Through Chaos & Solitude Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

Actually not too much story behind it... I just really love black metal music, but somehow never got to play in a black metal band (I currently sing in Castigator, which is more of a death/thrash metal band and play guitar and sing in Forward To Eden, which is more of a 90's style metalcore band). So, during the winter months of 2016/2017 I just started recording some Black Metal tunes for myself and eventually got my good friend Sebastian (Guitar of Castigator) to write and record me some drums. So, until now it's only a project, but I already started writing some new tracks which will probably recorded during the next winter months or so ;-)

2.So far you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Idk, I guess with something like that everyone would hear another genre and different influences in it, depending on what he/she is usually listening to. But as far as I'm concerned, I guess I tried to create some melodic black metal tunes in the likes of Woods Of Ypres, Agalloch or Falls Of Rauros for example.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

Actually they differ a lot... but they definitely were an equally important topic to me.
The first one is kinda personal, but still kept somewhat abstract, so that people can relate to it on different aspects and levels.
It is about the complexity of your own mind and how it deals with problems, like loss and grief... it is about forlorn love and the yearning for a healing sleep. It is about the ever ongoing quest for an answer that you'll probably never receive.
The second one is also pretty personal... again about forlorn love and the transformation of a persons heart and mind which can result from that. It is about feeling out of place and having the weight of the world on your shoulders. The person you are now is different from the person it was last year and also from the one it will be next year. We are all striving for something, for some kind of a transformation, to eventually become something else... but to achieve that, sometimes we first have to go through chaos & solitude.
The third one is different. It is about us all, about mankind... About the thawing winds of the morning sun and how we are our own blessing and our own curse. We are the stroke of wing which causes these winds to blow. We try to become god ourselves while declaring him for dead and still we deny our nature. We subdue the earth and it's children and still we strive for more. By now we already realized our purpose and we willingly choose to neglect it. We're flying directly into the sun and still we're accelerating...

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Through Chaos & Solitude'?

I guess I already broached the subject with my last answer, but for those of you who aren't familiar with this phrase (and also didn't yet felt like googling it), it comes from the pen of the magnificent David Gold (Woods Of Ypres) "I am equal parts blood and ice / I am just as much man as tree / through chaos and solitude I came / to become this black metal being" and to me fits just perfectly.

5.So far this project has been mostly solo with one other person helping out, are you open into turning the project into a full line up?

Yeah, of course! If you'll provide a band, I'll happily tour the world with it :D
But seriously, I'd love to have a live line-up for this, I already even thought about doing this live myself (solo)!

6.The ep was released by 'Bound By Modern Age Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Sure, it's my label! So, after no other cool Black Metal label answered my demo submission positively, I just went to release it on my own.
I started with BBMA Records in 2012 as kind of a hobby. Did a 'zine, put on some shows and then started dubbing tapes for bands that I liked and yeah, before I even knew what was happening, I started doing vinyl releases and began shipping distro overseas. I still do everything completely DIY besides working a full time job and 3 bands... so, this probably isn't really the most productive way but I guess it's still just my hobby and I know that I won't get rich with it... hell, I'm still always glad when I have break even with a record!
Also, BBMA isn't really known for its killer Black Metal releases... it's actually more of an oldschool hardcore/metalcore label with a majority of vegan and straight edge releases, but yeah since I am the boss of it, I fucking decide what I put out on it! So, better keep an eye open for the future! ;-)

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

Kind of strangely contrary... I guess the first big problem is that people don't just give it a try. I have 56 facebook likes and the official youtube video has 161 views. I also never really got any bad feedback back to me... which probably is because only so few people even have heard of it. On the other hand, I already got 3 really nice reviews on really cool internet blogs/webzines and also got superb feedback from people who bought the tape/cd! ...but: I only sold like 10-20% of the press (slightly more cd's than tapes though) yet... which also is noticeably little.
Idk, I feel like people really like it, when they give it a try - but most of them don't...

8.What is going on with the other bands these days that you are a part of?

All good man! Castigator is up and running. We rehears once a week, what is really cool, and we're also working on some shows again for later this year. Besides that, we also wrote a couple new songs, which we'll hopefully manage to record in the not so distant future (and then release on vinyl). Forward To Eden is also going well, I mean, basically its likewise just a one-man-project of mine, but yeah... there is a new 7" coming up already and a bunch of new songs is currently being recorded.

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

If everything goes as I planed (what it rarely does though), end of the year. As I said earlier, I already wrote a couple new riffs and stuff, but I definitely won't get in the mood of recording them before the fall sets in ;-) ...also it needs to be good, because I really love the demo EP myself - I listen to it on a regular base - which is something I wouldn't have expected from me... so it will be hard for me to keep up with my own standards! ...and I'd also really want to have it on vinyl (and if possible on a cool label) then!
Myself, as a musician, in the future? Definitely not professional! I don't expect to able to live from my music or my label and I also don't want to get any more capitalistic with it... So, probably still where I am today? Recording a killer demo during the night, after a hard day of work - not getting recognized at all - crawling to the coffee machine - repeat.

10.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?

Definitely Woods Of Ypres... I mean, it's not just the name (as I just introduced), also the lettering and everything is inspired by them!
My top 12 band plays from the last couple of weeks (in no particular order): Woods Of Ypres, Agalloch, Panopticon, Falls Of Rauros, Caladan Brood, Thrawsunblat, Ancst, Immortal, Summoning, Winterfylleth, Cattle Decapitation, Amon Amarth.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Besides Friends/Family and the label? Collecting records and band merch (and being a big nerd about it). Reading (and collecting) comics, graphic novels and mangas (and being a big nerd about it as well).
Watching movies (going to the cinema), series and animes. Going to the gym (whenever I have the time). The Vegan Straight Edge. Playing Guitar. Drinking Coffee... and definitely not sleeping at all! :D

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

Thanks a lot! I really enjoyed it - it was the first time I got to talk about TCAS :-)
Please check us out and give us a like: https://www.facebook.com/ThroughChaosAndSolitude/
...and if you also happen to be further interested in my weird and packed life: https://www.instagram.com/xrulex/