Only for International readers, interview with Xenoyr of Ne Obliviscaris. Hope you enjoy.
First of all I would like to thank you for the interview. I knew the band some years ago (with the Aurora Veil demo – I have it, bought some time ago) and the only thing that I can say is that is fantastic! The band, the songs, everything in perfect harmony.
Xenoyr: No problem, a pleasure! And thank you, we still get a lot of positive feedback regarding the demo, it amazes me. I’m glad you can still find something in it that you can relate to.
GroundCast: To warm up, can you tell to us the beginning of the band and your musical career?
Xenoyr: We formed as four members in April 2003, as a melodic dark metal band I guess, and a few months later we recruited another guitarist and a female soprano, followed by Tim, our violinist in September 2003. Between then and when we played our first show in February 2006, we had a number of line-up changes, discarded songs, and some personal issues slowed us down also. In 2007 we released our demo ’The Aurora Veil’, which you know, and followed by yet another line-up change. I take my hat off to any band that can keep all their orignal members!
GroundCast: What means “Ne Obliviscaris”? I saw that in the Forget Not’s lyrics it appears and I searched in internet but had no answer.
Xenoyr: Simply, it means “forget not” or “never forget”. People can take from that meaning what they want, we’d like people have their own personal meaning / connection to the phrase.
GroundCast: You can mix the Black Metal’s agressivity with the harmonious “progressive” and plus a violin, how appeared the idea to combine all these elements in one band?
I started the band wanting a very strong melodic aggressive, dark sound, and slowly as band members changed, the music evolved into an amalgamation of different styles. I wanted either a cellist or a violinist to be incorporated for the extra dynamic, and because they both have such beautifully expressive sounds, I wouldn’t have been happy otherwise. I didn’t know how it would work out but I’m glad we tried.
GroundCast: Have you other musical projects? If yes, are they metal projects or other musical direction?
A few of us have other projects we’re dabbbling in, most are metal, all rather small ensembles at this stage. There have been a couple of non metal projects, but I believe they’re on hiatus. More information regarding side projects will probably be available on our Facebook shortly.
GroundCast: I can consider you as a magnific band like Opeth, Enslaved and Obscura for exemple. For me you’re in the same position or further away from them, because I think that the song you do is at the same time simple and complex, was made to be felt and I really love it. Can you tell about your methods to composse?
Xenoyr: We’re fans of Opeth and Enslaved so to be considered alongside them is an honour.
We’re obviously not the quickest at writing songs given our history, but we don’t like to rush the process and force ourselves to finish for the sake of just another song. We won’t release something we’re not entirely content with. Composing our songs differs each time, sometimes it stems from people just jamming a few riffs and seeing where that leads, to where people all feel the songs needs to go, and at times someone will come into rehearsal with a basic structure and we’ll tear it apart. If the feeling doesn’t sit right, we’ll try something else. Also, we do steer away from the typical verse / chorus structure, not something we’re keen on, we’ve too many ideas for that. Each song is a journey for us, so rarely will we look back.
GroundCast: What are your influences?
Xenoyr: Each member comes from very different areas musically and our influences vary quite drastically. Were influenced by classical music like Mahler and Shostakovich, to extreme bands like Emperor, Enslaved, Anaal Nathrakh, to the more prog side of things like Opeth, Dream Theater, Cynic, and to post-rock, folk and so on.
GroundCast: Recently you annouced “Portal of I” and in your facebook’s page we can listen “And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope” that’s a great song, I’m listening it endlessly since you put there. I put it in my IPod and all the time I listen this, is a great masterpice and I can’t wait for the CD. What can you say about the CD, can we expect surprises? If all the songs be at the same level I can say that you’ll change the concept of “heavy metal”.
Xenoyr: Thank you very much, I’m not sure we’ll change the concept of “heavy metal” though, haha. We hope to inspire and to broaden peoples’ horizons with what we do, and hope that people appreciate how APFTK has bloomed, and in time, the album also. We put a lot of work into that song, as we have done with all of them really, so for people to express such strong positive comments, means a great deal. There are a few surprises on the forthcoming album, as each song is different from the other, its varied and we’ve experimented a little from what we’re used to. Until then…you’ll have to wait!
GroundCast: Still talking about “Portal of I”, you said that will be a complex album and will be an individual one, where each person will have a different interpretation about the work. How long time are you working with these songs? Exist some perfeccionism to create a perfect album?
Xenoyr: To a degree we’re all perfectionists in the band, when we think we’re onto a good thing, we don’t quit…and unfortunately this effects how long it takes to complete our songs. It can takes months and months.
Every song has had input from each member, and as previously stated we’ve all come from different musical backgrounds and influences, therefore its so varied in style that some people may hate it, and some may love it. Also, its expected that no one will really have the same interpretation, we’re all different, we all connect to different things, and within our music there are so many elements. Thats probably why our fan base is quite diverse and open minded. Life wouldn’t be worth living if we all thought the same way.
GroundCast: What are your opinion about actual metal scene?
Xenoyr: I think the metal scene is thriving, and ultimating is becoming more accepted. Within Australia, our music scene is quite small compared to most places overseas, we’ve a lesser population to support the scene, and limited places to play that are worth while. Here, Australian bands work hard, yet still struggle to get ahead and make any sort of name for themselves, so getting any sort of recognition internationally is a big thing. Our scene still has a long way to go but I think its stronger than it has been.
For metal in general, as more and more bands appear, more genres cross over, more people are introduced to metal elements. I believe society is becoming more open minded as generations evolve.
GroundCast: The violin is an important element in your songs, creating a beautiful atmosphere together the other instruments. Have some plan to use other classical instruments?
At this stage we’re not really looking to incorporate other classical instruments but we’re open minded enough not to write off the idea. We need to explore our own instruments more first.
GroundCast: We are in technology time and I really need make this question to every band I make an interview. With the mp3 is so easy to everyone take songs illegaly, I read some time ago in website that every CD that is recorded and released you can find in internet. What do you think about it? Is a real problem or the artist really gain Money with the concerts?
Xenoyr: Ah, the question that all musicians debate on! I believe most artists gain money from their mechandise sales like t-shirts, hoodies, packages etc, also from smart touring, and ultimately from constant 
promotion…afterall if no one knows you exist, then no one can buy your music. I think that CD sales are only a small portion of the earning potential, but in saying that, every little bit counts when you’re a struggling band/musician. If people want more music from the bands they like, then they need to support them.
GroundCast: Keeping talking about internet, we saw the worst part, but we have a good part, that more and more people can find your songs, Iistened the you the first time in MySpace and YouTube and after this I bought the demo, because I really needed of this. Do would be of Ne Obliviscaris without this, because if we think you have a restrict public and internet can spread your ideas?
Xenoyr: I’m not sure tape trading would go down too well with most people these days, considering the demand for new music, ha. If there was no internet / downloading, most bands would never be heard. NeO is a perfect example, as right now most of our fans are international. We condone the download of our demo, since its all promotion for us, but obviously when our album comes out we’d like people, if they can afford, to buy our album. If people can’t afford it, we don’t mind too much if its downloaded, its not like it can be stopped anyway. I guess, as long as they support the band in other ways i.e spreading the word, coming to shows etc. Give a little now, then perhaps along the track we’ll get a little back.
GroundCast: Plans to some world tour in a near future?
Xenoyr: Ideally, to tour is what most bands want, but this depends on label support, demand, promotion, and ultimately our fans support. We’ll know more once our album is being released…
GroundCast: Well guys, thanks for your time and now this space is to you talk to brazilian fans and GroundCast’s readers.
Xenoyr: Thank you for the great questions.
To all our Brazilian fans, to GroundCast readers, and anyone willing to open their minds, your support means the world to us, a big thank you from NeO and myself. Hopefully, we will see you all soon on tour!