INTERVIEW: GALVORNHARTOL (2022) – Veritas in natura est

Conducted by Felin Frost

Starting 2022 and opening the Black Metal Cult interview section, I bring exclusively the German band Galvornhathol! On 21st January of this year, the second full-length, “II”, was released. “II” is an album that brings a well-crafted mix of styles.
Through atmospheric black metal, alternative metal, shoegaze, melodic death, just to name a few, and a very characteristic vocal that overlaps the musical wall and conveys all the beauty of the lyrics, this is a light and pleasant album.
In chaotic times, where many don’t even know who they are anymore, “II” shows the path of self-knowledge through their music, and thus, it becomes an essential album that deserves attention. In this interview, I spoke with Galvornhathol’s mastermind Chris Huszar. Multi-instrumentalist and talented composer Chris, through his unique perception, has a very positive impact on the entire extreme metal scene.

Hi Chris! Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. How was the beginning of everything? I mean, you formed Galvornhartol in 2003 but released a full-length only in 2020. In between this period, you have played bass and made the backing vocals for the brutal death metal band Disinfect.

Oi! Hope you are doing good and life treats you well (I read you didn’t feel so good, sorry). Thanks for opening pandora’s box on both this project & my head!
The band, or project, as I liked to call it, underwent several stylistic changes in the beginning. It took me 2-3 years to write and then re-write the tracks for the first couple of demos. I had just started out playing stringed instruments back then which made several re-recordings necessary. Plus the drive on my very first recording PC decided to cross the Styx after the first proper EP was done. Motivated as I was, I got a new HDD and started recording all over again. Little did I knew that I wouldn’t resume recording for the next 6 years… A lot of things changed and I didn’t have that much time for music anymore. I took up other hobbies in the meantime, like photography, which kept my mind off wanting to do music during those years. Wasn’t until 2013 that I started actively pursuing music again. I got back into music with bands like PISSBUCKET, my longest-standing actual band as of now (yes, a real band with actual members beside me, not a solo project) and later a couple of shorter stints with different bands. With very few, I actually recorded something with. All those years were not in vain. Thanks to starting out with photography, I made the covers which you can see on my solo records now.

I’m doing better day by day. Very kind of you, Chris. Thank you so much! Well, as far as I know, you also have a project called RodtGod. As a solo musician, what is the particular purpose of creating more than one project? Exploring different musical styles and lyrical themes, or is there another motive?

Correct! Rodtgod was founded to make usage of the riffs I wrote but didn’t use for the guys in PISSBUCKET. The guys in there are writing sick stuff on their own. But to answer the question; YES! I couldn’t survive by making just one style of music. Limiting yourself as a musician/artist is terrible. At least if you think you can do more. I understand that some want to keep it at what they are doing and that is totally fine of course. But for me, there’s just too much to explore. I could hear a cow fart and find some inspiration in there. Same with the lyrics. Since the albums “I” and “II” follow almost a concept each, I didn’t feel like the more personal lyrics I had written would fit in there. But they did for RodtGod! I also play in two experimental bands/collectives, too! It never ends…

Let’s focus now on Galvornhathol. Tell us more about the name of the band. What is the meaning of the name and the story behind it?

The name is made up of two words from Tolkien’s “Sindarin” language. Galvorn = A form of metal (the material). I think it has the “dark/black” attribute to it since there might be several kinds of the material, depending on where it is sourced/forged. Then there is “Hathol”, which is basically a word for “Axe”. Since the project was nature-focused, I wanted either something that stands 100 % FOR nature or something that contrasts it because, well, I don’t make sense. But all the names were boring. Being interested in the “Lord Of The Rings” lore since the movies came out, I started translating different words until I found something that sounded weird enough and made sense to me. And that’s how I came up with that name. Looking at the other bands I founded and co-founded, you will notice a pattern.

Galvornhathol is an attractive project in many ways. The music involves not only atmospheric black metal but melodic metal, elements of alternative rock/metal, ambient metal, shoegaze, and melodic death. How does your music creation process work?

I never decide on what style I want it to be in the first place. That’s always a natural progression. Galvornhathol doesn’t really fit the bill of one single genre, which is typical for music I write. Not good for marketing purposes, but hopefully interesting for the listener. Anyway, the writing happens naturally. I usually start with lyrics and they set up the general mood for the music. I then experiment while jamming (mostly on acoustic guitar) and see what comes up. Usually, I take the first thing that feels right and sticks the individual parts together until they form a song.

Your songs are based on poems and aphorisms about the intertwining connections of spiritualism (without religious interpretations) and nature. Which authors and books have inspired you?

For the album “II”, I read a lot of different books that somehow inspired me to write about mostly positive things or at least write about things that are important to keep in mind while we are alive (Time is valuable, we will die and so on). To mention a few: I read self-help stuff like “Think and grow rich” but wasn’t really that impressed by it. But I liked the positive attitude. Then I took up a book about the current Dalai Lama (currently Tenzin Gyatso) because both he and Buddhism fascinate me. His personal hardships were inspiring. One of several reasons why I decided on the Tibetian prayer flags of the cover of “II”. Lastly, I read “The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do”, by Bruce Lee. I don’t really have any spiritual leaders, but he comes awfully close. Not only because I try to practice his martial art forms, but because he makes several great points in his book. It was released posthumously, so the last section of the book consists of scattered writings of him. Just like the writings, I start out with when writing. Basically, I’m inspired by forward-thinking people that can focus on what can make ones life worth living while not compromising the world around him. A highly individual subject, but each of us, even though connected to a greater source, IS an individuum!

Will we human beings still be able to see the truth in nature (Veritas in natura est)? Do you think there is still time to see that we are part of nature and that everything and everyone is connected?

Of course! It is never too late for that. If that will change the course our planet/universe is heading? I don’t think so. Mankind is a highly absurd species, with very little empathy, which is predestined to ruin itself by killing off all that is around it. Unfortunately.

How do you deal with your beliefs? If you could look at Earth beyond our galaxy, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Well, there is Andromeda, our neighbouring galaxy. And then there is Laniakea, the home of both our galaxy and Andromeda. Astronomy is a hobby of mine, sorry. But for real, I think that is just how it is. There’s more and more worlds (planets, galaxies, etc.) and it hardly ever ends. At least I don’t think so. I also don’t even try to comprehend what’s beyond all that. Maybe it all just repeats or ends in a dark matter…
But interesting that you brought this up as that is a major subject I’m working with for the third/next part of this album series!

Working alone is always very pleasant and fruitful. We can leverage our ideas without interference. But I think all the work involved is pretty stressful. How do you deal with all this? Do you intend to invite someone to be part of Galvornhathol’s future albums?

Totally agree! But I don’t find it stressful at all. I enjoy the whole process. The technicalities are a challenge that helps me get better at what I do and the more technical it gets, the more I’m invested in it. It’s a part of the art and doesn’t get in the way at all. Maybe I will need other peoples input at some point, but I don’t look that far into the future.

Can you tell us about your future plans regarding your music?

I keep doing what I do as long as there’s any fulfilment to it and the mind-machine is turning. And damn, does it turn right now.

I hope to hear more from Galvornhathol soon! Your project is well structured musically and, your lyrics are really inspiring. Keep going and never give up because your music is peculiar. I let this final space for you leave a message for your fans and for those who still will come.

Very glad that the music had some impact! I couldn’t ask for more and it is THAT what I intended this album to feel like. Thank you also very much for your interest in it and for taking the time to listen through the experience.
Let’s just call those interested in the music “Listeners” or “audience” instead of fans. I’m happy for each and every one of those and hope my art can give them something in return. Whatever it may be, I hope it’s something that keeps them going! With that being said; have a great day and a GREAT life!

Give it a listen on GALVORNHATHOL albums “I” & “II” and support this unique work accessing the link:
https://galvornhathol.bandcamp.com/

FOLLOW GALVORNHATHOL:
https://www.facebook.com/galvornhathol/
https://www.instagram.com/galvornhathol/
https://soundcloud.com/user-891920165

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