Graufar interview

 

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

We are “Graufar” a Black/Death Metal band from Linz, Austria formed at the end of 2020.

 

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Well, for us “Scordalus” represents our first album rather than an EP and it was a conscious decision to keep it short. Our style can be described as Black Metal with a lot of Death Metal influences and we also put some melodies in our songs. Therefore, the common Black-Metal screams occasionally also switch to low growls. For the album we were looking for a professional sound which doesn’t sounds too over produced and has a little bit of dirt to it. For the sound design, vocal recordings, mixing and mastering, we went to Norbert Leitner in Vienna. It was a really great experience working with him and we couldn’t be happier about how everything turned out.

 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

The lyrical topics on the release are typical for what you would expect for this genre and vary between societal issues, the dark sides of humanity and personal experiences. Our yet unreleased and new songs follow the same pattern. Nevertheless, it is also important for us that the songs don’t have the same story or statement and we try to always focus on different topics.  

 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Graufar'?

We were looking for a short band name that isn’t taken, unique and hasn’t any stupid or cringe meaning. Of course, considering the tremendous amount of bands that are out there, this seems nearly impossible nowadays, without creating an own word. Each of us had a list with their personal favorites but we never could agree on one. One day the girlfriend of one of our members suggested “Graufar”, which is an old German word for the color grey, and we thought it fitted perfectly, especially as we don’t play pure “Black” Metal.

 

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

One of our songs is called “Scordalus” and we decided to use the name for the album as well. It’s Latin for the German word “Zankteufel”. “Zank” means dispute and “Teufel” devil. The cover shows this devil-like creature emerging from the mist and shadows sowing the seed of discord with the purpose to root itself in a divided society and feeding off humanity’s hate and cruelty. The artwork was done by a good friend of the band who also did some other artworks and designs for us in the past. You can find her on Instagram where she recently made an account called trendmord to display some of her work. https://www.instagram.com/trendmord/

 

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Our first gig ever in Linz was very important for us, as it was the first time we could see how people react to our music and we got an overwhelming response from the audience. We also had the opportunity to open for Crypta together with our friends in Eschaton. It was a great day and the crowd was amazing. We also have great memories from the first festival we played named “Teifljagd Open Air” which had a wonderful location with a fortress. But the best show we played was at an event called “Winter Breeze”. Everything just went incredibly smooth that day and the gig was fantastic.

It's important for us to deliver our songs with full authenticity and keep a raw and aggressive vibe on stage without any fancy show effects. We try to create a perfect mix between the songs without any unnecessary breaks between them, to keep the crowd engaged throughout the whole show and often involve them to be a part of the songs. All of our songs have at least one part that will definitely make you want to bang your head.

 

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new ep?

At the moment, we will play a release show of “Scordalus” in our hometown and we will play our first show outside of Austria in the Czech Republic. Of course, we have some plans but we can’t confirm any other shows yet.

 

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

Currently we’re not looking for any label and we are glad about being independent and having 100% control over the band. Maybe if the right offer comes at the right time, we may consider joining a label. However, at the moment we are able to manage nearly everything on our own and are very happy with the DIY approach.

 

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

The response is great and we are overwhelmed by how many people our music has reached since we have released the first single of the album. The music video to our second single “Lies” also got way more attention than we expected and a lot of people across the world have reached out to us telling us they just discovered the band online and really dig what we are doing.

 

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

As mentioned before we see “Scordalus” as our first album and it was a conscious decision to keep it short. We could have put on all the songs we had back then and make it an hour long. However, during the pre-production process we decided to split all our material into two albums and keep the first output shorter. It was our first time in a studio and we didn’t know what to expect. We also wanted to wait for the reactions and feedback to see how we could improve ourselves on the second album. “Scordalus” is over half an hour long and we think the duration of the album is perfect for a debut to maintain the attention of the listener from the first till the last song. We also didn’t want to include an unnecessary intro just for the sake of having 7 tracks on it. Nevertheless, for those who think the album is too short, we can assure you that our second output will have at least 7-8 tracks and they are generally also longer than some songs on the first album. We are planning to start the recording of our second album next year. Musically we want to stay true to the style of the first album but some songs will also have new elements and ideas that differ from the ones of the first album.

 

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?

We all listen to Black and Death Metal and that’s also why we have chosen to play this music. We do not draw our inspiration from a particular source, but of course unconsciously we are inspired by the bands we like the most. Some notable bands are: Dark Fortress, Kampfar, Immortal, Bolt Thrower, Satyricon, Necrophobic, Ellende, Behemoth, Asphyx and many more.

 

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

Thank you very much for the interview. We really appreciate your dedication in the Black Metal scene and giving underground bands like us the opportunity to be introduced on your zine.

https://www.facebook.com/graufar
https://www.instagram.com/graufar/
https://www.youtube.com/@graufar564
https://graufar.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/4NMWCMckqInuCLjsYsqr5e