Interviews: Aschen

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Black Metal band, Aschen, from Spain. Check out the interview and follow the band on their undefined.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

I don’t really remember the other names we considered, but I did a brainstorming session that brought up very different options with no clear connection between them. In the end, I chose Aschen, which was actually one of the last names to come up, because it’s a word that evokes very different concepts, both positive and negative. I also like the way it sounds.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Basically, because it’s my favourite genre. If I had more time, I’d like to explore other kinds of music — always within metal or rock — but since that’s not the case, I chose to focus on the genre I enjoy the most.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

I started the project on my own, and although I did get in touch with people I didn’t previously know, I preferred to look for musicians I already had some kind of connection with. I first recruited Igor Valle, the original bassist, who lives in my area and whom I’ve known since high school. When Igor left the project, I contacted Atauzz. Even though we didn’t have a personal relationship, I had known of him since our teenage years and had been following his musical projects.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

The only period in my life when I had a very clear favourite band was early adolescence, and for several years that band was Metallica. After that, my tastes shifted in phases. Roughly in chronological order, I’ve been particularly into Machine Head, Sepultura, Cradle of Filth, Dissection, Marduk, Necrophobic, 1349, Taake, Rotting Christ, Blut aus Nord, Agalloch, Schammasch... Uzz is also someone with changing tastes — he can even end up hating bands he once loved. 

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Musically, the main inspiration comes from black metal and other extreme metal genres, although some songs also incorporate rock influences. As for the lyrics, I’m primarily inspired by human suffering and by everything that the inability to confront it ultimately causes in the world.

6. Where was your last gig?

Aschen is currently a studio project, and we don’t perform live. Unfortunately, I think it would be quite difficult at this point to find additional musicians interested in bringing the project to the stage.

7. Where would you like to act?

Pretty much anywhere people move at least a little, and there’s some mosh pit going on — the more, the better.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Realistically, I’d love for Igor Valle, the band’s first bassist, to record a solo on the next album. He’s an outstanding musician, and for me it was a real shame that our collaboration lasted such a short time. In a fantasy scenario, I would call Frost or Hellhammer to record the drum tracks instead of programming them.

9. Whom not?

I wouldn’t want to disrespect anyone. I believe that almost anyone who gets involved in a musical project deserves appreciation.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Aschen is my first serious musical project, and I’ve never performed live. I’m sure that if I ever do, I’ll be very nervous. Uzz, on the other hand, has quite a lot of prior experience and is still performing with his other projects. He says that there are always nerves before a show, but that he handles them much better now than when he first started. He gives three basic pieces of advice for beginners: rehearse a lot, thoroughly test your gear before the concert, and always bring backup equipment. Esto dará cierta tranquilidad antes del concierto.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

That's a difficult question to answer, since any inspiration is unconscious. We don't try to imitate any particular band, but obviously, we are not reinventing the wheel either.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

I'm sorry to give such a boring answer, but no one has ever asked me for anything weird.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Since our debut album hasn't been released yet, I think we basically have two types of fans: close friends of the band, and fans from the deep underground who have discovered us through Bandcamp, podcasts, fanzines, etc. Any positive feedback from the latter is especially exciting because you know it's purely about the music. Good friends would support us almost regardless of what we did.

14. What do you think of our site?

I wasn't familiar with the site, but from what I've seen, there's a huge amount of content, the design is very polished, and you can tell there's a lot of passion behind the project.

15. Something to add?

First of all, I'd like to thank you for helping us get our name out there, and also the readers for being such an important part of the scene. Secondly, keep a close eye on the release of our debut album—I'm sure it will hook you. It's a complex and elaborate record, but at the same time very enjoyable, with varied songs that awaken a rich blend of intense emotions.

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