Today, we have a special treat for everyone! This is our 100th blog post - on the 2-month anniversary of our founding. It is a big anniversary for all of us and we are delighted to bring you guys an interview with the rising stars of British black metal - Koboloris from Leeds!! So, read on for more info on these guys, as well as a FREE DOWNLOAD!
1. How did Koboloris come together as a project?
Well, we had been making metal music as a duo for a long time prior to Koboloris
so it was the logical next step really.
I have been into black metal music since my early teens and those influences were already
a big part of my inspiration, especially my guitar work. There are things you can only really
express most purely though black metal, so really it's driven by the themes not the technique.
We basically divided the musical duties between us, depending on our strengths.
2. What is the main aesthetic of Koboloris?
A fairly dark one. We use a lot of imagery in our lyrics, I suppose if our music were to paint a picture, it would be a bleak, savage scene, but one where nature had run wild, so majestic also.
3. What are the goals of Koboloris, long term and short term?
Short term, we are focused on recording our debut EP, long term we want to write more music, play shows, build things up to the point where we can release an album
4. If you had a choice between dying for world peace or living forever in a war-torn world, which would you choose?
Peace always comes at a price, if it is ever really achieved, history is written by the victor after all. I doubt as human beings we will ever evolve a society that knows no conflict,
it is a deep part of our natures, it can only be suppressed or appeased and events always come full circle, the liberator later becomes the oppressed.If it was for something worth fighting for, such as freedom of belief, or in defense of the self, then we would fight!
5. What are the moral principles of Koboloris?
We have a dislike of sanctimonious ideologies, so you won't find us up on a soapbox preaching anything to anyone, that's the opposite of what we are about. So I guess as far as principles go we are amoral, not overly moral or immoral, basically do what thou wilt and deal with the real world consequences. Anyone who wants to shove their ideology down people's throat under the premise of a divine will, we are opposed to.
6. Can you tell us a bit about the back-story behind Lupinotuum? What inspired this track? What is it about?
It's about werewolf folklore, Lupinotuum is the Latin word for werewolf.
It's less about transforming into the beast and more about what it symbolises instead; shunning humanity at large, being consumed with rage, connecting with the supernatural, with what most people consider dark, frightening, abhorrent. Also its about the savagery of nature, which is what the real legend is all about. That's partly why the song has a lot of keyboards, we wanted to create an almost dark ages atmosphere and sometimes the synth lends itself well to that.
7. What inspired the track Malign Inspiration?
Its an angry reaction to people who pull you down in a sanctimonious way, hence the imagery is quite dark, representing the degradation of the self and then the counterattack against it. It's about standing up for yourself basically.
Well, we had been making metal music as a duo for a long time prior to Koboloris
so it was the logical next step really.
I have been into black metal music since my early teens and those influences were already
a big part of my inspiration, especially my guitar work. There are things you can only really
express most purely though black metal, so really it's driven by the themes not the technique.
We basically divided the musical duties between us, depending on our strengths.
2. What is the main aesthetic of Koboloris?
A fairly dark one. We use a lot of imagery in our lyrics, I suppose if our music were to paint a picture, it would be a bleak, savage scene, but one where nature had run wild, so majestic also.
3. What are the goals of Koboloris, long term and short term?
Short term, we are focused on recording our debut EP, long term we want to write more music, play shows, build things up to the point where we can release an album
4. If you had a choice between dying for world peace or living forever in a war-torn world, which would you choose?
Peace always comes at a price, if it is ever really achieved, history is written by the victor after all. I doubt as human beings we will ever evolve a society that knows no conflict,
it is a deep part of our natures, it can only be suppressed or appeased and events always come full circle, the liberator later becomes the oppressed.If it was for something worth fighting for, such as freedom of belief, or in defense of the self, then we would fight!
5. What are the moral principles of Koboloris?
We have a dislike of sanctimonious ideologies, so you won't find us up on a soapbox preaching anything to anyone, that's the opposite of what we are about. So I guess as far as principles go we are amoral, not overly moral or immoral, basically do what thou wilt and deal with the real world consequences. Anyone who wants to shove their ideology down people's throat under the premise of a divine will, we are opposed to.
6. Can you tell us a bit about the back-story behind Lupinotuum? What inspired this track? What is it about?
It's about werewolf folklore, Lupinotuum is the Latin word for werewolf.
It's less about transforming into the beast and more about what it symbolises instead; shunning humanity at large, being consumed with rage, connecting with the supernatural, with what most people consider dark, frightening, abhorrent. Also its about the savagery of nature, which is what the real legend is all about. That's partly why the song has a lot of keyboards, we wanted to create an almost dark ages atmosphere and sometimes the synth lends itself well to that.
7. What inspired the track Malign Inspiration?
Its an angry reaction to people who pull you down in a sanctimonious way, hence the imagery is quite dark, representing the degradation of the self and then the counterattack against it. It's about standing up for yourself basically.
8. When can we look forward to hearing more Koboloris creations?
Very soon. August is the release month for our debut EP. After that we hope it won't be too long until we have a good enough following to release a more substantial work, maybe an album.
9. Is there any tours or shows planned in the near future?
We are too busy writing and recording at the moment to audition all the live members we would need, but it's something we want to do, no doubt about that!
10. Any artist Koboloris would like to team up with?
Very soon. August is the release month for our debut EP. After that we hope it won't be too long until we have a good enough following to release a more substantial work, maybe an album.
9. Is there any tours or shows planned in the near future?
We are too busy writing and recording at the moment to audition all the live members we would need, but it's something we want to do, no doubt about that!
10. Any artist Koboloris would like to team up with?
Ishahn perhaps? I doubt anyone would want to team up with us right now, if we did it would most likely be in the form of a split EP with another underground artist, that would be great I think. If you are an incredible black metal musician reading this, get in touch with our label, III Rooks Records!
11. Main inspirations for the music of Koboloris?
Misanthropy, nature, mythology, pulling apart dogma, the darker side of the human condition. Stupidity of war and religion, and how both often just keep fueling each other in a neverending chase. Other than a whole list of things like that, we also have been heavily inspired by other musicians too. Musical influence wise, one of us leans heavily towards 2nd wave black metal and the other toward death metal more. However, when people started making this music in the late 80's, early 90's, non of these genre-labels really existed, you might think this makes us a death/black band, but really we don't sound
typical of what journalists would call death/black.
Misanthropy, nature, mythology, pulling apart dogma, the darker side of the human condition. Stupidity of war and religion, and how both often just keep fueling each other in a neverending chase. Other than a whole list of things like that, we also have been heavily inspired by other musicians too. Musical influence wise, one of us leans heavily towards 2nd wave black metal and the other toward death metal more. However, when people started making this music in the late 80's, early 90's, non of these genre-labels really existed, you might think this makes us a death/black band, but really we don't sound
typical of what journalists would call death/black.
12. Philosophy behind the music of Koboloris?
It's a celebration of those aspects of our natures, that so often we are told need to be eradicated or closed down. It's about valuing knowledge over ignorance, knowing thy enemy, having the tenacity to be a wolf among sheep, not some mass produced superficial rebellion.
Know when you are being marketed to and coerced by those who would water-down the human spirit.
13. What would you say your genre really is?
Know when you are being marketed to and coerced by those who would water-down the human spirit.
13. What would you say your genre really is?
Melodic black metal seem to fit us nicely at the moment, however you will find aspects of other metal sub-genres appear from time to time.
We don't by any means just listen to black metal, but then as a musician what you listen to and what you play are not the same 100% of the time. Between us we also like some Death Metal, symphonic metal, avant garde or progressive stuff,however we generally despise overly commercial or mass produced music even when it masquerades as metal, we know what real music is. I say melodic black metal, as the focus is on melody and layered compositions. We are not symphoblack, having keyboards all the way through a song is not what we are about, we prefer to use them to add depth to certain sections- guitars, bass and drums are the backbone of our sound.
14. Your belief in the higher plane?
Yet to be impressed by any traditional religious archetypes. Philosophically, the mind is a great example as a higher plane, though. Abstract, intellectual thinking; carrying of emotion... It's also the master of all control of oneself. If you can master your mind, you can master your life in a sense.
15. Anything else you'd like to add as a message to the readers?
Please look forward to our EP release in August, you will not be disappointed! Hails to everyone who gives us a listen and stay metal!
We don't by any means just listen to black metal, but then as a musician what you listen to and what you play are not the same 100% of the time. Between us we also like some Death Metal, symphonic metal, avant garde or progressive stuff,however we generally despise overly commercial or mass produced music even when it masquerades as metal, we know what real music is. I say melodic black metal, as the focus is on melody and layered compositions. We are not symphoblack, having keyboards all the way through a song is not what we are about, we prefer to use them to add depth to certain sections- guitars, bass and drums are the backbone of our sound.
14. Your belief in the higher plane?
Yet to be impressed by any traditional religious archetypes. Philosophically, the mind is a great example as a higher plane, though. Abstract, intellectual thinking; carrying of emotion... It's also the master of all control of oneself. If you can master your mind, you can master your life in a sense.
15. Anything else you'd like to add as a message to the readers?
Please look forward to our EP release in August, you will not be disappointed! Hails to everyone who gives us a listen and stay metal!
Now... for your free download... Available only for the next week... just follow the link below to get a FREE mp3 of Lupinotuum! And, if you find yourself wanting MORE music from Koboloris, head on over to their record label's Bandcamp page, <http://threerooks.bandcamp.com/> and download Malign Inspiration... also FREE. Big thank you to Koboloris for doing this interview!
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