A la suite de la sortie du lumineux Is Kartos I Karta (Ledo Takas), votre serviteur s'était entretenu avec les Lituaniens d'OBTEST

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Obtest interview (november 2005)
English version below

Prince de Lu : First, can you introduce Obtest and talk about the history of your band quite unknown in France ?
Obtest history starts in late winter of 1992. After long rehearsings and searchings of sound we found out the black metal in the autumn of 1993, so the first songs were composed. In summer of 1994 we recorded 3 songs rehearsal tape and made our first live show in autumn of the same year. In 1995 Obtest worked a lot on the new songs and recorded two demo tapes "Oldness comming" and "Pries audra". The first full lenght album we recorded in 1996-1997, and it was known as "Tukstantmetis". MC version of the album came out in spring of 1997, it was released thru Lithuanian label Vetso Menesio Vaizbuva. Next year in 1998, the first 7"EP "997" was put out on German's Miriquidi Productions, and in 1999 "Tukstantmetis" was re-released on CD format. So in September of 2000 Obtest raided in Germany with Eminenz, it was the first tour abroad. Second album "Auka Seniems Dievams" CD/LP was released in the end of 2001 on Ledo Takas Records (Lithuania). In 2003 Ledo Takas Records released an exclusive picture 7"EP "Dvylika JuodVarniu". Our new album "Is kartos i karta" was released on September 1st of this year on Ledo Takas Records.

How can you describe your musical style, mixing black, speed, even folk or heavy and requiring good technical skill ?
I can describe it simply, it's Baltic pagan raw metal. But if it's not fit to it, then any description is good anyway.

What are your influences to compose such original tracks ?
Influence comes not only from music, but mainly from emotional experience and worldview. It's very personal, so it touches the music a lot in the end.

The process of musical creation seems pretty long with Obtest. There were four years between Auka Seniems Dievams and the new one Is Kartos I Karta. What did happen ?
It seems to be natural period for Obtest. Four years between first and second album, second and third. I hope that the next one will appear a little sooner than that. We earn no money from music, so we had to make a lot of things to live, so it also influences the terms of releasing albums.

The most surprising point about your musical universe is its "optimistic" content. After listening Is Kartos I Karta, I feel the happiness of "fresh" tracks. Are we drugged to be sent in battles for Obtest conquests ?
It might be optimistic and both melancholic at the same time. It depends on what you are looking here and what is your emotional and spiritual content.

The lyrical theme of the band is about epic battles and mythology. Can you describe the pictures you want to figure out with words ? Why have you chosen to express in lithuanian ?
Yes, our lyrics are about mythology. But actually it's a personal view on the world around us. Myth is alive even among today's modern and intelligent people. The essence of the myth changes forms, and the matter is going thru the ages despite time and place. We do not choose anything about language, we are Lithuanians so it's natural for us to speak and sing in our native tongue.

The last two releases were highly recommended by Violent Solutions. Have you got many positive feedbacks from the press and other media ?
Nowadays we get more and more feedbacks from around the world, and most of them are good, I mean even people who don't get in to our works says, that this stuff sounds like no other. That's the best estimation.

Does the members participate in other projects, apart from Obtest ?
Our bass player plays in a brutal death metal band Burying Place, and second guitar player plays in some other heavy metal projects.

The Lithuanian scene is not popular in France (yet). Is this an active scene ? Can you advise some other bands ?
At the moment I can recomend you some active bands from our land: Dissimulation, Shadowdances, Nahash.

What about the activity of the baltan scenes and the link with the other countries ?
"The Baltic scene" is only theoretical expression, actually when you are looking to it, you find some great bands like Skyforger, Loits, Tharaphita, Neglected Fields, Dissimulation. So the Baltic region consists of three small states, which together are not more than 7 millions of people. If you look at it separately, then each state has 2-3 bands, that's all.

Your label is Ledo Takas, which promotes also the Estonian bands Loits and Metsatoll. Does the baltan countries help each other ?
Ledo Takas is concentrated on Baltic states, on "the Baltic scene", and there is actual support for each other holding gigs around and promote the bands here.

What are your relations with Ledo Takas ? Do you think that the label is big enough to promote Obtest efficiently ?
Ledo Takas do their best to promote Obtest worldwide, and we are close friends, so we are working under one flag!

Can we have any hope to see you on stage in France ?
I hope so, and it depends on promoters and concert organizers there, we are ready to raid across Europe in April of 2006, so we are looking for dates to play around!

As usual, you have the final words... Thanks for your time and answers. Hails from France !
Thanx for the interview! L'espoir pour vous voir dans le concert par-dessus ici ! Garder brûler !