by Kenneth Morton

One man Black Metal projects crawl out from just about anywhere in the world. Necronoclast hails from Scotland, and thanks to the mighty Moribund Cult, has released a deadly duo of infernal recordings. We recently emailed founder Greg a few questions in regards to his music…

Where are you from in Scotland and what is the metal scene like there?
I'm from Glasgow, which to my knowledge has a fairly busy scene, which isn't particularly black metal-orientated. I don't really consider myself part of a local scene.

Is there any story or concept behind the CD title The Plague?
I wouldn't say that The Plague is a concept album, but several songs refer to plagues to describe different aspects of human life - such as heaven/hell, religion and fear. These are all metaphorical pandemic ‘plagues’ which govern the way in which the world functions. The Plague as a title refers to us, human beings. We are ourselves, of course, the root of all of these plagues.

What made you decide to do a one man project as opposed to working with a band? Have you ever been in a full band before?
No, I've never really been particularly interested in creating with the involvement of others. I think that desire depends on the manner in which you wish to create - for instance, if you are looking to write music to perform live, then naturally you're going to need other individuals. However more importantly, I think that the nature of what you want to create is key. A lot of black metal, Necronoclast included, is quite expressive in a negative way. In such circumstances, I think it's only natural that the individual should choose to work entirely on their own terms. I think that's why solo projects are so common in black metal, whereas they are less so in other circles.

Would you like to see Necronoclast become a live entity? Why or why not?
No, mainly because I think Necronoclast achieves its purpose on record. As I've stated in previous interviews, my focus is on atmosphere and mood. I think that to recreate the atmospheres captured on record in a live situation would be impossible. Taking Necronoclast to a stage would in no way help to achieve what I want to do.

What does Satanism mean to you, if anything?
To me personally, not a great deal. I find it hard to subscribe to any kind of umbrella term which is used to classify personal beliefs. I would certainly agree with some of the principles of Satanism, but I wouldn't call myself a Satanist by any means.

How "Black Metal" is it to have a Myspace account?
Myspace is just one of many web-based music promotion tools. A lot of people use it, including many black metal fans, so I see it as just another way to bring Necronoclast to people's attention.

How close are you to recording new music and what themes do you plan on using for the next release? Will this still be called Haven?
Haven is nearly complete and I hope to tie up the loose ends in the next couple of weeks. It has more of a focused concept than The Plague; it focuses on isolation and fear through the imagery of a run-down house far from any kind of life. Musically, I think it's a slightly more diverse album, and definitely a big step forward.

How did you wind up on the mighty Moribund label?
I was getting in touch with several labels and distros, trying to promote the original (Infernal Kaos Productions) release of Monument, when I got in touch with Moribund. Odin requested some more material, which culminated in the release of The Plague.

Would you ever want to do anything ambient like the final two Burzum CD’s or compose film soundtracks?
I'm not opposed to something like that, but it doesn't interest me as much as writing more metal-based music. It's something I would perhaps consider in the future, but probably not under the term "Necronoclast".

When the CD spins to its final conclusion, what is it you’d like a listener to remember the most about The Plague?
The aura. If The Plague can leave the listener with a feeling, a chill, then my work has been successful.

How does the re-released Monument compare to The Plague?
It's a different kind of album. Monument was a transition for Necronoclast - it almost sums up the early music I wrote for the project, while looking ahead to The Plague, which I would say is a more focused and cohesive album. I'm proud of Monument, but I feel I have bettered it with The Plague. And I feel that Haven goes another step forwards.

Any final words of wisdom for metal fans here in the Los Angeles/OC area?
Thanks to those who have expressed their interest in Necronoclast, hail!

Necronoclast links

Necronoclast on Myspace: Necronoclast Official Myspace Page!
The Highwire Daze Home Page: Return to the Main Page!

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