Lonewolf
I Simply Love To Play This Style

09.03.2010

The year 2009 turned out rich in good releases, but still the new album by French speed metallers Lonewolf stands out among other CDs. It is a very energetic and catchy record combining new recording standard with a real old school spirit. The band’s mastermind, singer/guitarist Jens Borner, answered my questions via e-mail, but took a very responsible attitude to the matter, providing me with most comprehensive answers. I have to admit this is the first time that musicians I approach don’t try to get away with simple “yes” or “no” in an e-mail! And the result, is, as usual, below.

Hi Jens! I guess you’re tired of this question, but however I will ask you this once again. Many people compare Lonewolf with Running Wild. What do you think about such comparisons?

Hello Kostya! No, don’t mind, I’m still not bored about these questions! (laughs) Of course I cannot, and anyway don’t want to, hide these comparisons. I mean, Running Wild branded my life, they made fantastic metal albums and wrote some of most important tunes of German metal history. So, of course it influenced me a lot. And I simply love to play this style! I will not put away a riff, just because it sounds too much like this or that, it’s ridiculous. I simply play with my heart, and so do all the Lonewolf members. We’re not here to make something new, we’re here to have fun – and Lonewolf is simply a tribute to the metal bands we listen to and grow up with. Why should we put keyboards or neo metal riffing – just for some people to say, “Qh! This time they don’t sound like Running Wild!!”?? Never! I’d rather stop the band than to play something that I don’t feel and don’t like!

Another thing is that I have to say that I really find that if yes, there is strong Running Wild influence, this is not the ONLY one. On our last album, if you listen to “The Wolf Division” it sounds more Grave Digger/Wizard, or the title track “The Dark Crusade” goes totally into the Paragon style for example. Or “The Hour Zero” has vocals on an acoustic intro – what Running Wild never did.  And there are other examples. There is something for everyone who like true metal, not only “running wildish” stuff.

Now, as I love Running Wild, it is no problem for me to be compared to them. Even if it still feels strange to me as they are metal gods and we are a little French band (laughs). The only thing I’m really tired of is when I read something like “Lonewolf is just a clone of Running Wild” because in this case the reviewer didn’t listen carefully to the albums and he only wants to knock us down. As I said, beside Running Wild influences we really admit – and are proud of – there are also songs that Running Wild would never have written.

Was your decision to write lyrics such like “Legacy Of The Wild” related to Running Wild’s break-up?

That’s funny – in a way, yes: we had this last song without lyrics during the pre-production for “The Dark Crusade”. I was totally out of inspiration and didn’t find well fitting lyrics. Then came the news of Running Wild’s end – and this inspired me for the lyrics, furthermore as the music of this song reminded already of Running Wild. I had much fun doing the lyrics – after weeks of searching, I finally made the text in less than one hour! (laughs) “Legacy Of The Wild” is a tribute of course, and shows also in a way that we have no problems being compared constantly to Running Wild. On the contrary, it’s an honor!

What do you think, will Lonewolf become more popular after Running Wild’s break-up? I guess many people still want to hear this kind of music and you sound quiet similar to Running Wild…

I don’t think so...I mean, we’re underground and have not one ounce of the aura Running Wild had on the true metal fans. Of course, people still want to hear their music... and they still can, as music is branded for eternity! Still today I got shivers listening to “Gates To Purgatory” or to “Black Hand Inn”, to name only two, and it is the same for every people. Running Wild’s spirit lives on through their immortal songs and through the true metalhead’s heart. And anyway – There could only be one Running Wild. So it was and ever will be.

Like I said, of course there are similarities - but we also have similarities with Grave Gigger (in the first place my voice is closer to Chris Boltendahl than Rolf Kasparek), to Paragon, to Maiden etc etc... So if we should go a step forward, it would not be because Running Wild fans search for other bands in this style, it would be because more fans of true metal in general take notice of Lonewolf.

I have one more question about Running Wild. In 2005 you recorded “Victim Of States Power” for Running Wild’s tribute album “Rough Diamond”. Why did you choose this song?

Even if we love it, this song was not our first choice. But every time we asked if this or this song was already covered, the answer was “yes”, until we asked to cover this one. We played it live a few times I guess – for sure during our first gig in Greece, for other gigs I’m not sure to remember. Today we cover sometimes “Under Jolly Roger”. It is a very good hymn that really everyone knows. (laughs) And it’s always great fun to play. As we mostly play at “true metal festivals”, it’s a good song for this kind of event where everyone can sing along with us.

Please, tell us about your new album “The Dark Crusade”. How did you work on it? Are you satisfied with this CD?

Basically the working process was the same that we did with “Made In Hell”. We recorded pre-production demos to hear how the songs sounded after recording, if everything worked as we hoped etc... It is very interesting to make a pre-production, because some things that sound cool during rehearsals sometimes don’t work when you listen to them after recordings. Or better said they  don’t give what you expected. These recordings help you a lot to work on the songs, to get them more “to the point” so to say. We have a bit of live experience also now, and therefore know better what “works” live and what doesn’t, and we try of course to work around riffing made for live appearances, so to say, like in “Hail Victory” for example. I guess our two first albums, especially “Unholy Paradise”, would sound a lot different if we had done a pre-production. Back then, songs like “Phantomride” sounded really cool at rehearsals, but on the recordings there is “something” missing. From the three first songs we wrote after “Made In Hell”, only one eventually made it to “The Dark Crusade”, namely “Warrior Priest”. We saw with the pre-production that something was missing on the two other songs, and decided to keep the riffs warm for something else. Then came the other songs, and we worked again on everything with our manager Bart.

Yeah, we’re really satisfied with this CD!! For me, songs like “Viktoria” or “Hail Victory” are some of the best Lonewolf ever wrote. It’s a big step forward, and at the time of recording/production we could not have done better, I honestly guess. We gained much experience doing this album, it will help us make –I hope!! – an even better album next time

What are the responses from fans and press about “The Dark Crusade”?

The responses in the underground are really amazing – of course we hoped for a good response, but not as good as that! Concerning the “mainstream magazines” it’s from very good to average (in the style “this had been made for 1,000 times already” etc). But as we are mostly an underground band, playing mostly underground true metal festivals, and I can only be very happy. We really received some crazy mails from metalheads loving “The Dark Crusade” and have now great support from the underground, what really pushes us on. I guess we are motivated as never right now. And believe me, I’m impatient to begin to work on the new songs for the next album. We already have some ideas, we’ll begin to work soon. The idea is to bring the successor of “The Dark Crusade” out without waiting two or three years.

How about concerts? Do you play enough shows? And what are your best memories about past shows?

Of course we don’t play 150 gigs a year, but we’re lucky enough to play regularly, and to travel around Europe. We know that this is already great luck, even more for a French band!!! The situation with metal is not the best in France, so we try to enjoy every second, believe me. There are hundreds of bands who’d like to travel, play gigs around etc but sadly remain a rehearsal band, or at least play only around their hometown. I guess my best memory remains our second time in Athens, Greece. The crowd was amazing – cannot be described by words. Bands like Manilla Road also played, what is of course fantastic for me, a great Manilla maniac. Another thing that made this gig very special is that we had a bass player problem, and the whole gig was played by Jan Bünning, Paragon’s bass player who helped us out that night. It was magic, because before Jan became a very close friend of mine I was already a total diehard Paragon fan. Of course we had great party before and after....fantastic time, believe me!!

In fact, nearly every show we have played is a good memory, really. The first time we played in Poland we were really surprised by an amazing crowd that knew our songs.....Another great memory is last time in Germany, at the famous H.O.A. festival. We had to play first on the second day of the festival, and were wondering if so early (12 o’clock) people would already be interested....And in the end, the crowd was not only here, but better than anything we could expect. But everywhere – Holland, Greece, Poland, Belgium, Spain, Italy... it’s always a good time. And everything else around – the people you meet, the parties, the journey- is also great fun. Of course, not every gig is fantastic, but since three years we have never had a catastrophic or bad gig, and every time is anyway a good moment to spare.

And of course, I cannot end this question without talking about France....France is not known for its metal culture, and the metal situation is not that good here. But we have a strong underground scene concerning true metal. Small, but strong and proud. And they give us really strong and good support. Last time we played in our hometown is not long ago, it was for the release of “The Dark Crusade”. We had more than 250 people, what is very good here – and some traveled from very very far!! It was really an honor for us. And the gig was great.

I guess your collaboration with Polish manager Bart Gabriel started in 2008, when he released your compilation “Curse Of The Seven Seas” as a bonus-CD for his “Hard Rocker” magazine. But how did you get to know him and his wife Marta Gabriel (singer of Crystal Viper and Born Again)?

In fact, it started way longer ago. I have known Bart since his old Dragonight agency (the beginning of the Hard Rocker agency he leads today, so to say) days, as we just released our demo CD “March Into The Arena” (later to become our first album through a Spanish label) and already back then he supported us in the underground. Of course in those days his agency was total underground, but this guy already had such a great passion for heavy metal in his heart... Back in those days he already found us some interviews and contacts in the eastern countries. He re-released our demo “The Calling” back in those days under the title “Walpurgis Night” with different cover.

He became officially our manager after the release of our third album “Made In Hell”, or better said we entered officially his Hard Rocker Management roaster, with Crystal Viper, Wild Knight, Wizard and today Born Again. The agency called Dragonight was a little baby compared to what is Hard Rocker Agency today, it’s amazing how he made things increase.

Thanks to him we have lot of promotion and airplay in Poland, and as he’s the owner of the Hard Rocker Magazine he offered us to make this “Curse Of The Seven Seas” compilation. He remastered every old track appearing on it – with the exception of two songs from “Made In Hell” as this was our last album back then – and this compilation really became a very cool thing for us. Of course this made big airplay for us and helped a lot to spread our name there.

I met Marta for first time as we played for first time in Poland, but I had already a bit of contact to her, as she wrote the intro to our last album. She’s really a nice person. She’s not that tall, and it’s incredible what voice comes out of her body. It is really amazing when you see her live!

How substantial was Bart’s work as producer of your new CD?

It was really fantastic. I mean, it was the first time we worked with a producer, and I personally was anxious to see how it would work. I could hardly imagine someone putting his fingers in our songs, but as it was Bart I agreed. And today I hope we’ll work the same way next time! (laughs) Bart is someone who knows Lonewolf very well, where we want to go, what we want to do, what fits us and what doesn’t. During the pre-production he often told us “try this or try that”, we worked very much on most of the songs. And I have to admit that many times he was right!! In fact, when you are in a pre-production process, it’s sometimes hard to keep a neutral judgment on the songs, so to say, you are so involved in the creation that you sometimes lose control a bit on the things around and some things in the songs themselves. So it’s very helpful to have an external eye and opinion like Bart can have, because it helps concentrate again on the important points. Bart always let us have the last word, but most of all times he was right. “The Dark Crusade” wouldn’t sound like it is today without Bart, that’s clear.

Many popular musicians were involved in this CD. One of them is famous guitarist Andy LaRocque (King Diamond). How did you get him to mix the new CD?

Through Bart - our manager. He already worked with him (with Crystal Viper), they understand each other very well, so his first choice for us was Andy. What do you want to say against this? (laughs) So there was no other choice as we never searched for someone else! When you have such a legend ready to mix and master your album, you don’t say no! (laughs) And we were all so damn happy of course. We expected a good work from him, honestly, but we never expected SUCH a great work!! He really made a great job for us, we’re really honored and satisfied. We all hope to work with him again for the next album.

Legendary Majk Moti (guitar player in Running Wild in 1985-1990) played a solo for “Heathen Horde”. How did you get to know him and how it was to work with him?

This is the cool side of the Internet! I simply contacted him through MySpace. We had good contact, and one day I asked him if he’d agree to play a solo on our new album. You can imagine what it is for me... I’m a die hard Running Wild fan since 1987, saw them the first time in 1990 with Majk still on guitars, and today this guy branded our album forever with a solo straight from the heart....this is magic, as only music can bring it. It’s a bit like a fairytale for me! (laughs)

I didn’t meet him for the solo recording, he recorded it in his home studio and then sent it back to us. But it went so good that his solo is a bit longer that what was initially said. His solo was so cool that we asked him to continue it on the riffing after the solo rhythm.

We met him two times since, as we played two gigs together in Poland with his new band Wild Knight. And he’s so nice, we really spent good times together, with lots of beers and laughing.

By the way, why did you ask Marta Gabriel only to play keyboards on “Dragons Of The Night” and not to sing together with you?

To be honest, man, I’m surprised that no one has asked me this question before!!! No, Bart came with the idea letting Marta work on this intro, and things turned just around this idea. But honestly, yes, it’s an idea that already came through my head: having Marta doing an appearance on a song. This could be done one day. We just have to find and create the right song for it. But this is really not impossible, and I guess it could really be great. For me, Marta can become a new Doro. She has an incredible voice. I saw them live not long ago in Poland as we played with Crystal Viper, and this is really something worth to be seen. It’s amazing what voice comes out of this woman, and what presence she has on stage.

Recently you signed a deal with Karthago Records. This label is better known by its re-releases of cult metal albums from the 80’s. Why did you decide to sign a deal with Karthago?

Bart told us Stefan (Karthago boss) was very interested in signing us. Furthermore Stefan and Bart already worked together and it worked out pretty well. I asked for opinions from people around me knowing or dealing with Karthago, and everyone said it was a serious label. I think right now this is really a good label for Lonewolf – even if it remains small. Kartagho has a good reputation and presence in the underground – and the underground is the ground where Lonewolf plays! I prefer to be on a small label caring about us, than on a bigger one who doesn’t give a damn. Other thing is that Bart negotiated a very good contract for us. Right now we’re happy, I hope that it continues!!

The song “Hail Victory” has a second title “Pagan Glory Part III”. This story began on your first album and continued on “Unholy Paradise” with the track “Stronger than Evil (Pagan Glory Part II)”. Do these songs have any concept and what are these songs about?

Of course, as I wrote the lyrics to “Pagan Glory” it was never planed to have a “trilogy”. In “Pagan Glory”, the lyrics deal with pagan bards who have to flee from the Christian church who hunts them because they sing to the glory of heathen beliefs. Then came “Stronger Than Evil” – I wanted to write “Pagan Glory” Part II because that song was really the song from “March Into The Arena” that people like most. In this second part, heathen men, despite high losses in hard fights against the church, still fight for their freedom and against holy oppression. They prefer to die for liberty than to live as slaves. In fact, these songs deal with the concept to fight for what you think is worth, and to stay true to yourself, even if you’re not part of the surrounding majority. In these songs the church is more to be seen as the symbol of the evil, and the heathen men as the rebellion force against someone who doesn’t know tolerance and respect. As I wrote the lyrics to “Hail Victory”, I said suddenly to myself, “Hey! This looks like the ending of the two first “Pagan Glory” songs”. It’s the victory of freedom and tolerance over the evil and oppression. If there is one message in those songs it’s really “Stay true and fight for your ideas”. If you follow your heart, in the end you’ll win – but it will never be easy. All the rest are more symbols.

I know that Frank Knight, ex-singer of X-Wild, helps you with the lyrics. How did you get to know him?

Again through Bart. He knows Frank very well, so it wasn’t too hard to have him supervising the lyrics. (laughs) By the way, I really have to say that Frank is a real gentleman, one of the kindest persons I have met in this business. I guess he will help me again with the lyrics on our next album. This is very secure for a “not English born guy” like I am, believe me.

Jens Börner is not a typical French name. Is it your real name or is it a stage name underlining your ties to the German metal scene? And is ex-Lonewolf drummer Felix Börner your brother?

You’re not far away from the truth. (laughs) It’s my real name, and it’s related to Germany as I’m German born! My two parents are Germans, they came to France not long before my birth. And yes, of course, Felix is my brother. You know, bands often have line-up troubles, so have we. Musicians come and go, I’m always prepared to this eventuality. But with my brother it was different, it was the first time I really felt disappointment seeing someone go. It’s normal, of course, as it’s something very special to play with your brother. Each one understands the other without speaking, just through music. I was really sad, but the gods of metal were with us: we found Tonio – the best man we could find. Even more important is the fact that he’s not simply a VERY good drummer, but also a really great guy – and that’s what matters most in Lonewolf.

What does Tonio bring to the band?

First of all, he brings the passion of the youth!!! This guy is so motivated – he really gave us a kick in the ass, so to say. Tonio never played in a “real band”, he only played in some obscure little combos, mostly doing rehearsals (kind of rehearsal where you drink more than you play) and two or three little gigs. Even if we’re an underground band, everything seems “bigger” and more professional for him in Lonewolf. Our rehearsals are serious, we work hard and the band takes much time from all of us. Now he brings a “real“ album out, he travels Europe to play, so of course this is really new and fascinating for him. But the most important thing is that he’s really a “metal brother”. He is really a very good drummer, but if he would have been an asshole he wouldn’t play with us. Before Felix left Lonewolf, we knew Tonio already very well, because in 2008 we had a problem for two gigs: Felix couldn’t be there. Mitch, our sound engineer, knew Tonio and he asked him to help us out. Tonio learned our songs in two weeks, and the concerts went absolutely great. And as we also had much fun with him on the personal level, we didn’t search very long for a new drummer when Felix quit. In fact, I just made one phone call – and Tonio was motivated to 666%. (laughs).

Lonewolf’s ex-bassist Dryss Boulmedais later played with Canadian band Icewind. Why did he leave the band and move to Canada?

He met a Canadian girl in France – and decided to marry her! When she went back to Canada, Dryss decided of course to follow her. There he joined Icewind, a more melodic metal band in the vein of Stratovarius etc...Today he doesn’t play with them anymore. But he still lives in Canada, and it seems that everything is cool for him. I know that leaving France was easier for him than to leave Lonewolf, which was pretty hard. We lived such great moments with him in the band, he saw everything grow from the inside, and in Lonewolf we’re really like a family. We don’t see each other only for rehearsal and gigs, we often party together, go out together. And this was the most difficult decision for him as he married his wife. But life goes, and all we want is that everything goes well for him in Canada.

Let’s speak about the band’s history, if you don’t mind. How did you get an idea to form your own band? Tell us about early days of Lonewolf.

I don’t really remember how the idea to form a band came – I guess it happened when I, like every teenager was listening to all my favorite vinyls (yeah – those were the days when the CD didn’t have the preference!). I remember wanting to play guitar after my brother Felix got one for Christmas, it must be around 1988 or 1989, I guess.

The early days of Lonewolf.... I remember that we called ourselves Walpurgis Night. We had a female singer, I wanted to play in a band influenced by Warlock and Running Wild, and absolutely wanted a female voice. I don’t remember everything exactly, but once we were a five-piece and already had one or two songs ready. And if I’m not wrong, perhaps the song “Walpurgis Night” is already from this period. Apart from that, we had another song – I don’t remember the name, but I remember that the riffing was influenced by Metallica’s song “Ride The Lightning”.

If we often have line up problems today, you can imagine what it was in the beginning (laughs). People came and went away. The female singer left, we tried one or two others, I guess, but it never worked out. So we said “Ok, let’s find a man as singer, it will be easier,” but in fact it also never worked out. One day I stopped the project and decided to go on only with the drummer, Walkyr. He was the only one really motivated. Together we began to work harder and soon had four or five songs, without vocals and bass but the foundation was there. We found Chris as a bass player and the songs took a better form. One day I said, “OK, guys, if we want to go on, one of us must take up the vocals!!” and both answered “A good idea – but not me!!!!” So I finally had to take up the vocals if this fuckin’ band wanted to go on (laughs).

We changed our name to Lonewolf, and soon had four finished songs: “The Dark Throne”, “Witch Hunter”, “Slave To The Moon” and “Hail To You”. With the exception of “Hail To You”, the three other songs made our first demo called “The Dark Throne”, recorded on a four-track Fostex in 1992. It is not to be seen as a real demo, this recording was more for our friends and to find gigs in Grenoble, our hometown. I’ll never understand why we didn’t record “Hail To You”, (or at least don’t remember why) as this one was a really good live track, very heavy, a bit in the vein of Sodom’s “Remember The Fallen”. Nevertheless, this tape gave us a little name around our hometown and indeed helped us to find some gigs. I remember one of our first gigs was with Dream Child, known today as Eternal Flight, they’re more into a progressive/melodic way. But when I listen to the tape today... My god, it is awful, ha ha. But it’s the first official Lonewolf release, so in a certain way, perhaps I’m still proud of. It’s the very beginning, a little part of what Lonewolf is today.

In 1996 Lonewolf recorded an album called “Legions Of The Unlight” but it newer saw the light of a day. Why?

After our 7” “Holy Evil” released in 1995 we signed a bad contract with a “new” French label. This label, owned by two guys who turned out to be rip-offers and great bastards, made us lose lot of money for nothing. You know, we were so young... During the recordings, we felt something was wrong with this label. It’s such a fucked-up situation – you record, but you know that the album will surely not see the light, you lose money (for example, we had to pay for the hotel were we stayed, a thing they promised us to pay when we signed the contract; we made an advance for pressing, and we never saw it back of course) and you have to go on... even the recordings itself were shitty. There was no will to play in the end, believe me. We recorded the songs as well as we could, and then...nothing. No one managed to reach the fuckers from the label to know what should happen now, and we had a bad recording of an album. We disliked it so much that we even didn’t want to put it out as a demo. Of course, we didn’t like it because we just had been ripped off, but also because, as I said, the recordings were not good. No feeling, nothing... One of the best recordings was the song “Children Of The Unlight” – you can hear it as a bonus on the “March Into The Arena” re-release through the Spanish label GoiMusic. It’s one of the best – but still I hate it!!! Not the song itself, which I really like, but the atmosphere of the song is awful. And you feel that there was no will to do this album.

Shortly after the recordings, we split up. That’s why it never saw the light of day. But if we would have carried on at that time, I guess we would have recorded everything again to bring it out somehow. This is really the worst memory I have with Lonewolf. Not even the fact of splitting up, more the way we were ripped off by two assholes. That’s really frustrating.

After 1996 Lonewolf disappeared from the metal scene until 2002. What happened to the band? And what did you do at that time?

We were fed up after this “Legions Of The Unlight” chapter, really pissed off. Also, my brother Felix went to Germany for studies, this was the bitter end and we finally split up. I went to live in Nice – the French Cote d’Azur. I didn’t touch a guitar for four years, and during this time I never thought of reuniting Lonewolf one day.

All songs from “Legions Of The Unlight” except “Walpurgis Night” were released on your first two official studio albums. Is it possible to hear this one song now?

This song is from our demo “The Calling” (re-released in 2002 by Metal Air Records under the name “Walpurgis Night”). So right now only way to listen to it is to have this demo! There was another song on this album that has never been released, called “Medieval Witchcraft” (which has nothing to do with the song of the same title on “Unholy Paradise” except some parts of the lyrics). For the rest, you’re right, everything has been re-recorded. We have been more or less in talking about re-recording the whole “The Calling” demo one day, as there is, especially in Greece, a demand for this. But we’d really have to see in what context, and to find the time!! The thing is that I really like the songs themselves on this demo, but the recordings are awful. And they’d really deserve a new, better and good recording. Perhaps it would be cool to record them again as bonus tracks for an album or something....We must see. But there are already so many new ideas to work on... And time is so short, as we have to split it among our families, Lonewolf and our day jobs. The future will tell if those songs get another chance one day! And to be honest, since “Made In Hell” there was a 50% change in Lonewolf, and we’re impatient to work on the material of the new line up. If Alex already contributed very much to “The Dark Crusade”, for Tonio it was too late to compose. So we reach for new horizons, keeping the good vibe of the “Dark Crusade” way of composition. So it’s not the right time to work and re-arrange old songs – but we keep it in mind.

The song “1789” is about the French revolution. What is your attitude towards this event in general and to the Jacobinic terror especially?

This is a perfect symbol for the fact that you have to fight for your rights and freedom. The French revolution brought the freedom to believe and trust in whom and what you want, being able to say what you believe and the end of privileges. After this people were also able to vote democratically for their government. But this required much sacrifice, of course. This is the kind of story that can easily be used a symbol in our songs. If you always go as they want, you’ll end up as a lamb only able to say “yes”. This is not what we want. We are metalheads, people can look strange at us, but we don’t care because we are alive and live the way we want. Not everyone can say the same.

Another song from this record is called “S.P.Q.R.”. What does it mean? And what is the message of this song?

This stands for “Senatus populus que romanus” which means “The Senate and roman people”. In fact, in the times of the Roman Empire, these four letters were written everywhere in Rome, you could see them on mighty flags, for example. One day Dryss, our former bass player, came with the intro of this song, inspired by a peplum he saw. He told me that it would be cool to write a song called “S.P.Q.R.”, this really was a symbol for Roman power. When you see these arenas with gladiator fights, for example, all above the walls, at the highest places, you see those flags floating in the wind, with “S.P.Q.R.” written on it. Those flags seemed to touch the sky and clouds. It’s like if they ruled above all. That’s why I say “eternal fight against the sky” in the song, it represents this power. In this song it’s a bit as if the flags could speak about everything they witness. “The dumb witness of battlecries”, the impression being stronger than everything – “One day we’ll defy the gods, the hierarchy supreme, realm without boundaries”. It’s just that war-connected lyrics fit well to heavy metal, in my eyes. There is no “real” message in this song, it’s more a symbol of power and strength. This song became to a favorite on stage, I guess we have always played it since “Unholy Paradise” came out. Slow and heavy, this is a good live song where the crowd can scream and sing with us. One of my absolute live faves.

Would you like to write lyrics about any other historical person or event? The Centenary War, for example…

Compared to the two first albums, I laid those historical events a bit beside on “Made In Hell” and “The Dark Crusade”, where the majority of lyrics deal with actual society problems or more personal things, even through, of course, historical themes still remain. It just happened that way. I really don’t come up with the idea such as, “We must have more of these events next time, or more mystical stuff.”. Just wait and see. Yeah, centenary war is a cool idea, ha ha!!! But right now I still haven’t written one sentence for the next album. Perhaps it will be more historical, perhaps more inspired by the current society, perhaps more legendary.....

A lot of your songs, judging by their titles, show your negative attitude towards religion. Why are you concerned about it?

I’m concerned about the fact that people use religion as a power to oppress and scare weaker people. I have nothing against religion itself, it may help many people (for example, getting closer to a god you trust in when you know your time comes soon or doing the good around in the name of someone). But unfortunately religion is often used as a pretext to kill and destroy, to search power. Religion is finally the root of much evil in our world – of course it’s also the root of much good, but the evil often strikes where it hurts most. When children and women die because of some fanatics – I can just stand and stare without understanding. Why? Why is religion taking so many innocent lives? It is to scare people, and to rule. Today we have the radical Islamic people killing without distinction, before we had the holy church raping and killing – and the examples are numerous today as well as centuries ago!!! Religion is a strange thing, ‘cause it really might bring the “best” good, as the “worst” evil. And if Satan exists, I guess it’s he who invented religion for men to kill each other and keep the dark side of men alive. And Satan’s best friend is God... as one cannot exist without the other. The two faces of religion. (Of course this is symbolic what I mean, there are many other gods or demons man can worship, but in the end it’s all the same, good or bad.). And it’s often religion that makes man choose his side – and for me it should be values like family and respect that should make you choose your side and nothing else. Religion is a thing hard to understand – perhaps this fascinates me in a certain way – but the negative points come bigger today than the other ones in my sense.

I’m afraid the French metal-scene is not well-known in Russia. I can remember only bands like Killer, Trust, ADX and Nightmare. Please, say a few words about it. Which bands do you consider interesting?

My personal all time fave is H-Bomb, they released “Attaque” and “Coup de metal” back in the 1980s. Fantastic riffing, great singer...this band had everything that makes the metal heart pump faster. I’ve always been a Nightmare and ADX fan. The first albums are really cool. Perhaps you remember also Blaspheme, they made pretty cool albums back in the 1980’s and prepare their comeback today. There was “no man’s land” for metal in France for a long time, from around 1988 ‘till 2000 I’d say. Today the true scene comes back, the underground really boils. Lay an ear on our friends of Hürlement (some H-Bomb, Running Wild, Manowar etc influences), we have Resistance (More in a heavy/thrash vein – in the true way it should be), Mystery Blue (Power metal, they made two albums in the 1980s and three since the beginning of the century) or Holy Cross (more Iced Earth oriented). It’s really a revival, like a NWOFHM he he!!!!! This revival is also possible with the help of guys like the label Emanes Metal Records who organize the Long Live Metal festival. This is our French Keep It True festival!!! They made bands like Manilla Road, Serpent Saints, Sacred Steel etc play –you would never have seen this a few years ago! They also organize, for example, Omen/Savage Grace here. There are also labels like Inferno Records or Under Siege Records who are not there to fuck the bands and take the money, but really for the passion and to share it. You really feel a change here in France. We are not many, but together we are strong.

Thank you very much for your answers! Please, say a few words to Russian readers.  

Thanks a lot for this interview my friend!! I had fun answering it. The vinyl of our last album “The Dark Crusade” has been released through the German label Killer Metal Records, and “Made In Hell” will be released on vinyl also in a very few weeks by the French label Emanes Metal. I invite everyone who like true metal to lay an ear on our MySpace page. And I wanted to say also that through friends who have strong connections in the underground I know that we have some support in Russia, and I really want to thank the metalheads for it!!! Hail!!

Lonewolf on the Internet: http://www.myspace.com/metalonewolf

Konstantin “Hirax” Chilikin
February 23, 2010
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