USBMS would like to thank Ancst for this interview.
1.Id like to start off by asking when Ancst began as band and who are the current members and their roles?
Tom: we started sometime in 2011 when we recorded the first demo. Its
Torsten and me most of the time but we always had friends joining in on the
recordings so you cant really just speak of us. We see Ancst as a collective
that has different ideas and different faces. Its not really a traditional band
or anything like that.
Torsten: Tom reached out to me and asked if I'm interested in doing the
vocals for some songs he arranged in his living-room. I agreed because I've
known Tom for a while and always wanted to work with him. I went to a practice
space in a Berlin
squat and recorded the vocals for the first Ancst-Output. Neither would I define Ancst as a band, cause we don't have a proper
line-up. It's more a collective of people who have similar sights and ideas of
life and seem to be frustrated of the same reasons. I am mainly responsible for
the lyrical content of the songs, Tom is the one who's putting a lot time and
effort into writing songs, doing artwork and spread the news over the Internet.
It seems like I am one of a few people, who do not own a facebook account. Besides us there are also some people who play additional guitars on the
recordings or bass, master the songs, release them or just share some kind
words and have nice conversations. It's more or less one bigger circle of friends.
2.Your band was previously know as "Angst", but a name change
[respelling] occurred in 2012, Can you give us brief explanation for this and
did it affect the musical or lyrical style of the band?
Tom: Well, there are a dozen bands out there that go by the name
"Angst" but as we liked the name we just changed the spelling. It's
really not a big deal.
Torsten: That's right. We simply decided to abstract the spelling, but
in the end the meaning stays the same. And from my perspective it didn't change
anything on a musical or lyrical level.
3. Your style has been labeled as Post/Crust Black Metal with Hardcore
influences, is this an accurate description of the band and if not how would
you describe the bands musical sound?
Tom: If people want to call it that, we don't really care. We draw
influences from black metal, crust, death metal, grind and this whole shoegaze
thing as well as from other genres. If you have never listened to Ancst, lets
just say you could dig it if you like fast melodic black metal with crusty
vocals.
Torsten: Musically it's mostly Death/Black Metal with Crust. This
so-called Hardcore influence could be found in the lyrics. Contrary to the
common sense of lyrical output from most of the bands in this genre, we try to
make a difference, which might be rooted on the DIY-Background we're located at
for many years. I'm a big fan of the musical elements and aggression Metal has
to offer, but the DIY-Hardcore-Scene or whatever you may call it, gives me much
more content and input I can discuss and reflect in my daily basis.
4. The band collectively has expressed strong views against
fascism, sexism, and religion as well as
voicing its distaste towards the NSBM moment, explain how the band chooses to
confront these issues through its music? And do you feel like you are being
heard and getting your point across?
Torsten: I think that our "views" are nothing more than parts
of what we understand as common sense. And at the same time they could be defined
as results of emancipatory processes, if you ask me. Tom might surely agree on
that. It's very easy to follow, because there's no need to put any strength
into own decisions.
I also know, that these arguments are very very short-handed, but it
would take way to much time and space to discuss these views in a proper way. People could start to read more books, reflect themselves and their
surroundings more again and start to see themselves again, instead of consuming
brain-numbing shit/food/TV-Shows/news, etc. I don't think that we, as a collective in this musically extreme
Sub-Genre, have a lasting effect. But on the other hand we're refusing any
efforts of teaming up with people or bands, who seem to be indecisive about the
topics we've talked about and mostly with this NSBM-/Greyzone-BM-Fuckheads,
just to get a wider range to spread our "message". We know exactly
what we want and we don't need this.
Tom: We think its important to share ideas and to reflect what is
happening out of there. It's your choice to listen or to ignore it. As simple
as that. We have connected with a bunch of people that share our ideas, that
get involved or that had a conversation with us about these topics (as you do
right now) and for me personally this is a win-win situation. We are not trying
to censor peoples personal views, this is about giving new input and sharing
our own ideals not about telling what is right or wrong. We want to learn and
we are interested in what's going on in our sub cultural microcosm. Although
for us, any national socialist ideas, racism, sexism, homophobia and organized
religion don't equal freedom of free expression and that's what extreme music
is to us. Doesn't matter if its metal or hardcore. This kind of music and the
ideas that grew out of certain connected sub cultures are (and this is my
personal opinion) a critical reaction to the world we live in. C'mon a lot of
us don't agree with what is happening outside of our four walls. A lot of us
don't enjoy living in a world that dictates a certain setting of rules. A world
that is plagued by war and political crisis. Our music and the music of so many
other bands you people enjoy is a mirror of what happens around us. its against
the fucked up stuff on this planet. its about being different, its about being
what you would like to be. This is the opposite to what fascism is. Metal and
hardcore should be about individualism not about herd mentality (even tough
most people inside the extreme music community seem to tend to the second). It
should be a place for us to gather and to make a change. to share what happens
inside of us. It's about asking questions to ourselves and changing the way we
walk this earth.
5. Do you have guys have an opinion on whether or not NSBM should be
associated with BM music? And how do you feel about the current state of Black
Metal music in general, in your country and as well as around the world?
Torsten: Of course NSBM should NOT be associated with and tolerated
within the BM-Scene. Unfortunately it seems like there's no other way for many
bands to get some attention besides their musical skills. And to me it's kind of weird, if i am having a conversation with a
person out of the HC/DIY-Subculture and this person tries to point out the
musical significance of Varg Vikernes/Burzum, with the argument that more
people should separate the musical impact and influence from the individual(s)
behind it. Putting the racist/fascist/nationalistic ideas seriously into
perspective is something I really cannot relate to. I can't actually say something about the current state of the Black
Metal-Scene, as I'm not that much into the intention of most of the bands. I
dig a couple bands who grew out the so-called RABM-Movement, everyone with a
proper Internet access should be able to check those out, but I am no friend of
too elitist views of life, either… there's not only one truth, just many sad
and true facts concerning life.
Tom: I'm not sure if people are really aware of what fascism is and what
that would mean to them. I don't think the long haired unemployed metal dude
next door with his absurd hoodie will survive in a fourth Reich. I'm not sure
if all these kids playing with third Reich slogans and imagery in black metal
certainly belong or should be a part of the extreme music community which is
clearly a multicultural thing. Metal wouldn't be what it is without
multicultural influences. Ever heard about rhythm & blues? Ever checked
where the instruments you are playing your black metal with are originally
from? If you people are so interested in your ancestors and heritage ever
checked where YOU are really from, before you talk about all this aryan crap? All
this pure blood nonsense and white supremacy bullshit is just a waste of time. Black
metal wouldn't exist without other influences and without people moving on. It's
a thing that grew out of progress. It's not like it came out of nowhere. A lot
of new bands again understood this. I don't want to listen to a thousand dark
throne / mayhem / Burzum clones over and over again. The so called necro sound
is something that gets old too. It's 2013 fellas. Time to move on. Tradition
can be so boring!
6. You guys released the "Humane Condition" EP
through Dark Omen Records in 2013, What made you guys decide to release the EP
in cassette format as opposed to CD format, and is there a full length release
from the band in the works?
Tom: I've been releasing music for my own bands and for various others
on cassette for the last 8 years. I'm somehow stuck with that medium as its
cheap and reliable and I like it. I mean I grew up riding my bike to school and
listening to loud stuff on my walkman. I didn't leave the house without big
headphones and some tapes. CD's are nice too but its not my format of choice. However,
we are currently discussing to put out all the split material as a compilation
on CD. Regarding the full length... we wont tell. It's a secret!
Torsten: I think I'm gonna sing only about love on our full length. This
seems to be the only life-aspect which cannot be controlled and observed by the
NSA. Or I could sing about the disobedient character of the Straight Edge... or
Tofu-Burger vs. Meatzza. Fuck CD's, by the way!
Tom: I love this guy!
7. How did the deal with Dark Omen Records come about, were you guys
satisfied with the final product?
Tom: We asked around if anyone would be interested in putting out the
first EP and Jonas from Dark Omen contacted us and offered to take care of it. We
are totally satisfied with "The Humane Condition". Jonas did a fine
job there and was fun to work with. We are already in talks for another release
with him. Everyone should check out his band Depravation. they got a new LP out
which is killer and we are planning a split with them later this year.
8. Right now you guys are currently unsigned. Are you searching for a
label or have you received interest from any labels?
Tom: We like to do things ourselves but we are happy for everyone that
digs the sound and lyrics and gives us a helping hand. We have a few split
releases coming up and we sure could use some labels that are up for some joint
operations. Also we would like to make our stuff available outside of Europe. If anyone is interested, make sure to get in
touch.
9. According to the bands bio your guys have been involved in other
bands, are any of these bands still active as side projects?
Tom: To be honest, Ancst is our side project. we are both still active
in other bands. Torsten was part of Disschrist and Hoilkrampf in the past and
is now active in Gamera. Berlin
emo sludge. I'm still singing for Berlin
powerviolence outfit Henry Fonda and play drums for a 90s HC band called
Afterlife Kids.
Torsten: Actually I am very busy with my responsibility as a father of
two kids and the positive/negative aspects of the daily grind.
Because of that, the efforts for my musical projects are pretty much
limited. But it's always great to hang out with my friends and to have a vent
for my frustrations.
10. Are there any certain styles of music "outside of metal"
that inspired you guys to become musicians? If so which ones, also what
"Metal" bands had the biggest impact on you guys growing up?
Tom: I was 12 when my dad introduced me to Napalm Death. I went on to
explore extreme metal over the years that followed and then got my mind blown
by hardcore. I started playing music at an early age but as I grew up without
any fellow metalheads around me, my first steps in making music were in punk
and alternative bands. When I later moved to Berlin I finally found people that would
play noisier stuff. Besides hardcore and metal, I like all kinds of music. I
can go with some indie pop tunes and then switch to hardstyle or cheesy
chiptune stuff. I'm not really elitist when it comes to genres. I think you
miss most of the fun when you are stuck with that one style of music, but back
to your question. When I grew up bands like napalm death, malevolent creation, Nasum, converge or Ulver blew my mind. I can name a hundred more but lets just
stick with these.
Torsten: I definitely do NOT see myself as a musician... I am mainly
influenced by the variations of extreme music, grew up with Pantera and Michael
Jackson and much other stuff at the same time and always skipped through the
genres, as long as it's not too cheesy. Right now I am listening mostly to Rap
because I am very fascinated by the creative variations of music and language.
But my heart will always be with the DIY-Subculture and loud, aggressive
music...
11. I would like to thank you guys for your time and ask what's in store
from Ancst for 2014 and what can we expect from you guys in the future?
Tom: We are currently working on some new split releases and are trying
to find a reliable drummer in the Berlin
area. Check back on our Facebook or Bandcamp for further info. Thanks to you
for your time and support!
12. Are there any final words that you guys would to say to our readers
before we finish up this interview?
Torsten: The world is definitely a fucked up place. Just like most of
the people are pretty much fucked up.
Rethink.Redefine.React. Thank you.For band contact and info visit
https://www.facebook.com/angstnoise
http://angstnoise.bandcamp.com/
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ancst/3540350533
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