Corrupt Conversation | Marblebog

Conversation with Gabor on behalf of the Hungarian Ambient Black Metal band, Marblebog

How would you like to influence your audience through your music, what kind of impact you'd like to give?

I'm not on a mission to convey a message, my approach is closer to the concept of "l'art pour l'art". Creating music itself is the primary goal, so much so that my first three albums did not even have lyrics at all. Of course there are recurring images I return to; nature, death, the great mystery of just being here, but I don't have the answers, I'm just painting landscapes with sounds. We can consider this a form of therapy, an outlet for obscure thoughts and emotions.

What is your personal credo? Do you follow a religious, moral or theoretical code?

Yes, on my own weird way.

What is the main motivation that drives you to create music?

Ever since I was a child, I was surrounded by music all the time. My grandfather had an acoustic guitar, an electric organ, a reel-to-reel tape recorder and loads of other gizmos, my mother played piano, and my dad was a huge rock fan and a record collector. So both genetics and my upbringing naturally pushed me towards music, I cannot picture my life without it.

What are the answers that only black metal can provide to the recent life we live in?

Even though it comes from very deep, at the end of the day it is just art, it does not provide answers, it's not supposed to. To me, Marblebog is about conjuring a certain atmosphere of grim joy, it's a special place I can return to from all the bullshit of this world. That feeling when you are out in the dark cold forest, it is very bleak and hostile, but you are happy, far from other people. Since it is very strong emotionally, I find it is healthy in small doses only. I rarely listen to black metal these days, I mainly just create it. I am like a non-drinker running a liquor store.

What is the recent status of your local black metal community?

Sadly, most of the bands I liked are now defunct - but sometimes I think that maybe it's better to be dead than being alive and a shell of your former self. There are loads of newer bands, I am kind of aware of what's going on but I do not follow closely. I enjoyed the latest Nocrul album "All Mortal Creatures Must Die". I also have an ambient/drone solo project under the name Asattarn and I must say that our ambient scene has some unique gems: Teophania, AiboriA, Odvas, Megcsillan all create exceptional music. The best thing ever came out from Hungary was "2001... The Saturnus Mission" from Arud, so wonderfully bizarre!