Greetings Nefarious, how are you lately? How's the band doing?
Greetings.... Ah, what a year its been! Both personally and for the NAETU horde, many ups and downs have been experienced. And both are now making transition into a more stable and stronger phase...
For the readers who don't know about Naetu, please tell us a brief history of the band.Briefly? Well, myself and Vorkgnar created this entity in early 2002. Alas the first 2-3 years were somewhat slow in progress, Vorkgnar was learning to juggle commitments, and I was fighting my own demons. This began to gain stability and momentum in 2004 with the first complete line-up, this was short lived with the drummer parting ways. The next drummer stayed with us for some 2 years, before leaving as we prepared to record 'The Burning Lands' in early 2007, as you can imagine, it was a bitter loss for us at the time.
With the acquisition of a session drummer, we finally entered the studio in late 2007, it took 4 months to finish our debut album, which was released in April 2008. After this, more line-up changes and frustration. Myself and Vorkgnar, now joined by Sentient, continue to write new material, and keep momentum moving forward as we approach the dawn of a new decade....
Where does the name come from and who came up with it?
This was Vorkgnar's concept. If you can imagine, a place that is always horrendously hot, much pain and suffering, souls enduring torture until they perish only to be resurrected to suffer again and again, a place where white light is but a myth and the weak forever burn.... Its hell, but worse!
Although the band was released in 2002, you've released your debut album only last year. How come? Do you have any prior releases?
There is one, but it is by no means any 'official release'. I think there may be 5 copies of it floating around our city. As for 'The Burning Lands', we had difficulties with drummers essentially. But deep down, we know this was a blessing in disguise for us, the drummer we used for the recording was far better than any other we had in the past, and we were more 'in tune' with our musical style at that later stage.
Please present us your debut album, what can we find on it and where can we find it? How would you describe your sound?
Our debut album, 'The Burning Lands' is of sorts, a history of NAETU's journey and growth through the early years. The images within the art work are powerful, and display that stage we were at when it was finalised.
I've traded it to several other record labels around the world, especially in America and here in Australia. It can be found at our other distribution label, Satanica. Or from my label, Blood Black Productions (BBP) and the associated Ebay store.
Our sound? We describe it as STORMING BLACK METAL. Chaotic, powerful, with a certain element of destructive splendour, much like that of a lightning storm....
I know it was released under Blood Black Productions. Is it your own label? What other bands are on it?Yes, Blood Black Productions is my creation, it started as just a name to put on our album release ceremony poster. But I began using it to help attract other labels to trade with, and further distribute NAETU's release. At present, it only serves NAETU's purposes directly, but I do use it to help (to a limited extent) other local bands get their sounds overseas. I would like to expand it in the future, but for the moment, my main focus is on NAETU, not the label....
How was your first album received by public and media?
The release ceremony in 2008 was held to a full house at a local venue, some 400 punters. For a local band here, that is extremely rare. Since then, it has been very well received by black metal fans, and even fans of other musical genres. The media has also been excellent, getting a lot of airplay on radio stations, and good to excellent reviews from web sites and zines.
You had an Australian tour supporting Cradle Of Filth. How was it? Have you had the chance to bond with the UK guys?
That was a great experience for us, and was the first time we played outside our city. It felt good playing to crowds who for the most part, had no idea who we were, and getting such inspirational cheers and applause by the end of each set. We played with power, passion and intensity, and it was appreciated by all. Cradle Of Filth on the other hand, tended to keep to them selves, which I kind of expected. We did manage to get a couple of photos with them back stage, but that was about it.
Usually extreme black metal bands tend to mock CoF, how do you find their music?
Personally, I greatly enjoy the first 4 official releases, and they get play time on my iPod fairly regularly. Midian and after is when they started loosing my attention a little, I still respect them as musicians non the less, but their newer music just holds no excitement for me.
How is the life for a Black Metal band in Australia? I know there are many Death & Grind acts in there, how about Black Metal? What are the best and the worst parts of being an Aussie BM band?
Australia is very divided, there is the west, and there is the east, with west being the minority. Death and Grind are a trend here, a fashion almost, I dont care for it at all, there is no essence or true feeling to this style. There is a thriving black metal scene, but it to is riddled with division in some areas, elitism and the like, I dont care for this either. Black metal comes from the soul, there should be no competition or egos involved, its raw expression, nothing more. But quality bands to watch for, Wardaemonic and Mhorgl from the west, and then from the east we have Nazxul, Pestilential Shadows, Oracle Of The Void, Noir Macabre, Drowning The Light and Ruins to name a few.
You have also played in Bereavement, please tell us a bit about this band, too. Are you still with them?
Bereavement are a symphonic styled black metal band, in the vein of old old Dimmu Borgir I guess you could say. They required a bass player, so I helped them out until time required for NAETU and Blood Black Productions took over, I was with them for around 6 months (late 2007-early/mid 2008). I only played a few shows with them.....
The album is almost 2 years old now, what is Naetu preparing at the moment? When can we listen to new stuff from your side?Due once again, to member instability, we are a little further behind with writing than I would have liked. But we have a full line-up now, hopefully it stays that way, as good drummers are hard to find! But we now have a bevy of new material, one track (Hymn To The Conquered) can be seen on YouTube from a show we played in December 2008. We hope to enter the studio again in mid 2010 to record the next album, some songs may be played live between now and then, keep an eye on YouTube for that!
What's your biggest goal with Naetu? What would you like to achieve through it?
Well personally speaking, I'd love to be able to play live ceremonies around the world. I love what we (NAETU) do, and I love performing it live, anything else after that is just a bonus. The feeling we get from crushing skulls with our music is intoxicating!
At the end of this chat please tell our readers where can they listen to your music, or how to contact you. Thank you for the time you spent answering this intie.
Our primary domain is at www.myspace.com/NaetuDominion From there, you can find music, live video footage, reviews and photography, along with links to every other site we use on the web, including the BBP Ebay store....
Many thanks for your time as well brother, may the left hand path guide you well!
Nefarious
Interviewed by Adrian
December 2009