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Near is one of the shining new realities that slowly, without spotlight on them but guided only by the great music they make, are rising out from the North East of Italy, being it nowadays a very good and everyday growing reality. They came out more than a year ago with a split with their comrades Lorn, and now the second step in their curse is this absolutely good release: a "miniCd" (quite half an hour of music) that shows to all those who trusted them since the beginning, that the value of Near isn't disappeared, but it's constantly improving. So I decided to contact the main man behind Near, Frank, and I asked him some questions... Hails Frank! How’s going on in the North-East of our magnificent country? Enough well, thanks. Introduce Near to all those that still don’t know this really interesting reality… Near was born in 2002, when Fredrik persuaded me to do something altogether. To say the truth, much time before I already had many ideas, but inside myself I felt that it wasn’t the right moment to publish the material. Therefore I continued playing in solitude in my own room until the day Fredrik took part… and finally it was truly reached the right moment. “The Dark Art of the Death Hidden in the Castle”: a very pompous title for this miniCd, a release that I can suggest without doubts. What’s its meaning? Well, for me it’s always difficult to answer to such questions. Lyrics are always written after music so, like for the titles, they always come to my mind after listening to the music. However, in the case of “The Dark Art…”, it comes from a legend of a castle situated in my country. I haven’t read anything about it, just listened to the legends told by the elders… Could you give us some words about each one of the songs of this miniCd? Reading the lyrics, besides the usual topics every musician of this genre has as his font of inspiration, it seems you have a particular interest for a sort of medieval-like legends and similar. Do you agree? Can you focus on this? Every song has been written in various moments. In fact I think that every song manifests, differently, the state of my mind: it changes from hatred feelings (“Approaching of the Beast” to epic parts (“The Dark Art…”), from desperation (“And the Death…”) to fierce feelings (“Black Soul’s Sorrow”). I usually take inspiration from the feelings and from the music I have just composed. I try to describe the feelings I feel while I’m listening for the first time to my music. I started knowing Near from the split with Lorn. It seems that since that good release your musical skills have improved a lot, and this nice mCd is surely the proof of what I am saying: it underlines a more personality, besides the usual influences, and a more knowledge of the potential of the band. How did you come to this goal? I think you are correct. The improvement has happened. Fredrik and me have worked with more calm and seriousness, luckily. To release the split with Lorn, we worked with much haste, and surely it has been recorded from both of us in scandalous conditions. Anyway, I adore much that split. A particular mention in this interview, I think, is deserved by the little jewel that’s the song “Black Soul’s Sorrow”, really a beautiful song with one of the nicest riffs I’ve heard since a long time. Would you like to tell us how did you created it and what’s the meaning of this song, inserted in the quite eterogenic context of the mini? Surely many people have appreciated this song, even if I haven’t spent so much to create it. Personally it isn’t my favourite one, but refusing to record it would have meant to risk to be killed with pleasure by Fredrik. I’d like to know how do you see and consider the nowaday “scene”, even regarding our country than the foreign ones, and what do you think of the everyday growing underground that incessantly tries to repair the damages the so called “overground” constantly makes against this musical art? According
to my opinion, the nowadays scene seems very strong to my eyes. In particular,
the Finnish scene, the French and USA ones appeals to me. You know that we live in a country that’s not so much known in the foreign countries about its musical scene. I’m naturally talking about the extreme scene, because bands such as Lacuna Coil, Rhapsody, Theatres of Vampires and so on are just garbage to my eyes and hears. Anyway, if you think about acts such as Bulldozer, Necrodeath, Death SS, Mortuary Drape and so on, they were a big influence on many bands that still bring them honour and respect, while here in Italy are just known “by name”, and many idiots don’t even know how much they were important and original in the past. So, if you consider what the fuckin’ audience does to the old great bands, it’s absolutely clear how much it will be difficult than a retarded fifteen “metalhead” will get in touch with your band and support it. What’s your opinion about this sad situation? Aaaaahhhh… good question. It’s a shitty situation, but for me it’s not a problem: this garbage doesn’t interest me. These cursed fifteen metalheads doesn’t interest me at all. I’m sorry for the huge bands you have named, that would surely deserve more support in their native land, while they get more respect and estimation in foreign countries. The other side of the medal is that many people in the deep underground seem to snob our slowly growing underground. I can understand and support this choose if you consider the matter of the relation with the people inside it, most of whom are just kiddie-like minded and want to be like their evil heroes, but concerning to the music I absolutely don’t understand why they don’t give support to bands (such as yours) than, musically and attitudinally talking, have nothing less than those hailing from the other countries… Can you explain me why? I would appeal to explain it, but I don’t know it too. In my humble opinion, the problem is not the Italian bands, but the Italian listeners. Let’s return talking about your band. After having released this satisfying mCd, what are you looking for? A deal, a tour, or simply waiting to inspiration for new compositions? We’ve already four recorded songs that will be published in a split with Arvind through Black Blood production. I don’t know when it will be published. Will you ever play live? Do you like live gigs in Black Metal music? What would be your relation with the coming audience in an eventual concert of Near? Where and how would you like a show of Near to be? No!!! Never and never!!! There are bands that on stage really kick asses and I like them so much, but Near haven’t the intention to make concerts, ‘cause we think that this music, on live-stages, loses all it’s magic and so I wouldn’t appeal to see in front of me a bunch of fuckin teen metalheads at the first row. Even this time you have recorded your music helped by the good drummer of Lorn, Fredrik. Can we consider him as a member of Near, or is it still a solo project of your mind? What do you think about this musician? Fredrik’s priority remains the Lorn project, but at this point he’s an effective member of Near. As a drummer, I think he’s very good, and for the music of Near is surely perfect. Ok, thank you so much for your time, and feel free to end the interview as you want, adding anything you think has been missed or asking me whatever you like… Thanks to you for the interview and to all the truly supporters of this music. Hails Frank!
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