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Interview
Deutsche VersionInterview mit The Batallion (08.05.2008)
HH: Hey Batallion, how are you doing? Your debut-CD Stronghold Of Men has now been released; how are the reactions so far?
Stud: Were doing bloody great! Just got back from the Karmøygeddon Festival were we had a helluva good time and thrashing gig. Reactions to the album have been very good and resulted in lots of offers to play gigs, and we now also got a deal with a booking agency called Photograve. They also have Immortal, Emperor etc.
HH: Batallion is a term out of the military sector, so are you all interested in facts which belong to war? Why did you change the name into Batallion, because the word is originally written Battalion?
Stud: Yes,we are interested in the facts, but personally I'm fascinated with the "atomsphere" of war. Wether it be WW2, WW1 or ancient wars. The aggressions and mind traumas people involved with a war experience. The word "battallion" was originally written "batallion" back in the 1800s.
I have been to museums around the world and have seen it written many times that way. And since we are an old school band we wanted to spell it the old way.
HH: Tell me something about the history of the band; when it was founded, are there demo-releases and did you share the stage with some bigger bands?
Stud: We started as a band in the summer of 2006. When I found the right members it was easy and we just clicked. Our first four song demo was pressed on both CD and vinyl in 500 copies each on our own label Masculin Records. All self financed. Then we got a few offers from labels, and landed on Dark Essence Records. We have shared stage with
bands like Satyricon, Gorefest, Necrophobic, Audiopain etc..
HH: Was this your first time in a professional recording-studio? If yes, how was it? Are some funny anecdotes out the recording session?
Stud: No, our demo was recorded professionally. We have all been in bands like Old Funeral, Grimfist, Taake, Borknagar etc. so we have absolutely been in a studio before! The recording was great. We had a huge party when I laid down the vocals. Abbath from Immortal came down and did some backing vocals on "Man To Man Warfare" and "Detonate". And we had two people from Hellish Outcast doing backing on "March Of The Veterans". Then we drank lots of beer and whisky and smoked tons of Marlboros to get the atmosphere right. Rock'n'roll hell!
HH: You are living in Bergen, so how easy is it to establish for death/trash-band in a city which is ruled by black metal? Do you have any connections to this scene?
Stud: Connections in the scene? I was one of the few people who started it with Old Funeral back in 1988! Bergen is a small city so I know virtually everybody who plays in a metal band there. It was difficult finding the right people, yes. That's why I have waited this long to start a band. Everybody is playing with everybody else, and I don't wanna be a part of that. We are a decent band with no session members like most of the other bands have. We need to focus 100% and then it's just too much stress to have members playing in a million bands. I don't care if I'm 35 years old. I have found what I was looking for in members and music.
HH: Which bands made you to play in a band or to form an extreme metal band?
Stud: Back in the day it was bands like Motorhead, Sodom, Possessed, Slayer and Metallica. The early 80's stuff. And it still is! Hah! I very rarely listen to new music as I get little out of it. I detect no spirit and guts. I miss the excitement and danger of the old days. Call me stupid or old fashioned if you like, but that's the way it is for me. People always tell me that I can't live in the old times, musically, forever. I'm sorry, but I can, and I will, unless something great comes along, and it hasn't.
HH: With which bands would you like to share a stage in future?
Stud: Motorhead, Sodom, Immortal, Destruction, Carcass and the rest of the old classic bands. But's it not that important. What is important is that we get out and play and raise hell! But I have to admit that being support for Motorhead is a childhood dream. I've met them many times and they are all great guys.
HH: Beside your own album, to which bands are you listening at the moment?
Stud: Right now I actually listen to some old Isengard. Earlier today I listened to an old punk band called Dead Boys and before that, today, I listened to an old bootleg recording from 1973 with Black Sabbath. I also recently went to London to a record fair, and there I got some
vinyls by Thin Lizzy, Roky Erickson, Fastway, The Damned, Edgar Broughton, and the new Hellhammer triple vinyl set. I also got a bootleg recording of the Ace Frehley show I attended in London at Astoria in April which I listen a lot to. When I wanna find new stuff to listen to, I go back in time. Haha.
HH: Are there concrete plans for the future? A tour? Festivals? Some new releases or anything like that?
Stud: All the things you mention. We hope our new booking agent will get us lots of gigs and festivals, and we have already started to write new songs for the second album. The plans are to play and play and play. Just kick ass and rock the fucking globe as much as possible! Allright!
HH: If you have to describe your music to a person, which has no entry to the metal-scene! How would this description look like?
Stud: I would descibe it as "hard" music, and then tell the person to stay away from us!
HH: So, these were my questions! Thank you for your patience and for the answers! The last words are yours!
Stud: Thank you for your interest in The Batallion. I would like to inform the readers that our debut Stronghold Of Men will also be available on limited edition black gatefold vinyl and picture disc in July 2008. If you can't afford our album, go and steal it! Stay old!
Basti