1. I am very happy to have the opportunity to ask you a few questions! Let us set the scene first. Where do you find you right now? Please describe your surroundings.
Hello, it is a great pleasure and honor for me to answer your questions.
I'm at home in a small town near Stuttgart. It's very rural here. I'm sitting in my gloomy dining room, at a wooden table with sheepskins on the wall. Cozy….
2. Chris, you has born in Switzerland but are living in Germany since 2007. How was the circumstances?
I had been at a low point in my life for several years. I then met my current wife on the internet. I had nothing left to lose, so I grabbed the woman and the chance of a new life in Germany. My things were quickly packed and I was gone.
3. You´ve been active for over two decades now as a musician (being an active member of Hypnosis). How has your sound evolved over the years, and what has kept you inspired to continue creating music?
Yes, I started making music at an early age, but I was always “just” the bass player in different bands. I didn't really think about the style, maybe I added a riff here and there, an idea. But the sound was mainly determined by others. As I have already mentioned, I was also at a low point musically, blocked myself and then never found contact with a band again, even in Germany. Then I sold all my equipment and gave up music for 10 years. At the end of 2021 it grabbed me again and I found a band here in town. I then had my own ideas and riffs on the bass relatively quickly that I wanted to bring into the band. However, my ideas did not find favor within the band. And I realized that I was about to lose my joy in music again. That's when I realized that I had to go my own way.
4. Your music has been described as black with elements of doom, and pagan. How do you balance these different influences to create a cohesive sound?
I find it enormously difficult and almost impossible to describe my sound… I found that to be the best. When I started writing the songs, I didn't think about what style it should go in. Simply metal. When I released the first two songs in autumn 2022, I was very surprised that it was often perceived as black metal. Again I get kicked out of Black Metal Facebook groups when I try to present my songs there. I think it's like that in every genre. Whether Doom, Death, Black. Exactly the way I describe myself, that's exactly how I could write that I'm not... I just do what I like, what comes out of me and just find that it gives an overall picture. Simply Bärnserker. If you like it, I'm infinitely grateful, and if you don't like it, then don’t.
5. As the sole member behind Bärnserker, how do you manage the creative process of writing and composing music, lyrics, and playing multiple instruments?
I actually created the entire first album using bass lines and riffs played on the bass. As I said, I was simply a bass player for decades. I only really started playing the guitar when I was recording the album. I always finish the songs completely instrumentally, try to collect text ideas at the same time and then only adapt the texts to the music at the end. The texts are often only created during the vocal recordings. I have my notes and then shape the text. At the moment I am in the production of the second album. But I mainly built this out of guitar riffs, which caused a slight change in the Bärnserker sound. The third album might be a mixture of both.
6. As you call it, Bärnserker is a therapy for body and mind, what emotions or connections do you aim to evoke through your songs?
Bärnserker is a kind of therapy for me. I'm a very thinking person. A lot is happening inside me. Often too much and I can't talk about it and thus process it. By writing lyrics and expressing it through my singing, I hope I've found a way to deal with it. These are very personal texts, but they are often about things that each of us knows. I think even those who don't understand the text can partly feel the emotions behind it. From a few people who understand my native language I have received very nice feedback in this regard. I like it very much when people can find themselves in my texts, understand exactly how I feel and we know that others feel the same way. I want people to feel emotions in my music.
7. Can you give us a glimpse into the creative process behind your music? How do you typically approach songwriting and arranging?
I already answered a lot about this in a previous question. Basically I just collect riffs and ideas, at some point I see what fits together. But often I just sit down, take my guitar because I just have an idea and the song just grows and comes into being in one go.
I always record direct. So that I recorded as many ideas as possible. Otherwise it can happen to me that the idea is forgotten the next day or sounds completely different.
8. The lyrics of are in the German language. This makes it difficult for people who do not speak the language to understand what they are about. Was that done deliberately and are you also trying to add some extra mystique?
The lyrics are in my mother tongue. Bern German, (Bärndütsch) a dialect from Switzerland. This means that even the Germans have trouble understanding my texts. Also, you cannot simply copy this language into the translator, because the language does not exist in the translator. So almost only the Swiss can understand the texts, but not everyone there either, since French, Italian and Romansh are also spoken in Switzerland. But I have already translated my lyrics into the right German language on request for those who are interested in what I sing. And that could then also be translated into other languages. Well, it's not a secret and it has nothing to do with mysticism. Apart from the fact that I don't speak enough English, the thought was simply that this is the best way to convey my feelings, my anger, desperation, hate, but also love.
9. How did you develop your own unique vocal style, and how does it contribute to the overall atmosphere and narrative of the album?
I think that the vocal style in particular pushes me into the Black/Death corner. Just like with the guitar, I only started singing when it was clear that I would do everything on my own. At the very beginning I still had the idea of possibly looking for a singer. But since I already had lyrics in my native language and these were also very personal, I quickly rejected the idea and decided to sing myself. But it was a tough affair until I found my handle. When I showed my wife the first vocal recordings it was like a slap in the face and we thought that it won't sing with itself because it was so shit. however, with their help, I then developed this somewhat unique style. But there is further development on the second album and other vocal styles are added.
10. Much of your music seems to exhibit a strong connection with doom metal style. What doom metal bands influenced you?
I honestly have to say that I don't listen to Doom Metal myself. Likewise, I'm only now slowly getting into Black Metal. I used to be more influenced by trash and death metal.
I actually listen to relatively little music. Unfortunately. Spontaneously I would just call it Black Sabbath. This is a band that has accompanied me in my life since I was young. If I was influenced by any other band it would be Black Sabbath. Otherwise, my dying bride would come to mind, which I rarely listen to. my favorite bands are more like Opeth and Amorphis
11. Writing such slow-paced, melancholic music and managing to fuse intense feelings to the listener is a hard task in my book. Does it have to do with your personal state of mind? Are you an eternally melancholic person?
It's just what comes out of me. I don't think I could write happy Power Metal. Yes, I am more than an eternally melancholic person. Although some of my lyrics are about it, I don't want to say more about it. Through my music I show my soul and my heart. I don't pretend like I have to do so often in everyday life. When I come home from work or when I need to clear my head, I sit in my music corner and forget about everything around me. It's the place where I feel good and can be creative.
12. Your debut album, “Vo höche Bärge u tiefe Schluchtä” delivered a powerful, massive, and melodic sound. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the album and how it felt to release your music to the world?
Nothing was planned. I just recorded the songs for myself, as therapy. At some point I thought, ok, it turned out better than I thought, I'll just publish the whole thing via online distribution. People on Facebook then asked more and more often whether the whole thing was also available on CD. And so I released it through a label. It surprised me that there are a few people who really like what I do. It was a very nice feeling to realize that the whole album was done by myself, from the first sound, through the first lyrics to the mastering. The production is very raw, earthy, my first own production. I just try to achieve the best possible result that I can with my possibilities. Bärnserker is far away from perfection and should be like that. But I think that the second album, from which two singles have already been released, has a better sound. There will also be more variety. Partly faster and harder parts, but also slower riffs that are even more reminiscent of doom metal. But still carries the intensity of the first album.
13. Are there any plans for collaboration with other artists or musicians in the future, and if so, what excites you about the potential of those collaborations?
Basically, I want Bärnserker to remain my own thing. Everything else will show.
14. Live performances are an integral part of the black metal experience. Does Bärnserker have any plans for live shows or touring in the future? How do you envision translating your atmospheric music into a live setting?
Bärnserker will not be live. I'm not the type to tell others what to play. I also think that it could not reflect the sound of Bärnserker. I wouldn't feel comfortable as a singer on stage, and another singer, then it wouldn't be Bärnserker anymore. Even the bass wouldn't be the same played by anyone else. No, I think that's an impossibility.
15. With the easy access to internet you can spread your music across the globe just sitting in front of your computer. How much effort to you put into promoting the band world-wide?
I'm trying to promote. Do a lot on Facebook, write to radio stations. Unfortunately, I didn't promote the first album much. Also because I have a label for the album. But I was hoping for more support. But that was not the case and I decided to do everything alone in the future. That means I'll have the new album made, but I'll do distribution, promotion and everything else myself. Unfortunately, that also takes a lot of time, time when I would rather be creative to work on new songs. But the possibilities you have today are amazing. One could not have dreamed of this 30 years ago in the days of hypnosis. Back then, people were happy to get around in Switzerland. Actually everything is open to you today. Even doing the entire production for an album at home is crazy. Nothing used to work without a recording studio.
Of course you get a better production from a specialist. But Bärnserker is intentionally a 1 man project. And it shows more and more that I want to be as independent as possible from everything.
16. What is the status of the underground metal scene in Germany? Is it evolving or is it stagnant?
I'm relatively new to this underground scene. And that's why I don't even know how it was before 2021/2022. What I see now is that there is an excellent underground scene in Germany. There are many small festivals, there are many online radio stations that support you and last but not least there are many people who support the underground. But like everywhere there are people who sabotage you.
17. Any tips for people visiting Germany this summer? Where do we go to listen to some really good music?
I'm not the type to go away a lot. But for good music I would definitely recommend the many small underground concerts and festivals. There are reasonable prices and mostly honest, good music.
18. Finally, is there anything else you would like to share with your fans and the readers of this interview?
I just want to say thank you for your interest in my music. And if you're reading this and don't know my music, give it a listen, maybe it's something for you. And probably at the end of the year, at the beginning of next year, the new album will be released.
If you are also interested in the texts, you are welcome to contact me via the social media platforms and I will do my best to send you a translation, even if only from the translation program.
And thank you very much for the interview.
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