Interview: Furze – Caw Entrance

When Crown of Rebellion got the chance to have a conversation with Woe J. Reaper related to his latest Furze output. He did not miss his oppurtunity to dive deep into the world of psychedelic satanic black metal and what brought it all to life.

The promotional release of Caw Entrance is my first experience into the world of Furze. The work is quite interesting. A unique and experimental approach to traditional black metal. Hypnotic riffs, pummelling drums. Cold and haunting vocals. Exceptional bass work as well. Many tones are used during the work. All this makes for a truly fascinating and exciting experience. What exactly inspired you to create this work?

Thanks a lot! It’s a profound interest in staying devoted to the creativity that I've been spending most of my life on, Furze!  It's impossible to sum up in a few words, but it's what I do and this drive I have, well, I guess it's my legacy.
Likewise, it's diving further and further into darkness, just like life does. These moments captured are full of emotions, and that’s what I cherish from other’s works of art as well. If I can contribute something truly unique to Black Metal (in the form of Black Psych Metal), a goal is reached, definitely.

This question might tie into the first one, but if not, I’d like to know what goes into the creative process of Furze. Where do you start? Is the creation of each piece the same, or are there many inspirations?

It goes back to an atmosphere from a riff, or something… then things build up after each other. But there is not too much of a logical system as such either. A magnet towards an old lyric might just happen out of nowhere, after creating a whole new fresh arrangement.  It’s the internal lamp showing a new way.

As everyone knows by now, I've got a love for doing different reel to reel recordings (analogue) basically since the get go (which was at the classic 4 track cassette stage haha!). This is because I believe the overall sound, as well as the way effects behave in smaller details, is just better done analogue. And if it is one trend I would welcome it is the one of analogue sound producers, gear productions and rebirth as industry standard. Competence and rebirth! Because all music simply sounded better before, and that is my honest opinion. A lot of the magic lies in the past recording ways.

What exactly is the Caw Entrance according to you?

Let's not overthink it. It’s a coil. It's against false entry of death. Not only that, but it's about seeing things as they come.
It’s a mighty new level of Black Psych Metal. It’s a logical reference to the ancient Celtic war god Lug, put in relation to the World War, which is growing each second. And it's up to the person who hears it to deal with it!

I noticed your lyrical themes according to the Metal Archives which are Abstract and Satanism. When writing lyrics, what inspires you. Do you draw from various spheres? I would believe so as Satanism, being a way of life has many layers and many beliefs that vary based on an individual perspective and experience. On the concept of Abstract. This too is self explanatory but even so, has many observations and could be based on perception. Before I get carried away, back to the question at hand. What inspires you lyrically?

It's sometimes an inspiration (to sound really stupid) of “prophetic overwhelmingness” and then the following observation of it (and whats written down), some adjustments after some further thinking, and, voila! a text is born. Ok, it’s the psych, it’s the psych’s perception yes.

And sometimes it's more directed poetry I guess. Against religion of course…. The overall reality of  degradation of life ,in all it's clocking details,  and how I see masses of mankind master it, and how I just try to master it, and, not to forget, how it all changes. Into presence, from the past, back into presence, into hell…

Would you care to share your view on black metal? Do you think it’s become stale? Or do you, like me believe that the essence has been lost. With so many copies of uninspired releases surfacing each day. Not to say that there are not those who still retain the essence of the early days. What I mean is that it was the ultimate sin to copy another in those days. Take a look at Necromantia, Master’s Hammer, Mortuary Drape, Darkthrone, Mayhem. All different, yet all black metal…and this is what many do not understand. There is a misconception that black metal consists mainly of tremolo picking and blast beats etc. Although it could be,there is a certain magic or intent that is present within true black metal. An Adversarial Fire. So it does not matter if you have all the ingredients of what makes a black metal record musically. Without the intent, it cannot be. Now there are many artists in the underground who retain the essence of what black metal is which includes your project Furze. What is your view on this state of black metal?

I think many music interested souls would agree with me that there are only two types of music: the good and the shit, yet sometimes with elements which works and some which don’t.  However, it’s a complete fact that Black Metal must be a result of ones true feelings and inner inspirations. But, that could be argued for regarding about all kinda styles for that matter…

You are right that the drive for doing so was of virgin death importance back in the days. Black Metal must reflect the darkest sides within ourselves and the ones shown to us through history (apropos adversarial fire). It's about blotting a sphere/touch only the few can feel or see, perhaps. Furze is a penetrating name and this a task to penetrate into the unexplored, yet using and dwelling in very very old school recording ways to manifest it. Sometimes too ambitious to get there, but somehow getting there. So one thing I've done since before it was common to do so is mingling psych rock elements into Black Metal. But having said that, it's in my heartfelt experience (having been listening to early Venom since 1992/93) Present in the first wave as well, but it was never too developed in the so called second wave. Rather the pagan style come galloping from late 80's Bathory.

So to a certain degree Furze was early on it simply because I bought psych and prog simultaneously with death/black in the early 90's. I first loved Anekdoten in '93, but I also saw Ulver live in Oslo same year and my favorite albums were like Under A Funeral Moon, Into the Pandemonium and Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, to give you an idea of diversity (of course a lot more too).… Others doing BM did for sure too buy experimental music in this period , but it wasn’t at least mingled with Black Metal and developed over time from the 90's onwards like Furze have done it, I think.  I had my first riffs going in the spring of 1992. Even though psych experiments came heavier in by ’96 onwards when we were 3 metal guys moving in with 3 hippies in a collective…. A very little dash of riffs from this early period is on the 2-tape set of the '98 demo out on Devoted Art Propaganda where the  bonus tape has stuff tape-recorded between '92 & '98 if anyone is interested.

I experienced the days as a young individual and I'm forever grateful to have been exposed to a lot of the great classic (black) metal releases and demos back when they came out (early 90s, cryfully not the mid-80's which were simultaneously adopted anyway).  Of course, each generation who grows up have it's way of getting exposed, then it's up to the individual to find its path. So, since it's no longer a small movement, mankind has fucked this up as well.

I guess we all dream about experiencing something from the days before our own! Who wouldn’t want to  see Slayer in 1983-85 or Black Sabbath in 70-75 ??? Or Fifty Foot Horse in ’68?
In Blood by Metal!
CAW ENTRANCE!

Besides the release of Caw Entrance. Do you have any other plans. Future projects etc.

There will be more releases coming on Devoted Art Propaganda (Pol) licensed from Polytriad Fingerprints. I think I’ll wait with the exact announcements. I can mention that DAP released a special 25th Anniversary 2-set tape of debut demo Necromanzee in November 2023 and now Caw Entrance is out already April 2024, so yes we are working on more!

I guess Caw Entrance will be available as on-demand hoodies if you search up Devoted Art Propaganda. They did the album on all formats (LP/CD/TAPE) as well as a shirt. If you’re interested in the Furze catalogue, some stuff is available at the Furze bandcamp. Furze have been changing labels far too often throughout the years (seen from a fan’s angle) so it might have been confusing to know about or get a new release…now we’re cooperating and building up with steady releases on forth licensed to Devoted Art Propaganda.

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. Final words belong to you. Anything you would like to share?

Stay Furzed , and devoted!
Scream bloody lore.

https://open.spotify.com/album/48HlnRS7G1w4anRrwQzOPy?si=r1tUFA8bSHCu8AoWl6c7hQ

Follow and support Furze here:

Bandcamp: https://furze.bandcamp.com/album/caw-entrance

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@furzeofficial3853

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Furzebook

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/furzeofficial/

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