This interview was conducted in September 2000 by Nihil and published early 2001 in Stigmata magazine / Belarus in Russian language.

1. First of all, please self-introduce APOPTOSE. When and how it started, on which aesthetic and ethic basis, etc? 

At the moment Apoptose is a one-man-project. I had it in my mind for quite a while in a more or less abstract form before I started recording music. I had ideas that I wanted to express with sound but I didn’t know exactly which way to go with these ideas so I thought it would be better to wait and see. Finally about three years ago all became clearer to me and from this day on I worked constantly on the music and the photos for the visual presentation of Apoptose.

The aesthetic and ethic basis is determined by my inner feelings and subconscious states of mind.

2. Could you name your inspiration sources of that time - literary, musical, etc? Klaus of TESCO told me that you also were influenced very much by travels into the Nothern regions of Europe... Could you tell more?

My travels to Scandinavia are definitely very inspiring because there I feel near to the forces of nature. All those little noises that you hear when it is silent around you somehow find their way into the sound of Apoptose.

To name specific music that had an influence on „Nordland“ is nearly impossible because there are so many bands/artists that formed my personal view of music and therefore the sound of Apoptose that I really don’t know where to begin. If you listen closely you will definitely recognise some of them.

Another source of inspiration is my interest in the religious belief of our ancestors. I read many books about that theme but I came to a point where I didn’t get further because unfortunately a big part of what the authors tell you as truth is based on pure speculation. So I concentrate more on visiting sites that were built in ancient times like stonecircles etc. In Scandinavia or the British Isles you can see many imprssing prehistoric sites. The atmosphere at these locations tells you more about the old faith than 1000 books.

3. What is the origin of "APOPTOSE" name?

„Apoptose“ is a scientific/medical term in German language. The original Greek word for it that is also used in English is „apoptosis“. It means „programmed cell death“. This is a program that you can find in every living cell. It causes the cell to die when it is damaged or sick. For example in cancer cells this program doesn’t work so the cell division goes on forever.

4. What can you say about "Nordland" CD? Every time I hear this music it enchants me by feeling of boundless spaces and uninhabited landscapes - really it seems to be created not by human hands but by sounds of Nature. Human is unnecessary here. Even when you use choirs they sound like Valkirias heavenly chorals... If the CD represents your view of Nordland in musical form - could you describe it in verbal?

Your impressions about the music are quite close to atmosphere that I intended to create on „Nordland“. All of the music is influences by the landscape and the rough living conditions of the northern countries. But there is something more: The term „Nordland“ has another level that goes far beyond the pure geographic meaning of this word. To me it also represents the part of the human consciousness that is not easy accessible, the night-side of our mind that you find below the surface. All people have got this dark side but most of them reject its existence. „Dark“ doesn’t mean that it is „negative“ it is just an archaic part of us that has its roots thousands of years ago. This part of the consciousness still influences our everyday behaviour although we often don’t recognise it. The music is an exploration of my personal „Nordland“ and may be a device for the listener to find access to the own inner world.

5. By the way, I am quite curious, what do the titles "Nidstång" and " Erntewôd" express? Especially second - you even have choosen it for one of yours e-mail addresses...

„Nidstång“ is a Scandinavian word which means a high wooden pole with carved runes. On top of it you put the head of a dead horse. In ancient times this very powerful symbol was placed at the border to the territory of an enemy who the people wanted to curse. Nowadays this „tradition“ is rediscovered by modern pagans in the internet. They run sites like this to curse those people who misuse the old nordic magic symbols like the runes.

„Erntewôd“ is a word of an old German language. It discribes the last sheaf which the people didn’t harvest when they cut their grainfields. It was meant as a gift to the „stormgod“ Odin the leader of the Wild Hunt to make sure that they will have a rich harvest next year, too. (In German „Ernte“ means harvest and „Wotan“ is another name for Odin.) The people knew that they not only were dependent on good weather but also on the wind that carries the pollen to get a rich harvest. This custom existed in most of the european countries and it shows exemplary how natural phenomena received a divine shape and how they were integrated in the religious belief of our ancestors.

6. In facts, the modern Nord is associated with a little bit different things than all the above-mentioned. Cars, crouds, ferroconcrete constructions, computers, cellular phones, enormous amount of TV-channels, pollution of the environment, etc... How can you explain that there are still (or already?...) appearing stuff like yours - dark, heathen and quite out ot modern spirits, rhythms and tunes?

I guess this is partly caused by these modern circumstances that you mention and that most of us in the bigger cities live in. All of these technical devices that surround you today make your life a lot easier but definitely not happier. The overcrowded cities, the people, the media, the commercials and everything that you see and hear every day overflowes you with information and impressions that you don’t need but that you can hardly escape. Everyone who has a clear mind comes to the point that she or he is fed up with the modern brainwash and all the rubbish that comes down on you each day. You begin to think that there must be something more than instant fun and throwaway stuff. As a consequence many people are looking for something which gives them back real emotions and experiences so that their lives get a new a meaning again.

If you don’t want to be a part of this everyday madness it is only natural to keep your eyes and ears open for the heathen roots and the paths of nature. There you may be successful in finding the hidden truth behind the world we live in. Music is one appropriate way to explore these grounds.

7. What do you think about modern neo-paganism movement in general? Sometimes it seems to be a fashion or just a game. But do you think it's really possible to enliven ancient Weltanschauung, traditions and attitude to life? Do any real powers lie behind it?

The neo-paganism divides into so many different groups that it is not easy to get a clear view about all the streams. Of course many of the people in those groups are posers who just want to be part of something that seems mysterious or that is provoking the society. But there are many others who mean what they say and who try to live as close to these ideas as possible. This is not very easy in the modern society because even today people are afraid of someone who rejects christianity and lives according to other ideals.

I guess it is impossible to fully adopt the livestyle of the old folks because the world has definitely changed and many things wouldn‘t fit to the times we live in. But I am sure that if you are aware of your roots and traditions it will be possible to keep a heathen attitude even today. I understand paganism in the way that it is not very strict. No rules to follow but to respect nature, no books which possess the ultimate truth - everything is based on mouth to mouth tradition. It is changing all the time and therefore it is always as modern as the people who live with it.

To answer your last question is quite simple: If you have a heathen attitude in the way that you believe in the power of nature, even a blind is able to feel that this is real. All those spirits or gods in the different pagan religions are manifestations of different natural forces so they are definitely real but in a slightly other way than one might think...

8. Today there is a number of bands creating orchestral industrial music influenced by pagan, occult or satanic matters, especially in Scandinavia - I mean all those CMI-related projects, BURZUM, etc. But German bands always sounds different - more deep, serious and authentic. Do you think there exists the principal difference and on what it is conditioned?

I understand what you mean. Maybe there are certain characteristics that divide the music of the different countries because of the circumstances the musicians were raised in and the kind of sound they listened to in their youth, but I don’t see very sharp borders between the nationalities. Most of the bands feature quite a unique sound (of course not regarding the copycats...) but a certain seriosity is definitely part of the typical grave German mentality. This works very good with these occult topics so maybe this is another reason for your impression?

On the other hand the whole industrial/ambient/ritual-scene becomes more and more international and most of the people nowadays listen to the same stuff that influences them because labels like CMI, Tesco, World Serpent etc. are distributed worldwide. Everywhere in the world there are likeminded people and in fact many of the musicians behind these projects know eachother and share their visions. It doesn’t matter if they come from Scandinavia, Germany, Russia or maybe the US. For me it is often easier to distinguish the European music from the American sound.

9. Coming back to "Nordland". From the land where the Sun sets, what do you think about the lands where It rises - the East?

It is difficult for me to say something profound about the East because I have never been very far east on my travels. The cultures of the far east countries like China or Japan are so different from our European culture that they are often hard to understand. They have a really impressing tradition of arts and music that is easier to get for the normal European. I especially like their style of drumming with these huge drums that have an incredible sound.

I admire the calm and effective eastern way of dealing with difficulties. If something went wrong they don’t waste their power in looking for the guilty part. They put their strength in solving the problem.

But if you think of todays society in Japan it seems that there they even have more problems than ourselves with our living conditions. The Japanese want to live according to their old traditions which is very noble on one hand but they try to combine it with the behaviour of the western countries which doesn’t seem to work properly. Only one example is the role of women in society which is totally different if you compare these two cultures. A quite scizophrenic situation caused by the globalisation where Japan wants to play a leading part.

The key to the Japanese success is that the individual person means nothing, you just work for your collective. I could never get used to circumstances like this.

10. What do you think about Moslem civilization? However that may be, some Islamic states are nearly the only ones who still try to live in accordance with their own traditions. But, their enmity and hate to the Western anti-tradition way of living cause serious problems  - now and in the future...

You may be right. This conflict between the different views of live, that islamic and western societies have, probably increases in the future. Also due to the aim of the extremists in the moslem religion to spread all over the world and exterminate the „infidel“. But you find this kind of thinking even among christian church leaders.

11. Well, quite traditional question to complete the interview. Any news and plans from APOPTOSE?

At the moment I am collecting sounds and ideas for new tracks but there is no need to hurry to record a second album. I take the time that is necessary even if it takes me years.

But Apoptose is part of another album, too. It is a sort of soundtrack album to the book "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem and it is a collaboration of four different projects which was initiated by the band Polygon. The title of the album is of course "Solaris" and it is released by the German label Polymorph Records. Each band gave one solo track and recorded one collaboration with Polygon for this CD. I can only recommend to keep the eyes open for it because it is not "just another dark-ambient album". These seven songs are quite diverse.