INNER FEAR – Interview with Paraghus

Czech scene determines serious competition for our native scenes!!! Anyway almost every from you knows some concrete bands from behind south border (also I think about Slovakia). But I think, that not at all goes here for rivalry, but for world-wide interest with country under place of metal – music. Both our south neighbours how and we can to be proud with musical pearls, which without substance would be now to mention, because time to assemble on following representative Czech scenes – INNER FEAR – of band, which goes with usual track by e.g. CRADLE OF FILTH or DIMMU BIRGIR… what some from you can to estrange. But I assure you, that first it is proper to get to know with their music, and after that to advance conclusions…

Greet Paraghus!!! I have impression, that during readings your biography a little I losted. This is certain, that the band came into being in 1997 year but your line-up so often changed, that already I do not know whether in band became one member, which created the band?

Hi! Well, by now there are still the two members who actually founded Inner Fear back in 1997 – Marthus and Khaablus. And I personally think, that without these two guys Inner Fear would or become something rather different or even split. They – together with Khopec, who joined the band approximately 3 months later – represent the mere core of IF.

After several months common of playing you record first demo “Delusive Eyes”. Promotion was not too great by reason weak qualities of sound , not counting of concerts… How today you take your first material?

As I joined the band later I did not personally experience the birth of the first material. But as far as I know, the idea of founding Inner Fear was inspired by Marthus and Khaablus listening to Dimmu Borgir´s Enthrone Darkness Triumphant in early spring 1997 and some parts of “Delusive Eyes” may reflect that. Sound: All the band members were students then – actually Marthus was 16 years old! – so the financial funds for recording were a bit low. Though the sound is rather poor, the first demo is – even now – sought by our long-time fans and those newcoming curious souls, so we decided to make a remaster few months ago. Live: Inner Fear played a few concerts in Brno (our home town) during the year. Unfortunately there rose personal problems among some band members and IF stopped all activities until 1999 when Marthus, Khaablus and Khopec joined together again with new material.

In 1999 year comes into being following material “The Face of Inner Apocalypsa”. I suspect, that music contained on CD was richer, but unfortunately I did not hear anything outside “The Odeum of silence”.

Yeah, the material on “The Face…” is really richer, in fact it shows a great development towards european standards of symphonic black metal scene of that time. Actually “The Face…” is something like a demo for the upcoming full-lenght piece “AKHU”. By the way, all those, who are interested in our older material may download mp3 samples from our website at http://www.innerfear.org through links in Discography section.

What is your part in team? At your pseudonym writes “pulse”… You are bass player? Gives me oneself, that behind big pots sits Marthus?

Well, let me introduce the whole horde: Khaablus – shrieks, grunts, screams and theatrical madman – an ideal of a vocalist, creator of majority of IF lyrics Anghelina – vocals, choirs – lady of mysteries – together with Khaablus she makes the most powerful vocal team Marthus – drums, keyboards, electronic FX, occasional vocals (better to say murmur) – our composer and heart of Inner Fear Khopec – guitars and other stringed instruments Paraghus – bass Roberto – lead guitar – a newcoming blood – joined the band at the end of March 2002, – also participated on guitar solos recording for our new CD “Thanalogy”

You can turn traitor me origin of your pseudonyms? Very are mysteriously.

Our pseudonyms are partly originated in our true names, partly bear some personal or mystical meanings. They reflect our personalities in a way. We do not explain their meanings, it is more interesting left up to each one´s imagination :o)

You are right with left up to each imagination, but don't you suppose that such procedure can to become taken by somebody as usual snobbery?

Sure that some people suffering of inferiority complex will take us for snobs or big-heads, but there is nothing one could do to prevent it. I we would give thorough explanations of our pseudonyms, they firstly may lose their mysterious veil, and secondly there would be surely a lot of people who would find another way to fault us from snobbery (sometimes their attitude may originate from such a common thing like envy – which is unfortunately thing some people cannot avoid – even in case there is nothing to envy

Let us pass farther to history of the band. In 2000 year was birth” Akhu”… Nobody interested this the material that you had to give him with own cost?

Actually we had a contract with a record company Sheer Records before we started recording “AKHU”. It should be released at the fall of 2000. Unfortunately, because of inexcusable miscarriage of justice with label´s owner, Mr. Svatopluk Schwarzer, the release was canceled. In April 2001 we were contacted by another label – Leviathan records – who wanted to release “AKHU” in autumn 2001. After few unexplained delays of the release date we decided to let “AKHU” rest in peace, bacause we signed a 3-CD-contract with Copremesis records and we had to prefer our new material. You may find more thorough explanation in our website´s News section (10.2.2002)

Soon after recording” Akhu” you hit own mark to team, and at present you are representative your bands. How this became, that nobody from older members of team did want to take this of function?

In fact, I was hanging around Inner Fear some time before. I was with them in studio when they recorded “The Face…” and later I became a manager of the band. In 2000, when “AKHU” was finished, IF started to prepare live shows, so we needed a permanent bass player. After experiencing some problems searching for the right one – bass players are a bit out-of-stock goods here – we decided that I should take the post personally. And as for the representative. We all take responsibility for management and representation of the band equally. Itis the best way I suppose.

Once on concert – rout of PANDEMIA Marthus helped there with one's own skills of blows after big pots. At present PANDEMIA well stands in musical underground and not only. Do you not know whether Marthus did not intend to become from PANDEMIA still?

Through his dynamic career Marthus played drums in many bands (Entrails, Monastery, Happy Death, Pandemia, Melancholy Pessimism – to name a few of them) but his home band is still Inner Fear. And as IF comes out now with a full force, I think there will not be much time for anyone of us to play in other bands or projects. After our CD is out, we want to make as many concerts as possible.

How did you find out Anghelina? I think, that carried in very much to team and music.

One day (it was 23rd April 2001 if I am not mistaken…haha) I and Khopec went to a local rock pub and after few beers , right when Nightwish CD was playing, we noticed a pretty girl, who was singing the song to herself simultaneously. As far as we were thinking of a female singer some time before, we talked to her, played her some of our new home demos and found her really enthusiastic. We invited her to see our rehearsal sessions and after a few tryouts we found a great potential in her. In addition to her enchanting personality, Anghelina was a real reinforcement for IF and her arrival pushed the band´s musical development forward very dynamically.

Only your the material which one I heard is “The Odeum of silence”. I am delighted! Magnificently composed present black metal with keys and with feminine insertions. Even some parties of guitars draw me on thought thrash metal of patents. Pavel, say whether I had good feelings associating you also from CRADLE OF FILTH?

Well, we all really like black metal bands like Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir or Emperor, so we always were pleased by being compared to them (though I personally think, that our melodic compositions and musical feeling are rather different from those of C.O.F. or D.B) However, our new material follows a bit different way. The symphonic keyboards are still there – sound even more majestic on Thanalogy – but we use more electronic samples and the rhythm section moves the whole rather in the direction of The Kovenant or Theatre Of Tragedy (for those who need something to compare to :o)) This combined with Anghelinas´s vocals (which are very frequent on Thanalogy) and our live show is supposed to become really KILLER mix!…haha

THE KOVENANT and THEATRE OF TRAGEDY? For me these are two different styles of metal. This however will be killer music!!! But in occasion, I think, that in Bohemia and on Slovakia is powerful scene of death metal, and what you stand with black metal or with other sorts of metal e.g. I never had of opportunity to listen heavy metal in Czech realisation.

Well, to be specific, in case of T.O.T. I meant more the tendencies to modern rhythmic solutions and electronic samples rather than the exact style. I could say the same as for German EverEve or Swiss Samael as well (even though Samael´s last release is rather long time ago, they were the real pioneers of that style). As for Czech metal scene you are absolutely right. Majority of Czech and Slovak bands tend to play death or black, heavy or even progressive metal is a bit of pushed back. However, there are a few quality heavy metal bands in Czech. Rep. – as far as I know: Salamandra, Power 5 etc. – and there are many more that have not released CD yet (to release a CD in Czech. Rep. is quite a struggle:o) – for example Happy Death (former death metal band, now tend to DT- or Ivanhoe-tending progress) and many like them. In many cases such bands split before they gain a chance to release their material, which may be quite a shame.

How at present do listeners take you? But I will not believe, that did not appear also sharp words of critique (say who this was then we will send to him several of our people for dirty work then the anybody would bark this what said about you). Seriously speaking, today with difficulty all to please.

In fact, since we began to spread “The Odeum Of Silence” promo CD, all the critiques and reviews we achieved were very positive. If there was any drawback mentioned – not very often – it was just the old problem of similarity to C.O.F. or D.B. – but this is inevitable, I suppose. I think majority of people tend to compare every CD they hear to something else they heard before. No problem – we know what we want to make and we will do our best to make it well.

“Thanalogy” is already ready?

Yes, the glass-master is now in our hands. The cover art and graphics are also nearly finished and we expect “Thanalogy” to be released in the middle of June through Copremesis Records. Originally the release date was set to 31st May, but we agreed with the label on a two-week delay, so that T-shirts and other merchandise could be set out simultaneously. Once our new CD is released we will add some sound samples to our website as well.

You played quite a lot of concerts, but whether you will play in Poland. Far to us you do not have.

We still play most concerts in Czech Republic and Slovakia, but we really want to spread our prophecy abroad and especially in Poland, as it has – as far as we know – very strong metal-fan base. If you come across anybody who would like to invite us to play in Poland, please let us know on innerfear@innerfear.org or live@innerfear.org We are looking forward!!!

How lives and forms in Czech Republic? Just you know I mean differences between Czechoslovakia and with present Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Well, we have not experienced Czechoslovakia as a band. Anytime we play in Slovakia, we are taken as a foreign band, but Czechs and Slovaks are so close after 40-year-period of living in one state, that the border between us does not matter. And even if… then metal breaks all borders I think making music means lots of hard work, no matter where one lives. In our country it is very difficult to get somewhere with your music, because of either financial situation or position of metal music in Czech Rep. or you may experince some other problems here, but I personally don´t think it is much better anywhere else. Everybody must start from the mere beginning.

As Czechs you should know person Mr. Benesh (God give peace his soul), what do you think about this man. I think about his decree, or else law speaking about loss of fortunes by minority of Czechoslovakia (then yet). Now instead your government still takes care that this is good idea and holds up this decree.

Well, this is a quite hot topic these days. Well, after World War II there was a critical situation. As majority of Sudet-Germans living in Czechoslovakia was collaborating with nazi-Germany, it was obvious that there was much anger about it among common Czechs. In that situation the Benesh decrees were probably appropriate measurement.

I have such sentence, that this is good idea because your country not will be subject on one-millionth indemnities for former possessors. At us in government somebody ascertained, that it is necessary to pay and to give back… but from one's own pocket nobody this will make. This all will include in the calculation in taxes and such usual grey man like me will be have to give back some part one's own heavily earned of moneys Mr. X, because his dad had all street in Warsaw…

Well, though we endeavour to be strictly apolitical band, I personally cannot help thinking that this may affect any common man, no matter how apolitical he is trying to be. If I imagine having my own house to which I invested much money, work and time and suddenly there comes a government letter which say that I must leave it to somebody who owned it many years before I was even born – well I would certainly not be eager to do so. When the government wants to give something back, then from governments money (what the fuck are we paying them for:o))

You know, that once we were one country, we had common rulers: Waclav II and his son Waclav III. Later our king Boleslav Brave thrashed to you and from this of moment we are separate countries…

Well, in that times our lands had much respect in the whole Europe. We had powerful kings and developed culture of any kind. I think we can be very proud of the cultural legacy of that times. Though our lands are separate for quite a long time, I feel the Czechs and Poles are still very close to each other, which I think can be only good.

So that of tradition was satisfied then with this question we will finish our conversation, with question in which you will tell us about near and far plans of INNER FEAR… Mega thanx for conversation!

As our CD THANALOGY is out by now, we would like to make as much concerts as possible to support it. We hope to manage some concerts abroad as well, especially in Poland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. In addition to that we already started working on material for next CD. Thank you and hope we will meet soon (perhaps on concert:o)

innerfear@innerfear.org ; live@innerfear.org
http://www.innerfear.org