We had a chat with Basswood Wolff, vocalist and leader of Lacrimosa, Gothic metal band that since 1990 has set a new trend in the dark niche, which with their long history in the industry and their songs that awaken from the most passionate of love to the dark and sad corners of life, have managed to generate a great impact on fans of yesteryear and new fans who have taken their music as a lifestyle.
'Testimonium' is an album where you combine darkness and beauty, tell us a little more about its meaning.
'Testimonium' was a requiem inspired by the death of several artists who passed away one after the other in 2016. And now we are releasing 'Zeitreise' which is a collection of our 30 years LACRIMOSA work and has new songs. We are going to play one of them on this tour!
Do you plan to keep the gothic line in your music or what other genre would you like to experience?
Well, I don't make music for certain genres, Lacrimosa has its own genre, we have our own style that is simply the music I want to listen to. I'm writing songs that I can't hear from anyone else, music that expresses my feelings. Sometimes it sounds more like metal, goth, classical music or rock.
Why does Ann always sing in English? Do you plan to sing in Finnish or another language in the future?
She has always been used to writing her lyrics in English, even before entering Lacrimosa, that's why; and at the moment we don't plan to sing in another language.
What is the true meaning of love? Do you think real problems have a different influence on love?
Love is the greatest power in the universe. Love is God! for that we always have to purify ourselves in order to maintain love and not drive it away due to our insufficiency.
If you could choose one of your songs for a funeral, what could it be and why?
It would depend on whether it is someone else's funeral or mine. If it was for mine I don't care because I think funerals are for the living. But if it was for someone else's funeral I would choose 'Wenn unsere Helden Sterben' which means 'When our heroes die' from the album 'Testimonium'.
Your first albums speak of death and loneliness. Now you speak of love, what is the reason for this evolution?
Well, our current album 'Testimonium' mostly talks about death and loneliness, so the songs are more like our beginnings. And love will always be an important topic too!
Can we expect a tour in the United States?
Well, now we are having a tour in Mexico, let's see what the future brings us.
What message do you want to convey to the world through your music, the fans who have been following your music for years, and your new fans?
To be honest, that they know how to deal with their feelings, that they are proud of them, that they can keep the light and the darkness in their own soul to find the light and the love!