Interview: Iskra (Canada)

OK! We are back with the destructive guys of Iskra, enjoy!

1.- Please introduce us to the warriors in Iskra with a few words...
- Werewolf: deathsaw
Cody: death battery
D-War: maniacal screams and curses
Ray: 5 string crushfuck

2.- What is the main concept in the band?
- To bring Anarchy through culture. Destruction of governments, religion, and capital structures. To enhance resistance against foundational schemes that are working to control minds. Such schemes include theories often misconstrued as being “rebellious”, i.e. “satanism,” “national socialsim,” or just “nationalism” etc. These constructs, as well as many others, simply serve the status quo and legitimize the very systems that some people claim to be against. These theories serve conformity, government, capital, and religion, to name the obviouis, and are nothing more than shadows. There is to much belief and not enough thought.
Just because someone decides to wear corpse-paint, and propose some kind of holocaust, doesn't mean they're a “rebel.” Quite often they are nothing more than George Bush in disguise, or any other politician for that matter. When such people suggest a “non-political” stance ( often to simply hide a confused agenda) we know its bullshit. anyone who takes a position is being “political,” after that its action and intent.
Nationalism is not an act of resistance to systems of subservience, it is subservience. Those who believe that Nationalism will “preserve” culture and identity are delusional. Nationalism, as well as Imperialism, work towards homogenous consent to a status-quo system of control where culture and diversity will be crushed. While that might sound cool to some people, we would like to point out that those who persue such ideas, more often than not, live under neo-liberal conditions. If they had to live under as system of extreme control things would be very different for them. What people need to do, if they wish to preserve anything cultural, is to keep cultural pracitices alive(such as language or traditional ways) that are specific to their people. National pride, patriotism, the belief in some kind of purity, and/or that one people are more “pure” than another are not about divcersity and non-conformity, it's the opposite. In addition to that thought, most people in the world(if not all)are of mixed blood. The idea of “purity” is a religious belief and, like most religions, a type of fantasy. Athough fantasy can be interesting, it should not be confused with the everyday.

3.- Who are your main influences to create this mix between Crust and Black Metal?
- To many bands to list. Classic Crust-Punk, Anarcho-Punk, Punk, Thrash Metal, Grindcore, early Death Metal and, of course, Black Metal all contribute to our musicality. All of these genres have the all the ingredients required to make extreme music. The blueprints are there, its just a matter of how we mould the materials into our own creations. Keep in mind, we are still working within the same 12 tones that bach used. We're trapped in another foundational system. Its the distortion, lyrics, and added madness that makes the music something other than the norm.



4.- By the way did you choose the bands for the Split albums?
- Yes, these bands are/ we're our friends.

5.- Your first album was recorded with the legendary Profane Existence Records, how was the contact for work with this guys?
- P.E. Was good to work with. In the end, they wanted us to sign a contract for major distribution, so we parted ways. We did not want this, since that specific label was built a an opposition to that industry; they are supposed to be dedicated to the ethics of underground anarchist punk. That's not to say that we're better, or that we wouldn't sign a contract, its just that, in this case, it didn't feel like it would be the right thing to do. We wish them all the best.

6.- What can you say about this song "Deep Integration"?
- “Deep Integration” is a program dedicated to erradicating the borders between Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. for big business interests. This “union” will ultimately be controled by wealthy elites from those countries. Of course is will be the elites from the u.s.a. that will have the most influence. Mexico and Canada will then provide cheap resources necessary for the rich to continue with their imperial agenda. Once “Deep Integration” is in place, there will be a type of enslavement as well as destruction of the eco-system. This is already happening, of course, but it will be excellerated. The plan is in effect now. It will contend with the EU and China, economically speaking. This is a right wing business structure. Anyone interested in culture, and/or any definition of “freedom” would be best to resist this plan. We need less centralization, not more.

7.- Now you are working with Black Raven Records, why change from Profane Existence to Black Raven Records?
- Black Raven Records is our own lable. Since we did not want to sign contracts, we decided it might be better to do our own records. This way people can support the band directily and know where there money is going. We are also working on putting out records for other bands. In addition, Black Raven Records is a record/anarchist bookstore run by members of ISKRA. That said, we will continue to work with underground labels. For example, we are currently working with AGIPUNK for the European viny release of our new album “BUREVAL”, as well as a number of small Russian labels who will be releasing the CD version as a benefit for the Anarchist Black Cross, St. Petersburg. So its a conbination of doing it ourselves and working with the international anarchist underground.



8.- How was the recording process of your latest album "Bureval"?
- We recorded “BUREVAL” at Fiasco Brothers with Len Osanic in Vancouver, B.C. It was recorded onto 2 inch tape and took about 16 hours. The mixing was done from tape as well. There was only one digital trnsfer, which was necessary since record pressing plants do not accept reels of tape anymore. We put it at 32-bit, twice the sampling rate of a regular cd
for the cassette release. The vinyl version will be the same.

9.- Talking about the lyrics, what are the main themes of the songs?
- The main themes are: a fanstastical vision of Anarchist hitory(“Kronstadt” and “Wie Alles Anfing”), the exposition of rebel poetry ( “Okeanos”, “ 80 000”, “Wolf Of Winter”), a look at some specific systems of control used historically and presently (“Okhrana”, “Hounds of Order”, “Dubrovlag”, “Bureval”), and ecological destruction (“Within The Black”).
ISKRA has changed its style of lyic since the old way was to sure of itself. There are lines in the old lyics which support law( rights and such). While there is no question that, given we live within law systems, there are certain ones we'd support more than others, it is important to always oppose law in general since they generally support wealthy elites. Keep in mind that it is because of “law” that wars are considered “ok”. Its, on one level, a simple equation: those people “over there” are breaking international laws(which we proabably had a hand in making) and so must be invaded. The attacking State makes up any deception it can to get “the people” on board, often using partial and/or complete fabrications. Then its time to carpet-bomb the cities. Of course the real reasons for doing so is almost always related to resource control, that is: economics. All “War-Metal” bands take note: war is about supporting rich men in suits. Its not that “bad-ass”, especially if you're on the recieving end.
Anyway, the point is that ISKRA is not one thing, we're continually looking for new ways to express ourselves. To us, Anarchy is a process of change.

10.- For you what is the meaning of Iskra as a band?
- Wolf: Iskra is one of the three major cultural projects in my life. For me, ISKRA is symbolic of a violent cultural, attack on the status quo, its philosophic inquiries, and political structures. ISKRA is a type of aesthetic war machine which seeks to obliterate all those who build foundations of control, of which, by-the-way, we are not claiming to be immune. Its also a journey of self-discovery and skill enhancement.

11.- How is a classi gig of Iskra?
- Loud, brutal, chaotic.

12.- Talking about foreign bands, with who do you like share stage or record some split?
- There are many foreign bands we like, to many to list. For now, we are done with split records and only plan on releasing full length Lps. Of course things may change at any moment with regards to this decision. We love sharing the stage with other bands, its one of the main reasons to play.



13.- How is the Canadian scene at the moment? Coul you recommend us some great bands?
- The scene in Canada is not so good. Most bands are apathetic or join with fucked up founational/religious dogmas, i.e. Nazi and Satanic etc. There are very few bands who promote self thought or cultural resistance. Still, there are some cool bands out thereand for sure there will always be. Canada is a large landmass with very spaced out settlements making communication difficult, which is not necessarily a bad thing, it just is. Its hard to really know what's going on.

14.- Plans for the near future?
- To better our music: make it more intense, both sound and word. To continue our cultural war with mainstream thought. To promote anarchism. To begin new cultural projects and continue the ones we are currently involved with.

15.- Anything to add or ask?
- Thanks for the interview.

You can check this guys on:
www.myspace.com/diskra
http://iskra.kitchel.net/