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Hi, how are you doing?
Thanks for your time! First of all, introduce Ewigkeit
to the people who are unknown with it.
James (everything): Hi - I am James Fogarty of
Ewigkeit, I write and produce music which is ambient,
electronic & heavy. If you want to hear heavy music done
in a different way with relevance to the 21st century
then maybe you will want to check it out ;-)
You decided to start Ewigkeit because you were tired
of all those deathtrash metal bands. The music you make
is a combination of different metal styles. What in the
Hell were you thinking of making music this complex? And
how would you describe the music you make?
James: Well, for me, the music of Ewigkeit is
what I want to hear. You know how you have this idea of
your perfect music but nobody has recorded it yet? well
for me that is Ewigkeit. There is no commercial aims
with the music - it is not sold through any image or
association with any other styles - it is only the music
that is important for me. I disagree about the music
being complex - it's really quite simplistic (in fact -
sometimes I think it is too simplistic!).
You also were one of the founding members of the
black metal band "The Meads Of Asphodel". This is very
different from the music you make with Ewigkeit. Can you
tell me some more about your different influences?
James: In about 2000, I became interested to
start blending in different styles (i.e samples of
traditional music mixed with electronic metal) into
heavy music - the other guy (the vocalist) wanted to do
"underground black metal" which I had no interest in
anymore because for me that style of music has become
totally irrelevant and boring these days. I absorbed my
new (and, in my opinion, exciting and progressive) ideas
and direction into Ewigkeit (which had been neglected
for a while). Ewigkeit is the only project for me when
it comes to metal now, and it seems that other people
are starting to give me some recognition for trying
something new now.
The lyrics are pretty spiritual, and almost as
complex as the music you make. What is going on in the
mind of Mr. Fog? What are your beliefs and stuff?
James: My beliefs are quite like the music ;
outwardly quite simple, yet (on examination) incredibly
intricate. To some it up quickly - I belive in an
eternal soul. I belive that we have been put on this
shit-hole of a planet to learn something, or do
something with our lives. I belive that messages are
being presented to us individually and as a species
every day (by the things we see, the places we go, the
things we hear etc...). I am also a strong believer in
karma of a sort . ie ; you act like an arsehole with
people, then don't expect any positive results from what
you do). By the way - I was thinking the other day how
funny it is that these scandinavian bands try to be so "evil"
and "angry" we we all know the majority of people in
those countries have an easy life with no worries about
money/housing/food/employment - yet countries where shit
is blowing up all the time and there is starvation and
war - these countries seem to produce quite uplifting
music. Strange that !
Although Ewigkeit is very modern and innovating from
the start, it took three years and three demos before
you managed to get a record company. What took them so
long?
James: Because, although I had been in bands -
Ewigkeit was (and is) the vehicle for me to develop as a
musician. When I started, I had a very simplistic and
nieve outlook for what I wanted to creat and achieve
with music. The music reflected that. A lot has changed
over the years and now I am producing stuff that I never
thought I would be able to ! Now everything is far more
complex, and my aims are far higher than they have ever
been right now. I personally find other band's levels of
where they want to go and what they want to do with
music as depressingly un-ambitious. "Fuck any genres and
limitations" - thats totally what rock music was
originally about ! unfortunately, a lot people seem to
forget that and would rather embrace the old traditional
shit...
After some demos and releases on a small label, you
released "Land Of Fog" on Metal Age Prod. How did they
get in contact with your music?
James: Apparently they had heard some stuff and
were interested in it. It wasnt't anything to do with me
really. At the time they approadched me, I had given up
on heavy music because it wasnt going anywhere for me. I
had put a lot of effort into one project, and had been
ripped off and not given any credit - and the other
project had been "asleep" for 2 years. You know, I
originally made Radio Ixtlan as the last Ewigkeit album
! Strangely it was to signal a rebirth of Ewigkeit, and
I am back with it now more than ever.
After the "Land Of Fog" record, Earache signed
Ewigkeit. What were the main benefits of being signed on
that major label?
James: The main benefits are that a lot more
people are aware of what you are doing. Earache are well
known all around the world. As a result of that I have
had reviews coming in from everywhere - which is great -
especially when they are mostly very positive. The U.K
scene (whatever that is) is only interested in promoting
their friends bands (even if everybody else knows they
are shit) - it's a bizarre, frustrating and often
hilarious situation... as I am constantly reminded - the
truth come out in the end.
The currently latest album, Radio Ixtlan, was
released on Earache. It recieved a nice review of
IndustrializedMetal.tk. What do you think of it yourself?
James: Well - to be honest I cannot listen to
anything I have recorded in the past. It takes so much
effort and sucks a lot from your life that I don't like
to dwell on albums after they are recorded. Of course,
that's not to say that I dont think they are worth
listening too - the amount of effort I put in will leave
enough resonance in each recording that it should (hopefully)
still sound great years later. I am always looking
forwards - I am a firm believer that it is not only
unproductive to look backwards, but that it is very
usually even dangerous.
The new album shall be coming out in the near future.
What can we expect of it?
James: Well - the album started in September 04
and was finished in April 05. The theme of the album is
about realisation of a huge global conspiracy that's aim
is to control mankind through brainwashing, destruction
of knowledge, control through the media and enslavement
through debt. These conspirators are also guilty of
creating mass death through wars and manufacturing
killer disease. They are the most dispicable and, some
might say, weakest human beings alive. They make the
Nazis look like kindergarten teachers and will not stop
until they have turned our world into a global-prison !
This is all started by an "attack" which is used for an
excuse tostart their "masterplan" of global domination.
The simple thing is that ; to escape, you just need to
see the problem and spread the message. Their house of
cards will start to fall and mankind will be free. That
is why I communicate the idea to you. Some might say it
is a bizarre idea for an album - others may see more
truth to it than others. Is it fiction or not ? look at
the world around you, educate yourself - then make your
own decision based on what you believe - not what the
controlled media, education systems or your pre-conditioning
tells you. You may come to the same surprising
conclusions as many others are coming to every day ! The
album has been produced by John Fryer ; he has mixed
lots of other bands in the past including Nine Inch
Nails, White Zombie, Fear Factory, Paradise Lost, Cradle
Of Filth, Depeche Mode and many other well known artists.
The core sound of Ewigkeit is still there, although I
have (finally!) removed the death-metal vocals. I
intended to have Radio Ixtlan as a "clean vocal" album -
but as it was originally recorded for Metal Age
Productions, which is a small death metal label, I kept
them. This album was the right time to get rid of them
and make the vocals a part of the music & harmony too.
What else can we expect in the future?
James: You can expect perhaps a video for one of
the songs which is called "Its Not Reality". This has
also been remixed by myself (as an EBM mix) and also a
hardcore mix (by Scott Brown) for a limited promotional
run to get it played in some of the industrial/gothic
clubs where they play the more dance-orientated dark
music. Also you can expect Europe and the rest of the "democratic"
world to become gradually more like the 3rd reich and to
have all your civil liberties stripped. Oh, and also
expect a rise in "state-terrorism" against the
populations, and THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED!
Thanks a lot again for the interview and your time.
As always on IndustrializedMetal.tk, the final words are
yours.
James: Okay look - I have just finished writing
an album which is quite possibly the best musically, the
most artistic, the best produced and the most spiritual
and philosophical Ewigkeit album yet. I really hope that
as many of you hear it and understand the messages
therein. For me, this is not just "another concept" -
this is about a topic I believe to be vitally important
for people to educate themselves in, whatever
conclusions they may come to. Whether you buy it or
download it - I want you to hear this album. Thanks for
the interview and good luck!
Interview by: Gerardo (June 2005) |
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