand there is something that makes clear that there’s a difference. The world "heralding" was added because it’s been a heralding for Falkenbach.

Who made the cover artwork? What kind of connection does the artwork have with the lyrics?

The artwork has a connection to the atmosphere of an album, not to the lyrics. On every album there’s a different artist, mainly people who have been dead for more than 100 years...On "Heralding The Fireblade" a photo was taken as the cover for the first time.

Do the lyrics have any concept, or is every song an individual story? And is there any lyrical connection between your albums in general?

I think about the lyrics you should ask people who read and try to understand them. I am not one of those musicians who want to tell people what to think, what’s the right and the wrong way to understand the lyrics.

Are your lyrics completely based on mythology or you yourself write stories for them?

All lyrics were written by myself, with a few exceptions that are quotations from several sources like Tacitus, Edda etc.

As on your previous album “Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty” (2003), this time you have worked again with 3 session musicians: Bolthorn (drums), Hagalaz (acoustic guitars), and Tyrann (additional vocals) from Vindsval. How did you hook up with them? Will you continue working together in future?

They’re good friends of mine, outstanding musicians and honourable characters. It was an honour for me the see them featured on both albums. Although they focus on their own bands and do not participate on the songwriting process of Falkenbach, I hope they will go on helping me out for upcoming Falkenbach recordings and possible live shows some day.

In your opinion, are you an easy person to work with?

No, I don’t think so. On the other hand, the ones I work with are people who know me for loads of years, so they know how to handle me, and as far as I can say everything worked fine so far.

As it’s known you play several instruments. Which music instrument do you like to play the most? If you have any ideas for a new song which instrument would you take to fix them? What was the first instrument you started to play?

Sometimes a melody comes from playing guitar, sometimes from playing keyboards, sometimes it’s just in my mind...it simply differs. The instrument I started with were the keyboards when I was a child, but I broke with it for about 10-15 years.

What do you usually create

first – music or lyrics?

Music is always first, simply because I am not able to create it the other way around.

There was a five-year break between your second album "Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri..." (1998) and the third one “Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty...” (2003). What were you doing all that time? Were you involved in any other musical projects in that period?

No, there were no other projects back then, and there are still no others. It was the time for a break, no more and no less. I am never able to say what time will bring.

How many demos does Falkenbach have? Can we get them anywhere now? Do you have any plans to re-record or release officially this material one day?

All in all, there are nine tapes. None of them you can get as original versions. Some you might get via Ebay as cheap copies for a lot of money, but everyone has to decide for himself if he’s stupid enough to support people who sell copies without any rights for their own profit. Right now there are no plans for re-releasing of the demos, nor for a re-recording. Maybe tomorrow I will think different, who knows...

The same question about your first band Crimson Gates. What do this band’s former members do nowadays?

The drummer is still active in a metal band, but did no demo or album so far. The two others stopped their musical career, though the keyboarder still records music for himself at home here and then.

How did you get a deal with Napalm Records? Why did you choose Napalm over your previous label, No Colours Records, which released "...En Their Medh Riki Fara..." in 1996? By the way, why don’t you want to release your albums using your own label, Skaldic Art?

So far three albums have been released via Napalm Records. To me the most important aspect is to be free in the end. I am free to record a new album whenever I feel like doing it, and there is no problem if it takes years over years. I am free about the music and the lyrics, the layouts, the merchandise etc. Skaldic Art simply did not have the capacity to release a Falkenbach album on one hand, on the other hand the idea of Skaldic Art was to support young and talented bands, to give them a fair chance to realize their ideas.

We’ve heard that Scaldic Art is no longer active. What happened to the label? Did you become dissatisfied or disinterested in it?

It was a matter of time. There was no more chance for me to invest the time needed to support the bands 100% unfortunately.

You use growling as well as clean vocals. What do you prefer most of all – brutal or clean vocals?

Personally I prefer the clean ones for myself, but both have the same value for a Falkenbach album.

You have said more than once about the possibility to play one or two small shows. Is there any progress in this sphere?

Still no progress. The line-up is there, but there is a distance of about 500 km for some musicians to go for just one session. I don’t know if there’s a real chance to play live on short notice, the plan is still there nevertheless. We will see, and as soon as there is something worth to be said, you’ll find it at www.Falkenbach.de

Not long ago Falkenbach’s tribute album "A Homage to Falkenbach" was released. What do you think about it? Do you like the result? Do you know those bands personally?

Some of the bands I know personally, others not. This album was not meant to be a high-tech product. Nearly all the songs were recorded at home, some were done not even by bands but single musicians. This project did and does mean a lot to me indeed.

What kind of music do you listen to nowadays? Do you enjoy visiting concerts? And do you often listen to Falkenbach albums?

When it comes to metal, I usually listen to Falkenbach 95% indeed. Beside that classical music like Wagner, Grothe, Grieg etc.

As you say, critics’ opinion means nothing for you. But do you take the opinion of fans into account? Do you have close contacts to your fans?

Whoever contacts me gets a reply, it’s been like that for more than 15 years now. Sometimes it takes weeks or even months, not because there‘re so many letters and mails to be answered, but because I don‘t use to spend most of my time with such things. To answer such a mail or letter takes some time, I am not a friend of standard answers for people who contacted me to find answers.

When will you record the next album? Is it possible that you’ll write songs in the Icelandic or, for example, in the German language?

I really do not have any idea what the future will bring. Maybe a new album will follow soon, maybe it will take a couple of years, but maybe not even a new album will come out, I simply do not know. The same goes for details of course about possible songs.

What do you know about Russia? Maybe something from history or mythology? Have you ever seen your CDs released by the Russian label Irond?

What I know about Russia must be as good as nothing unfortunately, except some superficial things. I guess to know a country you have to spend some time there at least and know the people. I’ve never seen Irond CDs, no.

And please say a few words to your Russian fans to round up this interview.

Thanks for your support throughout all those years!

Special thanks to Alexei “KIDd” Kuzovlev (Irond) for arranging this interview

Ekaterina Fyodorova
November 2, 2006

 

 

Παρασκευή, 29 Απριλίου 2011
Falkenbach, a very rare interview with Vratyas Vakyas for "Ideon Antron" online magazine, issue 2

 

Dear Vakyas Vratyas, thank you for granting us the pleasure to have this interview with you!

Our interview starts with an ordinary question,

1. Please tell us a short history about Falkenbach for those who do not know you yet!

The first home recording was made in 1989, followed by several more tapes. The debut album "en þeir með riki fara" 1995, "Magni Blandinn ok Megintiri","Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty", Heralding - The Fireblade" and now "Tiurida" are the official albums Falkenbach released so far.

2. You are about to release a new album in the first months of 2011, tell us a few things that we must know about that! (Title, songs, lyrics, inspiration etc) What does Tiurida means and why you chosen that title for your new album?

The album is called Tiurida, which is old german and can be translated with "Glory".
The tracklist is:

Intro ;
..Where His Ravens Fly... ;
Time Between Dog And Wolf ;
Tanfana ;
Runes Shall You Know ;
In Flames ;
Sunnavend ;
Asaland (Bonustrack)
About the lyrics I prefer people making up their own minds about them.

I am not a person telling people what to think or how exactly to understand things.

3. Falkenbach is a one man band but to the last albums use stable session members, which is the current line up to Tiurida?

For the new new album the same people as on the last two albums contributed to the recordings.The only difference this time is Alboin, who added bass on one track.

4. Each Falkenbach’s album has its own musically identity, what do we have to expect from your new album?

Hard to say, as this is something everyone has to decide for himself. As you said, every album has got an own, unique identity, and same goes for this album. Somehow it might remind of "Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty", as acoustic guitars play an important role, on the other hand it might remind of "Heralding - The Fireblade" due to some rather rough passages and screams. In the end it combines a lot of aspects Falkenbach showed in the past, as well as it adds some very own elements.

 

5. The thematology of Falkenbach is all about Tradition, its values etc. Do you think that the Traditional path is a shelf directed path? Or it has more to do with society and its course to set about?

To most people, it seems, traditions and culture, own roots, are mainly based on books. They might feel connected to those aspects, but to most people it´s based in the past. Personally I think beliefs and values should be based in the present, ´though of course based on roots you can find in the past. In the end one should make up his / her own mind, not just focusing on what is written in books. Traditions are important, own culture as well, but are not meant to be a dogma given 1000 years ago or even more. We are not those who lived back then, we are offspring, but we are today. To be bound to the past means to follow dead principles, we have to live what we stand for today.

6. Old Faiths are based on several values, of course non follows a dogma; by your opinion you think that Old Faiths have to be up-to-date?

In general: yes, they have to. It´s not about changing the roots of your belief of course, but we´re today, as I said earlier before already. "Up-To-Date" seems to be a problematic description, but we live today, we are today, and with us our beliefs. It´s up to us to build a world for ourselves based up what we belief, our values, traditions, cultures, our roots. On the other hand it´s not just
about copying things written in books.

7. The Old Faiths seems to have a big come back in the European countries and not only, why do you think this is happening? Is it just a reaction to the failure of x-stianity, or it is something beyond, that has to do with a great new beginning?

 

I am really not the person to answer such a question, simply as I do not follow too much
what´s going on in general. Probably, as nearly always, such things are a trend of our modern world, coming up fast, disappearing fast as well. Truth doesn´t need many...the best ones are rare. I don´t care if people visit "pagan-meetings" on their weekends, living a usual life during the week. They are free to do whatever they want, still I don´t feel any connection with them.

 

 

8) Your Lyrics are based on themes of Norse-Germanic Deities and Stories, what is your connection with this Tradition and how do you think these themes effects on people?

I am German, those are the basis of my roots, my culture, my traditions.
Beside that it´s been a part of my education as well. It´s a part of my life,
a part of myself, a part of the world around me.
I really do not know, as probably 99% of the Germans do not even know about their own culture today probably.
They do not know those Goddesses and Gods, the things handed down. People obviously know more about.
Buddah than about those things these days.

9) Do you find any particular connection between the Hellenic and the German Deities and Traditions (Traditions for example the celebrations of Winter Solstice, Summer Solstice etc -this example will not appear in the main question, is just to let you understand my point of view-)? You think that they have the same "roots"?

Well, I am not a follower of pantheistic ideas, therefore I do not think Gods like Wuotan and Ziu are based on the same "character".
In some cases it is nevertheless, western- and northern Germanic Gods (Wuotan / Odin --- Donar / Thor) are the same indeed. And beside that there are also links between different cultures and Gods, for example an Aztec God is described
as having white skin, red beard and blue eyes, and this description was not based by Hispanic influences.
The Aesir and Vanir are also not the same tribe. This shows Gods do have connections to other cultures.
But in the end, to say it again: in my opinion a God cannot be reduced to only "one side" of
a bigger, "all-around-the-world" existing God/character/principle.

Thank you very much for this interview!

alkenbach (Vratyas Vakyas)
Vratyas Vakyas, the wandering seeker, illustrates the shapes, depth and boundaries of the Falkenbach universe for SpazioRock. On the occasion of the release of "Tiurida", the band's latest studio album, here's what our interlocutor told us. Happy reading! Article by Fabio Petrella - Published on: 04/05/11
Hi Vratyas. First of all, welcome to the SpazioRock virtual pages. You were born in Iceland, but have lived in Germany for many years. How come you left your home country?

Your information is not correct, and therefore there is not much to say about it, I assume. I am German, having a family that has been German for generations, for at least two hundred years.

Your first demo, "Hamaval", is about twenty years ago. In all these years your way of composing hasn't changed much. What was the spark that made the Falkenback project come to life?

At the beginning, as with "Havamal", Falkenbach was just folk, metal influences have come with the years. I think the songs and the way they were composed has changed a lot in a way. The reason why I started recording the first songs is very simple; for me it was, and still is a way to shape my religious feelings and my point of view.

Speaking of the lyrics, your albums go deep into paganism and Nordic mythology. By listening to "Tiurida" you can understand how these themes are so important to you. There seems to be an intense synergy between this ancient world and you. What's your secret?

The first secret is that perhaps, for me, there is no "ancient world" when I speak of paganism.
Of course there are roots, and of course they can be called these ancient roots. Despite everything, they still live today. We are children of the time in which we live. And paganism is something that still exists today. Falkenback and my views do not build a false image of ancient heroism. They concern the transformation of our cultures, values, beliefs in our life, in our time. It is a part of today.

Behind these mythological and pagan themes, your works show a true love for nature, its scenarios and its aspects. Is it a feeling linked to everyday life or is it just a test to communicate in a different way a sort of "pagan" philosophy?

Nature is part of the world we live in, and therefore part of my life, part of my thought and obviously, for me there is no link between nature and pagan beliefs at first sight, but there is a link between me and what people call nature. Calling it nature means for many people to put a border between them and an external world. For me there is something called animism, and this is my link with it, and that of the Falkenbaches. In general, this is not connected to paganism, but to me it is, as part of my world.

Thanks to the dreamy and intimate aspect, your music fits perfectly if listened to while surrounded by nature. For example, I think of "Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty" (but of course this can be said of all your albums), full of epic atmospheres and pathos, and if you listen to it while you're in the mountains, it really becomes very suggestive. Do you dig inside your soul to conceive such deep and mystical pieces?

No, I do not think. It is what I receive, it is the melodies that come to my mind. I don't have to look for them, I don't need special places or particular moods. When the right time comes, these things come to mind, and the place where I am or how I feel is not important.

Most likely you were among the first artists who proposed this way of making metal music, and in recent years it has spread widely. Do you follow the growth of this kind? What do you think of the current situation of viking-folk music, which is becoming increasingly commercial, increasingly the same and without a soul? Which band do you consider the best in this genre today?

To be honest, I don't follow any particular genre, and other than that, I haven't listened to any new bands and new albums for years. I do not know what is going on in this scenario, and neither of the others. There are few things I have heard in the past few years, and not enough to comment on it, I think.

Your works in a certain way recall in a very original way a certain musicality and a certain attitude created long ago by our late Quorthon, and many people see you as the heir of the Swedish artist. Do you feel you have a poetics close to his?

No, I do not think. Quorthon has created good albums with Bathory, gaining an excellent reputation. It was an artist who sold a lot of CDs, while I didn't. He started by dealing with issues on Satanism, while I didn't. He later stated that all "viking" texts were based on his interests, and he did not seriously believe what he wrote, just as he did not believe in any religion. his is another element that differentiates a person like Quorthon from me. In the end, well, maybe there isn't much that makes me feel close to him, besides the fact that I don't know him.

For me "Tiurida" is another masterpiece without any weak points. Your albums are difficult to reach, but why does it take so long to prepare them? Is it a conscious choice or is it simply a break to give the audience a job well done?

It is a pause, but I am not planning. Sometimes there are times when new ideas don't come to mind, and I can't do much about it. Many years have passed between Tiurida and the previous album, but it doesn't mean that I worked all the time on the songs. When a new song comes to mind, it usually happens quickly and there is no need for me to think about it and think about it, it's there, ready. And after this, maybe after a year or more, nothing happens. It is so.

Seeing a Falkenbach concert would be a dream for many people. Is it true that you are planning some shows?

Maybe programming is a little too much. There is an idea, of course, it is taking more shape than in previous years. There is a good chance to do a couple of concerts, but nothing is sure. Check the site www.falkenbach.de from time to time, you will find news about the Falkenbach.

Ok Vratyas, we're done. Thanks for the interview and good luck! ... As Long As Winds Will Blow ...

Thanks for the support!

03/01/2006
Falkenbach - Interview With Vratyas Vakyas
By: Omer Barzilai
Interview With: Vratyas Vakyas, Falkenbach

The mind that ticks behind Falkenbach's music belongs to one Vratyas Vakyas, an enigmatic genius that drives Falkenbach's albums to be some of the most unique folk metal creations in existence. In his first interview to an Israeli magazine, Vratyas gave us some answers to long awaited questions, while choosing to maintain secrecy about others.

Hello Vratyas! How do you feel about your latest album, Heralding? Are you happy with it? What were the comments so far?

I am pretty satisfied with the result indeed. It´s been quite some work to rerecord all the material and to prepare for the whole studio sessions. As far as I can say the feedback has been really good up to now, but I´ve to concede I do not care too much about reviews.

The name "Falkenbach" is constructed of two German words that means "Falcons" (falke) and "Brook" (bach). Why did you choose that name?

Well, of course you can translate the words into any language, but you won´t get the meaning by it has got for me personally. I think people should care much more about the music and lyrics instead of such things.

The music of Falkenbach is very special and original. How do you come up with it? is there anything special that drives you into the writing of such music?

I don´t know, it´s just inspiration, if you want to call it that way. I don´t know where it comes from, nor when it appears. Inspiration is pure and something own, can´t be manipulated. I never plan something regarding the music or lyrics of Falkenbach, things just come the way it is meant to be.

To what bands/artists do you listen to the most?

Mainly classical music like Wagner, Groothe, Grieg etc. If it comes to metal I prefer demos and self produced albums.

Falkenbach is signed with Napalm Records. Are you happy with them?

As always in life, things could be improved, but I think Napalm is doing a good job all in all. I mainly care about things that guarantee my freedom. I do not have to create more albums if I don't feel to, I can take as much time as I want, I do not have to play festivals or tours etc.

Why do you not release your albums through your own label company called Skaldic Art.?

Skaldic Art was meant to support young and talented bands, not to make more money with Falkenbach. If Falkenbach was signed to Skaldic Art, it would mean a lot of time and money to invest in, and there was no more space for young bands.

Let's go back to "Heralding". Is there a personal favorite song in the album? why?

No, I do never have any favorite song on an album, they all mean a lot to me.

 

 

It is a lot heavier than your previous album "Ok Nefna Tsyvar Ty". Why is that?

This new album was created more than 10 years ago and was meant to be the original debut album of Falkenbach. Due to problems at the studio the album was not released back then, but instead of it “En Their Medh Riki Fara…”. This may explain why the new album musicwise is much closer to the debut album instead to “Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty”.

There are 3 songs in the new album that are renewals to old Falkenbach songs, (Heathen Foray, Laeknishendr and Skirnir). I also saw in almost all of your previous albums renewals of old songs. Is there any special reason you choose to records new versions of your songs?

Well, Skirnir is not a renewal of an older song that has been released already. This track carries the name of a track that has been featured on one of the demos, but it´s a different song. For the rest I think I answered in the last question already. I tried to rerecord the album the way it´s been 10 years ago, so now you listen to the old and original versions of the song.

When looking back to your debut release "En Their Medh Riki Fara...", would you change anything in it?

I would not change anything, except for the studio where I did record it.

Have you ever thought of doing a Falkenbach live set, with the help of your session musicians?

Indeed, there are plans for 1-2 small live shows. As soon as there is something 100% to tell you about, you will find it at my website.

It seems that a lot of fans got to know Falkenbach because of your previous release "Ok Nefna Tsyvar Ty". Why do you think that is?

As far as I can say, the last album did not sell a hell more than the previous one, so I cannot say why more people should know the last album compared to the former one(s).

Did the move from Island to Germany affect your music in any way, and what is your opnion on the fact that the within the musical jenre you create there's a growth in neo-nazi influnces and opnions, in Europe in general, and specificaly in Germany?

I do not use to talk about private things in interviews, nor about politics. Not because there was something to hide, but due to the fact it is of no ones concern in my opinion, instead of people I know personally.

Any last words for the Israeli fans?

Thanx for your support!

FALKENBACH Heathen Pride
Falkenbach is one of the most influential bands for me, especially in the beginning. “Magni Bladinn ok Megintiri…” is one of the best albums I’ve had the opportunity to hear and I still go back to it regularly. After a six year pause since their last album, the man behind Falkenbach has release the third album and a fourth is already in the making. Good news in any case, because we won’t have to wait long for new material. I tried to familiarize the readers with this interview about the entire body of work which represents Falkenbach.
1071_photo
Hello Vratyas! Some time has passed since your latest record, are you preparing/recording any new material?
At the moment I am working on the material for the new album “Heralding – The Fireblade”. As far as I can say now, the last recording session will take place in July this year.

If I compare the new record with “Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty” and “Magni Bladinn ok Megintiri…” the new record is much more peaceful then its predecessor. Do you agree with my statement? Which other elements separate those two albums?
In the end you’re right. I’d not say it was due to the way the songs were composed, but more a result of the sound of the whole album. We had to keep an eye on all those small details, like acoustic guitars etc., things that were not used that much on the former albums. This lead to a less rough sound for the guitars all in all, and so the album sounds a bit more “peaceful”.

As a matter of fact you have never had a gig (but I have read that you would like to have some). What has happened to make you feel that way? Would you still like to have live performances?
At the moment it’s not sure if Falkenbach will play live one day or not. When the idea of playing live came to my mind, I simply wanted to play 1-2 small live shows, not for big promotional reasons, not on big festivals, no tour or something like that. I just wanted to give back something to all those people who supported Falkenbach throughout all those years, and who constantly asked me to play a couple of live shows.

You have recorded your third full-length with a full band. Could you compare this working with the ones when you were working alone?
In the end the last album wasn’t recorded with a real full line up. Boltthorn did the whole drums, Hagalaz added some acoustic parts, and Tyrann some vocals, that’s it. They were not involved in the song writing process, too. Nevertheless I am very glad to see them being featured on the album. The main difference between the last and the former albums simply is the fact that Boltthorn played the drums, the rest was also on the last album done by me mainly.

Many people who listen to Falkenach are also fans of Summoning. Have you noticed this? Do you like their music?
So far I did not realize this combination. Beside that I can tell you that I like what Summoning did so far, though I have to concede that I probably do not know all their songs.

At this moment you are working with Napalm Records. Any comments on their contract with you? It seems that they have grown into a very professional/bigger label?
Napalm Records grew bigger without any doubts during the years. Of course I am no going to give away any details of the contract.

Do you listen to any bands from Napalm Records?
They signed a couple of bands I listen to rarely, most of their releases I do not like that much to be honest. On the other hand Napalm is meant to do a good job for Falkenbach, and not to sign bands I like to listen to in my spare time. I simply don’t care.

You are also running your own underground label Skaldic Art. Is it hard to have a record company? Do you earn enough money to live from Skaldic Art and Falkenbach?
It’s more than hard to run a label, and to work on a fair basis. Skaldic Art is not meant to be a business label, making profit etc. The earned money is reinvested in the bands, there is not win I could live from.

Rivendell, Obsidian Gate, Menhir are some of the bands that you have released through your label. Which one has sold the best so far?
Sales are also one of the aspects I do not use to talk about. It’s something personal between the label and the band. I know most labels use to spread rumors about great sales of their bands, letting you know that band xy sold 5000 copies within 4 weeks, but in the end they are just crappy liars. If a band wants to reveal their sales, ok, but it’s not my turn to do so.

This may be a little off topic, but please tell me what was/is happening with Obsidian Gate. There has been no news from then for a while.
They are no longer on Skaldic Art, same goes for a couple of other bands. The last thing I’ve heard about Obsidian Gate was that they did split up and started a new death metal band.

Many groups from Napalm Records now have at least one video-clip. Are you thinking to record one? Videos could be great tool for promotional issues-do you agree?
Probably you’re right regarding the promotional aspects of a video. Between the 2nd and the 3rd album were about 6 years of silence, also something that’s not that good regarding promotional aspects. Well, I do not give a fuck about promotional aspects you have to know. If I wanted to create a video, it probably was far too expensive. Napalm asked me once, I told them what I needed, and we stopped thinking about it. A video would be nice, yes, but far too expensive, and probably also too long for TV people.

Lyrically you were always in historical waters. Which period of human civilization has inspirited you the most?
None. Falkenbach is about religious aspects, not about history. Of course most of the lyrics are playing in front of a historical background, but the main thing is the religious aspect in it. Do you think that monotheistic religions are better or worse then polytheistic and why? Some would say that polytheistic religions are far more open.
To me there is no need to compare religions with each other. I never had to chose the way I wanted to go, the way simply belongs to me, the way is a part of my very self. If one has to compare religions, to find out which one fits most, he/she probably won’t find what he/she is searching for.

Could you compare Falkenbach’s three full-lengths from your point of you? Do you have a favorite track or album?
Obviously, all three albums are different in some way, but on the other hand absolutely typical for what Falkenbach stands for. “En their…” is a rougher album, also the songs are faster here and there. The 2nd album “Magni…” came up with a different sound, more power for the guitars, a bit less black metal influences music wise. The 3rd album “Ok nefna…” turned out to be a more folk inspired album, with a lot of acoustic guitars, choirs and so on, and with less important distorted guitars, though it’s still a metal album in the end. All tracks mean a lot to me, and I do not have any favorite ones.

Falkenbach has many folk influences within its music and art. Which bands have inspired you the most to create such a music? Also, do you prefer to listen to only bands from the metal genre or are you an open-minded person?
No band did ever influence Falkenbach regarding the final results of the demos and official releases. I do not use to listen to well known metal acts, neither black metal, nor folk or what so ever, since quite some years, except for demos and self produced albums.

Back in the beginnings of Falkenbach, was it hard to record a demo then? It seems today that is pretty easy to record any material (even whole albums) on a PC.
In the beginning it’s been rather hard to find a way to record instruments, yes. Even a 4-track recorder was pretty expensive for a young guy like me. Throughout the years I bought a 4-tracker first, later a 6 and 8-track recorder. Up to now I do not use the PC for recordings at all, when ever I record demo-material, I use the old 8-track recorder.

Before you started to create music for Falkenbach you had a band called Crimson Gate. What happened with this group? As I have read somewhere you finished your career after two demos.
Well, I did not start with Crimson Gate, but played in this band when Falkenbach existed for a couple of years already, some when ’92 or something. We recorded 2 demos, played a couple of live shows, and in the end we decided to split up. All the members of C.G. are still in touch, we use to have nice meetings a couple of times per year, but we are probably not going to start a reunion within the following 100 years 😉

At the end please explain the word Falkenbach. Answer I’ve noticed that many people have always wondered themselves about what it means. Does it have any historical or personal background?
It’s neither the name of a person I know, nor of a place, though I’ve heard there’s a small town called Falkenbach in Germany. Anyway, it has got a deep meaning for me, but in the end no one should care about it, and I will not explain the reasons for it.

Interview done by Marko Miranovic in 2005

Falkenbach
Interview with Vratyas Vakyas on "Asa"
interview
Falkenbach

With their sixth studio album " Asa ", FALKENBACH remain true to their original style and continue to perfect it. The new pieces, which unite all facets from the various creative periods into a varied, atmospheric and timeless work, lie in the tension between great melodic-hymnic epic and rough, harsh outbursts. We clarified what's behind this with Vratyas Vakyas.

Falkenbach

You switched from Napalm Records to Prophecy Productions. What were the reasons for this change? How do you assess the collaboration with Napalm Records afterwards, and how is Prophecy Productions doing now?

I don't think much of speaking about the background in public, but there were reasons that ultimately made the difference in changing the label. After we released four albums together, logically not everything could have been bad, certainly not. But there was no doubt that it was time to change, and the right decision. It was also clear to me that switching to a large major label would not be an option, I would not be happy with it in the long term, and the decision for the almost family-like environment at Prophecy was correct from today's perspective. It was important to me to have peace and time, not to be subject to any pressure either for the recordings or for the layout. These points were and are more important to me than having some commercial benefits from a major major label. Without this level of calm and freedom, even in rather unconventional matters, "Asa" would not have been possible in this form, and both Prophecy, but also Patrick / Tidalwave Studio and the other musicians play a large part in this.

Your new album "Asa" is kept in the typical characteristic FALKENBACH style, but in my opinion is again much more varied. Where do you see the differences between "Asa" and the predecessor " Tiurida "? In what period of time did the pieces come from, is older material included, and did you change anything in your approach to new songs?

"Asa" was created in a very short period of time by my standards, I can hardly remember ever having found as many melodies in one piece as at that time. It was definitely a special experience for me. Older material is included, as is always the case. Nothing has changed in the approach, apart from the fact that I now record the songs first on the PC instead of on an 8-track recorder. Basically, the songs are still created today, as was the case from the beginning. As far as differences or similarities to the individual albums are concerned, it probably doesn't make much sense to think about them. Each of the first 5 albums basically stands for itself, and "Asa" now unites them in one last step. "Asa" is different without being different, and the same,

Did you have a specific goal in mind that you wanted to achieve with "Asa"?

Yes, I did, and I achieved that goal. However, this goal has nothing to do with the release of the album, nothing to do with any reactions to it, but was completely private. My goal was achieved when the album was recorded and I had completed it well before the actual release.

Falkenbach

You recorded again in the Tidalwave Studio. Please describe the cooperation between FALKENBACH and Patrick Damiani and your relationship to each other! What is special about this combination that you recorded “Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty” there?

The quality of Tidalwave Studio, as well as Patrick's outstanding work itself, are of course an important reason, but ultimately we are simply very good, close friends, and the music is only one of many points that connect us. This also applies to the complete line-up.

I have a feeling that less vocals were used this time, am I right?

The entire album was equipped with far fewer effects than any other album before. Both vocals, as well as bass and guitars, but above all the drums, which are almost free of effects. Strangely enough, some people seem to feel the exact opposite, but that doesn't change the fact that I've never been so happy with an album as it is with "Asa". Regarding the songs, the lyrics, as well as the recording and the mix.

The violin sounds authentic or does my hearing deceive me? Who recorded the violin?

As with the effects in general, "Asa" has less keyboard than any other album before. Much of the violin was recorded by Nikos Mavridis.

Please describe the process of the recordings for "Asa" to us!

This is difficult in detail. The biggest difference to the previous recordings was that we didn't always record an instrument completely in one piece (apart from the drums), but constantly switched between the songs, so we always had new ideas for details, for practically all instruments, including vocals . It certainly takes more time, but thanks to Patrick and Prophecy, it was actually possible for the first time.

Do you actually rehearse regularly or irregularly? Do you get new songs or ideas from playing together? And what influence do your comrades-in-arms Tyrann, Hagalaz and Bolthorn have on the pieces?

There are no rehearsals at all, and the pieces are made at home alone, as already described. As soon as the (very rough) recordings are done here, they go to the other musicians, who then give some thought before we meet in the studio. Ultimately, their share in the songs, in the implementation of the pieces in the studio, is very spontaneous and has little to do with the common image of "professional work". But it has always been an integral part of FALKENBACH, and will always be. The songs have a maximum of freedom until the end, many, almost all things arise spontaneously, changes in detail are part of the creation and recording in the studio.

The album name "Asa" certainly refers to the Ases in Nordic mythology? Is there a concept behind the album? What is the lyrics about?

No, the title of the album is a name and has little to nothing to do with this topic. Yes, the album is based on a thought, as is always the case. But both in this regard, and in terms of the texts, I would like people to have their own picture made without a pre-prepared interpretation on my part.

There is also a lyric video for the single "Eweroun". What does the name of the piece mean? And what kind of dialect / language did you use here? Why did you use it?

One could probably best translate “Eweroun” as “forever”. The dialect used was widespread in certain parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Netherlands and eastern Belgium (albeit very different from region to region) and, as a layperson, I belong to the South Lower Franconian / Limburg. Some of my parents grew up with it, thanks to my (great) grandparents. So it was a very personal decision.

In the last interviews, you no longer excluded live performances and placed them in the realm of possibility. Are there any concrete plans here? And will there be other musicians in addition to the regular line-up, I could very well imagine a flute or violin, for example?

We have been able to clarify and regulate a lot of things that have been a real problem over the years when it came to the topic of live. If the remaining 1-2 difficulties can now be regulated, rehearsals would be possible next spring. However, this is still very, very difficult, both in terms of time and finances, and with each additional musician, various problems would continue to grow. The smaller the line-up can ultimately be, the greater the probability that it will be realized. Ideally, of course, every instrument is played live by one person on stage, but then we have a lot of people on stage, and unfortunately this is impossible for several reasons. Finding the necessary compromises is one of the crucial tasks.

Thank you for the interview! The last words are yours!

Thanks for the support!