If the commercialization of a once mighty black metal scene has done anything positive, it has driven those still proud to embrace the ancient sounds of blasphemous metal even further underground, away from the media circus, and money thirsty labels eager to skim their share off the top. To this avid fan, black metal was meant to be an ugly strike against the melody stricken status quo. It is designed to be devoid of life. To embrace the coldness of the grave as well as hate, fear, and mystery. There is a new generation gaining a foothold in the underground, and they have done so by keeping to themselves, and upholding the previously stated elements that are black metals life blood. It has taken time, but a small minority of fans tired with all the lack luster polish and stylistic "evolution" of a genre that once felt truly evil, are digging deeper to unearth this hungry and ever growing clan of battle ready anti-Christians. Finland's Clandestine Blaze is one mans vision, and triumphant return to well written, yet simplistic black metal. No one knows the man behind the pure aggression found in this music, but upon being completely awestruck by CB's "The Fire Still Burns in our Hearts" and last years "Night of the Unholy Flames", I felt a closer interrogation was in order to give the unsuspecting humans a glimpse into the purifying flames set to release their souls. With miniscule print runs, and a shroud of mystery surrounding Clandestine Blaze, cracking open the thoughts of this entities sole creator, has uncovered a man frustrated with the metal music "scene", and a wealth of intelligence in his ideologies. Read on to learn of black metal's brutal return to primal aggression, and a mans point blank condemnation of music as a business. Many hailz to Clandestine Blaze for granting us this interview. - Marty - (Take From Worm Gear #10) Clandestine Blaze is a musical entity that is cloaked in a shroud of mystery, which I feel capitalizes on the ancient style of black metal you create. Why the secrecy? Is it possible here to give the unknowing some information about this band? Trivial information is not necessary in this case. Too much of metal is being sold with artificial image, useless posing photos, information which bands ex-members this current band includes etc. What should be meaningful is music, lyrics, and attitude. Music can be heard from releases. Lyrics can be asked about if they don't come with album. Attitude and deeper ideology should be revealed in interviews. I've heard many refer to Clandestine Blaze as a Darkthrone clone, but I personally feel there are specific differences. The common theme is an ancient form of primitive black metal. Darkthrone executes a "colder" aggression. Would you agree that Clandestine Blaze creates a more cerebral form of darkness than the aforementioned band? Being influenced and being a clone are different things. Darkthrone wasn't a very original band either in the first place. If you want to combine Bathory and Celtic Frost in your head, basically you could come up with Darkthrone songs. People don't see the little differences. There are elements what makes DT different from the two above mentioned bands, and there are elements in Clandestine Blaze which make it different from all 3. Some say Clandestine Blaze is not always so "cold" and dark, but having also "happy" or "positive" sounding riffs / chords. Well, I do not compose tracks in intent to create them in certain way. When I hear riff coming out of guitar, if it's good, it's good, no matter if it isn't like people might expect. CB has many kinds of tracks, but they all fit to one album. I know some people would probably prefer to form couple different projects for a little varied music, but that is bullshit. There shall be fast/mid-paced, slower ones as well as heavy old school death influenced pieces in 3rd album as well. Is it frustrating for you to be compared to a band that has changed their ideals/image in interviews over the years, when you strive to keep your music true to the essence of black metal? As an unknown band, you will always be compared to others. That is unavoidable. I don't personally hear or read much criticism or reviews of CB, so I don't much see comparisons. I'm not irritated if people develop with their ideologies and attitudes, but I'm so tired of hearing this "I grew up" excuse for becoming hippie or turning against everything you have been in past. There's guys who used to be among the core of black metal and now are preaching family values, brotherly love & socialism, etc. I tend to go more and more further away from "common man" when there comes more age. I find it highly frustrating to see people dropping their opinions and views just that they can form a family, breed, and later laugh how stupid they were in their youth. What are your thoughts on the once pioneering black metal bands changing their style to incorporate such genres as death metal and electronic music? There is very thin line with old school death and black. Fusion of those styles is not something I would worry about. There is so much more BLACK in old death metal than in this keyboard-gothic-fantasy "black" metal. In the other hand, what I can hear of new death metal, I don't like it either. There is very little death metal I listen to. I do not like American style death metal blast at all, with a couple exceptions. European or especially Swedish melo-death is also disgusting garbage. I really can't understand why some people mix death metal (& black metal) with this Korn type of baggy-pants jumping radio-"metal". There is a lot of good electronic music, and a lot of good black metal, but I can't mention anyone who would have combined these two with successful results! Despite there is certain connections with metal and electronic music, both come from a different origin and sub-culture. I feel like killing when I hear someone saying that "Mortiis invented ambient". I feel black metal is good when it's pure. When someone thinks that they are going to make it "more extreme" with industrial/electronic music effects or make old stuff sound better when done with "powerful modern studio sound", I think the results are always failures. The Finnish Black Metal scene is currently booming with new bands that share Clandestine Blaze's enthusiasm for this music the old way. With so many available musicians, why is it more convenient for you to keep C.B. a solo project? Is this your only musical outlet? What are your thoughts on the scene in Finland? I am very strict with Clandestine Blaze. I don't want "musicians" to play with me. They would have to share the same type of ideas that I have and it's quite hard. Clandestine Blaze is not "fun" to play. Most drummers would get bored playing simple and monotonic mid-paced beats and most guitarists would want to a show little of their talents. But that is NOT what I want. CB is done in a way what I think black metal should sound like and what I want to listen to. Most people only look for challenges in playing and new stuff to try and learn, while I have crystal clear vision of what it should be and that I have reached it... I have no problem to play any of the instruments needed. I know the tracks so I don't have to teach anyone or ask if they think it's good enough to be played & published. I have all the control in everything concerning CB, from the first riff, to lyrics, to recordings, and mostly also releasing and distributing it. Situation could not be better. CB is not my only musical outlet. I would hate to see some my other things referred as side-project of Clandestine Blaze and also the other way round. I mostly work anonymously. The Finnish metal scene keeps inside a fairly good number of good bands. There are bands, distributors ,as well as a growing number of small labels who even do vinyl releases. Gigs are, however, crowded with bands which sound like sad attempts to please the mainstream. Of course there are some good gigs and bands, but that is rare. Having only seen the lyrics to the track "Clandestine Blaze", a very potent message rises from that song by using reality based imagery, rather than direct references to Satan. Could you shed some light on the ideologies you are expressing with Clandestine Blaze, and do these beliefs have room for the living entity (as explained in the Bible) "Satan"? I am not Christian, and therefore I do not believe in Satan as truly existing entity. If you believe in Satan, you believe in god, and therefore you are just one more sheep under an absurd religion from Jewish origin. Clandestine Blaze does not want to be another meaningless Black Metal band. I think there is enough of forests, trolls and fantasy. Most people probably see Black Metal as escapism. It's like role-playing game, where you invent your own world. I, however, see Black Metal as realism. I find it useless to create purely entertainment, which would not include any statements or personal views. Black Metal should be linked directly your own daily life, not to a stage image. Many people are frustrated with realism based "black metal" as it usually turns out to be musically black metal and lyrically nationalist / fascist, closer to race/ hatecore whatever. But in case of so called "NSBM", I would see whole term being false. I never see socialist ideas as part of Black Metal, no matter if they are hidden under hateful racial / nationalist details. That kind of metal should be simply ns-metal or pagan-metal. No "black". Could you explain the AKR - Anti-Kristillinen Rintama. Is this a new organization, or your own personal message to the Christian establishment? The AKR sign in records is a statement and sign of support. Many bands these days are pure pacifists, or just people who like more nail polish and make up than ideological issues. When seeing the AKR sign, you see what a band stands for and know that if you buy the record, you're not getting bullshit. So, the AKR sign is not a sign of membership at all! It's kind of anti-organization. Many people want to be members of organization. Be it Church of Satan, Paganfront, whatever. But most of them never want to do anything. You can not be passive member of AKR. There are no members. It's only a "slogan" that anyone can use if they do the action. There is so much grave desecration and vandalism done by drunken teenagers, leaving the AKR sign to crime(?) place, you would point out that it was ideological act, not something done by teenagers who had nothing else to do. When there is no organization, no members, and no connection with active people, you have several advantages. It is obvious that if action does not bring you status and you can't be a passive member hanging around like a parasite with those who actually do something, AKR will remain in shadows. Note: I do not say or suggest that I would have any part in this, except as first mentioned, to support the cause and idea! The closest the black metal scene has come to challenging Christianity was when the genre was reborn in flames during the early 90's. Battle assessment: Imprisonment of arsonists, rebuilding of churches at the taxpayers expense. Do you think this had any impact, other than band promotion? This is often one argument of people who are against any kind of direct action: was anything ever achieved? I can ask, even if I wouldn't, should everyone just shut the fuck up, and accept the situation? No. You will NEVER get anything unless you demand it. We all contribute the chaos. Little, and even almost "meaningless" things are ingredients of bigger issues. Some people are worried of burning churches because one part of our history is being demolished - well, I'd say everything is not worth to save. Some say they will be just rebuilt on tax payers money. This is the point where tax payers should make statement that their money should not be spent on this kind of useless cause - unless they actually want to spend on it. Personally I doubt that taxes are being raised because of this. And if they don't use money for rebuilding a church, it'll go to an equally bad cause. In Finland, the main issue is that state and church are still teamed up, and even if you are not member of church, you are forced to accept many little things. When the day comes that church has nothing to do in my life, I will have no reason to be pissed off about it. I have no interest to help people to get out of control of this religion. I have no interest in what happens among Christians. But when they constantly invade in my life, that is something what justifies everything. It's personal, it's not a mission to save the world from religion. Was it done for the right reasons? Is Christianity so indoctrinated in our society that the idea to turn people away from it is futile? I don't know true motives behind other peoples actions. If it's teen angst, method for quick public attention, simple hatred, revenge on behalf of pagan ancestors, whatever. It is their own business. I think that people are naturally living by egoistic instincts. Self is the most important and if helping others doesn't give you benefit of some kind, often nobody is going to do it. Exaggerated empathy I see as Christian quality. If turning people away from Christianity doesn't give anything for your life, it feels rather useless to spend your time doing it. Why help people who don't even want your help? The latest trend finds national socialist ideals seeping into the music. Do such views of genocide and (non religion based) hate for specific individuals have a place in black metal? Why do you feel it's getting so popular and going seemingly unchallenged? You can look at the scene more carefully and see that a lot of those bands come from countries, such as Poland, Russia, etc, which have been under attack of nazi Germany. I find this very amusing as it seems that bands are using NSBM as a "way to be more extreme", and what would be more "evil" than a powerful army crushing into their homelands? You can also see what kind of people are doing it? You see Polish guys - Ask a German man what he thinks of poles. American's leading NSBM supporter who killed himself under pressure (sign of strong man?) is said to be half-Indian. Varg had to make explanations why burzum.com is made by rather dark-skinned man. Some photos of American NS bands, members look like semi-black Mexicans. In Hellas there is plenty of NSBM too, but if a Greek guy comes to Finland to form a Pizza place, he could be easily target of white-power skinhead violence. I see bands having several different approaches to this subject. It can be simple "atrocity fetish", where individual likes to see death and agony. Holocaust & concentration camps is indeed very interesting subject. It can be also late 90's "gore metal". Rather funny that guts and surgery are not extreme enough anymore. People need a serious approach & six million Jews to have enough violence. There is bands who consider nazism as "evil". It is one more thing to make yourself sounding more harsh if they have run out of all "evil" slogans they copied from others. And finally we have real national socialists. Those who preach white brotherhood, 14/88, etc. Their ideology is conservative and based on family values, breeding, and making more white children, etc. Very often true national socialism and right wing in general, walk hand in hand with the religion. When you look some "black metal" band CD covers, you see KKK references. You can wonder how far Black Metal has gone from it's roots when people accept CHRISTIAN religious organization supported in black metal records only because they hate other races? And when BM labels give their records to WP label to distribute among KKK records... While polish "NSBM" bands have strong anti-semitic message, it is nothing new: whole country has been anti-semitic along with catholic church. While the bands repeat those famous slogans of "give white children good future" and some go even as far as "true aryans should not have sex except for pro-creation purposes", you can ask what the FUCK it has to do with values of Black Metal? It seems like many of these NS & pagan metal bands are spreading christian & strict catholic moral values, and hide them under a different name that people won't see them as traitors of Black Metal. Remember that we are talking about the same people who a couple of years back said (or still do!) how life-loving humanist LaVey sucks. I would now ask, who is the true humanist life-lover??!! 14 words tells the ugly fact what lies behind "NSBM". I have no problem with people being racist, fascist, using WWII images for records etc., but if you are talking about Black Metal, it should be clear that child-loving socialist attitudes are not part of it. I'm not against NS metal or pagan metal, but if you are not black metal, you should not try artificially claiming to be. Personally I do not have a specific racial preference. Your latest album, "Night of the Unholy Flames" is a technological progression over "Fire Burns In Our Hearts", with a deeper sound production. How do you feel your music has evolved since your demo? Is there a specific goal you hope to reach? Oldest released CB track is "Native Resistance". There exists slow and fast versions of it before finally published on debut demo & later on first LP. It goes in same style with many new tracks. Not much has changed since demo. Some songs are little longer and no little tempo changes during the tracks (speeding drums...). New album has more of those mid-paced "fast" tracks, but there is many slow songs coming again. I have songs coming out now which are made before debut album and before second album. All tracks are not published or completed in chronological order. Improved sound is matter of learning. It doesn't take much time to learn to take all advantage of simple equipment you have. However, I think Clandestine Blaze might go to a rougher and less commercial production in the future. It has never been commercial, but in future maybe something harsh enough that has never been pressed on vinyl of Finnish metal bands. Both full length releases mix atmospheric melody and raw aggression for potent results. One element I feel you incorporate very effectively, is the dark ambient musical pieces that tend to serve as intro and outro. How extensive is your appreciation for this equally underground genre of music? Will you continue to explore and possibly further intertwine this influence with Clandestine Blaze's traditional sound? I will not include much of ambient influences in with the music of Clandestine Blaze. They fit as dark intro and outro, but I have avoided to include them to actual metal music. I dislike when I get a metal album, which is actually 15 minutes of metal, and 20 minutes of folk or ambient intro parts! If I want to hear good "electronic music", I forget about basically anything that is connected to the metal scene. Besides being in charge of Northern Heritage, I have had a record label since '93-94 which releases power electronics / noise / ambient. Even if they are part of the same mission for me, I like to keep distance between, and avoid all cross-over with these two genres. What gave you the idea to create Northern Heritage records? Is there a mission or statement behind your swiftly expanding company? Reason to starting NH was to release Clandestine Blaze and other good & raw black metal bands, those who fit into my concept of black metal. All releases on vinyl (some with CD versions) and no ns/pagan or neo black metal. Only hard black and old school raw death metal. I have been rather pissed off and mainly bored to death by commercial & rockstar attitudes of metal music. I have been irritated by what kind of shit is being put under label of "metal" these days. Many people drop out of scene as they are frustrated with what it has become, or what it has always been. But I think a better option is to create and kick it to the direction you see is right. Northern Heritage label is my vision of how (black) metal should be. It is not only a music label. Northern Heritage is becoming one of my favorite, most respected labels not only due to style of music you focus on, but how you release vinyl in limited quantities to give each release that added collectability. How important is this medium to you? What is the fans reaction to such small print runs? Will there come a time where vinyl will no longer be cost effective to release? I see CD mainly as consumer product. It's something that is easy to use and easy to store. However, CD is not eternal. Life span of CD's seem to be very short. I have CD's which are made less than 10 years ago and there is not even one scratch on them, but they have just stopped working. All CD's will be worth nothing when enough time goes by. With vinyl, they last forever if you use them like you should. It's the best medium for special music! I'd never pay a lot of money of some CD release. Good hard to find LP's however can be worth $50-$100, or even more. Most of the greatest stuff has been released on vinyl. Limited print runs might be a problem to some people, but hardly ever anyone writes and cries of not being able to get a record. If people are so lazy that they wait for NH releases to be sold at their local music shop or usual mail order place, they can only blame themselves for not getting them. If people are in contact with me directly, they are first ones to know when something comes out and can reserve a copy even before the record comes out. Due to lack of promotion, most people are not aware of the existence of Northern Heritage. As advice: There is at least a couple hundred copies of each record around the world and there must be someone who doesn't like them and is willing to sell. There might come (unlimited?) tape versions of some releases later. We'll see... Already now vinyl is not financially very good to release. Manufacturing one 7" is same as one CD. You can ask $12-$15 for CD and $6-$7 for 7". There is no question which format is the one which brings the cash to record labels. Doing LP is twice more expensive than CD, and these days mailing 1 LP to overseas costs $10-$12 (depending on current US$ rate). Insane postage forces me to ask $20-$25 for one damn LP. Therefore I suggest people living the in USA, to contact Blackmetal.com for NH LP's. They probably sell them cheaper. I don't think the demand for vinyl will ever end. And because of the above explained reason, I will continue making vinyl versions. How did your alliance with Blackmetal.com come together? You evidently felt it necessary to introduce your releases to the American scene, which I find curious since Europe has always been known for more fans of metal per capita. Doesn't Blackmetal.com stand to further boost your companies awareness to the global market and possibly elevate your sales way above an "underground/cult" status? Blackmetal.com have helped Clandestine Blaze since beginning. They distributed the first demo when it came out. While there was all kinds of problems (even getting an answer in first place) with every other American distributor, there has never been any with Bm.com. I got bored to try and find other reliable distributors for the USA, so letting Bm.com handle all that exclusively is the best choice. When dealing with distributors, the most important is that you get your money / trades. It's the only way to keep the label alive. People say Bm.com looks too commercial, but they are still relatively small label (compared to big metal labels) who have time and interest to work with small labels like NH. Debbie & Elden M. have both been in underground before many of today's black metaler's were even born! If someday co-operation with Bm.com would end (which I don't see coming as they said demand is just getting bigger), I doubt I would waste any energy to find another American distributor. Then records would probably go almost exclusively to Europe. Fact that Bm.com is one of the distributors doesn't much affect the general sales numbers. That is because editions are still limited: CD's are pressed 500-1000 and vinyl 100-300. True fanatic listeners of the primitive & raw metal are limited. If it someday looks that some record should be pressed more, it is possible, but I don't have any need to try to push sales artificially with boasting ads and giving lots of free stuff for prostituting journalists in attempt to get good publicity. Everything that is good will be noticed sooner or later, if it deserves it. I dislike holding back-catalogue available for long time, so it is convenient to do small runs and sell them fast to those who want them the most and then continue with new releases. Europe might have good support for metal, but you have to notice what metal here can be. Europe is crowded with endless stream of folk/gothic/keyboard/melo-death/etc. There are good labels and bands, but they are in the minority. That is how I feel. In regards to cult black metal, the scenes in Finland, Poland and France seem to be the most active and recognized, while US black metal is attempting to be just as violent. Knowing you have finally signed your first non-Finnish band (Frances Deathspell Omega), how far reaching will your search for new talent be? Are you opposed to working with the American scene and it's bands? What is your criteria for potential signee's? I'm not very active in looking for bands to sign. Especially not foreign ones. Northern Heritage does not offer promotion, cash or fame for the bands, so it is suitable only for the small number of bands. I try to avoid bands which are clearly just projects what will be soon over. Bands attitude, lyrics and music must be good. There is much less possibilities to see is band actually fake if it's from the other side of the world. With Finnish bands I can write, speak and even meet them to find out that they are what they claim to be. It's a small country so word gets around if band is not worth supporting. I'm also hoping to keep distance with opportunist musicians who want to do a record for an underground label because it's only what they can get and as soon as they reach mainstream, they start talking shit about how unprofessional and shitty their first label was. See for example Dimmu Borgir's statements of No Colours Records. Bands that I look for should be raw/primitive, black metal or old school death. Serious dedication for the underground, and anti-christian / anti-social / satanic views. With Clandestine Blaze I never sign business deals, and with NH I do not offer deals to sign. It's all underground which is based on trust on mans word. If it's not enough, go elsewhere with your lawyers. I have nothing particular against American bands. Despite being often neglected by Europeans, USA have had decade(s) ago - and still has several bands which should be respected and noticed more widely than all those inbred Swedish projects what all sound the same, but are still being released by relatively big record labels who probably see them as easy way to make cash. Other than your materials being promoted and sold on Blackmetal.com, why the lack of information of both Clandestine Blaze and Northern Heritage on the internet? This tool seems to have the potential to be quite a useful promotional outlet. I'm personally bored with internet sites in general. There is very little of music sites I visit. I'm fascinated in old type of underground. Paper zines, demo tapes, vinyl records, CDs. I'm not so much into this "internet metal scene". There is abundance of sites, but huge lack of real content. You can browse web for hours and find absolutely nothing. Sometimes I have thought to create web site with a lot of content, something worth reading & watching, but on the other hand, I don't see internet as such format where I want to use my time & energy. It's nothing concrete. Just some files you upload and take away later. Nothing to be compared with magazines or records. Currently I have mailing list at egroups.com and e-mail for fast communication, and that seems to be enough. Anyone who has e-mail can get lists regularly. Soon I might upload some files there, band lyrics, label discography etc. Via regular snail mail, I usually send lists only by request / with orders as I don't have enough money to support "window shoppers", who like to receive lists but never / rarely order. As the death of 2000 is at hand and you look to your new year, what do you predict is in store for you both musically and with the label? New material for Clandestine Blaze: Already finished split LP w/ Deathspell Omega (vinyl only, 300x) comes early 2001 and 3rd LP/CD maybe late 2001. We'll see. There is new records of Northern Heritage bands coming and also some new killer bands doing their first ones! Year 2001 should have as much releases as two first years together. There isn't any Clandestine Blaze merchandise available neither coming, but T-shirts of Bloodhammer and some other NH bands might be available during the year. contact: NH, P.O. Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland. clandestineblaze@hotmail.com. For more or less regular news & mailorder catalog join list at: www.egroups.com/group/NorthernHeritage