Armath Sargon is a one man Black metal band from Finland. Their latest album Cyberian Inner Death is released last month. An interview with the man behind the music, Armath Sargon.
TMR: Hello to you from ´The Metal Resource’ Holland, how are things going there in Finland’ ?
Hi. Here things are going well, thanks to ask.
TMR: Will you introduce yourself and the band please? (Name and instrument)
I do everything by my self, including recording and studio work and art.
TMR: Is ‘Armath Sargon’ a band or a project?
I think it can be called single man band.
TMR: Can you tell us something about the origin of ‘Armath Sargon’ please?
Armath Sargon was begin in 2002, when I was started to make Christian black metal songs. I think it really get start kick in 2006 when I did get my Boss Digital 8 tracker. First recordings was not so good cause I was so beginner in recording business. I did have many names that band like Cherubic, Litostroton… Finally in 2007 I had archived quality that could be released and my first “Veripolku” album was recorded in my home. I did pray for good name to this “Band” and words Armath Sargon was appeared in my head, First album have only Finnish lyrics and I did add one older song that did have German lyrics titled “Die hexen ist tott”. I did release my 2 first albums by my self. so here is the beginning of it.
TMR: Are you full time musician ? If not what kind of job or school do you do beside the band ?
Yeah I do study now to be Heavy equipment mechanic so this is just hobby.
TMR: Is this your first band?
No this is not my first. I did have in my youth bands. First was in when I was 12. I did have my second band in age of 13 it was called Morbidion in 90´ It was old scool death metal. “Tomb” Metal, “Eight gate” melodic death metal, “Raven dusk” black metal and some Rock band “Elevator version” and one Reggae band “Laulurastas”
TMR: Why the name ‘Armath Sargon’ ? Is there a story behind it ?
I think that God did gave me that name and later I did found it meaning. Sargon means “God create a kingdom” and I think Armath is a common name, but that meaning I don’t yet know.
TMR: Who writes the music/lyrics in ‘Armath Sargon’ ? .. how do you get in the mood for writing music? And which bands/situations have influences you for writing music and lyrics ?
I do all that. Basically I pray for them and just play guitar and riff comes and ideas comes. I think that praying is main thing to find good things to say. I try to do music like I feel and I think that I wanted to archive unique sound.
TMR: How do you describe the music of ‘Armath Sargon’ the best ?
I think that best way to describe it is black metal whit Christian lyrics.
TMR: How does ‘Armath Sargon’ stands in life till events in the world, religion and politics and in which proportion stands that till your music and lyrics ?
I like to be delivering message from God. I like to be stand up Christian
TMR: For a lot of bands the lyrics are just a accidental circumstance, but for some bands they use them to communicate! Can you tell us how that is for ‘Armath Sargon’ ?
I hope that lyrics are presenting God’s will. They could be described as a little sermons.
TMR: What is the message you want to bring with ‘Armath Sargon’?
God is not dead! He is living and answering God, who did gave us to His son trough Jesus sacrifice and if we accept Jesus to our lord we’ll be saved eternally.
TMR: Is there a highlight you will always remember, since the beginning of ‘Armath Sargon’?
I think that Lasse Niskala (Bullroser records) did wanted to release my “Reflections from eternity” album.
TMR: And the worst thing were ? (if there is one)
Whit same album that one radio show host did treat brutal way.
TMR: What is your favorite food and drink? for everyone personal (no idea why people always
want to know that)
Hmm.. Coca cola and good burger from restaurant “Amarillo”
TMR: First record you bought?
I think that it was in my youth Bonjovi “Sleep wet wet” or Europe “Final countdown”
TMR: What makes you laugh?
I think that depens, but I think that good innocent comic that comes in daily situations
TMR: Do you perform live ? If so how do you prepare for a show? And name some of your
favorite bands to play with live, and tell us why ?
I don’t do live shows. I have been asked to do them, but because I do this alone it would be hard and must have lot of practice for crew to have a good groove together. To find people in band, it is hard. I have done live gigs in my youth but maybe in future it’s possible. I did like Horde live gig in IMF and I got some video from that show in my You tube site. There you can find my Armath Sargon Videos too.
TMR: Favorite movie(s)?
Alien saga, Lord of the rings saga, Star wars saga, Matrix saga… I like sci-fi and fantasy movies. I wait that new alien movie Prometheus to come in 2012.
TMR: What is the dumbest question you have ever been asked?
I think that there aren’t dumb questions. If you have to ask something just ask. 😀
TMR: Do you have a life philosophy?
John 3:16 I think. I have been in other side of this table and now when I did found Jesus in 2000 that is my life.
TMR: Are you visiting many gigs by yourself and what do you listen to these days?
I don’t have time to go in gigs, but in my mp3 player I got mostly Antestor, Lengsel, Horde, Crimson Moonlight… I like classic music too Bach, Chopin, Gireg is good inspiration source and Dvorak too, they got some really god tunes.
TMR: How do you think about downloading music from the Internet ?
I think that everyone should buy CD’s to support artist, but I like to give some music free so I have done 2 of my albums free to download in my last.fm site.
TMR: What can you tell us about your latest album ‘Cyberian Inner Death’
? (such as the songs, recording-proces, release-date etc.)
Album is about everything that was in my mind in that time. Cyberian inner death was come from the young people’s net addiction and how your relationship in “real” people dies when you’re hooked to internet. I think that song “Cyber sleep” is the song that tells about idea of this album. There is lot of other subjects important subjects in album that I wanted to bring up. End of the world is another subject in this album, that the end is near.
TMR: ‘Cyberian Inner Death’ is the 10th album, am I correct?
Actually it’s 11th album if 2 free albums are counted in my album list.
TMR: The album is released via ‘Die and Gain Records’, how did you got signed by them?
I think that Miika Partala wanted to support Underground Christian music and that’s why he did start this label, so I think that is the reason that he sign me up. I think that he sees something in my music that he likes…
TMR: How is it that people from the far North (Scandinavian countries), that they are so musically talented? Do you have an explanation for that?
Dark winter and so much darkness..? I don’t really know.
TMR: And what about the (near) future, any plans?
I think that I do music, I have now going on some new recordings and there are few ready albums that aren’t released yet, but now there is not so much to tell about them.
TMR: Armath Sargon, thanks for your time and the interview, we wish ‘Armath Sargon’ all the best ……Is
there anything you wanna say at last? (any final statement ?)
God is great, keep the faith!
Weblinks Armath Sargon: Myspace / Facebook / Last FM
Video below: Depth of the sorrow (To my mother) From the Armath Sargon album: “Reflections from eternity (2009)
Related articles::
‘Armath Sargon’ released new album (July 2011)
‘Armath Sargon’ revealed artwork & tracklist for ‘Cyberian Inner Death’ (July 2011)
Two ‘Armath Sargon’ albums available for free download (July 2011)