Interview with Nox Aurea - Grim Vindkall

I.M: Thanks for taking time to answer our questions, and let’s get started. Death/Doom Metal is not a genre that many bands want to play (or still play) these days, what made you guys decide to go for this kind of sound?

G.V: We simply like this kind of sound and the dark, reflective and absorbing atmosphere it brings. What's popular or trendy right now doesn't matter to us. We do what we want to do.

I.M: Out of the current bands of the genre, which ones do you think influence your sound the most?

G.V: Really hard to say. Of course one wants to create something distinctive and I think we commence to develop something, not totally but fairly, unique here. But well, Nox Aurea has been influenced by a lot of sources, surely by other doom metal-bands but there certainly are black- and death-influences in Nox Aurea as well, among others regarding the atmosphere of bands as Emperor. We have been compared to bands as My Dying Bride, Shape of Despair, Draconian, Swallow the Sun etc. I use to listen to bands as for example Evoken and Shape of Despair, so maybe their desolate ambience has inspired us too. I also listen very much to classical music and opera which certainly can be heard in Nox Aurea. Carl Orff and Mussorgsky are influences for sure.

I.M: “Ascending in Triumph” is the band’s second full-length and latest release, can you tell us more about the concept and ideas behind this impressive release?

G.V: It really speaks for itself I think so one should take time to listen to it and enter deeply into the lyrical themes to understand this album. I'm very humble towards the music as phenomenon - the language of the Gods - and it surely mediates the concept better than my explanation here. Thus; I'm sure we communicate better through music than words. But well, the concept is based on gnostic philosophy (Chaos-gnosticism) and the triumphant will to set free absolutely everything from restricting matter, to reveal the true being of everything in its naked shape, unveiled from all "reality" filter and subjective illusions of mind. To fulfill any unthinkable potential and to ascend into absolute and sublime perfection. To catch a spark of eternity. Check it out!

I.M: Why did you guys decided to shift the subject matter of the lyrics from the traditional ‘gothic romanticism’ to a Gnostic concept? Can you tell us more about the lyrics?

G.V: As said, we're doing what we want to do and we express what we want to share. Thereby we have change nothing since we're not adapting Nox Aurea after any templates which others follow. We're our own. The lyrics consider spiritual enlightenment and liberation from the limiting world of mind and reincarnation of cosmic matter, to set oneself free from the limiting paradigms of today's society and search the ancient unknown, to search for true freedom, divinity and truth. You may read one lyrics, the title track, yourself to get some insight:

"Since I once heard the enticing call                    
from the depth of the most secret core,
the very rebellious lust of triumph
burns wild in my black longing heart

And now as it enchants me again,           
stronger and clearer than ever before           
I run in ecstasy towards the utmost edge
disregarding any border, striving beyond

I saddle the maelstrom of a burning Charybdis
without an ounce of fear, nor stumbling or doubt
For no chains of profane can ever prevent me
even though my world's foundation tremble       
 
nor even Death...                   

As I once left the pity fellowship of man
and my liberation shook their conception,
they scorned and feared the essence of my quest  
since it made them question their deceitful reasons

Yet their taunts and attempts to enslave me again        
were all in vain, for Lucifer himself shines within me
"The higher we soar, the smaller we appear  
to those who cannot fly" ( - F. Nietzsche) 

Driven by an urge to experience the concealed
and now I shalt conquer God's throne itself
Through aeons I have traveled, floating through tunnels   
For nothing I seek but the gold of divine           
No chains of profane can ever prevent me           
even though my world's foundation tremble        

So I followed the call and threw myself           
out from earthly cliffs, into the unknown
where those who dare to enter will burn,
yet ascending in triumph..."

I.M: From the album cover we think we see the Yggdrasil and ascending on top of it the sun, is this correct? Who made the artwork, and how do you think it ties with the overall concept of the album?

G.V: Well, it's the cosmic world tree which several different mythologies and cultures portray. But yes, it's Yggdrasil, with the dragon (a symbol of wisdom, the word dragon derives from the Greek word darkeín which means "to see")  gnawing at a root, as well as it depicts the Biblical life tree or Whack Chan in Mayan mythology and so on. It should in this coherence be seen as a universal and eclectic symbol for the cosmic world and the I - the ego. Also, it's not the worldly sun on the top of the tree but the spiritual sun (a symbol of enlightenment) and the face of the goddess Aletheia in it. So, this spiritual sun burns the world tree of cosmic mind and matter. It depicts the spiritual awakening and to overcome the limited world of the physical minds. Every little detail in the cover symbolizes something and ties entirely with the concept of the album and Nox Aurea as a band. Zoltan Horvath made the artwork.

I.M: “Via Gnosis” was released less than one year before “Ascending in Triumph”, can you tell us how the deal with Napalm Records happened, and why did it take so little time between releases?

G.V: The material of 'Via Gnosis' was actually written in 2007 but it was released first in 2009. So the writing processes wasn't so intense as it seems. But well, we are active musicians and write almost on continuously basis. We were in need of a larger budget than our former label could offer so we did check with some labels. Napalm Records liked our music and concept and obviously they have an enterprising attitude.

I.M: Do you guys already have new ideas for a future release?

G.V: Yes, we have some ideas and we are working a bit with them right now. But I will really engross in it when the autumn darkness returns to reap us once again. During this summer I'm quite occupied with walking tours in the desolate wilderness of Sweden. To walk miles after miles in deep and bewitching forests and to meditate there among trees and stones, to paddle a canoe along dark waters and to spend my nights at an open meadow under the distant stars wondering about everything and nothing. You know, it brings me great inspiration to write music so I guess it's a part of it too.

I.M: Any touring planned in support of “Ascending in Triumph”? we only see a couple of dates in Russia.

G.V: The process of 'Ascending in Triumph' was so fast and it began so late so there were no possibilities of booking tours right now. But there will surely be live performances and tours ahead. We will let our fans now all about it when the time for it comes. Keep your eyes open!

I.M: What do you guys want to achieve with Nox Aurea? Where do you see the band in the future?

G.V: We certainly want to satisfy our own artistic lusts with all it means including the creative writing processes, recording albums, perform our music and so on. By creating music you experience the inner world of yourself and you may learn about yourself if you are open-minded and introspectively observing, which of course is enriching in many ways. So through our own music we, as we're conscious about it, work with ourselves in deep introspective manners. But we also want to sow a Chaos-gnostic seed of enlightenment in the deteriorating culture of man. We are certainly very goal-oriented but we're humble enough to take one step at a time and the future will tell us the rest. But we'll surely ignite some fires in this universe.

I.M: Will you guys ever ‘soften’ your music in the future in order to gain more fans and have commercial success?

G.V: No, if we ever will soften our music, which we don't plan to do, it has nothing to do about having commercial success. If we strive for commercial success we should play pop or something else which the rabbits out there can enjoy, not this dark and gloomy music which the majority of mankind can't relate to. We're doing what we want to do and we do it with dignity. If it appeals to others it's pleasant of course but we aren't doing anything to please others. The most honest way for an artist is to reflect oneself and thereby you will find your real fans, those who can reflect themselves in your true expressions.

I.M: If you guys had unlimited budget for a live show, what would you use in terms of props, etc. in order to bring the Nox Aurea concept to life?

G.V: Well, I have no clue since I've never thought about it before. But there will certainly be a lot of fires, symbolism and ritualistic themes. I was recently talking to my friend Bryce Graves, who is the Boss of a freak show (Hellzapoppin) over there in the States, about doing some cool shows together with them. He and I share an interest; to collect skeletons and parts from dead animals (even humans). So if we had unlimited budget maybe we should perform together with them and thousands of dead people at a really large stage, since death is a great part of the Nox Aurea concept. It would be interesting. Also, we should probably use the symphony orchestra of Prague or something instead of backtrack synths. Maybe we should order a spaceship from NASA, with a stage inside, so we could bring our dear audience to the moon, or to Neptune maybe, the Andromeda galaxy would be nice to, or into a loving yet lonely and hungry black hole out there...

I.M: Anything else you want to add for your fans and our readers?

G.V: Temet nosce - thine own self thou must know!

I.M: Thanks for the time and good luck promoting the album.

Thank you,
Grim Vindkall & Nox Aurea

Read our review of "Ascending in Triumph" here.

More info: http://www.myspace.com/noxaurea