INQUINOK - ENTREVISTA

 1 Tell us a little bit as the idea of forming the group, back in 2000. How joined Dantven later? which offer you Inquinok with respect to other bands in which you participate?

               Krelian: Inquinok was formed by our original lead guitar player Andrew Lawrence and myself who started the concept of the band or the beginnings of the band back in 2000 when we used to get together and write music all day. A lot of the times we would bounce ideas off each other and there was quite a few times like for instance with the song Shadows Amongst The Moonlight where I would write the guitar parts and Andrew wrote the keyboard parts while going over the song. We later formed a full band once we got our original bass player (Jeffrey Hayes III) and drummer (Tyburn aka Martin Berg). We’ve had quite a few lineup changes over the years, Dantven joined us originally on keyboards and later changed his stage name to Cedron when he switched to drums (after Tyburn left the band). Dantven was the drummer on our debut album and also did the drums on this newest album. The other bands I am in are Shaded Enmity which I play Bass in is about to release a new album and Somnae which I am the vocalist and bassist for (which we are finishing up our debut album).

2.            In 2006 took a hiatus with the group, would at some point thought about throwing in the towel and end forever Inquinok?

                Krelian: Yeah when Dantven and Anna who was our keyboard player at the time left the band it was a major setback and it took us a few years to get the appropriate lineup for Immortal Dawn with the addition of Tormentor (Simon Dorfman) on drums, Arnor (Ryan Patterson) on keyboards as well as Kythving (Rob Steinway) joining on Bass. The band practically had to start from scratch besides Mordred (Joe Nurre) and myself keeping the band going or wanting to at least. To answer the question though yeah I have thought about ending Inquinok quite a few times but I keep it going (at least put out albums) as long as I am feeling it or wanting to create music for it.

3.            "Dimension of I", carries on the street almost four months, differences can be found with respect to "Immortal Dawn"? do has been the composition of "Dimension of I" process, how long you carried composing it, etc..?

                Krelian: Dimesion of I was in the works since 2009 really but most of the songs were written in 2011 and eventually recorded in 2012. Immortal Dawn was written mostly by myself as well but we did work on the songs quite a bit in practice and even wrote a lot of the title track together. Also that album features a song that Mordred wrote the music for and I wrote the lyrics (Divine Tragedy). Dimension of I was all me although Dantven had a ton of creative freedom with his drum parts which I was really happy with what he came up with.

4.            To date, do you see the black scene? Has changed much scene with respect to when it began with Inquinok in 2000?

                Krelian: Yeah I think quite a bit has changed since 2000 and most of the change has happen in the last 5 years or so, mostly with this new movement of post black/post metal whatever you want to call it. There are a lot of bands doing this style now which don’t get me wrong I do like some of it but that is something I’ve noticed. This latest album although has a lot of black metal influence in it, I see it as mostly a hybrid of styles as I wanted to keep things more open with the material and writing..as opposed to Immortal Dawn which was very aggressive black metal.

5.            What are your sources of inspiration when composing? that groups are the main influences?

                Krelian: I’m really big into creating certain atmosphere’s so that’s usually what I focus on when I’m writing a particular song and I usually just write songs by sitting down with my guitar. Every once and awhile I write a keyboard part to focus the guitar around but that hasn’t been the case the last two albums as much as it was the first. As for influences I probably have quite a few but when it comes to the style the big ones that come to mind are Emperor, Dissection, Immortal and Satyricon along with lots of classical and soundtrack music in general.

6.            Music equipment do you use? is the same equipment used in the study that used live?

                Krelian: Well Inquinok hasn’t played live since 2009 but if I did at the moment I would not use the gear I used when recording, because I was using direct recording gear for the last album. I decided to go direct for this album as opposed to micing just to make my life a bit easier with making it as clean of a recording as possible. I wasn’t 100% happy with the guitar tone but I think I got a decent tone for what I used. Live performances we always used either Marshall or Peavey heads with 1960 marshall cab (at least myself).

7.             Seattle has good bands, but above all it is known for being the birthplace of the grunge movement, What memories do you keep from that time? What today as you consider the local scene is at the level of groups of black?

                Krelian: Hopefully I’m understanding the question correctly but I was a teenager when the grunge movement was in full swing or at the height of popularity and I liked some of it like Alice In Chains and Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden. I got way more into metal a little after that where I was really big into the 80’s thrash movement, which is what influenced me to play guitar because I thought the guitar riffs were so badass with bands like Slayer, Metallica (80’s Metallica that is, ha ha). As for the second part I’m not sure what you are asking but we have a decent black metal scene here, I really don’t pay that much attention but I know there is quite a few bands but I believe most of them these days are this new age of black metal sounding bands which I discussed earlier, or post black whatever you want to call it. I wouldn’t say by any means that it matches what they had going with the grudge movement as that was a pretty unique movement from around here that I doubt anything will match it; maybe not in quality per se but when it comes to something new and exciting that would ignite the whole country and world like that movement did.

               

8. Inquinok music of wood has been edited independently without the presence of any record label, What is this, there is no label interested in releasing your material or is it well of your ideology and have more controlled your work ?

Krelian:  Honestly no label has wanted to pick us up, I worked hard in the past to try and get Inquinok signed but really it just seemed that no label wanted to touch a black metal band such as us. I think even more so today because we aren’t doing the newest trend and are quite traditional with our style, meaning that labels don’t see the money signs in their eyes when they listen to us. I’m fine with keeping Inquinok independent at this point as I full control over everything when it comes to the band.

9.            What are five key discs in the scene of the black of all time for you?

                Krelian: Let’s see that could be a tough but I’ll just go by the albums I enjoy to listen to the most. I’d say Emperor’s Nightside Eclipse and Anthems, Dissection’s Storm of the Light’s Bane, Immortal’s Damned in Black or Sons of Northern Darkness (hard to choose between those two) and probably Satyricon’s Nemesis Devina.

10.          Are you happy of how has been welcomed this "Dimension of I" by the press and fans alike? who has fond memories of the career of Inquinok? what have been your worst moments as a group?

                Krelian: This album hasn’t gotten a lot of press but then again I haven’t promoted it that much and because I haven’t made actual pressed CD I haven’t sent out any CD’s for reviews or anything. As for the fans, I think the new album has been well perceived overall, I really created it for myself ultimately and it was a more personal album lyrically so felt like it had to be done. I Think people should take their time with this album, you might not get it all on your first listen, it’s one of those that I think gets better with more plays. I have a lot of fond memories with this band from getting together with Andrew to write/work on the songs, playing all day at his place to our first live shows to the immortal dawn lineup and those live shows..most of my fond memories have to do with playing as a band live. As for worst moments that would be the two hiatus periods when we lost Dantven and Anna around that time as we were dealing with quite a bit of drama in the band and in 2009 with the split up because I felt like we had built some great momentum in 2007/8. The band has had many setbacks but it’s also had a lot of good times, either way as long as I have material for Inquinok and want to keep this band going it will keep going.

11.          Thank you very much for your time, if you want to add something to the people who likes Inquinok, this is the place, thank you. I hope that the questions have been to your liking.

            Krelian: Thanks for the interview, some great question which I appreciate. Also thanks to the people that have supported this band throughout the years and the new fans that have come across Inquinok’s music and enjoyed it. I always really appreciate the support!