Well, after the release of �From the Past Yet to Come�, and after a series of shows in Portugal, we got a bit �tired� of each other and the band itself� we had ideas for the future, but lacked the will to actually work them. After some (usual) line-up changes, and a song recorded for a Tarantula tribute, we decided to put a hold on The Firstborn�s activities for an undetermined period of time. After a year or so, Paulo and I got back to composing, in a very slow and loose pace, and the sketch of our new record �The Unclenching of Fists� began taking form. Then, in early 2004 we began recording it, in an also very slow process. We are trying so many new things with this one, that trying to hasten any aspect of its elaboration would have, probably, ended up in something which would lack the quality we needed.
What made you reconsider the live option? I remember a gig that was announced as the last one ever by The Firstborn. But now you are going to play the Steel Warriors Rebellion Festival. Why did you change your mind?
Intentionally, we meant it to be the last� but we just couldn�t keep away from the stages, especially not after rehearsing these new songs and feeling the sheer power they transmit, and can transmit to an audience. We�re not going to play a lot of shows (or, at least, it�s not in our plans), but we feel a need to play these songs live. Obviously we�re contradicting ourselves, regarding that 4 year-old statement, but I hope this �turning back� won�t be something we will regret. Being there in the last SWR also contributed a lot for my change of mind (and talks to take The Firstborn there this year began right away), as it transmitted such a great underground vibe, which I hope will be repeated this year, with yet another great set of bands in an altogether great festival.
Bruno, What about your other bands such as We Were Wolves and Nargothrond? What can be expected for the future? What in fact do you consider to be your main band at the moment?
My main band has always been The Firstborn, and shall remain so� the other projects are something I do in order to get some �demons� out, in some cases, and for sheer enjoyment, in others. Nargothrond will be back sometime this year, and We Were Wolves are working on a full-length to be recorded during 2005, hopefully. I believe all other projects carry a little influence to The Firstborn�s music� for instance, in some songs of our new album I can hear some of Nargothrond�s �weirdness�, and my vocal performance wouldn�t be the same had I not participated in a project like We Were Wolves - being everything other than Metal, it has allowed me to really develop some vocal skills I never tried before.
How many projects were you a guest vocalist in so far? Which ones were those?
Let me see� I did some session singing for Nephtys, having recorded the vocal tracks on their ��Yet the Choirs of Vendetta� CD, and also doing some gigs just to help out, and what else? I sang on a track of Ciborium�s last album� I was also involved with SiriuS, before its �demise�, but sadly never got to do anything besides rehearsing. Well, I believe these are the only things people would have heard of. But I�m always helping out friends, especially since I began singing a bit more (because of We Were Wolves)� probably more stuff with my voice in it will be released in the future, I don�t know.
About this new album, I hear it's very technical and brutal. Would you label its music? Do you think it still has any discernible Black Metal elements?
Well, it is technical and brutal, in the core of it all, I suppose� although almost no one has heard the final product, and thus lack the whole information! It is a record built in �layers�, being our Metal music the core of it, but not everything. I would say it is truly a record beyond genres, albeit a Metal album. It is both our simplest and most complex work so far� actually, I think of it as our REAL first record, as it is the first we�re absolutely pleased with. And I believe people will hear a lot of �old-school� Black and Death Metal in it� among other things.
Does the Buddhist concept of the album reach the music besides the lyrics? Do you use any Buddhist music or instruments in it?
Yes, absolutely. We focused on transporting the lyrical concept to the music itself, that�s one of the reasons we took so long preparing �The Unclenching of Fists�. We tried a lot of new things, in terms of composition, and resorted to using samples of oriental (Mongolian, Tibetan, Chinese, etc) instruments and voices to help convey the atmosphere. All samples are related to the lyric itself, be it geographically or in terms of symbolic meaning� and that meant a lot of work, researching.
About the Buddhist philosophy, what does it mean to you? Is it just an aesthetic option for the album or is it something deeper?
I�ve always had a deep fascination for the Far East, and we wanted to do something different for this record� and it began, as you said, as an �aesthetic option�. The fact is, the more I read about Buddhism, its simple philosophy and take on life, the more I understood and respected it.
Hence the serious and thorough research I undertook, in order to truly pay homage to a very noble culture and philosophy. I believe it was a process in which I evolved, and learned much more about myself� I am now aware of some things I was not, and I feel I have �awakened� to some aspects of life I had, so far, ignored. Not that I converted to Buddhism, but it is more of a philosophy than a religion, and it makes so much sense in this �modern� world of ours� some simple teachings are enough to radically change one�s perspective on more than a few things, in this materialistic life we are born into.
How did you get approached by this new label? When will they release the album?
We began recording this record by ourselves, as we had no deal pending after the release of �From the Past�� by Guardians of Metal back in 2000. We had no guarantees that it would end up sounding the way we imagined it to, and if that were the case we would simply not release it. By the end of the year, as the recording ended and we began mixing, we slowly became aware that it was corresponding to our expectations (surpassing them in some aspects), and only then did I begin worrying about finding someone to release it� talking to the people at Equilibrium Music about the record, I believe I aroused some curiosity regarding �The Unclenching of Fists�, and they wanted to hear it. One thing led to another, and a deal was signed. The most important aspect being mutual trust, and the fact that they really believe in what they release. We�re working on getting the album licensed abroad, let�s see how that works out.
What bands have you been listening to lately?
Difficult one� I listen to loads of stuff from diverse genres� I�ll always maintain the need to listen to the same old classics I grew up listening to, like Bathory and Celtic Frost, but I�m an ever-expanding music lover. So, I always try to listen to stuff that I never got to hear before, and sometimes I end up loving it. As such, I can listen to stuff from Shining, Leviathan, Ondskapt or Craft, to The Meteors, Damned or The Misfits, or Peter Murphy�s �Dust�, or Neurosis, or Howlin� Wolf (Mississipi Blues). So, it depends a lot on the mood� also, I developed a deep fascination for World Music, namely oriental, while researching for this album.
What is your opinion concerning the current state of the Black Metal scene in Portugal? Any bands you particularly like?
I believe many really good bands have popped up in the last years, and the older ones have really progressed a lot. People seem to have learned to let the music do the talking, and have matured a lot. Also, the general musicianship is much better now than when we started, in Black Metal as well as other types of Metal, maybe at the expense of some creativity in some cases. But, in general, things seem better now, with all the hype fading away�
I really like and respect, in terms of �newer� Black Metal bands, names as Storm Legion, In Thy Flesh, Tenebrae, most of Nocturnus Horrendus� projects are also interesting, as well as some bands of which I�ve only heard a song or two, but sounded very good, as Vapulah for instance. It is likely I haven�t listened to lots of really good bands, though� this is based on what I know. Also, the �older� bands which remain to date have developed greatly.
What are your plans for The Firstborn?
For the time being, we just want to release �The Unclenching of Fists�, in April, and perform with great intensity at the few concerts we will play. Then, we�re really looking forward to start working on a new record, as we have opened many doors with this album, and we�re eager to try new things and add new layers to our ever-evolving soundscape� also, we�re planning a special gig towards the end of the year to mark the band�s 10th anniversary. And we�ll likely stick around for some more� at least, as long as it makes sense to us.
Thank you for your replies, and best wishes!
I am grateful for the interview, it had been a while since I talked so much about The Firstborn, and it pleases me a lot to do so! Thank you for your interest, and keep up the good work with �Nekrometal�� we�re working on a definite website for the band at http://www.thefirstborn.net, it should be online during March. Until then, we can be contacted through: [email protected].
Cheers!
