KROLOK interview

 Hello! This is the first KROLOK album where the lyrics are sung in Slovak. Why did it take three full-lengths to make that step? Was English simply more practical before, or did the subject matter eventually demand your native language?

First of all, I would like to greet you and your readers and thank you for time and space you’ve given to me and Krolok.

It's the deep night now when I answer your questions.

Outside there are some strange sounds and noises as rustling of leaves, the wind in the treetops and of course there's also many place for imaginations.

Night has its own natural atmosphere and rules. Dark but alluring. It's what defines it. It felt just as natural for me to use the Slovak language for the lyrics of the new album to capture the essence and atmosphere of a concept rooted in real experiences and events I shared with my old friends years ago, which I’ll return to later in this interview. Using any language other than Slovak would have been unthinkable as these experiences are tied directly to places that have their own history while also shaping the big part of history of my country itself. To use a foreign language for this album would be like disrupting the continuity and harmony of the night I mentioned earlier, for example by shining of massive halogen floodlights into the deep dark forest. You might get a clearer more defined picture, but you would lose the inner magic and mystique. Suddenly, there's no place for imagination, there's only the stark defined structure of what you see or - in our case - hear on the album. And I certainly didn’t want to deprive the listener of that sense of mystery. It would've been unfair. Too simple. Too ordinary. Too boring. And that's not my way honestly. So the answer for your question in simple way is - now is the right time for using of our native language, because these are our native places, characters and experiences.

You speak about the “glorious times” of Carpathian castles. Medieval history tends to become very romantic once it is turned into black-metal mythology. How much of KROLOK is based on actual local history, and how much is your own version of the past?

Overall, this isn't a retelling of specific historical events, nor an attempt to romanticize an era that was harsh and difficult. Today, we can hardly debate how things actually were without any meaningful conclusion. People nowadays cannot even agree on whether a glass is half-empty or half-full, so how can we know what happened in the Middle Ages? It's all speculation leading to potential conclusions, but I'm not trying to confirm or refuse any of them. I feel no need for historical precision regarding events that's not the focus of my work. The entire concept stems from my own real-life experiences at these locations. Situations I lived through firsthand, and I aim to convey that experience to the listener. I encountered these places as many centuries old ruins, one might say they're nothing more than stones and dust now. But those stones were bear witness to eras that existed long before us and will remain long after we're gone. That's what fascinates me about history. We're talking about places that may seem almost useless to some people today but in the past, they were vast, important, and wealthy castles towering over the landscape strongholds that played a strategic roles during events long since forgotten. The majesty of these places is undeniable, even though none of us experienced it firsthand. That's why i simply try to highlight the historical importance of these castles through the lens of my own experiences. The track "Hričov" includes a spoken-word section. It's precisely this part of the monologue that touches upon how difficult life was in those times, how no-one of us can't judge the past from a modern perspective, and how terrible things often occurred for the sake of what was deemed necessary. That's why it's important to look not only at the sins of the past but also at the outcomes that often followed them. It was a brutal era, human life has little value, and survival was the priority. But when we reflect on it now, has anything truly changed for the better? Are things different now? Have those hundreds of years given to us enough time to learn? I leave the answer to each of you.

Hričov, Súľov and Lietava are very specific places. What connects these three locations for you beyond the fact that they have old castles? Is there a particular story, legend or historical figure behind each one?

First and foremost, regarding all three castles, it's essential to mention a specific historical figure - Stibor of Stiborice. A Hungarian nobleman who held lordship over the entire Považie region here in Slovakia. He and his family administered all three of the mentioned castles - Hričov, Súľov, and Lietava. He was a significant historical figure who, in his time, embodied authority, strength, and executive power across the Považie region. His character is vividly captured in the aforementioned spoken-word monologue from the "Hričov" track, brought to life through the fenomenal artistic performance of the renowned Slovak actor and National Artist Vladimír Černý, his legendary and unique voice perfectly conveyed the personality and aura of Stibor of Stiborice.

The idea behind Krolok’s third album goes back to 2009, when a group of friends and I, members of bands such as Algor, Korium and Hromovlad, set out on a two-day journey through northern Slovakia to visit Hričov, Súľov and Lietava Castles. What began as a simple trip quickly turned into an intense encounter with nature. At Hričov Castle, we were caught in a powerful thunderstorm and heavy rain, forcing us to seek shelter at Skalná brána. The following day, we continued to Súľov Castle, carrying the memories of the previous day with us, before ending our journey at Lietava Castle, surrounded by forests, rocks and breathtaking views. Those experiences stayed with me for years and eventually became the inspiration for Krolok’s third album — a concept I had been developing since 2022.

The album apparently reaches centuries into Slovakia's past. What did you discover during the research that was too strange, ugly or absurd to turn into a song?

As I have already mentioned, I didn't attempt to convey any specific historical event nor did I focus on particular incidents, but rather captured my own feelings and the atmosphere associated with these places. My artistic approach always stems more from personal feelings than from an attempt to rewrite history books. Countless books have been written and films made about medieval historical events, so i wouldn't be telling you anything new, astounding or shocking.

There is a huge difference between writing about “Vampires and ancient castles” in a generic black-metal way and writing about places that actually exist a few kilometres from where you live. Does using real Slovak locations make the mythology more personal, or does it make it harder to treat the material purely as fantasy?

I would say I don't see a difference there. Ultimately, the interpretation of lyrics is always up to the listener, so inspiration is just one part of the process of perception. However, an artist's inspiration for writing lyrics is one thing, the idea behind the lyrics is another and how the listener perceives the result is a absolutely something else. These are all vastly different things, given that everyone’s perception is unique. It’s like reading a book, the words conjure up images, yet every reader forms a different fantasy picture. The same thing happens when listeners experience an album. In fact, I’d say the experience is even more intense precisely because of the musical accompaniment, which helps flesh out those fantasy images and the overall atmosphere more vividly.

You call yourself the “immortal Count”. Is KROLOK supposed to be one continuous character moving through different historical periods, or is the Count more of a vessel through which different stories can be told?

Let me try to explain. Krolok is the band's name which natural is rooted in the vampire aesthetic, which has always intrigued and fascinated me. My artistic pseudonym is Graf von Krolok, a creative alter ego that writes the lyrics and music but I'm only ordinary man and artist. Not some immortal bloodsucking beast. However, the Count himself - the One, mentioned in our promotional materials is more of an entity that accompanies the listener on the journey while experiencing Krolok’s albums. Let me offer a metaphorical example. It's similar to looking at Iron Maiden’s album covers. You see Eddie on every one of them. He's your silent guide through each album, appearing in various forms, even when the lyrics or stories of those specific albums aren't about him. But he's always there. You perceive him. He's important. I want to believe that my art have a distinctive look, sound, and character. When Krolok starts playing, you know you are listening to Krolok. And that feeling, the one an engaged fan experiences while listening to our recordings defines the Immortal Count himself. It's about feeling. Not about person. He metaphorically places his hideous, rotting claw upon your shoulder and whispers: "Come with me." And you go. Because you want to go with him. Because you know, that in his company you will feel exactly what you need to feel in that moment. Atmosphere is immensely important to my work, and I believe that I manage to consistently capture its essence across every one of our recordings.

What does “Krolok” actually represent at this point? A historical figure, a folkloric creature, an alter ego, or something you've gradually turned into your own mythology?

I think, it's a combination of everything you mentioned. To use a metaphor - though without any religious connotation - it's something like the Holy Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three characters representing a single idea and the very same entity at the same time. In my case, it's Krolok - the band and project born from my mind, making it my child. Myself as the creator and artist who gave the project its soul and form, acting as the father. And the last thing, underlying concept I described earlier, where the invisible aura of a fictional, cadaverous vampire count hovers around anyone, who chooses to be consumed by Krolok’s music and at the end - you - the listeners become the count yourselves, as the entity inhabits you during the listening experience through the merging of your soul with the recording’s atmosphere. It might sound crazy or bizarre, but I would say our fans understand exactly what I mean by this metaphoric imagery.

The description mentions “eerie fanfares in the misty distance”. That's a very cinematic image. How important is atmosphere compared with the actual black-metal aggression? Do you ever sacrifice a good riff because it doesn't fit the historical world you're trying to create?

Atmosphere is always extremely important to me. I personally love atmosphere music. Whether it involves black metal or other genres, I have always sought out artists whose work resonates with the deeper subconscious. With any recording the first thing that comes to my mind is the feeling I get while listening to it. Only then do specific songs, melodies, choruses, or riffs follow. The primary things I look for in music are emotions, atmosphere and an overall sense of mood elements that matter more to me than musical and technical intricacies or mathematical formulas and patterns. It's precisely this quality that i strive to convey to my listeners through my work with Krolok. I leave it to each individual listener to judge based on their own feelings whether or not I succeed in doing so.

Slovak is obviously going to change the sound of the vocals compared with English. Did you have to change the way you write lyrics once you stopped writing in a second language, or did the music itself dictate the language?

The album's concept itself naturally determined the choice of language, but as always, I wrote and recorded the music first before turning to the lyrics, which fit seamlessly into each of the three title tracks. There was no difference in the songwriting process compared to using English. Slovak language is my native language and while it certainly have its own unique sound and texture, we are still operating within the realm of black metal so my vocal style and his shades remained unchanged. Consequently any listener wishing to fully grasp the album's lyrical content will need to read the lyrics in the booklet.

Slovak folklore has plenty of material that hasn't been turned into the same handful of internationally recycled black-metal clichés. What is one piece of Slovak history or folklore you think foreign listeners would completely misunderstand without knowing the local context?

Our folklore is deeply rooted in a great deal of sorrow and the myths associated with it much like the myths linked to fear. Throughout its history and particularly over the last few centuries Slovakia has endured considerable hardship in various forms, and this has naturally left its mark on the people, shaping their perceptions, characters, and folklore. A full historical and political analysis would require an immense amount of detail regarding the contributing events and contexts therefore, I recommend that anyone genuinely interested in Slovak culture, myths, legends, and folklore seek out this information online or in books. It's a journey of discovery that requires extensive reading, but it's certainly well worth the effort.

There is also a certain danger in romanticizing castles, nobility and the medieval past. The “glorious times” were also full of disease, poverty, violence, religious persecution and people dying horribly. Does KROLOK deliberately concentrate on the mythical beauty of that world, or do the darker historical realities eventually creep into the music as well?

As i mentioned in my earlier reply, I don’t feel like I’m romanticizing anything nor do I care for doing so. It was an era like any other with its beauties and its horrors, heroes and monsters. Every coin has two sides. But there's also the coin’s edge and that's often, where the most significant action takes place. Figuratively speaking, you might look at a beautiful, majestic castle without knowing whether a joyous banquet is unfolding behind its walls or some bloody horror filled with pain and fear. But let me bring this back to the present day, if you walk around houses or apartment buildings at night and glance into the windows, you likewise cannot tell whether something beautiful or something terrifying is happening inside. People will always be people. And to romanticize an era means romanticizing people and that's something i will never do.

After three full-lengths, what can KROLOK still do that you couldn't have done on the first album? Has the character of the Count changed together with the music?

I don’t feel that the character or vision of Krolok has changed in any significant way. From the very beginning of my creative work, I’ve enjoyed doing things that don’t repeat themselves but remain recognizable within the scope of my art. No matter what Krolok sounds like in the future, you’ll always know it’s Krolok.

Osmose has released an enormous amount of black metal over the decades. Does being on a label with that kind of historical weight affect how you think about KROLOK, or is the connection to the Slovak underground more important than the label's international history?

Osmose is, was and always will be a huge legend for me, and I'm proud to be part of this legendary label and family. Back in the '90s, when I was starting with black metal as fan and buying albums, most of them have the Osmose logo and brand. Today i'm part of this label and it's something i never would have imagined almost thirty years ago. About the local underground scene, it always comes down to the people. We're connected with like-minded bands and friends, but i don't follow the rest of the scene i don't care about that. From the very beginning, Krolok had more support and a larger fanbase abroad than here in Slovakia, that has only intensified since we started working under the Osmose banner. I value every fan of my art, every listener, and every friend - these people matter more to me than the feeling of belonging to a particular scene.

If someone who has never been to Slovakia listens to Hričov-Súľov-Lietava and imagines some completely fictional medieval Carpathian kingdom, would you consider that a successful interpretation - or would you rather they actually look up the places and discover what is behind the songs?

I have no ambition to dictate to people what they should feel or experience. As I mentioned, every listener’s interpretation is individual, just like the feelings the music evokes in them. However if listening to the new album compels someone to come to Slovakia and experience these real places firsthand, then I have the utmost, deep, and sincere respect for him and it will be great.

If the Count could return to one night in the history of those castles - not as a historian, but as an invisible witness - which night would you want him to see?

I don’t have any specific event or night in mind that I would particularly like to have witnessed firsthand, but if the opportunity arose, I would certainly love to experience all three castles during the height of their glory and majesty because they must have been truly magnificent.

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