interviewpage
Crimson moonlight - interview May 2001 |
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This is an interview I did with the black metal band Crimson Moonlight from Sweden.
Victory: Hi, this is Victory how are you doing? Petter: Good, thank you. Victory: We'll start with the standard question: Please tell me about your music style, there are for sure some readers that haven't heard of you. Petter: Well, we've played symphonic black metal, but now we are more playing progressive metal with influences from several sources such as Jazz. We're still using some symphony in our metal but now we're using less keyboards and we let the guitar sound come out more cleary. We still use much keyboard but we've placed it in the background. In the Eternal Emperor Ep we used it more than any other instrument. Victory: Talking about the synth, I've heard some rumours about Alexander (the keyboardist) leaving the band, is that true? Petter: Well it is. He left the band last summer because he started studying in another place and he didn't think he would have any time for Crimson Moonlight. We were very sad about that fact because he is an excellent keyboardist. But then at Christmas he returned and asked if he could rejoin and for sure he could! He is now a permanent member of Crimson Moonlight Victory: You said you've changed music style, why did you do that? Petter: We wanted to develop as musicians, we wanted to get our own musicstyle. We didn't want to be a copy of another band, want to have our own sound. We still want to have a intensive black-metal-sound but as I said we want to develop. We nowadays also have some clean-vocals in our songs. Victory:How would you describe your new style, what does it sound like? Petter: Our new style is much faster than it was on the Eternal Emperor era. We try do work a lot with all instruments. For example Blood Coverd my needs( a song from In the Shadows of Death-complilation CD, from Endtime. Editor's note) is more our new style. Not Eternal Emperor Victory: About your lyrics, what do you want to tell your listeners. Petter: We want the listener to think about the lyrics. Victory: But in Eternal Emperor you had some straith forward lyrics, but in BCMN you had more symbolic lyrics. What do you think about the lyrics? Petter: Well, sometimes it could be could with "straith forward" lyrics but sometimes symbolic lyrics could be good as well. We want the listener to think what we want to tell them. Victory: What about the songs, who composes them? Petter: We always do like this: If there is anyone who has composed a song anyone other member has the rights to go and change anything he thinks should be different. Usually it is me, Petter, David and Pilgrim who writes the lyrics. David, who is an excellent english poet, changes the lyrics so they become more poetic. Victory: Please tell me little more about your EP, Eternal Emperor. Petter: We are very surprised that it became so popular. When we look back, we're not satisfied with it at all. But we thank God for it. It has been sold in about 1000ex. Victory: And what about Crimson Moonlight's future? Petter: unfortunately, we are cannot do so many gigs this summer due to summerjobs and trips. But we will continue to compose music and write new songs, we will continue to play with Crimson Moonlight, because we've felt that it is our calling from God. Victory: How about any contract? Petter: Well, we've recieved some offers but we want to be sure that we get on a serious label that works seriously with us. Victory: So do you have any new songs? Petter: Right now we've three new songs, they are progressive black metal, the modern sound of Crimson Moonlight, a step forward since Blood Covered My Needs. Victory: What do you think about the christian metal scene today? Petter: Sadly it is not good. There is some good bands such as Extol and Immortal Souls, but at least here in Sweden there is far too many image black metal bands that are not serious about what they're doing. But I hope it will be better. I think it is important that the bands place God on first place. At least we in Crimson Moonlight just play to honour Jesus Christ! Victory: What would you say to a person that has just started a christian metal band and dreams about the big contract, the big gigs and so on? Petter: First of all, Search first God and His kingdom. It is important to do this, let the music come in second place. Victory: What do you think about the secular (black) metal scene? Petter: Well there are some good bands, such as Emperor and Dimmu Borgir, but also there are many bad secular bands. Victory: Intresting, what do you think, as a christian, about listening to satanic metal bands? Petter: Well of someone listen to that kind of music I am none to condemn him. I can go to a metalstore and listen to it to learn something musically, but not lyrically. Victory: Tell me about a typically Crimson Moonlight concert. Petter: We used to play some songs and then would Pilgrim preach a short message. Now we are listening to what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. If He wants us to preach then we'll do that, but we don't preach because we Must do it. I also think that God does things that we don't understand or see. Victory: Where will Crimson Moonlight be in ten years? Petter: Difficullt question. It has happend so much in just four years, I actually don't know. We have the vision to place Jesus on number one, we want to honour him. We will never stop doing that. Musically we don't know, we don't even know if CM exists in ten years. We are led by God. Victory: If you had the oppertunity to do a split gig with a famous satanic band, would you do it? Petter: Not, because it would be cool but to reach the people. We would have no problems with that. Vicory: Finally, name your five best CD's Petter: That IS difficult, these are perhaps not the five best but at least they're good! Extol - Burial Extol - Undecieved Tourniqet - Pathogenic ocular dissonance Gamma Ray - Somewhere out where Narnia - Long live the King Victory: Thanks a lot of this interview, anything you want to say to the readers? Petter: Thank you a lot, Victory, for this Interview. And thanks to all that has read it. Thanks to all that is supporting us. God Bless you! The official homepage: www.crimsonmoonlight.com For a mp3's http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/23/crimson_moonlight.html If you want to comment anything or want to ask Crimson Moonlight anything, write to: petter@crimsonmoonlight.com |