Interview with Porta Nigra done by Patrick
1.Hello please introduce yourselves to the readers?
My Name is Tobias and I play guitar and write lyrics in PORTA NIGRA.
2.When did you first meet the other members of the band and was it long before you started Porta Nigra? How did you choose Porta Nigra as the name for the band and does it have a special meaning?
I met the drummer already in the late 1990ies. We played in the band MEMBARIS for about 13 years, toured and released several albums. I left the band in 2012 and started PORTA NIGRA together with him to find a slightly different musical approach, with different sound, image and lyrics than we could do in a more "traditional" Black Metal outfit. We worked as a duo many years and now have been joined by "Tongue", the creative force behind the group CHASO INVOCATION. We three are the core but have many companions, who provide with their talents. For instance ideas for synth or solo-guitar. We also have a very skilled bassplayer who left his mark on the recent record.
The name, quite frankly, has no specific meaning. I am often inspired by words that sound good, and I think the name consists of two latin words that have a good sound and are not overly used. The "vibe" of a bandname is filled with the music, artwork and lyrics anyway. Thats when we accociate something with a name. A name alone is nothing. PORTA NIGRA means "black gate" which can be interpreted in various ways, but its not really important.
3.For the readers who have never heard Porta Nigra's music how would you best describe it?Who would you say are the bands biggest influences and have they remained the same over the years?
The first two records were like "anti Black Metal" where we tried out several different things which let to rather eclectic soundpictures including references to Doom, Thrash Metal as well as Rock and Ambient etc., all embedded in a rather theatrical context heavily inspired by decadent German and French literature. The new album is definetly a way back to our roots that lay in 1990ies Black Metal. Fast, melodic, hymn-like, theatrical but also raw.
The biggest influence on me probably had the band Killing Joke. But thats more mentally. I think its impossible to hear that in our music. My favorite metal band of all time is Dødheimsgard.
4.Schöpfungswut is the bands third full-length which will be released in early 2020 how long did it take the band to write the music? Does the whole band take part in the writing process or does one member usually write everything?
Writing process was really fast, maybe a couple of month. However it took very long to record and release it in the way we wanted it to be. Rehearse it, find the right sound, the right musicians, a new vocalist, the right studio, the right label etc. All in all over four years, which is painfully long.
I am usually behind most of the creative aspects, but all members in the band have strong characters and strong talents. So they bring themselve in and really make it what it is in the end. I am not a solo-artist, it is a group effort with a leader.
5.Besides the upcoming Schöpfungswut release are the bands previous releases or merchandise currently available? If yes what is available and where can the readers purchase it?
We have copies of our first album "Fin de siècle" (CD) as well as a few shirts left. Who is interested can check our Facebook and write to me.
6.Does Porta Nigra play live very often or do you prefer working in the studio?What have been some of the bands most memorable shows so far?Who are some bands you have shared the stage with?
In the older days we played live with MEMBARIS and shared the stage with those bands that were hip in that days like Shining, Horna, Antaeus, Secrets of the Moon etc. PORTA NIGRA by now is a strict studio band, because thats what I am interested in the most: write better songs, get a better sound, better lyrics...trying to make the perfect album. Its a bit tough because these days you have to play live to make yourself heard and get the music out. And maybe it will happen one day, but at the moment I am occupied with writing music.
7.Are their any tours or shows planned in support of the new release?If yes where will the band be playing?
See above
8.What does Black Metal mean to you?
Black Metal was the spark that set the torch in me on fire when I was young and let to a burning passion for the creation of music. However, there comes also many bad aspects with Black Metal. It is often dull these days, even boring at times. I am listening to a lot of different music, so I can not say it means a lot to me anymore. But I owe this burning passion for creativity to it. Thats already a lot. And of course many timeless albums I hold dear.
9.Besides Porta Nigra do you or any of the members currently work with any other bands or solo projects?
CHAOS INVOCATION, OBSCURE INFINITY, MEMBARIS are some of the bands the members of PORTA NIGRA are involved with. All of them worth checking out. If you wanna hear an extreme and passionate Black Metal album check out "Grenzgänger" by MEMBARIS.
10.Porta Nigra comes out of Germany's black metal scene what are your thoughts of the German black metal scene?
I think Germany in general is weak when it comes to Black Metal. Our golden era was the Thrash Metal era. However, we had a strong run around the millenium with Lunar Aurora and Nagelfar releasing fantastic records, but in general the scene is not very strong. There is a lot of talk and pretending, jealousy, back stabbing. I have the feeling Black Metal is mentally too challenging for us Germans, haha.
11.Who are your all-time favorite German bands and are their any new bands you feel the readers should check out soon?
If we talk metal I would have to say Bethlehem. Rope Sect is a newer German band that really stood out for me.
12.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out do you have any final comments for the readers?
Support underground labels like SOULSELLER RECORDS. They have a fantastic catalog of old and new gems of Black Metal. Check it out.
Pre-order on CD and Vinyl Formats: U.S. https://soulsellerrecords.aisamerch.com/ World: https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sch-pfungswut https://www.facebook.com/PortaNigraBand/ http://www.soulsellerrecords.com/ https://soulsellerrecords.aisamerch.com/ https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SOULSELLERRECORDS/
