A Journey into the world of Reaping Horde,
A deep insight into the world of bands
like Karnnos, Wolfskin and others…
With the help of one of todays most creative
artists, Johan Aernus…
Interview by Miguel do Vale
WOLFSKIN
Wolfskin is a project of one Man,
Johan Aernus, with the help of the usual (Reaping Horde) suspects…
Wolfskin has been inspired (as the
name says) by those ancient warriors that wore Wolf or Bear skins into
Battle and as it’s told…they actually fought so bravely that it looked
like they assumed the animal whose skin was on his shoulders.
Wolfskin is a project based on that
Savage Nature…a Band keen to “chant” from the most wild and dark corners
of the Human Heart
Johan kindly accepted to answer some
of our questions about his band…his first.
Is your First work “Hidden Fortress” also
inspired on Nature and Tradition?!…
Were you already a passionate Man for
these matters/Inspirations, back then?!…
What changes is not the person but the perception
of the world… That tape has all what WS is and shall be on a raw, unshaped
form. It’s the primal chaos from which all arises. On a formal, external
way I was discovering the world of Tradition at that time. On an inner
and “spiritual” level it’s all already there, hidden, half dormant.
From the start that I see what I do as a
way of reaching those hidden levels of myself, a mean to self-awareness.
Music is the process, not the end. As it tends to diminish rational thought,
it opens the mind to itself, to unveil what cannot be seen – it’s a state
near to dream, but when I feel more awaken than never. And impossible to
explain. All those sensations, images and feelings that you can have when
hearing a song are alive when it is made, really alive and flowing around
us. After that they remain condensed on a form of song, waiting to inter-act
with someone else…
Blood and Fire. These Two Elements are very common in Wolfskin’s Songs, what are their true relevance to you as an artist?!…
Well, these ARE the elements of WS! It is
quite difficult to explain this, how can we talk about such sacred elements?
Respect, above all, for the sacred… Blood is where the real Tradition is,
the memory of our ancestors, their murmur being the wind that blows from
the depths of our mind. And fire, fire IS the most perfect manifestation
of divinity. “Blood is where the fire is hidden”. And the rest is to be
discovered, not told. If you don’t understand the importance of these elements,
BOTH on the material and symbolic (and therefore spiritual) levels you’ll
never understand Sacred Traditions, whatever it is.
WS is, to me, rooted on the traditional art,
although made with modern means. And as all traditional art, the straight
connection to the Sacred (and fulfilment of It’s laws) is essential. And,
from the beginning, these are the elements that shape my work, whatever
is the guise and form they take. Usually they’re concealed by dense fog,
menacing shadows or a lunar, pale darkness, but the tension of my
work is always strengthened by those Elements, by their IRREDUTIBLE energies\Nature.
The Cruel and Violent Aspects of Nature are also important on this project…“Campos de Matança” is a good example of that. What does the name suggest?!…”Campos de Matança”?!…(Note: “Campos de Matança” translated to English, means something like “Fields of Slaughter”.) And why did you choose to write it in Portuguese?!…
I write in the language that things appear
– English is like a second tongue to me (as I read a lot on that idiom
and even find myself thinking on English) and a lot of lyrics come to me
in English. But when something seems stronger on Portuguese or Gaelic (I
try to study it as I find the Scotish Gaelic fascinating) I use those tongues
instead.
That name is not used as some kind of morbid
image; it has two strong meanings to me. First the whole work is related
to the Celtic fertilization rituals of the soil with blood and ashes, their
obsession (close, for example, to the Mayans) with the actualisation of
the Sacred energies on the soil and on themselves, the necessity of spilling
blood (not with cruelty, as cruelty is “the violence of the cowards” –
Savitri Devi dixit) to maintain the Gods with them… Bloody rituals where
not a manifestation of barbaric cruelty as it’s seen today. They where
like a step on the contact with divinity, not only necessary but a crucial
one.
Violence is part of Nature, of our lives
and history. Europa’s soil is soaked with the blood of millions; the foundations
of our life, both historical and materially are bloody. This cannot be
denied nor glorified – only accepted. That work was my own purification...
The other meaning is that when I was recording “Campos…” I went to the
killing of a pig (a normal task on Winter in this regions) and it was a
really initiatory experience. You can read, think and imagine a lot about
something, but nothing is stronger and more revealing than actual experience
.
It was a cold, really cold!, dawn of Winter,
fog covered all, and frost was still falling, freezing. You probably know
that frozen silence, deeper than any other, that strange sensation given
by fog, that the world is somewhere around, hardly seen, feeling something
else on it’s place… Then the violence on all it’s raw intensity, the animals
screaming while we grabbed them, firmly holding to life on a way like I
never saw before… Then the long and thin knife, forged some decades ago
to my grand-grandfather, darkened with so many blood that covered it, the
determined, strong stroke that hit the heart of the beast. He kept on screaming,
the sound coming from his throat, together with rivers of blood, dripping
to the mud. “We must clean the blood” someone explained me, “so the next
cannot smell it; if he does, he will drive crazy and no one can hold it”.
And when we killed all, 3 or 4, blood had melted the snow and my hands,
my clothes were bloody, and I felt like if I was on a different time. “It’s
terrible isn’t it? They don’t want to die but we have to survive” a old
man said more or less this, grinning his teeth and saying “I’m going to
kill three!” (the voice that you hear on the track “Campo de matanças”).
I describe all with detail to explain the
impact of such an experience; it is an example of a ritualised violence,
a positive one, used on a constructive way, because it has a benefitial
purpose to the community (be it associated with fertilization of the soil
to the harvests, the blessing of hunting or a general invocation of protection).
This killings are felt as tragic yet necessary.
As I said, I try to keep close to Tradition,
on all levels, from the higher to the lower. And when what you’re conceiving
and working on an artistic\abstract way erupts on the material world with
such intensity as this experience that I described, there’s only one possible
way, to associate both. So, you can see this experience as one of the basis
of that work (at least the most influential).
And I can add that nearly all that I do is
made with such strong bond between reality and spirituality, as one is
reflection of the other and cannot be divided…
In Wolfskin’s path, the changing of Label has been almost a constant thing…and each time you do it, you re-record some tracks, why’s that?!…
I have no problem in crossing my way with
several persons and labels. As far as there’s good working method and an
interesting background, I accept the label offers to release something
with them. As for the re-recording it’s quite a simple thing, until last
year I had very bad recording conditions so I felt that I could re-work
the tracks, turning them closer to what I had on my mind. But that will
not be a common thing on the future…!
By the way, why the American label AJNA OFFENSIVE?!… How did this chance come up?!…Will the packages for the new Album “The Gather of Shadows by the Setting Sun” be a thing near the ones made while on Reaping Horde?!…
Well, I’m in touch with Tyler Davis almost
since the beginning of RH and we always had a great relation and mutual
understanding… He invited WS to a 7” and I accepted. At some point he wrote
me that a 7” were not enough to WS music to spread so we decided to make
a CDR. It will have a handmade package (with cork and leather paper) and
a coloured booklet, made by both. And it seems to be cursed, at least by
the mail…
You use some kind of Wood Mask on the Wolfskin’s shows, what is its symbolism?!…
There’s a region in the Northeast of Portugal
(Vinhais and Bragança) that this wooden masks are still used on
rituals of initiation and fertilization (between the Winter Solstice and
the Imbolc) – you probably know those made of iron but they also use this
wooden ones… I used it almost on a shamanic level, a way of opening the
doors, the “world of veils” with which we begun the concert… For me\us
it was not only a musical concert, it was a ritual actualisation of the
energies that flow on us… Something like the opening and closing of a sacred
space and time, bringing the shadows closer to the light and then taking
them to the depths again. And as you probably know the usage of masks is
common on such ceremonies… I can tell you that to have the face smashed
against wood and see everything by those little holes gives a huge sensation
of depersonalisation, like being driven by an outer force… And to look
at that the hands or anything its disturbing, like if they’re not mine…
Again, my obsession with real experience, you can read a lot about shamanism,
but using a mask like that for some minutes can give you a more vivid understanding
of it…
Are the elements that you’ve used to compose Wolfskin’s Package of “Campos de Matança” a representation of the main idea expressed on the Album “There’s a Slaughter, beneath every Root”?!…
All the packages have some connection with the music, they should intensify it, on another realm of sensations, especially the tactile. The materials and colours of that package were all chosen according to the album main ideas…
KARNNOS
Karnnos are Johan Aernus, A. Guerra,
N. cruz and Belmil.
The story started some time ago,
when Johan was working with the people from Forgotten Blood, on that time
he had a project named KAR (War in celtiberian) however this project ended
when of Johan’s departure from that label, later on as Johan was very fond
of the sounding/meaning of the word KAR he decided to use this word again
but now in a totally different project with totally different persons,
from there came the junction to NNOS (from Cernunnos) resulting in KARNNOS.
Today we know that Karnnos is not
only a Greek variation of the name Cernunnos but we also know that Karnnos
would mean something like “Lords of war” to the Celtiberians…
Well, here stays the words of Johan
about a project profoundly rooted in traditions and lost ways…the Love
for Nature and Native Lands turned into Music…
What’s the weight that the God Cernunnos has on Karnnos’s works, not only your Albums have a strong inspiration in this ancient Divinity, but even your name…KARNNOS…seems to be linked to Cernunnos!… What’s Cernunnos for you?!…
The name of the Gods should not be used in
vain... The same for other things, like the runes. If they’re sacred, they
should remain hidden and unknown to those who don’t belive on them. I’m
not criticizing anyone, who am I to do so, just explaining the importance
that the Horned God has on Karnnos nature and music…
Karnnos is from the beginning associated
with that deity but I didn’t knew that it was a Greek form of it…! Anyway,
Kernunnos is the Lord of the wilderness and the forests, the Kingly Stag,
something that you always find on Karnnos music, not coming right on your
face, rather sneaking in the back, never seen but always there, driving
our hearts to the labyrinths of thorns, of narrow and serpentine paths,
on some silent and desert wood…
Walking in the woods as an epiphany of His
unseen yet near realm… Karnnos is a celebration to Him above all… Of the
shortened Celtic deities, of the wind that dances beneath the trees, of
the emotions, intuitions that guide us, the sensations that the contemplation
of Nature and her strangeness provokes… “Cast not thy eye upon Thee for
thy are the splendorous hands and rumbling wind, driven to the eagle’s
nest, whose thousand cries echoes through the silent valley… Not to the
eye of restless were thy glory found, not to the heart of blind shall your
light be turned to… For thy is the splendorous wings and tortuous paths,
driven to the mountain spring, a thousand stones turned to the glory of
Thee…”.
I think we can call it some kind of spontaneous
devotion to Nature as an epiphany of the Otherworld, the Sidhe, the fountain
of mystery, and of inspiration…
While on Wolfskin’s world we encounter elements like Blood, Fire, Shadows and Fog as the main symbols, in Karnnos we have as principal inspirations elements like Ruins, Contemplation/Melancholy, Stones and Nature in its various Forms…what impact have such eternal elements in your work and in your life?!…
Those elements are my life… More and more
I leave the bounds with this strange and meaningless modern world and try
to keep myself focused only on that kind of symbols\energies or whatever
you want to call them, on all the levels… I mean, each word\symbol you
mention has many things that can be explored, understood, lived, felt on
several levels, that a single life it’s not enough to them...
But that doesn’t mean that I search anything
– I try to be like a tree of a stone, staying on my small corner of the
world, not wanting, accepting… All can be the “primal matter” of creation,
and I don’t care why this or that happens to me. I only focus on the how
it affects me and changes my perception (the “place” or cognitive process
where all the relevant change happens…). And so, I walk on circles, always
returning to the same place, always the same, always different… As Fernando
Pessoa\Alvaro de Campos said “I am nothing. I will never be nothing. I
cannot want to be nothing. Aside from that I have on me all the dreams
of the world.”
Karnnos’s First Work “Burial in Flames” is far more simple, energetically/Musically talking, than “Deatharch Crann” or “Bearer of Order…”, do you agree?!…That difference is due to what?!…
To born is always a unique experience!! And
“Burial…” was the birth, the creation, and has the same “mythic” condition
as all births, and it can never be equalled…
That is one reason. The other has more to
do with the period in which Karnnos arisen on us. We wanted to make something
very spontaneous and had a lot of ideas that wanted to put on music… Not
concerned with some kind of coherence or defined way… After you make something
like that, it’s nearly impossible to return to it. Each track is a combination
of change, of fate. If Nerunbrir can’t come to the rehearsal, if I’m sad
about something, if the guitar has only 5 strings, if its raining… All
affect the final result, we can’t nor want think about that. We usually
don’t question fate. And believe that Karnnos music has all to do with
chance, from the beginning…!
But I don’t think that it’s simple than the
others, quite the contrary, it contains more than the others, but on a
raw form… Both “DT” and “Bearer…” explores one or two concepts whether
on a “Burial…” almost all tracks are independent from the others…!
Of course that on a musical level we’re making
more complex things, but that is only a consequence of better complicity
between us and better technical conditions.
Can you tell us the meaning of titles like “Golden Kettle”, “Ribble of Knots”, “Rod of Chase” all of them included on the “Burial in Flames” album?!…And what’s the idea behind that title “Burial in Flames”?!…
“Golden kettle” was our first track, and it
refers to the importance of the cauldron in the Celtic tradition. We thought
that “golden cauldron” was too pretentious and we decided to use “kettle”
(that is the name of a cauldron used to cook food). I can’t think of a
more appropriated symbol to the first song of Karnnos, the cauldron, a
symbol of birth…
“Ribble of knots” is a strange song, as the
lyrics and the voice melody appeared to me while I was nearly sleeping.
Some words of the lyric do not exist and I don’t like to mix two tongues
on the same track but I thought that if it appeared to me that way I should
not use some kind of aesthetical judgement on such a strange event…
“Rod of chase” refers to a dream I had, also
very strange, in which two children ran around a throne, a huge throne
with a elder person on it resting or sleeping, holding a thick and heavy
rod of wood, simple, without ornament. For some reason I was convinced
that the children were chasing each other and as the whole scenario had
a golden touch, I associated the sleeping man with Cronos, the deity of
the Golden Age. Thus the lyric, “Children keep running in circles \ Around
the throne of eternal light \ Where Cronium holds the rod \ Taken from
the tree that forever exists. \ The circling joy fills a world of ideal
order, \ The chase of fire, the lost summer of the north land. \ The chaser
climbs the mountain that touches the stars \ Opening veins of pure blood,
laughing weakness away \ Entwined in the cold wind \ While the rod hits
the chased. \ “You are falling, you are falling” the others chant, \ “Eternal
sinking on the inner sea \ A burning vessel lost in tides of smoke”.
Behind “A burial in flames” there’s another
image, of a burial made at dusk, when the Sun seems to loose sparkles,
a mournful moment when the veil seems to dissolve… Dusk is one of the most
fascinating events of Nature and this image strongly imposed to me, of
hooded men chanting at dusk, at the top of a burial mound…
What is that image that appears on “Burial
in Flames” booklet?!…
That’s the skull of an animal, that we found
on a church, on Caminha, Minho. Our country having had a strong implementation
of the Templars, have some interesting churches, full of Gnostic and Pagan
symbolism… At the time I was visiting the remote ones in the North and
thought that this image was perfect to Karnnos. I never knew exactly what
animal is, maybe a stag as it has horns…
From “Burial in Flames” to “Deatharch Crann”, Karnnos has grown in many ways, not only musically but also in “acceptance” by the public, has that public enthusiasm surprised you in any way?!…Was it something you were more or less expecting?!…
I don’t want to sound pretentious, but the
opinion of others has little importance to me and it doesn’t affect the
direction of our work a single bit…! Of course I like to hear compliments
and that kind of stuff, but I will never change a thing of what I’m doing
due to someone other opinion.
I was surprised by the acceptance of “DT”,
because, although the songs are good, the technical quality is not!! I
was satisfied, not because it satisfied some kind of personal vanity, but
because this work was done with lots of effort and commitment and it’s
always good to see that someone feels\understand, no matter the degree,
what we’ve made.
“Deatharch Crann” is a fascinating Album that has many veils. Can you please, unveil…what’s the meaning of the name…Deatharch Crann.
At that time I was starting my studies of
Gaelic and I liked those words… The grammar is not correct, I know it now,
but it means something like “Trees of fog” or “forest of fog”. Gaelic is
a very ambiguous language and the same word as incoherent meanings, but
it’s with that meaning that we used those words… I also like the sonority
of them, you have to make some weird movements with the tongue to say it…
The Second Track on “Deatharch crann” is dedicated to Mr. Valdemar, who’s this person?!… How did him inspire you?!…Has it any resemblance to the dedication to A. Parpalhasso on Woflskin’s track “Cart of Light” from the Album “Campos de Matança”’!…
The elder persons of remote villages are,
to me, the true keepers of ancient traditions, even if they don’t realise
it, because they keep them ALIVE, on a intuitive level, due to the fact
that they still have a life close to Nature and ruled by her laws. No matter
what you do or think, no matter how many rituals you attend on a month,
we’re MODERN persons, at least on some aspects of life. I have nothing
against it. I’m a very pragmatic person and don’t have problems in using
technology, when it can serve my interests. But there’s something that
touches me very deeply when I see the innocent way this persons run their
life, how “pagan” they are, without even knowing what’s that – but they
feel, they feel all with such a purity…
Material life, on traditional cultures, must
reflect mythos and it’s laws. So, those who keep traditions on a “natural”,
innocent level are those who live close to Nature… In that way, I tend
to have these persons in high esteem. Mr. Valdemar is a friend of mine,
an elder researcher of the past and is a great source of reflection and
wisdom. That lyric was written thinking on him and on persons like him
as I was spending some time with him at that time. I wanted to have his
voice reading it, but that was impossible, because my hand recorder was
broken. But I wanted to dedicate it to him, nonetheless…
António Parpalhasso was another elder
friend that died when I was recording that track. I was very moved because
he wanted to die on his vineyard, on the soil he worked for decades. The
“cart of light” is the cart that carries the brave ones, those who face
destiny with courage and honour. And I found it on such a gesture, not
of a great writer or warrior, but of a fighter nonetheless… May he be pleased
by all the harvests of his lands with his calm and wise smile…
Just two persons that taught me something
with their lifes…
The Nordic God, Loki, is invoked in a song from “Deatharch Crann”. Do you find yourself fascinated by this entity?!…
Absolutely, it’s one of the deities with whom
I identify with. Preverse, forcing change, laughing at destiny. Morrigan
and Pan\Kernunnos close my trinity, by the way… Loki is usually looked
as an “evil” deity, but if you observe carefully the episodes in which
he appears, you’ll realise that he’s the one who brings change, forces
the movement of the Gods… And each “evil” act he makes is the first the
step to a higher state. See, for example, Mjolnir, the hammer of Thor.
It was created due to a trouble caused by Loki. And Ragnarokkr, caused
by Loki, is nothing more than the necessary death before a new beginning…
Loki is perhaps one of the most important God of Norse pantheon. Moreover
because He seems to be unique and one of the most ancient of all deities
known. And I can’t hide that whoever brings order through chaos and laughs
about it, be it god or man, has my attention…!
Still on “Deatharch Crann”, why a re-release of “Land of Stags” (was previously released on “Burial in Flames”)?!…
Because we felt that it could be much better
than it was on “Burial…”! That tape was recorded on not very perfect conditions
(which is an euphemism…) and some tracks don’t satisfy us at all due to
that…
“Celtic Twillight” from W.B. Yeats appears
to be the main source of inspiration of “Deatharch Crann”.
Do you find any parallel between Yeats
work and your life, your land, your spirit?!…
I admire Yeats because he managed to unit
different elements that are very important on art. I don’t like everything
he did, but the way he did it seems perfect – keeping in touch with Tradition
but giving it a poetic and nostalgic, even modern form, keeping close to
the soil and to those who live on it but at the same time reaching high
levels of spiritual awareness. If a person looses the balance of these
elements, art is not complete.
Yeats has been important to me since the
first moment I read something of him. Especially because I’m always surprised
by his work… “DT” was very influenced by his vivid wanderings by the rural
Ireland and his strange encounters…
Well, I can find some parallels between us,
but I don’t feel “trapped” on some kind of obsessive approach to him and
his work… He was a Romantic soul he exalted his past, his land, his wife,
his folks, his work, his visions and experiences with tenacity and conviction.
That is what I admire on him…
Now, the EP “Bearer of Order, Bringer of Chaos”. How did the chance to be released by Albin’s Hau Ruck, happen?!…How much more works from Karnnos will be released on Hau Ruck?!…
I sent him our releases and he just invited
us to edit something with HR. I don’t know if we’re going to release anything
more with him, there’s nothing planned but who knows?! As I said, if there’s
a good working method that’s all fine with me…And until now, with Cynfeirdd,
Hau Ruck and Ajna we only had good experiences…
The First Track is my opinion, a phenomenal track. What does the name mean, “Ten Pan”?!…
It means “the One, the All” and it refers
to Ouroboros, the serpent of matter, all (diversity) but at the same time
just one (unity), the chaotic, chtonic energies. The name “Pan” means “all”
and there’s some interesting Greek and Roman texts that shows Pan as a
cosmic deity, I remember one that says that the body of Pan is the whole
universe.
These two figures seem to be linked on some
way that its hard to understand, both are the bearers of our reality –
Ouroboros encircles the Earth and Pan, according to that texts, seems to
maintain the universe… And both are bringers of chaos – just think on the
Norse Iormungand, that brings earthquakes and will be loose on Ragnarokk.
And Pan, with his dance of terror (“PAN-IC”) that frozens his “victims”
and can drive his worshipers to madness…
The entire EP looks like a Circle of Rituals. A Celebration that has begun on the first track and ends on the fourth, Circle completed. What’s your view?!…
I think that you can see it that way. The
first side is inspired\dedicated to the serpent symbol, be it called Ouroboros
or Iormungand. The other side is inspired\dedicated to Great God Pan. If
you watch closely each symbol\deity you’ll sense some closeness between
them, which maybe causes that sense of unity on the 4 tracks…
The next Karnnos release will be “Dún scaith”. What can we expect from that Album?!…
The basis of the record is made. It has the
same elements of the previous records, with different combinations… It
will be close to our past work but with different approaches… It will have
some acoustical tracks, including an Irish traditional song, some somber
and ritual songs and just a bit more aggressiveness than “DT”…
I see both records united on some way, being
“DT” a wandering though the poetic and nostalgic side of Europa spirit
and “DS” his more sinister and bloody side. “Dún Scaith” means “Fortress
of shadows” on Gaelic and is told to be made on one night by the people
of the Underworld and destroyed at dawn. I think it’s a proper symbol of
the records nature…
REAPING HORDE
The Next Block will be used to make
some questions about the Label Reaping Horde…a huge creation from Johan
and his comrades...where bands like Wolfskin, Karnnos, Once a Barge, Inverno,
were released…
Reaping Horde has its “Headquarters”
on the North of Portugal in a city called Chaves and it’s from there from
those high and cold mountains that comes the voice of Reaping Horde…here
are Johan’s words about it…
From the passionate and troubled times of Forgotten Blood until the birth and rise of Reaping Horde, what memories do you have of that period?!…
Difficulties, many. It was mainly a period
of reflection. When you start an action there’s no way of controlling it
anymore. Which turns the reflection and preparation of all (especially
the spiritual energy, the WILL) an essential part of it. The more you reflect
and prepare something the most relevant it will be the result of such action.
I also had time to work on our farm and it
was great to work on the soil and alone…
All releases from Reaping Horde have Special Packages made only with natural materials (i.e. Wolfskin, Karnnos, Once a Barge, etc.). When have you decided to do that?!…Right from the Beginning?!…How do you make the choice of the materials to use in each Release?!…
Here I have to give Ceaser what to him belongs
– FB releases all had handmade packages and I decided to continue that
idea. But on a different perspective and way… I choose the materials and
the way they combine according to the music of the release. WS is rough,
dark-red and grey (blood and ashes…), Karnnos is a closed purse, that hides
a dry leave, as if the purse conceals the ruins inside… Once a Barge is
velvet and straw… The smell is also important, for example I used a wire
on Inverno’s package that is oiled with pigs grease, and I have a strong
connection between winter and the pig’s death on me, as I told before.
And so on…
Everything released on Reaping Horde have (right from the Beginning) been strictly associated with the Celtic, Celtiberian, Nordic traditions, do you think that will be possible to make an exception to this well-defined Pagan path?!…
The past and our roots are the banners of
RH; but there’s not a clear and conscious limitation to such traditions.
I open RH to the world of Traditon, but it’s obvious the importance of
the European ones… They’re our roots and we’ll be always returning to them.
But I have no problem on releasing projects inspired by other traditions…
Tibetan, Egyptan, Greek, Mayan, Eastern, there’s so many possibilities...!
Why the name “Reaping Horde”?!…
One image that always disturbed me is the
Wild Hunt; I found it a powerful symbol. I wanted that the label had some
connection with it, as if we’re harvesting the last grains of hope of this
time, but I didn’t want to simply call it “Wild Hunt”. So, I picked a related
image, of a horde of reapers, harvesting in time, gathering shadows and
light…
Who runs the label?!…You alone?!…The Making of the Packages, the Booklets, etc. is all that heavy work done only by yourself?!…
It’s not that heavy!! It’s heavier to harvest
the vineyards and the corn and all that… Most of the work is done by me.
I have some help from the others when they can (because we live in different
places), my girlfriend (especially when on aesthetical matters, she has
“touch” to it…) and my grandmother (yes, she does the Karnnos purses, cuts
some of the booklets and Inverno’s wires)… It’s a familiar enterprise,
as you can see!!
I like that kind of work it helps to free
the mind. At some point I’m not thinking about this or that, just concerned
with cutting all right… It’s a matter of discipline – instead of looking
at the TV or going out to sit on some bar I make packages…!
What criteria, do you use to “know” what projects are worthy to be released on “Reaping Horde” and what ain’t?!…
It’s really simple, I just see if the project
fits the “banner” of RH and if the music has quality enough to be released,
despite the genre. I can say that I don’t choose no one; if I’m contacted
by someone I shown him\her our work and explain our aims. If he\she doesn’t
feel identified I never hear from he\her again…! On the other hand, those
who feel attracted can always participate on other projects and\or compilations,
which is a way of having few persons making lots of things and reinforcing
the bounds between us.
“Warriors of Nature” is the name of an old band that you’ve had with some elements from Forgotten Blood/Sangre Cavallum, could we expect a future official release?!…
We had an official released, a tape called
“Roots of blood”, sold-out long time ago. We had a MCD recorded back then
but I doubt that it will be released. I would like that, but I doubt that
we could get to a formal understanding to an edition… Which is sad, because
it has tracks that I like very much and it has a good quality (it was recorded
on a professional studio) but fate is just like this!
Works like Wolfskin’s “Campos de Matança”, Karnno’s “Burial in Falmes” are told to have their songs recorded at (and I quote) “Circle / Forest of Bones”…what is this place?!…is this the name of the studio?!…
Yes, “Forest of bones” is here at Chaves and
the “Circle” is on Oporto. The place where things are recorded have some
influence on the songs and I like to keep track of that…
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Here stays a few questions asked to Johan about several topics, from His life to Europa, from Books to Portugal...a bit of many things to give the our readers the opportunity to know a bit more about the Man behind these creations…
At what Point in your life have you felt that Music could be your path?!…
I had around 17 when I decided to buy some
stuff and try to make something. But it was only two years later that Wolfskin
appeared to me and I recorded the first tracks.
And what about the passion for tradition and past cultures?!…When have you become a passionate Man for the Pagan ideas and ways of life?!…
I think that I always have it… I never believed
on what the church tries to give us when were children… As far as I remember
I always tried to think by myself… Although I only had access to relevant
information very late my fascination for the past comes from very early
in my life… I remember that when I was a child I wanted to be a viking
to smash, kill and burn at ease…Of course that it’s not a very noble reason,
but hell, I was a child…
This kind of fascination were talking (…I
keep the “passion” to other matters, if you don’t mind!!!) doesn’t appears
from nothing, it grows with time… I can point the recordings of WON’s “Roots
of blood” as the time when I begun to be really involved with traditional
creeds and belifs. But this is the kind of things that you only can point
at distance. I hardly realized that I was entering this or that way… I
always trusted my instincts, and at that time it seemed the proper thing
to do, as it does now. Keeping faithful to myself, is my only concern…
How do you see the concept of Europa on these days?!…Do you still see a strong Europa?!…
I can answer this on two levels. First there’s
a sad Europa that looks more like the puppy of USA than anything. Why import
that trash culture if we have a richer one? This is the Europa of the politicians
(where is the Impaler…?!) and of the big cities, of all the “civilized”
people. And then you got the deep Europa, of the remote villages, that
keep a close bound with Nature.
Here you still find, even if tamed, distorted
and transformed something of the real Europa. And this will never die,
never. Europa will not return to its glory for long time, drowned on the
toxic stupidity that emanates from all this circus, but the seeds still
here, and someday will they flourish. It’s our serious task to keep some
seeds to such a time, against the materialism and all foreign distortions…
What is that Europa? Just look back and you’ll
see it, from the contemplative poetry to the tragicall bloodshed… “Europa’s
soil, so very old, but not young enough to drink our blood”.
What’s your views on some controversial (national – Portuguese) subjects, Like Bullfight?!…and Fátima?!…What do you think about the fall of our ancient culture at the feet of a constant importation of “Trash Culture”, mainly coming from the U.S.A. and Brazil?!…
Bull fight and such “barbaric” usages are
part of our culture. Some days ago I went to a bull fight (it didn’t worked
out as the bulls were more interested on attacking the persons than each
other…) and I had the chance of being really close to the bulls. What a
tremendous beast it is, really a symbol of power and strength. What hurts
is not the bullfight but the fact that persons look at it as an amusement
rather than an appreciation of the animals strength and nature…If you’re
referring also to TOURADAS (bullfight but between the bull and the Man),
I find it a depressing thing, for the same reason.
When only usage remains something has been
lost…
Fatima is a proof of the devotional capacity
of our folks. It’s also sad to see it wasted on such a poor way, but it’s
better than nothing. Both examples you give come from our mythological
background; you can easily see on Fatima a “modern” representation of the
“mother-goddess” and bullfights are used on several religions that at some
point existed on our peninsula. Other parts of our culture have much of
mythological, as António Quadros shows on his book “Portugal: razão
e mistério” – Viriato, the fighting hero, our first king, a Templar
knight (and all the connections with templarism, freemansonry, and so on
of our country), the travelling to unknown regions, our king Sebastian,
lost in the fog, that will return on times of need... It’s a pity that
few (if any) scholars consider that our history has a very mythological
side and study that relation.
If you consider that Jung is right with his
definition of collective unconscious, it’s not hard to say that Portuguese
people is very close to their roots (lost in antiquity, as no one seems
to know who were the Iberos) and in times of necessity, that roots seem
to guide us. I firmly believe on the existence of something like a “racial
consciousness” (understanding “race” on a cultural level rather than biological,
please…) that arises to the surface at times. Some kind of an immaterial
“personality”. See the Germans, for example, once in a while they storm
through Europe, burning all… See us – always adapting to conditions, often
invaded, often having to leave our country, always with internal fights,
but retaining some kind of unity as “Portuguese”. Or Central America, where
the Pinochet seems a Mayan priest, asking for blood victims. Or Africans;
no matter what they hear about democracy, they always return to a tribal
way of thinking (“you’re one of ours, friend; you’re one of the others,
enemy”).
Fatima is like all these saints that are
adored near ancient sacred places – the name changes but the “charge”,
either emotional, devotional, etc. is always the same.
Regarding the trash culture, I can hardly
understand why all these persons embrace it, belonging to a country with
such a rich culture. I’m not talking only of the pre-Roman one, of course!
And that happens all around… But it’s another step on breaking with the
past, and what better country to lead that movement than one without past…?
And without that “race personality” that I was talking about. What is eternal
will always exist, the rest, sooner or later, will fall. So… why worry
or even think about it…?!
What’s your definition of Paganism?!…
I don’t like very much that word, because
of the connotations it has… It’s a vague term, that is applied without
a rigorous determination of its meaning. I prefer to use the concept of
“Tradition”, that is more precise and less ambiguous.
I can’t give you a proper definition of Tradition
on some lines… There are some basic differences between tradition and modernity
that turns the contact between the two always problematic – what makes
that many of those who read my words will not understand them…
Tradition lives according to the mythos,
where time is cyclical and actualized by means of rituals that are eruptions
of sacred energies on our realms. Therefore laws are enclosed on the sacred
scriptures. This is a very important aspect of Tradition. There are many
others, but this is an essential one, from which you can understand many
others (from the role of women, to the importance of warriors, why the
Emperor is at the same time the material ruler and the connection with
the Sacred, usually by the most strong bond of all, the blood, and so on).
I could talk a lot about this but I won’t. Those interested on knowing
more about it can read “Against the modern world“ of Julius Evola and several
Mircea Eliade books.
What do you think about Satanism?!…Being one of the most present ideologies on today’s world of alternative Music, do you find it interesting in any way?!…
I can’t say much about Satanism, as I never
had any interest on it. I read one or two things that showed me that Satanism
is more than that image we usual have, but it never grabbed my attention…
It also seems to me that there’s a lot of confusion on that area and that
usually Satanism is understood on a rather “low” level. But can’t be sure,
so…
Nowadays, Dark-Folk has been suffering
many accusations of Neo-Nazism, Fascism. Etc.
Bands like Death in June, Ostara, Der
Blutharsch had many of their shows cancelled…almost like a persecution…do
you see this kind of music strongly linked to extreme Politics?!…
And, is this something appealing to you,
the Abyss of ambiguity (when it comes to lyrics) and through it, provoke
and generate confusion on the weak minded?!…
Ah, on a time that persons don’t think, merely
re-act to stimulus it’s easy to create such associations. When you say
“flower power” people think on hippies or something. When you say “Arabs”
people think “terrorists. Bad!”. Then you can say “Michael Jackson” and
they think “artist, freak, good to children” (!!). And say “France” and
you’ll get “Eiffel tower, wine, arrogant persons”. And so on… Say “Christ”
and they think “Good, hope, heaven”, say “Manson” and they’ll turn to “Bad
man, assassin” and on and on…
Some days ago I went to Oporto and I was
dizzy; at each corner some flashing thing commanded me to buy something.
You look at the TV and there’s always someone giving you advice. On such
a state, it’s not hard to understand the connections made regarding those
bands and others. It’s just a matter of simple thought-conditioning! as
it has been studied by Pavlov. If you give any opinion that is aside from
the accepted by the “many” you always run some risk…
Ambiguity and confusion are nice and they
don’t bother me. I don’t listen to DIJ because of its ambiguity but because
I like the music. I’m not thinking “is he a fascist? Is he not?”… I don’t
care about that. When you’re listening to music you’re just getting a part
of the person. How can we judge someone through that? And quite more important,
who are we to judge someone?
I don’t have to agree with everything that
I listen. I like black metal and I don’t care about Satanism. I listen
to it because I like the music not to be told how to think or behave. Music
is not dangerous. All the danger is in the head of those who listen to
it. I can say that “Imagine” (argh…) played backwards has the voice of
Satan and killed someone because of it. Is Lennon responsible for it…?
If anyone thinks DIJ are dangerous (please…!)
they can avoid it. What those abnormal narrow minded always forget is that
if they don’t like the message they are not compelled to see their concerts
or buy their records. And when you go to such events you go to a musical
concert, not to a political meeting. Half of them should take a bath instead
and the other half I don’t know, plant a tree, make more piercings in the
body or something. What is funny on those persons is that they are against
fascism and nazism because these are totalitarian ideologies, but with
their stupid babbling they’re the ones that are being fascists…
Do you still believe in Love?!…How would you define it?!…Do you have enough Love in your Life?!…
Love is a word over-used these days, as many
others… I can’t answer this question without talking about me – and I can
tell you that I’m quite paradoxal in nature… Senses are always enchanting
the spirit and I like to feel enchanted by something, dedicating myself
to it. In that way you can say that I’m always “in love by something, be
it a person, a place, a song, and so on. But I can’t help to be very cynical
and cold when looking at life. So, I also see love on some cynic way, I
mean, not believing too much on it… It’s a bit like Odhinn’s deceit; he’s
also a God of deceit, like saying “I protect you, but not that much”.
Of course that there’s always some surprises
in life, and so far, I even managed to meet persons on which I can trust
entirely. And others that were very deceitful…
Anyway, beauty attracts me… I find beauty
everywhere, be it a simple sensation, like feeling the cold wind, Nature,
a megalithic monument, a raven or fire (I love fire, even if destructive,
ESPECIALLY if destructive). So, you can say that I’m love with beauty.
Especially the tragic, horrid beauty… Let me just give me an example –
on the Celtic legend of Cu Chulain, when the hero has been defeated and
his bowels are dripping to the floor, a raven descends from the sky and
lands near him. When the bird is trying to eat his flesh, he stumbles and
falls inside the hero’s womb. And he simply laughs, he laughs of the great
Morrigan that came to eat him…
I could multiple the examples, but I think
you got the picture. And as we’re talking about love, let me just send
a kiss to my “klein elfen”!
About Art…if a friend of yours came to you and asked for some good books, what would you recommend?!…
It depends on the friend, of course. Arthur
Machen, William Yeats, H. P. Lovecraft, Ernst Junger, Julius Evola, Gustav
Meyrinck, Savitri Devi are some names that come to me… And medieval epics,
like “Parzival”… Plato and Goethe… Fernando Pessoa, William Blake… Right
now I can’t remember more… But I have a strong fascination for the last
decades of XIX century and the first of XXth, especially Romanticism and
Symbolism so most of my favourite books are from that epochs.
If he asked me something about “paganism”
I would advise him to read the “original” texts like the Eddas, Mabinoguion,
Upanishads or Maharabata and them to search serious interpretations of
them…
*******************************************************
A Somehow Cold Night received the small audience
(about one hundred) that have decided not to spoil one of those rares occasions
in life…
…To witness the live performance of bands
like Karnnos and Wolfskin.
As I said, the Night began a bit cold but
warmed by the perspective of watching a show that certainly would become
unforgettable to many…
And it was with this Spirit that I entered
the venue, the room looked too big for a small audience but rather inspirational
and capable to quickly induce us to a certain ambience…
To go against the tide, this show started
more or less on time…being Karnnos the first band on stage.
The stage was drowned in shadows on purpose,
only a very dim light was circling the musicians, the right ambience was
provoked and Karnnos started playing…
The opening track was “Burial in Flames”
the title track of their first Album, a very melancholic and beautiful
track but as soon as the audience was reaching the emotion emanated by
the musicians, the problems started to rise…technical problems, sadly it
obvious for anyone to understand that Karnnos was beginning on the wrong
foot, the Sound was terrible!…
We couldn’t define what instrument was playing
what , we couldn’t understand what the voice was saying and the global
sound was a huge mess of tones!…
As expected these terrible conditions would
soon have a bad influence on the Artist’s mood that went from inspiring
and concentrated to disappointed and playing on the “Automatic”, if you
all know what I mean…
The problems persisted on the coming tracks
(what drove Johan to make some comments about these unexpected problems)
but after the fourth track somehow (the technician has awaken from his
coma?!) the sound got better and from then on the audience had the chance
to watch the real Karnnos…
Things got much, much better and the band
finally had the chance to embrace their own sounds and give a proper example
of what Karnnos is worth…
Karnnos, had some valorous guests and showed
a very skilled group of Musicians, the final outcome was very pleasing
and everybody had a taste of these ritualists of Melancholy…the Northlands
of Portugal were there on that room…that night…
What no one could ever thought of…was the charge of life and pure energy that was to come…
After a short break to adjust the video that
was carefully on target with a big screen on the side of the stage, the
Wolfskin show began…to our pleasure the show was synchronized between the
Music played on stage and the images projected on the referred screen…
These images invoked distant pagan horizons,
old woods, old shadows, old lights…all this at the same time that Johan
entered the stage on a camouflage and with a wooden mask on, the samplers
were cruel and cold as “World of Veils” was playing…
The Video showed a human form wandering,
walking between magical trees, all this gathered with the dark and heavy
ambiences produced on stage…Wolfskin kept inducing us into dark landscapes
musically and visually…at a certain stage the Music went into a climax
and by that time the light and the green that we could witness on the screen
went into blood!…The landscapes were all blood…one more time, visually
and musically!…
From then on, no more stopping a discharge
of Rituals of Blood and Slaughter, of old Battles and New ones…
A band capable of walking above technical
problems and giving us all a trip into the realm our own dark and bloody
corners…
Truly fantastic!…
Karnnos were on this Night:
Johan Aernus (Vocals)
A Guerra (Guitar, Vocals, Percussion)
Belmil (Flutes, Bagpipe, Percussion, Bass)
N. Cruz (Viola, Violin, Syntethizer, Guitar)
Pvra Dalem (Vocals, Percussion)
U-Sá (Bass Guitar with HUGE Distortion
and Second Vocals)
Track List:
1 – A BURIAL IN FLAMES
2 – LOKI, WIZARD OF LIES
3 – RUINS AND TERROR
4 – TEN PAN (ALL WITHIN ONE)
5 – AS LIFE IS CARVED...
6 – A TREE OF UNION UNDER THE DIVIDED, LOST
SPIRIT
7 – SILENCE... AND STARS, FALLING
8 – RUINS OF BEAUTY AND LOVE
9 – STRIFE – TO FIND A TORTUOUS WAY
10 –STILL WE HUNT, STILL WE CHASE
11 – LAND OF STAGS
12 – IN THE PALE, PALE NIGHT
******************************************************************************
Wolfskin were on this Night:
Johan Aernus (Vocals, Syntethizer, Carillion,
Ronco)
Belmil (Bagpipe, Flutes, Percussion, Ronco)
N. Cruz (Viola, Percussion)
Pvra Dalem (Percussion)
A. Guerra\F. Silva (Recorded sounds)
Track List:
1-A WORLD OF VEILS
2 – DAWN IN BLOOD
3 – BLOOD, PURIFY TIME
4 – CART OF LIGHT
5 – FENRIRS SOLSTICE
6 – DESPOJOS DO SOL-POSTO
Band’s Sound Technician: Filipe Silva
Public Relations and cable handler: Kalina
Smardjieva
KARNNOS AND WOLFSKIN IN CONCERT
Later on I had the Opportunity to talk a bit
with Johan about the Show, here are a few questions concerning only Live
Appearances (therefore “out” of the Interview):
The Night of the 30th of April was a special
Night for many people that have attended your show.
We all know that some unexpected sound
problems affected your performance but that hasn’t prevented it from being
a very pleasant experience, what was the general feeling that the band
had after it?!…
First of all, three comments about it: A)
I’m sure that on Sri Lanka they have better cables on the mixing table.
B) I’m also sure that 100 bagpipers listen each other better than we did
on that stage. C) If it wasn’t for our sound technician there wouldn’t
be a concert and I thank Filipe for that.
Well, I think that the general feeling was
that it was a great experience but that it could be much better if we haven’t
sound problems. Speaking for myself I was very disappointed because we
lost a lot of time to prepare all and I feel that it was far from our best.
Only that can be satisfying and I only will play again if all the conditions
are perfect. Otherwise I prefer to stay at home.
Do you see your Projects (Karnnos, Wolfskin), as easy ones to make a successful transmission of their essence in a Live Show?!…
If those who are there are prepared to receive
it, I think that it is easy. We just have to make what we have to – disappear
behind the music, letting it leads the listener to some strange, distant
place.
How do you see the Future for these Bands in terms of Live Appearances, is it always something appealing to you?!…
I like to play live, I hate to rehearse. And,
as I said, only with perfect conditions will I play again. And even then
with some pain to have to play all over and over on the rehearsals… Also,
there’s a intensity on our music that can be a little lost if we play the
songs too often. Besides that, I would like to play live like every two
years of so, preferable with Wolfskin, easier to rehearse.
Review by Miguel do Vale
************************************************************************
CATALOGUE
WOLFSKIN
- Campos de Matança, CD/Reaping Horde
- The Gather of Shadows by the Setting Sun,
CD/Ajna Offensive
KARNNOS
- Burial in Flames, CD/Reaping Horde
- Deatharch Crann, CD/Cynfeirdd
- Bearer of Order, Bringer or Chaos, EP/Hau
Ruck!
COMPILATION
- Nemeth-Compilation, CD/Reaping Horde
NERTHIAG
- To be Released under Reaping Horde’s
sub-label Kna Leikr*
ERESHKIGAL
- To be Released under Reaping Horde’s
sub-label Kna Leikr*
ONCE A BARGE
- The Withered Leaves, CD/Reaping Horde
THE JOY OF NATURE AND DISCIPLINE
- The Withered Leaves, CD/Reaping Horde
GYDJA
- To be Released under Reaping Horde’s sub-label
Kna Leikr*
INVERNO
- Gateways to Darken Worlds, CD/Reaping Horde
URDRAUM
- To be Released on Reaping Horde
REVANOR
- To be Released on Reaping Horde
NOTE:
Reaping Horde is the Mother Label and the one that embraces the most part of the projects, although more as temathic collections some sub-labels were created:
* Kna Leikr, Reaping Horde’s sub-label that will only release obscure ambiental music, dedicated to/inspired by the twillight Divinities like the triplice Goddesses, Loki, Mythological Beasts as Iormungandr, Fenrir.,etc.
** Ophiussae, sub-label that
is still under construction, we can call this one the missing pillar, Ophiussae
will be a structure dedicated to traditional music, specially the one from
the North of Iberia.
It will release projects/records
that have some direct connection to our roots be it with original new songs
or by ressurecting old tradtional songs.
Here is a Short Presentation of what are the Past, Present and Future works of this magical Label, named Reaping Horde.
************************************************************************
Wolfskin
Harvests of Blood, Slaughter and Fire all encircled in shadows…Soundscapes of a Foggy World, Music that builds a Wall around your Spirit…
Releases:
1 – “The Hidden Fortress”, Forgotten Blood,
Tape, Winter of 1995
It has the first songs of Wolfskin, recorded
between the end of 1994 and the fall of 1995.
Unperfect and Instinctive, Savage and Violent
as every Birth…
2 – “Campos de Matança”, Reaping Horde,
Tape/CD-R, 1st August of 1998
After the ending of the collaboration with
the label Forgotten Blood, reaping Horde was born, having this Album as
its first Release.
It Gathers songs that were to be released
on Forgotten Blood and some others recorded on 1998.
3 – “The Gather of Shadows by the Setting
Sun”, Ajna Offensive, CD-R, 1st June of 2001
This is the New Release, it has some old
songs re-recorded and some new songs.
“The Dance of Shadows between the Trees and
Twillight’s Colours…at the Setting Sun”
Future Releases:
4 – “Tornar O Sangue Sagrado”
This Release is thought to be the third part
of a Trilogy began with “Campos de Matança” and continued with “The
Gather of Shadows by the Setting Sun”, dedicated to the sacred essence
of Fire and Blood… Out on December as a collaboration between Reaping Horde
and Cynfeirdd, a very limited edition with handmade package (around 80
copies) and another on a digipack format (around 500 copies).
5 – “Ring of Spheres / cantares da Terra e
do Sangue”
After the Trilogy, Wolfskin will engage in
the ambitious project of releasing Two Albums at the same time, representing
by it the two opposites present in Wolfskin’s Heart, the Viril and Solar
Cosmic Strength in one Album (“Ring of Spheres”) and the Energetic Bound
with ones Roots, Native Soil and Blood in the other (“Cantares da Terra
e do Sangue”).
************************************************************************
Karnnos
Music that invokes the Northern Lands
of the ancient Lughcitannia…The Praising of dreams that are now but Ruins
of Beauty and Love…
Releases:
1 – “Burial in Flames”, Reaping Horde, Tape/CD-R,
1st of May of 1999
The Gathering of several recordings for its
sense of a whole. These are the seeds of future Musical Harvests.
2 – “Deatharch Crann”, Reaping Horde,
CD, 1st of November of 2000
Inspired by W.B. Yeats’s researches on the
traditional side of Ireland, this record reflects a more melancholic and
Musical side of Karnnos.
A Work born out of Beauty’s tragic sense…
3 – “Bearer of Order, Bringer of Chaos”, Hau
Ruck, EP, 23th of May, 2001
The First songs after “Deatharch Crann” are
made out of a “natural” coming back to the combinations of Karnnos’s first
work.
This EP is also marked by the first appearances
of new guests, Pvra Dalem and U-Sá.
This work, combines several elements that
are characteristic of Karnnos…Agressiveness, Strangeness and Beauty…
Future Releases:
4 – “Dún Scaith”
This is the brother of “Deatharch Crann”
that will be recorded during this year.
There are several ideas and sounds already
gathered and ready to be recorded. Out on Cynfeirdd on the first months
of MMII.
************************************************************************
Nerthiag
Nerthiag’s born out of the strangeness of a dark night...It’s a band inspired by the dark Divinities of the Celtic Pantheon…Their music is like fraction of an endless flowing that surrounds us…All songs are created from a strange form of improvising and a self-induced altered states of conscience…The mentor of this Project is Knwyn and these notes aside there isn’t many more data, being Knwyn himself very silent about these matters…
Releases:
1 – Participation on Reaping Horde’s Compilation “Nemeth” – Here the listener will find the first songs made by Nerthiag.
2 – “Descent / Frosted Sanctuaries”, Future Split CD between Nerthiag and Ereshkigal to be released on Kna Leikr (Sub-Label of Reaping Horde), songs like “Tamlah Gaioscioch” or “TirNanHel” will definitely be taken seriously…
3 – “Raven of Battle, Sign of Wander”,
This Album is already being recorded in collaboration with J. A..
In this work Nerthiag goes deep into the
misteries of Morrigan, the Celtic Goddes of Life and Death, Witch and Lover,
Virgin and Blood-Thirsty, protector and Destroyer…
************************************************************************
Ereshkigal
A. Guerra’s Project (known for his work on
Karnnos).
It’s a wandering in the Labirynths of the
Old Goddesses and their Lunar Energies…With a special take on the Eastern
Divinities…
Releases:
1 - Participation on Reaping Horde’s Compilation “Nemeth”
2 - “Descent / Frosted Sanctuaries”,
Future Split CD between Nerthiag and Ereshkigal to be released on Kna Leikr
(Sub-Label of Reaping Horde)
************************************************************************
Once a Barge
This project comes from Germany.
Melancholic Sounding mixed with an Epic touch…that
strengthens their “always present” Nostalgic Ambience.
The Words of Antonius Franck, his evocations
of past times and fascination for Pagan Germany fits perfectly into Reaping
Horde’s World…
Releases:
1 - Participation on Reaping Horde’s Compilation
“Nemeth”
2 - “The Withered Leaves”, Reaping Horde,
CD-R, 23th of September
The Band’s First Work, it gathers songs released
on Once a Barge’s two early Demos.
Future Releases:
3 – There’s nothing scheduled, although
the Band is composing some new tracks.
************************************************************************
The Joy of Nature and Discipline
One of Reaping Horde’s next year’s release.
Another band with a clear inspiration on
ancient symbols and tormented paths…
This projects lives exclusively from the
ideas, feelings and obsessions of its creator…
…A. Tília and his belief in Nature
to be the only true Divine Manifestation.
Releases:
1 - Participation on Reaping Horde’s Compilation
“Nemeth”
Future Releases:
3 – A Future Full-Length Release is
scheduled but yet without a date or title.
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Gydja
A New Zealand’s Band of Ritualistic Dark-Ambiences.
Project dedicated and inspired by the image/symbol
of the Goddess Mother and its diversity of forms…especially the Nordic
Goddess Hel or Hela.
Releases:
1 – “No Information about the name”
2 – “No Information about the name”
Future Releases:
3 – A CD-R to be Released under Kna
Leikr (Sub-Label of Reaping Horde), it deals with with the Trinity of Hela’s
Nature…
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Inverno
A Band that has on N. Cruz (Karnnos, Wolfskin,
etc.) its Sole Creator.
This project reaches for the cold and obscure
ambiences of Winter, for the hidden realms of eternal shadows…
Releases:
1 – “Gateways to Darken Worlds”, Reaping Horde,
CD-R, 1st of February of 2001
Their First Work, recorded during Winter.
Horizons of Desolation, Cruel Nights and
Travels among the Ice and Snow…
Future Releases:
2 – Because of Inverno’s own Nature, no future release is scheduled…it will only happen if next winter will be cold and cruel enough…
(Note: Inverno translated to English means…Winter!…)
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Urdraum
Project that is born out of Johan Aernus, Nerunbrir and Pvra Dalem wish to create Music with a more Spontaneous nature than in Karnnos, where the Musical structure takes more complex paths…This Project has more of a Neo-Classic Sound with some valorous collaborations.
Future Releases:
1 – “A Labyrinth of Words”, Reaping Horde, CD-R, to be released on December.
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Revanor
Again…A Project born from Johan Aernus and
Nerunbrir.
Sounding…it consists in cathartic discharges
of Misanthropic energy, a violent and cruel creation with High Standards
in Sound Quality…
Future Releases:
1 – Untitled CDR out on September.