SMP: First of all could you give us a little background on the history of the band?

MM: The band has been going in some shape or form since 1998. Since then we have recorded four E.P.s (The Path to Insanity 1999, The Inferno Spreads 2000, Caoineadh na nGael 2003, Cluain Tarbh E.P. 2004 along with a split 7" with Primordial (Cluain Tarbh 2005) and three albums Cluain Tarbh 2005, Gealtacht Mael Mórdha 2007 and Manannán 2010. The band line-up became stable after Caoineadh na nGael was released with the final line-up cemented after Cluain Tarbh was released.

SMP: What is the meaning behind the name Mael Mórdha?

MM: Mael Mórdha was the king of Laighin (modern day Leinster) and was the main opponent of Brian Mac Cennide Ború at the battle of Clontarf in 1014 where he was killed. Aspects of his life have been covered in some of the songs in Cluain Tarbh and in Gealtacht Mael Mórdha.

SMP: In previous interviews you’ve mentioned that you’re influenced by the ancient history of Ireland and its romantic tradition - Could you tell us more about that?

MM: I don't know if I ever mentioned anything about its "romantic tradition" (makes us sound Italian or something). We are influenced by old Gaelic Irish music and as an aside are trying to make people (especially Irish people) aware of our almost buried culture, because most of us haven't got a clue about it.

SMP: The sound of the band is very interesting. A lot of Folk Metal is generally upbeat and fast, but you’ve chosen to incorporate the dirge-like style of early 90’s doom, why is this?

MM: The whole reason the band started was because of My Dying Bride. That was what I had fallen in love with while at the same time I was surrounded by various aspects of Irish music and my main instrument was the piano. Mix all those things together along with my limited musical ability and you've got the origins of the band's music. In other words, that was all I could play at the time. I like to think we have grown a bit since then, musically anyway.

SMP: Who would you say are the biggest musical influences for the band?

MM: Definitely the early Doom/Death metal from Northern England. Each of us have a very wide taste in music but as a band it's the "big three" - My Dying Bride, Anathema, Paradise Lost.

SMP: What is the concept behind your latest album Manannán and where does it fit in with your previous releases?

MM: Basically, "Gealtacht Mael Mórdha" finishes with the death of Mael Mórdha. "Manannán" starts from the moment of his death and then follows his spirit's journey to the 'Otherworld' and to meet Manannán, discover some truths about himself while the end of the album deals with the returning of the spirit to our world again.

SMP: What was the writing and recording like for this album? And did you do anything significantly different than on your previous releases?

MM: This was the first album that we wrote from scratch. There was no songs from before used on it. As a result all the songs were guitar based and I think sound a little different, particularly to the earlier ones. Also we used a new engineer, Anders Bomberg, who recorded us playing all the songs live in an attempt to capture the atmosphere we have when we play concerts (something not really done any more). The lead guitar lines, vocals and whistles were overdubbed afterwards. I would expect that we will do something similar the next time around too. Try and learn from our mistakes and make it a bit better.

SMP: There was a bit of a delay before the release of this album, what was that down to?

MM: The entire metal record industry in Europe is in dire straits at the moment and a lot of companies spent last year trying to reorganise themselves so that they wouldn't collapse and thus be able to support bands like ours. Our label was, unfortunately, no different. But once they got themselves sorted it was all business as usual. If anything their help has been greater than before.

SMP: Within the artwork of the new, and last couple of albums there has been bulls/a Minotaur-like character featured - what is the significance of this?

MM: It was what the mind of Vasilis Zikos dreamt up when he was confronted with the words and imagery of the band. He has kept interpreting the vision of the band in his own very unique way. The Minotaur in the case of us represents Manannán.

SMP: You’ve been championed in part by the band Primordial - how did the association between yourselves and them come about?

MM: I suppose they took pity on us ! Seriously though, Gerry has played guitar with them numerous times over the years to help plug gaps in their live line-up and Dave has played bass with them a few times too. We've known the lads from Primordial for years (the scene in Ireland is very tight-knit) so I suppose once we got a record deal they very kindly tried to expose us to a wider audience, for which we are very thankful.

SMP: You’ve been with German label Grau records for a couple of years now. How did you end up signing them and how did this move help the band?

MM: We, most unfortunately, had signed to Karmageddon Media who delayed the release of "Cluain Tarbh" for about a year and a half. But before we had signed with them I had mentioned to Duncan Patterson our lack of response from labels to our current E.P. at the time. He suggested we try Prophecy Productions. The owner of Prophecy was also part owner of Grau to who he passed on our Caoineadh na nGael E.P. A while later, well after we had signed with Karmageddon, the lads from Grau wanted to know why there was no sign of an album release. So I suppose we took it from there.

For all intent and purpose Grau was our first label because I could not count Karmageddon as being one. Everything that people outside of Ireland have heard about us has largely been as a result of them (and the tiresome work being put in by our "minder" Crunch).

SMP: Ireland has a strong Eurovision tradition, and I’ve read that you submitted a song for consideration for the 2005 contest. Could you tell us a bit more about that?

MM: Some Muppets in RTÉ decided that they were going to do an X Factor type entry to represent Ireland in the Eurovision. In its third year at trying to get it right they asked Dave Fanning (who is a well known D.J. here who has been playing underground music on national radio for the last thirty years or so) to be a judge. He agreed, providing they introduced a band section to the competition. Once that happened we thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and enter. It was a bit of a mistake - not the idea - just the fact that we thought the Irish might have been ready to send something decent and original to the Eurovision - that was the year before Lordi! but a few years after Children of Bodom.

SMP: Your live and promo photos show that you wear Celtic influenced war paint and stage wear - how important is this for the band to present themselves this way?

MM: Well. as I previously mentioned, trying to expose people to the now buried Gaelic culture is something that we have been trying to do for years. The blue paint is a feature of many Irish bands (Cruachan, Waylander, even Nemtheanga has worn it) as well as being part of our more ancient past, the same with the neck Torcs. The costume I wear on stage is what our ancestors would have worn up to the 17th century (along with the Highland Scots) when our common heritage changed. I introduce much of the songs in Irish. This, when done in Ireland, is to show people that it is not something that we need to be ashamed of, while when done abroad, is to show people that Irish is not Hiberno-English, that it is it's own separate and very old language. Many continental Europeans are not aware of that.

SMP: What are your tour plans in the wake of this album?

MM: From September on, we have quite a few things in the pipeline. The only confirmed things so far is Dublin in September, Doom over Vienna in November and Eindhoven Metal Meeting in December. There are talks of four or five dates in Britain in the autumn too so keep your ears peeled.

SMP: You’ve previously played shows in Europe and the USA. How has the band been received outside of Ireland?

MM: Really well actually. It is unusual for us seeing how audiences from different countries react to bands in general, and to us in particular. I suppose when you are used to plying your trade in small shitty pubs with a hundred people crammed in like cattle going to slaughter, with an awful sound, to end up on a nice stage with a backstage area and sound-checks and a curious audience not knowing what to expect is quite liberating in a way. But in fairness to gigging in Ireland, what we lose in technicalities we more than make up for with atmosphere.

SMP: Are the members of Mael Mórdha involved in another band’s / projects?

MM: Well, as mentioned earlier, Gerry, and sometimes Dave plays live sessions with Primordial. Shane is drumming with a non-metal band called Silence Bad TV. I have my other Gaelic Doom Metal project called Uaigneas and I have also contributed whistle to the new project of the members of Meads of Asphodel called Wolves of Avalon. That album should be out in the late summer and is sounding really good.

SMP: Is there anything you’d like to add?

MM: Thanks for the interest in the band and hope to see some of you at our gigs in Britain later this year.

Slán agus Beannacht.

For more on the band check out http://mael-mordha.com
http://www.myspace.com/maelmorda

Interviewed by Sean M. Palfrey

MTUK HOME