In the third issue of newWitch magazine we did an interview with Projekt artists Unto Ashes. Sadly, due to space considerations much of the original interview had to be cut. Below you will find the entire un-edited interview.

-Jason Pitzl-Waters

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1. Your band seems to be made up of different religious and philosophic points of view. How does that inform your collaboration and sound?


Natalia Lincoln: It seems to bring us a wealth of perspectives, that's certain... People have noted our stylistic eclecticism, definitely a result of the musical and philosophical crossroads we inhabit by coming together. If we can continue to bring in influences that are slightly uncomfortable for the others at first, our style will keep expanding.

1a. If you don't mind, how would you each label yourself from a
religious/philosophic standpoint?

Michael Laird: My views about life, death, and the occult continue to change over time, as I continue to learn more. Therefore I could only label myself a "seeker of knowledge." All other labels are inadequate - incomplete - and irrelevant.

Natalia Lincoln: Michael said it pretty well. However, I could add that a persistent belief of mine, only reinforced by what I learn, is that everything that has come to be is the result of dialogues between two forces (also embodied within ourselves). We become more "ourselves" by making courageous choices in the Dialogue at our own level -- not rejecting options because they are new or strange, or even dangerous. I believe that above all, risk is essential, and that pain provides a dual opportunity for either decline or growth. Philosophically, I've always been naturally aligned with Wicca in this way.

Ericah Hagle: Oh dear. I guess I'm hm... a not-particularly-religious Jewlic.

Jeremy Bastard: Open minded.

2. On your latest CD you do a short series of musical pieces based on a runic calendar. How did that come about?

Michael Laird: On Christmas Eve I was looking at a Book of Runes - in this book was printed a mathematical formula for calculating the Golden Number. I looked at the formula and wondered if this equation could possibly be translated into some kind of musical notation - that the formula had long been "buried" in this Book of Runes and was just waiting to be discovered: in realizing it I simply assigned a single musical "value" to each integer in the sequence and played the "song" on the keyboard. Our song "First Lunar Runic Calendar" utilizes the sequence plus two tracks of Jeremy's extremely fine noise-scapes. For the "Second Lunar Runic Calendar" Natalia incorporated the same mathematical sequence but administered the values in half-step intervals, with some exquisite modifications of her own. The results of her composition were played by Catherine Bent on cello.

3. There seems to be an undercurrent of different ancient music styles (specifically European Medieval and Middle Eastern) throughout both of your full length releases. What would you say are your biggest influences from different musical periods?

Natalia Lincoln: Mine are the expanded chromaticism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Hungarian folk music, and medieval music, Machaut and Perotin in particular, plus the modern influences of early goth and punk, black metal, and other undergroundish music.

4. What made you want to incorporate the words of Aleister Crowley into a song?

Michael Laird: The words of "A Hymn to Pan" were first shown to me by Suzanna Melendez; I thought the poem was extremely well written and quite profound - an extrordinary love poem actually, in which the disciple is exalted through his complete adoration of the Great God Pan. The theme of empowerment through supplication interested me - so I made some music to go with it. It was to record that piece with Natalia. Audiences seem to enjoy it when we perform it live.

5. Death seems to be a big lyrical theme throughout both your releases. Why is that? What does it mean for you to touch on this?

Michael Laird: What can I say - I was a morbid little kid? I remember seeing those disgusting clean white shirts that WHAM! had back in the 80s - "Choose Life" - I will never forget how offensive they were to me; I just wanted a shirt that said "Choose Death." I listen to Norwegian Black Metal almost every single day... I am pro-Death: I support abortion rights. I favor capital punishment for certain crimes, whereby the criminal has nullified his or her right to live in this world - they should be terminated, eliminated. For instance, I watched the World Trade Center Towers burn and collapse with my own eyes… I saw people on fire jumping out of those skyscrapers, one after another after another, leaping to their deaths - this was BEFORE the towers had fallen, killing everyone trapped inside - it was horrible… Should the perpetrators of all that horror be allowed to live? Not in my opinion.

Natalia Lincoln: I'm not pro-death, as death doesn't seem to need any help, but I am also not anti-death on principle. Death is a mystery, but it is a part of the great wheel, and must be faced; if you do face it, you grow. Music and poetry are my interaction with both life and death, my response to their power; my word in the dialogue.

Ericah Hagle: Unlike Michael, I am FIRMly against capital punishment, as I don't think that any mortal being has the right to give death to another. However, on abortion I am Pro-life/Pro-choice. I don't think that I or anyone else has the right to tell a person what he/she can or can not do with his/her body, but I also don't know how I really feel about it personally. And I listen to Norwegian Black Metal -almost- as much as Michael...

Jeremy Bastard: Everybody thinks of something different when they think of death, I find that there isn't much of a point in being completely appalled by it though, it's inherent there isn't much that you can do about it. I do find it useful to meditate on it though, as awareness of it can lead to a better understanding of life. Like Natalia said, death is a mystery, it takes many shapes. As an artist, I feel drawn to interact with it in order to understand it. I feel that Unto Ashes's lyrics do this, and though I haven't been involved with the lyric writing process, I feel that there are ways to interact with it on a purely instrumental level, not necessarily without words, but certainly in terms of music alone, a strong example of which (for me anyway) is the song "Dark River" by Coil, which although is nonspecific in it's theme, draws emotions out of me which involve death, among others. Which would be fitting even if nobody else thought the same way, because death is a personal experience, there is nothing so personal in one's own life than their death.

6. Why did you title your latest CD "Saturn Return"?

Michael Laird: We chose that title before the album had even been recorded - it refers to an astological phenomenon in which the Saturn transits back to the subject's natal position once every 29 years or so. Since it is a slow moving planet, it has several years to bestow its painful "lessons" - i.e., to reap and rend the subject's entire life and beliefs. Most people exit their Saturn Return as completely different individuals, but if not, don't worry: Saturn will come back in 29 years, and offer more "lessons" of an even more severe nature.


7. What bands do you feel are your artistic peers? What bands working now inspire you?

Michael Laird: I don't really know the answer to the first question, or if it's really useful for me to consider it. However, I continue to be immensely inspired by the romance, brutality, hate and majesty that has issued forth from several Norwegian Black Metal artists, namely Emperor, Thorns, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Darkthrone, early Satyricon and Ulver. Also, I have been obsessively listening to the Graveland / Honor split (Resistance Records, 2000) - the Graveland portion is epic: absolutely sublime and magnificently grim. For me those three Graveland songs encompass so much of what I want and need to hear.

Jeremy Bastard: I am inspired predominantly by Coil and My Bloody Valentine. So far as new bands that are working now go, Flaming Fire is pretty great, they are also a NYC band.

Natalia Lincoln: I echo Michael about Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Thorns, Ulver, etc. They're magnificent. I must say most of my inspiration comes from the past, though.

8. Your band does some of the best covers I have ever heard. What is the criteria for doing a cover song? What is your favorite cover so far? Any future covers planned?

Michael Laird: We just recorded our apocalyptic folk version of "Don't Fear the Reaper" which will be on our next album (as yet untitled) - we have received some very nice comments about it actually. We did a fairly unusual version of Coil's "Ostia (The Death of Pasolini)" which Coil apparently really liked... We also did a cover of Tori Amos' "Beauty Queen" which I personally think is amazing... We have covered a number of songs for live performances but have not recorded - among these are SWANS "Trust Me" and SECTION 25 "From a Hilltop" - we even played the "Theme from The Exorcist"! Yes, we're always scheming on covering more curious songs... Would I reveal any of these? Not at this time I'm afraid.

Natalia Lincoln: One of my favorites is our cover of Christian Death's "Cavity." It's exciting to tap into the energy, the insane religious violation of that song and fill it with our instruments and voices.

Jeremy Bastard: I'm with Natalia on that one, I love all of our covers, but "Cavity" is just so full of energy and power that its just very easy for me to loose myself in it.

Ericah Hagle: My favourites are split. Either "Don't Fear the Reaper" or our ridiculous cover of Devo's "Corporate Anthem" complete with German lyrics. I find that one to be absolutely brilliant in its stupidity. :D

9. Where is Unto Ashes going from here? What are the plans for the next CD?

Jeremy Bastard: After the new CD is done, I think that a US tour would be fantastic.

Michael Laird: We have already recorded several songs for the next album. Presently we are in the process of upgrading our recording facilities; probably the studio will be operational very soon - and at that time we will begin recording again in earnest. I think everyone in the band is very eager to resume the process of creating another album! Meanwhile, interested persons should continue to check our two websites -www.untoashes.com and www.mp3.com/untoashes - for news and updates.


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