А р х и в / A r c h i v e s

ENGLISH/АНГЛИЙСКИЙ
PARANOYHARD ‘ZINE
Coucheney Beki 21500 Savoisy France

Iterview 22/11/1997
Answers 29/12/1997

- Introduce the band and line up. Short biography.
- Hallos! Thanx for the attention paid! So we are called GRENOUER and in present consist of SERGEY LIALIN (drums), ANDREW ‘the INDIAN’ MERZLYAKOW (vocals), SLAVA KOLCHIN (bass), ALEXANDER SCHATOV (guitar). The band was formed in late 1992 as a complete deathmetal formation, since that it went through several changes in the line-up and finally in music but nevertheless GRENOUER has managed to make a big deal of gigs, gaining popularity in the region and also inventing a unique conception reflected in our debut album a week ago issued by one of the biggest label here in Russia (Metal Agen) on official MCs.
- What are your favourite bands and influences (metal or not)? How would you define your style? What is your artistical aim?
- Every player has his own taste including musical taste. Slava (bass) stands for low quality sound of black metal like BURZUM, PAN THY MONIUM; Alexander (guitar) also cries for black and bands like DIABOLICAL MASQUERADE, SATYRICON, BATHORY, EVOL; the Indian vocal guy prefers CARCASS, CATHEDRAL, BENEDICTION, UNLEASHED, GOREFEST and favourite one is HYPOCRISY; Sergey (drums) is all for SKYCLAD, THERION, SAMAEL,
TYPE O’ NEGATIVE, SENTENCED, MORBID ANGEL… No one could avoid as well the influence of classical and folk music and maybe the music of nature, sounds of wind, night storms, waterfalls, earthquakes… Within these cultivations it is not an easy matter to define the original GRENOUER style, but BORDER OF MISTY TIMES seems to be extended in the manner of general DEATH METAL, not American, or Swedish, or German, or English of course, with slight elements of black and maybe very very slight goth. Right now we are making new material which should be a kind of a different, aggressive beats are planned to be beautified with some sad melodic keys and some depressive voices. At last, our artistic aim is to face as many folks as possible to extreme kind of music, to keep their ears away off the tasteless samples of commercial mainstream.
- In FACES OF DEATH you describe infernal torments known by humans after their death (…Faces Of Death/Fractured Scull/Peeling Skin/…). Do you really believe in an afterdeath? How do you imagine the Face of Death?
- Afterlife is an implied matter of everyday life and actually it is not dreadful as the moment of Death itself, though it can be a pleasuresome affair for the pretty old and the pretty ill. We do believe in life after death and unfortunately don’t know a damn thing about it. Someday we’ll do and tell. Who’s gonna listen? Every death is preceded by a Face Of Death, as soon as you behold it, get ready to pass away or do your best to flee dying. So, you’d better be ready. Traits of death are always hanging around , there’s no life without death, we are DEATHLY alive, we are dependant. Death, in fact, is not the end.
- In AHRIMAN’S HEART you say “Mystical concentration/Severe asceticism/Knowledge and power as an aim…”. Can we consider this sentence as a declaration of war against the pathetic and despicable chaos of mediocrity that the Western culture has become?
- Definitely can and not only the Western culture is meant, but the whole world’s modern culture, ridiculous and mawkish and aimselfishly aimless. A real personality must plunge into concentration and have some decent aim to achieve and to keep on fire in heart as long as possible.
- The lyrics of POSTNATAL DEPRESSION is quite violent and extreme (…Section With a Knife). Is this due to your particular humour or do you hope to purpose a new abortion technic patent!?!
- POSTNATAL DEPRESSION is an elaborate mix of humour, real concern and … lament. The first inspiration came from E. HEMINGWAY’s story about an Indian camp where an Indian woman was bearing a child and the child’s father killed himself. The whole matter was viewed by a little white boy whose father was trying to help the woman. The impression has left concern about the the problem of child-bearing in tribes, how easily a woman and a child can pass away in these conditions during the process all the complications are possible and all that sort of things. Then we have found ourselves examinating midwifery literature and the lyrics finally sounds like this. It is violent, depressive and postnatal, and we guess so, cool. A caesarean operation executed by means of a stoneknife cannon leave you indifferent, can it?
- In WHEN MADNESS RULES you say “…Age of Buying/Age of Sale…”. I presume, you do reference to the overwhelming power of money in the world that has created the antispiritual and sterile society we live nowadays. What do you think about this Western so-called “culture”?
- The corruptive power and money drive societies to unfitness. Modern society culture is anticulture with no traces tangible, cause it creates products, not works of art. Money can buy everything except a human soul, but modern culture believes even this deal very possible.
- In WAKENING OF LORDS you mention “Whisper of Runes”. Are you interested in occult art, magie…? As Russians, is the knowledge of the Slavonic Paganism (not very well known in Western Europe but near to the Nordic one) important to you?
- We do have slight interest in occultism but it is not maniacal or overwhelming. Modern society is blocked from the experience close to mysteries of the past. Nearly everything is lost. What is left is… to perceive the available drops of occultism remained, including from the Slavonic Paganism. Russian black and dark bands often apply to paganism which is a marvelous inspiration, some get really crazy about it, we don’t. Not at all.
- In SONGSTER OF HUMANITY’S DAWN you say “…So-called science instead of real magic…”. Is there a manner to condemn the advent of science as a new religion or Europe, a religion that burns the ancient knowledge dear to the mystic soul?
- That is the point. Modern science is an irreligion, an asylum for maniacs, talented ones, wishing to construct weapons to destroy galaxy; such a scientific race subvert ancient wiseness.
- In A MEMORABLE FANCY you say “…One who never sanctifies/Breeds reptiles of mind…”. This sentence is quite mysterious to my mind, can you tell us more about your message? Is there a connection between this sentence and Freud’s work “The Reptilian Brain”?
- FANCY is an interpreted extract from W. Blake’s MARRIAGE FROM HEAVEN AND HELL. The whole idea is Blake’s revelation, we only took it and modified. Reptiles are guides of magic, very symbolic creatures. Thrilling exciting, magnetic. They can easily penitrate into a mind and they do. There are no definite connections with Freud but… why not to find subconcsious adoptions.
- Tell us about the socioeconomical situation in your country. Is it easy to run a band/zine/label over these?
- Russia nowadays is in half-shit situation, for the prices are the same as elsewhere in the world but wages and salary is much lower. Folks do not really understand what’s going on, for only the narrow circle of people has got big amounts of money, nevertheless the situation should be changing someday. It is very difficult to run a band/zine/label but guys do their best and as a result one can notice more and more underground activities and this is a kind of encouraging.
- What do you know about France in general way? Do you know some French bands?
- We know quite a lot about the French history/geography. Lots of books, authors, films, it is not possible to mention all that we seem to know… Lots of bands as well – the biggest names for us are AGGRESSOR and MASSACRA, and also INHUMATE, DISABLED EXECUTION, TANAHAUZER, KRAKKBRAIN, LAGONY, GORGON, BRAIN DECAY, NECROMANCIA, MORTUARY, DROYS,etc… But if you ask an ordinary man about French music, he will mention SPACE, ROCKETS and J.M. JARRE…
- The Russian scene is not very well known in France, to your mind, which are the best bands/labels/zines… in RUSSIA?
- As we’ve mentioned, here are really good bands., for instance MENTAL HOME, END ZONE, S.C.A.L.P., CRUNCH, PANDEMIA, GORESLEEPS, SIEGED MIND, FESTERGUTS, ENCUMBER, R.A.I., STONEHENGE, TALES OF DARKNORD, GREAT SORROW, DECEPTIVE, MISCREANT, MORBIT, INSIDE and many many more; lots of zines, most of them are written in Russian: ROCK CITY MAG, BLACKSMITH MAG, TEMPEST zine, J.J.NORTH zine, FREASH MEAT, PAGAN WISDOM… some labels: REST IN PEACE Prod., MYSTERIOUS LAND, DERTOD Rec., GNS MUSIC and also some official ones. All in all, get to know about Russian underground via internet.
- What do the following words inspire you to…
WEREWOLVES: Middle ages, human flesh edible and blood drinkable, silver bullets, the past.
Suffering.
ECOLOGY: Poisoned air, water and food. Reality. Negative.
SEX: Excitement. Relaxation. Satisfaction. Positive.
MADNESS: State of things on the Earth. Nearest future.
- Last CD and demo listened and appreciated?
- THERION “A’ Arab…”; CROMM CRUAC “Past Moments”.
- What about your future plans?
- By the end of the summer 98 we plan to record demo and album (new ones). Nearest plans – to finish the videoclip to A MEMORABLE FANCY track and go on with gigs and probably play in other cities as well. Find new contacts and stay evil.
- Write something in Russian and translate.
- OK. Привет читателям, фэнам тяжелой музыки! Не попадайте под колеса содомии! It means: Hail to readers, fans of extreme music! Don’t get under the wheels of sodomy. And also some bad language: дерьмо – it sounds like “dermo” and means “shit”; жопа – sounds “zhopa”, means “ass”.
- Close this interview…
- Great thanx for the interview! Good luck to you and your zine! Stay evil and mystic! Stay hard in paranoya!