Exclusive: Nargaroth’s Ash speaks for the 1st Time to the Middle Eastern Metal Media

It is a real huge step for me as I am a big Nargaroth fan for many years. It is a great honor to interview one of my influencers, companions, Nargaroth’s Ash. 

Actually, Nargaroth is a bright known name for Black Metal fans who admires uniqueness, originality, and truthness. Also, Nargaroth is known to a big number of Black Metal Middle Easterns fans through his “Black Metal is Krieg”, and “Jahreszeiten”. 

I have a big number of memories with Nargaroth’s full discography, wither while studying, depression, working, or even overthinking, so I can’t believe till this moment that I am publishing my interview with Ash, the man who inspires me for many years!

Nargaroth’s Ash interviewed by: Rana Atef

Originally Published on 31/8/2018 at 1:59 am

1- Thank you great Ash for accepting me to have the first Middle Eastern/African interview for you, so let’s start about your fan base here, Mostly of Arabic/African/Middle Eastern Metalheads know well what’s the great “Black Metal its Krieg” specially, the legendary “Seven Tears are Flowing to the River” and “The Day Burzum killed Mayhem” beside your other albums such as “Jahreszeiten”. Did any one of Middle Eastern bands or fans contact you before?

Thank you for the interview and showing interest in my works.

 Facebook as worldwide network allowed several metal fans from around the world, including the African continent and its adjacent states to contact me once in a while. 

But in general there are not many people from the Middle East, yet some people from South Africa that even came to some Festivals in Europe to see  NARGAROTH perform.

Photo Courtesy: Metal Vissions Website 

2- As we are still talking about “Seven Tears are Flowing to the River”, I have special memories with this one actually. 

It was one of the earlier Black Metal suggestions I received from the founder of the first Egyptian Atmospheric/Depressive Metal band (Frostagrath) Lord Mist. Can you tell us more details about this song and how the process of writing was?

It seems indeed that this particular song has a strong emotional value for many NARGAROTH fans, but also people outside the Black Metal scene. I wrote this song as a Love Poem and it is intended to seen as such: a musical version of a Love poem I wrote. 

Back then I felt the strong urge to express something other than just hate. Besides, I believe that hate cant be without love. Indeed  lots of hate has its source in love. So, I wrote this song with the intention to intone a Love Poem. 

And as so often in my songs it is rather tragic with sad happy ending, what reflects pretty well how I see and face the world.

3- So, I really want to move to your latest album “Era of Threnody”. You mentioned on your official page the heartwarming story behind the album. How was this idea come to your mind? And what was the feedback you received regarding this?

Hm, it was not so much that I had an Idea to release an album with flamenco influences that came to mind. It was rather that the situation I was in urged to be expressed and processed by me in the only way I know how: musically. 

I often said that my songs and therefore NARGAROTH is a way to communicate with myself. I doesn't mean it in a schizophrenic way, but in a way to find words or expression for emotions that are hard for me to express or to put int o words. 

Through this I am able to re-think what happened to me and find sometimes a different or even more mature way of understanding. As my music is my way of processing emotional events in my life and (hopefully) grow as a human being, the matter or the event that made me struggle and its attempt of processing dominate ultimately how the album will sound and what elements I include. 

This is why NARGAROTH albums very often include(d) weird or untypical elements or melodies AND very often sound like a Black Metal that I typically would not listen to. I do not know if this is a plus or a disadvantage, the style of Black Metal I personally listen to differs a lot to what NRAGAROTH often sounds like, what bothers me sometimes. 

But again: although many people see me as arrogant ass, it is my philosophy in making music that an artist has to submit to or to defer to what emotion tells you to do. Art – no matter what branch – should be a vanity show! 

Photo Courtesy: Inter Arma Production Website

Unfortunately I see that the vast majority of artists use the medium they chose as an narcissistic vehicle to promote themselves instead of serving a higher purpose. Which would be – like in my case and my songs in Black Metal – to be just a tool to transfer an information and emotion through the medium music. 

I often want my albums sound in a certain way, which is close to what I personally like, but as musician you have sometimes to step back from your vanity or stubbornness and let the feeling dictate what the end result sounds like. 

Therefore only in the very end I can say if I like what I have created or not. Mostly I can find my peace with my creations. But even if I might not like the outcome it always will be a 100% authentic reminder of what happened to me and how I managed to overcome the tragedy behind – so to say. 

And I always prefer authenticity over anything else – no matter in what affair of life.

The feedback I received to the album is the same as to every album: for some its an outstanding album and the album of the year. For others its complete shit or disappointment. I am fine with both assessments.

4- Ash, of course, you toured the whole world, boosting your music, can you tell us about the countries which you might be concerned to perform in, the hardships you face through your career?!

I never was really concerned when it came to touring in many countries all over the world. Only one time I didn't pulled through with a concert opportunity. 

Photo Courtrsy: Last fm Website 

It was when there was a plan to play in Persia (Iran) in 2006 or 2007 or so. It was a unstable political time and through contacts I had with the Persian Black Metal band ARAS (with which I also worked on an album together), I learned that metal musicians faced hard punishment. 

Including disappearing after put into jail. This is when we didn't proceed with the plan. Didn't wanted to become another beheading statistic. 

The hardships of playing live are 1) dealing with PC of the organizers and 2) finding a good line up. 

5- I want to shed the lights on your relation with your Middle Eastern fans, did you get any offers to perform in the region, as many of Arabic cities witnessed the performance of major Metal bands, for example Metallica performed in Abu Dhabi, Katatonia, Paradise Lost, Saturnus, Septicflesh, Swallow The Sun, Nile performed in Dubai, Epica will perform next month in Tunisia, and Swallow the Sun performed in Egypt, so do you mind of having a performance their?

NARGAROTH does not play in the league of bands you mentioned. I am still rather underground and not mainstream. So its quite unlikely that NARGAROTH would be invited to events these bands you mentioned play. 

Plus, NARGAROTH isn't commercially promising enough to make such invitation worthwhile for organizers. 

Photo Courtesy: Pest Metal Website 

Frankly: most tours back in the day when NARGAROTH conquered new countries where mostly no major metal is playing was organized by fans. 

I seldomly work with professional or big promoters. Its usually a group of fans that make it happen or smaller local agencies. And that's alright with me.

6- If a Middle Eastern band asked you to be featured on one of its releases as a guest, would you support that?

I don't know. I don't know any band well enough to arouse any interest in a collaboration. Also, in general I don't do co-operations anymore.

 7- I will back to Europe, in your point of view, how do you see the Black Metal Scene currently, and the music industry in general?

We live in times of sick political correctness, plastic casting bands like Bathuska, ridicules individuals hiding their pettiness under hoodies on stage, clowns like Abbath, hipster like Nergal and hippies like Ihsahn looking like Eric Clapton on stage. 

We experience a hype of all-female Black Metal bands who owe their popularity rather because of their gender than their talent, and since Metal arrived in the middle of the society, the middle of the society arrived in Metal as well. 

Photo Courtesy: Metal Kingdom Website

And with that millions of people who would never listened to Black Metal in the beginning. What point of view other than disgust I might have for such a community?

8- I actually want to know more about your life, how did you manage your day, what are your favorite bands, What are the main influences of your music?

I live a humble life far way from where I am from. I live in a mountainous region, focusing on building a solid foundation for my life here – including growing old. 

I lived half of my life, now I have to prepare and secure my future as well my retirement. All in order to avoid contact or too much interaction with the changing new world.

The main influence of my music and therefore a catalyst of  making an album is mostly a real life experience that affected me strong enough that it demands musical expression in order to either understand better what happened (with me) and/or to find a way to cope with what happened (to keep my sanity). There must always be a vision. 

Photo Courtesy: Pinterest 

Otherwise its just worthless vanity work. Yet, most of all: I do not really plan an album. My albums mostly happen. I process in my albums things that happened to me. Things that changed the course of my life, made me think or struggle – that is, developing as a man. 

They become a conversation with myself and allow me to behold an inner struggle or issue from the outside and therefore give me another perspective on things. 

This again allows me understand these things differently or better. The result of that process, the album in sound and word, is effectively connected to what my emotions demand and doesn't necessarily sound like something I would listen privately to.  

9- Another question related to your favorites, which Nargaroth release is the closest to your heart?

Every release has its place in my heart as every album is a mirror of the time it was created and the situation I was in. At the moment I don't have a favorite album. 

10- In your point of view, which rising bands you expect a bright future for them?

Who ever fulfills the taste and expectations of the nowadays self-centered, shallow and superficial social media crowd. 

11- Finally, what is your upcoming step? 

I will continue to pull myself out of the scene and live my life in private seclusion. 

 Thank you Ash, again, and again for your kindness.