[EINHERJER] [SUMMONING] [DARK TRANQUILLITY] [PROPHANITY]




his interview is by now very old, but as we still think that it is pretty interesting we decided to include it here anyway. Besides, the band hasn't released anything new since the "Nightshade forests" MCD so this interview does speak of quite relevant matters...Read what Silenius had to say back in '97!

Hail and kill! Can you start off the interview by telling us all about the new SUMMONING album "Dol Guldur" for the readers that haven't heard it yet?
- Compared with "Minas Morgul" nothing really essential has changed within our new album "Dol Guldur". The Music is again a kind of epic and medieval soundtrack to Middle Earth. The songs on "Dol Guldur" are more in a way of modilation then on "Minas Morgul", partly sung in a whispering, haunted way, partly spoken with deep sounding vocals. On "Minas Morgul" the vocals were more aggressive, but on "Dol Guldur" we often worked with parallel vocal lines. The music on "Dol Guldur" is more orchestral composed while the music on "Minas Morgul" has more easy impressing melody lines. All in all it was our will not to change our musical direction, which we entered with the release of "Minas Morgul".

Some of the guitarlines on the aforementioned new album sound like they are influenced by hardrock/heavy metal, do you agree? If so, is this something that has inspired you to start playing this kind of music and do you prefer listen to the newer type of metal or the oldschool stuff?
- Yes, you are right about the guitar lines. Protector wanted it to do so, and as he doesn't listen to new metal music since years now he of course is inspired by oldschool metal. He just did this kind of riffing to make the guitar lines more interesting, that's all. Instead of him I'm not only influenced by the old bands but also by many new acts.

What made you decide to start up SUMMONING and why are most of your lyrics dedicated to the dark, haunting realms that Tolkien once created? Do you have any other favourite writers you would like to recommend?
- At the time we started SUMMONING the Austrian scene was at the bottom of creativity. All the well known bands started to split up or to break down. And the new bands, all together were pure shit and nothing worth, and of course do not exist any more. It was the right time for a new beginning and a new area of Austrian music. Together with ABIGOR and PAZUZU we rose up from the ashes where the rest has died. The idea of making a fullenght musical translation to Tolkiens realms came up after the recording of Lugburz. This concept fit perfectly to our new songs that more and more became orchestral and epic sounding. Another interesting author is R.A. Eddingson with his glorious book "The Worm Orouberos".

Why have you chosen the name SUMMONING for your band and can you explain what the alias Silenius means to you?
- There is no deeper meaning or story behind the band name. It just shall represent our kind of music. It could have different individual meanings like to summon the very inner parts of your very self, a world beyond our world or a time long past, demons and gods etc. Silens, silentis means calm, silent and represents more or less my character. I prefer to calm down quite often and let other people talk and think for my own.

Here comes an original question...How has Dol Guldur been selling so far? What kind of reactions have you heard about it and are you satisfied with the album as far as the music and the entire packaging goes?
- "Dol Guldur" has sold 6 or 7 000 copies so far and as always the reactions differ from boring sensless shit to best album ever. After all we are again satisfied with all as it has turned out. No compromises. Especially the cover artwork this time helped us a lot to make our record not drowning in the flood of releases.

Talking about the packaging...The picture of you seems to to be modified in a computer and the picture of Protector seems to be a painting. is natural "beauty" not as good as the one that can be created in a computer and what do you think about enhancing pictures in a computer in general? Is it okay, or is it just fooling the eye of the beholder?
- If you are not used to play an old traditional folk instrument just like me or 99,9% of the other bands, you need the help of computers and machines to got this special ancient feelings within the songs. I know that this fact is opposing, but I have no problems with that. Well, and if you want natural beauty than stop immediatly listen to plugged guitars, keyboards etc... (Ehh...I guess Silenius misunderstood me a bit here /red)

Móru and Nienna Fui. Who are they and why are they bestowed the honour of being decipted in your albumsleeve If my knowledge serves me right Nienna was somekindo of queen of sorrow...?
- Móru and Nienna Fui are characters from the forgotten tales of Tolkien. Móru is a kind of ghostwoman who later on was replaced by Ungolianth. Fui was the goddess of the underworld. Later on she disappeared in Tolkiens works. I've chosen those pictures becasue I simply liked them and half of the songs deal with topics from the forgotten tales. Unfortunaly many people now think these characters are new band members.

Do you think it is possible to create the same mood as you do on your albums without the keyboards and has the thought of trying to do this ever crossed your mind?
- No it's not possible to create same feelings without any keyboards and this thought never crossed my mind.

Who is Doris B. for whom the song "Unto a Long Glory" is dedicated?
- Doris B is a lady who the the music of SUMMONING has helped to survive in this world of ignorants and fools.

You, Silenius also handle the vocals in ABIGOR. When doing vocals for two bands as different as ABIGOR and SUMMONING, do you try to make your voice sound different in each band?
- Yes, you are right. I even try to change my vocal lines within one band from record to record simply because everything else would be boring after some time.

Speaking about Abigor...Can you share the latest news on the band with us?
T.T.: - We just released our latest effort, "Apokalypse", a 6 track mini-CD which is Black Metal in it's purest form - satanic, fast and rough music without keyboards etc. Now we are in the state of composing new symphonic tracks for the next album, the most epic stuff we ever wrote. Rune, our first vocalist joined us for this CD to do the keyboards which will be used like guitars, through the whole songs. The concept and first two songs are nearly ready.

In the sleeve of "Nachthymnen" it says: "The music of ABIGOR is a weapon and shall haunt all those who try to discover anything beautiful in it." If this is true, then what is the purpose of using female vocals on the album? To me (and most others, I dare to say), female vocals sound rather beautiful and not at all dark and haunting. And doesn't beauty depend on what perspective you have on things...?
T.T.: - It was written to avoid critics that speak of "gothic" or the hell knows which shit. Nobody should forget what our music is - evil and dark, no matter how we do our songs. I hate people just judging an album as melodic just because of the way the songs are performed with other elements than guitars/drums. Some people would like extreme stuff just when some keyboards or female vocals would be added. It is true that "Nachthymnen..." honours the "beautiful" side of the night, but this twilight kingdom is far away from what normal people connect with beauty.

When will the Mini CD "Nightshade Forest" be released and is there anything you would like to tell us about it?
- The mini-CD was recorded in a Swiss studio with a running time of about 30 minutes. It probably will be released this month. We have made one new song. The other three songs were taken from the "Dol Guldur" sessions. All four songs are much more melancholical than on "Dol Guldur" with more easy impressing melody lines, and less in the way of meditation as on "Dol Guludr". Afterwards we will make a break and think it over how SUMMONING will continue. The rest of the year I will concentrate on my ritual project called MIRKWOOD.

How do you go writing songs for SUMMONING? Explain the process! Since you are only two people in the band I presume that you don't reherse much, but instead work on the songs in the studio, am I correct?
- You are right that we never reherse but it's not true that we work on the songs in studio. All SUMMONING records were recorded and mixed during three or four days. The process of composing is quite easy. I come up with the basic keyboard riffing for a song that will be recorded on disc. Afterwards Protector adds some other melody lines and percussion lines. The finished song is again recorded on disc. In studio we jsut have to record from the disc and add some guitar, bass and vocal lines. That's all.

Why don't you print the lyrics on your albums? Do you have passages taken straight from the books about The Ring or do you write your own versions about the stories in them?
- The lyrics of Summoning were partly written by me, P.K. of ABIGOR/PAZUZU o taken from poems of Tolkien as long as they fit to our concept. The main reason in the past why we never printed them was because I always have lost them somewhere.

In the SUMMONING logo the letters are written around a pentagram...Exactly what does this symbol mean to you?
- The pentagram in the logo is a symbol for the eternal play of black magic and dark powers against the world of light and warmth.

ABIGOR released four demos before getting signed and SUMMONING released three, this is quite a lot comparing it to the situation in the scene these days. What do you think about the fact that a lot of bands get signed after (or even before) their first demo? Are the labels too quick with signing new bands?
- It's quite difficult to explain. When I was younger there were less bands around and the result was that I listened each record a hundred times after I bought a new one. But today the metal market is pumping over and todays society is a fast food society. I see it on myself because nowadays I often listen to a record 2 or 3 times until I have to get something new. And as long as there is a demand for new bands, labels will release one new band after the other. But most of the bands drop again after a short or longer time, the bad ones after a short time, the good ones after a longer time. The bands that survive a distance of ten or fifteen years can be counted on two hands. After all it's a natural progression.

Are you still satisfied with your old demos and albums?
- I'm not satisfied with the demos at all and luckily I've thrown them all away. But I'm absolutely satisfied sith all the records that we've released so far. They strongly represent the progression of SUMMONING over the years.

Okay Silenius, that's it! Thank you very much for your time...To finish this interview, could you tell us if there are any Austrian bands or 'zines you would like to recommend and feel free to add anything of importance that did not get through in this interview! Kill with POWER!
- Bands: AMESTIGON, GOLDEN DAWN, AUGIZIA on the metal side. PAZUZU, ICE AGES, DIE VERBANNTEN KINDER EVA'S, ALLERSEELEN and THE MOON LAY HIDDEN BENEATH A CLOUD on the wave and ritual side. In the moment there are no good 'zines around. Thanks for the interview and up the banners!