Interview with Emil Brahe of Sol 2007

By Bradley Smith

Your debut album Let There Be A Massacre has recently sent ripples of despair through the underground.  Can you tell me about your inspiration for it and what sort of creative process went its birth?

“The inspiration came from my disbelief in mankind and all its filthy creations.  It’s almost unbelievable how twisted and deranged humanity has become.  Basically I think monotheism is the sick concept to blame.  It’s imperative that people realize how foul this concept is. Just read the Bible. Read the Koran. You’ll see how disgusting it is.  Christian people think the Bible is all about love and tolerance.  But that’s wrong.   Just take the old testament.  Fathers getting orders to sacrifice their sons, idol worshipers getting taken all they own and hold dear, just because God, Jahve made a bet with Satan.  Floods, plague, death and mayhem.  The first born son in every egyptian family killed so “Gods People” could get free.  That’s love for you!  And yes, of course there is the new testament, where the bastard son, Jesus Christ tries to make up for it.  But it’s too late.  It’s not mainly the Bible that sickens me though, it’s the way the stupid primate Humans make use of it.  Just think of the Inquisition: Millions of people getting killed just because they didn’t believe in the same God!  And take the catholics... I don’t even know where to begin!  Bla bla bla… I talk too much, I think you got the picture?”

Lyrically it seems you view Humanity as a sickness.  Why do you feel this way and what are some ways to resolve this?  Is there any way for humans to be redeemed in your eyes?

“I feel that way because mankind has become a plague.  We destroy the planet and we destroy ourselves.  And this is wrong.  Once we lived in harmony with nature, but that’s where christianity once again destroyed something good.  Just take the book of genesis; man was created to rule the animals!  That’s wrong, we should live as one with the animals and live as one in nature.  And no, there’s no salvation for mankind.  It’s too late.   The best way to resolve this would be to invent a virus that only killed humans and then release it through water or something like that.  Making sure that all human life would end!”

I have heard of a philosophical movement of sorts within the underground that promotes “End All Life.”  Do you advocate this belief?  Is this all life or just humans?  Why?

“When I speak of End All Life I mean human life.  Unfortunately I don’t know this movement, maybe I should check it out, hehe.  I think I already answered why.”

Funeral Doom Death as a style seems to be very underrated and under utilized.  Why do you think that is?  I notice a strong inspiration amongst a lot of the Funeral Doom bands from Thergothon.  What do you think is the legacy of that band?  Are there any other bands from this genre that are noteworthy?

“hmm... I don’t know why the doom genre is underrated, and I don’t know the band Thergothon, but people have spoken of them in other reviews and interviews, so maybe I should check it out.  Of doom bands I like good stuff like Danish Saturnus and of course Iron Monkey, but that’s not really doom.  To be honest with you I don’t really know so many doom bands.”

As I understand it you are pretty much a self taught musician.  How did you come to be able to play so many instruments and why did you choose such a broad range of instruments.  Also why did you choose to incorporate Accordion, Banjo and Clarinet for instance into the album when they are out of the norm for metal?

“I practiced a lot, hehe.  I’ve always been a big fan of Tom Waits, so I tried to learn a lot of the same instruments he uses.  That includes the accordion and the banjo.  And besides that I just think it’s fascinating to play lots of different instruments.”

Being a One man band must have its benefits.  Why do you choose to go it alone and what sorts of advantages do you derive from not having to consult with anyone else when it comes to musical choices?  Are there any drawbacks for you?

“I wanted my first album to be my vision and my message alone, not having to go on any compromises.  So that was an advantage.  But it’s also very nice to work with other people.  You get a lot of inspiration and good ideas.  Sometimes you get stuck, you know, then it’s good to have other good musicians to help you out.”

Why do you despise Monotheism and Xtianity so much?  How do you feel about the original sun worship of the early cultures?  Are there any religions that you find interesting in a positive way or were all of them throughout time negative?

“I think I already answered why I despise monotheism.  It’s mainly the fact that christianity (and all the other monotheistic religions) have become some kinda sick escapism.  One should take responsibility for one’s own life, instead of relying on some fake God.  If people have to put their trust in something it should be a polytheistic religion, like norse mythology or greek mythology.  Because it’s much more about respecting nature.  You have Gods for everything; gods of war, gods of fertility, gods of nature, gods of wine, and loads more.  This is good I think. Because if you disrespect something you disrespect a God, and he’ll get pissed off and cut you down.  It teaches people to respect their planet and their surroundings, every aspect of it.  And besides that it’s a much more personal thing.  The gods are much more “human”, you can relate to them, instead of a monotheistic god-creature whom you can’t even visualize because he is said to be “perfect” whatever that means... It’s pathetic!”

I read that your album I Am Infinity is about Megalomania.  Why as a topic does that interest you and how do you approach that subject matter lyrically?  Can you tell us a little about that upcoming release?

"I Am Infinity a point of view, and the lyrics are written that way.  I myself had some megalomaniac visions a couple of years ago, and that inspired me to do this release.  It’s about waking up from the illusion of life, and seeing the world for the first time through God Eyes.  Musically it’s faster and more brutal.  I didn’t want to do the same thing as Let There Be A Massacre.  I wanted to try something new.  So I got help from some death metal friends of mine, who helped writing it. Personally I think it’s the best stuff I ever did.”

You are working with a production company on Stop Motion animation films.  Why did you choose such a meticulous medium to be involved with and how do you feel about the medium of film?  What are some of the films you are working on about?

“It’s a company called Wired Fly.  We do all kinds of animation, but mainly stop motion. We are very much inspired by old russian animation movies; the nostalgia and the melancholia, it’s really nice.  But some of our movies are also funny, though the setting is always pretty dark and gloomy.  I have worked with movies almost my entire life, so it’s just something I’ll keep on doing.  Maybe we’ll do a music video for Sol one day, hehe, that would be a killer.”

So now that you have an album recorded with other musicians I understand you are planning on doing some live touring.  How do you think you will translate your music to the audience and what sort of reaction do you hope to inspire within the crowd?  How does live performances contrast with your view of being sickened by humanity?

“Well, it’s not sure yet.  I just talked with some people that would like to tour with me.  I haven’t even talked with Ván about it yet, but I would like to do some shows in Germany and maybe the US... But let’s see.  Hmm...I don’t know what kinda reaction would be nice, I would like people to understand my message I guess.  Make people to reflect on the way they live and the way they think.  Life is an illusion and everything in it too: “And through dream I’m now wide awake starring into infinity!”  That’s a quote

from I Am Infinity.  All we humans need to do is waking from the illusion, and I don’t know how, but killing ourselves seems like a good suggestion, hehe.  It’s like what Nietzsche said: “Man is something to be surpassed.””

Can you tell me some of your future plans as they relate to Sol and your other outside projects?  I seem to think I read somewhere something about a boxed set.

“Yeah Ván talked about releasing a 4x vinyl with old songs and some new songs, but it’s not sure they can afford it, so let’s see.  Besides that I have some other music projects that I’ll try to get a record contract with.  But soon there’ll be released a split with Sol and another Danish funeral doom project called Grivf.  It’s a nice record, it’s a bit in the same alley as Let There Be A Massacre.”

I’ll leave the final words of human disgust to you.

“Take a look around you; are you proud of mankind’s creations?  Are you proud of this society we live in?  Are you happy with the way things are going?  If yes, you’re a sick individual that needs to be killed right on sight, if not, you know what to do!  Refined vermin; embrace your end...”