The Knaack Club (Berlin) on October 2nd, 2001: In the course of the Blackland festival a Dutch band namend LUGUBRE which has been quite
unknown here so far offered a convincing live performance. Originally called into being as a solo project by Striid one demo was recorded in
2000 and released by the German label "At War Records". The tracks on "Kriich" are a mixture of raw, primitive and harsh Black Metal and bear
comparisons with bands like Darkthrone or Ildjarn. After having put the project on hold for more than a year Striid decided to write new songs
and to record another demo. The new material sounds just as raw and primitive as the songs on "Kriich" but is much faster.
In this time Hermit joined the project and assumed the vocals for the upcoming demo. Striid and Hermit agreed on making a "real" band of
LUGUBRE, and soon after that Kriich (drums) and Iezelzweard (bass) completed the line-up. The new promotape is now available for 9 DM/4
US$ at Satans Millennium Records. As far as the sound is concerned LUGUBRE stuck to their style - 13 minutes of extreme, fast and yet
melodic Black Metal, it partly reminds one of legendary acts like Beherit or Judas Iscariot! Besides a long version of the track "Nuclear
Counterstrike" there are two more songs which will also appear on the next demo. Needless to say that the versions will be different here, too,
so the promo tape is a worthwhile purchase. But act fast as it's strictly limited to 100 copies!!
It's time to ask Hermit a few questions...
With your show in Berlin you strikingly proved that LUGUBRE is a serious band. And as you already gained some live experiences before
releasing new material, I wanted to know how LUGUBRE were accepted by the crowd. "Yeah, it's a bit weird how things went for us!!
In July a good friend of mine asked me if we wanted to play at the Day Of Darkness festival in Bussum (Netherlands). Of course we agreed,
being in such terrific company with well-known bands like Nifelheim, Vomitor, Arkhon Infaustus and Secrets Of The Moon! As we hadn't
rehearsed at all in that time we worked like hell to be prepared for that gig and get everything complete. It worked out fine and the good
responses from the audience confirmed that we offered a rather convincing show. Berlin was only our second gig, and last weekend we
played with Bestial Mockery, Botulistum and Maniac Butcher (who played their last gig outside the Czech Republic as they said) at the Goat
Guts Over Europe festival in Rotterdam which was organized by SMR/myself. All in all we played three shows so far, and all of them together
with brilliant underground bands!!! We were really lucky."
For LUGUBRE Black Metal stands for "hate and nihilism. This kind of music was created to express total chaos. Therefore we don't
understand all those present Black Metal bands who characterize themselves as such but only sing of things which have absolutely nothing
to do with Black Metal. I won't mention any names here now, everybody knows whom we're talking about. Black Metal is driven by chaos,
sex, beer, hate and war!! That is what Black Metal is for us. We play totally destructive and raw War Black Metal!!! The hope of bringing
back the old feeling of bands like Blashphemy, Beherit, Von and Darkthrone. We are not copying them but the hateful spirit these bands
breathe is what we also want with LUGUBRE. TOTAL DESTRUCTION!!!!" The lyrics rather stay in the background here. "The lyrics
are just a guide to sing the songs, they are totally unimportant to us. The important thing is that the people feel the hatred when they listen to
our music. We hope to call this spirit to life on stage also. Therefore the lyrics will never be printed. The only things inspiring us are sex,
beer and the depressions we get of nowadays life, ruled by greedy and stupid humans!!!"
The Black Metal scene has changed a lot in the past years. Asking Hermit about these changes and the situation in the Netherlands, he reacts
with regret but also understandable anger. "It's a shame that Black Metal changed through the years but it was logical to happen. So-called
Black Metal bands evolved and changed their style to get the attention of a bigger audience. That is where things started to go wrong!!! More
people like it => more commercial => more idiots in the scene. That's all I want to say about it. Here in the Netherlands we
do have a few interesting bands like Botulistum, Kerberos (RIP), Malignant and Fluisterwoud. These are pure underground bands. I can also
appreciate Salacious Gods and Liar Of Golgotha, even though their music is not completely my style as they play more commercial Black Metal.
But they always did what they wanted to, and that is fucking important!!!" Contrary to the Norwegian scene there'd never been any
overall occurences such as burning churches or murder in the Netherlands. "No, such things never happened here. I think that the people
over here are too serious for that. Of course, there are always some extreme fucks doing some extreme things. We support that but we're no
part of it in any way. Certainly we support war and chaos but I think that the music must bring that feeling."
Many bands claim that a life in the times of the Vikings or in the Middle Ages would have been much better without even knowing what
they're talking about. In which time would LUGUBRE like to live if they could choose... "Hahaha, I think that's bullshit!!! What more can
you wish than what we have now. Of course, it can always be better but we have to accept that we live now. It's stupid to think it was better
a few hundred years ago. The only problem is that there are too many people on this fucking planet. This is the time in which I want to live.
We can bring total mayhem upon mankind and do the things we like!!!" The question about old values such as honour, pride, loyalty
and honesty comes to my mind. "We are proud of our ancestors and the place we live in. But if you say that these days people readily
accuse you of being into fascism and stuff. FUCK THAT!! We are just proud of who we are. That's all there is to say about it, otherwise I
could fill a few pages about this issue."
Mankind reaches for the stars, and if we go on treating the Earth as we do, we soon have to watch out for alternatives. Nature is by all means
a topic with LUGUBRE. "We are very close to nature, in opposition to most other humans!! Without nature we can't live and I myself try
to listen to nature and use it the good way. The plaque for our environment is the human race. We only exploit the natural resources and
can offer nothin in return. When we take a look around, we feel like aliens to this world. Most of the time we just don't fit into this greedy,
selfish and stupid way of living which most people exhibit. Well, I do think that we'll be able to live on other planets in the future. I we continue
destroying nature we won't have any other choice. Otherwise humanity will destroy itself ultimately." So what is man? A being driven by
intelligence and above all animals? Or rather the animal cursed with intelligence and by now unable to use its instincts? "Humans should
be the most intelligent beings on this planet but it seems like we are not. Probably we are too intelligent to even deal with the most essential
things in nowadays life. We should go back to the values of nature but that is a wish which can't be fulfilled as we are ruled by greedy and
simpleminded morons who lead our countries. So concerning intelligence most animals are higher in rank than us!! The only natural instinct
you can see in humans is the instinct to fuck, that is also the only good instinct you see."
Nature is not in need of any gods but the human race reated whole pantheons and mythologies over the millennia, and many Black Metal
bands swing the pagan or satanic banner. But he who believes in Satan, cannot deny the existence of God... "All religions are stupid and
no fun. It's just a way for men to hide their emotions and to share the mutual feeling they have which is FEAR!!!!! We are born into this
world, and when life ends nothing but a heap of ashes remains. Why is it so difficult to accept this? Live your life as you want to, it's quite
short, anyway."
Finally I would like to know what we can expect from LUGUBRE in the near future. "At the end of this year SMR will release a split CD-R
of the American band Misanthropy (our brother in this war) and LUGUBRE. Then there'll also be the next demo in 2002; Striid and I are
already working on that material. If it was for me to decide, I would only release tapes and vinyl of LUGUBRE (except for the CD-R with
Misanthropy). No CD!!"
Some final words? "Thanx for the interview, and I hope we will meet again soon!! All other people shall check out the website of
LUGUBRE. BLOOD AND VALOUR!!!!!"
If you're curious about the band and want to order their promo tape, don't hesitate to contact Hermit.
Interview done on October 31st, 2001. Update November 6th, 2001. Endrew
The Knaack Club (Berlin) on October 2nd, 2001: In the course of the Blackland festival a Dutch band namend LUGUBRE which has been quite
unknown here so far offered a convincing live performance. Originally called into being as a solo project by Striid one demo was recorded in
2000 and released by the German label "At War Records". The tracks on "Kriich" are a mixture of raw, primitive and harsh Black Metal and bear
comparisons with bands like Darkthrone or Ildjarn. After having put the project on hold for more than a year Striid decided to write new songs
and to record another demo. The new material sounds just as raw and primitive as the songs on "Kriich" but is much faster.
In this time Hermit joined the project and assumed the vocals for the upcoming demo. Striid and Hermit agreed on making a "real" band of
LUGUBRE, and soon after that Kriich (drums) and Iezelzweard (bass) completed the line-up. The new promotape is now available for 9 DM/4
US$ at Satans Millennium Records. As far as the sound is concerned LUGUBRE stuck to their style - 13 minutes of extreme, fast and yet
melodic Black Metal, it partly reminds one of legendary acts like Beherit or Judas Iscariot! Besides a long version of the track "Nuclear
Counterstrike" there are two more songs which will also appear on the next demo. Needless to say that the versions will be different here, too,
so the promo tape is a worthwhile purchase. But act fast as it's strictly limited to 100 copies!!
With your show in Berlin you strikingly proved that LUGUBRE is a serious band. And as you already gained some live experiences before
releasing new material, I wanted to know how LUGUBRE were accepted by the crowd. "Yeah, it's a bit weird how things went for us!!
In July a good friend of mine asked me if we wanted to play at the Day Of Darkness festival in Bussum (Netherlands). Of course we agreed,
being in such terrific company with well-known bands like Nifelheim, Vomitor, Arkhon Infaustus and Secrets Of The Moon! As we hadn't
rehearsed at all in that time we worked like hell to be prepared for that gig and get everything complete. It worked out fine and the good
responses from the audience confirmed that we offered a rather convincing show. Berlin was only our second gig, and last weekend we
played with Bestial Mockery, Botulistum and Maniac Butcher (who played their last gig outside the Czech Republic as they said) at the Goat
Guts Over Europe festival in Rotterdam which was organized by SMR/myself. All in all we played three shows so far, and all of them together
with brilliant underground bands!!! We were really lucky."
For LUGUBRE Black Metal stands for "hate and nihilism. This kind of music was created to express total chaos. Therefore we don't
understand all those present Black Metal bands who characterize themselves as such but only sing of things which have absolutely nothing
to do with Black Metal. I won't mention any names here now, everybody knows whom we're talking about. Black Metal is driven by chaos,
sex, beer, hate and war!! That is what Black Metal is for us. We play totally destructive and raw War Black Metal!!! The hope of bringing
back the old feeling of bands like Blashphemy, Beherit, Von and Darkthrone. We are not copying them but the hateful spirit these bands
breathe is what we also want with LUGUBRE. TOTAL DESTRUCTION!!!!" The lyrics rather stay in the background here. "The lyrics
are just a guide to sing the songs, they are totally unimportant to us. The important thing is that the people feel the hatred when they listen to
our music. We hope to call this spirit to life on stage also. Therefore the lyrics will never be printed. The only things inspiring us are sex,
beer and the depressions we get of nowadays life, ruled by greedy and stupid humans!!!"
The Black Metal scene has changed a lot in the past years. Asking Hermit about these changes and the situation in the Netherlands, he reacts
with regret but also understandable anger. "It's a shame that Black Metal changed through the years but it was logical to happen. So-called
Black Metal bands evolved and changed their style to get the attention of a bigger audience. That is where things started to go wrong!!! More
people like it => more commercial => more idiots in the scene. That's all I want to say about it. Here in the Netherlands we
do have a few interesting bands like Botulistum, Kerberos (RIP), Malignant and Fluisterwoud. These are pure underground bands. I can also
appreciate Salacious Gods and Liar Of Golgotha, even though their music is not completely my style as they play more commercial Black Metal.
But they always did what they wanted to, and that is fucking important!!!" Contrary to the Norwegian scene there'd never been any
overall occurences such as burning churches or murder in the Netherlands. "No, such things never happened here. I think that the people
over here are too serious for that. Of course, there are always some extreme fucks doing some extreme things. We support that but we're no
part of it in any way. Certainly we support war and chaos but I think that the music must bring that feeling."
Many bands claim that a life in the times of the Vikings or in the Middle Ages would have been much better without even knowing what
they're talking about. In which time would LUGUBRE like to live if they could choose... "Hahaha, I think that's bullshit!!! What more can
you wish than what we have now. Of course, it can always be better but we have to accept that we live now. It's stupid to think it was better
a few hundred years ago. The only problem is that there are too many people on this fucking planet. This is the time in which I want to live.
We can bring total mayhem upon mankind and do the things we like!!!" The question about old values such as honour, pride, loyalty
and honesty comes to my mind. "We are proud of our ancestors and the place we live in. But if you say that these days people readily
accuse you of being into fascism and stuff. FUCK THAT!! We are just proud of who we are. That's all there is to say about it, otherwise I
could fill a few pages about this issue."
Mankind reaches for the stars, and if we go on treating the Earth as we do, we soon have to watch out for alternatives. Nature is by all means
a topic with LUGUBRE. "We are very close to nature, in opposition to most other humans!! Without nature we can't live and I myself try
to listen to nature and use it the good way. The plaque for our environment is the human race. We only exploit the natural resources and
can offer nothin in return. When we take a look around, we feel like aliens to this world. Most of the time we just don't fit into this greedy,
selfish and stupid way of living which most people exhibit. Well, I do think that we'll be able to live on other planets in the future. I we continue
destroying nature we won't have any other choice. Otherwise humanity will destroy itself ultimately." So what is man? A being driven by
intelligence and above all animals? Or rather the animal cursed with intelligence and by now unable to use its instincts? "Humans should
be the most intelligent beings on this planet but it seems like we are not. Probably we are too intelligent to even deal with the most essential
things in nowadays life. We should go back to the values of nature but that is a wish which can't be fulfilled as we are ruled by greedy and
simpleminded morons who lead our countries. So concerning intelligence most animals are higher in rank than us!! The only natural instinct
you can see in humans is the instinct to fuck, that is also the only good instinct you see."
Nature is not in need of any gods but the human race reated whole pantheons and mythologies over the millennia, and many Black Metal
bands swing the pagan or satanic banner. But he who believes in Satan, cannot deny the existence of God... "All religions are stupid and
no fun. It's just a way for men to hide their emotions and to share the mutual feeling they have which is FEAR!!!!! We are born into this
world, and when life ends nothing but a heap of ashes remains. Why is it so difficult to accept this? Live your life as you want to, it's quite
short, anyway."
Finally I would like to know what we can expect from LUGUBRE in the near future. "At the end of this year SMR will release a split CD-R
of the American band Misanthropy (our brother in this war) and LUGUBRE. Then there'll also be the next demo in 2002; Striid and I are
already working on that material. If it was for me to decide, I would only release tapes and vinyl of LUGUBRE (except for the CD-R with
Misanthropy). No CD!!"
Some final words? "Thanx for the interview, and I hope we will meet again soon!! All other people shall check out the website of
LUGUBRE. BLOOD AND VALOUR!!!!!"
If you're curious about the band and want to order their promo tape, don't hesitate to contact Hermit.