This band never had luck. Being active for years, recording excellent albums for years, they never had the chance to reach the surface from where they could be discovered by a greater audience. Their music is of high quality, ambitious, maybe a bit difficult and sophisticated, but surely unconventional. Is this the problem? Is an average (Polish) fan of heavy tunes a lazy blockhead who does not accept any sound that is a little more ambitious? Surely not, but Nightly Gale still dwells in the underground which is too bad. The following interview shows that this state seems to please the band.

Before I ask you about the new record please explain if Krzysztof Prietzel (guitar) definitely left - for the second time - Nightly Gale? What happened to him making this decision? It's a bad news, because it can be heard that you were on the same wavelength, musically.

It is true that Krzysztof left us for the second time. There were no problems of personal nature in the band - it was his own choice - musically we were not on the same wavelenghth, still.

Krzysztof was a band member for a relatively short period, just 4 years, on the foregoing record „Imprint” his job was done by Jarek Toifl. How did you come to a cooperation with Krzysztof and how did you pass with Jarek, who still mixed your new album?

We know each other from the old Disintegration time [a death metal band in which Sławek was playing in the 1990ies], we just renewed our contact. As you noticed already we did not stop working with Jaroslaw it just took an other shape. He is no more involved in the composing process, but his help in the studio in which he invested all his spare time is invaluable.

There is another person worth noticing, now Aneta Romańczyk is a full member, she was still as Aneta Sumara formerly a guest only. Back then she did a good work, but nowadays her vocals is poetry. Whad had she to do to become a full member of Nightly Gale?

Nothing. The former record has shown her great potential, which we wanted to use. Also vodka helped us to make this difficult decision :)

Concerning Aneta's voice, she has shown a wide range of abilities, from a siren's singing to a harsh lament of a witch. Is it only her invention and vision or did you write her vocal lines commonly? It would be sad to limit or control such a talent.

Let me say it that way: Aneta's vocals were pure improvisation. We closed her in the recoring cabin, put her headphones on, said where to do something and she did it on her own. The rest of the band took care about it. We did not limit her, but her vision did not always fit to the conception of a song, so we told her that something is not well. It's obvious that we want to have the best vocals possible, so whoever - me, Aneta or invaluable Jarek - had an idea, it would be ralized.

The new album, „Lust” is a sort of natural progression of the former „Imprint”, but it is a step or even more steps ahead. This material is even more weird and difficult to listen to. Is there a border of "weirdness" that you don't want to cross? Can we talk of Nightly Gale's music as of progressive, evolving, stepping across borders and norms?

I promise that we will try to cross more than one border in our work. The more weird the better for us, so it could happen that a future stuff will be unlistenable at all. We'll see what it will become. For sure we do not make any borders for ourselves. We made a soundtrack for a short movie "Suicidal" and on that basis a "normal" track with vocals will emerge.

The story told in your lyrics is as weird as the music is. I read the short story that was the base for the albums lyrics and I must honestly tell that it's hard to understand the message. So how is the process of creation of an album? Is it making sounds for a completed story or sketching a plot basing on finished music?

Radek first wrote the short story, lyrics were written later on that base and then adapted to specific tracks. Radek always lets lead himself by the atmosphere of the music while writing, so probably this is the reason the story is that weird.

You did a video to the song „Laura” as odd as the whole record is, but it's not the first Nightly Gale's work of that kind. Did you think about making a short movie around this record? It would become a good thriller.

Everything can be done, but where to take money for it. The idea is interesting, that's for sure but difficult to realize. It is more likely that we make music for someone else as we did two times already. It is a pity that there is no possibility to see the efforts of our work for the moment. We are always open for suggestions so if you know anyone you can recommend us.

Usually metal video clips, though Nightly Gale is not only metal, look very similar: band members with their instruments in dynamic cuts, a short narrative moment here and there. You have had defnitely more work with preparations to your roles, the make-up and the work as actors. Is that such a hard work on a video with a real story?

It's a hard work, literally. The place where we did the shooting was without electricity so we ran a lot with all kind of generators and stuff because we also were the technical assistants. The only working toilet was in the basement of the old mental hospital so the girls did go in groups because it was a bit creepy. In spite of all that we had a lot of fun during the shooting. We hardly ever will do such a classic video with instruments and a guy and a girl in front of the camera because it's the cheapest and most boring visual form. We always thought not to be in the center of attention but want to present the story that is being told together with the music.

The CD sleeve is another part possibly being controverse, or at least demanding attention. Who is responsible for that? You have possibly forgotten to mention that on the record's sleeve.

The CD sleeve was created together with the video clip and the idea is taken directly from the story told. The picture was taken by the director of the video - Beniamin Szwed.

There are rumours that you recorded the material during four years - starting in 2009 and finishing in 2012. What took so long? Was it the problems with the band members, the change of the musical vision and direction, morbid perfectionism or just laziness?

Laziness, definitely! But also a permanent lack of time of each of us solely and together and the not always present money.

Why did you frequent two studios? Wasn't it possible to get everything done in one studio? Or was there any problem on the way?

In the Studio78 we had a large amount of guitar amps to work with, so we tested different configurations, to make the guitars sound really heavy. At the Maq Records we then had very good conditions concerning the time to realize "Lust".

Why was the premiere of „Lust” delayed for such a long time? It was scheduled to release last year, finally there was a delay of several months. Was it the fault of the record company, wasn't it?

Exactly. That's the truth. Unfortunetely we had any influence on that fact, it's the rules of the music business. On the other side we are happy that the record is finally available, so it's not that bad at all.

Didn't you look for someone else to release it faster and without that problems? Was there any other offers?

Since 1996 when I founded the band there was no period when record companies would release us without any problems. RDS was recommended to us by a friend as a reliable partner and regarding the fact that our music is not very popular I am, let's say, content that the record is available at all. We had an alternative offer and now I might have chosen it, but it's useless to mind that now.

Your debut album was released by Pagan Records, who called your music „suicidal doom metal” and that label works until today. Don't you think it distorts the image of your music a bit? Doom metal is a sort of static stylistics, the borders of which you are leaving far behind.

You always need a slogan in order to sell a product. Pagan set up the "suicidal" term and it's something we can live with even today. Now we play different than on the debut, but this does not change the fact it was very exceptional for us, and the boss of Pagan Records has shown courage releasing us in spite of everything. Personally, I don't believe he was counting on a profit from that record in between all those black metal records that were popular at that time, and thus I respect him for the risky decision he made back then. Moreover, everyone plays that sort of doom that he deserves, and it's irrelevant what people call this.

Is it true that „Illusion of Evil” was entirely created within just a week? It's a mature, well thought out record, so if I did not read the story, I would never believe in this short period of time.

We played all the time during these 7 days. Nowadays I wouldn't believe myself that it is possible, but back then we were so full of creative power with Jarek that it was quite easy. I like "Illusion" because of its spontaneity, it is without any calculations and thoughts about what was done wrong. Of course we spent more time on composing vocal parts, but that was not the question.

Is there a chance to see Nightly Gale on a big live tour? Your music seems to fit perfectly as a theatrical production and in that form it would be a great event.

If we would ever play live, it will be for sure a symbiosis of music and image. We have any possibility to do that today, even because we are too few. We won't seek new musicians under pressure, as we have enough good ideas together with Radek. But on the other hand it's impossible to play live without 2 or 3 additional musicians.

Regardless that „Lust” was released recently, it is not such a fresh material. Do you plan or create something new already?

Of course we compose new songs already. We have 2 tracks in an early state, one being the soundtrack to the short movie "Suicidal" as I mentioned before, and the second is being created in pains. We are not 100% sure if this should be the sound of a new Nightly Gale record, we have some ideas, but it's too early to talk about them.

That's all from my side. Congratulations for a new good record and the last word is for you. Thanks!

Thanks for your interest. I recommend a listen to "Lust" because it is a different, weird and atmospheric record.