Hugo

SACRIFICIA MORTUORUM (FRA)
"HORNA STANDS AS A GREAT REFERENCE IN THE UNDERGROUND AND WE’RE VERY PROUD TO RELEASE A SPLIT WITH THEM."
Written by Gerald Robinson on Monday 22 January, 2007. Last updated on Monday 22 January, 2007

The year may be young but already the black metal scene has borne witness to a spectacular release in the form of an extraordinary split vinyl featuring Finnish legends Horna and French underground denizens Sacrificia Mortuorum. To mark the launch of this unmissable vinyl-only recording , Sacrificia mastermind Lord Arawn kindly broke his customary silence to grant Vampire Magazine a rare interview…

Blasphemous blessings to Sacrificia Mortuorum from Vampire Magazine! Can I begin by complimenting you on your excellent work on the stunning Debemur Morti Productions split vinyl with Horna, which totally blew me away… You must be extremely satisfied with the three tracks you have contributed on this incredible release?
First of all, thanks for your words of support. We’re still satisfied by the final result even if, with time, we think that we could have done a better mix (since the beginning, all is recorded by our own means in a very traditional way); but the atmospheres we managed to create are really those we were searching for.
As far as I’m aware, these are exclusive songs which will appear on this split only. Is this true? When were these odes conceived and how did the whole project come about?
Yes, this work will only be available on LP. The project came to our minds some years ago when we got in touch with Shatraug of Horna, who contacted me after our first cd. We built a very good relationship and we talked about the possibility of releasing a split together. We first finished the work of our concept album 'Les Vents de l’Oubli' based on the life of Gilles de Rais, then we started the composition of three exclusive songs for that split. We wanted to get a new sound, to break with the first period of the band. So these three songs symbolize many things for us as they stand as a link with our new compositions.

The LP looks awesome in its spectacular gatefold sleeve. How happy are you with the finished product and what does it mean to Sacrificia Mortuorum to share a release with a cult underground horde such as Horna?
For sure we’re very enthusiast with the final result; we didn’t expect such a beautiful work. Horna stands as a great reference in the underground and we’re very proud to release a split with them as this is a really honest band which exists since many years and never betrayed his roots through his long existence. For this, I give them my total respect and support; so it’s as an honour to do such a release and the work of Debemur Morti contributed to a really serious result.

Any idea when we can expect a follow-up to the 2005 full-length ‘Les Vents de l'Oubli’? Do you have much new material ready or a label lined up for the next Sacrificia release?
The new songs are recorded, we finished the work at the end of December; the whole material has again progressed to our point of view. The sound is better and like with our previous stuff the compositions have evolved but still keeping with our feelings in the atmospheres and conceptions.
The new full length will feature 7 tracks for approximate 40 minutes. It will be surely released on Hades Productions (Greece), from one of the most cult BM bands of Hellas. It will be available for the first part of 2007.

All your songs are in your native tongue. Is this a statement of national pride or just a matter of convenience? What is the subject matter of the lyrics? (Unfortunately, my French is quite poor, to put it mildly…)
With the evolution of the band we have attached more and more importance to the concept we wanted to work on so, as a consequence, our native language imposed itself. For the previous album we talked about the life of Gilles De Rais (famous character of the 15th century) so it would have been ridiculous to speak in any other language than ours.
'Dйchu', the first track of the split, introduces the concept of the new album based on the apocalypse. We didn’t want to do lyrics with the usual clichйs on this subject, that’s why we took another approach which is different from the common apocalypse. The inspiration comes from different sources like old apocryph writings, cainites and sethites ancient sects. We found it interesting to use condemned Christian sources against the established Christianity.
For other lyrics, we talk about more personal emotions and feelings.
About our native language, we have one of the most rich and creative, so it’s with true pride that we use it.

The majority of SM’s songs are epic in length and structure – does this make the writing process more difficult? I love the way the songs remain interesting throughout and never become repetitive or boring – this cannot be easy to achieve…
It’s not really easy to answer such a question because we create each song in total honesty and in an instinctive way. It’s like this: we consider this art.

What prompted you to start the band up in the first place and could you give me a brief history of Sacrificia Mortuorum?
Since the first time I listened to BM, I’ve totally been fascinated by this universe. It’s only in this movement that I found things which gave me the real emotions and feelings of sadness and darkness I was searching for. I first started the band with Warspirit; it was back around 1999. At this time we were overall inspired by the scene of Poland (Infernum, Graveland, Veles) so the first demo 'Dark Hymns of War' was recorded. Warspirit left the band and Gothmog joined me since the release of 'Ira Melanox' and the line-up is still the same, with help from Hylgaryss (Winter Funeral/Chemin de Haine).

Outside of music, what does Lord Arawn do with his life?
My job takes up a lot of my time, unfortunately; so I can’t do all that I would like to do. My free time is filled by music listening and playing; I’m watching movies and playing some video games too. I am interesting by some periods of history (WW2), pagan age … I’ve great respect for the majesty of nature.
Could you tell me something about your partner in the band, Gothmog, and also about the other band you both play in – Torech Ungol?
I met Gothmog nearly 10 years ago; he’s a really close friend and one of the only persons I’m really in good touch. We have the same vision of composition, so it’s really easy to work together.
About Torech Ungol, it was an old project which started in order to transcribe the vision of Tolkien’s universe into music. Some demos were released but now it’s dead; maybe we’ll work again on it but nothing is sure.
Besides the music, we have a brotherhood relationship.

Some of my favourite black metal bands are from France – Nehemah, Grey, Blut Aus Nord, Merrimack, Deathspell Omega, Antaeus, Mystic Forest etc. etc. Are you proud of the flood of good BM emanating from your country and what do you think has caused the proliferation of the ‘scene’ there? What bands do you listen to yourself?
I like only a few of the bands mentioned; I think that D.O. is the most interesting in the musical structures, like Merrimack. I’m not in touch with those bands as I am more near to the scene of the south - like Desolation Triumphalis, Kristallnacht, BIS, S.V, Chemin de Haine, Bekhira etc… I really like Peste Noire and I’ve been well surprised by bands like Glorior Belli.

Thank you again for agreeing to this interview and Best Wishes for the future of your band. Do you have any final words for our readers?
Great thanks for your support; usually we don’t answer interviews but yours was interesting.