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By: Sander van den Driesche
Latitude Egress released their album To Take Up the Cross today on Art of Propganda, which is a great release on with clean-vocalled doom commingles with funeral doom, shape-shifting along the way while never settling too safely within one or the other, and wholly avoiding any retrograde stoner/sludge elements. The album was originally meant to be released by Licht Erlischt, the band of mainman Niklas (AKA Nerrath) who released two albums under that banner before changing monikers to Latitude Egress. Sander van den Driesche asked Niklas some questions to find out more.
Below the interview is an exclusive première of the album To Take Up the Cross.
(((o))): Can you give a brief history in Latitude Egress for the reader who’s unfamiliar with your project?
Niklas: Greetings, thank you for having me. Latitude Egress is nothing but a new label for a project going by the name of Licht Erlischt, which I had founded in the year 2007. Latitude Egress started out as doom metal-influenced black metal project with me as sole member, and has henceforth continued to shift paradigms, eventually evolving into a blend of classical and funeral doom metal with minor black metal influences.
(((o))): Your press release mentions that Latitude Egress breathes new life into the often-stagnant body of doom metal. Could you elaborate on this a bit more, please?
Niklas: In the light of the developments and revivals, which the world of doom metal has undergone over the last years, “stagnant” is probably not an attribute I would use to describe the scenery. However, I believe Latitude Egress to be able to contribute its fair share as the project approaches from a different angle than a lot of bands marked as stoner, basically playing hippie rock that in my eyes often has little to do with the conventions of doom metal. Latitude Egress is firmly rooted in traditional black metal and everything that comes with it, ultimately developing into a clean-voiced and utterly sinister take on traditional doom metal.
(((o))): It’s interesting to read that you used to play DSBM with your previous project Licht Erlischt. Why the change to the more funeral doom style?
Niklas: Essentially, you have answered the question yourself: Not to be associated with DSBM any longer, hehe. Licht Erlischt started off playing atmospheric black metal concerned with emotional themes and with renowned funeral doom acts as its main influence. However, the project has drifted into a direction which I never intended to be associated with. Moreover, I had come to learn that a great deal of people who eventually grew fond of my music have avoided the project due to it bearing this burdened label. In the end, my motives are quite bold and primitive: To make my music more accessible for the people it might be more suited for.
(((o))): Related to the previous question, is this why To Take Up The Cross was released under new moniker Latitude Egress?
Niklas: Yes.
(((o))): What about Licht Erlischt? Is this project finished?
Niklas: No. Should you ever stumble upon my previous record, …and below, the retrograde disciples, you will find it to be quite similar to the current one, and not a thing noteworthy of being responsible for a name change. The project was merely undergone aforementioned change of label. A few conventions, such as the initials and the band logo, are even still in use with Latitude Egress.
(((o))): You record all the instruments on Latitude Egress yourself. Have you ever thought about expanding to a band with more musicians or do you enjoy the freedom that comes with the one man band?
Niklas: The project will remain a one-person operation in terms of songwriting, yet I am usually open for experimenting with guest musicians with regards to vocal and guitar work. In fact, a guest singer was originally scheduled to partake in To Take Up The Cross, yet the album was completed a lot quicker than I thought, leaving no time and space to allow for those type of experiments.
(((o))): Do you have plans to tour the new release? If the answer is yes, would you use a band for the live setting?
Niklas: A live band or even a tour would be a great opportunity I would welcome with open arms. However, my activities in others bands, my frequent changes of place, the difficulty to find suitable guest-musicians and a few other factors have foiled this plan up to the present day and – despite having an ambitious drummer at hand – will most likely continue to be stand in the way. Although nothing is planned, the idea remains an attractive one worthy of pursuit.
(((o))): Can you tell us more about the lyrical content of To Take Up The Cross?
Niklas: To Take Up The Cross is an exploratory journey through the depths of the human mind, an album about the curiosity to encounter paths and patterns whose end one is well acquainted to, yet never manages to march straight from start to finish without having taken the uncanniest of detours. An album about loss, love, longing, a take on trying to explore why we behave a certain way against our will and why we may never fully know ourselves despite having all the pieces at hand.
(((o))): Where do you get your influences and inspiration from?
Niklas: There a few factors. Firstly, travel. I tend to roam the country quite frequently, giving me the time to observe new faces, places and situations, and ultimately the time and solitude required for writing my lyrics. Secondly, I tend to draw my inspiration from the personal issues I encounter throughout life. Thirdly, being an avid fan of music myself, I tend to draw my inspiration from what others have created.
(((o))): What are your favourite top 5 albums of all time and why?
Niklas: I have always wanted to answer this type of question, hehe. Assembling a Top 5 is impossible, yet I will name few works that have had a true impact on me, exempting the “classics”.
Warning – Watching From A Distance
Primordial – To The Nameless Dead
Nortt – Ligfærd
Belenos – Spicilège
Häive – Mieli Maassa
(((o))): What can we expect from Latitude Egress in the future?
Niklas: I will see to finding a suitable period of time within the next years in order to write a new album.
(((o))): Do you have anything to add?
Niklas: The CD and LP release of To Take Up The Cross is scheduled for October 27th. The respective merch will follow shortly after. Thank you for the audience and give the album a spin.
