- Could you introduce your project to the Heimdallr readers who would not be familiar with it yet?

Wutanes Heer is my personal musical project born in 1997 as a development of the previous one, called Iðavöllr, that was created in 1995 (under that name I did two self produced demo tapes) but the music was quite different due mainly to the poorness of musical equipment. I see Wutanes Heer as an expressive channel of my inner self.

- Why did you choose "Wutanes Heer" as a name for your band?

Because I've always been interested in our European traditional spiritual expressions, and at that time I was really into Norse mythology; maybe due also to my long frequentation of Scandinavian countries (Island above all, where also I lived some months during the winter 1995).
The concepts behind the myths linked to the Odin's legion of dead impressed me a lot and I found that name suited really good to the project and the topics I was on the way to face; especially in the first demo tape.

- How would you describe your style, your sound?

Don't know... it's very difficult to answer this because I'm not linked to a fixed style and, even if they could be useful, I don't like labelling everything... and I don't want to put stylistic limits to what I will make in future... anyway I can tell you that I usually don't use traditional musical instruments because I find better ways of expression in computer samples, noises and electronic sounds... and also this way I can preserve myself from being linked to other people to realize my feelings in "music".

- Do you just use machines or also some real sounds?

I use machines, real sounds, screams, samples and whatever I find proper to my way of expression.

- How many records have you released? And what is the theme of each of your works?

I realized one demo (later re-printed on CD-R) then a 7" inches, some songs for different samplers and a full CD.
About the themes I already told about the first and I'll told about the others in the next answers.

- Let's begin with the 7" "1.9.1.8" released by Membrum Debile Propaganda. Where does your personal interest in the First War come from?

I decided to deal with WWI because I find that period as a break point, like a sort of "coup de grace" to the world of Tradition... from that point and forth modern democratic nations rose to power and Europe started to be trapped by external powers and lost his predominance; the world order changed forever... the last little gleam of the ancient Imperial Tradition extinguished forever... we started to deal with the brothers-against-brothers blood spreading without any reasons but the economical one and above all the advantages were only for that big puppets' masters that waited in the safeness of darkness... since then modern world got to life and became stronger and stronger than before...
There are lot of other personal reasons why I was interested in that theme and I also think every European should easily find lot of reasons to be interested in that time.

- The sound on this 7" is very evocative of the chaotic and inhumane atmosphere of the trenches and the bombardments. Did you visit some particular places or did you read some particular books (such as the well-known "Le scarpe al sole" by Paolo Monelli) to help you to feel what the life in the trenches was?

Yes of course, I visited lot of old trenches here in the Alps mountains (some are also really close to my house) and also I went to places like Verdun and surroundings; places that really impressed me a lot.
Of course I've seen also movies, documentaries and read some historical books and lot of old newspapers about that time and also personal experiences books and articles, just to name the most famous : Ernst Junger's "In Stahlgewittern" and, from another point of view, Eric Maria Remarque's "All quiet on the Western front"; about "Le scarpe al sole" I've found only some excerpts inside an anthology about that topic.

- In the artwork of this release, there are no Italian soldiers (except those suggested along the crosses in the cemetery). Is there a particular reason to this choice?

I chose one picture of a wounded Italian soldier for the back cover but, at the end, the graphic result wasn't so good so I changed it... there is also the reason I told you about before, but I didn't wanted to give a particular idea or inspiration, I just wanted to homage the whole European soldiers died and just witness something from that time and make people think about it... but everyone are then free to think all they want about it... and found their personal views and answers. A little provoking thing I can tell you, is that there is one particular reason because I put the total amount of dead soldiers divided for nations : just think at the extra-European western nation who cried the less dead soldiers and got the biggest advantages from our blood... but this is just my view... I'm not telling you it is to be taken as the only and definitive truth by everyone.

- Chronologically, then came the limited eponymous CD-R on MDP that was the re-release of the first tape. Today, how do you look upon this first work?

I like the first tape a lot (apart maybe from some "due-to-the-less-musical-experience-than-today" naiveté's) but, as all the works I did, they are now overcome and if I would have done them today, they would be different.

- As both of these items were very limited and by consequence hard to find for people who would discover your music today, is there a chance to see a reissue one day?

Maybe, but I haven't thought about it... for most of the past releases, I think there are still few copies available.

- Between the first CD-R release and the first album on CD, Wutanes Heer participated to some compilations such as 'Not Able To Organize' on Multi National Disaster Records or 'Don't hunt what you can't kill' on L. White Records. Can you tell us more about your participation and motivations in both of these projects?

There were no particular motivations. I just thought they were really interesting projects and I was just interested in bringing my contribution to that; I just had the feeling to do it... in other cases I haven't participated in compilations I was asked for because I didn't feel it or because I didn't have enough time to realize something special and didn't wanted to use second-rated things just to be present in one more sampler.

- The long awaited Widerstand compilation from Stateart was finally released a few months ago. Are you satisfied with the result, aesthetically and musically speaking?

I'm satisfied with the result, the packaging is great. The only thing I would have done different would have been the graphics of the cover, I find a big difference from the outside graphics and the inside ones... but this is just personal taste.
About the music I think that, the long time needed to be realized made it lose a little of the impact he could have had before... but none can tell it for sure.

- Let's talk now about your first full-length album 'Opus Alchymicum' released like some previous works on the German label Membrum Debile Propaganda. As suggested by the title, the main theme is Alchemy. Could you develop a bit your personal interest in Alchemy and tell us what lead you to connect this theme with your musical expression?

I got really into Alchemy-Hermetism about six years ago when I read, re-read and studied the book "The Hermetic Tradition" by Julius Evola; it took me about two years to totally absorb the main concepts presented there (and I guess the more I will advance on the way the more I will get from it) ... then came "Alchemy" by Titus Burckhardt and "The Hermetic Symbolism" by Oswald Wirth and, of course with them, a lot of "classics" : Ermete Trimegisto, Arnaldo da Villanova, Michael Maier, Basilio Valentino, Eireneo Filalete, Thomae de Aquino, Christian Rosenkreuz, F.M. Santinelli, Huginus à Barmâ, Nicolas Flamel... etc… etc... and also the more modern ones like Fulcanelli, Eugène Canseliet, René Alleau... all this readings and lot more were and will be with me forever; this kind of Tradition is something that could require more than a human life-time without even the warranty to reach something concrete...
About the reasons I wanted to make something related to this topic, I can say that came from the inner part of myself and that is really good to me because as I told before I like to look at Wutanes Heer like one concrete expression of my feelings and my interests.

- This opus reveals a true musical diversity ranging from neo-classic, martial compositions to more classical death industrial parts. As if each track was the reflection of each stage and operation of the alchemic processus...

In fact that is something I meant to do... for example the titles and the topics of the first three songs are about the three main operations of the alchemic process in the correct sequence...

- Is there already a new Wutanes Heer album planned or at least do you already have in mind a theme, a historical period... you would like to explore in a next album? If yes, will it also be released by Membrum Debile Propaganda?

Yes, I have already in mind something but I don't want to tell more before there will be something real in my hands... and of course it will be realized by Membrum Debile Propaganda...

- You live in Como. Do you feel part of an Italian industrial scene? Are you close, for example, to people from Italian harsh electronic projects such as Cazzodio or Atrax Morgue?

I have some good friend in this "scene" and there is also people I really respect, but I can't feel myself part of a "scene" especially now that I'm not going almost anymore to concerts, parties etc... etc...

Picture by Medea - Aimaproject

- I think Wutanes Heer has never had the opportunity to play live. Is it something you would like to experiment?

Oh that's something I asked myself lot of times and most of the times my answer is "no"... it's mainly due to the fact that I'd like to make something really special and, to obtain the exact results I have in mind, I would need at first more people involved and more money...

- In the past, you quoted Pierre Drieu La Rochelle as a great inspiration to you. Does your interest go more to "Le feu follet" or the "Journal 1939-1945", or maybe the both facets of the man?

Maybe the quotation as a "great inspiration" was a bit too much... in fact I haven't done any works or songs inspired by him, but anyway I really liked both facets of him...I've read "Le feu follet" some years ago and I remember it was full of interesting feelings to analyse and also the atmosphere was great; about the "Journal 1939-45" I read some parts of it in a book called "Eresie" and I think he gives some important testimonies about that times and some points of view that could be important to have a full - 360° view about that times in our history.

- What are the other writers, philosophers, painters... who might have and still have an influence on your work?

I still can't tell you now what it will be in future of inspiration for my works... there are things I was and I'll be of course interested into for the rest of my life like of course Alchemy-Hermetism, European history, Norse, Greek, Roman, Celtic mythology and religions, Middle-age, Symbolism etc... etc... but it's also possible I'll make something totally different... I can't really tell you now... it will depend on the inspiration of the moment...

- What is your opinion about the European Union? As a defender of the European Traditions, I guess you may be afraid of the loss of national identities to the "benefit" of a standardized Europe?

Europe and modern world are going down and down along the way of decadence so fast as we barely can notice the whole process... so it's some times I try not to think too much to the concrete things and use my time to try to obtain a spiritual development of my self... but if you ask me, I don't believe in EU : not because of the loss of national identities (I don't believe in a concept like the modern "democratic" nations) but above all because is a sort of "union" made up only on economical basis and not culturally and to higher values oriented, like the "organic-organism" hierarchically made up, that we can find in the higher expressions of our culture... this is not the time yet for a new golden age...

- A Wutanes Heer website hosted by Fraternitas Fenrir used to be active in the past. Are there projects for a new official Wutanes Heer site?

Yes, I have in mind since so many many times to make a web site... but I'm always and always postponing this... I'm not that good in promoting... hehehe

- A last question: what albums are you listening to at the moment and what are you reading?

About my musical listenings I really can't tell you exactly because I would have to make a very very long list of bands and I don't want to forgot to quote some... so it's better I don't quote any... but I know you can easily imagine which kind of music I like... hehehe... about readings... we risk to make a big list also... at moment I've just finished "The Bushido Ethics" by Mario Polia and I'm reading now "Luzifers Hofgesind" by Otto Rahn and, at the same time, the immense work by the Ur-group "Introduction to magic"... anyway I spend almost all of my free time in reading and my main interests are basically oriented to traditionalists like Julius Evola or René Guénon, and also in the development of the topics touched by them... but it will take really too much space to write down here all the books I've read and studied and that I have here in my library ready to be read and studied and that I've planned to buy in the near future...

- The last words are for you... do you have anything to add?

I'd like to thank you so much for the good questions and for the interest showed... I'd also like to thank all the other people that showed the same interest in Wutanes Heer.




So abhorred
the ravens : how beautiful they are
above the snow
(Matsuo Bashô)



Nathalie F.
Autumn 2003

Contact : wutanesheer@virgilio.it

Discography:

- Wutanes Heer, tape, Lohengrin production, 1997

- 1.9.1.8., 7", lim 300, Membrum Debile Propaganda, 1998

- Wutanes Heer, CD-R, lim 88, re-release of the 1st tape, Membrum Debile Propaganda, 1999

- 1.9.1.8., 7"+CD-R, lim 61, Membrum Debile Propaganda, 1999

- Opus Alchymicum, CD, Membrum Debile Propaganda, 2003

Compilations

- Fidelis Legio, Oktagön & Neue Europäische Kultur, "Die Ehre, der Sieg und der Tod", 2000
- Don't Hunt What You Can't Kill, L. White Records, "Alchemica Pugna", 2002
- Not Able To Organize, Multi National Disaster Records, "Wie geht der Starke in den Tod", 2002
- Widerstand, Stateart, "Resistance", 1998-2003