Trollech
Interview by Negru & Codru (December 2002 - Negura #4).


Salut Johannes! How are you doing? How about the band, how are the things going on in Trollech?
Johannes: Hail to you and all readers! Guardians of Trollech are greeting you. We’re fine in deep “forest moods”, thanx...

Could you start by presenting Trollech a bit to our readers? What was your aim when you started the band?
Johannes: Trollech is an old ancient empire, older then all states and kingdoms of this world. We have came from our kingdom among you human race to show you that beings as goblins, elves, dragons, nymphs and all other creatures and beasts still live in woods. We want to show “pure” pagan spirit with one true GODD(ESS) MOTHER NATURE. In the year 1999 we recorded first and last demotape “Dech pohanskych veru” (“Breath of pagan winds”). In the year 2000 is released our debut CD album “Ve hvozdech...” (“In the woods...”) by Eclipse Prod. and last release titled CD “Synove lesu” (“Sons of forest”) was out year 2002 also under wings of Eclipse Prod. Guardians of Trollech are: Asura Godwar Gorgon´s Ray (scream, vocal, bass), Lord Morbivod (scream, vocal, guitar), Johannes (vocal, guitar) and Skret Duchmaus (drum machine).

I must say that the most important thing missing your music is a real drummer. Do you agree, or you just think it’s better to use a drum machine? Using this drum machine was an intentional decision, or you just couldn’t find a proper drummer?
Asura: You’re not first and last who have said it to us. We know the real drummer is the best for band but there is the one problem: find him. It’s strenght, I must say... And there is an advantage, you program what you want, what you feel... You must learn the using drum machine and try new variations. Better Skret Duchmaus then nothing... (che che che)...

What makes you consider Trollech a Pagan band and not a Black Metal one? What does paganism symbolizes to you?
Asura: We’re not only pagan band, you can take us as a pagan forest black metal band. I’m convinced we are part of black metal and you find this style into our music. Paganism is for us MOTHER NATURE and her laws and powers (Goddess and Gods). Beings who live in woods, waters, air, fire and in earth. Our ancestors believed in these powers and beings and we’re convinced that our ancestors (who understood the nature very well) saw these beings and spoke with them. We lost this sense by our blindness by our ignorance. It’s great to open mind and you’ll see the unseen, the true masters of nature. I missed things as history, tales and legends, mythology it’s a part of education not feelings. See our ancestors were not only great warriors but great people who liked and loved their families, land in which their lived, they understood MOTHER NATURE and they knew how to take from nature and gave it her back...

You’re one of the very few Pagan Metal bands I know that uses make-up, especially these days, when many Black Metal bands abandon it. Why do you use it, and what does it mean for you?
Asura: It´a a part of us and our way. You can see our true faces, faces of beings and beasts of forest empire Trollech, the faces of guardians of secret of pagan spirit....



I just saw your videoclip for Ve Stinu Starych Dubu. What can you tell us about it? Where did you shoot it, how did you enjoy the experience, who did you work with? Are you satisfied with the final result? Which are you all time fave 5 clips?
Asura: This clip shows what Trollech is... The clip is full of moods of wood and you see our philosophy. The name of this song/clip is in English “In the shades of old oaks”, it’s about dying human “kingdom” and opening of a new era of MOTHER NATURE. The clip was shooted in the woods called “Kozelske polesi” near Plzen (the city where we live). It was for us a new kind of experience, we have new view for making of music. It was fantastic feeling to be in wood with guitar, total freedom among trees.... GREAT!!! We were shooted by our friend Well who is a member of band Umbrtka, I think it was also experience for him. I must say, we are satisfied with the final result and I hope the clip will open the gates of realm of Trollech to our fans and they will understand us. And my 5 fave clips? Bathory – One Rode to Asa Bay, Immortal – Blashyrkh, Satyricon – Mother North, Vader – Cold Demons and Ancient Rites – Victory or Valhalla and others...

Where do you get your inspiration when composing music? How about the lyrics? What do they deal with?
Asura: I must say, I don’t know. It comes like lightning. I’m out of this world and I hear melodies and after I try to compose it on guitar. I play my (or other members of Trollech) idea to guardians and we compose a song. Lyrics are personally. They are from our experiences from our trips through the woods, from mythology and tales...

Your album’s inlay card contains very few words in English (names of some bands, webmaster, fans, Black Metal…). I have no problem in understanding why you did everything in your mother’s tongue and I can only admire that, but aren’t you afraid that you might lose fans worldwide because of that or that your message might not be correctly understood?
Asura: I think our fans (in outlands) respect us and our language and they are not “stupid” to understand who is written in thanx list. We’re not afraid. I think our mother’s tongue is very interesting.

You’re also involved a bit in photography. For those not knowing, you did all the photos for Petra – The Goddess of Desire, including the ones we used on the precedent issue on her interview. What can you tell us about this preoccupation?
Johannes: Yes, I make 90% Petra’s photos. We photograph photos in gothic-vampiric-black-doom style already 6 years and what can I tell about my deep preoccupation? We make work of our felling and impressions, of heart, soul and mind.

What other things are you involved in apart Trollech?
Asura: Trollech and music take us a lot of time. Lord Morbivod has his one man band Stiny Plamenu, he plays guitar in band Umbrtka and in his side doom metal project Quercus. Johannes is studding philosophy and history at university and his big hobbies are photography and history. I read books (history, fantasy), play football (great game che che che) and make bodybuilding...

How’s your relation with Eclipse Productions going on? How did you got in contact with them? They seem to be very dedicated to in signing and promoting Czech Pagan/Black Metal bands.
Asura: Our relation with guys of Eclipse Prod. is very friendly, we are satisfied with them and with they do for us. They do all what they have promised. There is not problem. One day after recording our demo I sent it to them. They distributed it and after came an offer to release Trollech´s album. We signed with them. They are a firm interested in black/pagan metal a one in Czech Republic and try to “help” bands from our land. But there are 2 bands from outlands: Arkona from Poland and Astrofaes from Ukraine which are signed with Eclipse Prod. so not only Czech bands...

Is there a more common attitude between all these Pagan/Black Bands?
Asura: Hmmm... The common attitude is music but opinions are different, you see it in lyrics. Every band has its own reason to play, you must ask them. About our attitude I was writing...

What do you think about the Czech Metal Scene? Are there some new interesting bands that you could recommend us?
Asura: Czech metal scene is not big but there are very good bands, fanzines and mags, I speak about all styles. The strongest are death/grind and doom metal bands. The black metal scene is getting stronger and we’re still first pagan metal band. I think it’s same as in other states, but we know among us. I would like recommend Agmen, Silva Nigra, Dissolving of Prodigy, Hypnos…

You use to play live an Immortal cover for “Blashyrk”. What can you tell us about the rest of your live act?
Asura: I know why you ask. You have played (Negura Bunget) same cover version of Immortal’s Blashyrkh at Open Hell Feast in Volyne, I think 3 or 4 years ago. Immortal is one of our favorite band. We play sporadically and only in Czech Republic, one concert we have played in Slovakia. We have got offers to play live shows in outlands (Germany, Austria...) but we’re not prepared to play there. After our new album we want to attack!

Each nation has ‘evil’/funny little sayings, jokes or proverbs about its neighbors. In Romania, for example, when somebody doesn’t seem to understand very well what you’re trying to say, you’d tell him: ‘Well, you seem to be a Turk or something, huh?’; or, in a different context, of course, ‘he drinks like a Russian’. Can you give some similar examples from your country?
Asura: Che che che... Very interesting question, che che che! Well I stand by alcohol. When somebody is totally drunk, you say him: “You are drunk like a Danish” or somebody smoke a cigarettes one by one, you can tell him: “You’re smoking like a bad building fire”. Or if somebody is trying to be jokefull, you can tell him: “You are jokefull like a sledge in summer” and many others... But I’m not sure with correct translation...

The Czech Republic, just like Romania, was part of the Communist block. Now, both countries are facing a different political trend: globalization. Many people around here identify this process with a loss of national identity. What’s the situation in your country?
Asura: I must say, the situation is the same. We’re afraid, we’ll be slaves of a political filth. Every thing has 2 faces. We are Czechs and I hope we still be. We must know who we are... We must “fight” for it! But money and business profit are at the first place for many people and it’s bad.

What are your personal views about NATO and EU, now that Czech Republic is so close to both? Maybe you know, the last NATO summing took place just a while ago in Prague, and Romania was also asked to join NATO then…
Johannes: The Czech Republic has join NATO on 12th March 1999 and will join EU on 1st May 2004 in situation when Czech citizens say “YES” in national referendum on 15th – 16th June 2003. I think that NATO and EU are for me beginning of loss of national identity, economic, political and social enslavement for new members from part of the Communist block. It’s not fair-play of Brusel for the Czech Republic! I think that new members will be in NATO and EU only as slaves of “new realm” of united Europe.
Asura: I’m sorry, but I’m not so much interested in policy. I know about summit of NATO in Prague. I think it’s a political game about us but without us. I think, it’s last chance to unite European states, but I still think that they are afraid of us. Sorry, I really don’t know what say...

What would be, in your opinion, the one outstanding characteristic of the Czech spirit? Can you explain why?
Asura: This question is better. The Czechs are lively, smart, relentless and hard-working. Our ancestors were same and I think we bring these things inside of us.

I know you plan to visit one day our Transilvanian lands… when do you think that will happen? Could you recommend us some interesting places you enjoy from your country?
Johannes: I read many books and information about Romanian history, geography, ethnology and spirituality. I think that Romania has wealthy past at all parts. When I will ready to go at all I will visit your country. I hope it will be very soon! I have to visit Czech villagies in “Czech Banat” and you at your town Timisoara – center of Banat, too. Each part of the Czech Republic is different but all parts are interesting. You can fascinated by all our mountains, old medieval cities (Prague, center of Czech lands and my place of birth, is really for all people incredible and very mystical city) or castles and mainly realm Trollech in the deep Czech dark forests! Drum bun!!!

What could you tell us about your future plans? You are about to release a brand new EP, Tvare Stromu. What can you tell us about it? How does it differ compared with your debut album? Have you started working on new a new full length?
Asura: We want to play, play and play and still open the gates of empire Trollech and sing about the glory of Mother Nature. We want to be better in playing. The EP Tvare stromu (“Faces of Trees”) is a break in our creation. I think there are many melodies, moods and music is getting new elaborating face. The sound of this recording is 100% up then releases before. We recorded 2 new songs and re-recorded song Pod hradem Radyni (Below the Radyne Castle) taken from our album Synove lesu for this EP. We have recorded new album and we must record last song and the art is finished. The new album V rachotu hromu will be full of deep evergreen woods, forest beings, deep dark moods, breaks. You’ll be in the middle of our empire Trollech and you’ll see the power of nature unleashed!!!

That should be enough for the time being! Thanks very much for the time Johannes! Anything to add in the end?
Johannes and Asura: Thank you to traveller through the Funeral Fog for the place into your magazine and interesting questions. Goblins regards to all readers and fans of metal!!! Slava lesum!!!


Official Contact:
Trollech
Bohumir Kase (Asura)
Francouzska 32
CZ-307 06 Plzen
Czech Republic
Phone: ++420 602 607 853
e-mail: Asura@tiscali.cz