Sombre Arcane

Goebbels: Hails! Shitting Christ, do you have any idea how hard it is to find any info on Urfaust? It’s like the only source of real informations comes from MySpace, I almost had to eat my keyboard. Is there any particular reason to that detachment to the rest of the world?

We like silence, especially when there is nothing to say. Urfaust is about music, not a debate group. Urfaust makes music, and the people behind that music have nothing interesting to say that people do not already know.  

Goebbels: Yet, the few things we know about you guys are not exactly sufficient to get an idea of the band. Could you give us a hint about the formation of the band?

Although that you've been around for quite a while now, Raw BM has always suffered from a lack of innovation. Yet, Urfaust offers a new flavor, a real difference into this genre. Was it some sort of goal? Are you still aiming onto something, trying to achieve something, or just follow your spontaneous inspiration?

Achievement is it’s own award, pride obscures it. We have no goals nor directions, but enjoy every moment of the Urfaust movement wherever it might go. There is nothing we want to accomplish. We hate bands that evolve in time with their predictable 20tieth century mainstream consciousness. Urfaust goes in different directions like a explosion in the cosmos, like the Big Bang modular meltdown beginning on the “Einsiedler” album.

Goebbels: I’m always interested to know how a band comes up with one name, and not the other. The meaning behind it, what makes it so important. Talking about that, Urfaust is clearly related to Goethe’s poetry. What does it represent exactly for you?

Urfaust is based on the urge to do evil for the sake of evil and nothing else, and is based on literature about these subjects, like Goethe’s Faust.  

Goebbels: I would also like to congratulate you about your last EP.  Not only about the composition, but because you achieved it right after the split with Joyless. Did the work start before or something just made the process quicker than it should have been?

We weere Intoxicated and Possessed by Spirits of Fire and Blood! Alcoholic Rites seem to take us steps beyond...

Goebbels: “Einsiedler” means “Hermits”. If I’m well guessing its interpretation, it’s an individual recluse from the rest of his siblings, by misanthropy or just to devote himself to a cause, be it spiritual elevation or to religion. Was there a specific meaning behind it?

Urfaust is a hermit in the Black Metal "scene". We stand alone as a fist! We dedicate our lives to the rites of Intoxication, we worship the fallen Idols and don't give a fuck about the rest. Some are with us, most are against us, and this is the only way for us.

Urfaust is not based on any religion, only nihilism.

Goebbels: As I was saying earlier, Urfaust is one of the most innovative band out there, at least in its own sector. This brand new EP itself is in fact a great example of my words. Some ‘traditional’ Black/Doom riffs, yet with something somewhat threatening, ritualistic, mass destructive clean vocals. It sounds like an incantation… What exactly inspires you?

Our songs are the gospel for the intoxicated and possessed. It's Ritual music for the true clochard! We let the music go in a direction without thinking to much of what it should become, it is a free form. We are very keen on the synthesizer sounds though, a lot of work goes in creating the right tune for them, so that they are hypnotic and grap you by the throat. An analogue synthesizer is a powerful medium if you know how to use it.

Goebbels: In my last review, I mentioned that your music “is of an evil breed, grimly beautiful and relentlessly suicidal. At times dirty, other times gentle and warm”. If I am not correct tell me. This capacity to create divergent atmospheres is thanks to your new direction..emmm…something in the vein of Atmospheric Doom Metal. IX - Der Einsiedler and Verderber are more sluggish and depressive from the rest of your discography (except Drei Rituale Jenseits Des Kosmos which explores nearly the same areas).

We could not have put it better ourselves.

Goebbels: One of the things that beat me about your vocals is the fact that I can’t compare them to any other band directly. Here and there I hear the same tone of Valefar’s demo (dated from 1998), but apart from that the band has a real unique weapon. What can you tell us about these screams? You yell, you cry, you smile as an alien…How can you produce all these elements in the same time?

Possession can take a spirit far away! During the recording of our new upcoming album IX fainted a couple of times during the chant singing. IX is very found on noise and likes to put that element in the singing.

Goebbels: And it takes a lot of efforts or is it all usual and natural? I tried to make something like this…but, shit! I lost my voice and I spent 2 or 3 days with a killer sore throat.

Do not waste your voice, just put the speaker on the microphone louder. Drinking liquor is a great way to keep your voice and body in shape, look at Pavarotti.

Goebbels: To get the picture complete: Can you tell us a bit more about the recording sessions of your discography? Where was it recorded, who produced it, how long did it take to record, who mixed it was it an easy mission or not at all?

Recordings of Urfaust are a closed seance only to be witnessed by the inaugurated! With Urfaust we don't need fancy studio's or the best of the best equipment: we use old vintage stuff, most of the stuff is broken or possessed and will only function on certain ways. Urfaust works best as when the spirits take control of us and we can record our rituals in 1 take: No overdubs or extras. Until the "einsiedler" album we have recorded everything live in 1 take: Vocals, guitars, drums: everything in one take: if we fucked up, we fucked up an kept it on the records (as you might have heard). With the newer material we started to experiment with recording a bass guitar or using some old analogue possessed synthesizer to add some more dimension to the music and it worked out.

Geist ist Teufel was recorded in 1 drunk night, all in 1 take by a friend with a tape recorder and was intended as a "rehearsal". The sound turned out better than expected, so we released it. All other "weapons" as you call them, where recorded by our loyal intoxicated comrade Deportator: He knows how we want to sound and he knows how to work under Ritual conditions...

We never enter a studio or leave our own places of Worship: the first releases of Urfaust got recorded at IX his farm. He had a temple of mold and fungus in his farm, with an Altar of Alcoholic Worship: This was the perfect place to record for us! Other weapons where recorded in the old bunker that is on the farm of my family. The new album will have some recorded rituals in the bunker as well, but some other stuff has been recorded at my farm, in the middle of nowhere... it was winter, there was so much snow we couldn't get all the equipment we wanted into the farm.... the heating wasn't working, we kep ourselves warm with alcohol and fire...

Goebbels: What are the songs about on the album lyrically? Why we can not find any trace of them on the net? Personally, I don’t rust Metal-Archives. I can not believe that Death and Occultism are the only treated themes in your songs.

You are correct, they are not the only themes close to our hearts. The lyrics are also about the big Nothing.

Goebbels: Am I wrong when I say that the “Geist” (spirit) is the directing line of your universe?

You are correct. We want to eliminate “geist” in the Urfaust being. Urfaust is “No geist”

Goebbels: What is a Spirit for you?

Something that must be eliminated in our music. spirit can be many things: it can be the spirit you have in mind, it can be an other world spirit, it can be a spirit that takes control of you or it can be liquor: we prefer the combination of all combined!

Goebbels: In some words, what the two masterpieces Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist and Geist ist Teufel are talking about?

Emptiness, the “Nothing’ in nature, empty chambers, broken records, drinking but not enjoying it, nihilism, arising spirits and how to get rid of them, noise, neoclassical music, witch woods, good old drinking stories, fire and smoke, nonsense.   

Goebbels: Personally, I am always blown away by the artwork of Verräterischer, Nichtswürdiger Geist. Where is it taken from? Can I say that it is a symbol of a mournful “Geist”?

The statue on the front is a medieval Japanese temple guardian, he screams in silence for centuries now. It represents invisible power. We like the combination of noise and absolute silence.

Goebbels: I am keen on Goethe. For my part I prefer Die Leiden des jungen Werther, Iphigenie auf Tauris and of course the great Faust and what about you?

We are not the type of people who read a lot, we like to do things without any forms. Goethe is an interesting read though.

Goebbels: What can you tell us about your new album? When is it going to be released? How different will it be from previous Urfaust releases, your last one in particular?

The new album is being recorded as we speak: the first seance has been done on Vrdrbr's farm, the second seance will be at the bunker in a few days. the third and final Ritual will take place in an abandoned church and this seance will close the trinity! The new album will be something different, but familiar: old elements of Urfaust will be there, new spirits where summoned....

Goebbels: So, please, can you deliver some exclusive information to your dear Sombre Arcane Readers?

When Vrdrbr is not busy with Urfaust he works as a spiritual medium.

Goebbels: My last line is that I hope to interview you guys again when it comes down to a new release. Before I try again to imitate your voice and of course to lost it again, Haha, any last words from you to your fans and our readers?..

Good interview, be careful with your voice, otherwise you will end up being a Tom Waits.