Wolvestribe are a UK Power
Electronics duo that have been actively releasing since 2018, they are London based
consisting of KSHAYAATH and HTV. They have released on The Harsh Noise London label
and produced Lathe Cut vinyls and CDs on their own AAARRRG! I have reviewed
several releases on here and feel Wolvestribe is a leading light amongst an
impressive cluster of new artists exploring Power Electronics in the UK. I was fortunate
enough to interview the duo by email in 2021.
NK - Introduce yourselves, what were your backgrounds in
noise, I know one of you does ANIMAL MACHINE and other projects, what led you
both to combine as WOLVESTRIBE.
KSHAYAATH: Electronics/Mantras & Harry HTV
Westwood: Electronics
KSHAYAATH: I like to keep my projects apart from each
other, I like people to feel the music and visualize the idea. Every project has its own mood. I only keep
constructing on the way...new names appearing. Too many bastardized foetuses on
the road.
I've been doing industrial music since 1997, I always had
the idea of a band with industrial elements (industrial metal) too many tries
and fails, difficult in finding the right people with AATMAA... So, I decided
to go alone as solo a project ANIMAL MACHINE, it was basically experimental
music after all (unclassified) with elements of Industrial music and gabber
electronics (breakcore/speed core) that fusion became later noise.
In January 2017 I met LOU (PURE LAND) while doing noise gigs
at Destroy All Artifacts. We decided to combine forces and name this new
project WOLVESTRIBE. There is a live set released in recycled tape by Harsh
Noise London. Louis left to join a sludge metal band.
In December 2018 I was hanging out with NEO FUNG, my crazy
vampire friend from Holloway Road and I met Harry at the Headsquater Paradise.
HTV is a guy with a lot of passion for the old school analog
/industrial Dada and punk. He was playing some filthy drones that evening, so
we decided to fix a day to record some music.
There is a lot of chemistry between us, perhaps our brains
have different directions but when we clash it's like being in the battlefield.
Power electronics is more fun as a duo.
HTV: Hi and thanks for your interest in such a
disposable and ephemeral phenomenon as WOLVESTRIBE.
We met as was described above: in my location, during the
photo session. soon after we noticed that we just have similar ongoing interest
in all sorts of subversive sounds. We are improvised formation, which allows
loads of freedom. We are also very triggered by raw noise, which is not
generated by PC, all sort of stark archaic machines are used in our sessions.
Your answer 'perhaps our brains have different directions
but when we clash it's like being in the battlefield' is revealing as I find
the sound of Wolvestribe to be combative, so this translates into the music
fluidly? Do you ever discuss what you are both going to do, or does it happen?
KSHAYAATH: Not much to discuss, we try to compose a set, but it always ends on free fall.
Wolvestribe live.
Tell me more about the themes of Wolvestribe, what are the motivations?
KSHAYAATH: WOLVESTRIBE is into ritualism,
geo-politics & survivalism "Understanding the Ecological Role.”
We are aware of the mental conditioning. We keep coming back and forward to the old rituals, the old plagues, the crescent wars... We sink and breath these paradigms of a thousand years and repeat it again and again.
Our motivation works like a mirror, the mind versus the
environment, like painting thru necromancy envisioning our future... the
decaying civilization.
HTV - Pretty much everything we are shaped by listed
above bands and general culture from where we derive our inspirations. Films
above books and music we listen to are the source of our inspiration. While WOLVESTRIBE
is more visceral where vocal is more an instrument, driven thru raw noise,
remaining honest and devoted to noise.
Therefore. we are out of sync, a raw chaotic outburst of
unpredictability and if you listen to our “The Early Years “, you can sense
that exactly.
How do you feel about the Earth, are you personally eco-friendly,
what is your outlook in relation to how we treat the Earth? I ask as I am big
on this in terms of recycling, reusing, using biodegradable, non-animal tested
products, locally sourced as much as possible and veganism.
KSHAYAATH: I would say eco-aware...eco-friendly is
the hypocrite way to brand yourself again. In fact, most of the people are not
deeply preoccupated about the planet, people are concerned about their future
in this planet. Mother nature can survive without us.
Respect is everything, we need to respect ourselves to start
respecting each other’s and the planet. Recycling, reusing, using
biodegradable, non-animal tested products, veganism is a form of respecting nature.
I'm aware of my mistakes ...there are not saints these days... sometimes we
have to go the way we don't want for the sake of survival.
You're from London, how does the massive, busy
environment of the city affect your work? The reissue of your first recording
on Harsh Noise London had a Tower Block on the cover, in my eyes this resonated
Wolvestribe?
Kshayaath: London is one of the world's most amazing
cities. This city has its own spirit, a living organism erected from alchemy,
modern days of multi-cultural expansion and the bloody past. So, it gives us a
best way for understanding the world we are living in.
Tower Block on the cover was idea of Mike Onabanjo Harsh
Noise London president. He started that crazy series with glitch photography He
collected from the city.
HTV: Yes, obviously this has got lots of to do from
many sides.
How many times have you played live as Wolvestribe? What
has the live response to the project been like?
KSHAYAATH:: Sadly, we didn't have the opportunity to
play much but people seem to like the music. We are happy we can express that
way; we are not meant to be popular. It's mostly around friends... we also do
not relate much to power electronics or noise scene, even if there is a furtive
past.
There is too much politics and still too many taboos for
free-doom, we prefer to walk dead, it sounds pretty autistic, but We feel it's
the way to survive. But far off our introverted visions, we are always happy to
meet new people and projects and build something together.
Yet difficult... we get fun making music, it's our hobby not
a job.
HTV - Like you can sense it from this what is written, bent on very stark, archaic my fav world is amphibious sound which is a sheer outburst of unpredictability. Dada, punk art etc.
We are constantly evolving I guess our noise sounds dynamic
as it is not killed by high tech innovations also that dissatisfaction derived
after listening to many great acts which were previously devoted to noise and
now playing music it is a big contribution to our desire as well as
dissatisfaction from over performed rock music which is no more punk.
Tell me more about your phrase free-doom.
KSHAYAATH - free-doom as free fall, like start or end
point. Now you can see it more easily, it's amplified around the world. As We come,
we go.
You talked about sounding pretty autistic in regard to
how close you keep and control Wolvestribe. Yet as a reviewer, you are part of
a new now with PE a wider picture that people should be paying attention to and
checking out. If people want to talk PE, like Unrest is, I am a huge advocate
for now and point people your way.
Do any names of present-day PE stand out to you, do you
feel you have any affinity out there with other projects or is it that
centralised?
KSHAYAATH: I'm more into
Old school 90's, Class 2000 Industrial stuff not necessarily Power Electronics.
Some names like Brighter Death Now, Institut, Mental Destruction, Folkstorm, Karjalan
Sissit, Shift ... In the U.K. I've had to dig S.T.A.B. Electronics, Messiah
Complex.
Perhaps there is affinity, these projects are living their
own movie.
HTV: At least from my side I want to be a laboratory
and very amphibious in selections of sound. First recordings of THROBBING
GRISTLE and WHITEHOUSE are big influence for me .so do CRASS and CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS.
Your most recent release 'The Mind Responds to Its
Environment Much Like a Body Turning Away' seems sharpened compared to the
earlier material as if aiming to be more torturous and punishing, tell me more
about this release and your intentions behind it.?
Kshayaath: There are not intentions, we just let it
to the flow ...everything is instinctive, all recording have something special
for us. We are focused on unique pieces. Most likely live improvisation and
some studio releases. 'The Mind Responds to Its Environment Much Like a Body
Turning Away' has a ritualistic display. It sounds more into noise; we got some
nice takes from it.
Harry likes to use different machines and pedals for each recording
and in this one he was a bit pissed off.
HTV: I don't know how it sounds, so far, we are
meeting/jamming/recording after KSHAYAATH is doing the rest.
I'm often positively surprised by the outcome. I just do noise;
I don't have much control on whole aesthetic neither. Desiring it totally.
Your recent work also seems to use noise to effectively
create 'other' atmospheres as if you are channelling the environment or the
earth through your work? When the noise isn't roaring or blasting what are your
intentions? I ask this as you have slowly evolved as being able to use quieter
noise to strong effect.
Kshayaath: The planet is a living organism, and we
are just part of it... sure our mind, body and soul is being soaked in a
vagina. The spirit of Earth. We are some kind of fucking microbes... viruses
killing and loving each other in a cycle of death and rebirth...
I would say after the storm comes tranquillity or vice versa...
It's what we have on the plate, days and nights...So there is evidence of that in
our music. Music doesn't need to be necessarily noise or going extremely loud
to fulfil a cause. Music is just another way of communication. The energy
(vibration) is around us, so we are only casualties. We joint waves and leave
the sea to tell the story.
HTV: I would like WOLVESTRIBE to be more cohesive
formation in terms of message and aesthetic we convey. We will use noise as
weapon more effectively in the future but like you can sense it from this what
was said we just Jam and recently we do this very rarely, sadly.
https://www.facebook.com/Wolvestribe/
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