The Cold View Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about this project for those that have never heard of you before?

The Cold View is a small Drone and Funeral Doom project which is completely run by myself. It arose in November 2011 when I was experimenting with some open source and free music software for Linux. There was a very high potential for creating professional compositions. After finishing experimenting and moving forward to a more serious approach the first song Empty November was created. I was convinced that I will be able to go on to further satisfying results, even as a one-man project. I set the goal to create one song per month aligned to the concept of a winter album. I wanted to bring in my special feelings and nature experiences of the particular winter month. Maybe I needed an outlet for the creative pressure I had inside.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

The sound of Weeping Winter is of a very droning, bass driven and noisy kind. It is oriented on Funeral Doom and maybe also Industrial. It's a dark and depressed, desperate and brutal sound. I wanted to create sound structures and themes that get varied and iterated, meditated in the end. The compositions are in one way abstract, but in the other way there are always points and simple melodies one can hang on.

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

According to the concept all lyrics center on winter. My emotions affected by personal experiences and the influence of the nature and the winter climate flowed into the lyrics and also the music. But in the end one must not forget that Doom has its stylistic devices.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band’s name?

Seven years ago I had the very small band project Bestial (http://www.bestial-metal.com/) with a friend of mine, who also mixed and mastered my current record. I have chosen "The Cold View" as the name of our second demo, but it never got finished or even really started. The name was perfect for my new project. It derived from a term of Nietzsche who in this case described a philosophical concept, a concept how to view the world or reality around.

5. Currently there is only one member in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you choose to remain solo?

I have to admit that I do not really know what ways I will go in the future. I only know that the next step has to be a step forward. One possibility could be to found a band with several members. But currently I do not wonder too much about this. I am happy with doing things self dependent.

6. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for your music?

I was looking for a label for some time. But in spite of the very positive feedback of befriended musicians the interest of the labels for this very underground record was too little. There is not a high commercial potential for this kind of music.

7. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this full time?

Currently there are no other projects. The Cold View is also not full time. I have a full time job that involves a lot of my time.

8. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

As I stated before it has to get a step forward. A full band line-up could bring even more creative input.

9. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I do listen to many styles of Metal, mainly different types of Doom and Black Metal. There are lots of good bands I like to listen to and who influence me, too many I could mention at this place.

10. Does Occultism play any role in your music?

Occultism or Satanism does not play any role in my music or life. If I use diabolic ideas it is just for stylistic devices like metaphors. I have an antireligious world view. This involves Satanism or paganism or other cult related things, too. Nevertheless a certain kind of spiritualism is an aspect in my music and also in my own philosophy. But this kind of spiritualism emerges from the unconscious and from deep, intense experiences of nature.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Music is the most important of my interests, but I also like art and literature. Currently I'm reading some novels of E. T. A. Hoffmann; I love to dive into his dark, fantastic and insane worlds.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

If anyone has interest in my record, look after the direct download links in the posting about my record at this blog. Or go to my official sitehttp://www.thecoldview.com/ or http://thecoldview.bandcamp.com/ Support the underground, support free culture!