1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
Aspaarn is a one man band project from Switzerland, making very lo-fi and old school raw black metal. It is meant as a tribute to older bands, mostly early 2nd wave, and deals mainly with nature and prehistory.
2.A year ago you released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
From the very beginning the idea was to release this on a vinyl format, so the production and recording have been carried out with this in mind to give an adequately analog and organic feel to it. I recorded the whole thing in less than two weeks and as quickly as possible, the songwriting came very naturally. Recording and mixing were made with very little tools and knowledge, and in retrospect I think I might have done a couple things differently, since my technical abilities have now somewhat improved. But this is also what this album is: a genuine and unadulterated outburst, hence this kind of very crude production is only fitting.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover nature the primordial history of the pre-historic Alps, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
Ancient history, and prehistory in particular, have always fascinated me. Europe and the alps have been inhabited by humans for a very long time, and we can only imagine how harsh and hostile life used to be back then. I take a lot of hikes in the forests and mountains, and sometimes I wonder how those people perceived this same nature and environment in which they fought daily for survival. Neolithic is when people started settling down and farming land, but it is also when organised warfare and violence between groups of humans became a thing, and several archaeological finds in Europe seem to confirm that this used to be quite a nightmarish time to be born in. This album can be seen as a soundtrack to that.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Aspaarn'?
It is a slightly modified version of the name of a place where a Neolithic mass grave site was found.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
It is a drawing I made myself a few years before starting this musical project, and upon releasing ancestral genocides it seemed to me in tune with the sound and concept. That also had the advantage of not having to commission someone else to do it or thinking about what kind of album cover to go for. I will use more of my drawings for my future releases I think. This is also coherent with the idea of doing everything myself.
6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
For this project I definitely want to keep to myself, I think this is the only way to convey the atmosphere and aesthetic Aspaarn is about, and also makes the songwriting and recording process more comfortable and intuitive.
This doesn’t mean I’m not open to work with other musicians, but that would be in a separate project. Actually, I’ve released this year (2022) an EP with a cover band side project I have with two friends, named Svartokunnighet.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
I was lucky enough to catch the attention of a small independent label here in Switzerland, shorty after the release. We are now working together, I don’t know if this means I’m “unsigned” or whatnot, and honestly don’t really care. They re-issued the album in tape format (before that the release was only on vinyl and digital format) and are helping with the distro.
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
This being a self release from a project that didn’t exist before, with zero official promotion, there’s been very little reactions at first, except from a handful of hardcore black metal enthusiasts that somehow managed to acknowledge this release. Criticism has general been positive, although this is really lo-fi and DIYO black metal, so it’s not for everyone. Now, after one year from the original release, things seem to be slowly picking up and I hope it will keep going like that in the future.
9.So far very little is known about the musical project online do you prefer to keep a lower profile/?
I do. This might sound cliché, but I’d rather let the music do the talking. I like to keep my private life separate from my artistic ventures. I don’t think anyone cares about that anyways.
10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
There is a second Aspaarn full length coming out this year (I hope by November), although the only physical support will be tape for now. I am also in the process of writing and recording a third album, possibly for a release in 2023. With a bit of luck, more people will learn about Aspaarn’s music and discover the older albums. Not that i have any problem with people listening to digital, but to me, digital format is only a way to promote the project, my music has always been intended to be listened in physical format. Thus, I’d like to keep seeing that happen as with this first release.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Again, this is going to sound quite generic, but like 90% of people who start their own BM project I have to say that Darkthrone have been an enormous influence on me. I also listen to a lot of Paysage D’Hiver, which has been hugely influential on Aspaarn. I have a big soft spot for Horna, and generally the Finnish scene with bands like Behexen, Baptysm, Aske…
Nowadays i’m listening to quite a few less known old bands like Angantyr, Fimbul, Alvheim…And more recent ones like Bekëth Nexëhmü, Vintlechkeit, Helvetespine, Seiðr… I could go on, but the thing with black metal today is that there are so many unknown bands that sound amazing. If you know where to look, you might discover a hidden gem everyday. Also, it also makes me very happy to discover small acts active in the Swiss scene, like Nachtmaar for example.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to express myself, and all the people who have supported Aspaarn from the beginning. You can find the record on Aspaarn’s bandcamp page (so far there’s no facebook, Instagram or any other social profile). Keep an eye out, because there will be more music coming soon. In the while, take walks in the woods and enjoy the chill of winter.
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