The Past Is Alive - Interview Panphage

Greetings Fjällbrandt! First, as a very few people may know Panphage in our country, can you introduce yourself to our readers? What was the key factor in the creation of the project? What is your background?

Fjällbrandt: Panphage is a black metal band from the Swedish west coast. I started the band in 2005 as an experimental side project but I didn't take it seriously until 2007. Since then I have released a few demo tapes, an album and two splits. I play typical Scandinavian black metal. My priority is playing intense/aggressive music with a folk-ish atmosphere.

The projet was born in 2005, however, your really first album just came out in 2015. Why this long time and why so many (stunning) demos?

I was busy exploring, trying out different paths. If I would have made an album in 2010 I think it would have been very fragmented. It took some time to get to know Panphage enough to be able to keep focus on one single thing for more than six months.

Speaking about the demos, considering that they stand above the vast majority of albums released every month, it was almost a crime to restrict them to a limited audience! A compilation should arrive in the coming weeks, is it because of the demand? How could you explain this (relative) popularity recently? Is it worldwide?

Yes, my audience has increased a lot. According to the facebook page Panphage is known world wide but my strongest foothold is in Sweden, USA and South America. But it's still an underground band, I think the biggest difference is that more people in the underground is interested now. I've always wanted Panphage to grow slowly and to have a firm foot in the underground, and I think that's what I've done. I am very content with my fan base at the moment, my fans are few but fanatic. There are people out there who really understand what I'm doing.

"Storm" was released in cassette format, usually reserved for demos, however it enjoys a particularly good packaging, consisting of a fabric case and a parchment-book. Does it suppose to celebrate the 10 years of the projet? On witch level of importance do you put the "form" (format, visual) beside of the "content" (music, texts)?

The visual aspect can be of huge importance to a release. When I write music I often have different images in my mind. I can often describe my music in landscapes and scenes. If I can translate these to the layout for example I think it could add depth to the listening experience. To some extent this could also apply to format. Storm was intended for CD, and there will be a CD version soon. But since the album was written in 2011-2012 I felt it really belonged to the same era as the tapes, so a tape release was natural. But both me and Aetergap wanted to make it more special, since it's my first album, so Aetergap came up with the idea with the bag and the scroll.

About the booklet of "Storm", it includes a text explaining the concept of the album and a description of each title. We really appreciated this explicative approach, to sum up this is a pamphlet against the harmful influence of man on Nature and a desire to force him to recover the place he deserves. Is it correct? Can you tell us more about your approach?

I made that scroll deliberately vague and incorporated different meanings to it. Partly because the concept behind Storm became sort of incoherent because of the long time span of it’s becoming. Basically it’s antagonistic towards the way we in the modern world view man as the centre of the universe. This is especially true for many in the black metal scene, especially the self proclaimed misanthropes. Their way of viewing man as separated from the rest of the world is actually a celebration of his uniqueness. Misanthropy is, ironicly, often very humanistic. Not that I’m a big fan of humanity, but that's more about sentiment rather then ideology. In retrospect I regret the scroll. You shouldn’’t try to explain music, If you feel the need to then your’e probably doing something wrong.

We found "Storm" more angry than your previous works, as if you are eager to fight or wanted to settle some accounts. In fact, there is a real fighting and masterful spirit, especially in the title track. Where does this anger came from? Who is the enemy?

I don't know. My enemies may change over time but the hatred remains. Hatred has, for as long as I can remember, always been a strong force in my life. With that said I would also like to point out that all aggressive parts of Panphage are not angry per se. As we are on the topic of my album, a storm may be called “raging” but that does not mean the storm carries rage as an emotion the way we humans may feel “rage”, it is simply forceful, intense and may have disastrous effects on it’s surroundings. I’d like to imagine Panphage in a similar way.

You make fun of 99% of the Black Metal scene in the "thanks" part of the album. In this zine we precisely try to highlight the bands that "know what they are doing" and deserve to be supported by those who share the same ideals. Why having such a harsh judgment? After all, mediocrity is everywhere, don’t you think that the 1% remaining worth it?

It is true that mediocrity is everywhere. But I still think black metal is exceptional in this way. Finding a good band today is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I myself have given up. I don’’t think people take it seriously enough. People tend to focus on image and persona to cover up their inferiority complexes, they actually forget to write some good riffs while they a’re at it. It aint surprising though, people within this genre suffers from megalomania, believing themselves to be some kind of übermench compared to the “masses”. But I don’’t think I’’m the first to say it’’s actually the other way around. My experience is that they in are dumber and basically pathetic compared to the general population. In that way it makes sense, shitty people make shitty music. But at the same time you are right, the one percent is worth it. There is little in this world that may be compared to black metal done right.

There is a purity, an energy and a rare madness in your music, many songs sound like hymns, who may recall some great moments from Taake, first Ulver masterpieces, etc. Where does this madness, this passion came from? Is there a form of tribute in your music or any similarity is pure coincidence?

Music has its own logic and language, nowadays I try not to verbalize and intellectualize the creation process too much. But I guess I often try to create a musical environment for ways of thinking and feeling that modern life in this society rarely give room for. Maby you could compare it to the ecstatic techniques of a shaman, it is about overstimulating the senses in order to induce extraordinary experiencing. I have no intention to put the listeners into trance or something, but maby it could shake them up for a moment and wake them up from the numb and uninspiring mode of living society demands from us.
Bands like Taake and Ulver, as well as other Norwegian bands from the mid 90’s are of course a big influence, but I also think the influences from Scandinavian traditional music we probably have in common is also an important factor for the resemblance.

Despite the passion and rigor in your music, you know who to smooth it and put an eminently pagan aura in your music, that could explain why some people can hear some similarity with Arckanum or early Satyricon era. Are you agree with this? What is your approach by playing on those contrasts?

There is not much to say here, these contrasts is for me the essence of Panphage. Mixing dark or aggressive elements with folk inspired melodies. Maby it’s not what I do in each and every song, but it’s always there like a backbone and something I always return to in some way or another. The hymn-like pagan sounding elements are probably there to touch upon something that feels ancient yet timeless, something larger than life. Early Arckanum, especially Trulen and Kampen, was a big influence when I started the band. He did something there no one has ever done before or after. The newer albums are very different though. I’’ve never thought of Satyricon as an influence, but it’’s probably there in the back of my head along with many other contemporary bands which defined the genre for me in the beginning.

Among other influences we could also think of "Nordavind" by Storm. Is it pure coincidence that your album has the same name? What do you think of the old Norwegian scene ? And its evolution by the way.

It’s pure coincidence. The old Norwegian bands were important when I discovered black metal but it’s only Darkthrone and Burzum that has stuck with me. I however think Darkthrone was at their best between 1996 and 2004. You could say a lot about the evolution of the Norwegian scene, some bands have become too pretentious for my taste but at the end of the day I think the scene over all has matured with dignity compared to most other countries. You can often instantly hear if a band is Norwegian and I think that is a good thing.

Although we can make connections with bands from the 90s, your style sounds "fresh" and personal, never really giving the impression to copy what has been done before. It is not so common in the current Black Metal scene, you certainly know that. Where does this personality came from and how could you explain it?

I try to make a kind of black metal I can’’t find anywhere else. Otherwise I couldn'’t justify the existence of Panphage. I don’’t think I have succeeded yet though, and that's maby also a good thing since it gives me inspiration to keep trying. I also often try to push the boundaries and incorporate somewhat unorthodox elements that over time might become parts of Panphage. But to do that you have to have a strong foothold in the tradition and also a respect for and knowledge about the black metal formulae. After all I’ have been playing black metal for almost 15 years and perhaps I’ have learned to separate the brilliant and innovative ideas from the deranged.

Despite the passing years, you keep quite constant in your music, the recent split with Jarnvidr confirm this observation, time seems not really affect the quality of your music, this is your inner self that seems to expresses through times. How do you compose? Do you make a selection through a huge music quantity, or is it something more spontaneous?

I think Panphage has evolved a lot over the years, but maby that's only my own perspective since I think I’’m constantly getting closer to what I want to achieve. You are right about the Jarnvidr split though. After Storm I had problems finding ways to evolve since the kind of riffs I had been doing up until then was sort of perfected on that album. So on the split I took ten steps back to basics in order to find some different path to explore. That turned out to be the right thing to do since I think I found something raw and heavy Panphage had been lacking.
Well, up until the Jarnvidr split I usually made lots of riffs and then picked the best and puzzled them together. Nowadays I make one song at the time in fewer but more intense sessions and I often record as I compose. It allows for more spontaneity and creates a rawer and more organic feeling. Instead of having 6 great riffs per song that doesn't always fit together I now work with two or three good core riffs and build the song around them. I think this has increased the over all quality of the songs tremendously

In the rare pictures of yourself, you are dressed like an urban warrior, closer to a terrorist than a Scandinavian fire-eater or another cliche of the genre. Is it just a desire to get away from stereotypes or to support a kind of revolt against the modern world?

I started wearing the balaclava many years ago so I don’t really remember the reasoning behind it. But I think it fits to communicate the violent sound of the music while at the same time keeping my personal integrity. Other than that I actually just wear the clothes I wear every day. There is too much dressing up in black metal, too much building up images with no roots in reality.

Since 2009 you collaborated with Ætergap Productions for your releases, which is a very confidential label. is it a desire to remain in the shadow of the undergound, is it by loyalty, or maybe because you've never had a more important offer (which would be hard to believe)

Yeah I’ have gotten plenty of offers but never seen any reason to go somewhere else. I’’ve been really comfortable working with Aetergap. Although it’’s a small label he is very dedicated and serious. I’’ve also felt very at home with the others on that label. Staying on an underground label has also been important. As I said earlier I’v’e always wanted to grow slowly and to have a strong foundation in the underground. But now I’’ve actually signed with Nordvis which will be my main label for the upcoming albums. They have shown an interest in Panphage for a long time and I think that label fits Panphage well. Not that I have outgrown Aetergap or that I am unhappy in any way, but I’’ve been there for a long time so think it could be interesting to try out something new. Me and Aetergap still have some projects to finish though and I think we will keep on collaborating in some way in the future as well.

What do you think of the recent events taking place in Europe, with this massive inflow of foreign population in our land? Sweden is not spared, far from it, thanks to absurd immigration policies. Who do you think is responsible for that? Could we say that it is the beginning of a process leading inexorably to the destruction of our culture (already well underway) ? Do you think that an awakening is possible?

I think modern Europe is doomed with or without immigration. With or without it the big issues remain - the transformation of all human and non-human into commodities, into food for the golem called global capitalism. From a historical perspective it is obvious that the relationship between the cultural and material/economic aspects of society is extremely close. To think you can change one without the other, perhaps through a revival of an old culture, is more than naive, the outcome will be cosmetic at best. The past could be a powerful force of inspiration though, nostalgia is in many ways a form of dreaming about a better world. Sometimes It could also serve as a unifying factor in the resistance, although that is rare in Europe. But I think we have to prepare for building a new world and a new man from the ashes of this one.

Speaking of identity, what do you think of bands who deals with strong nationalism / regionalism / cultural identity in the Black Metal music?

I’m not a fan of explicit politics in black metal but to incorporate aspects of the local culture in the music is great. I hope black metal as a whole will develop in this direction. Scandinavia and Eastern Europe has always been good at this but I think bands from other parts of the world should do the same. Many bands of course do this in their lyrics, but influences from the local in the actual music is rare. There is a huge potential here.

What do you think of the french Black Metal scene? Which bands of our country have your attention?

None to be honest, but I’’m not really familiar with the scene and I don’’t listen to much black metal nowadays.

To our knowledge, you never played any live show. Is it a possibility in the near future with Panohage or it just does not interest you?

No It doesn't interest me. Panphage for me is a solitary thing.

In the future, do you plan to keep releasing demos until the next album? Or this phase is over for now ? What is your plan in the near future?

I don’t know about demos but I think smaller releases between albums are good ways to try out and experiment with new ideas. Since Storm I have done two splits in which I think I’’ve discovered some new elements which will be incorporated in the upcoming album. I’’ve almost finished recording the music for the new album and as soon as I can find the time I’ll work on the lyrics and record the vocals. I hope to release it at least before this year is over.

That is the end of the interview. We thank you a lot for giving us some of your time. We let you the final words.

Thank you.


Interview: March 2016