Featuring Tobi From:Mortal Void Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl Date:05 May 2009
Greetings Tobi could you please shortly introduce our readers your music project Mortal Void?
Hi Ruud!
I started Mortal Void in summer 2001 when I took the first step away from sample-based software.I was experiencing new software and started to create real songs,express my thoughts and emotions.Mortal Void has never been anything more or less than this.Mostly it’s rough Industrial-Electro but there’s also a couple of softer songs. Songs which people who only know the harsh and dancy stuff would never expect.For live performances, my good friend Marty (known from his band Pseudokrupp Project) is joining Mortal Void.
What and who are some of your influences in music
Musically, I‘ve definitely been influenced by older stuff by Wumpscut and Suicide Commando,Infact,Velvet Acid Christ and a lot of other bands.I also listen quite a lot to Dismantled,Aesthetic Perfection,Gridlock,Haujobb and Nine Inch Nails.I could name a hundred bands that all have influenced me on a different level.
what else inspires you to create?
LIFE! Almost everything that happens around me…I’m a big movie fan. You may have noticed several samples in my music. ;) I’m also getting a lot of inspiration from reading. Chuck Palahniuk, for instance, is a great author.
Tel me more about your side projects Krankheitssymptom [polyphobic.] Plague Of Madness
Well, Krankheitssymptom kinda died.There is this one downloadable album „Nullsummenspiel“ and it took me about six years to complete it.One reason is that it was not very easy to write lyrics for this project,I had to be in a very special mood.There’s no need for this project any longer.
[polyphobic.] is not really dead but it’s put on hold these days. It may take years to continue this project. But I doubt it will stay this noisy. I’m not so much into this Industrial/Noise stuff anymore.
Plague Of Madness will also take some time because Arne is very busy doing TrümmerWelten but we already have a couple of tracks, they just need to be finished.
Let's talk about your album "One Frame Left"? where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album finished?
The title „One Frame Left“ is supposed to state that there’s always one thing missing to feel happy.Even if it’s just a single,tiny thing and you don’t even know exactly what it is.Like in a movie, where a frame is the minimum unit. And if one frame is missing,the whole thing is not complete – no matter how small the missing part is.That missing part, this one frame that’s left,where is it? What is it? It’s about never feeling complete.Always searching for something without knowing what it is„One Frame Left“ is almost two years old now.I’m currently working on the follow up album „The Great Pretending“.This one will be my most personal album since I started Mortal Void.It’s about pretending to be something you are not.And how greatly it can work,if you’re good at it.
tell me about te labels Codeline Records?
Codeline Records is a very small label with a pretty family atmosphere. It’s fun to work with the Codeline Team! The idea behind was to identify people who upload the music by the usage of individual watermarks. This idea really works but the bad thing is, that you can hardly do anything against them because the German law is just…gappy. So Codeline Records will change its name and continue as TRAXXIT with a little different priorities.
How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
There is no tour but we’d be happy to play any offered gig, as long as our costs are covered!
What are your views on the current state of this electro scene in Frankfurt, Brandenburg Duitsland.in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
Well I can’t tell too much about the scene in other countries because I don’t travel that much.I think I don’t have very much in common with the most people in this scene.I dislike the tendence to nowadays club-only music,4/4 beats without any sense behind.Techno Body Music is something I don’t like. Sometimes there are interesting trends and sometimes there are trends that just suck but in the end it’s all a matter of personal flavor.
tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work?
It’s mostly all about me and my emotions.While “One Frame Left” had lyrics about suicide bombers (Human Bomb), religious topics (Salvation – Imitation?) and others,the next album will be focussed on myself. No complaining about the world and society as a whole thing.But I’ll continue those lyrics in other projects,so don’t worry. ;)
I mostly write lyrics before I even have an idead how the song should or could sound. It all comes from the mood I get into while focussing on the lyrics.
How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?
There is no instruction for creating a song.Sometimes I just play around with some sounds and when I find something that sounds cool,I’ll add another part that fits in.Can’t say anything more. ;)
Out of all of your albums,which album would you say is your favorite album? Why?
„The Great Pretending“, ha! I guess every artist would name is newest work to answer that question. ;) I think I improved the production and this album will be my most personal work so far. I’m very excited how the people will respond to the new album when it’s finally finished.
How did you come up with the name of your band,Mortal Void?
For me, it’s the void that exists inside me from time to time. This void can be mortal.
That’s it. It’s all a question of interpretation. I have mine and I’ll let other people have theirs. ;)
what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
I definitely try not to copy myself, not to repeat. I think there’s a lot of music out there that sounds all the same from song X to song Z. But there are also great bands that get too less attention. I know some very inspiring stuff and I’m always trying to get something new, knowing that this stuff may influence me, somehow.
What ideas, movements and personalities would you say were crucial for the definition and development of Mortal Void as a creative entity?
I guess everything right from the beginning to now.If I could name just a couple of thing’s here,I should have stopped after two or three years.
If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
I better put those things into my lyrics. ;)
What do you think of its intermingling with the electro, Darkwave and EBM scenes? while electro is your main musical pallet,what other music do you listen to?
Sometimes Rock,sometimes Pop–as long as it’s not plain.I don’t really care what the label says,as long as it’s good and not too stupid.
How long have you been in the music industry and how has it changed over time?
I don’t consider myself being a part of the big industry.The industry doesn’t care if I’m there or not.I think the big record companies have done a lot of things wrong,as well as music piracy has damaged or even ruined smaller independent labels that eventually didn’t do so much wrong.The only thing I can really see being different is,that nowadays everyone can make music,or at least claim to make music.Get a computer,steal some software,write about bullshit,get a myspace account.And then,it seems,you’ll get fans.But you won’t get a record label deal this way.I think it’s way harder to get a label deal today because the labels have to calculate if the signing isn’t too risky.
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
Next thing to come from Mortal Void is „The Great Pretending“.We’re also working on the Plague Of Madness album.Every other things aren’t progressed enough to talk about right now. ;)
What is the future for your music?
I don’t know. I hope it’s pretty bright!?
thanks for your time! great work on the albums and good luck with everything.any closing remarks you'd like to say to the ebm-industrial.nl?
Thanks for interview, thanks a lot for the attention and support!!!
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