Interview: Barbarian Prophecies

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What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

The world of music can be reached in many ways.  But to certain styles there is usually always a pattern and it is the need to express feelings or thoughts that are usually motivated by nonconformity in the face of established reality.  Somehow this is one of the points by which rock and derivatives will never disappear, there will always be someone who does not accept the established and cannot remain impassive in the face of injustice and will buy back old albums of led zeppelin, black Sabbath, Judas priest, Iron maiden, slayer, etc ... He will go to the store to buy his instrument and assemble his band as a means of channeling his creativity and frustration.

What do you like to do when you're not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

Sport, cinema, reading.  Any activity that sparks curiosity and creativity is good.  Also travel and visit places in nature.

How long has your band been around?

Barbarian Prophecies has been around since 2000. It has been a long time and it has happened very quickly.  It seems that it was yesterday when we took the first steps and 21 years have passed.  Anyway, the band continues with energy and desire, moving slowly and against all odds, always moving forward

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

The band was founded in a small town in northern Spain called Lugo.  It is a difficult place for this style of music and where there is hardly any support, you could say that here the bands survive as best they can.  But the environment we live in is incredible both historically and naturally.  This has sincerely influenced a lot in creating this type of aggressive music with a background of social criticism.  Spain has been a country where great injustices have been committed but at the same time great feats have been achieved.

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you.

The name of the band came about by combining the two names of the previous bands or projects.  Which were Barbarianth and Venomous Prophecies.  We decided then that Barbarian Prophecies was the right name because it still kept the memory of the previous projects and there were no bands with that name and I think there are still none except ours, so in a way it was a good decision. For me today and after so many years the name of the band means perseverance and resilience, it is already part of my life.

Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.

We have played in big festivals such as Resurrection Fest, but without a doubt the best experience is always traveling to other countries and meeting people and bands from there, so our best show would be any that we have given outside of Spain, like the times we have been. in Germany.  Our worst show could be one in which we have coincided with bands made up of self-centered people who believe themselves above, but of these there are very few.  We are in music to live a positive experience, without competition, without egos.  With the only ambition to know new places, new bands and share good experiences with people.

Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you haven't already?

One place that we keep great memories of was the Fellfresse Pub in Wismar (Germany).  We would like to visit other countries such as France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden ... Hungary or Poland. It would be great to go to UK or USAIf you could play any show with any lineup who would be on the ticket?

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band?

That he be patient and that he looks for the band to be something positive and a way to live great experiences.  Always avoid competing and try to collaborate with other bands so that in the end that union builds a solid scene with which to reach a much more public.  If the band becomes a heavy load, take a step back and take another course.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Always try to find a solution to any obstacle.  There will always be problems along the way, it's just a matter of adapting and always moving forward.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

From our new album Alpha because it was composed during the pandemic and it is the one that opens the new album.  Also songs like Morte Negra or Übermensch in which we have introduced elements of other styles such as Prog or flamenco. With parts of the lyrics in other languages such as Galician or German.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Path of the soul is a song that we like a lot, but others like Rotten Under the Stones, remember the Fallen, anger or the Hidden people like a lot.

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

Normally we work from an idea or a basic structure, complementing each one with their ideas, changing the structure, tempo and harmonies until we all like it.  Other times it arises spontaneously on the premises itself.  But normally we are a band that tends to work on compositions a lot, always within our possibilities and limitations.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

We always try to find a theme that covers different points of view about existence, the human psyche, the origin of the universe and how society develops under a series of often corrupt and unfair rules.  Although we deal with questions about mysteries or history, it is always from a critical point of view that makes the reader question things.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

Sure, there are always disagreements but in the end the benefit of the whole group is sought and you always have to adapt to others, accept criticism and work hard so that everything goes well.  In a band there can be no egos or dictatorial behavior, you have to be understanding and support each other to always keep going.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that's coming up?

We are working hard to present our new album Horizon live and preparing audiovisual content for it, such as new video clips, video lyrics, etc.  We also plan to travel outside of Spain but all this will depend on the pandemic and how this problem is solved.  At the moment we can say that our album is already on Bandcamp and on August 16 on the rest of the digital streaming platforms.  In autumn it will be released in physical format under the labels hecatombe records, Base Record Production, Violence In the Veins and Iron Matron Records