Haar Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new split?


We're continuing to work on new material for our next full-length. We've got a few songs that we're slowly piecing together.


2.In October you had released a split, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?


The split is a natural progression from the The Wayward Ceremony, and continues the dark, dissonant sound from that album. It's also a step up in terms of musicianship and production from the last album, keeping some continuity in terms of the production and artwork as we worked with the same people once again.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?


Our concept with this release was to explore the almost pathological need the human psyche has for faith, something which has been present throughout history and across cultures.


4.How does the name 'Haar' fit in with the musical style that you play?


Perfectly – Haar is a Scottish word for a dense, all-enveloping fog, and this suits the bleak, oppressive sound we've tried to create with our music.


5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?


Our stage performance suits the music and the name – we play wreathed in fog in near-total darkness. Some of our best shows have been while touring with Wodensthrone and A Forest of Stars. Probably a Leeds gig in the now-closed Library was our best gig – perfect sound and atmosphere.


6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?


No plans for further live shows at the moment – we are focused on writing new material.


7.Currently the band is signed to 'Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum', can you tell us a little bit more about the label?


We've been fans of ATMF since the band started. They've always released interesting, experimental black metal like Sanctus Nex and Semen Datura.


8.Recently the band was a a part of a split with 'Ur Draugr', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?


Again, we've been fans of Ur Draugr since their first release on ATMF. Similar to us, their music is dark but progressive. We talked about a number of bands that we'd be interested in releasing this split with – in the end, Ur Draugr were the obvious choice.


9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?


We've had great press and merch sales from places all over the world. In the UK, we've had great feedback from fans, but press interest hasn't been as strong.


10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?


We're working another album just now – hopefully recording some time in 2018. Musically, it will be a continuation of what has come before, pushing ourselves to experiment further and reject more traditional black metal ideas.


11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?


Bands like Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord, Abigor and Ved Buens Ende were huge influences and continue to be so. We all listen to wide variety of music, but some of the recent picks have been Sinmara, Glorior Belli, Zhrine, Spire, Krypts and Irkallian Oracle.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?


Whisky, hillwalking, fishing, art, reading.


13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?


Thanks for taking the time to check out the split and interview us. We look forward to sending you our next release.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Haar/Ur Draugr/Aeternus Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamntum/2016 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Scotland's  Haar  and  Australia's  Ur  Draugr  which  was  released  in  2016  by  Aeternus  Tenebrarum  Musicae  Fundamntum  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Haar  a  band  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  progressive  elements  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  start  to  make  their  presence  known.

  All  of  their  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  which  also  gives  the  music  a  more  raw  black  metal  feeling  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  guitar  leads a re utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Haar  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  sounding while  also  mixing  in  a  touch  of  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  ontology  and  human  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Haar  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of the  split. RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Strings".

 Next  up  is  ur  Draugr  a  band  that  plays  a  progressive  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  an  almost  silent  water  sound  before  adding  in  harsh  soundscapes  which  leads  up  a  more  heavy  and  melodic  sound  as  well  as  high  pitched  black  metal s creams  and  death  metal growls  making  their  presence  known  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  their  only  track  being  20  minutes  in  length  and  it  also brings  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  part  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  bring  in a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  song a   more  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  when  synths  along  with  clean  guitars  are  utilized  they  give  the  track  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  atmospheric  style.

  On  this  recording  Ur  Draugr  changes  their  musical  style  around  a  bit  and  goes  into  more  of  a  progressive  and  atmospheric  black  metal  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  philosophy  of  Nietzsche  and  Baudrillard  along  with  Lovecraft's  Dream  Cycle  and  Richard  Chambers  "The  King  In  Yellow".

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ur  Draugr  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  progressive  and  atmospheric  black  metal.  8  out  of  10.    

https://atmfsssdtp.bandcamp.com/album/ur-draugr-haar