Teutoberg Forest

Metal Mayhem: Are you from Manchester, or have any of your previous members, and if so whereabouts?
Teutoberg Forest: I’m originally from Wales, though I started my Black Metal career in Manchester whilst at uni. Concerning the live lineup all the session musicians are from Manchester.

MM: How old are you?
TF: I’m in my tender twenties.

MM: How long have you been playing black metal?
TF: Around three years now.

MM: What made you want to start making this kind of music?
TF: I saw an artistic expression that was intelligent, spiritual, mysterious, aggressive, antagonistic, strong and above all individual. Though the most important aspect was it had a strong connection to the acausal.

MM: What does black metal mean to you?
TF: To me Black Metal is not a sound, it is a philosophy manifested into form. It is dark, magical, dangerous and most importantly individual. Though the music was appealing, what drew me to perform Black Metal was the philosophical and spiritual substance that ran through its heart. A lot of the concept resonated with my perceptions but it was the soul, the darkness, the unknown feeling felt whilst listening to BM that made it so important to me. I then started to use Black Metal as a philosophical and spiritual tool to put my message of death, darkness, and Satanic belief across. The music was always second to the spirit/philosophy, as I saw the music as a manifestation of the spirit/philosophy. So I wrote music to embody the concepts, not simply adding a philosophy to music. My extreme views of individual superiority coupled with a burning desire then lead to Teutoburg Forest and all the subsequent projects (most of which will be released later this year)

MM: What support have you had for your band from people in the area?
TF: Mixed, some think its shit others great. But that’s life aint it, there's dick head who still think the earth is flat haha so you cant convince the subhumans of your greatness even if it right in front of them.

MM: Do you think there is a black metal ‘scene’ in Manchester?
TF: I know a few bands that are in it for the music (so not really black metal if you take it seriously) but I’ve also met a few who do understand the underlying currents and the power within Black Metal. It is a mixed bag, but that’s what its like everyone I suppose.

MM: Is this different from the rest of the country?
TF: No not really. People say London is the place to be, but that’s cause its about fucking ten times bigger than any other city so of course there will be more of a scene there.

MM: Do you think Death metal makes up most of the extreme music fan base here?
TF: Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt the northwest is dominated by death, grind etc.

MM: Are you in contact with many BM bands from this area?
TF: A few. I’m in a several projects around the Manchester area though teut is my main focus. Other than that not really. I’m a hermit by nature (that’s what living in the hills of Wales alone for most of your life does to you) and so really keep myself to myself (other than promoting projects obviously)

MM: Black metal has never seemed to gain as much of a foothold in the UK as on the continent – why do you think that is?
TF: Good question, shame I don’t have an answer. The UK is a dreary horrible place so you’d expect there to be more people affected by their surroundings and become more morbid. But it’s not just the smaller bands that are suffering. When Behemoth did their last tour with devil driver. On the continent Behemoth was headlining yet here that shit devil driver were headlining. Maybe because the UK has a dumbed down mentality and just like obvious, hollow music, which they’ve heard thousands of times before (or maybe they are more influenced by Kerrang) but yea I don’t know. Shame though, as it makes things a lot harder to start in the UK.

MM: One of Manchester’s longest running and most significant alternative music clubs, Jilly’s Rockworld, recently closed its doors – do you think this will have any effect on the black metal scene?
TF: JILLY'S CLOSED!? Fuck me I have been out the loop for a while. I spent many a night on that dance floor (whenever you go out you should dance, what’s the point of being a wall flower, might as well not be there) and most of the time I was literally on the floor haha. But yea I don’t think it will affect the BM scene, as it was never really BM orientated. If my memory serves me there’s still that postmortem isn’t there? They used to play decent BM but that was sparsely attended when I was there. Saying that that was many years ago, everything may have changed again.

MM: Are you touring this year?
TF: Hopefully later this year will get on a European tour. It’s most certainly the plan as it’s the best way of getting your music out. Plus who the hell wouldn’t want to go on tour, the chance to see so many different countries and perform there.

MM: If so, will Manchester be on the list?
TF: That would be up to the booking agency.

MM: Have you played in Manchester before, and if so, what was the reception like?
TF: We've played in Satan's Hollow once, and that was mixed. A few people liked it and a few people thought it was wank. Again you can’t make the deaf hear. When we play live I try to make the show a visual representation of the philosophy (hence stage props, and giving it some on the head banging, as if your BM doesn't empower you with the essence of the other side to the point where you cant restrain the excess energy, its not just bad BM its not good art altogether) Some people appreciate the extra effort, whilst others couldn't care less. It’s just that my projects all have deeper meanings and energies than the obvious music so I try to represent that.

MM: Many black metal bands shun popularity – do you think this is keeping black metal under the radar in the North West and Manchester, and would you like this to continue?
TF: FUCK THAT! This whole 'not wanting to be popular' is a fucking BM cliché that has been perpetuated by too many people who want to live in the romantic ideal of BM. Even Euronymous stated how he wanted to conquer the world with BM. The popularity of your music should not be the predominant concern, if it is then you are a sell out. That the difference! If you are effected by the external to the point where you change who you are in accordance to their will, then your a sell out, but if you maintain yourself and your beliefs in the face of success and failure then one is a god.

MM: Do you think with BM being often interested in nature, that this makes Manchester a less fertile place for BM to grow?
TF: The whole 'nature concept' derives from the altered state of being. If you live in the city you’re more inclined to think in a social manner (as you are surrounded, and have to interact with people on a consistent basis) then obviously living in a natural setting would create a different mindset. But it’s all down to individual perception. The exterior world is just that, exterior. The vast majority of people in the West now rely on the external to define themselves (their aesthetics, what job they do, their hobbies, etc etc you must of heard that saying 'my job is who I am’) yet it is the internal that shapes us. So you could be in a field or in a crowded room, it doesn’t matter as long as you have control over yourself. So the question does being in a city hinder the BM scene, yes and no. It is both beneficial and hindering. On personal experience it may have been harder in the country, as it was hard to find decent musicians in the middle of a field, but again that led me to becoming proficient at my instruments and taught me to rely only on myself. So it’s finding the silver lining and making best of your situation.

MM: Are there many labels / promoters / distributors of black metal in Manchester?
TF: A few yes and they have been helpful to us in the past. But due to my lack of social networking skills i'm not really in the know of everyone in this sector.

MM: You are currently unsigned – is it hard to find a label for a BM band?
TF: I don’t know, I haven’t tried to find a label for Teut. I’ve had offers but nothing worthwhile. Ill see when I try to get the next batch released.

MM: What kind of feedback have you had for your three albums?
TF: Mixed again. Some thought they were great, unique and something beyond. Obviously seeing the essence behind the notes (Zero Tolerance giving it a 4/5 so that isn’t bad) but then others have said its generic shit. Which is interesting as you have some who say its unique and others who say its generic..... Obviously a split opinion there. I learnt from this that one mans shit is another’s gold. Never be affected by reviewers, if so you’re succumbing to their will.

MM: How was it recording so many albums in quick succession?
TF: I had the passion but it was quite a ball ache. I couldn't play any of the instruments and had to learn whilst going along (I started as a vocalist and because I couldn't find any musicians I decided to take all roles. Nothing was stopping me achieve my desires) When I say learn, I don't mean learning chords etc, as I don't know any musical theory at all. I refuse to learn as I see it as imposing what others have deemed sounds right onto your creativity (hence limiting your possibilities). I wanted to be free to express my thoughts via my capabilities, so what you hear from TF is all me, no reproduction of others perceptions. When you have that sort of freedom and nobody else there to let you down, you'd be surprised how much work you can get done if you rely on yourself and just have the motivation to do it.

MM: What is next for Teutoburg Forest? Live tour? Another album?
TF: Hopefully a tour and most certainly another album, though I’m working on something monumental at the moment which will represent the greatness of the individual's will applied: 'The Emanation of Thought'

MM: Where do you see the band in the future?
TF: Teutbourg Forest will be amalgamated into the greater being 'Emanation of Thought' of which I have nothing but the highest expectations.

MM: What do you see on the horizon for the future of black metal a) in Manchester b) in general?
TF: With Black Metal becoming popularized now by bands such as Satyricon being signed to Roadrunner, Behemoth conquering the US and Darkthrone's incorporating heavy punk elements, we are seeing more and more interest in this genera from those who would not of heard it before. I think this is great, as it gives the artists a better opportunity to subsist off their music, hence giving them more time to write, tour etc. I do not subscribe to the whole 'keep it underground' because it doesn’t matter how other people take your music, as long as your staying true to your creation. Some never had this mentality in the first place and are just doing music for the money, sex and fame etc. These projects are easily distinguishable and I think people acknowledge this. Whilst others see what BM is and take one of the few genera's of metal that could be considered serious, seriously. In relation to Manchester, I think it will be like any other city. It will stay in the underground. BM maybe getting more popular but I don’t see it taking over the lesser metal scene for some time. As you have to appreciate, the vast majorities of metal fans are of lesser minds and are much more easily satisfied via the aesthetics rather than the soul. Either way you’ll be seeing more of Donn in the future.

Article by David Keane