Congratulations for "To The Nameless Dead". Will you agree with me,
that this output is one of the best PRIMORDIAL releases ever?

Hails and thank you. I think it is one of the strongest Primordial albums ever of course, but then again I think they are all strong. Just another chapter…

It is right to say, that "To The Nameless Dead" is in the middle of
"Storm Before Calm" and "The Gathering Wilderness"?

I don’t know. We don’t really look at things like that. We just create what we do when we feel like the time is right and what happens happens. There is not secret formula to our song-writing process. The new album is perhaps more epic and slightly more straightforward in some places.

What happened with PRIMORDIAL that made you decide to switch the
label and signed wit Metal Blade Records in 2005? Could you reach
another level with this label?

Totally. We had to try and reach another level and we couldn’t do this on any of the labels we were on before. They all fell apart for one reason or another.

PRIMORDIAL possesses a unique style. What is it? Viking Metal,
Pagan Metal, Black Metal or Irish Folk?

Again we don’t really think about. It’s not Viking Metal as we aren’t Vikings. I would have thought that was self evident. Most folk metal I find too happy sounding, I think we are too dark for that. Categories are really the preserve of journos after all.

Of which bands PRIMORDIAL was influenced by?

In the beginning, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, early metallica, Candlemass, Bathory, Celtic Frost, Venom. The early death and thrash metal of the 80’s like Kreator, Morbid Angel, Autopsy and Possessed then the whole second wave of Black Metal as a movement in the late 80’s early 90’s. Add some Irish traditional music, some classical and soundtrack music and somehow you get our sound/

Alan was recording the vocals for the Italian band VOID OF SILENCE
in Rome in 2004, which influenced him to write the lyrics of ?Cities
Carved In Stone? (The Gathering Wilderness). On your new release is
another track referenced to Rome, ?As Rome Burns?. Is Rome a town that
is important for PRIMORDIAL?

It’s really a metaphor for Western Europe. We have never played in Rome but it would be special to perform this song there that’s for sure.

Your music is extreme hypnotizing and intensive. Are the band
members fragile and thoughtfully? It must be hard to live in this hard
and wrong world?

Fragile ?. I don’t think that’s a word I would use to describe us. We are just 5 very different individuals who come together from time to time to make music. To share our creativity under the same banner. Our Art just mirrors our relationship to the world around us, to the places and people we know. We just try and be as honest as possible in our approach to music.

What did you think about NEUROSIS? I think, there are some
similarities in the sound of PRIMORDIAL.

Sure, Neurosis has been quite an influence over the last 10 years on some of us. I am relatively new to Neurosis. Maybe from Times of Grace for example but they have something real, pure and instinctual that we also try an capture.

You are a band with a great live atmosphere. Another band that
comes live near to PRIMORDIAL is MY DYING BRIDE. What is about a tour
with the english doomers?

I don’t think they tour anymore. They just play festivals so I doubt it would ever happen. It would be interesting though for sure.

If you can choose a tour package with 5 bands, which band plays
with PRIMORDIAL?

Hard to say really. I would find it really interesting to be on the bill with 5 pretty diverse bands but it seems most people don’t want to see for example Solitude Aeternus the Isis followed by Slough feg and Tragedy then Mercyful Fate. I don’t know really, any bands we can connect with musically and get along with.

Are there any destinations for PRIMORDIAL? What is planned in 2008?

So far just festivals. Take a look at www.myspace.com/fallentoruin

What are some lessons you have learned from being a musician?

Don’t let the bastards grind you down… Thank you and well done!