Ossein, uma banda que provavelmente muita gente deste fórum não deve ter ouvido falar. Mas Ossein não é uma banda qualquer... Para além de se terem formado em 2006 e de terem lançado o primeiro e segundo álbum neste ano, são uma banda mágica, estimulante, inteligente, para não dizer, fantástica. Zyklon fez uma crítica que ilustra e descreve bem o seu álbum de estreia, o que me levou a ouvi-los e então abriu-se mais um lugar na minha lista de bandas preferidas.
Evitando o estagnamento e a repetição, Ossein trouxe-nos um fabuloso álbum de nome Declination e pouco depois, um álbum tão espectacular, quanto diferente, de nome Osaka. Em breve terão o novo álbum de nome Fuhrer, que em princípio deverá ser outra surpresa, trazendo uma sonoridade tanto ou mais diferente quanto o álbum Osaka. Apreciem através do MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/ossein
Tendo obtido conhecimento da banda através da crítica de Zyklon, a RMI não perdeu tempo a entrevistá-los e o resultado apresenta-se nas seguintes linhas:
RMI INTERVIEW
1 - To those who do not know Ossein yet, I must tell them, that there is no other band capable of being compared with you. You are indeed an entity comprised of uncommon values and a rare capacity of creating emotions within the listener. Please, tell me when and how was Ossein created and what were/are its objectives as a band.
Do you have a message to share with people?
I sincerely appreciate your words. Recording Ossein material is such a therapeutic thing for me. I cant even imagine how many hours of this past year were spent producing music, of all different kinds. I started Ossein in 2006, having an interest in playing predominately Black Metal, but from the beginning I was interested in playing other genres. I've always looked as each release as separate interpretation of a similar mood or idea. 'Declination' & 'Osaka' though drastically different, share a sound specific consistency. On 'FÜHRER' nearly every song is a new musical contemporary for us. Our message is an explorative one.
2 – I first heard of Ossein on a review made by one of my fellow Portuguese reviewers, who usually discovers great bands from everywhere around the world. His review about "Declination", focused elements of your music that seemed rather interesting to me, leading me to listen to that album immediately. Apparently, most of the tracks belonging to "Declination" were recorded first take.
Do you believe you have managed to capture its feeling on the first take or would you change anything on them now if you could?
Instrumentally, I'm totally satisfied with the production on 'Declination'. After getting my ears used to the recording, I might add layers to the clean vocal elements if I got the chance, but I think the sound is unique as is. There's a certain aesthetic listening to Burzum records, knowing that it was mostly recorded first take, and hearing the subtle imperfections. I like that in Black Metal, and I really did my best to get 'Declination' to have that similarity.
3 – Personally I think the way you fused acoustic with black metal sections in "Declination" is absolutely incredible, not to mention the fantastic use of synths and other instruments together with the more common electric guitar, bass and drums throughout the entire album.
From where comes your inspiration to craft this kind of music of unique touch?
Black Metal is such an experimental kind of music. It has the capacity to be interesting when blended with so many different genres, if made the right way. I had a concrete vision of what I wanted to commit to tape when I was writing the first album, and it just came together. I think the fact that I was listening to so many different things at the time helped alot. It's never good to confine your tastes into a one or two single styles of music.
4 – It seems that Ossein promotes a vegan lifestyle, spirituality, the use of natural drugs & substances, and a liberal political view, which if I am allowed to say, are fairly distant from the usual kind of things that black metal bands promote.
Nevertheless, I agree with you on some of those choices but I still wanted to ask you, for example, what lead you to choose a vegan lifestyle and to promote the use of natural drugs and substances?
It's hard to ignore the dietary benefits of Vegetarianism. The mass production of cattle in this country is cruel, and once you find out for yourself how irrelevant eating meat is, not eating it becomes the norm.
I also believe using natural substances can be extremely beneficial to your quality of life, and overall consciousness at the right maturity level.
I've found that whatever dietary trends and beliefs the majority of this country follows tend to be very far off from common logic.
5 – Your second full-length, "Osaka", confirmed your polyvalence in terms of sounding, introducing a completely different approach from what we've found on "Declination". The drums and the distorted guitars and screams are gone, giving place to a something not related to black metal at all. Personally, I've found Osaka to be a mesmerizing and surreal experience, something similar to an out of body trip.
Why have you chosen to execute this drastic (yet marvelous) change of sound?
I'm glad you pointed that description out, because experiences like that are exactly what influenced this recording. Right now, I'm heavily into metaphysics, inducing ESP, Out of body travel, and the science behind it.
When 'Osaka' was still in instrumental form, it appealed to me as a trance-like musical experience, something that would ideally be the soundtrack to an out of body experience of self reflection and exploration.
6 – I've been shocked by knowing that "Osaka" is material played live and improvised.
My first question would be: How can someone create something so beautiful and ethereal by improvising? How was this created? And then, I would ask: Do you actually play live or was this session an exception and the possibilities to witness Ossein live are nule?
'Osaka' was the product of an unplanned recording jam (not originally intended for Ossein) between myself, and my two good friends, Lee & Eden Lustig. We set up a clean electric guitar, synth, and sampler. We were heavily using marijuana throughout the recording, which benefited the music's ambience. The three of us had been jamming together for years, and really learned to complement each other's styles. We improvised each track, the album version is the first and only take of those songs. After doing alot of digital post production, we had a pretty unique forty minutes of material, much to our surprise. I spent a few weeks listening, and I recorded what I felt would be appropriate vocals to accompany the instrumentation.
I wasn't sure what kind of response 'Osaka' would generate, but it served as the spontaneous musical shift I was ready for. I think it's especially interesting comparatively to 'Declination', I will likely release the two in digipack form together as a two disc set once it's within my budget.
7 – Checking Ossein's MySpace, one may discover that your thoughts about the Bush administration aren't particularly friendly. With the presidential elections just around the corner, I'd say that you currently couldn't be less than satisfied.
Yet, do you believe that any of the two main candidates could bring the government closer to the liberal ideas that you support? What would be a perfect government for you and more importantly, a perfect world?
In any other election, Ralph Nader would get my vote. He's created more beneficial laws for the people of this country than any mainstream candidate, namely in the area of automobile safety. Realistically, we cannot afford another Republican Administration, especially one with a disgusting individual like Sarah Palin backing a man who's had melanoma four times.
I don't see how anyone could support the so obviously ineffective McCain/Palin ticket. The only logical move is to support the policies of Barack Obama & Joe Biden. Obama has the most liberal voting history of any senator, so he's the best thing we can get right now.
I'm currently reading his "Audacity Of Hope" book, and there is no question that his policies are strong and relevant. Obama is forced into a position where he must identify with "Joe The Plummer", and share nostalgic pseudo-American stories about diners and cheeseburgers. I don't think these are Obama's true colors, and I think we may see a much more outwardly liberal approach once he wins office. Drug reforms, socialized medicine, perhaps the most European office we've seen as a country.
Throughout history, the leading cause for unnatural death is by the State. In a perfect world, people would respectively govern themselves and pursue their interests without compromising the security of their fellow man. This simple feat is something we've never accomplished in the history of humanity.
8 – As you say on your MySpace, Ossein is a unit of people that doesn't possess the barriers and limitations of a genre and also isn't part of a conventional record label. I'm sure that you have chosen to not agree on a deal with a record label whatsoever, due to your points of view and beliefs. I'm also sure that you have been invited to join a record label more than once.
Nevertheless, I wanted to know: what are the reasons behind that choice?
A handful of underground Black Metal & Experimental labels have approached us over the past year, some even offering to fund our physical printing. The problem is that most of the labels are unreliable and the people running them usually tend to know very little about what they're doing. From a marketing standpoint, I think Ossein has the potential to exist on more established labels. In a perfect world, I would immediately sign with labels like Hydrahead, Southern Lord, The End Records, I think it's really where Ossein belongs.
I will always support free downloading, I think it's wrong to put barcodes on your music & ideology. Living in this world, we're forced to be somewhat capitalist. Musicians want to make a living making music, and many have little other means of income, so charging for music is understandable.
I enjoy the removal of the middle man when I release my music. Straight to the ears of the people who want to hear it, Free online minutes after the final mastering sessions. This is what being a musician is about.
9 – In a strategy rarely seen the musical acts nowadays, you've opted to put all your releases available for download (on your MySpace). So I must presume that you have no profit at all with this outfit. Right now, I'm thinking that all three of you must have normal day jobs, like everyone else and I wanted to know if Ossein plays an important role on your life. And if you could explain me the reason to put all albums available for download, I'd be really thankful.
Well, I'm really the only administrative member of Ossein. My friends collaborate and co-write songs with me, but I'm really the one would directly deal with the profit margin. I've sold a good amount of the first two releases digitally and physically, and It's put a couple dollars in my pocket. Certainly not enough to cover the cost of my studio, but I have other, more reliable means of income.
We're in a recession, who has money to pour into checking out new bands nowadays? If you want to be heard, and you have something relevant to share, make it available and if the material is strong, people WILL listen. I've applied that philosophy to Ossein, and I think it's benefiting me in a special way. Trent Reznor and Radiohead have released their albums with the option of Free Download and Donation Download, I think this is the best blueprint for anyone looking to be heard. Ossein is still a baby in comparison, but I'm just getting started and I feel the project will continue to flourish in this way. Our next album is two hours in length, all of which will be available for free download. I can tell you that much.
10 – You are now completing your third album, "appropriately titled "FÜHRER", as you confess on MySpace.
What can people expect from this new album? After the drastic drift away from the sounding of the debut album, delivering a surprisingly completely different approach on Osaka, I think that people are not really sure about what's coming… Could you give us a glimpse of what we'll face with Ossein's third full-length?
I have three samples on our Myspace player, but they don't do the full product any justice in my opinion. 'FÜHRER' is the best music I've made with Ossein so far. It's heavily experimental, I mentioned nearly every song being a completely new direction. The major theme of the recording is a battle between organic acoustic sound and digital musical elements. Musically it is our most accessible, since we're mainly using clean vocals, and we have plenty of soft melodic parts. There is an audible dissonance which makes it Ossein. The whole thing is evolved on so many levels. The album has new forms of harsh elements and ambience, and I think the people that enjoyed 'Declination' & 'Osaka' will absolutely enjoy this release. It's also longer than NIN's "The Fragile", Ulver's "William Blake" release, & The Beatles "White Album", all of which serving as major influences in my recording.
The songs have a certain sincerity in production value, inspired by NIN's "Still" album. I loved the way the music is so honest, with the way the microphone picks up background noises, and you can hear the detail in the Trent's lips touching. It's special, and that recording has influenced me dramatically.
11 – After hearing both your albums in a row, this may seem a completely absurd question but I am still forced by my curiosity to do it: What are the bands you think that are reflected the most in your music? In a better way, what are the bands that influenced you the most?
I've always been into bands that drastically changed. When I was growing up, it was Marilyn Manson. I couldn't get over the transition between "Antichrist Superstar" & "Mechanical Animals". Ulver has been my favorite and most influential group since I heard them four or five years ago, I can have a conversation about any one of their releases & continually embrace their genius.
My favorites include Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Coil, Fennesz, John Lennon & The Beatles, Clint Mansell, Antony & The Johnsons, Boris, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Wolves In The Throne Room, Burzum, Saul Williams, Xasthur, Espen Jorgsen, John Cage, Joanna Newsom, Abyssic Hate, Jethro Tull, Aphex Twin, Bjork, Merzbow, Sunn O))), Agalloch, Opeth, & Depeche Mode.
12 – The United States of America have been delivering the rest of the world, lots of great bands like Agalloch, Sunn 0))) and Wolves in the Throne Room.
Why do you think USA, from all the countries around the world, has managed to become the cradle of such quality and originality?
I'm not really sure location has alot to do with quality. There are plenty of European bands that dwarf American musicians in comparison, and vice versa. Depends who's making the music.
13 – You have stated that your recordings "acknowledge the human issues in our present climate mirrored with personal dysphoria & apathy with the social direction of humanity & our nation". This is a very honest interpretation of the actual mankind's state of being, something that has been dealt also by the depressive/suicidal black metal acts.
Why do you think this is happening?
Depression will always present itself when free will & opportunity is taken. So many people in this world are losing their jobs & homes because of the financial situation and the poor administration of this country, and how it's effecting the world. Fascism is nothing new. Our world is superficial, unrealistic, and overpopulated. At some point we'll cease to exist as a species, and it will be caused by Man's thirst to be God.
I would often push myself into depression by dwelling on these realities, but it's pointless. This physical life is meaningless, and this universe is unfathomably complex. There will be a point where every album, memoir, art, speech, and memory will be forgotten, no matter your impact in the world of 'now'. Death is just the beginning, We are babies, and this is what I've come to put my faith in.
14 – We've reached the end of this interview and I must tell you once again, how thankful I am for having been able to do this interview.
Do you have anything left to share with the readers?
Thank you for the interest, and I hope the product of my words and creative outlets expose people to the mental ladder of divinity.
I thank every listener.
