Phew. Itīs Thursday June 10th, weather is almost as good as it can ever be and Iīm here typing up this interview. Sometimes things are not as they are supposed to be. But the bright side is that I can listen to DARKWOODS MY BETROTHEDīs third album Witch-Hunts again. And again. Itīs definitely worth all the listens, in my books Which-Hunts is the best 'Black' (?) Metal album of the year. That good ? Yes, I can assure you. The album contains many high moments, all the seven songs are far above average... well, just read my review of the album, I donīt want to start repeating myself.

The first question to ask vocalist Emperor Nattasett is obviously the cliched one: Are you satisfied with the album ?

"Well, the studio-sessions went pretty well, when we finally got down to work. But after all, we were in hell of a rush towards the end of the recordings, and thatīs why we arenīt completely satisfied with the result. Otherwise, the albumīs still quite good and the resultīs not THAT bad either.", replies mr. Nattasett.

Witch-Hunts was delayed several times, and now Iīve read that youīre about to release a new album at the end of this year. Has the composing really been that fast ?

"Yeah Witch-hunts was heavily delayed, it came out almost exactly a year late ! This was because of all the happenings, the label-change, Hexenmeisterīs parting from the band, the long distance between the members plus the studioproblems. But now we have some 'songshreds' coming up and I believe that before next year we already have the material done", comes the answer.

Tours are one major point of metal, so I wanted to ask E.Nattasett about DARKWOODS MY BETROTHEDīs gigplans.

"There has been only few gigs, in Kitee, when the band was just starting, after that there we have not played any gigs. In future we are maybe going to do some deliberate gigs somewhere in Southern Finland. We are now focusing on the album."

Thereīs been *some* lineup-changes, so try to stay with Emperor N. when he shares us the information:

"On the next album drums are in the care of Beast, who also did drums on BARATHRUMīs Saatana -album. On the guitar are of course Hallgrim, plus then T.L.Virtue (former drummer) whose main instrument has always been guitar. The keys are handled by another new guy, Magician. Tuomas from NIGHTWISH is also available, if we need him. And then thereīs Gīthaur of BARATHRUM on bass. This would also be the gig-lineup. [awfully lot of lineup-changes, BARATHRUM or NAPALM DEATH anyone ?]

Then how is the writing process now with the new members and all ?

"Personally, Iīve done the bases to a couple of songs, on which we are then working in Kuopio with Gīthaur and Magician. I think Hallgrim has done from three to four ones and T.L.Virtue has also done a couple of songs. Thereīs also going to be a couple of coversongs on the album. Usually the practice is that we send tapes to each other and when we have got the songs in some kind of decent shape, we gather in somewhere and work on them a little more. Many times itīs the studio where the songs fall in their final places, but in some way itīs done, I guess ! Iīve done the lyrics and theyīre all almost finished. The working title of the album is Misantropic Chaos Requiem, so the lyrics are quite different from our earlier albums. Theyīre also very personal. Song titles are: Wish you were dead, Angel loves evil, Chaotic-Requiem, Emperor`s gift, I live in tragedy etc....", says the vocalist Nattasett.

Witch-Hunts was the first DMB album released on Spinefarm. I guess your chances are better with Spinefarm ?

"Yep, I think the chances are better if we continue to do good songs in the future, too. In that way Spinefarm can fully trust on us and invest money on us. The change was a good thing, although there wasnīt anything to complain about in the old contract, either. Itīs easier to work on things with a Finnish label."

Every new DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED album has always been different when compared to itīs predecessor. Whyīs this ?

"I guess itīs because our different musical likings. Also the lineup is a big factor: Hallgrim has always done fast, 'Norge' -type songs, when me and Hexenmeister also fancied epic BATHORY stuff. When Hexen and I formed the FURTHEST SHORE [see info elsewhere on this interview], we decided that DMB continues on the fast, and FURTHEST SHORE on the slow and epic side. I think that the new DMB album is going to be musically very much the same as Witch-Hunts."

What is the purpose of DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED ? Is there a 'message' in your stuff or are you just partying and having fun ?

"DMB is our way to bring out our visions and music attractions. Then if somebody even likes or wants to buy our music, what could be better ? I would definitely not call DMBīs action partying !!!! I have different images about the so-called partying.", he reacts.
"However, DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED has been in the scene for quite a long time and many have forgotten us because of the long silent period between the second and the third album."

You have some other projects also going on at the moment. Could you tell us something 'bout the ? Any material going to be released ?

" Well I have a couple of projects
FURTHEST SHORE:
lineup:
E.Nattasett: Vox
Hexenmeister: Guitar, Bass, lyrics
Tuomas (NIGHTWISH): Synths
Thypsy: Drums
R.Puukko: Acoustic and lead guitars.

Debut album out in June-July 1999, entitled Chronicles of Hethenesse, Book one. BATHORY (Hammerheart -era) and FALKENBACH -styled.

HOWLL:
lineup:
E.Nattasett: All shit
No releases in the near future.
KATATONIA (Discouraged Ones) -styled [this was quite a surprise! -ed]

EMPIRE:
lineup:
Emperor Nattasett: Guitar, vocals, lyrics
Gīthaur: Guitar, vocals, bass
Magician: Synths
Promo maybe released in the end of the year.
LIMBONIC ART -styled

Then I wanted to ask a stupid question for a change and there was one certain thing in my mind... Why did you choose a name like VIRGIN`S CUNT in the first place ? Why in the name of the goD ???

"In the very beginning our intention was to make as brutal music as we could, and to stir as much offense as possible. But when we noticed that every one of us wanted to make serious and good music, we decided to also change our name to one that matched with the music.", he clears up.

And what music does Emperor Nattasett listen to when heīs at home ?

"Oh no !", comes an instant answer. "I listen to so much different kinds of stuff... but Iīll try to make up something.... I listen to classical music like J.S.Bach, Wagner, Carl Orff, Edward Grieg, Sibelius etc... Soundtrackmusic like Stargate,Conan and Dracula.... then Proge like KINGSTON WALL, HAWKWIND, old GENESIS, PINK FLOYD.... Heavy Metal, for example BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, URIAH HEEP, AC/DC, IRON MAIDEN.... Jazz, some electronic stuff like new ULVER, Folk like ULVERīs Kveldssanger, HEDNINGARNA, BLACKMOREīS NIGHT etc. Plus of course Black/heavy/death metal, for example EMPEROR, MAYHEM, BURZUM, IMMORTAL, LIMBONIC ART, BATHORY, AMORPHIS, MANOWAR, RHAPSODY, NIGHTWISH, DEATH, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, DESTRUCTION etc. etc...... Iīm too tired to say more", lists the DMB mainman. Does he have a good music taste or what ?!

Then itīs the question I find interesting to ask from Finns... How do you see Finnish metal scene is going at the moment and how does your band position in it ?

And the answer comes as it usually does in these days: "In my opinion Finlandīs Metal scene is rising fast abroad, for example these bands show it quite clearly: AMORPHIS, STRATOVARIUS, SENTENCED, IMPALED NAZARENE, NIGHTWISH, THY SERPENT plus many so called smaller and rising bands (UNHOLY, THYRANE, ...AND OCEANS, BARATHRUM et cetera...) I would say that DARKWOODS MY BETROTHED is somewhere among those groups. Oh, and we cannot forget CHILDREN OF BODOM !"

This is what Emperor Nattasett states, when I asked him how come thereīs so many different kind of elements in Witch-Hunts:

"The music comes by itself. We donīt try to put all the instruments we can find in there or try to make complicated arrangements just for the sake of it. The Death Metal influences you mentioned are there because part of the riffs were already made somewhere in '90-'92."

And the future ?

"We are now supposed to write the songs and then enter the studio as fast as we can. Weīve already made some songs, but the recordings wonīt most likely take place any sooner than in the end of this year. When we get a rehearsal place poss. from Kuopio, we will also start to rehearse for the live appearances."

Interviewed by Mikko Kuronen

QVADRIVIVM Magazine (website)

| back |