Arnwald Interview

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

Arnwald combines Dark Ambient and Industrial sounds with some Black Metal influences. It’s only a brief description but I guess to really understand what Arnwald is, you better get an ear on it on a calm moment focusing on the emotions I tried to share. Maybe you succeed to feel what I wanted to say, maybe not. It’s surely no music for the masses but I think at least that some people could find some familiar mood elements. I absolutely have no pretension with this project, it’s just like a psychotherapy for myself.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Chaotic, sad, angry, painful, depressive, melancholic… I guess “Primal Expurgation” doesn’t have only one sound shade but a large spectrum of hard feelings. There are no texts but screams because what I need to spit out of my head through this music is so extreme that I couldn’t compile it with words. So, for me, the music I created here is a raw emotional flow, spontaneously eructed.

3.What are some of the themes or concepts you bring out musically with this project?

The thing is that Arnwald is like a self-exorcism, trying to save my mind from madness through music composition. I don’t think these compositions, they’re coming from alone when I sit in front of the computer or take an instrument. My head is a mess where a lot of things are boiling inside so all the tracks are loaded with several themes like desperation, fear, insanity, melancholy, depression, the feeling to be prisoner inside a completely formatted society which don’t mean anything good to you, loneliness, hate and rage, … These are the main points, but I guess if I would analyze what I did, I could find much more about myself.

4.Most of your experience has been in black metal bands but on the album you went for more o a dark ambient and industrial style, how would you compare the different genres?

For me, both scenes are linked by their spirit and the emotions they transport. The difference resides in the way to transcript them in music. Black metal is more the bestial way, direct and without compromise, even if good bands succeed to play on several plans combining the brutal aspect with some very subtle feelings elements. In the Dark Ambient/Industrial scene, you dive much deeper in an introspective world, all is happening in your head. If the musician give you his emotional input, you have thousand ways to interpret this journey. With black metal, the possibilities are diminished, still numerous. I love both arts and they give me something different and common at the same time. I guess if I choose one or the other one, is more a matter of mood.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Arnwald'?

Arnwald is the Germanic root from my real surname Arnaud. The meaning combine power and freedom with two old German words “Arn” (eagle) and “walden” (govern, command). So, the eagle governor or the eagle which governs (depending on the source). As I am analyzing myself trough music, trying to find who I am, it made sense to me to go back to the roots of my name and use it for this project. The meaning is also tightly linked to my personality. It was a logic and really personal choice.

6.With this project you record everything by yourself, how would you compare it with working with a full band?

It’s much more easy and less complicated but also sometimes frustrating. If I really enjoy the fact that I’m alone to take decisions, make everything like I want without hearing someone complaining about this or that, not being compatible with his own taste; being alone demands much more energy and much more inspiration. I’m also not a guitar hero and I sometimes have ideas which I can’t transcript on the 6-strings. This is really pissing me off but it pushes me also to learn and go beyond my own limits.

7.What are some of the best shows that you have done so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Arnwald was never thought as a live act. I only made one gig because my label asked to when organizing its first festival. As a fan, I love Ambient/Industrial music but live there are so few bands which are able to stay interesting more than 5 minutes for me. The most part of the time, you see a guy or two turning some knobs for 30-45 minutes. When you’re alone it’s not easy to entertain and bring your music to life but this I don’t need to do. So I was really brainstorming myself a lot to find something which could be special enough to please me if I would be in front of the stage.
This only one experience was quite extreme for me as the first show ever without being behind the drums and also with no really optimal sound conditions. I did a lot of vocals without hearing me that much, doing real percussion without hearing the music loud enough… Anyway I got really great feedback from people, finding the performance really cool, as a special experience. I also have to thanks my friend Déhà (Yhdarl, Merda Mundi, Imber Luminis, …), which came also on stage to help me giving more presence and more live music. If you want to have a little insight about the ambiance, there is a live pic on the Arnwald facebook.

If I will return on stage with this project… only the future will tell...

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

No.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of dark ambient and industrial?

As the promo campaign just began, it’s hard to say which impact it will have but the few feedback I got till now is really positive. I’m always glad when people can find something pleasant in my musical sufferings.

10.What is going on with your black metal projects these days?

With Humanitas Error Est, we have several really good concerts coming, really nice festivals and we are working on the second album.

With Lebenssucht, we’re basically composing for the first album and have few gigs here and there. It’s more complicated as the band members live quiet far away from each other.

With Throne Of Shiva, we’re restructuring the band and we’re working on a split with the Columbian band Enter Hell. Gigs are also planned in Europe, but still nothing confirmed at 100% till now.

With Absolutus, I’m more like a session drummer but I recorded 2 Ep’s with them last year and I guess they should see the light in 2017 as far as I know.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into musically during the future?

To be honest, I don’t really know. I’m more living day after day and taking every good opportunity to make my way into the music world. I’m still optimistic (or at least I try) and hope to soon have enough work in this field of activity to be able to survive financially with it.

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?

As I already said, Arnwald is a mirror of myself and if no particular band influenced this work directly, I guess my general musical influences worked with me together in a way… even if some I will name here are far far away from what you can hear on “Primal Expurgation”. There are a lot, very a lot and in very different styles...

All began with all the bands my parents were listening to (Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Queen, The Beatles, …) and then when I came to the age to decide what I wanted to listen to, Guns n’ Roses, Metallica, Sepultura, Billy Idol, … Then I discovered several declinations of the metal world with Grip Inc., Pantera, Korn, Slipknot, Hatebreed, Biohazard, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, Testament, Mudvayne, Mayhem, Deftones, Machine Head, Strapping Young Lad, Dog eat Dog, Gojira, Opeth, Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Absu, Napalm Death, Gronibard, Burzum, Grief Of Emerald, Manes, Anaal Nathrakh which is one of my favorite bands… Then I had the chance to be introduced to the obscure world of Dark Ambient/Industrial/Neo-Folk with bands like Blood Axis, Les Joyaux De La Princesse, Der Blutharsch, Rome, Weh, In Slaughter Natives…

I’m always searching new microcosm to explore and I really enjoy to listen to really different sounds. Following this path, I came into the Electro scene with Suicidal Commando, Hocico, NoisuF-X, …

Nowadays, I’m listening to a melting-pot from all of these plus what I discover every day. My last really big revelation is Die Antwoord, a really twisted band evolving in a really crazy universe. Otherwise, the last times I’m listening to a lot of this band mixed with Manes, Korn, Strife, Anaal Nathrakh, Snowgoons, Fantômas, Dyscarnate, Satic-X, Death In Rome, Ordo Rosario Equilibrio, Pleymo, Burzum, Xotox,…

As you can see, I don’t know genre limits and I don’t give a fuck to people who think it’s not true to listen to that or that. I love music in any of its form as soon as it contains something to feel. Even if I’m more often roaming in the obscure depths of black metal.

13.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

Unconsciously, yes. Consciously a bit also. I’m fascinated by occultism and use it a lot in everything I do, so yes it influenced me making this album but here, in subtle dose, I guess.

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

I guess I would have a lot to say, but here and now, I will stay traditional and thank you a lot for your questions and your interest in my work.

https://www.facebook.com/arnwaldofficial/