Wintergeist. The band’s mythic ‘luck’ that has something weird and unexpected happen to us at every turn or creates conflicting schedules and problems with every attempt. This is kind of the inside joke in Winterlore, but it’s how we’ve operated thus far and we've always had spurts of great activity to propel us onward. Currently school, work, and living out-of-state are keeping things quiet, but eventually we’ll right back in the thick of it.
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> 2.In May you had released a new album, 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?
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A good description of the album is that it’s 90s stylized black metal with a touch of epic interwoven throughout. There is, of course, more modern affectations to the album as well. We wanted the music to come across as audible, but raw, atmospheric, yet flowing and interesting whilst trying to keep it dark and gritty. Ultimately, we build around some riffs we dig. We did lose a little bit of the drums and some other dynamic elements in the master, but are still proud of the final release. Winterlore compared to Four Swords... is more mature and shows more care in the recording stages to augment the riff-storm that ensues when listening to the album.
> 3.On the older material you had used more folk instruments and keyboards and the newer material is more raw and guitar driven, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?
The presence of synths and folk instruments is about the same; mostly, we used what felt right. There is 1 flute part instead of 2 and no jaw harp this time, but there are more synths on this release. The synths are just more subtly used this time around. We feel they can add something to the album, but we wanted the songs to be able to stand by themselves without them, for gig-playing purposes and for personal preferences.
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> 4.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
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There are definitely two major themes dominating the lyrics in the album. There is present a dark and epic fantasy tone and an anti-religious stance. The latter is usually intertwined within the former. A couple of the songs had working titles taken from the Horus Heresy universe. ‘Old Night’ in Ice of Old Night gets its origin from this and so too do the first couple lines in the album.
> 5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Winterlore'?
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We were not going to just be another band named after a demon and we had clear European metal interests when nearly all the USBM bands at the time only desired to be fast, sound the same, and have very generic riffs. So we thought long and hard and bounced ideas off one another for a few days until Winterlore was offered up. When suggested, that was unanimously agreed as a perfect and fitting name that rolls off the tongue. It very much still encompasses the image of the band, one of frozen evil.
> 6.Out of all of the shows that you have played over the years which one did you enjoy the most?
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We definitely enjoyed all our shows but for one (an electronic kit with no monitors is a shitty surprise we would do without experiencing again). It always managed to snow intensely and out-of-nowhere on the nights of our shows, even late in April. We also had a great road trip as a band to play in Denver and see the scene outside of our hometown.
> 7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
None as of yet.
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> 8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer music by fans of black metal?
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Pretty good so far. Perhaps a little quiet but the responses are well enthused and global.
> 9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
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Thorolf’s project Ered Within has a second release fully recorded and has material recorded for another project, but must await some free time from school to see them finalized. Nortaath has released an electronic album under the artist title of City at Worlds End and is working on some gaming music/sounds. R.Sodomizer has been in multiple bands here, most recently Odium Totus; Thorstien was vocalist for death metal band Malignant Inception.
> 10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
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Wherever it heads, you may expect to hear riff-driven metal that is inspired by what we like.
> 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?
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One that stands out would be Sargeist; we really love how the music flows, is interesting and encapsulates the perfect black metal sound (Let the Devil In). Some others stand out, like Ulvegr, Numen, Angantyr and some other atmospheric black metal outfits influence the writing. Some of our favorite bands that we all love and any list would be incomplete without mentioning are Darkspace, Walknut, and again Sargeist. Still enjoying classic acts of the 90s and some of the great atmospheric offerings that permeate the current period. A few other great mentions would include Sünhopfer, Gratzug, Kataxu, Evilfeast, Darkenhold, Goatmoon, Paysage d’Hiver, Inquisition, Darchon, and Darkeater to name a few.
> 12.How would you describe your pagan and anti christian views?
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None of us have any actual pagan views; when we were younger we sang about Norse mythology because it interested us and, indeed, is still interesting lore. And we are more than anti-Christian, we are anti-religious. We see how religion shackles humanity and we look to science and logic. Winterlore uses a symbol (rune) that represents ‘Odinism against Christianity’ to show a glorious fiction revolting against the feeble, yet strongly supported, fallacy that is Christianity.
> 13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
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Let us not heed this PC infiltration and distraction that has beset black metal and continue pursuing the paths of our desires.
Hails and Thanks!
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