Sviatibor is a new band in the Pagan Metal scene. Unlike many bands that label themselves as Pagan, Sviatibor has an actual interest in preserving indigenous religion and culture. In this interview I speak with sole member and mastermind Thomas about the history of the band and his personal beliefs.
- Greetings Thomas, thank you for this interview with Barbarian Skull! Please tell us about the history of Sviatibor and what inspired you to create the project.Hello Nate ! Thank you very much for your interest in my project. Sviatibor is a Pagan / Atmospheric Black Metal solo project I created in the end of 2013 when I was 15 years old. I started to compose my first songs being very inspired by Burzum and the European heritage, and I still am ! However the quality and the atmosphere of my music evolved a lot since the very first songs. Let me give you the description of my project I use on my Bandcamp page: “Here you will find amusic of travels, reflections and contemplations through the pure lands of ancient Europe, full of legends, tales, and mighty symbols, along with a religious atmosphere created in honor of our wise ancestors, and our glorious european gods.”
- Sviatibor released quite a few full length albums in 2014, just one year after the band’s first demo. How long did you have that material written before it was actually recorded and released?
Well, I started to compose From Yav To Nav as soon as the project was created, and then, when I finished to record it (just after composed it), I had the irresistible desire to do something totally different, so I started to work on “L’Oeuvre De Rod”, and then it was the same with “La Foi Des Ancêtres”, and the same with “Dans La Splendeur Des Dieux”. Everytime I’m done with an album, an atmosphere, I want to try something new, I need to try something new. The writing process of each album started when the previous one was recorded. However I see you coming, but it’s not the case this time with “Dans La Splendeur Des Dieux”, haha.
- The album that introduced me to Sviatibor (La Foi Des Ancêtres) was released by Primal Relics Records. How did you get in touch with the label? Will they be releasing future albums?
Primal Relics Records’ owner Nick Stanger (from Ashbringer and No Heroes) contacted me himself to release one of my two first albums, but I told him that I was working on a new one and that I wanted this one to be released through his label, we had a deal and then the album was released few months later ! My next albums (and other special stuffs) will all be released through my own label, Endless Decrepitude Productions, except if I’m getting signed with a big label, which is something I planning to reach for this year.
- On “La Foi Des Ancêtres” you have lyrics in English, French, and Russian. Why did you choose to write songs in such a variety of languages?
Indeed this is my only album in which the languages are so various. In “Dans La Splendeur Des Dieux”, everything is in French except one single song in English. “From Yav To Nav” is written in English (very bad English by the way) and “L’Oeuvre De Rod” in French. I chose to use these languages because I love both of them (even if French is my favorite) but English was more fitting with the music in some songs so I used it too. Some songs are in 2 languages ! And as you said there are some parts of the lyrics in Russian. I used this language because I’m in love with the Russian culture and I have some basics in it, and it’s a European language, and Sviatibor praises the entire European heritage, so why not ? 🙂 I’m planning to put some German in my lyrics in the future.
- Sviatibor is a based around native European religions and the days of old. What role do the indigenous religions of Europe have in your life, and do you think these religions will ever become dominant again?The ancient european religion is the perduration of my ancestor’s soul within me. This is what makes a link between us, and give me the ability to improve as a man everytime I die and reborn, because I am my ancestors and they are me, what we call “life” is only a step each generation of myself face, the true life is eternal, and the name we gave to it is “time”.
I don’t know if the european religion will become dominant again in our society because people are way more rationnal than once today. However I strongly believe that the values born by this belief and our deities (Blood, soil, work, art, ancestry and family, the only truely important things in life) will come again in our societies, when people will understand the vanity of our modern world. - What can you tell us about the upcoming release “Dans La Splendeur Des Dieux”?“Dans La Splendeur Des Dieux” is according to me, my best release so far. Way superior to anything I ever released. My music matured a lot and so did the lyrics. I used a lot of new sounds and instruments and the sound quality has a lot improved. The compositions are more complete.
- You are the sole member of Sviatibor, are you involved in any other projects?Indeed ! I’m also working on a Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal band project called NERVENGEIST. Which I created one year ago with a great friend of mine. We are hard-working on our first full-length but we already released a demo called “Path To Suffocation”.
- What else can we expect from Sviatibor in the future?This year will welcome a split with the mighty ASHBRINGER by my friend Nick Stanger, who released his first full-length some weeks ago, amazing work, highly recommanded ! And also something that people wouldn’t expect from a solo project, but I can’t tell you more about this now 😉
- Thank you Thomas for taking the time to answer this interview. Any last words are yours!Thank you again for your interest in my project ! Everybody must support this great zine ! Huge thanks to everyone who’s reading this interview or supported my project in anyway. Sviatibor is nothing without you ! Stay tuned for the next !
