Interview - Celtic Dance

Twelve Years... This Old School Pagan Black Metal Horde have survived many battles on it's life. By the lidership of Conqueror, This Horde promisses to spread lots of deseases and to crush Christianity and for that he as recruted new warriors to acomplish his conquest. So we went to talk with Conquerer himself to know how things going in Celtic Dance.

HELLS... 12 years of Blasphemies and battles against Christianity made Celtic Dance one of the most charismatic bands from the Portuguese underground scene. Do us a little review about Celtic Dance’s life.

Salve! Well let's say that Celtic Dance somehow always pretended to be quite unique, fortunetly we've reached our goals in some points... Many line-up changes, some problems with releases, time & so on prevented to go even further, still from my point of view maybe it was the best way to stay away from the trendy scene of nowadays... We've now a new fresh line-up: Conqueror (vokills), Xeque-Mate (guitar), Zy (drums) & Leanan Sidhe (bass), so we'll see what the future will bring from now on!

Since the early days of the band you had serious problems with the line up. What were the reasons for that happening ?

As I said above there was many line-up changes, the reasons? To name a few I think that the most obvious was the lack of dedication, time, attitude & interest of some members...

In 1996 you were ripped off by a Germanic record label called Shivadarshana Rec. What can you say about that ?

Let's say that it's just part of the Past... Perhaps it was not the best time to release "Ancient Battlecry" on CD format, even if at that time we had an offer to release it after a new recording (specially the bass lines), but at that time the first line-up already departed from the band! So after all this years I think the band haven't loose anything at all, except for the money & time we spent on the mentioned recording.

You have being hide in the shadows for a period of 5 years. Many people thought that you were dead. What were the reasons that made you stop ?

To be honest the band somehow was indeed hidden for about 8 years. Still we never stopped, I'm the only original member on the band along with Xeque-Mate (aka: Nygurien) which returned to the band a few months ago, this time to take care of the guitar duties, since he was the drummer in the beginning. I spent that time writting lyrics, and foremost organizing my personal life, now I think maybe it's time for another battlecry...

We know that the band has a new line up and it’s working for new battles and new Blasphemies. Can you tell us something about some new releases or next battles in the stage ?

As I said on Question 1 we have now a new line-up: Conqueror (vokills), Xeque-Mate (guitar), Zy (drums) & Leanan Sidhe (bass). We're preparing now our debut album "Too Proud To Kneel" & a few gigs as well. On March 2007 probably we will take part of BM festival in Porto along with Ereskhigal (Mexico), & some Lvsitanian hordes as Morte, Infernal Kingdom, etc... Sorry but I don't have any more details for now.

In 12 years you have seen many bands appearing and disappearing. Can you do us a balance about the evolution of the scene, till nowadays ?

What evolution? It's true that we have a great lot of BM bands nowadays but having such a big division among them how the fuck can we call it a good scene?!?!? The only good point now is that finally our hordes are acrossing the Lvsitanian borders and showing outside that we are not just a small point on the map... Salutes to all of them! The other side of the coin will be always the lack of respect, the excess of fame where there is not any at all... Understand that friends don't make a band famous but rather the attitude of the band himself!!!

For you, what’s the meaning of Black Metal ?

There is many important things in life but concerning mine for some personal reasons Black Metal is one of them & it will always be until I die. Still two words can best describe it: True devotion & attitude!!!

Tell what you think about politic and religion.

Politic: Let's say I have my own points of view...

Religion: There are too many to be banned from the face of the earth!!!

What are your plans for the future ?

Record our album "Too ProudTo Kneel" & play enough gigs to keep the Pagan flame alive.

Long life to Celtic Dance… Send your last words, Hails and Blasphemies to everyone that is interested to know more about you and for all those o read Infernal Dungeons.

Many thanks to Infernal Dungeons for the kind support! To all those who have been faithful & supported us during all these years a mighty hail! Your support it's truly appreciated & we'll not forgett neither disapoint you. See you soon on the battlefield... Blood & Soil! Contacts: Conqueror_krieg@hotmail.com www.celticdance.pt.vu

Note: On the 10th of Junte 2004 our latest work "RegreSSus Ad Uterum" was relased as split Cd with the Spanish band Wolfthrone by Ethereal Sound Music, which is so well distributed & promoted that we can't find it anywhere except in some distros outside of Portugal, which managed to get it through the band himself (Who got it from the label under jewish condictions...). Avantgard Wolf Rex. from Brazil have released it last month in tape format with a different & wonderful colour layout containing just our part of the split CD, and it's available through: www.swordproductions.pt.vu