Blackened Horde: How did the band get started? How did you meet and how long have you been together?
Band: Raven and I met in 1994 at a club in Columbus, Ohio. We were both in “Average” death metal bands in the area, and his band booked my old band up with our first show. After that we just had a lot of the same interests in music- he introduced me to black metal. Ever since then we’ve been great friends, and recently we both decided to combine our separate black metal projects as one. And here we are.
Blackened Horde: How would you describe your music?
Band: Atmospheric, with a touch of old school influences like Celtic Frost, Bathory etc. I think it’s a different sound, pretty original.
Blackened Horde: What are your biggest musical influences?
Band: My biggest musical influences are Saytricon, Isvind, Askanum, Darkthrone, and Gorgoroth. (You should throw Borknagar in there as well) Those band are so unique in many different ways, I think that’s what gives us an original sound.
Blackened Horde: Who if, if any do you consider the bands idols?
Band: As far as who our idols are, we don’t consider other musicians as idols, there are just some that we respect musically and intellectually as people. To me, it is as important to be true outside of the interviews, shows and the people around at shows. What I’m saying is if you are a black metal fan or musician, what you do outside of the public eyes is as important as the music your write or listen to expect people to live by what they say and if they don’t, they don’t get my respect.
Blackened Horde: What made you want to be in the band? And if you weren’t in the band what would you want to be doing now?
Band: Well, it’s kind of interesting. Like I said earlier we were both doing separate solo projects, and one day we heard each others ideas and riffs, that we said fuck it, let’s join forces. The only other problem was that he lives in Cleveland and I live outside of Columbus. To make a long story short we were willing to work through that. I drive up as as often as possible for now and stay weekends, I plan on moving there in the near future. If I wasn’t in th band now I’d probably be doing my solo project still. Other than playing music I’d be working or lifting weights.
Blackened Horde: What are some of your favorite bands that are really popular today?
Band: Some of my favorite bands that are sound today are Satyricon, Immortal (have you heard the new one titled “Blizzard Beasts”?) It’s so fast and intense! I also really enjoy Emperor & Enslaved. There are just so many great bands from Europe and Scandinavia, I cant tell you all of them!
Blackened Horde: How many demos/albums do you have? Tell me about them.
Band: As for our demos, we are recording our first demo as we speak. We still haven’t decided on a title as of yet, but there be a full layout with pictures and 4 songs. The song titles are “Call of the Black Forest”, “Krieg Hammer”, “And Amidst the Fury of Battle” and the fourth track is still untitled. We have a couple cool ideas so I don’t want to say a title and have it change later. The tape will be as cheap as possible with the best inlay and packaging possible. It should be out no later than the end of June. Keep an eye out or write to me for a copy.
Blackened Horde: If you could play with any band who would it be and why?
Band: It would probably be “Satyricon”. I have a lot of respect for Satyricon, they write some of the best music I’ve ever heard.
Blackened Horde: Who writes the majority of the music?
Band: The majority of the music on the tape will be mostly the credit of Raven. He had 3 of the songs written before we joined. I wrote the still untitled one. But in the new material it’s about 50-50.
Blackened Horde: Who has been the favorite band you’ve played with? Why?
Band: Unfortunately, I have never played a shot with a black metal band, as yet, but a lot of death metal bands come to mind as being pretty cool. I played with Incantation, they were pretty cool, just a lot of member changes. Demonic Christ played a show with us here in Columbus when Deicide came to town. But I have to admit, playing with Suffocation was the best. They aren’t my favorite band and our music is so different, but they were by far the best band to do a show with. They are very good guys.
Blackened Horde: Where did you get the band name from?
Band: The band name “Black Forest” was Raven’s creation. You see, we both have ties to Germanic Ancestry, (I have more Irish) and the Black Forest is a real forest in Germany hence the name “Black Forest”.
Blackened Horde: Describe what the band is like live?
Band: It’s not fair to say what we are like live because there are only two of us and we haven’t played a live show with Black Forest. But we do wear the paint and braces and the whole armor thing as you may see in the demo layout.
Blackened Horde: If you are gonna do any kind of video what would be in it?
Band: If we were to do a video, I guess it would be more like an epic movie or sega. Very medieval, very dark, somewhere in a vast and beautiful forest.
Blackened Horde: Are there any tour plans made, if so tell me about them?
Band: There are no touring plans as of now, it’s kind of difficult to tour as a two man band. But if we get a full line-up (drummer, bassist, keyboardist) we would love to travel to do some live dates, hopefully travel to Europe and Scandinavia.
Blackened Horde: Where do you think the band will be in 20 years from now?
Band: That’s a good question, I may be dead, if so in Wallhalla. If I’m alive I’ll still be playing black metal no matter what.
Contact them at:
Black Forest
1356 Saffron Place
Galloway, OH 43119