Updated: 06/23/02

It is time to return to the magical world of Dargaard, a place where you could spend an eternity. A true meeting of the minds. the duo known as Dargaard enchant and thrill with their wondrous soundtracks -- and their latest is no exception. Entitled The Dissolution Of Eternity, this is the third and final chapter in a musical trilogy. I recently e-mailed founding member Tharen a few questions regarding their unique, stylish music.

Highwire Daze: Introduce yourself and tell me what you do in Dargaard?

Tharen: I once founded Dargaard back in 1997 as a purely instrumental concept after I was involved in several Black Metal bands as singer and keyboarder. I wanted to create my own musical world or realm where I don´t have to make compromises as I did in the past and to use another kind of expression than I did (and still do) with Black Metal. After the recording of the rough mix, I decided to take a singer in the band and asked Elisabeth whom I knew from her appereance on Abigor´s Nachthymnen and other projects. She listened to the material and composed her vocal lines above the instrumentals. It worked fine and we both were very satisfied with the result which was released as the album Eternity Rites on the Austrian label Napalm Records. Now, after 2 further releases, namely In Nomine Aeternitatis and The Dissolution of Eternity, we closed the trilogy about Eternity with this last chapter.

HD: Who came up with the idea for the title The Dissolution Of Eternity and is their a concept you have behind it?

Tharen: I decided to use the title because it reflects the end of the trilogy, because it reflects the ending chapter of the trilogy - and the title has a special meaning concerning one of the lyrics, „My Phantasm Supreme." It isn´t Eternity which is to be dissoluted, but the imagination mankind has about it. Eternity is only a word, only made by mortals too.

HD: Who in the band is a fan of Phantasm and what is the idea behind the track My Phantasm Supreme?

Tharen: I was totally into these „old" horror movies a few years ago and I came across the movie Phantasm. It simply creeped around in my head, especially the title melody, so I decided to make a special Dargaard version out of it.

HD: Give me a little background on the lyrics by Q. Horatius Flaccus -- who he is and why you decided to use them.

Tharen: Flaccus is an ancient latin philosopher, and we decieded to use his lyrics because the ones we found suitable for Dargaard have a dark mood and fit the concept about Eternity, time and death. We used some latin and ancient greek lyrics on all of our CD´s -- we simply like the sounding of these languages and they were generally used to transport ancient wisdom and occult knowledge into the present time.

HD: What are some of the inspirations for the lyrics composed by Tharen on The Dissolution Of Eternity?

Tharen: There are, beside the main theme Eternity, many different moods and images I wanted to describe. „The Isolated Vale" for example is about a cold, lonely vale, unseen by mankind, of archaic beautiness and isolation.

HD: Has Dargaard ever played live at this point or has plans to do so?

Tharen: No, we never played live and I don´t think we will in future. I simply think we cannot carry the mood of our albums on a stage in the way I imagine it.

HD: Will Dargaard be making any other albums after this?

Tharen: Of course! We ended the trilogy but this doesn´t means that we're stopping in making music with Dargaard. At the moment I´m working on the new dominion³ album, but I have a few songs ready for the next Dargaard release, and I´m in conference with Napalm Records for a new contract, so be sure that you´ll hear something new from us in future!

HD: Tell me about the other project you both have called Dominion 3.

Tharen: dominion³ is something like my „apocalyptical playground" where I use all the purely electronic/industrial and even metal ideas I have. Last year I released an album, entitled The Hand And The Sword" through Napalm. I called the style „apocalyptical electronic music" because of it´s various influences from industrial to dark wave to metal and electronic sound collages. I have just finished 6 new songs for the new upcoming album which hasn´t got a title at the moment, but I hope that I can start the main recordings this spring and to release it at the beginning of summer. It will go more into the industrial/metal direction, with a more agressive style and less „silent" parts and links to Dargaard.

HD: With other musical projects are you both involved with at the moment?

Tharen: I´m involved in Dargaad, dominion³ and Amestigon, my all time Black Metal band, which is in the vein of older acts like Darkthrone, Isvind, Burzum and so on. We´re about to release a split CD with Hellbound (project of Peter K. from Abigor) through Millenium Records this spring. But nothing is fixed at the moment.

HD: What was your favorite album of 2001 and why?

Tharen: Ulver´s Perdition City because it sounds...different. I´m a bit bored by the most present black metal publications, if I listen to black metal I adore the older albums and the spirit from the ´90s.

HD: Overall, what is the current state of the metal/music scene in Austria these days?

Tharen: Small but fine, as our country is, haha! I lost the survey, but there are still some good acts around.

HD: Do you have any messages for fans of music who might be interested in checking out your work?

Tharen: Visit our homepages www.dargaard.com, www.blackorchard.com/amestigon and www.blackorchard.com/dominion for checking out music samples and the latest news.ss

HD: What lasting impressions would you like to leave on a listener who experiences your music?

Tharen: A feeling that the listener found something in our music he didn´t knew it is absent or even exists.