Review of Form - "Aerosols and Dust Particles" - 2020 Album

Form is an experimental black metal band based in Tartu, Estonia. The band originally formed in the year 2007 and has done concerts rarely over the years with a demo released in 2009. Their debut album "Aerosols and Dust Particles" was recorded and produced starting in 2009 until 2019 and released at the end of 2020 on December 27th.

The album kicks off with the instrumental synth-based intro, "Birth Bringer, Death Giver", which really sets the mood for the record, creating a dark and lonely atmosphere for the listeners, leading directly into the track "Hometown". This second track defines the pace for the majority of the album, experimental black metal set on top of cold synthesized melodies. 

The vocals in this opening track have a wide range of techniques, from more traditional black metal shrieks, growled vocals, clean vocals modified by some distorting effects, and they really showcase the versatility of vocalist/keyboardist Arhitekt. 

Arhitekt

The music can be described by words like "atmospheric", "experimental", "progressive", but is defined by none of them. The progression of the tracks remind me very much of a more black metal version of Ved Buens End at many times, yet they sound very different in most aspects. The instrument that stands out the most to my ears are the drums, performed by Koljat. They can go from frantic blast beats to a more relaxed and jazzy feel in the blink of an eye, creating a great flow through the entirety of the album. Definitely something better listened to as a whole, rather than individual songs. 

Koljat

"Divers in Stratosphere" presents the band's female vocalist Rebeca for the first time on the album, her vocals adding a far more eerie sound to the album than has been seen before thus far, though her voice stands out the most as lead vocalist on the track "Naturalization" which is by far the catchiest and more straightforward song, giving listeners a brief moment of near clarity before diving back into the haze with the final track, "Conflate Eon", ending the album with a sense of eerie dread. 

Rebeca

In the end, this album is for those who are looking for something outside of the usual trappings of black metal and have an ear more open to experimentation and weirdness. It is definitely not something for everyone but those who enjoy hearing something unusual may find this album to be a hidden treasure.

Form sites:

Bandcamp: https://form-official.bandcamp.com/releases

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/formband/

Interview with Wroth Desecrator and Kädi Eitar of Süngehel

Interview with Wroth Desecrator (growls/guitar) and Kädi Eitar (screeches/possession of audience) of Estonian Black/Death Metal band Süngehel

L: Wroth Desecrator. R: Kädi Eitar.

Vödkamizer: Infernal hailz and demonic flails to you! I met you two originally around 2010 or 2011 at Tallinn's legendary drunkard hangout, Hirve Park when the band was simply a concept. So far, you have come a long way since then, with international concerts, three full length albums and an EP. When the band first started hitting the stages around Estonia, there was a lot of buzz about the use of pig heads, cow heads, blood, burning bibles, etc. It brought a whole new standard of stage presence and demonstration to the Estonian extreme underground in my personal opinion. Can you each tell us a bit about what drives and influences you when it comes to putting this extra effort into stage presence, immersion, and imagery?

Wroth Desecrator: Hails. Yeah, back in the day we used pig and lamb and even cow heads on stage a lot. We did more stuff like burning bibles and doing some evil spells between song etc. Nowadays we put more emphasis on just playing, not to use too many stage props anymore. So creating dark atmosphere with our own blasting energy. Pure evil and total destruction!

Kädi: Hails. Personally I don't recall meeting you at the park but I do remember those days. Regarding imagery for me it is important to immerse myself and the audience within the energies projected from the music and atmosphere. The carcasses, spikes and chains etc help to ease the immersion for us and the listener. And that itself is already my drive and insipiration - to pull victims to the pit. 

Vödkamizer: Your lyrics largely revolve around Satan, Anti-Christianity, Hatred, and all the other staples of a balanced black/death metal goat worshipping diet. Are there any particular influences for these themes from either books, movies, history, etc.? And what motivates this focus on hatred and anti-Christianity for you personally?

Wroth Desecrator: Built up anger and hatred is the main source material for all the themes and lyrics. Horror movies and books and other things are for extra (enjoyable) inspiration. Overwhelming hatred for humanity.

Kädi:  Most of the lyrical themes are done by Wroth. For the themes themselves we find inspirations from general evil of mankind. 

Vödkamizer: You have amassed quite a network of contacts with internationally renowned kvlt favorite bands, many of which you have stated in the past have had a large influence in the direction of your music. Who are some of the names that you are particularly close with and fond of and can we expect any future work with any of these bands, possibly bringing them to the area or gigs with them in the future?

Wroth Desecrator: Yeah, mostly the maniacs from Finland and Baltics who we shared stages with have stayed good contacts with us. Basically we organize Satanic Winter where we have invited them and will do in the future.

Kädi: Throughout the existence there have been influences from the whole globe but mainly we are bonded to the Finnish scene. We do organize and plan to have gigs here and there with our northern brothers and sisters. 

Vödkamizer: With a strong 8+ years of activity in the band and many concerts and festivals under your bullet belts, what have been some highlights and interesting stories from your journey into inferno? 

Wroth Desecrator: Barathrum concert in 2013 is one of our earliest highlights; warming for Loits in 2016, Celebration of the Black Goat album presentation in Snakehouse with Bestia and Cavus (from Finland) and a special guest vocalist Anders (Forgotten Sunrise) covering Mayhem's "Deathcrush" with us; 2017 Hard Rock Laager; 2019 was a big year for us, as all gigs were very memorable, we got the chance to warm for Taake and MGLA and going on tour through Baltics, Poland, Czech Republic and Finland. There have been many gigs, drinking and chaotic moments.

Kädi: Definitely the Barathrum concert in Tapper. They managed to fuck (literally fucked) our prepared pig heads and we got credits for it.

Vödkamizer: Starting any band can be quite a struggle and releasing consistent and meaningful music can be challenging for many. What are some words of advice you have for young musicians interested in starting an extreme metal band that you wish you had heard when you both started your musical endeavors?

Wroth Desecrator: First shitty gigs are the best learning experience, then you'll know if you really want to do this.

Kädi: Don't do it. Do something meaningful with your life... paint a house or something - stay out of the music biz. If you are still interested then just stick to what you like to do - there are no shortcuts along the way.

Vödkamizer: Your third and most recent full length album, "Throne of The Desolator" was released in March of 2020, a bit before the Covid-19 restrictions started taking place. Has the virus had much impact on your progress since then and how has it affected your lives and productivity overall?

Wroth Desecrator: We keep doing rehearsals, writing new material. Although gigs have cancelled, Süngehel never stops. Total Süngehel Massacre! 

Kädi: A couple concerts abroad were cancelled but otherwise black metal still lives underground.

Vödkamizer: The metal scene in Estonia has gone through many changes and ups and downs over the years. What are your opinions of its current state and trajectory and what are some of the bands you find particularly promising?

Wroth Desecrator: There are so many new bands lately, seems like every month something new gets released. I would have to mention Koffin, interesting project Scathophagidae. Both of them gave impressive live shows past year. 

Kädi: The scene is much more alive than ten years ago. More active bands and more listeners. I personally like the Tartu band Form. Baalzebub and Hymenotomy are currently pop in my eyes.

Vödkamizer: In the Tartu metal scene there is a newcomer goat metal band known as "Ziegenhorn" which has released a solid demo album in 2019 and taken to the stage for the first time during the second half of 2020 and they seem vocal and aimed at dethroning you as the goat masters of Estonia. What do you each have to say regarding the challenge from these young blasphemers?

Wroth Desecrator: Who?

Kädi: Kiss my sweet hairy balls and get gud. 

Vödkamizer: 2020 has been a tough year for many bands but in Estonia it has been a bit easier as concerts have been possible during the warmer seasons. Do you have any particular plans lined up for 2021 you care to share?

Wroth Desecrator: Writing new blashpemous riffs and hellblasting beats. We miss doing live rituals. 

Kädi: We are open for suggestions. Some talks have been made but nothing concrete. 

Vödkamizer: Are there any shout outs, thanks, or acknowledgements you'd like to make before we end the interview?

Wroth Desecrator: Hail the Goat! Total Süngehel Massacre!!!

Kädi: Hail Satan! Hail Süngehel! Ziegehorn can suck my balls. 

Vödkamizer: Thank you both very much for taking the time to answer my drunken ponderings! I look forward to the next time we drink and hope to fükk shit up on stage with you again soon!

Wroth Desecrator: Cheers!

Kädi: Thank you for the opportunity to express ourselves.  

Süngehel's stuff:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sungehel

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJDpZxTlQ5griVYeFK8FUA

Interview with Anti Lillak of Langenu, Ulguränd, and Swarn.

Anti Lillak is a Tartu, Estonia based musician, archeologist, historian, and God of stage aggression. He is a vocalist and guitarist who plays in the bands Langenu, Ulguränd, Swarn, and a long slew of acoustic and folk acts. He is an OG member of the inner circle of the Tartu-based collective of bands, musicians, and artists known as "Pergerus" and is a key figure in the Tartu metal scene.

Vödkamizer: You have a long history of education and work in archaeology and history, currently working as a museum educator in Tartu's "Eesti Rahva Muuseum" (Estonian National Museum). What kind of impact has this had on your approach to songwriting in your bands and your roles in the Tartu metal scene? How has your education affected your view on the evolution of the local (Estonia in general) metal scene?

Anti: One thing that my studies in archaeology and history have helped to clarify to myself is a critical viewpoint on the past. Every time period, no matter how glorious it may look in retrospect, has had its nasty aspects that people tend to forget. Let’s take the Viking Age as an example. Although we know the courageous deeds of the heroes from the sagas and poems, these were also times of regular famines and plagues that ravished the people – including the much adored warriors and their families. In addition, we probably would be shocked by their attitudes on hygiene, justice etc. etc. We live in a very different world nowadays.

This is reflected on my lyrical themes too, especially in Ulguränd – although a Viking metal band, we sing not so much about victorious battles or drinking mead. It has been done countless times before anyway. We do focus on historical or mythological events (especially very kick ass ones) but mostly from the perspective of ordinary people made of flesh and blood, hopes and feelings.

Another important thing that history has taught me is that in order to be remembered, someone needs to write things down. There will be time when we all have left the stage for good and what kind of legacy have we left behind by then, depends merely on ourselves. Drowning in nostalgia for the things that once were is sweet but pretty fruitless. Better let’s make present as foken awesome as Earthly possible. So I have done a few things to record our part of the history of the Estonian metal – namely published two volumes of an underground magazine, TAUD (’Plague’), which contain interviews with the local bands and yearly chronicles. Maybe one day when the galaxies are right, I will start compiling a wider picture about the Tartu metal scene or the Estonian black metal scene in general but so far they’re just vague ideas. We’ll see what the time brings.

Vödkamizer: What are some particularly influential parts of Estonian history that you personally find have had the biggest influence on your own music and others in the Estonian metal scene?

Anti: If we look back to the different time periods of history then there’s one that has inspired the Estonian metal bands more than anything else – the Viking Age and the Final Iron Age, including the events of the German-Danish Crusade in the early 13th century. Almost all our pagan metal movement draws inspiration predominantly from this epoch. The roots of the phenomenon lie in our national romantic history writing of the late 19th and most of the 20th century which praised the independence of our distant ancestors, compared to the subordination to the German nobility and Christian church in the medieval times. Not only historians but also artists, writers, composers and other intellectuals glorified these times in their works. In this way, main Estonian pagan metal bands (both present and past) – Tharaphita, Bestia, Assamalla etc. – continue the tradition that was started by the first Estonian intellectuals in the 19th century. And I understand the charm of the past – I was fascinated with the Viking Age during my studies at the Tartu University, too. That’s why Ulguränd can also be included in this list of bands. But as hinted before, I am in a constant search for a fresh and personal approach to these topics.

Another time period which has also poured inspiration into metal is the restless first half of the 20th century. Especially Loits, who began with classical pagan metal themes like several other bands at the time, soon turned their head to the World War II and later to the Estonian War of Independence. At the same time, these topics have not become as common among other metal bands as the old prehistoric stuff, although the 20th century military history in general is very popular among the Estonians.

Vödkamizer: Tartu has experienced "droughts" over the years in terms of concerts, with either a lack of variety in venues, bands, audience, organizers/promoters, or all in various combinations over the years. What are your views on the current trajectory of the Tartu scene, the Estonian scene over all, and how do they compare to years gone by?

Anti: „Droughts“ are something essential for the small scenes. Since many activities rely on just a few persons, the overall music scene suffers a setback if they can’t carry on anymore for whatever the reason. The situation is very similar to fragile ecological systems where every species has a special place in a whole and its disappearance may change the entire system in a big way. Luckily, I think Tartu has a critical mass needed to maintain its metal scene in one way or another, even if bands, venues and organizers come and go. The position of a university town helps a lot – every autumn many young people from near and far invade Tartu in the name of higher education, thus helping to fill the ranks of the metal legions among other scenes.

These days the Tartu metal community is quite healthy, maybe even healthier than ever before (although I know little about the life in the 90s). We have regular shows (even in the year infamous for the lockdowns), the number of bands is growing and the releases keep popping out one by one. Fresh blood was much needed, it increased the number of activities and gave new energy to older metalheads as well. Of course, it has been achieved by conscious work to strengthen the position of extreme metal in Tartu and elsewhere. And this work will be continued.

I think that the existence of numerous bands in Estonia is the proof for the rather strong positions in Estonia in general, even though 2020 was a very difficult year for the concert organizers (with some venues being closed in the last couple of years – so the virus is not the only one to be blamed).

Vödkamizer: The newest band you sing in is the crusty death metal band "Swarn" who has released a demo, three singles, an EP and an album since 2017 in contrast to your older bands, Langenu and Ulguränd, which together have released so far only a demo, an EP, and an album, Langenu forming with its current name in 2004 and Ulguränd in 2011. Could you elaborate on the pacing of your older two bands in comparison with Swarn and the plans you have for future releases?

Anti: Langenu has released a EP „Silmitu ilmutis“ (2009) and a full-length „Need, kes näevad imesid“ (2016), Ulguränd has a self-titled EP out (2019). So yes, if taken into account the life spans of Langenu and Ulguränd then we have been very slow paced. There are several reasons behind this, including line-up changes and the fact that these bands mostly write songs as teams where every member has a chance to throw something interesting in. The writing and recording process of Swarn is very different – all the instrumental parts are written, recorded/programmed and mixed/mastered by Fen (Tiit) alone and my duties mostly focus on writing/recording the lyrics. This is the secret of the Swarn’s fast pace.

All my bands are in the recording process right now. Langenu will have an EP out hopefully not in a distant future (be ready for musical surprises…). Swarn has already recorded most of its second full-length album, it will probably be out in spring. Ulguränd has started recording demo versions of the songs for the debut album and we will head to studio maybe in summer or so.

Langenu circa 2008

Vödkamizer: Swarn's lyrics are primarily in English if not entirely, to my knowledge, whereas Langenu's and Ulguränd's lyrics are in your native language of Estonian. How has it been to sing in English for you in contrast to your mother tongue?

Anti: Writing lyrics in English definitely sets some language borders for me. Estonian enables me to be more playful and creative. At the same time Swarn’s music is very straightforward and rough, so the lyrics must follow the course and reflect the overall aura given by the instruments. It wouldn’t be appropriate to mate complicated Shakespeare era poetry about cosmic horrors (which is the prominent theme in Swarn’s songs) with aggressive crust death madness anyway. Of course, I try to set the general idea first, to get the right feeling for the words, even if they are not in my native language.

In Langenu some lyrics are even in Seto, a South-East Estonian local language spoken by about 10 000 people. It’s the language of my ancestors, although I myself have learned most of it in my later life. No one has attempted to write black metal lyrics in Seto before, which makes it especially fascinating. It’s like exploring the corners of the world for the very first time – you really don’t have a clue about the things that wait you in the shadows. And you don’t know where you would end up with it. So the process is as exciting as the result.

Swarn

Vödkamizer: Many of Estonia's older successful metal bands choose to sing in their native tongue primarily if not exclusively and even choose names from their language, some even using archaic words. Many of these bands also seem to only care to play in local gigs and festivals. Do you feel this is a major factor in Estonia's metal scene remaining largely ignored by the international scene?

Anti: I don’t think the choice of language can be the ultimate factor for recognition. Metsatöll is a good example of a band singing only in Estonian and being our most well-known band internationally. We can see a similar situation elsewhere whether it is a trollish-sounding Swedish of Finntroll or a harsh German of Rammstein. Sigur Rós doesn’t even have to use a real language to be really popular. Nowadays it’s easy to get at least general overview about the meaning of lyrics with a help of translation apps.

The other thing that you brought up – playing only at home – has more important impact on the popularity. If a band wants to become more well-known outside of the state borders, it’s crucial to give concerts outside. For me personally this is the best way to get contacts with the foreign local scenes. And it really pays off emotionally because the metal people are very nice pretty much everywhere…The other option for the band is to have a really good virtual distributional and promotional network. In this case the record labels can be very useful, as the example of Swarn shows – we have performed only once (in Tartu) but our labels Redefining Darkness and Raw Skull Recordz have done a wonderful job in spreading the message of our music. They have done their work for years and have developed an enormous and faithful network of metal fans and organizers.

Of course, we must keep in mind that some bands actually don’t really wish to move further from the local reputation – and it’s totally OK.  

Vödkamizer: You are quite active in general in expanding the Tartu metal scene's presence inside and outside of Estonia and have had a hand in organizing gigs with Estonian bands traveling to Baltic neighbors Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia and helping bands from the former countries as well as Finland and perhaps others I am unaware of. Has this effort been fruitful and rewarding for you and the local scene in your eyes and do you have any plans for this in the future when the Covid-19 restrictions relax or end?

Anti: I would definitely like to continue organizing gigs in Tartu and elsewhere and invite foreign bands to play here. I am not very active in this field and do maybe only one or two concerts with foreign acts per year. This way I can focus on providing good conditions for the bands (even if it means financial expenses) without exhausting myself too much. This kind of work helps to create contacts among like-minded people here, there and everywhere. In the long run it will be beneficial for everyone. And I sincerely hope that the bands who have played here in Tartu have fond memories of the place and its crazy metalheads.

Right now I wait until the virus world tour shows signs of end and then decide what to do next. The bands and audience are hungry for gigs, so there will be many concerts in the near future, I assure.

Vödkamizer: Tartu's metal scene has a very incestuous relationship with itself in a way, with the Pergerus bands often sharing overlapping members or borrowing musicians as stand-ins for gigs and recording sessions. What are your opinions on this situation and do you have any ideas for solutions to this lack of musicians?

Anti: One of the initial ideas of the Pergerus circle was to tighten the connections between the like-minded musicians, so if needed, a replacement for a project or a gig could be easily obtained. In that sense Pergerus has paid off – many exciting ventures have been done thanks to the crazy circus of these black metallers.

In a long perspective, however, getting new people to the ranks is crucial because otherwise the scene may simply drain nonexistent over time. Old blood starts to rot sooner or later. As mentioned, the times are quite good right now. Several young fanatics have joined the scene and shown that they hold true to metal music and its values.

Vödkamizer: Do you have any advice or words of encouragement to younger musicians in the scene for learning their instruments, forming a band/joining a band, etc.?

Anti: One of the key-words is persistence. Young bands may gain initial success very quickly but sooner or later face setbacks (line-up changes, creative differences and so on). In this phase many bands don’t find inner strength or motivation to face the difficulties – mostly because they are still very new – and as a result, perish. My advice is that when such situation occurs, take your time and let the emotions cool down a bit. After that it’s easier to look on the situation and decide, what should be done next. It has helped me several times to continue with my long lasting bands even after the times of demotivation.

Vödkamizer: We are coming to the end of our interview. Do you have any shout outs, acknowledgements, or parting words for us?

Anti: Metal has become a subculture with some very distinguished traits but still allows to discover new areas. While the big acts exist to the rules of common show business, the underground sphere of metal is really adventurous and that’s precisely why I adore it. You can always do things new way. Invent new formats for your creations, play gigs in surprising locations and so on. I would compare making a metal band with hiking. If your main aim is to get rich and famous then it’s better to use the methods that many have used before – record regularly, play in certain places (festivals, TV etc.), give interviews to the most prominent media channels... And you should always measure your current position from the standpoint of success. But the whole thing is like driving on a highway – it is really exciting if you are totally satisfied by the scenery provided by the speedometer of your car.

Underground metal is the opposite. You are free to go off-road, get beaten by mud, rain and indifferent nature – and at the same time be amazed by totally unexpected sights or hidden corners of the world. While many would choose the highway, these small roads and tracks in the forest would lead you to the unknown. What can be more charming than that?

Thank you for the cool questions, Vödkamizer!

Vödkamizer: Huge thanks to Anti Lillak for taking the time to his insights and wisdom with the Drain of Thoughts!

Be sure to check out his bands!

Langenu:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Langenu/

Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44xj5T7WtTc&ab_channel=Langenu

Ulguränd: 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Ulgurand

Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eumu4Spq8S4&ab_channel=Ulgur%C3%A4nd

Swarn: 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Swarncrust

Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk827q3FDic&ab_channel=AtmosphericBlackMetalAlbums

Review and interview with Yan Bob of Australian hip-hop duo BOTFLY

Botfly is an Australia-based self-proclaimed 'Unconscious Hip-Hop' duo with an emphasis on negative, hateful, over-the-top politically incorrect lyrics delivered atop doom drenched boom bap beats with eerily catchy hooks that will have you thinking "what the fuck are they talking about?" These beats are sure to please any oldhead 90s hip-hop sycophants. The lyrical subjects, flow, and delivery bring to my own mind groups and artists such as MF Grimm, Necro, Group Home, Geto Boys, and many others from the 90s/00s yet with so much emphasis on negativity that Botfly has become seemingly intentionally hard to place when trying to sit it next to anything that isn't drenched in the same sense of dread and hate. Their debut album "Suffering Contest" evokes images of night time walks through the wrong part of town, showcasing the dark sides of society. A lot of thought, confusion, agreement and then disagreement tug on my brain in so many different directions that I often find myself taking a step back from trying to understand the underlying meanings of the lyrics and just listen to them for what they are. 

Check out his music on Bandcamp: 

https://botflybeats.bandcamp.com/album/suffering-contest

The following is an interview with Botfly's vocalist and wordsmith, Yan Bob.

Vödkamizer: I originally met you in the beginning of 2010 in Tallinn, Estonia. From old conversations past and following your posts online, it is safe to say that you have quite a bit in your life. Would you say this exposure to the world, cultures, and mindsets has had much of an impact on your lyrics/poetry and if so, what are some of the experiences that had the most influence?

Yan Bob: Yes most definitely, I just barely finished high school, so I learnt about the things by joining the workforce & then going straight out into the world, pretentious sounding I know. But that’s why the lyrics come across so aggressive & I guess somewhat uneducated. Travelling through different countries in the world taught me first hand about the impact religion has on communities, poverty & power. How what seems to be good intentions as building a road for a troubled nation really means that you then own their resources indefinitely. It’s also the reading & research that goes into taking these trips that gives me a plethora of references to use in my lyrics & poems. You read up about one mad-man & a besieged city, then 20 minutes later you have a two page poem in front of you! Some quick examples of influential experiences though would be travelling to the Artsakh Republic, visiting West Africa several times, visiting Haiti, plus much more places & I guess just trying to get from ‘A to B’ in countries that are so far removed from what I am used to.

Vödkamizer: Your style is described with words such as 'aggressive', 'negative', 'hateful', 'over the top politically incorrect', and is self-proclaimed 'Unconscious Hip-Hop' in contrast to 'conscious hip hop'. It is safe to assume that your music is not welcome by the PC masses and it is stated on your Bandcamp page that it is "for those who are sick of the happy-go-lucky festival craft beer barcode tattoo dancing morons of today's Hip-Hop gestation stall. BOTFLY in no way represent Australian Hip-Hop in any way, shape or form." What are your views of the hip-hop scene in Australia and can you elaborate on your animosity towards the scene?

Yan Bob: I’ve got nothing against people who make Aussie Rap, I just don’t want us to be pigeonholed into that category so I put the “disclaimer” on our site. But honestly, “Aussie Hip-Hop” to me is one of the worst sub-genres of ANY genre of music, ever. It just sucks for us (BOTFLY) because we both happen to be Australians who make Hip-Hop. I hate macho party music & the false front of Australian culture. So it’s hard to make Hip-Hop music for us without being put straight into that “Aussie” category, people who might actually like our music would be turned off by it simply because they would think it is “Aussie Hip-Hop”. I started out rapping at 15 with this other dude, we were rapping pure “Aussie” style because that’s what the “in style” was (& still is) & if you wanted to do any other style you were “a sell out” & “wack”. It was really horrible fucking music but we still did shows & recorded demos. So I wanted to get away from that style of music & lifestyle, because I’m cool for not being cool. Melbourne city is like an echo chamber. An echo chamber full of plastic faces, high rise solid smog obelisks & heroin addicts congealed on park benches.

Vödkamizer: You are currently living back down under. Has life in Australia had much impact on the emphasis of negativity in your music and how so?

Yan Bob: Yes for sure. We are a coddled nation, if you want to find a classic example of “first world problems/white privilege” then it’s here. Our public holidays are the Football Grand Final, the Melbourne Cup horse race, Australia Day (the actual anniversary of the day we killed most of the indigenous people) & ANZAC day which is a day of mourning for Australian & New Zealand soldiers from WWI (it has since been high-jacked by the politicians & other douchebags for nationalist ideals). I do feel very lucky & blessed to have citizenship in such a country though, regardless of all the shit I say about it, we are mostly looked after by our government & have a healthcare system & wage rates at levels almost as good as Scandinavia. But again, I’m white & a man, so it’s easy for me to say that. That’s white privilege right there, a white Australian complaining about Australia while adopting black culture & reaping the benefits of living in Australia. 

Vödkamizer: Your lyrics bring up a lot of very currently relevant subjects with references to sexuality, politics, the class system, racial supremacy, etc. and could be seen as quite controversial by more PC individuals. Has this caused any issues for you in your personal life and relationships or the publication of your music?

Yan Bob: I make fun of just about everything in my lyrics, there’s not much exempt. The views should not be taken too seriously. We like to sit on neither side of the fence, one might not know what we stand for or if we stand for anything at all! But basically, with sexuality, I could give a fuck less. It doesn’t matter to me, never has in my life. What pisses me off sometimes is how LGBT+ alphabet rights & so-on get fast tracked to the front of the line when it comes to equality. Basically, white men wanted to get married, so they get put to the front. Meanwhile, there is no official treaty with the indigenous peoples of Australia, abortion rights are being taken back into the courts in the Western World, there is literally a hole in the ozone layer above us melting our faces down here, we shake hands with actual devil run slave nations where woman aren’t considered equal to men in any sense of the word purely for their oil & airport transit stop-overs, but let’s put Gay Marriage first. That’s all really. I just believe (& this is going to get me in trouble) that there are much MUCH bigger fucking issues that humanity has to deal with. Everyone can get married now & at the same time woman STILL don’t get paid the same as men do. Plus, writing lyrics like that, you know someone’s going to take it too seriously & get all pissed off not realizing it’s just a song. 

    As for it effecting my personal life, it never has. Because not many people have heard my music (BOTFLY is BOTFLY’s biggest fan). And those who have heard it & that do know me personally know that I am a reasonable person & am up for a conversation about such subjects if need be. Folk know I’m not a homophobe, Islamophobe or probably any other ‘phobe, I’m just basically a douche that talks shit. I’m not college educated, I have no degree. Just some basic life experience & my views on politics etc. come purely from what I’ve seen & experienced. Most of what I write is most likely incorrect & horribly naïve, but who cares. It’s better than hearing some dude rap about his penis for the 100 millionth god damn time!

Vödkamizer: I noticed on the title track of the album, "Suffering Contest", there is a sample at the end that I believe is taken from 'The Trial' originally by Franz Kafka. How much of an influence does literature and film have on your lyrics and what are some names and titles that are worthy to mention?

Yan Bob: Yes it is, The Trial is a great film! I’m into dystopian fiction & I love old propaganda films & advertisements. Cold War era “Reds under the bed” paranoia type vibe interests me. Films like ‘Atomic Cafe’ & ‘Hearts and Minds’ are most definitely worthy titles to mention. Doc Cleaver is a heavy reader & an early Werner Herzog/Klaus Kinski fan. He’s constructed many instrumentals & soundscapes with inspiration from such films. That’s the type of feeling we really aimed for on Suffering Contest.

Vödkamizer: From personal experience with you, you have a very eclectic taste in music, with favorites from black metal, noise rock, Ween, punk rock, hip-hop, heavy metal, and much more. Outside of hip-hop, what are some genres and artists you more frequently listen to and have they had much impact on your approach to your own creations? 

Yan Bob: Brainbombs, Killdozer, Cows & the Butthole Surfers are true legends to me & are a direct influence on how I like to hear music & how I’d like mine to sound like. Just madness, cacophony, wall of noise. One of the first bands I really got into was the Butthole Surfers, when I was about 10 years old. At that age it was all them; Cypress Hill, Body Count/Ice-T, Bloodhound Gang, Frenzal Rhomb & others that I strictly listened to, saved up money every year to buy their new CDs. Doc Cleaver listens mainly to Highlife/West African music, really amazing & ingenious sounds. Artists like K. Frimpong, Poly Rythmo and Bembeya Jazz National. And also Synthwave acts like Perturbator from France. Doc has his own Synthwave project too called Cryosat, it’s been around for awhile now, it’s well worth checking out if you’re into that style of Electronica.

Vödkamizer: There are a lot of overlapping fans between rock/metal and hip-hop, with many finding common grounds through the lyrical themes and blunt honesty artists from each genre present. Do you find any similarities between the two genres and common grounds fans could understand each other on?

Yan Bob: I’ve found that Hip-Hop fans are more flexible than Metal fans, old school Metal heads I’ve known in the past can be quite strict with what they let themselves listen to. I don’t think it’s like that any more, thank fuck. I think the common ground is aggression, loudness & unforgiving self expression, whether they want to admit it or not. That’s what it is for me anyway. For example, you could say that Necro (the rapper) is the Carcass (Grindcore band) of Hip-Hop, no pun intended. They are all similar topics, they just come out sounding different. 

Vödkamizer: Being so distanced from the mainstream, who are some kindred spirits who you could associate with the name "Unconscious Hip-Hop" and who are some rappers who have had a particularly strong influence on you?

Yan Bob: My biggest Hip-Hop influences would have to be the rugged & raw Geto Boys, early 90s Esham & Natas & early 90s ICP (their old school 1990 to ‘95 unhinged anger era). You’ve gotta be specific with the eras of groups that have been around for 30+ years, because 30 years can often equal 30 albums, & they can’t all be zingers. But I guess the direct influence on my sound would be Necro’s flow, his spit-fire lyric delivery & obscure reference dropping. And lyrically, I’ve always aspired to be as good as Goretex/Lord Goat (recently changed his alias), very highly recommended & one of my absolute favorite MCs by far. Jus Allah is another good one too, basically I like the aggression & misanthropic side of rap, there is a lot that can be done with that side of things & it’s a sound that you can actually feel & get something worthwhile out of. Unfortunately we don’t really sound like any of the acts we aspire to be like though, we’re more like the b-grade second choice if you can’t find anything else to listen to.

Vödkamizer: I think it is safe to say that you don't roll with the PC masses by now. What is your opinion on the increasing focus on being "politically correct" in society and its effect and restrictions on modern musicians and artists?

Yan Bob: For me personally, in my own head, I took things very literally & therefore couldn’t write the way I actually wanted to write for years. It wasn’t until I was 20-21 years old that I started writing what I really wanted to. I censored myself. I’d write these clever poems or spoken-word pieces but then edit them or throw ‘em out because I was worried people would start throwing picket signs in my face & I’d be locked in the stocks in the town square for locals to hurl rotten tomatoes at. But it’s art, it’s expression, it’s argument, disagreement, letting things out of your mind. All artists do it, some of the most proclaimed musicians & rappers say THE worst shit. The big names like Dr. Dre & such acts have skits on their albums about kidnapping prostitutes & songs about raping woman. I like to write about other stuff, not much classier than that, but at least I’m trying to get some sort of point across other than “suck my dick bitch, I’ll shoot you, you are a whore because you let me fuck you”.

Vödkamizer: "Suffering Contest" is an album of 17 strong tracks that transition smoothly from one to another with a more "raw" production than many may be used to. Do you have any current plans for a future release and will you continue in this same dark and raw atmosphere that has been established on your debut?

Yan Bob: We have roughly 30 new songs written waiting to be recorded. We WOULD have released our sophomore LP this year if it wasn’t for the reptile republican Chinese Communist adrenal chrome baby harvesters spreading the fake virus that is somehow so fake it kills people. So instead of focusing solely on recording our new full length LP we will start work on releasing some new singles & some demos, just to put some new music out there. Because Doc Cleaver does ALL the production, studio engineering, mastering etc. it takes us a long time to get our music out there. It’s just the two of us, & since I can’t use a computer our recording is a longer process than others. Doc is the whole sound behind BOTFLY. If we had some record label paying us in a studio we’d have a lot of product out there, believe me. We are really bad at promoting ourselves & our social media followers are 99% bots. That’s why we’re BOTFLY. (Not really, the name actually came from me thinking I had a Botfly in-bedded in my face, no joke, my Tallinn family know what I’m talking about😉) 

Vödkamizer: Do you have any closing statements, shout outs, or anything else to say before we wrap this up?

Yan Bob: I give props to Doc Cleaver for being the producer extraordinaire computer-wizard of BOTFLY & best friend, & you, Eric for taking your time to interview me, it is greatly appreciated & I love you for that. Shouts to my family in Eestimaa & props to Ellen DeGeneres for fueling so much of my hatred. Also to anybody out there who is interested in our music please listen/download it for free from our Bandcamp site!

Vödkamizer: Big thanks to Yan Bob for taking the time to spread the disease of the mind!

Botfly's Bandcamp: https://botflybeats.bandcamp.com/album/suffering-contest

Interview with Koffin's Sander Vider (guitar, vox) and Herman Ebber (drums)

Hail Koffin fükker püssy krüshers!

Vödkamizer: Your band is quite young but already making great strides in the Estonian scene and the international underground scene. Can you give us a brief history of your band and maybe some details of your process that has led to your current success?

Sander: We started the band in the summer of 2019. Mostly because we loved to drink and thought why not make some music while drinking. In terms of our success, I guess we got to thank Karl Korts for it, he released our demo and put together this awesome promo plan that put us on the map so to say.

Herman: Totally agree with Sander, we were just drinking and having fun. And the next thing I know, I'm stressing over gigs in Tallinn.

Vödkamizer: Koffin has been receiving a lot of great press and positive reviews from the recent demo "Nailed Into The Coffin". Has this attention had much impact on the band members and motivation and/or has it affected your approach to writing your future releases?

Sander: I kind of wish people wouldn't love it so much haha. The pressure that is already growing on the album is way too much for me. I hate being under pressure, but then again, maybe the pressure is the key if it turns out successful!

Herman: I was hoping to just get some minor feedback so I could analyze my playing and decide what to do better on the (hopefully) upcoming releases. It sure puts some pressure on to get better and better, but it's the good kind of pressure, you know.

Vödkamizer: Your music brings to mind the late 80s and early 90s death metal scenes with a nice bit of groove. Aside from old school death metal bands, are there any bands of other metal subgenres or entirely different genres that you take influence and/or inspiration from?

Sander: We have a few elements in our music that we have taken from Speed Metal for example, but mostly I take quite a lot of influence from Thrash Metal. The two main groove riffs starting from 1:08 on the track "Terminator" are very much Megadeth inspired. Riffs from "Skull Beneath The Skin" and "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" mixed with Aggressor-style writing and that's what you get. Probably the proudest moment in my musical career, writing wise.

Herman: I have been taking loads of influence from groove metal and partly from death and thrash metal. I'm not very keen on influences, I just go with the flow of the music and start writing some beats. But if I had to name bands then for Koffin, I would name Grave and Deicide. These are the two bands that have pushed my playing most in the Death Metal genre. 

Vödkamizer: One commonly noted theme among reviews of your demo is the old school feel and raw production. Do you have plans to maintain this old school raw feel for future releases and if not, could you elaborate on the direction you are planning to go?

Sander: I would like to retain the old-school raw production, but only to a certain extent. Just like in the early 90s you usually get a demo cassette with a black-on-white cover and really raw production. The albums usually get more polished and the production gets clearer. That is where I'm aiming with Koffin too. To stay raw and rotten, but with cleaner production. My dream would be to record completely analog, but I'm afraid that will stay a dream.

Herman: Totally agree with Sander on this one. I love the old-school raw sound and production. But I'm very excited to experiment behind the mixing table and see what suits us best. I think I'm as excited as other people to see where this ends up. 

Vödkamizer: Your demo's artwork was done by the artist Skaðvaldur who has become an increasingly popular artist in the Estonian scene, let alone the international underground. What are your thoughts on the artwork's visual representation of your music and do you plan to work with him on future releases?

Sander: Visual aspect is just as important as the music itself in my opinion. Ahto-Lembit Lehtmets from Loits gave us a 10/10 for the artwork alone. I love Skaðvaldur's art very much. He is the only artist who I want to work with (although there will be one exception regarding our future plans), because we have a very good mutual understanding of each other and we work really good together. I have talked to him about the album cover already and if everything goes as planned then it's gonna be sikk!

Herman: He's amazing, I love his style and he's a wonderful person to work with. I want to definitely work with him as long as possible, because he gets the feel of the band and he has the skill to incorporate it in his art, just like we want to. Not many people can do that, in my opinion. 

Vödkamizer: Your current releases include cassette tapes and CDs. Are either of you or any of your band members avid collectors of physical releases? Which formats do you prefer and do have any ambitions to release future material on vinyl?

Sander: I do collect physical copies, but it takes time and money, I unfortunately only have time. I love cassettes very much, I am frequently looking on Discogs/Facebook groups for interesting tapes. A Vinyl release for our album would be amazing.

Herman: I haven't really collected any physical copies of music except for some Estonian bands and a bootleg Deicide cassette I got from Discogs. But releasing music on different formats gives the possibility for different designs and more room to be creative, so I would really like to release my own vinyl and see how it turns out. 

Vödkamizer: In a recent concert, you performed alongside the bands Taak, Intrepid, and Sküllfükk SS. Simo Atso of Intrepid had said in a press statement that the reason his band had not played in Tartu for so many years was that there were no good bands until now. Do you agree with this statement and what is your opinion on the state of the metal scene in Tartu and Estonia as a whole these days?

Sander: In a Death Metal perspective, I agree. The only Death Metal bands in Tartu right now are Koffin and Swarn. I am happy about the Estonian scene as a whole. We have a lot of awesome bands and basically everybody knows each other.

Herman: The Death Metal scene is small, that I agree with. The bands in Tartu are sometimes just like our own thing here, you know. People outside maybe don't notice the scene that much, because we fail to promote ourselves or whatever reason there is for it. But the scene as a whole is starting to look good. We have young bands forming and older bands still going strong. I'm positive about the future and hoping that I can contribute something to the scene's life-support.

Vödkamizer: Your original bassist, Johan-Markus Kopp, is currently serving his conscript service in the military and this has led to you having a couple of session bassists. How has this affected the band overall and when his service is over, will he immediately resume his position?

Sander: It's been hard to be honest. Reio has a lot of active bands and that's kind of the reason we decided to let him go. When we were invited somewhere then his other bands got invited somewhere else. Luckily we got Skaðvaldur, who is an awesome musician and he understands our vibe so to say. Regarding Johan-Markus, I certainly hope so. We really miss him, because he had some sort of special energy with him and I miss hanging out with him and having a lot of laughs together.

Herman: It's been a hell of a ride. The session bass thing has woken me up a bit and given me something fresh to think about. I loved having Reio and I love having Skaðvaldur, but my personal opinion regarding Johan-Markus is a bit clouded and smuggy so I will not give a straight answer for this (for which I apologize). But I hope things turn out for the best. I love this band and I love Johan, but the ride of this band is only beginning, we will have to see. 

Vödkamizer: Seeing that most of your band history has taken place during the times of Covid-19, what can you say about your view on your band's trajectory during these limiting times? Has it been a curse? Blessing? Not affected the band at all?

Sander: I am certainly happy that we were allowed to do shows in Estonia. It would've gotten really frustrating if we wouldn't be able to perform live. I'd say that it hasn't affected us as much as other bands in different countries for example.

Herman: It's been pretty chill. We got to do rehearsals during quarantine and practice for our live performances. I don't know, the time has made me really close with all the band members and we've had time to think stuff over. So for me, definitely a blessing. 

Vödkamizer: Aside from internationally successful bands, what are some other Estonian bands that have influenced and/or inspired you as a band and as musicians? And what are some Estonian albums you guys are digging these days?

Sander: The almighty Aggressor has been a big inspiration for us. I have to also mention Deceitome, because I like them a lot. I listen to Tankist's "Be Offended" almost weekly. In my opinion it's one of the best releases in Estonian metal history. Sküllfükk SS' rehearsal demo is also one of my favorite releases. Even though I don't listen to it that often, I still hum some riffs and quietly sing some lyrics from time to time.

Herman: Have to agree on the Aggressor band wagon, it has pushed us a lot. But for myself, surprisingly, the most influential Estonian band has been Pedigree. Helps me fill my need for interesting grooves and always gets me on a roll. I think that Sküllfükk's demo is also one of my favorites, so far. Should actually re-discover the Estonian albums, thanks for reminding. 

Vödkamizer: What can your fans look forward to in the near future?

Sander: A few gigs are still ahead, but after them we will continue our struggles to release a killer fükking album that makes our demo look like the pussy ass poser kid from school who gets beaten up every Thursday for being a fag.

Herman: A few gigs, yes. And I have to supervise the killer fucking album so Sander doesn't have to be disappointed in the end, because his riffs are mediocre or something. Really looking forward to it! 

Vödkamizer: Do you have any shout outs, acknowledgements or sign off notes for this interview?

Sander: Please check out Eric's blog, also the artist Skaðvaldur and their band Sküllfükk SS!!! 

They have done big things for us and we wouldn't be who we are without them! Much love to them!

Herman: Same, really cool that you started this blog, I really hope you get it up and running so we can get some cool interviews like this one! Thanks for having us. 

Vödkamizer: Thank you very much for the interview and keep nailin' them into the coffin!