4 minute read
Old Pagan. Interview with Marvin Lawrence
Interview by Namtar
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1.) What made you start the band Old Pagan and what year did the band start?
M: I founded Old Pagan in 1996 as I was influenced by bands like Celtic Frost, Darkthrone, Gorgoroth, Marduk, Alte Sodom, Destruction, Profanatica.
2.) What are your plans for Old Pagan in the future?
M: Just keep going as long as I can.
3.) You just released the new album “She Loves The Pain”, in my opinion it was one of the best releases in years, what was the driving force behind the writing for this album?
M: Actually, I wanted to make another album that reminds me of the black metal of the 90s and what I think black metal should be like, because I can’t do anything with modern BM and nowadays there are hardly any good new bands where it is worth listening to.
4.) Who writes all the songs and lyrics for Old Pagan?
M: I write everything from time to time there are guest mudikers who contribute with a song or lyrics but usually I write everything music and lyrics.
Old Pagan has always been a solo project of mine and I have guest musicians for live performances.
5.) I know you've been in the scene as long as I have, what changes have you seen in black metal from the early days to today?
M: In the end you can only rely on the old bands, although there were also some old bands that broke the style. And there are a lot of the new ones that are just ridiculous like vegan, natural, Ghent Black Metal, what's the point of this rubbish. Black Metal was and is just mean, ruthless, brutal, perverted. Everything else is a joke.
6.) Do you have any plans to play shows or tours in your home country Germany or elsewhere this year?
M: No, there won't be any live shows in the near future, first a new live line up has to be found. And due to the worldwide corona shit, a lot was destroyed that black metallers should actually fight because the society we live in is mostly minus people, I'm not a misanthrope for no reason.
7.) You are involved in many bands, would you name them and what each band means to you?
M: Main band is Old Pagan. Then comes goatthornsskullbonechrusher, my death metal band, which is also important to me because I like old death metal a lot too. Then there's Birkaein, a project Black Metal band by B.s.o.d/ Cruelty and me, the site exists in 1999 but rarely anything new comes, but there's also something planned with B.s.o.d on keyboards and vocals. Otherwise many solo studio projects like I AM WAR (War black) SlowFlyingBullet (S.F.B.) Doom Metal, Hellsquad (Old school Thrashing Black Metal) with international studio line up from Norway, Australia, Japan and Germany. And my current band Gates of calamity Experimental Death/Black
8.) You've made many amazing releases with Old Pagan over the years, actually how many releases have you made since the band started?
M: Five albums, four Eps and maxi Eps, seven tapes. Not counting the new edition.
9) You are also currently working on a new EP, what will the title be and when will it be ready for release?
M: Yes, I'm currently working on a maxi EP entitled "Broken Horns" I'm still working on the songs, I'm planning to go to the studio in autumn/winter.
10.) You also have your own cassette label, what's the name of your label and when did it start?
M: Steel Shellac Rec. it's been around for a few years, but I’m not someone who produces a lot of tapes, even if it's mostly my own music.
11.) Which bands influenced Old Pagan?
M: Darkthrone, Darkthrone, Darkthrone.
12.) Is there anything you would like to say to your fans, friends or readers of the Inside The Darkness zine?
M: Don't take any shit on you just because it's super limited and the band has a shitty name. Because bands with shitty names make shitty music.
