9. Of course, since the beginning of time there had always been a dark side in human nature and also corruption. There has always been a pursuit of power and wealth.
The cultures that we have known and the consciousness of identity are disintegrating and disappearing. The situation in which we find ourselves today is comparable to the decline of civilizations over the course of history. And the strange thing is that these moral and social changes are moving faster and faster. For example, things have changed so much since my childhood. Much of morality and what was taught to us at that time is now frowned upon and considered bad or even dangerous.
When I think back and remember how we behaved, the doors to our houses and apartments were unlocked. Of course, at that time there were also robberies, brawls and worse. But today you cannot even leave your own door open.
Nowadays gangs dominate various streets and certain cities, drugs are dominating more and more the nightlife. Robbery and murder are less and less deterred, etc.
How do you see this comparison in your own life, as well as the memories of your youth?

9. I agree with the fact that throughout the history of each civilization there are new and abrupt changes, sometimes similar or unpleasant changes. I believe that the fact we feel things have worsened is because facing them day-to-day makes it all the more shocking than something that took place a (long) time ago. But if one stops to think, during the Middle Age there was no moral code whatsoever; there were no human rights, for example. Atrocious things happened and it was extremely difficult to get help or comfort from the State which seemed almost ghostly to middle and lower classes, since meeting a King or Emperor wasn’t a common occurrence; news would take months or even years to arrive. These were really hard times.
Without trying to justify the appalling atrocities that are committed nowadays throughout the world, I think that the fact that we today believe older times to have been better is because actually we have, in some way, evolved in our way of thinking and we are able to discern better between good and evil. Having a nobler conscience, we are more affected by the destructive nature of man.

9.1. "Big Brother is watching you", from the novel "1984" by George Orwell is nowadays a sad reality. What is your opinion about this and how do you deal with it?

9.1. Yes, I agree. Anyhow, I think that the reality in which we live nowadays is Huxleyian rather than Orwellian, so to speak. In his novel 1984 (1949), which is fascinating, Orwell shows people as being deprived of access to literary and academic knowledge such as the reading of books for instance. Now then, Aldous Huxley in his novel Brave New World (1932) portrays his characters as individuals lacking identity, who do not feel the need to read a book or admire nature because they deem that obscene, absurd, unnecessary. However, they prefer to lead a life in which idleness and capitalist consumerism are their religion. If we compare these two realities, I think that the most accurate… after 84 years… is still that which Huxley warned us with bitter sarcasm.

10. Now I would like to talk about something difficult in this day and age. Race and racism. Racism is not always the same, there is religious, political and also natural racism, whereby only the last is based on verifiable and identifiable facts. The concept of a breed therefore comes from biology and can therefore only be applied in this area. But it does not mean that one reduces others because of their origin, but the differences are felt and exist.
What is your opinion about race and racism?

  10. Although there is always a racist element within us all, depending on the experiences we go through. Nowadays, we know of cases where belonging to a certain race or ethnic group does not make you a better or worse person, either personally, affectively, or professionally. I think that nationalism is healthy to a certain extent. To honor our forefathers, our fatherland, to learn their stories, etc., is perfectly harmless and honorable. Now, causing pain to other people for something their ancestors did to us, only leads us to our own destruction, or that of our people. Wars aren’t over because this stance is still maintained.

11. To put aside these topics and to come back to you, what interests do you have in life? What inspires you, for example? What is important to you? What are your goals in life?

11. My interest is to go on composing, sharing music and keep on writing in order to continue transmitting my message, which I always try to keep present in my honest daily discourse.  

11.1. What are your favorite books, films, personalities and places?

11.1. It’s not easy to choose one favorite book, but I think the one that impacted me the most - not because of its length, since it is quite brief – has been The Kybalion. Other books I am really passionate about are “Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious” by Carl Jung and also “Isis Unveiled” by Blavatsky. Movies I’ve really enjoyed were Gladiator, Pulp Fiction, the Godfather, Young Frankenstein, Whiplash, Ong Bak, Fight Club, among others.
Among favorite celebrities I can include Robert de Niro, Jackie Chan, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey Jr., Vinnie Jones.  

12. You are already often in front of an audience with HESS. How important is this kind of stage presence and what is your feeling about being in front of an audience?

12. A writer or singer without his/her audience is no one. When one composes or interprets art, one does it bearing the reader/listener in mind, so that he or she sees you, reads you, listens or interprets your art in their own way. I am deeply interested in the audience’s point of view - be that positive or negative criticism, it shall always be welcome.

12.1. Before we come to the end of the conversation, what are your musical plans for the future? Will the new album be different? If so, in what ways?

12.1. We are still getting to know each other with our new band formation. We have a new drummer and until he adapts himself to us and we to him, we won’t start creating new stuff. But as soon as we solidify again with the hail from Hagalaz, we shall be set to work on new songs (which exist and are awaiting).

12.2. In the words of Richard Wagner, "The artist, who is fully aware of his perception, is the only one who can successfully exert himself as the master of the style of his epoch, and only he who, in turn, is concerned with the importance of style is conscious of the fact that he can bring his inner sensation to external perception."
("Der Künstler, der sich seiner Anschauung vollkommen bewusst ist, ist der einzige, der sich mit Erfolg zum Meister des Stiles seiner Epoche aufwerfen kann: und nur der, welcher sich wiederum der Wichtigkeit des Stiles bewußt ist, kann es verstehen, seine innere Empfindung zur äußeren Anschauung zu bringen.")
Thank you very much and all the best!

12.2. Well, I think they are really nice and optimistic words. Although our music style, heavy metal, is not heard widely, especially in our country; so that it makes it difficult to succeed on a large scale. Anyway, without thinking too much of ourselves, we are proud of what we have achieved as a band and we are aware of how important our message is. Thank you!