By John Smith

NACHTMYSTIUM's Blake Judd doesn’t give a fuck what you think.

Sure, that’s seemingly an overwrought and clichéd sentiment in the world of metal, especially given Judd’s black metal starting point. But Judd, through his main vehicle for creation Nachtmystium, is a free-roaming musical purist whose fascinations began with black metal, expanded to JOY DIVISION and INTERPOL, took a hard left turn at QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and now, via shocking new record Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II, find themselves in the realms of DEPECHE MODE, KILLING JOKE and EDITORS, a combination that will surely not be replicated at any time in the near future. And if you’re one of the kulter-than-thou types who just discovered MAYHEM and DARKTHRONE last week but scream sell-out at the top of your lungs in Nachtmystium’s direction, Judd doesn’t really care. He’s making music that reflects his own varied spectrum and his group’s records are better off for it, Nachtmystium pushing its black metal foundation to its outermost parameters and becoming metal’s most daring, bold and audacious band in the process.

BraveWords.com: : The new record is Addicts: Black Meddle Part. II. Conceptually, it feels very different from Part I, Assassins. Is it a true sequel to Assassins?

Blake Judd: “Yes (laughs). Conceptually it’s based on a lot of the same themes Assassins was, but musically we wanted to sort of throw a curve-ball. We don’t really like to repeat ourselves from record to record. In the past it’s been pretty apparent that every record is kind of different, and we weren’t going to break that habit of ours, if you will. They’re connected thematically and in the lyrics and song-titles and what not.”

BraveWords.com: Why did you choose addiction to focus on this time? Why is that the theme?

Judd: "It tells the story of our lives, more or less. Basically, being addicted to the lifestyle of a musician, the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll sort of idea. The topics on the record deal with all those subjects. It’s the darker side of doing this for a living and it’s brought t life on this record. Life has definitely been interesting for the last three years, we’re doing shit we never thought we’d do. And with that comes a lot of really cool opportunities and freedoms. But with it also comes the more dangerous side, and that’s kind of what the album focuses on.”

 

 

BraveWords.com: This might be a personal question, but have you struggled with your own addictions?

Judd: "Yeah, definitely. Addiction might not be the best word, but it’s more obsessing over things in our lives and becoming infatuated with things and people and situations and substances and so on, and it can become very unhealthy. And it’s also having an addiction to the lifestyle that can oftentimes be very detrimental to one’s well-being. So that’s kind of what it’s all about.”

BraveWords.com: With the massive changes from record to record, do you ever worry about alienating your fan-base? Or is that just not a concern for Nachtmystium?

BJ: “It’s not really a concern for us. People who are concerned about what their fans think before they do what they do are, instinctively as artists, limiting themselves in a way. Allowing an audience to dictate to them what music they should be making is a sad state of affairs when it gets to that point. I don’t really think about it. The music I listen to these days is pretty poppy in general. I like a lot of stuff that’s a little more accessible than, say, super underground black metal is. And I think it comes through in the writing. I just keep my fingers crossed that people will like it. If they do, cool. If not, whatever. I like it, so fuck it.”

BraveWords.com: We spoke when Assassins came out a few years ago and during that interview you mentioned that black metal had been a huge part of your life at one point but you can’t relate to it now. Are you still removed from it?

Judd: "Oh, absolutely man. I think I’m ten times more distanced from it now than when we spoke last. I just have no interest in that world, really. There are a couple of bands I still follow, I like WATAIN a lot. I pay some attention to stuff coming out on Nuclear War Now (Records). But, in general, I really don’t find myself drawn to that mentality and lifestyle and music. It was a big part of my life for a lot of years but I more or less just burned myself out on it. I’ve changed and grown as an adult and I’m not as angsty as I used to be and I don’t feel the need to be surrounded by people that are on a fucking rampage against Christ or whatever (laughs). It’s not my shtick in life. I find myself to be much happier being around a much more sane group of people and just kind of living my life and enjoying it, versus trying to find something to hate.”

BraveWords.com: Black metal is supposed to be the most non-conformist sub-genre, but it’s actually all about conforming. If you don’t wear corpse-paint or aren’t kult, you’re not considered true.

BJ: “That’s right. It’s a fucking contradiction and it’s pretty ridiculous. It’s great for young people. I loved it when I was younger and I’m sure if I was 18 today I’d be right where I was ten years ago, but it’s not really something I can connect to as an adult. There’s some great music left, and I really respect the genre. I respect why it’s there. It’s just for me, I just don’t feel as connected to it as I used to. I’m not going to ride out the fact that that’s where I come from as a means to save face for something that I don’t stand behind anymore. I think that would be dishonourable to do that and I’m not going to pretend that like that’s what I want to be doing. I still like a lot of the music and there’s still quite a bit of black metal in our sound. It’s just more who I chose to associate with and the bands I choose to affiliate my band with.”

BraveWords.com: Two songs really stand out on Addicts, especially the first time you hear it: ‘No Funeral’ and ‘Ruined Life Continuum’. ‘Ruined Life Continuum’ especially, that’s an anthem.

Judd: "I like both those songs a lot. ‘No Funeral’ is kind of funny. What sounds like a synth is actually a guitar. Underneath is a bass synth following it. Then there’s that snare sample, and those two things are what give it that dancey vibe. If you take those two elements out - if you just put a normal snare drum and took that bass synth away - it would sound like Brave Murder Day-era KATATONIA, which inspired the song. That song is pretty bad-ass and I’m happy with how it turned out. ‘Ruined Life Continuum’ has that super poppy, dancey, indie sound to it that’s totally influenced by Joy Division and other bands that knock off their whole thing from Joy Division, like Editors and Interpol. That’s the kind of stuff I was influenced by, rhythmically, for those songs and then slap the BURZUM-esque riff over it and that’s what you get. I’m pretty stoked about it.”

 

 

BraveWords.com: There’s a definite indie-rock vibe on this record, and I guess it’s derived from the Joy Division and Interpol influence.

Judd: "Yeah, absolutely. I also dove into the whole Chicago scene, like Touch And Go Records. There’s such a healthy history of indie music in Chicago. I love the city and I find a lot of bands from Chicago are great. There’s a certain kind of grit in a lot of Chicago music of the past and I think that’s been passed on to today, a band like MINSK or PELICAN or YAKUZA or Nachtmystium… even though we’re very different, there’s this unique kind of filth to it that’s really a Chicago signature sound. I really connect with that and in noticing that I’ve gone back and checked out a whole bunch of bands and that’s really influenced this new record. Especially anything Steve Albini does.”

BraveWords.com: A few years ago a big deal was made out of the fact that you told off a bunch of hipsters at one of your shows. How do you resolve that now that you have an interest in indie-rock?

Judd: "Oh, I don’t care. I was a little bit younger then and was just spouting my mouth off. I don’t like people who are into black metal because they think it’s ironic or whatever. I think that’s obnoxious as hell. But you can’t say that every guy with a fucking shaggy haircut and pair of tight jeans thinks that way. That’s a generalization and that’s not fair. If people want to be into black metal because they think it’s a joke or it’s funny, then that’s really disrespectful to the artists who take it seriously. But if somebody wants to be an indie-rock guy and also like black metal and have a genuine interest in it and come out to shows, I totally support that. I think it’s cool to have real diverse crowds. And you only really get that in America. We just toured in Europe for a month and with the exception of the Roadburn festival, it’s purely metal guys at our shows. It’s not like at home where you’ll get people who are obviously more into indie-rock. You can just tell by people’s fashion. There’s definitely more of a spectrum of people in the United States and Canada that are into metal as opposed to Europe.”

BraveWords.com: On the new record, the production is just claustrophobic. That’s the only way I can describe it. Was that the intention, to have the production be such a big part of this record?

Judd: "My only goal with the production was not to sound like Assassins. I thought Assassins was too slick. I just wanted to keep things sounding a little more natural. And when we do things that aren’t natural, like the snare sound in ‘No Funeral’ for example, we really wanted to go for that sort of vintage, ‘80s sound. That old goth, post-punk, post-rock stuff. This record is using sounds that are more akin to records released back in the ‘80s. Basically, I wanted it to not sound like Assassins and I wanted it to have its own intense atmosphere while also sounding somewhat natural.”

BraveWords.com: It’s interesting that you mention the ‘80s. The first time I listened to the record my initial thought was, “Holy shit, this could be a DEPECHE MODE album.”

Judd: "You’re not the first person to say that (laughs).”

BraveWords.com: What are your thoughts on something as unlikely as Depeche Mode comparisons?

Judd: "I think it’s really cool and a huge compliment because it’s something I was going for. I didn’t know if we’d be able to pull it off. You music journalists all seem to think we did a decent enough job of it, so that’s good enough approval for me (laughs). I think it’s cool. I don’t know of any bands who come from the background we come from doing this kind of thing. At least we’re unique amongst our peers.”

BraveWords.com: : This all sort of goes back to Interpol, I think. When we spoke in 2006, we both agreed that an Interpol record played at 45 would just become black metal. It’s interesting how not so far apart indie-rock and black metal are.

Judd: "There’s a lot of truth to that. With Turn On The Bright Lights (note: Interpol’s debut) and Editors’ first record, the chord structures and melodies are similar to black metal. And it all goes back to Joy Division, because they’re the pioneers of dark rock music. I think there’s a definitely similarity between the styles, they’re just a different presentation of similar moods of feelings.”

BraveWords.com: ‘Ghosts Of Grace’ off of Assassins is a really strong song in your catalogue.

Judd: "Thanks. I’ve heard that song a million times and I don’t ever need to hear it again (laughs). I understand why people dig that one. It’s super catchy and influenced by Queens Of The Stone Age, it’s real driving rock. We still play that live all the time. It’s a crowd pleasure, for sure.”

BraveWords.com: What about the solo at the end of ‘A Seed For Suffering’ from Instinct: Decay? Four years later, it still has the same powerful effect.

Judd: "Nice. We still play that song, as well. I just set up the set-list for the next round of touring and that’s the only song that survived from Instinct: Decay. That’s another one people seem to like. That’s cool, I listen to that record now and it’s murky and muddy as hell. When we hire session musicians to go out on tour with us and I have to teach them the shit, I give them CDR and it’s got all these songs from Assassins and Addicts and those records are recorded really well and you can hear everything. And then there’s a ‘A Seed For Suffering’ in the middle of it and it’s like, “Oh my God, this sounds like it got dropped in the sewer and got turned into a record” (laughs). It’s a cool record and I’m happy you dig that tune.”

 

 

BraveWords.com: What are your thoughts on that record? It was the real turning point for Nachtmystium.

Judd: "Yeah, it was. It’s a weird one. I really like it, and it’s honestly probably my favourite one from beginning to end. It’s its own weird thing, that’s for sure. It was a total experiment. We almost didn’t release it because of the fucking recording turned out so muddy and murky. I remember having numerous debates at the time after it was recorded and mixed and I was really on the fence about releasing it. But, finally, I was like, “Fuck it, if we do this again it won’t be the same. Let’s just live with it. Let’s put it out and see what happens.” And the next thing you know, it was making year-end lists. We had never gotten press like that at all. It was just a huge shock to all of us. It’s cool to listen back to it. It was the last really innocent Nachtmystium record before we started becoming a professional band. That’s back when it was still pure passion and this wasn’t our job. Not that I don’t like what we’re doing now or I’m saying that there’s any less sincerity in the music, but it’s just a different beast now. That was the last bedroom record. It definitely holds a special place in my record collection.”

BraveWords.com: : As you mentioned before, as a lot of metal guys get older the genre isn’t about hate anymore. It’s about energy and ambience and that sort of thing. Where are you finding the inspiration for Nachtmystium if the hate has diminished?

Judd: "Well, that’s kind of what Addicts is all about. I find inspiration in living in a completely chaotic, insane lifestyle. The people I jam with and myself and the people I surround myself with in my day-to-day life are not normal people in any sense of the word. We live a really extreme lifestyle. And that’s not in a bad way necessarily, but just very… we’re out a lot, we don’t fucking sleep. If we are sleeping, it’s during the day and life is at night. It’s a lot of drugs, it’s a lot of partying and it’s a lot of dangerous, hard living. And a lot of touring, which is its own fucking chaotic adventure every time we go out with all sorts of highs and lows. I find my inspiration in that. I see some pretty fucking wild shit on a regular basis getting to travel as much as I do and then living the lifestyle that I do at home. That’s kind of what Nachtmystium is about these days, just living life through the eyes of a person who is completely doing whatever the fuck they want at any point in time. And not necessarily in a positive way. That might not be the best choice of wording for it, but it’s just different now. This is all I do and I feed off of my experiences in life and it’s like a fucking roller-coaster ride. And that’s what it’s all about.”

BraveWords.com: So this new record isn’t a condemnation of addiction? You’re not looking at addiction in a negative light?

Judd: "No, not at all. I’m not necessarily referencing drugs or anything like that. It’s an addiction to the lifestyle, the fucking need to have chaos in your life. That’s the kind of person I am. I couldn’t have a normal job. I couldn’t function like that. If you give me a schedule and I need to be in the same place every day, I couldn’t do it. I can do anything, I can do the coolest fucking desk job in the world… but that schedule and that forced conformity to somebody else’s agenda is just something I cannot deal with. I kind of invite chaos in my life by living the way I do and being on the road and being in this band. And by the choices I make on a day-to-day basis. I like to never really know what will happen next because it keeps life fucking interesting. I think a lot of people don’t have the balls to do that. I feel kind of blessed that I do, but my life is a constant… you never know, because sometimes it’s fucking terrible but other times it’s so great that it balances out to be this wild fucking adventure and it’s cool. I feel very free. I can pretty much do whatever I want to do and I can travel wherever I want to travel and I can take my band there and we can spread the stories of people who live and breathe rock ‘n’ roll.”

BraveWords.com: This is probably premature to ask, but where can Nachtmystium go next? What will the next record bring us?

Judd: "Oh man, I have no idea (laughs). If you had asked me that after Assassins I would have told you the same thing (laughs). What we will do is what we will always do, and that’s record an EP between now and the new album. We’d like to do something in the next couple of months, but I really don’t know what it’ll sound that. But I can imagine it’ll be a little but more different than Addicts and it’ll maybe be a little bit more in the rock direction. We’re having a real good time playing that stuff and finding it more challenging to be creative in a style that we haven’t really exercised in before. I don’t want to re-write anything we’ve already done, so I’m just going try to keep challenging myself and the band we’ll see what we can do.”