“A lot of time has passed since Endstille was last in Romania. Romania always seemed to be a good place for Black Metal, if you look at the history of the country, its myths and legends. It’s all good material for a lot of mystical atmosphere. So, I’ve been hoping to come back here for a long time…”, said Zingultus nostalgically remembering his past experiences playing in Romania, back in 2012… Soon we’ll meet again… as Underground for the Masses II is just around the corner!
DinIntunerec: Hello, first of all thank you for getting on board with this interview. Can you tell us about the origins of Endstille? How did the band form, and what was the initial vision behind it? Also, how did you come up with the name of the band and how does it reflect the themes and messages in your music?
Zingultus: Greetings! We have been Endstille for 25 years now. So, we also have an anniversary to celebrate this year. The band was formed from two older bands, from which the individual members then joined together to form this band in 2000. This means that the individual musicians have been rooted in black metal for a long time. The name came about at a meeting that didn’t want to end. When some people there were overcome by tiredness, it slowly became quiet in the room. Wachtfels then proclaimed that there was now total silence by using the word Endstille, which is not an existing word in the German vocabulary.
However, it felt that this could be a good name for the newly formed band because it was also very individual. The intention of the formation was to concentrate on the rawness and aggressiveness of this music and to preserve its origins at a time when black metal was experiencing a very innovative and experimental period in Germany. We wanted to oppose this development.
DinIntunerec: The band’s music is often described as black metal with a lot of aggressive and militaristic elements. How do you see Endstille’s sound evolving over the years?
Zingultus: This is difficult to answer, as we are essentially always driven by our needs, but always focus on not changing too much. You can criticize us for that, but it’s also part of the band’s trademark. And yet, sometimes it’s more than nuances that make albums unique. Sometimes it’s the sound, or just a change in the line-up of the band, which enabled us to be a bit more variable in 2010, for example, and we took advantage of that. This was probably the most striking change in our presence, but ultimately there are always testimonies of eras. However, in essence, we always return to the roots, as with the current album, DetoNation, which is again very raw. But, there is no fundamental limitation for us, as long as we can be convinced and authentic Endstille.
DinIntunerec: Many of your lyrics address war, darkness, and destruction. How do you approach writing such intense and sometimes controversial topics?
Zingultus: Ultimately, all these themes offer enough material to be guided by their atmospheres. Be it historically
documented, analytical or critical. In fact, our texts should always be well-considered, well-reflected and well-founded. This is an aspiration that we cherish in view of our responsibility with these topics. We are not warmongers or glorifiers of violence, but want to enlighten and show the ugly faces of these topics. This is a concept that runs through all facets of the band, including the visual aesthetics, from the album artworks to the stage presence. There is simply nothing to gloss over and are therefore very ugly in their rawness.
DinIntunerec: Tell us a few words about your latest release, DetoNation, about the creation process, concepts and artwork.
Zingultus: After our last public album from 2013, the band was at a crossroads for a long time. We grew more and more, had to deal more and more with things outside the interest of music, which constantly distracted us from this core goal. We became disgruntled and dissatisfied and it became clear that we could no longer continue the band like this. A catharsis was necessary, which we then achieved by terminating all contracts and taking a musical break, during which everyone could let off steam in other bands.
Thus, for a long time, it didn’t feel good enough to write new songs without moving too far away from Endstille. Then, during the pandemic, MD and Wachtfels effectively got back together to write new songs for Endstille. After such a
long time, a lot of energy and raw creativity had built up, which could then be worked out in a more aggressive guise. One thing led to another, I, Zingultus, took on the material and wrote the lyrics, while the finishing touches were made in the studio together with Cruor.
A common lesson learned from the past was that the band no longer wanted to be distracted from the focus of the band by outsiders, which is why we decided to give a somewhat smaller, German label the chance to work with us. So, the choice
was Ván Records, whose owner is also a longtime, close friend of the band, an easy one, because here the communication is more direct and therefore confidential and easier. The fact that Ván Records also does high quality work with its releases is hopefully well known.
DinIntunerec: Less than two weeks from now you’ll perform in Romania, at Underground for the Masses II. What do you know about Romania in general and in terms of underground metal? Naturally, we are glad and honored that you decided to play in Bucharest. Can you tell us more about that? What can fans expect from an Endstille live show? How do you prepare for such intense performances?
Zingultus: It’s true… a lot of time has passed since we were last in Romania. Back then, we played two concerts in
2012 that I remember very well. They were in Bucharest and Brasov. I remember a damn good time when we were welcomed very warmly and enthusiastically. We were able to make some friends and fans there and build up a small fan base. Romania always seemed to be a good place for Black Metal, if you look at the history of the country, its myths and legends. It’s all good material for a lot of mystical atmosphere. So, I’ve been hoping to come back here for a long time and I’d actually like to come back for a few more concerts.
But, for now, we will use the Underground for the Masses Festival to say “Bună ziua și noroc!” to all our Romanian friends. In this regard, we would of course like to thank Emi and Ioana, as well as the whole team behind them, for the invitation! Endstille will once again bring the ugly face of war and destruction to the stage, without theater or other gimmicks. We are not interested in a perfect performance of the music only, but in conveying and living out emotions. For us, this is the definition of live. It lives from deviations, spontaneity and feelings, which find their meaning and justification in the spectacle. Otherwise you can also watch a DVD.
DinIntunerec: What does the future hold for Endstille? Are there any new projects, releases or plans fans can look forward to?
Zingultus: Of course, the journey should continue. But, as the case in life is, nothing is guaranteed. We are only four
mistakes in the matrix called life, getting through it… trying… So you have to be patient and curious. But, for sure, you will hear about it. Hopefully soon!
DinIntunerec: Thank you for your time!
Zingultus: You are welcome! Keep the flame burning and see you for having a good time in less than a week!
