Wolvennest — one of the darkest groups out there, released their 5th album ‘Procession‘ a few days ago, through a new label and with a new bassist and a powerful guest vocalist. Having traced their own path in darkness and hailing from Belgium – a country that has given us a rich set of bands inspired by the dark and its Light, the Nest is a powerful group of musicians whose music and lyrics have had a profound effect on us from day one. With a conviction like very other musicians have revealed so far, their music opens up possibilities that make us question our limits! We had the pleasure to interview Wolvennest and dive even deeper into their world and the themes of their new album – the inevitability and ceremonial approach towards Death. We dared to ask them whether possession is actually present in the world we all live in today. We wanted to know about their new collaborators and whether they would like to perform in London again in the near future. Apart from Diamanda Galas, this is the only band whose music turns everything black once it is released in the air. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did and will be inspired to support the band even more!
Blauerosen: Hi WOLVENNEST,
Thank you for joining me in this interview, and congratulations on the release of the darkest music I have ever listened to in my life!
We are talking ahead of the release of your next offering, ‘Procession’, with artwork created by Art of Maquenda once again, on a new label, Consouling Sounds. Your new album is your most powerful to date, and congratulations on making it. I know you are writing albums from personal experiences, something you might have read in a book, heard in a movie etc, so can you share with us what has inspired this new album?
Corvus : The poisonous quest to self-liberation. I’m not talking about drugs here. By poison, I mean the destructive aspect self-liberation asks. Regarding books : « Voyage au bout de la nuit » by Louis-Ferdinand Céline will always be my favorite book. Regarding the inspiration as a whole, I would say that just taking the guitar or a synth and enjoying the whole process is the key. I try to have the same enthusiasm as in 1999/2000 when I first bought a bass. I also believe we all wanted to do the best album possible. We learn with each release. Knowing the skills of everyone involved is also important. We know how to find the balance between 3 guitars, how to be sure that Shazzula can shine, vocally and on theremin. And mainly, Marc, our lead guitarist, is my main inspiration. The guy is a killer musician and I’m honored to be in the same band. So, if I have something to propose, I always make sure that there is enough space for him. He has a major input on the emotions that you’ll find in the music.
KIRBY: My main inspiration for lyrics and music is still for more than 30 years now The Process Church, Charles Manson’s ATWA (air/trees/water /animals) philosophy based on ecologic system , everything around darkness and neofolk/industrial movement.
Blauerosen: I spent a few days relistening to all of your albums and realised that until ‘Procession’ there was a glimpse of ‘Light’ in your songs (e.g. in ‘Mantra‘ you were singing about a Temple of Love, ‘Ritual Lovers‘ was about the blood connection of two individuals and their unified soul, in ‘VOID‘ there was the idea of rebirth through fire, ‘The Dark Path To The Light‘ was about enjoying the last few moments of existence etc). You have even talked about “the celebration of life through repetitive patterns” in previous interviews. ‘Procession’ is entirely different from your previous albums in many respects – it is about the abyss with absolutely no glimpse of a catharsis or a way through. Am I reading this right?
Corvus : We (humans) completely failed. I guess Procession is darker because we are darker. It’s an honest album in that regard. I read a lot about death cults and the way of processing and/or celebrating death lately, and I guess it had an impact on some songs or lyrics. I’m slowly getting older and I am slowly but surely losing faith in « us » as a whole. We are parasites to this planet. Not the solution. But yet there is a glimpse or a sparkle of hope here and there. For example, the song ‘The Last Chamber‘ may be one of the darkest we did but if you search for it, you’ll find hope.
Blauerosen: I know that you love film – have you recently watched a film that you found inspirational?
Corvus : Not lately. Watched ‘Midsommar’ recently, it was « entertaining » but I was expecting more. The acting was quite random. Good ideas though. But inspirational ? There is too much, so if you have any ideas, I’ll take it.
Blauerosen: I know that you are inspired by Mesopotamian civilisations, their music and overall cultural aesthetics. It is evident from the artwork in your albums, elements in your sound, as well as the visuals that accompany your live sets. Would you consider leaving Brussels to live a life in a part of the world that follows such different rules?
Corvus : I’m not a big fan of cities and could NEVER live in Brussels. It’s noisy and filthy. And worst part : VERY expensive. Nothing is natural in a city. The full concept should be quite modified to make it enjoyable. Luckily, there are spots for culture, but that’s it. I’m curious how cities will look like in 200 years.
Blauerosen: It is evident that in this part of the world people are desperately looking for meaning, so more often than not, they either try to mimic the past or reject it entirely. How do you see a connection with the past in a way that can inspire the present?
KIRBY: The past is your present and your future, that’s it. ,”thou shall not learn from the past“.
Blauerosen: In this album, more than in any of your previous releases, there is a focus on death ceremonies. I found the reference to the Malagasy ceremony of Famadihana fascinating in the sense that it allows people to have a dynamic relationship with their dead in much more meaningful ways than in the Western world. In ancient Greece, taking of life was also justified in the context of a sacrifice with the aim of showing appreciation to a deity and the desire to achieve something. Organised religion in the West has ‘killed’ all imagination around death, so we either need to visit a tomb or a museum to ‘connect’ with the past, and that’s all. The only other exception is the way the Japanese people treat death as a transcendent state, to the point that all existence seems to be viewed as having transcended a state and entered another. How do you position yourself when it comes to death? Do you feel that it is an end, a beginning, or another stage? Do you live in defiance of it?
Corvus : I’m ok with the idea of dying. I don’t want to, but I clearly accept it. Pushing the boundaries, again and again, starts to be quite dangerous. Immortality? 8 billions of humans, that’s already way too much. I have a deep, profound and definitive defiance about anything related to Christianism and each time I grab an instrument or a microphone, be sure it is my way of being the adversary. That’s purely personal, and Wolvennest is a band. But yes, organised religion in the West has killed all imagination around death. The interpretation of the Bible is literally a weapon and I’m quite afraid the next 20 years will be quite crucial in that regard in the West. Radical Christianism is getting more and more organized and will push as much as possible to politically shine.
Regarding ‘Famadihana’ : it’s an interpretation of what would happen if a ceremony like that was causing plague. It comes from a dream/vision. You’ll understand the full meaning of the song if you listen closely to the outro, there is the answer. And a response to the song Mantra that we did on Temple. We went from the temple of Love to the temple of Death. It’s, I guess, a matter of cycle.
Blauerosen: I haven’t yet had the pleasure of enjoying you live, but I chose to position myself in a graveyard to enjoy your live stream from
Roadburn Festival in 2021. It was the first time I did anything like this. It felt like the right place, and it had a lasting effect on me. I had no doubt, but I confirmed during that stream that your concerts are live ceremonies for us but also for you. You create a collective occult ritual in a way that no other band is doing. I assume that you are practising occultists and so you have individual experiences. The question is twofold:
1.How do you feel after a gig?
Corvus : I would say happy, mainly because I see people smiling. I saw some tears during the song ‘Décharné‘ in Leipzig. This is something very special to witness. It’s a good moment between people with quite a similar mindset. We have a very cool audience, and I’m happy we never turned into a joke. We are still the same band, after a decade. Still doing the music our way, still collaborating with people with a good heart, talent and vision. Nothing fancy !
Regarding the live stream : I’m happy you enjoyed and experienced it. We got a lot of good feedback about it. Believe me, it was weird as fuck. And quite NOT the essence of the band. But we all tried to turn this weird period into something special. All in all, I’m happy we did it because it connected people to music at a moment when it was quite impossible.
2. Would you like to share anything with us that relates to your individual experiences (i.e. off stage) as occultists?
Corvus : That’s purely private. Music and lyrics are a small manifestation of it.
Blauerosen: During your gig at Roadburn it was one of the very few times we enjoyed the dramatic guest appearance of Déhà with the rest of the band on stage. I know that he produces your albums and is considered a member of the band. Is it likely that he will join you again on stage during your upcoming tour or ever?
Corvus : Déhà has been in the equation since the very first mix. And I’m quite certain we will never ask anybody else to mix our albums. We are connected to him, and vice versa. Regarding the live appearance : he did « La Mort » with us at a very special show in Brussels the 17th of October. It was a show to honour a passed brother in crime, Oscar. 30 years old, hit by an aggressive cancer. He was Déhà’s best friend, and helped Wolvennest in the past for the stage altar, some videos etc. It was very special to perform La Mort for him, with Déhà on stage with us. PLEASE go listen to Herzog-Furnace, that was Oscar’s band and first album. A second album has luckily been recorded and will be released by Amor Fati.
Blauerosen: In July the world said a loud goodbye to Ozzy Osbourne, both through that incredible all-day gig in Birmingham and after his sudden passing a few days later. I feel that in ‘Procession’ there are ways that you pay homage to the sound of Black Sabbath (e.g. the theme in ‘Famadihana‘). Were Black Sabbath a band that you listened to? Was Ozzy Osbourne an inspiration to you?
Corvus : Ozzy, not that much. Iommi and Geezer Butler ? Big yes. A riff machine on guitar, a groove machine on bass. And two musicians with a particular tone.I learned a lot from those two when I was trying to learn bass first and then guitar. And to be totally honest, ‘Purple Poison‘ is clearly inspired by the « dark » Black Sabbath era. Songs like Zero the Hero and the Headless Cross. I was more into the Dio era of Black Sabbath to be honest, even if I love the first 4 albums. I’ll skip the « joke » aspect of the reality show and the fact that he depends a LOT on the musicians and songwriters around him. He was a great frontman, that’s for sure.
Blauerosen: In all of your albums, there are invocations and, often towards the end of a song, the characters face a Gate. In ‘Mantra’ it was the ‘Temple of Love‘, in ‘Procession’ it is the ‘Temple of Death‘. Towards the end of ‘Famadihana‘ we hear: “O Temple of Death, hear my call, open your gates and take us all, once and for all…“. It is a particularly powerful verse, finite and irreversible. It made me think that this could actually happen as a result of this verse. If you were admitted to the Temple of Death, do you think that your consciousness would follow so that you could meaningfully explore whatever you found down there?
Corvus : The Temple of Death has been explored by the consciousness more than once, and it’s a gift, not a curse. What has been found is beautiful, as it destroys all the pillars artificially built by humans.
Blauerosen: I think ‘Famadihana‘, alongside the lyrics of ‘Damnation‘ where the idea of love as a cursed state which that can take life “…in the tribulations of the night“, makes this album the darkest you have created so far. The theremin is championed here like never before, and its contrast with the trippy guitar/bass/drums rhythms creates a very powerful result. This is a daring idea to put out there. Would you like to expand on that a little bit?
KIRBY: Personally I always look for the darkest sounds even in a song that seems more “pop”!
Blauerosen: The idea of possession is a recurring subject in your albums as is in this one (e.g. ‘Damnation‘, ‘Tarantism‘). Do you feel that reality shows that some powerful people around the world might actually be possessed ?
Corvus : I believe some people can be under the influence of « you name it ». But is it a matter of power or weakness /submission ? I don’t have the answer.
Blauerosen: Your sound keeps evolving, and with each album you open up more dimensions. In this album, I feel that in every song, your music opens up new portals. It’s fascinating to listen to it in its entirety. In ‘Procession’, everything after the first two songs is slower, darker, with subtle and gradual melodic changes that become very powerful. It is less ‘rock’ and more doom psychedelic. I find that WOLVENNEST have never copied any forms (neither the black metal, nor the doom metal, nor the psych metal ones) but always traced a new path, having creatively filtered many elements. This is what distinguishes you from every other band you have mentioned to be an inspiration. In this album, there are liturgical elements in the sound, the vocals sometimes sound like seers and others like those of a tribe making a calling. I loved Hekte Zaren‘s vocals in ‘Tarantism‘ which brought to mind the amazing qualities of Diamanda Galas – the only other musician who has embraced darkness in similar ways as WOLVENNEST.
KIRBY: You’re right about ‘Tarantism‘, the idea was to flow in a mix of Swans meeting Diamanda Galas and Hekte Zaren does it perfectly but in his own way. All the doom dark side inspiration on the new album and previous ones comes from my passion for neofolk and industrial music which brings me closer to the reality of life than any other musical style. This does not mean that I do not listen to other musical styles but around 90’s neofolk/Industrial brought a big personal change.
Blauerosen: You also have a new bassist with you this time, Vaath V. How did these collaborations come about, and what did they unlock?
Corvus : He knows the band really well, is a skilled musician and, most important : he has the good attitude regarding the underground. VaathV organizes shows for example and even co organized the very first Dungeon Synth fest. He enjoys being on a stage and the fact that he is younger is actually a good thing, as his energy is always high. We all feel younger with him being around. I saw him live years ago and I knew that he would be perfect for us. I asked Déhà, who recorded some of his projects, what he was thinking about the idea and he told us that VaathV would be a perfect fit on every aspect. So far, it’s totally true. He is hungry for more. And despite him being only 33, he feels the old school, does not give a single shit about the trends. We were surely NOT looking for an arty farty wannabe musician.
Blauerosen: The only video that has been released so far is for ‘Décharné‘, trippy and full of meaning and symbolism. Even if it stopped at the moment where the all-seeing Eye is stabbed by the daggers to open a new portal, that would be enough, but the motion graphics are amazing and much richer than they have been so far. Will there be more videos like this?
Corvus : I don’t think so. But we were happy to see the result, as it is indeed a little more than just a visualizer. The artwork made by Arts of Maquenda offered a lot of possibilities.
Blauerosen: Should we expect more videos from Shazzula for this album too?
Corvus : Shazzula has already a lot to do for other projects and collabs, so I’m not sure she will have the time to do something for this album. The video for ‘The Dark Path to the Light‘ for example, it is a full Summer of hard work and total devotion. She gives a LOT of attention to details, and doing another videoclip, that would be quite a quest. If she feels like it, she is free to do whatever she wants of course !
Blauerosen: You are about to depart on a mini tour and we wish you all the best for it. Would you consider performing live in London in the new year perhaps?
The mini tour is now even shorter than planned. We went from 10 days in a nightliner to 6 days in a van. Dolch cancelling their participation had quite a butterfly effect. It’s still fresh and there is no time to be pissed. But organizing a tour is VERY tricky. We will make sure, next time, that we’ll tour with people we already know, because we can’t afford a cancellation, whatever the reason. Having said that : Déhà stepped in and killed it in Nijmegen and Leipzig. And the whole vibe between all parties involved is great. We still have four shows and we will give it all. London ? If there is a cool fest, why not ? We did it twice in the past and it was nice to cross the Styx and eat horrible food hahaha. Kidding, we love London, and we felt people were very happy to see us. It’s a little tricky to bring merch etc, but if we come back, we’ll find a way.
Blauerosen: And finally, if you could perform your music anywhere in the world, not just a venue but anywhere in nature, in the wilderness etc, where would you choose to do this?
Corvus : In a very old graveyard, and we would only play La Mort, extended version. One riff, one hour.
KIRBY : A forest or a mountain suits me perfectly, somewhere where man has never laid his destructive hand.
Blaue Rosen 