Grimwald’s Italians have been around since 2008. The band emerged after a “split up” and has been solidifying in the underground ever since. The band is one of the great promises of Lower Salesian Stronghold. I’ve been talking to Helvoth since long before, the idea of the magazine and the portal didn’t exist and we were both trying to launch something in the same period just before the pandemic. What was just a work contact became a friendship and then I got to know better this great artist behind this promising project. Welcome to Grinwald world!
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You played in Vinterfrost before founding Grimwald. Tell us a little about it.
Yes, I played for a long time with Vinterfrost, a band that I founded with Pest (R.I.P.) in 2002; after several line up changes, a demo and a self produced album we split up. After one year I decided to start again with a brand new project: Grimwald!!
What could you tell us about the new album “Lux Perit in Tenebris”? It is a killer album! And the first one I heard.
That album was the product of the “core” of the band, which is (and was) represented by Sariel and me. The early years were marked by the first four members line up, which worked! But, after the second ep “The berserker” we realized that Grimwald should have worked at their best as a two men band.
Our inspiration was stronger and stronger, as it is now; members of the band might come and go, who knows?… but Helvoth remains because Helvoth is Grimwald. No compromise!
Now the line up is made up by me (guitars, bass, keys and music composition) and Zane Young of Elegiac and Blitzgeist from the USA (vocals, drums and lyrics). We are preparing the next two Grimwald albums and, again with Lower Silesian Stronghold, we will reissue our first album “Über Grimlands düsteren wäldern”.
Krzysztof is making a really good job with his label. Glad to work with him.
In general, which are the lyrics about? There is some heritage theme, war, legends and hatred. Tell us more…
Our lyrics are usually based on stories concerning our region, Piedmont (in the very northwestern part of Italy), our city, Turin, and our mountains, the Alps. The legends and fables which make this area up are plenty of topics to take lyrics from; but in general, hate against humanity, visions of war and dark feelings as well play an important role when it comes to write a new song.
Now Zane is writing most of the lyrics, for we no longer talk about the history of the city of Turin, nor the Piedmont region. But we’re developing runology into lyrics, while musicwise we are keeping a well balanced style, drifting between old school Black metal parts and ambient intermezzos.
What is the Italian metal scene nowadays for a Black Metal band and other genres?
I think that the metal scene in Italy is strong, this country is full of great bands throughout every subgenre of heavy metal; the problem are the venues to play where… conditions are worsening year by year!
A horde of excellent bands are overactive here: Herjan, Via Dolorosa, Black Flame, Imago Mortis, Movimento d’Avanguardia Ermetico…
What have you been listening to nowadays?
Black metal is the genre I mostly listen to. I also like ambient, classical music and traditional heavy metal; musicwise, I’m inspired by a lot of bands, or maybe none of them, but also by nature sounds, landscapes, or even a walk into the wilderness. During the last period of time I’ve been listening to Vardan, Amorphis, Apolokia, Vivaldi, Vinterriket, Moloch, Nokturne, Vril, Avsky, Exciter, Chopin, Vivaldi, Wagner, Revenge, Dark Fury, Selbstmord, Elegiac.
You are not just a musician, but you are woking with some interesting business people. You also have a distro label.
I’d like to hail and thank Andrii of Vacula Productions, for he’s a very committed person, so active and industrious within underground; we’ve always got along, and now I’m one of the italian distributors for his label, with my own distro label Odal Underground Distro (which I released an official Grimwald rehearsal tape with).
Talking about Brazilian underground music scene, What have you listened to?
Yes, I know and appreciate several bands from Brazil and south America: Sepultura (of early times), Sarcofago, Furor Volturno, Evil, Seges Findere, Wolfherr, Anal Vomit. I hail Henke of Hammer of Damnation!
Much appreciated my friend! You’re always welcome! Could you tell us your priorities for this disturbing year of 2021?
My priority for this brand new 2021 is to release the new album, with the Polish label Lower Silesian Stronghold. It has no title yet, we still have to decide about the lyrics.
Then, to think about the sequel, I already have some new tracks waiting to be released.
Grimwald will fiercely go on!
Thank you again! We can’t wait for this new album! Let us know so we could review it and share the plague!
It was a pleasure for me too, thanks for calling me and supporting my band, Henke!
Hails from the Alps! I hail all the black metal fans in south America. Best regards, take care!
Helvoth.
