Together in Darkness

Beautiful word Foscor means "darkness" in Catalan language, and darkness is beautiful. Spanish band Foscor are in constant motion. Being a black metal band of the 66th wave of BM, they know the past, but aren't afraid to explore the new, or their innerselves. AM contacted the band and bassist/vocalist Fiar responded.

AM: Greetings from Finland! At last we're getting closer to the beginning of Autumn here, so it is time for rain and coldness. How are things in Barcelona, Spain?

Fiar: Greetings Lane!! Good enough. Preparing the current live performances season due to the recent release of our third album 'Groans to the Guilty'. As always, it is hard to take care of personal tasks and the band ones, but just the strength and the will help to continue living this emotional experience.

AM: "Foscor perform dark black metal exclusively," as it says on the band's website. You live far from the cold, dark North. How do you describe your music yourselves? How can you enter the right mindset living in a warm Mediterranean country? Okay, the Pyrenees area is colder...
Your evident influences lie in the North, but is there more into it, for example Spain's/Catalonia's musical heritage or perhaps something else? Having not heard any other release from Foscor, but just some old songs, I've noticed that the band have perhaps broadened their musical manifestation, since all the older songs I've heard are more brutal than some of the new album's pieces. Can you shed some light on the musical evolution of Foscor?

Fiar: Very interesting theme Lane, indeed. Well, it's obvious that darkness is a concept applied to the lyrical side with no limits I think. We cannot deny our musical background, and most important inspiration comes from the Northern heritage, as well as some other styles developed during the years in other countries than our. Concerning the "warm Mediterranean country" reference, I will answer you with another question: Do you feel something closed to your emotional landscape listening to Foscor,s music?? I think the answer is "yes", 'cause the feedback received, The same with many other people around the world or living in these "cold and dark" countries, I think music is a language that speaks with the emotions and everybody is up to speak with its.
About our style, we feel comfortable with the 90s black metal lessons, and during all these years what we have tried to reach, is a personal way to use it. Fit into our own emotions and vital path. Dark?? Yes. Because what we express is an opened view of the black metal language. No limits or references shall cut the wings of our music. Always using darkness (Foscor in Catalan tongue) as the main carpet to lay in, I think our music has walked from a primitive language related with our personal resources, to a more complex variated and solid speech. I think our music has always caught a high density and dynamism which set our own rules playing music, but the approach to a more personal side and the losing of the chains we could have with the "style" made our music become something more organic, an at least emotional. Over is the aggressiveness kept since the first album. We are passionate music listeners, and surely nowadays more opened to other sounds than to what black metal offers us today. I think the word "dark". Which could be related with dark metal or something similar comes to us as the perfect excuse to fit various horizons into a personal language for black metal.

AM: The band was formed in 1997. It has been a long road already. What moments in the history of the band are the most important ones?

Fiar: Well. The first 3 years were of calmer composing time with Falke at home. I think we learnt during these years and 'cause our participation in other bands, how the scene worked. On 2001 we started to spread our first demo 'Promo 2001' with 3 songs which got good feedback, and fast rose up a couple of offers from the labels. It was not 'till 2004 when the French label Sacral Productions released the first album 'Entrance to the Shadows' Village'. It was a very important moment 'cause we got the complete line-up for the band, and we started to perform on stage. I think it is very important ; the live moment for Foscor, to understand the emotional side our music keeps. After this important moment, I think we got the perfect group of friends to keep working today in Foscor's music. So many different moments, experiences on stage, band meetings. I'm not sure at all. But apart of every album recording session, which is a very special moment. I think the best new for us is to keep being the same people with the same will to keep walking together and get new and best moments playing music.

AM: Foscor's official (not counting the split albums) third album 'Groans to the Guilty' was released last July. How do you feel about it now, a few months later? How it has been taken received by metal community, meaning the fans and the media?

Fiar: Lucky for us, and according with our feeling with the album, most part of the media feedback and audience, understand 'Groans to the Guilty' as an evolution, as a new moment which expresses more things than the previous albums with less resources. It was our wish when we started to compose the album. And to see how people understands the bands evolution from the logical point of view, album after album, make us feel very proud of the result, indeed. We have always tried to create new works, new songs, which apart to talk about ourselves, could be read by itself. I mean, as people explain, all can be understood 'cause the past heritage we left, but as now happens, when people can feel each new song as a new emotional chapter, as discovering and entering to a new room. I think it's the best feedback we can receive from people. Concerning live acts, the new songs work incredibly well. Mixing ethereal and so dense moments with the aggressive and dynamic touch Foscor has shown always. We feel that too. New songs let the ambient become something so vital, so special.

AM: I had to review 'Groans to the Guilty' without any lyrics. Now that I have studied them, I've come to notice that Foscor bash religions as any black metal band must. However, the lyrics differ from the usual "kill God, kill Christ" stuff. Death is another matter you inspect. Some lyrics are in Catalan language, too. Can you depict the lyrics and their meanings deeper?

Fiar: Well, I'm glad you think our lyrics are different. We have always jointed the philosophical and historic background to try to develop for the current days a discussion about the human being. Basing the lyrics in different points of view for the same theme: the path - the walk - the trip of Life. How Death can be considered the best partner to live each day at maximum, and how important is to study and discover the self being to control the rhythm of the walk and what it supposes related with all around us.
Religions are important to understand the masses movement across the centuries, but it is more important how the individual can reach the truth of Life's enigma. And hold some kind of emotional control. To dance with the Death is better than become dead by the human being behaviour.

AM: The cover artwork of 'Groans to the Guilty' is very eerie indeed. Sadly this promo copy doesn't include much else. How important is the whole appearance?

Fiar: It is important, but at least is a complement to the most important thing, the music. Sometimes people ask me about the lyrics and its meaning to understand Foscor's propose. Wrong. Music talks by itself - no need for lyrics or images. Anyway, we love to take care into the rest of elements, as another instrument to let people enter into this personal room and landscape. If the lyrics are made by me, the artwork is usually developed by another person, which transfers another point of view to what music expresses. Anyway, works in the same way: First comes the music, the composition - then when the songs are closed, the lyrics express the emotions inside - and after that, the Designer closes the landscape allowing the listener and ourselves to create limits for the horizon of the Life moment. For 'Groans to the Guilty' Costin from Twilight13Media worked incredibly well the visual map for the album, describing with the cover the lose of control and perspective the human has while crossing the narrow corridor of Life, and then using a harsh elements garden to translate our emotion into music with the draw. So, yes, is very important, but not in itself, just as a consequence of a growing path from the composition to the album closed.

AM: Black metal has became commercial, especially during the last decade or so. Foscor's ideology is totally different, right?

Fiar: Yes. As I explained in the first question, Foscor's music is the way we have to talk about ourselves, and share at least with people the way we live the Life, and how deep is the emotional path we started some years ago. There's no other wish than adapt our music to our daily reality. Obviously and as I explained you before, 'cause our passionate music listening we know what the bands do, or which styles are more popular. Sometimes we can get ideas, speeches, colours. But the most important think is to develop what we started in 1997, believing stronger than other thing in the emotional musical language's roots, into new, better, deeper and more dense moments the Foscor's music... Lucky for us there are some labels which during the years have trusted in us and helped to spread calmly our propose. But the important point is the experience, the share of emotions with people, and to keep talking sincerely about ourselves with this music.

AM: How is metal music doing in Spain and especially in Catalonia? Any suggestions, which bands all metal heads must check out?

Fiar: It is a reality that Spain or Catalonia especially are so far from what in the rest of Europe bands are developing or proposing. It is the reason 'cause you mentioned the Northern heritage before. It's obvious that here was not created a style. But continuing with the attitude expressed for us before I think there are acts that have got the perfect way of work, with a very personal propose and new things to offer people. There are very few bands to put the eye and ears on, but for example Lux Divina with a very organic and naturalistic BM, Vidres a la Sang with a complex but majestic death metal, Narsilion and the rest of projects these guys have for ambient music, or dark ambient noise, Fayrierie - dark acoustic music, Shemhamphorash - occultist BM, Graveyard with a rotten old school death metal. From the rest of Spain, sure I should have to mention the cult grind death act Machetazo, Empty or Dantalion with a negative BM language, and into other styles, Nehemah - progressive, Moho or Othodox more stoner and sludge sounds, Dishammer, Proclamation or Teitan Blood for cult old sounds for death metal or black metal. All of them will not disappoint each type of listener.

AM: How is your label Temple Of Darkness Records handling the business?

Fiar: When we started with Temple Of Darkness Records, the label sited in the same city (Barcelona), we were impressed by the horizon and clear attitude they had. I mean, a label from our hometown with the same seriousness and foreign horizon than us. It was promising, indeed. We bet for it 'cause one of the priorities for us is to grow as a band but try to make move the scene here. So to work and make stronger a collaboration like that from our country, appeared as a very interesting opportunity after the not brilliant experience with our first label, the French Sacral productions, which died a few months after release our first album. Something similar happened with Adipocere Rec. Once they re-released the first album. So first of all, the bet for a home partner. Then the result has been better than the expected, sincerely. I think Temple Of Darkness Rec. can't manage all the promotion it needs, but concerning distribution, it's clear it let us arrive to many new people. Places and countries, which latter, cause our efforts makes have new doors opened concerning live shows, or new editions, etc. We are so glad with the collaboration made 'till now.

AM: Foscor's member also play in other bands. How do they all go hand in hand, like musicwise and timewise?

Fiar: As everybody could imagine, if we are here and playing in other bands is cause the same passion we feel listening music. It is a need, the motor makes run the wheels. So, when we get enough time to concentrate the efforts in the live acts, or to compose, or with the other projects. No one make us earn money or leave our jobs. So, everything is done cause we want, not cause someone asks us to do it. Sometimes it's normal to consider one of the bands the main one. Surely 'cause it has more resources or let us enjoy more different things. But here's the key: When anybody has no pressure to do things and create music, just the time and the Life's moment can let everybody find the best period to reach the best propose. That's why usually all this bands have something special to offer. Could like or not, but no one is done just to make some CD copies. Everything has a meaning.

AM: Are you planning do play live soon? Which do you prefer more, recording albums or playing live shows?

Fiar: During '09-'10 season, we have closed a 10 dates tour with our mates Vidres a la Sang, which have picked up to different Spanish cities to introduce our new album. On April we visited for first time Germany with 3 dates and sharing stage with bands like Forgotten Tomb, Inquisition, Setherial or Impiety. And now we still trying to open the horizon to new countries. In fact both moments are so pleasant and important. The recording sessions are the result of a long period of work together with the rest of members. It is like to see your son alive at least. Then, later, the gigs makes the son grow. stronger and with the interesting feedback with the audience, which gives the songs a new dimension.

AM: Can you tell the latest news from Foscor camp?

Fiar: We have just started in May '10 to work in the next 4th album. It is a long way to the moment it could be closed musically and conceptually, and ready to be recorded, but we hope we could have it done for mid 2011, at the same time than some other projects, to celebrate the 10th anniversary from our first promo. Vinyl editions of all the works are planned too. For then, as well as a live DVD performance edition. Finally, it's time to announce the recent agreement with another Catalan partner, to take care of the booking management. It's called Stigia Management, and comes up following the same philosophy than the Temple Of Darkness Rec. agreement. We really think it could give us a new dimension of work - necessary for ourselves, and to develop the band's aspects with enough dedication and time.

AM: Good luck to you and Foscor, with your forthcoming adventures. We have to wrap up this interview now, so thank you for your time.

Fiar: Thanks a lot Lane for the interview and your interest. It has been a pleasure to share some time with you. Together in Darkness!

Foscor (from left ot right): Falke (lead & rhythm guitars), Fiar (bass, vocals), Wilhkiem (rhythm guitars) and Nechrist (drums, percussion).

05/15/2010 22:36