P: Yeah, it was just as we expected it to be. The place was packed. We did create a good atmosphere on stage: some extra tools, a special dance-act, etc. I think people enjoyed the gig very much, so that was good.

ES: You were of course promoting your new album “Deathcult Salvation”; are you happy with the way that album turned out? Have you been receiving good feedback from the press and fans so far?

P: We’re really satisfied with the way this album turned out. Content wise, the album was already finished a few months before the release, so we could focus on other things. For example, we’ve given ourselves the time to think about the cover art instead of just taking the first thing that was presented to us.

ES: The reviewers so far have highlighted a range of aspects to your music; how would you personally describe your sound? What do you aim to create when you step into the studio?

P: The output you hear on “Deathcult Salvation” – in fact on each of our albums - always was a reflection of feelings generated by 4 band members (each with another musical background) creating music in a rehearsal room. For ‘Deathcult Salvation’, the inspiration came from making long mountain trips, watching movies such as ‘The Mask Of Satan’, reading novels such as ‘Heart Of Darkness’ and listening to the more atmospheric sides of Pink Floyd. Combine those feelings with a drummer that kicks his bass drum on a rolling Mikkey Dee tempo, then Panchrysia is what you get. To re-generate that basic rehearsal feel, was our aim when we entered the studio. We knew that the general atmosphere was right. In the studio, we needed to bring it over on tape.

ES: Our commentator Pete Woods was particularly pleased by your use of samples on the album; what made you decide to use these? Where did you search to find appropriate ones?

P: By the time we were writing the album, I was pretty much into black & white movies (From Mario Bava horror to Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, etc). Those did set my mind for a couple of months. I think it’s the way creative work should be done. Search for atmospheres, feelings you can get into for a longer period of time. It helps you in writing music, lyrics, searching for the right cover art and interludes. It’s a natural mixture.

ES: What are the important lyrical and thematic concepts on “Deathcult Salvation”? Are lyrics important to you, and what are your inspirations for creating them?

P: Lyrics are as important as the music. They are a part of the whole. I start to write them independent of the music, however within the same creative mindset. I pick out pieces and thoughts when reading, which I do every day. It can also be an interesting point from some conference I attended. I can be a phrase from the bible, from a novel, a movie, from a philosophers work… Basically, all my lyrics and phrases refer to one main theme, a theme from Nietzsche’s ‘The Antichrist’: the devaluation of all values. You will find this in every thing I read. It’s my vision on life, my way of living life. It is also reflected in our cover art.

ES: “Deathcult Salvation” does indeed have striking artwork; how did it come about?

P: At first, we had a totally different cover in mind. Dark Essence however gave us the advise to let H’grimnir (Helheim) give it a try. Since he’s a designer, he would come up with good ideas, they told us. So, we’d send him all our lyrics, concept art and ideas. Indeed, he turned out to be the man we needed, cause he introduced this Christ-figure up front. This strong front piece explains in one image what music and lyrics are all about.

ES: On the topic of image, I found some pretty scary promo pictures of the band in corpse paint alongside the album- you wear it well; why does corpse paint and the black metal ‘image’ still have a strong relevance for you?

P: Let’s call it war paint, cause we don’t use it in a satanic or bloody ritual way. You will never see us hailing Satan or something like that. Again, our paint sustains the lyrical content, it sustains our music and our aggressive live appearance. It’s what we stand and strive for.

ES: The album has a strong Marduk link, with Magnus Andersson producing and Mortuus providing guest vocals; how did this connection come about? Were they interesting people to work with?

P: In 2006, we were on a tour through France, Belgium, Spain and Portugal together. Since there was great respect from both sides, we made an appointment to enter their studio a few months after the tour. We were lucky to receive a warm welcome in Sweden. All of this, together with the right atmosphere in Marduk’s bunker, gave the precise mood to record and produce the album. It was a good choice to leave Belgium and be able to focus for more than a week on our album.

ES: You’re signed to Dark Essence; how did you come into contact with them? Have you been happy with the label so far?

P: Yeah, we’re really proud to be on Dark Essence Records. For us, it was kind of an affirmation that the music and recordings we made were finally reaching the level we wanted to reach since we started this band. But …what makes us even more satisfied, is the fact that these guys really know how to do their job. They have the right mentality and spirit in order to work in the genre: no bullshitting, but just doing a good and strict job with passion.

ES: Satyricon are suggested as an influence by a number of writers (and I can hear what they’re hearing); is this a true assessment? Which bands would you say have influenced you most strongly during your careers?

P: As I explained before: Panchrysia has always been a band that stands for itself. Off course, every listener will hear some links to other bands. But in my opinion, these so-called reference bands are so diverse, that it’s impossible to link to one of them. Some say Satyricon. Ok, true for some aspects. But false in many other ways. Others mention Dimmu Borgir?!? What to think of that? (You used ‘deathcult’ in your title and people are stupid? I dunno. ES)

ES: Belgium is home to some of my favourite bands; do you think it has a particularly strong scene in terms of bands and support at the moment? Are there any acts our British readers might not have heard of which are worth listening to?

P: About our Black Metal scene. I don’t think we can speak of a blood brother-wise bound together scene. There’s a large group of individuals and bands working each in their direction. Some have close connections, some hate each other. As for Panchrysia, we don’t care much, cause we never were a part of any scene. That’s what makes us stronger! Belgian bands? I think you all heard of Aborted and Enthroned, but make sure to check Gorath, Aguynguerran and The Reckoning.

ES: You’ve played with some amazing bands; who were your favourites to tour/play with, and are there any bands you would love to play with but haven’t had the chance yet?

P: The Marduk-tour was the most intense we ever did. Bands to play with? Maybe AC/DC, that would be cool. Or Dark Throne. Yeah, that would be cool.

ES: What does the immediate future hold for Panchrysia: are you working on new material or taking a break? Will you be touring and playing festivals this summer?

P: We haven’t got a tour in the pipeline yet, but we hope to be on the road soon. Since ‘Deathcult Salvation’ was already finished months before the release, we are now working on new material for a while. It will be different, but still be Panchrysia. I think we’re still making steps up.

ES: Thank you again for your time; if you have any further messages for the world, then please go ahead!:

P: Well, let’s conclude with an excerpt out of Nietzsche’s book ‘The Antichrist’, which has been written in the 19th century, but many of his ideas are even more appropriate today.

“Life itself appears to me as an instinct for growth, for survival, for the accumulation of forces, for power: whenever the will to power fails there is disaster. My contention is that all the highest values of humanity have been emptied of this will--that the values of decadence, of nihilism, now prevail under the holiest names.”

For more on the band check out www.panchrysia.be
http://www.myspace.com/panchrysia
http://www.darkessencerecords.no

Interviewed by Ellen Simpson

MTUK HOME