Adragard (Italy) 15/04/2020
Although, Adragard was formed in the late ‘90ies, they became more active the last few years. So it is a band which combines the attitude of the past, the approach to music as a mean to express the artist’s darkest feelings, pure and simple, with the passion and the lust for work of a newborn band. That alone is very interesting, so i contacted Lord Adragard the founding member of Adragard, the vocalist, one of the composers and the man who writes the lyrics and Niferon, the guitarist, composer and the man with whom Adragard were reborn.
1. Hails Lord Adragard how are you? How are things going in Italy with all this covid-19 madness?
Lord Adragard:
It’s a fucking madness.
Niferon:
I think the human race is the only true virus in the world, to speaking personally and materially is a shitty period, of course, because we like the nature of our land and now we are in a fucking cage. We will also overcome this misfortune from heaven to piss again on Christ!
2. Firstly, you are the founding member of Adragard, so give me some information about the band. Did it start as an one man band? How has the project evolved since 1998? Are you satisfied so far?
Lord Adragard:
Yes. In the beginning Adragard was a one man band. I started the project with the help of Blackfrost (Apolkia) but after the first demotape my life became a total hell and Adragard died. But when I met Niferon the Demon came back to life from the flames. We recorded as a duo a demo and a album. The drum machine gives to the overall sound a simil-industrial feeling but all was totally raw and obscure as usual but with no “pagan” influences. With the final lineup (an antihuman drummer and a bipolar guitarist) Adragard reborn again and definitively. The first blasphemy “From the burning Mist” was a comeback to the Black Metal of the first 90’s. Raw, obscure even with a punk vibe here and there. I wrote all the music except one song written by Niferon and the last one by Gemini. I’m a demented guitarist so all is basic and raw. The new Album “Through funeral shadows” was written by me, Gemini and Niferon. Gemini arranged all music adding a second guitar and the sound became even more obscure. This time the “pagan” elements are back with some epic end even folk vibes all wrapped in a utter black raw chaos. All is even more distorted and raw. Yes I’m satisfied.
Niferon:
I and Lord Adragard hear the same kind of music, the first join was happened thanks to Slayer, but it's a long story, and when I was enter into Adragard project we have split every black emotions and disappointed hopes. So, one by one, the releases after the 2008 became a morbid union of the ideas of Lord Adragard and me. Now, in the last album, Gemini is entered in the songwriting of the band and he have bring our music into a new dimension with a different sound orientation without losing our roots. So, the voice of Lord Adragard is the common thread of all Adragard black history and agony. Church Destroyer is practically a brother and it's a pleasure to have him with us.
3. Who is responsible for your music? Is it a job of one man or all members contribute to the compositions? What about the lyrics?
Lord Adragard:
As I said in the previous question now Adragard is a “real” band. All members contribute to the composition. I wrote all the Adragard’s lyrics as it was, is and will be. I am the mouth of black madness.
4. I can see that your main influence is the early ’90 Scandinavian Black Metal. Which other bands, styles or even movements, do you think that has influenced your music?
Lord Adragard:
Yes you’re right. It’s quite evident that doom has a big influence in Adragard’s music (Black Sabbath are the fucking Gods of Metal!), add to those influences a lethal dose of the first wave of Black Metal of the 80’s and you got it.
Niferon:
As far as I'm concerned, I can mention Darkthrone, Burzum, Slayer, Sargeist, Inquisition, Deathspell Omega, Celestia, etc. Obviously they are also emotional influences and not necessarily evident, but there are.
I don't know why these specific bands influenced me during the songwriting, and it is a personal influence, but I let myself be carried away by chaos and madness of the time I lived or I dreamed to live.
5. What do you want to express with your music and lyrics? Where do you find your inspiration to write and compose?
Lord Adragard:
Music and Lyrics express darkness, agony and hatred. The scream of Lucifer is the fuel of our black art.
Niferon:
As for music, ‘cause all the lyrics are cured by Lord Adragard, I am inspired by the negative emotions of the moment: depression, alcohol, violence and even hatred. But what it transmits ... only you have to say it!
6. I have only listened to your last two releases so I will comment based on these ones. In “From the Burning Mist” release I sensed some depressive feelings coming out of your compositions, referring to DSBM style. In your new release, “Through Funeral Shadows”, there are no such references, but pure old school Black Metal. Was this done intentionally? Does my comment make any sense or I haven’t interpreted your music at all?
Niferon:
It can be, it is due to the influence of Gemini, as we said, in the last album, and from my emotions, now more ferocious and previously more depressed. It is a natural process, how will the next album be? Probably different from the other two, better I hope. Your comment makes sense, of course. But, definitely, Lord Adragard is our Caronte, he guides the ship into the darkness, if you understand what I mean…
7. In your latest album, I see that your sound is a lot rawer and noisy. Also, your vocals are way harsher than before. Was that intentional in order to remind the atmosphere of the early ‘90ies or it just came out like that?
Lord Adragard:
Of course it was intentional. I’m firmly convinced that the harsh sound of my voice fits perfectly with the overall raw sound. It’s came out a complete necro sound and the atmosphere is absolutely linked to the second wave of Black Metal of the first ‘90ies but this comes out naturally due to the influences discussed above. Total Fucking Regression!!
8. Since 2017 you have a full line up for the group. Have you played live yet or do you plan to do it soon?
Lord Adragard:
No. Adragard is not a live entity. Only dead is real!
Niferon:
There are no stages to play this shit, unfortunately. We prefer an internal approach of the listener, preferably stoned and drunk, for our music, in solitude, in the dark, in the madness.
9. This is your second release with Perkun Records. Are you satisfied by how they support and promote the band? Will you collaborate with them for your next release too?
Lord Adragard:
Well. We are Underground and Perkun is an underground label so all it’s ok. The CD got a really good quality. About promotion Perkun spread the music on the web and the physical plague but we contribute to promote Adragard sending stuff for review. As I said it’s underground and as usual you have to DO IT YOURSELF. About the next release… well it depends on Perkun so we’ll see.
10. What kind of feedback or reaction have you received by the fans and the press regarding Through Funeral Shadows? Did you expect it and are you satisfied by the comments received so far?
Niferon:
We really don't think we have fans! Only a few really deviant people follow us, but that's okay. We will become famous in another life. Seriously, if even one person gets excited by listening to Adragard, we are on the right way. We spread the plague, It's all.
11. Have you started composing material and writing lyrics for your next release? Do you plan to release another full-length album?
Lord Adragard:
We got some music but no lyrics yet. Of course we plan to release another full-length but now it’s too early.
12. Italy is a country with a big Metal scene, especially the underground one. You are a part of the underground Black Metal scene since 1997, more than twenty years. Do you think that the scene has become bigger, stronger and has evolved through these years?
Niferon:
Yes, We had important underground bands in the past such as Necrodeath, Schizo or Bulldozer… The scene now is dead, I think everywhere, not only in Italy, now we are isolated in our hasty lives. There is no longer the taste of blood, of paper, of the musical carnality of the past. The underground is slowly dying out under the neon lights of plastic.
13. Are you in contact or do you cooperate with other musicians or bands from the Italian scene? Are there any artists from Italian music that you respect and would like to suggest to me?
Niferon:
We have no relationship with the local scene. Listen to Beatrik and Tenebrae In Perpetuum or Chelmno, they are old interesting Italian projects that I like and have a feeling similar to ours. If you like Speed Fuckin’ Metal listen to Baphomet's Blood or Whiskey Ritual. I liked also Melancolia Estatica, Cadaveria, Mortuary Drape (It’s a great band)…
14. What do you do apart from music? Do you have any hobbies apart from music? What kind of music do you listen in your spare time?
Lord Adragard:
I read a lot of books, so Music and Readings are my passion. I am a music addicted and I listen mainly metal of course but even classical music and rock. I don’t like the genres that pops out during the end of the 90ies and 2000 so I hate numetal, progmetal, symphometal and all the got –core in the name. Fortunately in the last years metal has return to the roots and it’s really incredible how much good metal and rock music you can find. These are the album I’m listening now:
▪ Åskväder (2020)
▪ Bullet - Storm Of Blades (2014)
▪ Crypt Dagger - From Below (2020)
▪ Grave Digger- Heavy Metal Breakdown (1984)
▪ Grift - Budet (2020)
▪ Hostile Rage - On the Rampage (2020)
▪ Lucifer – Lucifer III (2020)
▪ Midas - Demo Tapes (2020)
▪ Putrid – Antichrist Above (2020)
15. Thank you for the interview and I wish you are well. Would you like to add anything for conclusion?
Lord Adragard:
Thanks for your interest. Whatever happens, let's show our middle finger and move on. Fuck you all! Listen our shit and spread the plague!!!
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