1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
Semai was formed in 2002 in Jihlava in the Czech Republic as a black metal band, where I was the singer. During the first four years of existence, two raw black metal demo recordings were released. In this period, Semai played several concerts at the same time. In 2006, the other members left the band and Semai became my personal music project. I started creating music that combined black metal and its aesthetics and atmosphere with dark ambient, death industrial and drone. I have released several split albums (for example with Korium, Fonnia or 777 Babalon) and EPs. First full length album called Delubrum was released in 2011, followed in 2019 by second album White Leviathan and now third album called 136199.
2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
The album 136199 is more focused on drone compared to the previous recordings. I worked more with a distorted bass guitar sound and layering individual bass lines. The concept of the album also differs from previous recordings. Previously, I used books like Mody Dick, The King in Yellow, 1984. For 136199, the concept is more abstract, because we don't know much about the distant objects of the solar system, so it was very tempting for me to work with my own imagination. Combine knowledge and ideas about how barren and unimaginably cold these planets must be. And I tried to transfer this idea into sound form.
3.Originally you started out with more of a black metal style but over the years have also started experimenting more with ambient, drone and noise, can you tell us a little bit more about going into this musical direction?
I was always exploring and looking for new possibilities of dark music. Black metal became a base for me, a home from which I looked beyond. I was looking for bands that could take the essence of black metal and push it further sonically. I was fundamentally influenced by bands like Abruptum, Emit, MZ.412 and Sunn O))). At the core I still make raw black metal, but I use other sonic means to achieve a more intense and disturbing result.
4.The song themes on the new album are inspired by the writings of H.P Lovecraft, canyoutell u a little bit more about your interest in his writings?
It is not entirely true that the theme of the album 136199 is directly the work of H.P. Lovecraft. Yuggoth is a Lovecraftian planet at the very edge of the solar system, i.e. the planet Eris and its moon Dysnomia, which have the official designation 136199. So I used a reference from the work of H.P. Lovecraft and I brought it into the real world.
The work of H.P. Lovecraft is very inspiring to me. Lovecraft's descriptions of otherworldly places that defy geometry, the gradual building of an unpleasant atmosphere, boggles my imagination. When I read his stories, I always imagine the sounds and music that could form the soundtrack to his work.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Semai'?
I have always been a fan of fantasy and science fiction. When I was young (before the band was formed), my guitarist Ducubitus and I were players of the card game Doomthrooper and the strategy board game Warzone. Part of this sci-fi world was a dark faction called the Dark Legion, and its rulers were the Apostles. One of them was Semai - the Lord of Spite. That's how the name of the band was chosen.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The album cover directly refers to the title and concept of the album. The surface of an inhospitable planet on the edge of the solar system is depicted here. The cover is completed with the sigil of the planet Eris.
7.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
In the case of Semai, all work will always be my work. Semai is my personal sonic vision and therefore everything is 100% under control. Starting with writing music, producing tracks and recording.
However, I am not opposed to collaboration with other people, but I want it to be under different musical projects. I have done a few such collaborations. With Trist (from the CZ black metal band of the same name) and Klat Ba (Holomraz, Fonnia, Mhnunrrn and many others) I created a one-off black metal project F40/F25.1, which was inspired by the early work of the cult Ildjarn. I also work in the project The Hidden Congregation, which I create together with M.K.Vermin and Guldur from the power electronics band Magadan.
8.The project has been around for more than 20 years but very little is known, do you prefer to keep a lower profile?
Absolutely. It suits me to be in the deepest underground. It gives me much more freedom in creating, if I don't have an inner need to create, I don't have to record anything for several years, and on the contrary, if I feel creative pressure, I can release several recordings in a short period of time. However, because I am very self-critical, many recordings in progress end up in the trash or I rework them from scratch. So it's not easy for labels to work with me, I can't keep deadlines. When it comes to physical releases, I'm a fan of extremely limited editions and my choice of label matches that, and this approach also matches the fact that more is not known about Semai. I want to create for a small circle of insiders.
9.Over the years you have been a part of a few splits, can you tell us a little bit more about the bands or musical projects that you have shared these recordings with?
I like the split format. It allows me to share the record with bands and projects that are close to me and that I feel awe and respect for. These are bands that I have some connection with. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, a few bands that created black metal in a different way took root. With emphasis on lo-fi, noise and dark ambient. The micro scene of projects like Fonnia, Korium, Mare Crisium... These bands then made mutual split recordings. Symbols of support and friendship.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal, drone, ambient and noise?
Since Semai is little known, I don't have many reactions from abroad. There were several reviews in European zines and they were always positive (quite absurd for fundamentally negative music).
11.Where do you see yourself heading into as musician during the future?
I would still like to make music as best I can. I would like to improve my abilities, both compositionally and technically. I would also like to release my music on vinyl, but I don't know if it is realistic to find a label that would be interested.
In the near future I will be working on the release of 139199 on cassette on the Sky Burial Productions label. In these today, Waldemar and I discuss the possibilities of some previously unreleased or archival material that could be on the B-side of the cassette. So far it looks like Semai's first demo "Holčička z Palerma".
12.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?
Generally it's black metal, drone and industrial. In black metal, it was first classic bands such as Mayhem, Darkthrone, Immortal, Ildjarn and then bands that expanded their sound with elements of noise and dark ambient such as Abruptum, Emit, Striborg or T.O.M.B.
After the release of Sunn O)))'s album Black One, I fell under the spell of drone metal and became a big fan of this band, and gradually discovered many other bands and projects in this genre, such as Nadja, old recordings of Earth, Khanate, KTL, etc. industrial music I was most influenced by bands like MZ.412, Brighter Death Now and of course Laibach and Einstürzende Neubauten.
I still listen to these bands today and always look forward to new recordings. At the same time, I'm looking for interesting and inspiring music from the past, so I listen to 70s krautrock, 80s no wave, I discovered the great industrial noise rock band Caspar Brötzmann Massaker.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Many thanks for the interview, I think there is no need to add anything.
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