Kakophonix (all instruments and compositions) has decided after thirteen years and ten releases to end the ritual that is Hvile I Kaos. It is an aggressive uncompromising work of extreme art that combines the classical cello with the brittle chaos of black metal. It is an evocative performance that challenging, original and a landmark of pure emotion. To describe it is to rob it of its majesty. It is simply ‘’Lower Order Manifestations’’
‘’ Hvile I Kaos has always existed as to explore the Darkness beyond time and space and all that dwells within. The mysteries and horrors I encountered by way of “Lower Order Manifestations” have demanded more than I ever foresaw. The sacrificial fires are hungry and insatiable.
Have you pursued all the elements and prefer to end at a creative high rather than risk becoming repetitive?
‘’I do consider “Lower Order Manifestations” to be the best Hvile I Kaos release to date, and a lackluster follow-up release would indeed tarnish the work I set out to accomplish.
What drives to pursue such challenging ideas and concepts? Is the vision all consuming?
‘’I always knew that the kind of musick I wanted to create with Hvile I Kaos would require more than mere creative expression on my own end, and would need to access something beyond. Is it all-consuming? More than I could possibly express with words. It’s permeated every aspect of my life and being.
The creation of music so intimately linked to destruction?
‘’Yes, a thousand times yes. Nothing could have prepared me for the reality of this.
The juxtaposition of serenity vs frenzy? Are they dualities or opposites of the emotional spectrum?
‘’I’d say the latter. Serenity, frenzy, and everything in between are expressions of subjective experience. The broader the range of experience, the broader the spectrum expressed.
‘’The axiom of your music to live fully you must acknowledge inevitability? And that convention is the destruction of creativity?
‘’Perhaps. I wouldn’t say the destruction of creativity so much as the destruction of forms and constructs that one grows attached to, as attachment is itself a form of limitation. In this case, it’s been a form of self-destruction, as the forms are invariably linked to the self.
Are you happy to be considered an outlier to the system? Does it allow you complete freedom without compromise?
‘’Whether or not I’m happy with this is irrelevant. It’s simply my lot in life. In some ways it allows me freedom but in other ways it can almost be a prison. We all do the best with the hand we’re dealt.
Are you aware of your influence on the scene and way in which classical music is linked so intimately to black metal and the new projects that are influenced by your work?
‘’ My ego is hardly inflated enough to assume myself to be an influential figure. I’ve contributed what I can to underground music and made friends and enemies along the way. Most people who enjoy music I’ve contributed to have no knowledge of my existence. I’m simply proud of the work I’ve done and apologize for none of it. Regarding the link between black metal and classical concert music? That was pioneered long before I ever set bow to string. I’ve simply, again, contributed in my own small way.
Is the extreme scene still a creative force?
‘’There’s always someone somewhere making music that’s meaningful and interesting and that’s all that really matters. I lost faith a long time ago in “the scene” as an environment that fosters creativity.
What is next for you? Will you continue to create in some form? What will it manifest into?
‘’I’ll never stop making music, rest assured of that. I’m not sure where my personal creativity will lead me in terms of a new project or concept, I’ll simply create for its own sake until something manifests. I’m also going to focus on Osi and the Jupiter, along with various session projects.
Q: Tops six albums of all time?
A: Dissection - Storm of the Light’s Bane
The Devil’s Blood - The Time of No Time Evermore
Apocalyptica - Apocalyptica
Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Tribulation - Children of the Night
SepticFlesh - The Great Mass
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