LINE-UP:
Key V - vocals, guitar, lyrics LV's - vocals, bass P - drums
Guests:
Song “Mama” - vocal by Ataman Tolovy, where lyrics are taken from "Tales from Outer Suburbia" by Shaun Tan, polish translation by Anna Warso & Wojciech Góralczyk (Kultura Gniewu 2018)
Music in song “Balance of Power” is based on Béla Tarr's "A torinói ló" soundtrack by Mihály Vig
Well,Friends of Aristocracy!
We speak again of our newsroom, where in a little while and in all its emotions, we will begin the hundred and second interview of the Aristocracy.This time, we spoke with the Poles from Mrome.They present us their fourth album, a completely concept album and called Barbaric Values. Follow the album above and their Bandcamp.We don't have pictures of them, but we do have the album cover and it was the vocalist who answered our humble but necessary questions. Before that, we'd like to say a small thank you to Solid Rock PR, an excellent Polish production company.
A1:What socially imposed conditions and primordial nature of man inspire this album?
Key V: This is definitely too large topic for a metal band to deal with. I am aware of this so there is no consistent reasoning, conclusions about the state of human condition and its valuation. Album is just 7 short tales from the world of small organisms. These stories tell in a simple way how far as humankind we are from the natural order. And there is no moralizing or modern ecologism bullshit propaganda. Each of us can evaluate own“values” with the presented ones and draw own conclusions.
A2:Not that I think it's wrong for the band to sing in their native language, but does song five have a more emotional character for such a decision to be made?
Key V:Not really. Lyrics in „Srebrne szlaki” (Silver Trails in english) are taken from the book "Tales from Outer Suburbia" by Shaun Tan. It is just official polish translation. Mr Tan agreed to use his tale as a song lyrics. It matched perfectly with the rest of songs.And we have a guest vocalist here. I invited my friend ataman Tolovy from Turin Turambar and Genius Ultor to sing the song. I love his vocal expression in polish so wanted it on our album. He is artwor designer as well. Man of many talents and few acceptable character flaws.
A3:I know that's the name of the album, but all men in the animalistic sense of the word have their barbaric values. What are Mrome's barbaric values?
Key V:To stay aside, fear no one's criticism and disobey rules. Primal behaviour of outcast caveman should be formula for underground metal band.
A4:What exactly was the eighth song based on?
Key V:This is a loose interpretation of the leitmotif from the movie „The Turin Horse” by Béla Tarr. It made a great impresssion on me and it's profetic in many ways. Nowdays every single man on this sick planet should listen to words od Bernhard's monlogue. It can be helpful to understand what is going on in these new dark ages.
A5:What hearts do you want to reach in the opening song?
Key V:This song is about self-sacrifice for others. Not for higher purposes as we humans like to think in our vanity, but for the survival of the species. Let's call it a collective programming. As in an anthill in China but with no party card!
A6:Why the band have this name?
Key V:It's a made up word. This means the state of total passivity and lack of hope. High end of moral and ethical depravation when You don't even want to fuck and reproduce. Empires fall this way.
A7:How band know about Solid Rock PR?
Key V:They contacted me and we started to talk. I am not a big fan of this kind of collective working becouse I am a control freak a little bit, but they were down to Earth, offered straight and clear conditions, no promises without coverage. I am a little but tired of this social networking and have no time enough to do it anymore so we decided to trust them in this dirty job. Happy about it becouse we can concentrate on music only and we have no big ambitions and expectations becouse we know our limits. Will we continue our cooperation? Time will tell. MROME is media unfriendly band I guess, so they can help.
A8:Why did this stop happen in 2002?
Key V:We were very young people and there was no consistent vision behind it, we had different backgrounds, personally and musically, we ware just school friends. There was no person to lead and to bear the burden of responsibility. Paradoxically, we are playing with the same line up today (except the second guitarist), but today we are obviously different people.
A9:How are progressions and hard rock mixed by the band?
Key V:Progressions really? I hate so called progressive metal so this is funny to be labelled this way. I am the main songwriter but arrangements are our collective work. Our drummer P. likes more technical/progressive music so blame him for this!
Other way hard rock always sounds nice to me. This is sound of our childhood.
You may be right when it comes to the work of rythmic section. Yeah. I think so.
A10:What´s bands influence ours?
Key V:Too many to mention. Classics like Black Sabbath, Priest, Danzig, Metallica, polish Kat are common for three of us. Our roots. P. likes more modern/progressive stuff as well and LV's likes some melodic metal/hard rock stuff. I am the main demoralizer. First and second wave black metal like Bathory, Celtic Frost, old Samael, Voivod, Burzum, David Bowie, Amebix, Killing Joke. The point is we want every album to be a separate entity, so you can surely feel influences but they can be different every time we make new music.
A11:There have always been ethical conflicts in the world. Which one formed the basis for the band in this album?
Key V:We are very different people and we disagree on many levels but in the album context blame it on me. I am lyricist so the concept is seen from my own perspective. Guys are not interested in lyrics I guess so I have a possibility to incorporate ideas which may piss them off haha!
A12:We reap the harvest on scorched soil. Could you explain this phrase from your respective bandcamp?
Key V:We are not a touring band, avoiding from social media, ignore pay-for-release / pay-for-review nonsense, so we are doomed to failure and we get it how it is. We kinda fight for the lost cause and it's fine.
A13:Why an conceptual album?
Key V:It came form the musical direction. We wanted it more homogenous comparing to our previous album „Leech Ghetto”. When the music was ready it was clear for me it needs a common topic or a story. Writing lyrics is a hard matter for me. I feel uninspired when it comes to writing usually, but one day I went on a trip to the mountins with my wife. The trail was fairly busy and we met a family. There was a boy, who was forced by his father to climb a rock without protection and he was scared, cried and did not want to do it. His father was angry and pushed him to do it, mother was passive. He just wanted to make him the man I guess. As his own father did perhaps.This lesson may pay off when the boy grows up or break him as a man. This moment was important and heartbreaking. For me this is where the concept was born.
A14:The band feel differences between Leech Ghetto and now in Barbaric Values?
Key V:We surely do. Leech Ghetto was more a collection of songs musically and lyrically. Barbaric Values is the concept album not only in terms of lyrics but also in terms of music and you can feel it checking these albums on your own.
A15:What is Vexierkasten ?
Key V:A cage for the experimental study of learning processes of animals. As I remember I found this word in Andre Gide's “Vatican Cellars” and it comes from Germany I guess. Germans are good in pushing civilization forward at all costs.
A16:Some literature or film inspire band?
Key V:Only for this album we mentioned Bela Tarr's „The Turin Horse”, Gide, Shaun Tan. There will always be things that can move you when you can see, listen and feel.
A17:What would the 2022 Mrome say to the 1995 Mrome?
Key V:Great question. I would say don't compromise too much. There is always a need to compromise when you work with other people but you don't need to be a part of community, you don't need to follow, you don't need to be nice for your buddy if he criticizes without offering anything back. Accomplishment of a common goal requires the maturity of everyone involved. You rarely have such cards to play.
A18:How come emerged the invites to Anna Warso & Wojciech Góralczyk, Mihály Vig and shaun Tan?
Key V:I just contacted the Polish publisher of "Tales from Outer Suburbia". He was kind enough to help us to get permission to use the text. Thank You Mr Pawel. Anna Warso and Wojciech Góralczyk gave it a new life in Polish translation. I failed to contact Mr Vig but I hope he won't stand against our loose interpretation of his soundtrack.
Best regards!