Coldworld will be releasing its third album Autumn on July 15th and it was recorded by Georg Börner in 2014 and mixed and mastered by Tobias Häussler of Farsot. We caught up with Georg for a chat to see what we might be able to expect from the upcoming album.
Autumn is a fine season and also the name of your forthcoming album. As Melacholie² was released eight years ago in what ways did ColdWorld evolve on Autumn?
Since the release of Melancholie I was working every now and then on new songs. I actually had enough material for a new LP but I had periods when I didn’t like what I had recorded. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go on with ColdWorld, if I’m on the right path and so on, that’s the reason why it took so long and I really want to apologize to my listeners. You had to be very patient and I am very sorry for that.
But then, in 2014, I rented a small cabin in the Thuringian forests and I was getting the silence and inspiration I needed. I was able to compose and record most of the material there in around six days. In the woods I was able to get in the right mood, and to calm down, and I was full of ideas and inspiration. I again felt that I was doing the right thing.
Since I recorded my last album my skills concerning the production of music improved, so the new album sounds more mature, at least I think so. I have to thank T.H. of Farsot for his work. He is a professional music producer, so the sound is way better than on my past releases.
What will Autumn bring with it?
Autumn will bring much melancholy and sadness. Autumn will take you to a grey and cold world, a world which is close to the end. It will bring great melodies, some surprises and a touch of natures’ mysticism.
I’ve been playing with Sangre de Muerdago for 2 years and that has also been a way of finding inspiration. There will be some clean vocals (courtesy of former member of Sangre de Muerdago Emma Skemp) which will be something the fans have to get used to but in my opinion fits perfectly! Autumn will bring some nyckelharpa [a traditional Swedish instrument similar to a Hurdy-Gurdy – Ed] parts and great outbursts as well. Be prepared.
Both The Stars Are Dead Now and Melacholie² deal with active nihilism, what are the ideas behind Autumn?
The whole concept is about death and perdition, about emptiness and void, about the end of life and a planet cleaned from the human plague. It is still – like on my past releases – about the emptiness in all of us and about the emotional cold world we are all living in. For me it’s a ‘bridge building’ from our emotional cold world to the real cold world that we are living in.
The lyrics for both your previous albums are for close listeners only – will this become tradition by Autumn?
Yes, this time I also decided to keep the lyrics ‘secret.’ I actually don’t know why – maybe I open myself with the music so much that I want to have some ‘private’ parts for myself.
As a package The Stars Are Dead Now and Melacholie² were very succinct in that both the artwork and music portrayed a cold almost desolate world, with Autumn the cover seems warmer, older or maybe worn, can you tell us more about the symbolism behind the imagery?
Yes, it’s true in a way. On one hand the album has a warmer appearance and on the other hand Autumn just leads to the inevitable coming of winter, the coming death. The atmosphere of the music hasn’t changed. It’s still cold Black Metal; it’s still a tribute to the coming death and total void. On Autumn I played with pictures of death and transience showing that the end is inevitable.
The next album will be called Winter. It will be cold and dark. The end of everything. Sometimes it’s just simple.
Will 2016 see ColdWorld start an ice age; can we hope to see a live presentation of your songs?
I have already had many requests concerning live performances but I’m not sure if ColdWorld is made for the stage. I have to think about it more, not in 2016, that’s for sure.
