Interview by Si Smith
Intro by Miriam C.
A new “militant” is born. Tiril Skardal has left the band and we took occasion for speak and present to all the read the new singer Marja Panic and the new opus “Equate” out on Wormholedeath now.
“No names…..no way to talk or get to know us…we are fucking NOTHING!” With a statement like this in the band bio, isn’t it difficult to then answer interview questions about yourself?
The meaning of this statement is that doesn’t matter where we come from, which names we have, the job we do. We fight for animal rights and nature preservation and we act in different ways and one these is The Way of Purity. Paradoxically, I’m telling more about myself in this way, because this explains exactly our priorities and essence.
You recently joined The Way Of Purity after the departure of their previous vocalist Tiril. How did the band and you get together?
I simply had an audition and then we spent time together discovering our common interests.
You have very strong ideals yourself – how will these interact with the band’s strong ideology?
It is all well combined, harmonized, we value all the opinions respecting each other, it is like one entity moving by itself with an unique purpose.
The band descibes itself as a “militant” band. In what ways are you militant?
For what we say and what we do, activism through everything characterizes our lives. Every single daily action should be thought in relation to what surrounds us and consequences. We are militant cause we try to change, starting from ourselves and then indirectly and directly to exchange our experiences and energy with other people.
The cover of “Equate” is rich with symbology. Could you explain a little to us?
The symbology is strictly connetted to the title and the entire meaning of the album, it represents antispecism, we come all from nature and we are all animals, on the same level , we are able to feel and perceive emotions, we suffer and we feel pain, we share love. Growing up we usually develop a thing I call “preferential empathy”, it works for family, sometimes friends and the cat or the little red fish you have in your house but the rest of world? This form of alienation brings us to think we are not part of something and leaves us the hypocrisy that eating the cow in her final packaging without knowing where she comes from, how she lived and died is a “normal” thing, but the idea of eating our cat makes us feel bad…
“Eleven” was a collaboration with Giulia from Ravenscry. How did Giulia fit into the whole ethos of the band?
Since we are on the same label we have known each other. We loved her voice and we also liked Ravenscry‘s album so we asked our label, Wormholedeath, to manage that guest recordings from Giulia during our studio session, and we did it!
I believe you are already working on new songs with the band. How is that progressing?
Very well ‘cause we are in tune and everyone of us gives his/her part, we have various tastes but there is always something in common uniting us. New songs are very emotional a mix of Heavy rock, new wave and hardcore and we consider them such as a continuation of “Equate” We are collaborating with different people who support our concept: a great Russian musician Stelias Storhett, and Julio Ángel Olivares Merino, professor at University of Jaén, Spain who is writing marvellous lyrics.
On your Facebook page you speak a lot of your connection to Nature. Will that be reflected in the new songs you are making with the band?
Yes, absolutely, this is very important and has a central position in our creative process.
Tiril had a very unique vocal sound. How does yours compare, and how will you be approaching the songs already recorded with another vocalist?
I have a a completely different voice, so what I’m doing is giving my attitude and interpretation in my own way,I have to concentrate on myself, my kind of voice and what I can do trying to improve constantly.
Describing yourselves as “the hand of God” may conjure up religious connotations to some. What is your attitude to religion and faith?
I’m not religious at all, but I can’t define myself atheist ‘cause anyway there is something I believe in and I’m talking about what I see and feel inside and outside me, life generally talking in all its forms, respect for life and in this point of view my God is Nature, even if you don’t care you are part of it and you will follow the elementary laws of the superior force and die like everyone else. Animals with their purity can feel this and we should consider them like the most clear example and way of salvation
The band has finished a European tour with Negura Bunget. Are there any future plans for tours or festivals?
The European Tour dates will be released in this summer and will start probably in October after the European release of “Equate”. So, stay tuned!
Finally, if you could leave out readers with one thought, what would it be?
I would like to invite you to search for animals status in farm industries if you did not do it yet. Please, you have to know their conditions, suffering and atrocities they are subjected to. Put attention to the products you use, be sure they are CRUELTY FREE.
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