MISANTHROPIC RAGE = Avant-garde Black Metal from Poland
Interview: AR – Guitar, Vocals
Welcome! How are you and how MISANTHROPIC RAGE are doing just now?How could you describe MISANTHROPIC RAGE for the one who do not know yet the band?
Hi, thanx for taking interest. Right now, MISANTHROPIC RAGE is kinda frozen. We have been focused more on our families and jobs and making music is not as important as it used to be. For new listeners, I would say that MISANTHROPIC RAGE is just a passionate project which represents a very specific kind of extreme music. It’s nothing new, frankly speaking, nothing fresh, but in my opinion it is full of heart and real dedication.
MISANTHROPIC RAGE was born in 2015, what memories do you have of those first moments of the band? When did you understand that MISANTHROPIC RAGE would be more than of hobby with records and promo things?
Again, this is not a band per se. It started as a one man musical trip in my bedroom with a bunch of demos recorded as a way to escape from daily life issues. It’s been a hobby and it will always be. I am not interested in making a full time band anymore. Whenever I feel the inspiration for doing something musically, I do it. It’s not a matter of any kind of deadlines or schedules. Just a passion for making music.
When it comes to memories from 2015. Well, we had a lot of great time doing the first LP together with W. We spent a lot of time in a small cottage located in a village nearby. Fortunately, we knew shit about the “scene” or how the music industry works, so we were happy about everything. It was a great time. A lot has changed since then all over the world.
Could you please share some information about your new CD? Was there any specific aspect of the last album you wanted to change on this new one? How do you think this album differs from 2019’s “Towards the Greyscale Aphorysm”?
Well, the main difference is the third person who participated in the recording session. We found a drummer named Curse who helped us to record all the drum parts. After the third album “ Towards”, we’ve decided to try playing live shows. So we needed additional members. Curse is responsible for writing and recording drums on a new album. We have also got a second guitar player who helped us with gigs, but unfortunately he wasn’t interested in sharing a recording experience so he wasn’t involved in “Hallucinatory”.
What can I say about the new LP? It’s very solid record, very heavy oriented. Production wise, it is something different. I think that this album represents and summarizes the whole statement of Misanthropic Rage. It is psychedelic, it is trippy. Unfortunately, you need to be focused on listening to those tracks, which is very hard for skipping people these days. It is not for everybody, definitely, but I think that if you dedicate a few hours you will gain some respect for “Hallucinatory Phenomena”.
Do you ever go back to ideas not used on previous albums?
No, never. I live the exact moment. When I am inspired I can write a whole album in two days without looking back and no further thinking. It is a very natural and spontaneous process.
Along with the deep and dreariness, the album is very variously. Songs like “Further” and “Void” have instant appeal. For you, what moments stick out the most?
I don’t have any favorites, because as an author I can’t find any distance yet. I think the whole album works perfectly as a whole.
Please, can you introduce basic concept of “Hallucinatory Phenomena”? When did you start the composing of this new work?
I wrote the album during the first lockdown when I was diagnosed with a Covid virus. I spent a few days in my bedroom with instruments and all those ideas came really quickly to my mind. But the first trigger, the very first thing which made me decide to record another album was the title. W. sent me the lyrics to the title track and it inspired me big time. Immediately, I had a picture of the whole thing in my head.
Booklet and design of physical CD is really beautiful. Do you want to give your fans more options when buying your music? How important is merchandising for your band?
Thank you. The whole layout was done by myself and my brother who helped me to scan those paintings and organize them. We all can observe a trend, a tendency to do everything digitally. Don’t get me wrong, I am a person who can admire digital paintings, designs, streaming platforms and all that modern stuff. But… I miss the real thing. For me a CD, a physical CD is still a piece of art. Seeing a real painting on a canvas not a fucking NFT is still one of the most beautiful and inspirational thing. I am very happy and proud of the covers from previous albums made by Maciej Kamuda and I think that they perfectly represent “the trilogy”. This time I wanted to achieve something different. With having a real drummer, with the different recording methods I realized that this album is something bigger, more ambitious and I wanted to underline that statement with a different approach to cover art.
Quite a lot has happened in the music world since you released debut ”Gates No Longer Shut”. How do you experience the transition to the digital music? Are you prefer physical CD/LP in personal live too?
As I said before. I miss the old times and I can’t understand the current changes. The world has gone mad. We live in Poland and I can write a whole fucking book about how fucked up country it is. First pandemic, now a war which we’re not a part of, but the repercussions of this situation are destroying our comfortable and stable safety zone. I am afraid for my family and probably because of that I can’t think about making music anymore. Last few years brought a new order which we all need to accept even if we hate it. It is a very depressing time also for the music business. People don’t think about buying records anymore.
Many bands like to promote themselves and their music through social media and connect with their fans this way. Is it an important thing for your band?
No, we only have a little information about album releases on our social media. Nothing more. We are not the type of guys who will post shitty things only for distraction and attention. I don’t get those projects/bands (whatever you call it) who are picturing themselves as so fucking dangerous or satanic on social medias or how they hate the whole fucking world, but the very next day they post something about a charity or about collecting money for another LP or video. This is so pathetic. We are who we are. I am an animal lover and a family guy whose hobby is music and art and you can find that content on my social media.
MISANTHROPIC RAGE has been with Godz ov War Productions for a long time and are one of the staple black metal death metal acts on the roster. To what do you attribute this long lasting relationship? Are you friends?
Friend is a huge word, but we´re good partners in business. I think that Greg is one of the last real down to earth people in the music industry. He understands our music and he is very supportive so I don’t see any point in looking for somebody else to release our music. Godz ov War is the perfect label for us. It’s as weird as our hallucinogenic tunes.
What future plans do you have for MISANTHROPIC RAGE in terms of concerts or tour?
No future plans. As I mentioned before. The project has been frozen for a year right now and we have stopped making music. Everybody is busy with crazy daily routines and I’m pretty sure that it’s the last full length album of MISANTHROPIC RAGE. Time will tell.
Anything else you guys want to add for our readers and your fans in Czech Republic?
Hope you will like our new effort. It is very demanding, but we all put whole hearts in it so please take your time and listen. Thank you for taking interest.
ALL