LOTAN: Exclusive premiere of video "Ashera" & interview feature
January 18, 2023
The Danish black metal upstarters Lotan release this Friday a new digital single and lyric video "Ashera", from their upcoming debut self-titled album. The track, whose video can be seen today exclusively on Metal Temple, is one of the seven songs included in the record, which will be released on March 30th in vinyl LP and digital formats. In the following chat, vocalist Martin Rubini (also of Vanir fame) talk about inspiration, religious segregation and having two musical "sons" with strong personalities.
You have a very strong lyrical content and you rely a lot on philosophy and religion for your songs. Is there any loose concept on "Lotan"? Kind of a common thread between all subjects of the lyrics?
The name Lotan is from Mesopotamian lore a deity of chaos as opposed to the order of the gods. Much like Lotan, our lyrical universe focus on criticizing the order bestowed upon us from religion, political ideology, and culture. It is here the existential idea fits the black metal lyrical universe quiet well.
You seem to be a very prolific band, with two EP and one full length album released in little over two years. Are you the kind of composers that need to be inspired to write ' and you had a lot of inspiration to have all this material out in such a short period ' or you're more methodic and treat the writing as any other "task"?
The first two EPs came in a time where everything stood still due to the pandemic. I guess you can say it was a creative outlet from both Phillp and I. We do need some portion of inspiration and I can't say when the next release will be ready. We are working on some new songs and have a couple of singles ready as well.
Since you have two members from Vanir in your lineup core, can you please draw the line, stylistically and lyrically, that divides the two bands' camps? When you have a musical idea, is it clear to you to what band does it "belong"?
Phillip only writes for Lotan and it is here his main focus is. Lyrically it's also two different worlds, so its quite easy to differentiate. Lotan has a lot more to do with criticism of post-modernity, post-factuality, culture, and religion.
Is it fair to say that Lotan "cleaned" Vanir from some of the more edgy, heaviest, black metal influences?
Lotan's focus is on black metal and black'n'roll; Vanir it's melodic death metal, so I guess you can say it's like having two kids that are each there own. It is in no way the same and it will never be.
"Ashera" is your new single and video, coming out today, and it is inspired in an ancient goddess with Mesopotamian roots, which was in between banned from all the temples. Why do you think that the female representation, once so powerful and connected to the human creation, inspires such fear in "new" religions that want desperately to ban her from all the god "powers" and representations?
I think that all monotheistic religions have used the subjugation and oppression of women to keep men in power. Denying 50 percent of the population in access makes it easier. Men have always feared strong women. On the album we have two versions of the same deity: Ashera and Ishtar. Both represent a part of humanity that was repressed by religious
About
The seven-headed dragon and the origin of chaos who began a war against the cosmic order and gods of Mesopotamia. Lotan is a black metal act from Denmark that mixes melodic black metal and black'n'roll with an aggressive overtone. Formed by Phillip Kaaber and Martin Rubini (both members of the renowned Danish Viking metal act Vanir), and joined by Lasse Guldbæk, Andy Dragsberg, and Jon Schmidt.
Lotan released two critically acclaimed EPs "Nihil Sacrum" and "Angelus pestis" in 2020 and 2021. And are now getting ready for yet another fierce release. This time it's a full-length album Lotan that will be released via UPRISING! Records in early 2023. The album follows the same path as the EPs and draws its lyrical universe from a mix between satanic spiritualism, Mesopotamian myths, and existential philosophy.
The dragon has been reborn ' Lotan.
"Lotan" will be released on digital and LP (black vinyl, limited to 300 units) via UPRISING! Records on March 31st, 2023.
Lineup:
Phillip Kaaber - guitars
Martin Rubini - vocals
Lasse Guldbæk Jensen - bass
Jon Schmidt - drums
Andy Dragsberg - guitar
Webshop:
https://bit.ly/ltn-ltn
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