Interview:	XERIÓN
Title:	A heart for the homeland

Melancholic Celtic Black Metal out of the Northwest of Spain, more exact from Galicia – not usual anyway, these four inflamed mystic souls amaze the listeners yet also with some music quality.

The Iberian horde Xerión is debuting presently with high passion on its quickly thrilling moon-admirer cult plate „Nocturnal Misantropia”, a deeply touching piece of dark art.

Listening to these persistently churning soul-catcher is similar smoothly to a ghostly midnight trip in a roaring thunderstorm through the high mountain ranges in the homeland of the quartet.

Band founder Nocturno acts in Xerión not only very hard as a devoted guitar-servant and voice-extremist, but also praises his deep love to the beauty of its geographic region with full devotion.

Nocturno, what can you do for the fans with your music that other candidates can’t?

„I am not interested in doing anything for the fans... I only write my music and my lyrics for me, without thoughts in other things and people, and if anyone likes them, it’s all right, and if they don’t like, it’s all right too... But it is not the main reason to make my music...”

What are your lifelong dreams?

„My life is the impossible search of my inner self and the self-knowledge through the infinite way of sounds...”

Tell about a time where you had to deal with conflicts in the music genre!

„I had only one conflict (if you can call it conflict...) in my life with one zine (well, rather they had a problem with me), but I think they don’t deserve the publicity would comment here... I don’t consider Xerión or myself as a part of the black or extreme metal scene, because I do not believe in a group of people with the same principles and purposes in matters musical, much less philosophical or spiritual… Perhaps some time ago I mattered some comments or betrayals of some individuals, but not now... I try to walk my own path without compromises and concerns with other people or bands, so, it’s difficult to have some conflicts this way… But perhaps someone has them with me due this way of thinking… well, they have a problem, I haven’t…”

Which are your responsibilities in Xerión?

„I am Xerión, and Xerión is me. I only choose the individuals who accompany me on my path... the other things comes in a sporadic and spontaneous way...”

What are your strengths as musician?

„I don’t think that I have any strength... As a composer I just want to be able to express in my music which takes place within me, and as instrument player, I only want to play the best possible way I can...”

Please give examples of ideas you’ve had or implemented for the music of Xerión!

„In first time, Xerión (in the Ancient Mythology of Galician lands it’s the name of the God of the Dead) is a proud homage to my land, Galicia, and everything that represents for me: I describe some historical passages and ancient myths, its mystical Nature, its magical Night, its Moon over the old forests, the cold and the rain... And all in my mother tongue, the Galician language (spoken in the North West of the Iberian Peninsula). But there are other things that appear in my music in a metaphoric and cryptic way, too: there are misanthropic and nihilistic feelings, perhaps self destructive sometimes, and other times melancholic touches with some nostalgia (in Galician we call that feeling “morriña”). And always, with the eternal presence of the Black Shadow of Death...”

Report about your proudest achievement!

„I am very proud of all that I have achieved with Xerión... Our path hasn’t been easy. Although it is true that one of the most important things has been our contract with a label like Schwarzdorn with all their big support with our first album. I will be eternal and deeply grateful with them...”

Who are your favourite bands and why?

„I think that Johann Sebastian Bach would be my first choose... He was the music made flesh... Queen would be my second choose, because they are the first memories of my childhood (my parents are big fans of that band)... And the third (and black metal) choose would be, of course, Darkthrone, to do what they want when they want and how they want without worrying about the others (at least apparently).”

Who are your heroes among them?

„Logically Bach in first time... it would be great to can compose that perfect music... In second time, Brian May, because he was my inspiration to become a guitarist when I was 10 or 11 years old... And finally, Nocturno Culto (I picked up the first part of its name as a humble tribute).”

What are the qualities of a good band in your opinion?

„I have no objective grounds for considering a band good or bad, as there are hordes with a mediocre technically that I enjoy a lot and vice versa... I think a band is good if its music reaches the depths of my being in a more subjetive way…”

Why do you make especially this kind of music?

„Because I think is the best music to express myself...”

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

„I don’t know... I am not sure that this world lasts much… But I would like to continue making music for Xerión (for me), although no one liked it and I had to record in very poor conditions and making 2 or 3 copies on tape TDK to my friends… My music is my life…”

What’s your ideal song?

„It’s very difficult to choose only one song... I’ll write three: `The Prophet’s Song` from Queen, `Mother North` from Satyricon, and `Kathaarian Life Code` from Darkthrone...”

What attracted your horde to your current record label?

„Hehe... a very good question... but I have not an answer! Patrick from Schwarzdorn wrote me one good day to tell me that he liked a lot our music, and he was interested in release us the `Nocturnal Misantropía` work... and that’s all I know... I think he is a crazy man to contract us!”

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

„I am not concerned at the possible evolution of my music... The only thing I want when I compose is to be as faithful as possible to all the processes taking place within me, and being able to translate them with the resources available at that time… If after the music sounds more black, more folk, more ambient… it is irrelevant in the background...”

When were you most satisfied in your band?

„I think I will never be completely satisfied with my music or my band, because when I think I am, continuing making music will be meaningless...”

What spiritual ways in life are you seeking?

„I try to live my life in the most intense and full way as possible, under an individualist vision and balance with everything that surrounds me, either nature or the few people I choose... My life is a constant search... I would like to thank you this interview, with these unusual and interesting questions, and for your big support!”

© Markus Eck, 24.04.2008

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