Morfeus

Limbonic Art

Somewhere inside the infinity of space and time where the coldness and the blackness gulp the last drop of your soul warmness, Metal-Temple found one of the two individuals that create the musical background of this cosmos. The rest, you can find it here.

By Yiannis Doukas

• March 26, 2008

Hailz Morfeus! Your return was great with a really good album. What power forced you to return? Did this long pause re-activate your musical batteries for LIMBONIC ART?

I think that you could say that in a way. It has been good to be apart from the band for a few years, get some distance to everything and also to explore other sides of our musical interests. Maybe it has even taught us to appreciate what we did even more.

Anyway, it felt really good to get back together again and conjure up this album from the magic cauldron.

From the beginning of 1993 till the end of 1994 the band had four members. Have you released or record anything back then? Did any of these old songs found a way to any of your albums? What did happen to the other members?

Yeah, LIMBONIC ART was a full 4-piece band back in the early days, which was before I 'joined' the band though. Started the band back then with some friends, and I think that they existed for only about a year before things started to go wrong. They split due to them disagreeing on the way the music should sound and so on.

They did however record one demo as far as I can recall. It was never released. We haven't used any complete songs from this era of the band, but some riffs here and there have come in handy. The rest of the members, well, except for Daemon, there is now only one that is still walking this earth. Both the drummer and the guitarist are dead now, things happened that I am not going to discuss here, but unfortunately they are not with us anymore.

As I heard (from your album) you continue with the programming of drums (drum machine). Do you consider that this is one of the basic elements of your sound? Do you believe that the presence of a real drummer would destroy your identity?

Yes, I think that the programmed drums are one of the big trademarks of LIMBONIC ART. I think that our sound would change completely with the inclusion of a real drummer, and it would be wrong for the mentality of the band. We are two extremely strong-minded individuals in this band, and bringing in a third would disrupt the delicate balance it is to keep this band going.

Are there any plans for live activities? Do you enjoy the live presentation of your music? Is there anything you would like to be different? Can you recall any gig from the past that impressed you a lot and you remember it 'till now?

No, unfortunately we do not perform live anymore with LIMBONIC ART, personally I would very much like to play live, and I enjoy it very much, but Daemon utterly dislikes to play live, and he is not interested in that part at all, and therefore we don't play live.

Well, I actually remember quite a lot of our gigs really, from our first tour with EMPEROR, our first time outside Norway on our own, of course our first gig at all, and so on, there are many many things that I remember, and that I will never ever forget, touring with MORBID ANGEL, and what not, there are so many things that I will cherish for a looooong time still.

I think your new album is more guitar-based than in the past, making it perfect for gigs (look, for example, Unleashed From Hell or the riffs of A Void Of Lifeless Dreams and Legacy Of Evil). Is it something like a declaration that beyond the whole majestic style you have still a Metal heart?

Hehe, yeah, I agree about that. I think the album is far more thrashy than our previous albums are, but that's cool, I think you can say that yes, it is sort of a statement. It is much more 'coming from the rehearsal-room' kind of an album this time. We composed mostly on guitars in the rehearsal-room this time, and this followed the entire process of recordings and what not, so it turned out slightly rawer than what the albums in the past has done.

Riff-continuing: What are your preferences in Metal? Sometimes I think that you are full into old Thrash or Speed. Am I right?

Yes, well, not too much speed for me depends a little what you are thinking about, but old Thrash is probably what is closest to my heart. Old METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, KREATOR, things like this really rocks my soul.

I would like to ask some questions about your lyrics. First of all, Grace By Torments which is one of the most great moments of the album. What is it about? Is it possible the achievement of grace by tormenting? On the other hand, can any mental or psychic torment of a human being lead him to inspiration or the expression through art (music)? Is it this behind the word 'grace'? Can you give us also some details about the lyrical topic of A Cosmic Funeral Of Memories and A Void Of Lifeless Dreams?

Aaah, so many questions. Unfortunately, I am really not the person to talk to when it comes to the lyrical parts of the band, Daemon is writing all the lyrics for all the songs, and I know that he doesn't like to elaborate on his lyrics at all, he usually writes even shorter than me, even though he knows about the subject.

It is very hard to explain what lyrics are about, because most, at least the ones that I write in DIMENSION F3H, are a result of feelings, it is words coming from feelings not from a deliberate, thought through, story. That is why I think that it is very much up to each and everyone to make up his own mind about it, it is not set, everything can change...

What impress you about the lycanthropic sagas? Do you see it as a fierce and violent representation of nature's powers? Also, Seven Doors Of Death; is it about an after-death journey?

This goes pretty much into the previous answer really, personally I am fascinated by shape-shifting and so on, and lycans have always been a source of fantasies and dreams to me. As goes for so many other things also.

Taking the opportunity by looking your artworks and covers, I would like to express us your emotions and feelings as you watching the night sky. Sometimes your music looks perfect for a lonely walk upon mountains with the starlight leading your path. Do you gather inspiration from nature?

Well, again it is this thing, how do you express a feeling and an emotion in words, you should ask a poet, not a musician.

I think that I draw inspiration from every aspect of life, from people, TV, travels, idiots, people I respect, music, movies, nature, mountains, pits, bogs. There will always be something around that touches me in some way, and it will affect me, which again will affect the way I write, and this will also most likely be reflected in the artwork that I do also. Artwork, I never look upon anything I do as artwork, it hasn't got anything to do with art. I paint, but it is not art, not yet, and it might never be. But some of it looks ok..hehe...

Your new album is - again - under the banner of the Nocturnal Art label. I guess you are satisfied by them. Is Samoth still behind? Did any other labels contact you?

Samoth is still behind Nocturnal Art, yes, but it is now a sub-label to Candlelight Records in the UK. No, no other labels contacted us, simply because no one knew that we were working on anything. We contacted Samoth directly as soon as we realized that there would actually be an album, and since we have always been perfectly happy about how he has handled the actions of the band, so we didn't feel a need for anyone else to break that relationship.

Is there any band from your country or the whole scene making you believe that they are leaving a legacy of evil? Did any new Black Metal band terrorize your ears recently?

Honestly, I do not follow anything that happens in the Black Metal scene. I do not check out new upcoming bands, actually I do generally not like Black Metal music at all, except for the good old classics that I liked when I grew up. I don't really seek out much new music at all. I am so focused about my own works and recordings that I really don't have so much time to just sit and listen to music. And when I am out of the studio, putting on a record with extreme Black Metal isn't the first thing that strikes me. There are of course lots and lots of good music out there though, and unfortunately I don't hear anything even remotely close to all the good stuff that's there.

I listen to an extremely varied range of music, from pop to Metal in almost any genres, but I find that I like mostly the extremes, regardless of genre, as long as the artist plays something that is extreme, it is good...well, not always of course, but...mostly...

Thanx a lot. Feel free to add anything you want. Metal greetings!

Well, normally I don't like to add much in sections like this, I'm not a well of wisdom that just pours out wise words, but this time I actually do have something to say.

Get your asses down to the Texas Club [Athens, Greece] on the 3rd of April. I will be there to play some Heavy fucking music for you guys, and I will need someone to come and party with me and my friend Jack...See you there!!!