Information
Author: Insanity
Line Up
Carrion - Keys, Bass, Samples
Gulnar - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drum Programming, Samples
We already talked about them reviewing their album "Planet Paranoia", this time we're going to know Illness as a band, let's see what they want to tell us.
As usual we'd like to start introducing the band to who doesn't know you, so please tell anything you want about Illness.
Gulnar: We began in 2001. We represent "BLACK SCHIZOPHRENIC METAL". It is a combination of grim necro black metal riffs with automatic drum machine and keyboard psycho music with samples from horror/thriller/documental movies.
Your monicker is simple but fits your music, how did you choose Illness?
We were looking for something "sick", something that could describe our music, our way of seeing things. Illness was the first word that came to my mind. Beside there was no other band with this name back then.
In the review we talked about a change of your sound towards th electronic field since the "Trupi Jad" EP, how did you make this change? How was the evolution of the band from the beginning to the latest releases?
"Trupi Jad" was recorded in 2009. ILLNESS exist since 2001. We have always been recording halfy Black Metal - halfy Keyboard/Electronic albums (that’s why we called it Black Schizophrenic Metal). We have our own style. Sound has changed because we finally found good studio with good sound engineer (until "Planet Paranoia" album we have been recording every release in different places. Often with people who didn't know anything about Black Metal). We have recorded there three materials so far - "Planet Paranoia" full lenght 2010, "Drowning In Schizophrenic Depression" - Illness / S.I.R.S. split 2011, and upcoming ”PsychoPath” full length 2012.
Your line-up has always been made only from the two founder members, a middle way between the "complete" bands and the Black Metal trend of the one man bands; is there a reason behind this choice or is it just because you can manage everything yourselves?
We can manage everything by ourselves. We don’t need anybody else. It is our concept and nobody else would fit in. Sometimes we use session members or guests, but we have always been a "two members band".
The drum machine is unpopular in the Metal field, but in music like yours the mechanic sound may be good. Did you ever think to use real drums or do you think that the drum machine perfectly fits your music?
Automatic drums are part of the concept. They sounds inhuman and cold. We like it that way. We could have a "live drummer" but we don’t want that. When we were starting Illness, there were not so many bands who were using drum machine in their music (black metal). Later on it became trend and most of "home recording black metalers" start to use it. It’s quite possible that we will have live drums in some tracks in the future but we will never gonna have "full member" drummer.
How do you write your songs? Who writes the music and who the lyrics?
I write all guitars tracks and lyrics, I’m also doing drum programming. Carrion writes all keyboards songs (he wrote one guitar song for upcoming album ("PsychoPath"). He lately started playing bass. I used to play it before. We choose samples from films together.
Let's talk about you outside the band: any hobbies?
Music, books, movies. Art in general. Trips to forests, mountains…
Which are your favorite albums that you consider fundamental for your musical growth?
"Under The Sign Of The Black Mark", "Pleasure To Kill", "In The Sign Of Evil", "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", "In The Streams Of Inferno"... Too many to mention (considering even only metal music ). We started to listen to metal music in late 80’. There were so many great albums back then.
Back to the band: after "Planet Paranoia" you released a split with S.I.R.S. (I read that it's a Dark Ambient project), how was this collaboration born? Did it go well?
It went fine. We are very satisfied. L. Ghost contacted with me by e-mail and asked if we want to do split with S.I.R.S.. We agreed cause we heard "Fungemia" demo and we really liked it. We have always been into ambient music so we thought that it will be good combination. We have recorded our stuff and I ve helped L. Ghost with his tracks doing some vocals, guitars, samples. Few months after I've became S.I.R.S. member. Split was released in three formats: Cd, Special Dvd pack, Tape.
Last year you re-released your entire discography in tapes, how and why did you make this?
We did it because we are still tape maniacs, and we know that a lot of people like this format as well. I wrote to a guy who owns small underground label and asked him about releasing "Trupi Jad" on tape. He wanted to release all our materials. We have agreed to release everything except for split Illness/S.I.R.S.. It was released by German Runenstein Records.
Did you ever play your songs live? Or at least did you think about it, even if you are only two?
We don’t play live. We see Black Metal as an Art, not as another way of being famous or making money. We care about the music, about the message, not about fans and shows. Maybe we will do one special gig someday but we don’t know when and if.
Surfing on your myspace I read about your next release ("PsychoPath"). Any news about it? Do you already know when it will be released?
New album entitled "PsychoPath" is already recorded. Now it is during mixing and mastering process. Hopefully it will be finished untill the end of july. The label that have released our last two materials (Nihil Art Rec) have some problems with money so I’m not sure if they will manage to release "PsychoPath". If not, we will look for something else.
Other news about your future?
After releasing "PsychoPath" we will finish to work on split Illness/Klver and will start to work on a new hymns for mcd entitled "Trumna" (Coffin). Of course we will continue to work with our side projects.
Thanks for the time spent with us, the last message for our readers is up to you.
Never Stop The Madness!!! Anybody intersted in buying our cd, tapes can contact us at: Illness666[at]wp.pl or www.myspace.com/illnesshorde.
