Der Blutharsch - From Darkness to LSD

Coming to Italy in mid-March for a date in Milan (alongside Deutsch Nepal, Bain, Varunna), Albin Julius and his project are going through a very particular period.

We met Albin by email, trying to sum up the directions the band has taken and its history up to now, and we were struck by the sharp, nihilistic irony with which he answers our questions. What emerges is the picture of an artist beyond the labels attached to him, unbound by any stylistic grid, thirsty for continuous innovation and eager to expand his network of projects, always seeking new paths and meeting new collaborators.

First of all, I'd like to talk about how you originated your project, what aesthetics, imagery and artistic context influenced you, and in what way.

At the start, and I don't think you'll believe this, "Der Blutharsch" was planned as a one-off project, meant for the release of an album I'd recorded that didn't fit with my original band. The idea was to put out a 7", followed by a 12" - both ultra-limited - and then leave "Der Blutharsch" in the grave. But things, as always happens in life, took a strange turn. My band burst like a soap bubble... I had the energy, the time, the passion and a great response from the audience to my music... people loved it, so I decided to carry on with the Der Blutharsch project.

The aesthetic at the time was martial; I was very interested in the 1920s and 30s, periods full of extremism, which was reflected in our work, our image and our style. It was, in a way, brutal, though in a positive sense, and then, well... we transformed.

From the first LP in 1996 to now, your music has gone through numerous transformations. The first period ends in 2005 with "When Did Wonderland End?" and the second has just ended with the new 2011 album. In the first case you brought in influences more tied to new wave, in the second you started introducing more psychedelic elements. What drove these changes?

Now, looking back at those years, yes... it's really funny how much we've changed! But change is an essential part of life - if you don't change or move, you're dead! And for bands it's essential to change, to be hungry for the excitement of finding new paths, new sounds, new possibilities. You'd better watch out, because we'll change again, and again!

What does the new LP represent for you? What concept, what idea lies behind it?

Simply another album. And in the meantime we're already working on new material - for me the "new album" is already among the clouds of the past, and I don't want to waste energy or thought on it, I just want to think about new adventures.

The new LP shows new sides to your sound. In particular, tracks like "Acid Haze" and "The Final Stand" seem influenced by the psychedelia of 13th Floor Elevator and by LSD.

Haha, well, I think you've really hit the nail on the head.

What meaning lies behind "Birds Of Prey", in which I noticed a darkwave flavor, and "Reincarnation", epic and stunning in its Indian shadows?

There's no meaning at all... or do you still believe in meanings?

Everything is meaningless, more or less, in relation to the world and the everyday march of time. What are we? Nothing but a grain of dust. These are songs, nothing more… rhythms, notes, and the odd lyric.

The number of collaborators involved in each of your records is always very wide-ranging — is that the "infinite church"? And what, on the other hand, is the "leading hand"?

No, or maybe yes? I've always liked involving people I admire in my music and my story — people whose music I appreciate, whose genius I recognize in their heroic or tragic lives. That's all it is. I consider myself privileged to be able to work with talented musicians. Take Matt Howden, for example — have you heard his latest album, "Sieben"? If not, you can't really understand what I'm talking about…

It's hard to explain what it means to feel "privileged." I'm proud — no, that's the wrong word — I'm deeply flattered to have these opportunities.

The new record is also emblematic for the introduction of titles, a first for you up to now. Does this mark a radical shift in your approach to composition and album structure?

Not a radical shift in the album's structure. For me, after finishing the composition and the work on the artwork, the track order is always the most important element. I think of an album not as a collection of pieces but as an organic project, and the sequencing of the songs is essential to whether the record flows or not. So titles aren't essential for me — including them was a challenge, like any new thing. Beyond that, titles are just titles!

What can you tell us about the collaboration with Aluk Todolo, the most recent one? How did it come about?

We first met at a festival in Holland where we both played, a few years back. And although I didn't know their music at the time, they struck me a lot as people. Jörg, our guitarist, was already a huge fan of theirs and introduced me to their music.

Some time later we played in Paris and they were part of the organization. They turned out to be really kind and interesting people, funny and full of human respect. I thought I'd like to collaborate with them, so we exchanged a couple of base tracks each, and that's how it all began.

A boring question, I know, sorry. Many journalists and critics have always regarded your project as an example of neofolk-martial style, but you've rejected that label more than once? Why? What's your view on the evolution of the neofolk and martial scene?

I've never really refused to be part of that scene, since at first I thought it was my place of origin, in a way. But I never really felt my band was a neofolk project or made neofolk music. And martial too? Another boring label. At the start the scene was quite interesting, fresh and wild. So many sexy uniforms… but even uniforms change, and maybe you discover new outfits that appeal to you more! At the same time, I have to say the neofolk scene is a dead bird. It's over. And it should stay dead. If I look at the new bands in the genre — which I rarely do, fortunately for me — it's just a boring, uninspired mass. Martial-industrial is dead!

Do you have a clear plan for your future? Any ideas for new collaborations and material?

Oh dear, yes, unfortunately. Right now I'm working on a collaboration with Skullflower, a dream finally come true. I've followed this band for 15 years, always loving everything they've put out, and one day I got an email from them asking to work together. Can life get any better than that? A truly intense collaboration.

In parallel, I'm working on the new album, which should be ready after summer, all going well, and I'm quite optimistic about it. Lastly, I'm working on a collaboration with the Austrian band Fuckhead alongside Josef Dvorak, who was a founding member of Viennese Actionism as well as an expert "satanist."

And, just to make this list even more impressive, Dave of White Hills has asked for my involvement on his new solo album — I don't know in what capacity or context yet, we'll see.

This is destiny!

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