- Posted By: Dark Emperor
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While attending Fortress Fest 2025, we managed to have a conversation with Jhonathan the mastermind from the band Selbst about their performance in the festival, how the band got singed to Debemur Morti Productions and the band's future plans.
Infernal Masquerade:
I'm here with Jhonathan from Selbst. Tell us about your performance yesterday. How did it go? How do you feel it went?
Jhonathan (Selbst):
It was weird. It was the first time we performed in front of so many people, the last gigs were very small, very small crowds. It was great, it was something new. There was a lot of energy. The crowd was great, they were supportive, they were enjoying the music. So it was very good. It's a lot of work to end playing here because our current drummer is living in Europe. We are from Chile. So my bass player too is from Spain. We came some days before to rehearse and prepare everything. It was plenty of work but it worked well.
Infernal Masquerade:
So you had a couple of warm-up shows in Spain, right?
Selbst:
We played twice. One in Zaragoza and another in Madrid.
Infernal Masquerade:
And how does it work for you, you know, having band members across the world?
Selbst:
It's complicated but touring is very expensive, it's very difficult. So as we did one tour here last year, supporting Ulcerate, we found out that it's very helpful to have some members already here. Also this drummer recorded two of my three albums. So it was something like waiting to play with him, to ask for the opportunity to play with him. It's great. We rehearsed a lot during three days, but he's a professional guy. He played in many bands, so he did it very well.
Infernal Masquerade:
And was there any idea at first that you wanted to play live or was it, you know, at first it seemed like it was a project?
Selbst:
Well, the most important for me is creating music, the process of composing and recording. But since I'm from Venezuela, I wasn't interested in playing live. My main goal was to express myself. Then I came to Chile, looking for opportunities on a personal level. Chile is a country where metal is more important. They have big, great bands, festivals, etc. So I started considering playing live and I've been doing it since 2018. So it's not that new at this point but it allows you to experience your music in a very different way and more collaborative way than without musicians etc.
Infernal Masquerade:
You feel that now that you've done that more and more recently and you're probably gonna keep doing it, is that gonna switch how you take the approach for music for the band?
Selbst:
I don't know if I'm making changes when composing. I try not to get my music changed just because I want to play that song. But maybe we should try to pick some songs that are more suitable for a gig. So for me, at this point, it's like two different bands. One is the band where I compose, etcetera, and the other is where we play. So maybe there are some songs I would love to play live, but I realized that we cannot make it live, we could end insulting the song, you know? Maybe a song is a bit tricky or maybe there's plenty of elements that we cannot replicate in a live environment. I don't know, I tried to represent like a bit of every album we made. So I think we are doing fine at this point. We try our best.
Infernal Masquerade:
And you mentioned that, so your albums, first a couple was one in English, then Spanish, then English. What do you think changed between them or the evolution of your sound and ideas?
Selbst:
For me, my language was always a bit difficult to fit on a metal song, in my opinion. But it was also important to try to make it possible. So for me it was important to include some songs or maybe some small parts in Spanish. But it's like something I really wanted to achieve at some point. I think it doesn't affect the way I make music. I can make songs in English or Spanish, certainly some songs are more doable in English or Spanish. I don't include too much Spanish in my songs, but I always like to include something. Maybe you can take it like a message so people can always have a presence where I come from. It's important. Also people from South America feel represented for that. I'm not some kind of ambassador or something or South America, but it's kind of nice to show that to the world.
Infernal Masquerade:
In terms of the sound, how do you feel that you've evolved to be more technical, less technical? What are your impressions?
Selbst:
I like to think my music is getting better, maybe technical with time. But for me it's not important if it is more or less technical, but to feel like I'm expressing myself every time in a deeper way, you know? If I need to do something a bit tricky or difficult, but that element allows me to show what I want to express, I put it in. If not, I have no problem playing something more easy or whatever. It's right that I like progressive or to add some progressive element in my music. I don't like the kind of structure where you play an intro and then, now, a chorus and something like that. I really hate that. I like when songs are developing, you know, where you finally get to a big important part. I really like that, so maybe it's more technical now, maybe not, but what I feel is I'm more successful in the way I express myself. I feel more confident.
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Infernal Masquerade:
Do you feel that you're going to have to change the sound even further or you think that you can just retool around black metal? Like for the future?
Selbst:
I don't know because it is not something I decided beforehand. I think maybe I made decisions when I had my guitar alone, you know. I think if something fits, it fits. I don't care if it's with an acoustic guitar or maybe some kind of effects or something like that. I think you need to serve the music, no matter if it's more black metal or less. Of course Black metal is important for me and the base of the whole music is black metal certainly but I'm not afraid to experiment with my instrument and with the music as a whole.
Infernal Masquerade:
What is the limit? Do you think switching like Ulver is the limit? Or anywhere in between?
Selbst:
I don't know. I don't know if I will. And changing the sound of my music like, too much but. because when I started composing the last album I didn't have a plan, you know, it wasn't like I needed to change this, it was more of a result of the process. So maybe the next album will be heavier, or slower, or faster, but I don't think about that at all, to be honest.
Infernal Masquerade:
Was there any pressure with the last album since you changed to a bigger label?
Selbst:
Well, the previous album I released was by Debemur Morti, so it was the second album with them. So I always feel some pressure because that is a very important label. When I sent the master to the owner, there were some days until I got a response from him. Of course I feel a bit like, wow, like getting heated, I don't know. But there's always a bit of pressure, certainly. But that's part of the whole thing, you know, because for me it's important that the music feels personal. The most important part for me is the art.
Infernal Masquerade:
And how did you go from, you know, a person in Venezuela writing music to Sun and Moon Records, which is in Europe? How did the whole process happen? Is it 100 % through technology in this case?
Selbst:
When I started with Selbst, it was 2010. I recorded two songs, two very long songs and I made a demo tape. So, I used that demo tape which was released by a Mexican label to reach some labels and people in Europe. I like the work of Sun and Moon Records, and I sent the tape, like the old days. They weren't interested on the spot, but we stayed in touch. Later when I made the An Ominous Landscape EP, I sent it to them and they were interested. So it took time, it took years. But I think that is something that is important to develop or something like that. When you dedicate yourself to metal music, you need to be very patient because when you are constant, it pays off, you know. But Debemur Morti, for example, they wrote to me after another half a year. When Debemur Morti reached out. The band was known. Maybe not well known, but maybe the person behind the label. It feels like it takes so much time to, you know, but now I'm here playing this festival and I didn't notice how 10- 12 years have passed. But that's it. We need to be constant and patient. And it's interesting that it happens the old school way, Trading, sending messages. I feel like today so many bands want everything so fast. Maybe they're used to only social media stuff and they write a message. Labels need to feel like you are working hard for your music. And if you don't have the time to go and ship a fucking tape, they will feel like, wow, these people are not very interested. It is important that younger people understand that.
Infernal Masquerade:
Yeah, you're right. Because now, we get 500, 600 submissions a month. And it's just for reviews. I can only imagine a label of how many we get, and people are just like, oh, zip file, there you go: a press kit, a picture, that's it. So it's gotten a little ridiculous. And the access is different.
Infernal Masquerade:
What do you feel is next? I mean, now, you're playing here. What do you think is the natural progression or you just want to keep making music and whatever happens?
Selbst:
I feel like I will take some time to compose more music. But, you know, maybe during that time I get another good offer like this (for gigs) so I could take it into consideration. I don't know but what I want to do the most is to compose music. So I think I will work on that as soon as possible.
Infernal Masquerade:
Do you think that you know at some point you want to move from Latin America to Europe since the bigger market seems to be this side of the world?
Selbst:
It's very funny because my band members have been all these days talking about the same thing like you know you should come here, so it's easier to do this kind of stuff. But if I find a good way to make it, maybe I can come to Europe. It’s a 13 hours flight from Chile to here so... I don't have a plan about that but it could be possible.
Infernal Masquerade:
And is your goal, I mean you said that you want to keep writing music but would you consider you know being a touring band, whatever that means?
Selbst:
I don't know because it is too complicated. You need to really enjoy it, all of this, you know, don't sleep well, or sleep wherever you can, it's difficult. I see ourselves more like a band that will compose and record, but will play certain festivals or gigs or whatever. But I don't see myself as a touring band.
But that could change, who knows?
Infernal Masquerade:
You might get too open for Ghost or somebody else like that.
Selbst:
No, not that much. The thing is, sometimes opportunities come when you least expect it. So if you want the best for your band, you need to make some compromises. I can say I maybe don't like touring too much, but sometimes I can make some personal sacrifices for it.
Infernal Masquerade:
Wrapping things up, So what's in the future? Are you doing any more shows in Latin America here or?
Selbst:
I have nothing planned for the rest of the year.
Infernal Masquerade:
So, you're going to be writing?
Selbst:
I'll be a bit quiet because even when we only played three gigs, the preparation before that was a little bit exhausting. Also the past tour, so plenty of stuff. But I think for this year, I'll try to relax a bit. But yes, I need to relax a little bit.
Infernal Masquerade:
And any thoughts on when the next album comes out?
Selbst:
No, because I don't like to make music with pressure. You always have some kind of pressure, but I would not like to set a time, you know, because the more time you spend making the music and listening to your music while making it, that helps you to develop the music in a better way. So maybe two years, maybe one year, I don't know.
Infernal Masquerade:
So the label is not on your back?
Selbst:
When it's ready, it'll be ready.
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