Interview:	BLACKGUARD
Title:	With passion and courage

A desirable condition in an emotionally pretty icy world: the senses rejoice, the soul quakes, the blood boils and the total musculoskeletal enslaving itself in the end ecstatically to the intoxicating dictation of harsh rapid power rhythmic – in short, just metallic musical delightful listening at it’s very best.

Granted: a highly rare experience. But for that it is enough in this case, to insert simply the brand-new longplay spectacle of this Canadian sound art carpenters and to leave the volume its absolute privilege. 


Entitled „Profugus Mortis“, this true super disk enjoys namely with a very agile Viking Folk Metal mixture out of the elitist creating of wild North hordes such as Thyrfing, Ensiferum and also Finntroll. 


Solemnly fulfilled of sensational guitar work and remarkably smart equipped with one extra portion of full melodic Equilibrium’ish ingredients, the Montreal based group succeeded with a lot of timeless hits. 



Singer und main lyricist Paul Ablaze reports about his loud Canadian bunch and its new album release.

Paul, what do you think of your previous musical life?

„It was fun. I learnt so much from my previous bands that I was able to apply to Blackguard and build it up to where we are now.“

Tell about times where you had to deal with conflicts with your own mind within the build-up-phase of Blackguard!

„There were times where I wasn’t sure if this was going to last but i was quickly proved wrong. I soon realized that together we had something very good and that everyone was on the same page in terms of where we wanted to go with this band.“

The new record „Profugus Mortis“ offers lovers of high quality guitar works a broad range of fantastic moments – where your guitarists got their high abilities?

„I have no idea, I’m starting to think that they’re genetically altered to play well. Kim and terry have both been playing guitar for a long time and i guess it’s just all the hard work that they’ve put in over the years that’s playing off.”

The front cover topic is awesome – do you sing beside pirates also about trapper themes?

„Well I don’t really sing about pirates. The cover is based on the Quebec Folk tale of “La Chasse-Galerie”. In the story a group of lumber jacks stationed far away from their families make a deal with the devil to be with them on new year’s eve. It’s a great story and i like the idea of these guys being so motivated to go party with their friends and loved ones.“

Please tell a bit about the lyrics of the new album release!

„They don’t deal with any one thing. They range from Quebec mythology to songs about drinking to songs about brotherhood and where we stand in the world. I never wanted to write about one certain “thing” or mythology. I take whatever inspires me and adapt it to the music so it fits together.“

Why should listeners buy the new release „Profugus Mortis“?

„I’d like to think we offer something different than most other “Folk” Metal bands. And because the CD kicks ass!“

Why do you make this kind of special Viking/Pirate Metal music?

„This is the music that we love. We wanted to play upbeat, aggressive, party, epic Metal and I think we’ve done a good job.”

What can you do for the fans with your music that other candidates can't?

„I think we can inspire more circle pits than most of the bands I know.”

What are your lifelong dreams?

„To be happy with whatever I’m doing at the time. I really hope that involves music because I’m having so much fun now i would hate to see it end.“

What are your strengths as musician inside the horde after your own opinion?

„People tell me I’m a good front man, so I’ll go with that.”

Please give examples of ideas you've had or implemented for the music of Blackguard.

„I really don’t have much to say with the music. I greatly respect Jo’s skills at writing music which are superior to mine. 99 % of the time i really don’t need to say anything, the music is always fine the way it is.“

Tell about your proudest achievement in the band.

„Being the top selling band on our former label Prodisk. That felt good.“

Btw, what are you most proud of at all in your life?

„Not sure yet, get back to me in a few years.”

What is your biggest regret, and why?

„Not finishing more school while I had the chance.”

Who are your favourite bands and why?

„I can never seem to answer these kinds of questions because i really don’t have favourites. They seem to change all the time.“

Which are your heroes among them?

„I greatly look up to people like Isahn from Emperor and Henry Rollins from Black Flag because they’re very intelligent people who i respect tremendously. I would call them my heroes.“

Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?

„I’d like to be able to live off my music. If I could come back from tour and not have to work a day job that would rule!“

What's your ideal song on the new Blackguard record „Profugus Mortis“?

„’This Round’s On Me’. It’s a great party song that is the most fun to play live and describes one of my favourite pass times.”

What are you looking for in terms of development of the Blackguard musical style?

„Not sure yet, we’ll see when we get there.”

© Markus Eck, 20.02.2009

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