Sielwolf

Interview by Orren Merton


Sielwolf was formed in 1989 by Petra Tausendpfund and Peter Prochir in Frankfurt, Germany. Peter previously was a drummer in a wide range of punk bands and was a member of a free-jazz/avant-garde formation. Combined with Petra, they found a unique and powerful attack of industrial/metal/atmospheric thrash to call their own. If some of the questions or their answers come off as stilted, please realize that this interview took nearly a month to complete, requiring phoning, faxing and emailing between numerous parties on three continents...


ORR: Well, to start off, let me ask you if there is anything you wish an interviewer would ask you.
SIEL: Most of the time interviewers ask the same or similar questions. I guess they have to because the audience need to get basic informations. I would find it more interesting to get asked about our view of life. In my opinion music doesn't need description, its an emotional process which is very difficult to explain sometimes.

ORR: Who came up with the name? Is there a story behind it?
SIEL: Years ago Peter dreamt that somebody stole his left foot. He felt panic until a voice told him: Go to the canalisation, you will find a fast rotating ball trimmed with razor sharp claws, cleaning the canalisation from dirt. It's called a "Sielwolf" and it will be able to find your foot. He awoke and decided to take the name Sielwolf.

ORR: Do you feel that this latest release, "Metastasen," accurately portrays your sound? Did it come out the way you wanted it to? Were there any problems making it come together?
SIEL: Of course Metastasen portrays our sound, like any other of our releases. Even the first LP "Sielwolf" (1990) still shows the typical Sielwolf atmosphere. The only thing we criticize is that sound engineers in Germany are a bit too careful sometimes. They are not brave enough to try new sounds and make experiments. Everything has to sound clean and correct. That's why we go to England for our next CD to work with Mickey Harris (Scorn). He seems quite open for strange sounds. Another problem was that Peter felt like he could puke his guts up. He threw up several times.

ORR: Most of your vocals are in German, but the samples are in English. Is this because of a conscious choice or just how you feel more comfortable? Are you making a statement by not "giving in" and singing in English in the hopes of selling records?
SIEL: Its easier to express yourself in your own language. Peter created a very complicated way of writing lyrics and it would be impossible to translate it in any other language. The English samples came from movies we saw. Its always better to take the original version. I don't think that we would sell more records by singing in English! The whole product is important. Many German bands imitate English or American bands; I have no respect for this kind of music. It is like an imitation Picasso sold in a cheap supermarket.

ORR: Your music all has a very relentless attack, yet still creates an atmosphere. How are you trying to make the listener feel?
SIEL: We don't try to make the listener feel in any way. It seems that we express what many people feel: supressed feelings, like agression, lust, etc., so people fear to look behind the facade but some are curious and want to find new ways.

ORR: When you play live, do you try to accurately reproduce the sound of the records, or do your live shows differ from your records?
SIEL: Usually we do both - accurately produce the records but especially the samples get changed all the time. This makes it more interesting for us on stage.

ORR: Do you have any plans to tour outside Germany in the future?
SIEL: We would love to tour in America but it's difficult. Maybe we can try to support a better known band. Next plan is to go to the studio in April to produce our new record.

ORR: How do you view the industrial scene here in America? Does it interest you?
SIEL: In Germany, all you hear about the industrial scene in America is "Nine Inch Nails and Ministry." Both are very commercial over here and Ministry is more Rockmusic like latest. We like the Swans which are not an industrial band. The smaller American industrial bands are more rock oriented in general.

ORR: If you were in Hell, what song would they play over and over again to torture you?
SIEL: Swans: "Greed" to survive Hell!


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