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08 14 08 SARGAGANTAS Interview
1. From here it seems like you have some direct contact with the spiritual realm. Would you care to comment?
I'm not going to claim I do, chances are I don't. I like to think about how extensive and strange things are though, you know, beyond life as we know it. That really influences SARGAGANTAS's tracks.
2. How has gaming influenced your life and more especially, your music?
Of what influence gaming has had on me I'm not sure, its just entertainment, that's all.
Gaming has absolutely no effect on SARGAGANTAS.
3. I'd like you to describe your "black noise" musical inspirations a bit! We happen to like them a lot.
I'm glad! I started reading H.P. Lovecraft about two years ago. I love how his writing seems to be powered by fear of the unknown. He never really gets to the bottom of things, you know? Crowley is interesting. I think I like Crowley for some of the reasons I like Anton, they are both one hell of a kind of free thinking man. Anton LaVey's Satanic Bible really helped me realize a few things about myself and the rest of the human race. Some things I thought that were not so natural such as greed, gluttony, lust, and selfishness in general turn out to be common in basically everyone, always getting out no matter how hard they suppress it. I needed help realizing that, I mean, why fight yourself? I think the Nietzsche is satanic in a “LaVeyan” sort of way. Stuff he said like “Will to Power!”, etc. Some people disregard his ideals because he went insane at the end of his life. But they still make great sense!
4. There are a lot of people who are unfamiliar with Lord Arkaroth, could you please tell us a bit about him and your relationship with him?
Well, I guess I was making a approach at a sort of “pseudonym” with the name Arkaroth. On DA I use this character in some of those fantasy style stories. His character is sort of based off a Viking or something. I don't really like the name a hell of a lot though. It doesn't mean anything to me, just made up.
5. What kind of guitar are you playing? Do you have more than one?
I play a Schecter 7 String exclusively. That's really the only “true” guitar I own. My first guitar was a very crudely made Premier, which now sits string less in the corner.
6. Whose music do you listen to when you want to relax?
Xasthur is a big one. Next comes Burzum and Leviathan. I also really like the Mayhem album “Ordo Ad Chao” its just so slow, heavy, and dark. I'm really into sun 0))) and stuff like that now too.
7. In listening to your sound samples on your SARGAGANTAS page at MySpace I was wondering what you used as sound samples, or sources, to put some of them together?
Well, I simply have a recorder with me everywhere I go, and when I hear something that suddenly sparks my interests, I'm on it. Sometimes it's the sound of a clock, a weird noise someone keeps making. Maybe someone raking sticks across a bike wheels spokes, or chains dragging on the ground. Sometimes I use stock sounds, and experiment with guitar and vocal recordings. I try not to overdo the guitar though.
8. What music software do you like and use the most?
Definitely Audacity. I've thought about getting some retail software before, but why bother when I already have everything I need?
9. What do you experience emotionally when you listen to music in general, and what do you expect people to have in hearing the music which you make?
Well, sometimes it puts me into deep thinking mode, and other times it will just enhance a mood. I want people to listen to SARGAGANTAS and see things in their head I guess, I know that sounds a bit strange. I remember I was reading about Burzum awhile back. When Varg Vikerness formed Burzum, a purpose of it was to “Awake fantasy in the hearts of men…” I really like that, that pretty much sums up SARGAGANTAS.
10. Do you experiment with sound a lot?
I love to experiment with sound, running things through different amps, pedals, and maybe a tape player, making sounds longer or shorter, distorting them, mixing them, changing pitches, inverting them. I'm very into that.
11. Some people draw an invisible line between "music" and "noise." Care to comment?
Oh yea, they seem to do that sometimes on the basis of what sounds like it took more skill to create. If your whole life you listen to Malmsteen then when you first hear Darkthrone you'll think it sounds like shit. Its not about how difficult the music is, but how good it sounds to you. If people are unimpressed or don't like SARGAGANTAS because its not technical, and lacks any true beat, then oh well, I didn't get into music to impress anyone.
12. In what we've heard of your music, it sounds like rhythm isn't necessarily one of things which you take into account when you create something. I think that that can be a virtue, but what do you say?
Well, I think music with rhythm can not really provide the same mental experience as stuff that is just straight ambient, or straight psychedelic sounds. I think less rhythm can be a good thing for ones imagination.
13. Do you work with other musicians or collab with people, or are you in a band?
I'm in a black metal band called Psychic Horns. I do guitar and backup vocals. We're fairly new and don't have our Myspace set up yet. But it's really serious to us.
14. Are there musicians in your family?
Actually not really, I have a far cousin that plays a little bit of guitar. But we don't really talk to each other.
15. What did you listen to while you were growing up? I mean, you're four years old and out with your parents in the car and they are listening to something, or one of them has the sound system on at home and you're stuck listening to what they like?
Well, my sister had every Nirvana album. Growing up, that was a major influence. What I love about Nirvana is they simply own their sound, you can't replicate it, there is nothing like it. Kurt Cobain seemed like he surrounded himself in his own universe, you can really feel his universe in his music.
16. Did you have any formal musical education, like in school, or have classes on an instrument?
I had a year of guitar lessons when I first started playing. That's it.
17. Do you have any thoughts about the music which is on video games?
Some gaming series have stuff that is almost too brilliant for just a game. For example the Final Fantasy series, Metal Gear Solid, Morrowind, and Silent Hill all have amazing soundtracks.
Thanks for the interview.