II. It's been some time since you first created M.T.A. and involved yourself into the Black Arts. The concept art thru the photography isn't something I've seen much of in any scene, let alone the Black Metal one (even though some bands love those pictures of themselves), but what was it that made you choose to use this medium to portray your darkness?
III. M.T.A. has come a long way…I understand the video you've had planned for years is finally coming a reality to bestow on our weak & filthy minds…shortly after the release of your ambient CD nonetheless. What do you think of the final products that are coming together? Are they what you had envisioned them to become over the years now that they're finally surfacing to reality?
IV. Do you think M.T.A. has been successful in its endeavors? Can you share a story that you found intriguing that involved you help scar a mind to help further their path of darkness?
V. Do you recall any serious struggle you've had that had produced temporary deviation from your aim with Mourning The Ancient? Or maybe even made you think of permanent deviation? Any words of wisdom for those not yet stepped into the unlight?
VI. Interpret this quote for me please: "all dreams have already come true; you just have to make them happen." It speaks of fate in a way…
VII. To be totally truthful, I believe I'm running out of space so please end the interview with anything you wanted to convey to the masses of shit that will someday make up a great army.
I. Greetings…first off, how are things going for M.T.A. and how are you & things in general?
Good evening Church of Ravens! Things with M.T.A. have been slow as of late. We took an unplanned break for a while after the completion of our film and audio project in 2002. The updates on our website have slowed to a crawl this past year, but we have plans to begin regularly updating it again soon. I suppose we haven't placed new photography on our photo site in quite a long time, but rest assured, just because you don't see it, doesn't mean we aren't still doing it. I guess over the years we've been less eager to share it with the world. However, this should change soon enough. We've already begun filming a second M.T.A. film, which we're envisioning more bitter and dark then the last. We'll hopefully be re-releasing our first film on 'region free' DVD soon as well. We'll probably release one last Primitive Supremacy CD too. Outside of all of this, the world grows darker, colder, and less interesting as the days crawl onward to an uncertain future.
Yes, it has been a long time, ten years come autumn 2005... it really doesn't seem like that much time has passed. Then again, it sometimes does. I can't say exactly what made us first start doing photography back in 1995. We certainly love dark aesthetics and things of the past. The past seems so much worthier then the present, or the future. I've always found it difficult to find love and inspiration in today's world. For us, yesterday holds so many treasures, buried in the dust of time. It's where my heart and inspiration lie. Black metal was alluring to me for many reasons, its intensity, energy, feeling, coldness, bitterness, broad hatred... it stood against the world, society, the masses, modern religion... and attempted to uncover the pagan truth of the past. I've always resented the ways of the world, the petty evils, the hypocrisy, greed... and the shallow human cattle which graze it. Music was a very good friend to me in those glory days of black metal, leading up to the time we began Mourning the Ancient. I guess we wanted to breathe all of our negative feelings into photography. Unfortunately, I don't have enough breath in my body to achieve that goal.
Yes, the film and CD finally happened in 2002. We're very pleased with the outcome of both projects, especially the film, which we had planned for so long, but were unable to accomplish for a million reasons. Nothing is ever 100% as you envision it, but it came pretty close.
Well, I'm not sure how I would define or measure 'successful.' I guess I would measure it in how much have we accomplished which we set out to do. In that way, we've had a good deal of personal success. I can't say I've ever scarred anyone's mind, that I know of. I suppose if I did, they were scarred in the first place!
There has been a number of times when we've taken breaks from MTA, for various reasons. Sometime I lose inspiration to continue to share our work with the public. My wisdom might be: do it for yourself first. Pay no mind to what others think or like.
Well, for me, not many of my dreams have come true. Nothing too worthwhile, at least. I guess I could equate this with our film though. For years it played in my head, until we finally made it flesh. Speaking of dreams, here is a quote from one of A. Crowley's poems called 'John-A-Dreams' for you to ponder:
'Dreams are imperfections of sleep; even so is consciousness the imperfection of waking.
Dreams are impurities in the circulation of the blood; even so is consciousness a disorder of life.
Dreams are without proportion, without good sense, without truth; so also is consciousness.
Awake from dream, the truth is known: awake from waking, the Truth is-The Unknown.'
First, thanks for your interest in Mourning the Ancient, good luck with Church of Ravens! To the world: Wake up! It's Doomsday!