Interview mit Kampfar

Your new album, „Profan“ will be released soon. It’s the follow-up to the 2014 release „Djevelmakt“. Comparing both albums, what do you think has changed, what has remained the same?
It’s still very much Kampfar. The main structure of the songs is the same as Djevelmakt, but we took everything much further. We had no intentions of holding back. We had an idea to challenge ourselves personally and stuck to it.

Many bands take a creative break until they start writing a new album. Since it took you less than two years from the release of „Djevelmakt“ to the release of „Profan“, I’d guess, you did not. What’s the secret of this operating speed, when it comes to songwriting?
We had and still have a good vibe going on. We had a short break while touring, but started to write songs after 6 months or so. Kampfar has been much stronger as a unit the last 4 years.

Did you use material for „Profan“ that was originally written in the songwriting-process for „Djevelmakt“ and if so, in which songs?
Nothing released on Profan is leftovers from Djevelmakt. It’s a whole fresh start. The things that didn’t fit into Djevelmakt went directly to the trash. Djevelmakt is hard to match, but we’re confident that we succeded.

Musically I think it’s a typical KAMPFAR-album, but the vocals are very diverse this time: You’re trying different styles of singing. Are the clean vocals all done by Ask, or do you also try different styles of singing personally?
It’s mainly Dolk singing, only with Daimon as an exception. It’s all about taking a step ahead, creating more contrasts within the songs. To keep a band going it’s very important to enjoy what we do to the full. To enjoy we have to challenge ourselves.

As to the production, the album sounds very different from its progressor: especially the guitars (but also the drums) sound more sharp and harsh than on „Djevelmakt“. If thats how you want KAMPFAR to sound like, whats your nowadays opinion on the sound of „Djevelmakt“?
The production on Djevelmakt fits the record 100%. With Profan we wanted a more piercing and extreme sound, well-fitting to the songs we composed for it. At the same time it’s still clear as crystal. We have been through times with two track tape recorders and don’t wish that back. We have an important message, and that message will be spread with a great production.

You did a video for one of the songs for the first time in your career. What kind of experience was it to shoot that video?
It was exiting for all of us. We’ve never done a professional made video before. We had the pleasure to work with some very professional and dedicated people.
(You can watch the video at the bottom of this page!)

Was that a longlasting wish of yours to do a video or was it the idea of your record label?
It was all our idea. We had the wish to make a video for many years, but somehow it never came to it. It’s with mixed feeling we went to the film shoot, but we’re very happy with the outcome.

How do you like the concept of music videos in general? I mean, in the early days, music videos were only made to promote music via mTV and so an, so they were a tool of commerce. Do you think, they made their way to being art, or is a music clip still (even if he is done in an artific way) only some kind of a promotion tool?
Music videos are mainly for youtube ect these days. On one hand it’s a promotional tool, but on the other it can be very artistic if done the right way. Personally I don’t appreciate the lyric videos much. Mainly because the lyrics on the screen take away some of the musical focus.

The cover is a painting once more. How do you interpret this piece of art and why is it the perfect visualisation for „Profan“?
It have much of the same emotion as the art used for Djevelmakt. Profan is in many ways the heir of Djevelmakt so we wanted the same visual expression.

As mentioned more than once now, the new album is called „Profane“. Whats the meaning behind that title, and what is the album about?
It’s us against all organized religions and other organized bullshit. It’s our message to the people who choose to live in a flock, following rules of greedy people. We’re digging deep down in the filth to a place where there’s no surrender, no forgiveness or hope. Just total surrender to Death.

You will tour together with Gorgoroth and Gehenna in December. What can we expect from those shows?
You can expect a hungry band. We have the luxury to choose very strong sets of songs with the possibility to alternate. It will be great for us and the people coming. We promise an extreme show. The tour package suits us very well, as all bands have roots back in the same period.

One last question: In 2011 you told me in an interview at Ragnarök festival, that you’re writing a book about the black metal scene, in 2013 you told us, that you’re still working on it. Any news regarding this very interesting project?
It’s an ongoing project. Dolk is getting in touch with people he haven’t seen or spoken too for many years, so it takes time. He wants to deliver a respectable piece of history, far different from all the other Black Metal stories floating around. The scene back then included a lot more people than the few media circled around. Personally I’m looking forward to read what he has in mind.

Lets finish this interview with a short Brainstorming: What comes to your mind first when you read the following terms:
refugee crisis: Huge challenge for the world and a catastrophe for all involved.
Gorgoroth: Norwegian band with an honorable discography.
Germany: My lovely wife.
Ravenheart: Follow your own path.
The name of that little troll on the „Profan“-Artwork: Lucifer
Your favorite album 2015: Tribulation- The Children of the Night

Thanks a lot, the last words are yours:
Thanx for supporting us. Keep on buying physical formats and go to shows. That’ll keep the metal scene alive.

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Publiziert am 22. November 2015 von Moritz Grütz