Metal Storm logo
Elgibbor interview (12/2008)


With: Fire
Conducted by: Lucas, Bad English (e-mail)
Published: 09.12.2008

Band profile:

Elgibbor


- Hello, my name is Lucas from Metal Storm, thanks for doing this e-mail interview with me. You are "Fire" from Elgibbor, a very unknown Polish (Un)black Metal band. The band originated in 1999, what has happened since then? Can you give us a short introduction to the band, a little biography?





Elgibbor is a solo project created in 1999, as you said. Since 1999 I’ve recorded a few demos and have had some albums produced and distributed. Elgibbor is probably more well known in the USA and in South American countries than it is in Poland at this point.

- What does the name Elgibbor mean?

Elgibbor is the Hebrew/Aramaic word for “God Almighty”.

- What inspires you to make music, and in particular this style of music? Are your inspirations limited to bands or do you also find inspiration in other forms of art? Or even broader: nature, cities, relationships?

I’ve played this style of music every since I was young. It’s what I grew up with and that’s why I play it now. Much of my inspiration comes from life’s situations and circumstances that I’ve lived through and I take a lot of lyrics from verses in the Bible.

- You were known to be a Satanist in the past, but you have converted to Christianity. That's quite a different take on life, any particular event that caused this change? Was it a sudden change, or a slow transition? How is it to be a Christian and live with a satanic past?

My life was on a downward spiral. I was pretty deep in to drugs and alcohol and had lost all sense and reason in life. A lot of my friends had committed suicide and I knew I was on the same road. The day came when I did try to commit suicide and a friend of mine found me and told me that God had changed his life and that there really was hope and sense in this life. I had hit rock bottom and had nowhere else to turn... so I listened to him and made the decision to give my life to Christ. I realized that God could rebuild everything that I had torn down in my life. I gave up the drugs and alcohol immediately. I finally saw past the “religion” and saw God as someone I could have a true friendship with. Growing up in Poland, I saw religion as just a bunch of rules and regulations you had to obey in order to be a good person. I didn’t know that God was someone who actually cared about me enough to send His son to die for me. That’s what changed my life. I think that coming from a satanic background makes me even stronger. I saw the side of life that was filled with hopelessness and despair and stepped in to a life full of hope and grace. I also think God allowed me to go through what I went through so that I could have a better understanding of where people are coming from when they too get to a point where life doesn’t make sense anymore. No matter how hard you try to understand someone, you can never fully understand what they’re going through unless you’ve been there yourself and I’ve been there too... I can totally relate and understand what it’s like to live without hope... something that not many Christians can truly do.

- Was this something that happened before or after the formation of Elgibbor? Did this also affect Elgibbor in any way?

This all happened in 1996 and is actually why Elgibbor was created. I wanted a way to share what happened in my life with others who were going through the same troubles that I went through.

Elgibbor's only member "Fire" (Jarek).


- The notorious vocalist of Gorgoroth, Ghaal, once said in a video: "Black metal is a message". Does your music contain a message too, and if so, what is your message?

Yes my music always contains a very strong message. The main messages in my music are about the spiritual battles that we all go through and the relationship between humankind and their Creator.

- Poland is a strongly religious country, and strong actions cause strong reactions. The Polish Black metal scene is probably one of the most satanic and blasphemous ones in the world. Where do you stand in this? I can very much imagine that you are hindered by either side, since you don't play "true kult Black metal" in the eyes of the Black metal scene, but you also don't play church gospel music. How do both 'sides' react on your music and attitude?

To be honest both sides are about the same usually. I get good and bad reactions from the satanic bands and I get good and bad reactions from the Christian community. There are a handful of Christians who understand that this music is a way to show the metal music culture that there is hope and sense in life. Others don’t understand the music because they don’t understand the purpose and can’t imagine how music that sounds so close to the secular bands can be used for good or even played by Christians for that matter.

- Poland is also the country of the notorious Gorgoroth concert in 2004. Since you live there and it was probably all over the news, or at least in the news, what is your opinion on this?

I actually didn’t hear much about this concert on the news. When I still listened to secular metal bands, Gorgoroth didn’t exist yet, that I know of. I don’t really want to give my opinion on something I don’t know about!

- You are involved in two other "Unblack" or Christian Black metal bands, Abdijah and Fire Throne. What's going on with these bands?

Abdijah is the solo project of the drummer from Fire Throne who is a good friend of mine. Right now he is taking a break from the music scene for a while. Fire Throne is also taking a break. I am not saying that either one of these bands have quit, or split up. They are just on hold for a while. Sometimes bands just need to fall back and regroup, you know?


The latest album "Repent Or Perish".


- And what are we going to hear from Elgibbor in the near future?

I am in the process of recording a new album which will be out in 2009 and it’s called “War”. After that....we’ll see!

- One of my favourite questions is always the "deserted island top 10". You know, the classic situation in which you are stuck on an island, all by yourself, with only ten albums to accompany you. For most this question is a real pain in the ass, because it is very hard to name only ten favourite albums when there is so much good music out there. And that's mainly the reason why I like it so much, haha. So, apologies in advance, what are your ten favourite albums?

Vivaldi – Four Seasons
Horde – Hielig Usvart
Drottnar – Anamorphosis
Drottnar – Welterwerk
Armageddon Holocaust – Nekrofonik
Vengence Rising – Human Sacrifice
Frost Like Ashes – Born To Pieces
Deuteronomium - From The Midst Of The Battle
Fearscape – The Scent Of Divine Blood
Mortification – Scrolls Of The Megilloth


- That's pretty much all I had to ask you. As is the tradition with interviews for Metal Storm, the last words of this interview are yours. Thank you very much for taking the time to answering my questions, and all the best to your future endeavours. Speak your mind:

I just want to tell everyone out there that no matter how hard, endless and senseless life seems... there is always hope! Don’t give up and don’t stop searching!

Thank you!

Thanks to "Fire" for the interview and thanks to user "Bad English" for coming up with the idea to interview this band and contributing with questions.





Posted on 09.12.2008 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff.


Comments

Comments: 24   Visited by: 196 users
09.12.2008 - 22:31
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Wow... Really interesting interview and Fire seems like a really good guy

I'm not a religious person and the question of God's existence has always been a pain in the as for me so I don't really use to answer that question.

But I feel like I do understand him... After being into that kind of problems I can imagine that the guy felt like crap so I'm glad that He is happy.

Talking about the music, not bad at all. Specially if you have to do almost everything. Good music
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
Loading...
09.12.2008 - 23:38
Elio
Red Nightmare
Wow, seeing is face in the homepage of the site I would never have expected a so unkvlt guy! Interesting interview btw.
----
IntoPlighT said: "Slipknot is 15 years old how the fuck is that Nu metal?"

BEST. QUOTE. EVER.
Loading...
09.12.2008 - 23:57
Njord
njord
Nice interview..
The album cover is nice but the colours are awful
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 00:26
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Yeah my firts interwiew published, Thank's Lucas I won you one and thank's Fire, you know man Arka Gdyna hahhaha
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 10:46
FOOCK Nam

Nice interview. Really interesting his story and the last words he said. Anyway, congrats Bad English,
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 11:51
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by FOOCK Nam on 10.12.2008 at 10:46

Nice interview. Really interesting his story and the last words he said. Anyway, congrats Bad English,


Say thank's Lucas also whit out him it wount hepened
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 12:57
FOOCK Nam

@Bad English: of course, but hey I guess he, Lucas also is the one who correct English grammar, or not? ))

Anyway, reading words from Jarek, it is so decent to go into his attitude, "hope".
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 15:39
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by FOOCK Nam on 10.12.2008 at 12:57

@Bad English: of course, but hey I guess he, Lucas also is the one who correct English grammar, or not? ))

Anyway, reading words from Jarek, it is so decent to go into his attitude, "hope".


My quastens was so primitive and yes he did correct it, I gave him idea and he made correct form of quasten
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 15:47
FOOCK Nam

Written by Bad English on 10.12.2008 at 15:39

Written by FOOCK Nam on 10.12.2008 at 12:57

@Bad English: of course, but hey I guess he, Lucas also is the one who correct English grammar, or not? ))

Anyway, reading words from Jarek, it is so decent to go into his attitude, "hope".


My quastens was so primitive and yes he did correct it, I gave him idea and he made correct form of quasten

I like this question best, the 4th one, "You were known to be a Satanist in the past, but you have converted to Christianity. That's quite a different take on life, any particular event that caused this change? Was it a sudden change, or a slow transition? How is it to be a Christian and live with a satanic past?", and yes, Jarek answers is so nice or to be honest beautiful.
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 19:31
Smurfkiller
Account deleted
Am I the only person bothered by christian black metal? Yeah, yeah, yeah he sounds like a nice guy but I looked up his albums and all his song titles, album titles, and lyrics make him sound like that dick head christian prick who pushes his religion on you. Plus... I don't like oxymorons.
Loading...
10.12.2008 - 20:27
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Don't know any of this band's music but the interview was really good and candid anwers were given, really respect Fiure for what he stands for.

@smurfkiller. Actually Black Metal is about doing what one wants to do and not to be conforming to outside rules so Fire is way more BM in my book (as Ghaal is nowadays) than almost all of the other bm bands.
you complain about this guy pushing Christianity on to you, you might as well complain about other bands pushing their so-called Satanism on to you. At least this guy is pushing a positive message on to the world and not a kill youself let's all be nihilists or satanists message. Christian black metal is NOT an oxymoron in my book. See what I said on that earlier on.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

Loading...
10.12.2008 - 23:39
Smurfkiller
Account deleted
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.12.2008 at 20:27

Don't know any of this band's music but the interview was really good and candid anwers were given, really respect Fiure for what he stands for.

@smurfkiller. Actually Black Metal is about doing what one wants to do and not to be conforming to outside rules so Fire is way more BM in my book (as Ghaal is nowadays) than almost all of the other bm bands.
you complain about this guy pushing Christianity on to you, you might as well complain about other bands pushing their so-called Satanism on to you. At least this guy is pushing a positive message on to the world and not a kill youself let's all be nihilists or satanists message. Christian black metal is NOT an oxymoron in my book. See what I said on that earlier on.


I don't see black metal that way, sorry.
Loading...
11.12.2008 - 04:14
Stigmatized
..........
Props to Lucas for a very informative and interesting interview.
Loading...
11.12.2008 - 04:18
bluemobiusx
Account deleted
I really enjoyed this interview. Good questions and good answers.
Loading...
11.12.2008 - 15:32
Richard

I suspect that many 'Unblack Metal' bands are having a bit of a laugh - the term 'unblack metal' itself is clearly meant to be a joke, or at least that's what the term started as - it originated as an obvious intended parody. (There was an 'unblack' band that had a song called "Invert the Inverted cross" or something, IIRC.. Surely nobody thinks that's meant to be serious!?)

I mean, to be fair, this guy may well be serious about his message and his music, but I would imagine he has his tongue slightly implanted in cheek at the same time, and recognises the irony about it because of the way it's being presented.
----
Loading...
11.12.2008 - 18:30
bluemobiusx
Account deleted
Written by Richard on 11.12.2008 at 15:32

I suspect that many 'Unblack Metal' bands are having a bit of a laugh - the term 'unblack metal' itself is clearly meant to be a joke, or at least that's what the term started as - it originated as an obvious intended parody. (There was an 'unblack' band that had a song called "Invert the Inverted cross" or something, IIRC.. Surely nobody thinks that's meant to be serious!?)

I mean, to be fair, this guy may well be serious about his message and his music, but I would imagine he has his tongue slightly implanted in cheek at the same time, and recognises the irony about it because of the way it's being presented.


Sounds like you are just talking out of your butt. I don't see anything tongue and cheek about anything this guy said. If these guys were doing this as a joke it would be a little more obvious. I don't see any obvious signs here. I think some outsiders to black metal itself could see a Dimmu Borgir or Gorgoroth video and ask the same thing "Is this a joke" I mean a bunch of grown men running around with make up on and screaming about satan...just thinking about it makes me want to laugh.
Loading...
12.12.2008 - 05:31
Arcesse Eum

The guys got some balls to say that kind of stuff on a metal interview. Props to him.
----
As above, so below.
Loading...
12.12.2008 - 10:12
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Written by Arcesse Eum on 12.12.2008 at 05:31

The guys got some balls to say that kind of stuff on a metal interview. Props to him.


I dont see anything what he shood be shamed to say? Like my firts school tecaher sad :'' you can be ashemd only from steeling. otherhinks you shood not ''

PS where is damnated comment ?
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
12.12.2008 - 11:09
iaberis
Advice Troll
If it's K7's interview why is it listed to Lucas?
----
Bitch! Please
Loading...
12.12.2008 - 18:34
Lucas
Mr. Noise
Written by iaberis on 12.12.2008 at 11:09

If it's K7's interview why is it listed to Lucas?


K7 wanted to do the interview, but since only Staffers can interview bands, I contacted the band with the request of an interview (so an interview with me, not K7). K7 pm'ed me one or two questions for the interview. Well, more than 2 but the other's were questions I was going to ask anyway. (iirc, both Gorgoroth questions were questions I hadn't thought of myself.)

Simply forgot to add him as a contributor.
----
SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
Loading...
13.12.2008 - 19:30
Dane Train
Beers & Kilts
Great interview. I would love to talk to him sometime.

It is so nice that Metal Storm can interview such a wide range of artists from different world views and not hold bias against them.
----
(space for rent)
Loading...
13.12.2008 - 21:47
GT
Coffee!!
An interesting interview and as Dane just said nice to see an interview with a band from "the other side" of religion
----


Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
Loading...
11.09.2010 - 01:55
iaberis
Advice Troll
Quite interesting interview indeed!
----
Bitch! Please
Loading...
18.08.2011 - 16:54
Mindheist
No Longer Human
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.12.2008 at 20:27

@smurfkiller. Actually Black Metal is about doing what one wants to do and not to be conforming to outside rules so Fire is way more BM in my book (as Ghaal is nowadays) than almost all of the other bm bands.
you complain about this guy pushing Christianity on to you, you might as well complain about other bands pushing their so-called Satanism on to you. At least this guy is pushing a positive message on to the world and not a kill youself let's all be nihilists or satanists message. Christian black metal is NOT an oxymoron in my book. See what I said on that earlier on.

I couldn't have said it any better myself.
Loading...

Hits total: 12107 | This month: 23