Der Blutharsch
 
 

The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud has been one of the most innovator and exciting project of this last decade. The band sadly stopped all activity a few years ago, leaving us with some outstanding records we still keep listening to with the same pleasure. Now that Albin Julius has just released his third album under the name Der Blutharsch, as well as two albums for Death in June, Simoneh, our Italian correspondent, took the opportunity to ask him a few questions. So fasten your seat-belt, as we're off to Vienna...
 

 Interview : Simoneh
 

First of all, I 'd like to ask you why did The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud split up. Was it for personal misunderstandings, or did you just choose to concentrate full time on Der Blutharsch ?

Our personal relation ended after 10 years time and this also automatically lead into the split of the band. I think it wouldn't have been wise to continue, as you never can separate the private life from the rest.
Today I think that sooner or later TMLHBAC anyway would have come to an end, as I got more and more engaged with Der Blutharsch and simply would not have enough time to have a second "full-time" project, as well as Hau Ruck got bigger and now also deserves a lot of work.

Let ' s talk a bit about your very debut. When did you have the feeling that music would have been your way ?

From the beginning when I started doing it. I met Elisabeth at University 12 years ago. She was in a band at the time, and when they splitted, we starting doing music together. When TMLHBAC got more successful, well this simply did lead into a fulltime job. Initially I was studying "communication" as I wanted to do something in the media.

Austria is not very well known for its musical scene. Did you have to face particular difficulties choosing this artistic career ?

Not at all. I am not involved or dependent on anything here in Austria. As I said, being able to just do music as "occupation" happened by accident. I never thought about that possibility, nor did I believe that it was possible to live from music. I've been studying, and one day it turned out that music was my destiny. Of course I took all my efforts in it, but, to be honest, it was easy enough. We went straight through World Serpent Distribution, which was equal as taking the lift to the penthouse at that time.

Wilhelm and Albin

What do you think of other musicians from Wien, such as Allerseelen, Novy Svet or Die Verbannten Kinder Evas ?
 

I love Novy Svet - he's one of my best friends and I love his music, otherwise he wouldn't be on Hau Ruck. I also like Allerseelen and their mastermind Kadmon. When I moved to Vienna ten years ago he was already doing his tapes and I found one in a record shop and was really impressed. I think it was "Schwarzer Raab"… Destiny did lead us together one day and we got friends, we go climbing together or try to get drunk in winegardens - and sometimes we succeed.
Actually we just released a 7'' EP together, featuring Allerseelen, Allgrena, Novy Svet and Der Blutharsch, named "Wo die wilden Kerle wohnen".

Are you well known and appreciated in your country ?

Fortunately not. Some friends know what I do, but aside from them nobody does and I prefer a life in anonymity and peace.

As a citizen of Vienna and as an Austrian, what are your reactions towards the recent "Haider case"? Some newspapers have felt pleased to witness the first strong signal of a finally United Europe. European countries' reactions towards Austria have been highly hypocritical and directed by politically correct obligations. Do you think the European Union is the right answer to the slow decay of our Land ? What do you think the European countries should do ?

What can I say. I can only laugh about the action of the EC. But, honestly, I don't care, and I think not too many people here in Austria do. We simply have a government, which got the majority at the elections, so, that's the fact, and a "democratic" community as the EC claims to be, has to accept it. Honestly, nothing here really changed (unfortunately) and won't change. Personally, I'm against the EC, due to different reasons.

There' s a sample in one of the songs from "Der Sieg des Lichtes ist des Lebens Heil ! " which asks: "The United States can't even forgive their children for doing exactly what they raised them up to do ?".
What do you think actually about the U.S.A. ?

I have no feelings about the USA. They do not bother me. I have some good friends there but I think the average American is not differing from any average person of any country.

Sometimes it happens to me to be addressed as a Nazi supporter because I dress military and I like your music. I usually feel very sad and disappointed because of this people' s little minds. They judge you without even knowing your name, trying desperately to find a big bad fascist to crucify in every person standing in front of them. What is your general feeling towards those mental attitudes ?

I am simply bored by these people. As you said most of them have their prejudged opinion, and mostly don't even know, what they talk about. They see or hear something and judge it without any reflection. Well, meanwhile I don't care anymore about what someone could think - I just do what I want to do. If someone like it, good, if not, fine as well.

When did you actually meet Douglas for the first time, and when did you decide to work together ?

We met for the first time in Münich, backstage after a D.i.J. concert. We went away easely, and then Douglas asked me if I could arrange a date for D.i.J. in Wien, which I did. I went to Croatia with the bulk, and we had a good time there and stayed in touch since. When I went to Australia for holiday, he invited me to stay in his house. We both thought it would be interesting to lock us into a 45°C hot studio in the middle of the desert during the Australian Summer, to see what happens. Well, instead of killing each other, we ended up with "Take Care and Control". And so, on goes, that we still are friends….

Do you feel being part of the Death in June legend ?

I do not feel part of the "Death in June" Legend, as I don't consider me being a member of Death in June. I simply recorded two CDs with one of my best friends, and when he needs me to help him in his life, I follow his call…..

What do you think you have in common with, say, Death In June, Sol Invictus, NON, Blood Axis or Ain Soph ?

The same kind of dark humour and the love of alcohol. At least we all share memories of good times together but also of very dangerous ones.

Could you briefly explain me more or less what sort of instruments and techniques do you use to compose your music ?

I don't have any specific techniques. It differs from time to time. Normally I just start playing around with a sound, or a sample, or a specific tune, a drumbeat, or…. And then I continue building up something around, and if I am lucky, it sounds similar to a song in the end. Ok, to be honest, sometimes it simply sounds totally shitty in the end, but, then I don't take it. I use all sorts of instruments, everything I can make sounds with, for "Take Care and Control" we even used a Volkswagen beatle.

Wien was in the past the capital of music "par excellence". Mozart, Beethoven or Strauss mostly contributed to that fame, would you love to be considered one day as a follower of that tradition ?

Too much honour. Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss were genius. Albin Julius just knows how to use recordingequipment. The only similarity to Mozart I can see , is being obsessed by wine and women…..

Could you tell me something about your city and your Homeland ? What are your feelings towards them ? What do you like and what do you dislike ?

I love living in Wien. It is a beautiful city, big enough for not getting boring, but still too small for getting hectic. Everywhere you go, you walk in the shadow of history, I like this feeling of gone power and decay. People here are nice, very friendly and polite and have a strange kind of humour, very dark and sarcastic. Perfect for me. I have my house in the hills of Wien, 10 minutes walk into the forest, but also only 15 minutes by tube to the center, so it's easy for me - if I feel like feeding the wild boars, I go to the woods, if I feel like expecting some culture, it takes me 20 minutes to go to a museum. In Summer I can go and swim in the Danube, in Winter I need 35 minutes to reach the moutains for skiing. We have beautiful coffeehouses, nice winegardens, good food suitable for vegetarians and beautiful girls…. You see, it's simply perfect, isn't it ?

The first Der Blutharsch album had a title in German, "Der Sieg des Lichtes ist des Lebens Heil !". Why did you eventually choose English instead of German as language for your work ?

There is no particular reason. I just choose how I feel it fits better.

Could you tell me something about your forthcoming new work, "The Track of the Hunted", maybe starting from explaining what is the equestrian monument which can be seen on the cover?

I took the photo at the "Square of the Heroes" in Budapest, a magnificent place, full of glory and power. The album itself was written last Winter, when we had loads of snow. I even couldn't leave my house for four days, so I ended up drinking hot wine and starting recording. After 4 weeks I ended up with what now is "The Track of the Hunted".

Finally, I 'd like to ask you to make a prediction about the future. What do you believe we humankind are going to face in the next 30 years?

I can't tell, if I could I would try to gain some money with my knowledge. But I know that I even won't think about it. I simply hope not to be alive that long to find out.
 

Danke schön noch einmal für deine Zeit und Liebenswürdigkeit.

Wir kapitulieren niemals !
 
 

Simoneh Ragnar Redbeard for Heimdallr webzine
May 2000

Europa Aeterna

Contacts and Informations :

e-mail : wkn@aon.at
Web : http://drugie.here.ru/derblut/
 

Discography :

1997 "Untitled" picture-LP limited to 250 copies (Art9)
1997 "Untitled" 7'' limited to 202 copies (Wkn 1)
1998 "Sad Song Singers" video limited to 150 copies (Wkn 2)
1998 "Der Sieg des Lichtes ist des Lebens Heil !" CD (Wkn 3)
1998 "The Moment of Truth" 10'' limited to 303 copies (Wkn 4)
1999 "Apöcalyptic Climäx 2" 10'' with Deutsch Nepal, limited to 404 copies (Wkn 5)
1999 "Der Gott der Eisen wachsen liess" MCD limited to 600 copies (Wkn 6)
1999 "Gold gab ich für Eisen" video & MCD, limited to 1000 copies (Wkn 7)
1999 "split "Ain Soph/der Blutharsch" 7'' (Wkn 8)
1999 "The Pleasures Received in Pain" CD (Wkn 8)
2000 "The Track of the Hunted"