Updated: 03/18/00

Source Of Tide is one of the most interesting black metal bands to come along in quite awhile. Featuring Lord PZ from Peccatum, Source Of Tide perform melodramatic music that stays in your mind long after the disc comes to it's end. We recently e-mailed Lord PZ questions regarding this unique project. The answers are contained within...

Highwire Daze: Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Source Of Tide and how long the band has been together.

Lord PZ: I am Lord PZ, vocalist in both Peccatum & Source Of Tide. I write most of the lyrics and melody-lines for Source Of Tide, and I am doing the administrative work of the band.vvThe band has been together since 1996, but many of the members have been replaced. The old line up from Source Of Tide who are still in the band are Cosmocrator & Pendragon.. In 1997 we released our first full-length album "Dawn of tides" under the banner of Nome Council. This was a project between a painter named Knut M. Nesse & Source Of Tide (Rock VS. Art). The band consisted of Cosmocrator (keys & drums), Pendragon (lead guitar) Atle Høydalen (rhythm guitar), Sven T. Dammen (vocals), & Geir Hovland (Bass). But due to personal reasons and the musical development Atle, Sven & Geir decided to leave during a two years period. Targenor, who had participated in some demo-bands with the guys, then begun handling the bass. Further on, Source Of Tide lost their old vocalist, and I contacted them after a gig, wanting to take care of the vocals. As new band-members were involved in the development & mingling of the music, Atle decided to leave, lacking interest in the new sound of Source Of Tide. Taranis was the last member to join this line-up, taking care of the rhythm-guitars. He was tracked down by Pendragon, who knew him as a good guitarist, which would suit the new line-up and musical style of the band.

HD: Where is the band from and what is the music scene like there?

Lord PZ: The band started out in the forgotten realms of Telemark, in a small village called Lunde in 1996. Further on we have changed many of the members, and therfore moved our rehersal-quarters to Notodden. (Same place as Emperor, Peccatum TSS etc...) So now-a-daze we have much contact with other fellow Candlelight-bands as Peccatum, Myrkskog & Emperor. Notodden is a small town just outside our capital, Oslo, so we have much contact with other bands like Limbinoc Art, Borknagar etc... But as for Notodden... There has always been a strong musical scene (talking about Black Metal) coming from this area. Emperor started up here in the late 80's. (I also started out here playing punk in a band called "Ham Riders" in the mid-80's). Bands/projects like Thou Shalt Suffer, Peccatum, Myrkskog, Source Of Tide, Mental Garotter will be bands you probably will hear more of. I think the more avant-garde ways of Black Metal actually started in this aera with the Emperor way of doing BM.

HD: Describe the music to someone who has never heard it before.

Lord PZ: Well, you might say we have in our own way tried to create a melting-pot between the different genres inside metal. We have added some strong metal-guitars and vocal-lines influenced by the 80's, we have added some death-metal, Black Metal and more symphonic metal into it. It is hard to say excatly what we have achieved, but I reckon we will be viewed upon as a new Avant-garde band with not much resemblance with other avant-garde bands. The only way to explain our musical expression will be by listening to it yourself, actually.

HD: Where did the idea for the band name come from?

Lord PZ: I can't say too much about our name, other than I have been inspired by it to do lyrics. This is because I was not in the band when it stared. But for me, it has something to do with the powers within the nature, which mankind can't destroy. And in the end, I think that it is a very good name for our musical expression.

HD: What do you think makes Source Of Tide stand apart from other Black Metal bands?

Lord PZ: The one thing we do not have in common with other black metal bands, is the fact that we don't struggle to be a BM-band. We'd rather use the material we feel works within the band, no matter if it is death metal, Thrash metal, heavy metal inspired. We do not like to restrict ourselves inside borders of a genre. So I rather would say that we are an Avant-garde type of band.

HD: What are some of the songs about and where did you get the ideas from?

Lord PZ: The lyrics was written mainly by me (except the track "Symphony of the Sovereign" which is written by Taranis). The lyrics have a close connection to the album-title "Ruins of Beauty". They try to make One see the life, or death, from different angles and how to seize the opportunities when it's given to you. My lyrics are hoped to be, in a humble way, just a sort of reminder to slow down with your own life a bit, take your time to search within your own mind, for expanding into new dimensions of living. I have also chosen to use the nature as a metaphor for the wrong direction mankind is tumbling into, with destroying the foundations for existence. That is why I have chosen to write a bit like a story in the lyrics in "Ode # 1 & #2" on this album. I also use the name of the band; Source Of Tide, much in the earlier mentioned lyrics, since this can be viewed upon as a resemblance to the forces not controlled by human-kind. The album starts with the search for the spiritual forces within or outside each human being with the "Raven Goddess" and the last lyric is where you might find the spiritual forces outside yourself unreachable and the only reliable source left is your own self. Then you might have to slow down, and ask yourself "Who am I? " But then again, the lyrics are mainly there for the personal interpretations of the viewer/listener. Hence, my "so-called" trying to explain might just give the lyrics wrong interpretations. It should therefore be seen as my personal view, not the issue behind the lyrics. The ideas for the different lyrics appeared out of the blue when sitting down and trying to explain the world around me. It was not any particular happening that made the lyrics, but rather a search for the unknown things around you.

HD: Are you still working with Peccatum and what is the status of that band?

Lord PZ: Yes, I still work with Peccatum, as much as I work with Source Of Tide. For me, they are two different s bands which I involve myself in equally. But as for Peccatum's status -- we have recently recorded an EP with one cover song of Judas Priest's "Blood Red Skies" & two new Peccatum tracks. The EP will be entitled "Oh My Regrets." The EP will be released sometime in April this year. We have also begun working on new material to our new full-lenght album "Amor Fati," which we have scheduled to release mid-autumn this year. So things are working out just fine in the Peccatum camp.

HD: Did you tour with Peccatum here in the States and what were you impressions of the tour?

Lord PZ: The American continent was a bit different to be in than in Europe. The audience had more of the old heavy metal style, banging their heads etc. But we were really taken good care of in the US, as a band. I felt like the US-audience was more willing to explore the new avant-garde style in general. So you might say that the US-public was more open-minded coming to different musical expressions. As for in Mexico, people were singing along with all our songs, and it was kind of amazing having 3000-4000 kids singing along on our tunes. So we really enjoyed it. The one big drawback was Mc Donald's and the long distances. I remember it was a big heat-wave on the east-cost, so we fellt like just laying in a pool drinking my favourite beer Guinness (Ireland) all day long. But of course, there were long drives, new audiences to please etc... But all in all, (except Ol' f*ckin' Mc Donald's, the lack of Guinness and the f*ckin' heat) we had a splendid time in the US.

HD: You have an amazing voice. Have you had any formal vocal training?

Lord PZ: Thanks a lot. I have no other classical studies than singing-lessons with an educated Opera-singer for about 4 years or so. I do not like to say I am educated in any sense, since I am not. But I rehearse every day, mainly on the Classical vocal. I have also been working as a singer in bands from 1986 till now.

HD: What kinds of reaction has Source Of Tide been receiving?

Lord PZ: Source Of Tide has gained many good reviews, critics throughout both the European continent & in the US seem to like it. As for reactions to our live-performances, we have also received good reviews. I like to see us as a good live-band.

HD: Any plans for the band to play live here in the States or elsewhere?

Lord PZ: If we get the chance, we would love playing in the US. But as to this date, we have just been preparing for a release-party in Oslo this weekend with another Norwegian act called Grievance. After that, I reckon we will try organizing a European-tour of some kind this spring. We have tried arranging a tour with Grievance, but that is still kinda in the blue.

HD: What do you think of the various musical directions Black Metal is taking on today?

Lord PZ: I think the black scene of today has expanded a great deal since the early years. We now see bands like Borknagar, Immortal, and Ulver all expanding ad exploring new territories, musically. I am more into the avant-garde bands of this genre. I am very classical oriented, musically -- I find myself more relaxed listening to the avant-garde type of metal rather than pure holocaust BM (except Impaled Nazarene, which really kicks ass!).

HD: Any messages for Metal fans here in the States?

Lord PZ: First of all, I want to thank every Peccatum-fan in the US for giving us such great memories from the tour. I also hope I'll be back with the guys in Source Of Tide to present you with our music and a good live-show. Take care! Regards from Lord PZ.

Many thanks to Lord PZ and Candlelight Records for setting up this interview. Be sure to check out RUINS OF BEAUTY by Source Of Tide, now available!