Interview with Symphonic Darkened Metal Band BofoKwo (Finland)
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
CV: How does the band balance it's
variety of music styles (Black, symphonic Metal and Traditional Rock) into one
cohesive collection of music to achieve the BoFoKwo sound? Is it a challenge to maintain a balance or are there
times when one style seems to dominate more than another when it comes to
songwriting?
BofoKwo: We get a lot of questions about that because we know we mix genres and influences very freely, but we see it as a goal to invent and still pay respect to our Metal and symphonic influences. Our featured guest singer on “Green Leviathan” (Wayne Rich from Dirty Rats) labeled it “Chaos Metal”. For us this has been the only way to work because we wanted to be free to our songwriting and producing, then we can’t box it into one genre. It makes it harder to understand us sometimes but there is a plan behind our insanity. We love to pick apart different genres and try to fit them together. This is how we normally work or as one of our other band members said “It’s called #evolution man...look it up” - Bomari
BofoKwo: We get a lot of questions about that because we know we mix genres and influences very freely, but we see it as a goal to invent and still pay respect to our Metal and symphonic influences. Our featured guest singer on “Green Leviathan” (Wayne Rich from Dirty Rats) labeled it “Chaos Metal”. For us this has been the only way to work because we wanted to be free to our songwriting and producing, then we can’t box it into one genre. It makes it harder to understand us sometimes but there is a plan behind our insanity. We love to pick apart different genres and try to fit them together. This is how we normally work or as one of our other band members said “It’s called #evolution man...look it up” - Bomari
CV:
Metal around the world is populated with legion and legions of fans. Why do you
think Metal music is so alluring? Is it more of a way of living then just a
musical taste choice?
BofoKwo: A lot of Metal comes with an amazing live show, for me it is the most theatrical genre and that appeals to my urge to live in a fantasy world. It also reminds me of my favorite classical musicians and how Metal always has been inspired by old school classical music from people like Vivaldi or Chopin. I think it is a way of living for some and for me it is a way of escaping life as it is so magical and in the same time raw and heavy.
BofoKwo: A lot of Metal comes with an amazing live show, for me it is the most theatrical genre and that appeals to my urge to live in a fantasy world. It also reminds me of my favorite classical musicians and how Metal always has been inspired by old school classical music from people like Vivaldi or Chopin. I think it is a way of living for some and for me it is a way of escaping life as it is so magical and in the same time raw and heavy.
CV:
Has
Metal splintered into too many sub-genres or is this more of a testament to the
music's power and worldwide reach? Is Metal one big happy family or is there
some level of separation and elitism that exists because of the multitude of
genre facets?
BofoKwo: Since metal was less appreciated in mainstream media for many years having the genre hold back and create less sub genres, but then an explosion came, most likely with the major success of such bands as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Metallica. The reason there are so many sub genres now is also a lot due to more bands get exposure through the Internet and underground shows. In our case we mix genres freely and that is an effect of us wanting to create something unique and not just another generic Death or Black metal album. I don’t see any group in society being one big happy family, but there are a lot of great communities within the Metal society. There will always be jerks and elitists but in the end since you have a common interest a lot of differences can be overcome by being in the metal world.
BofoKwo: Since metal was less appreciated in mainstream media for many years having the genre hold back and create less sub genres, but then an explosion came, most likely with the major success of such bands as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Metallica. The reason there are so many sub genres now is also a lot due to more bands get exposure through the Internet and underground shows. In our case we mix genres freely and that is an effect of us wanting to create something unique and not just another generic Death or Black metal album. I don’t see any group in society being one big happy family, but there are a lot of great communities within the Metal society. There will always be jerks and elitists but in the end since you have a common interest a lot of differences can be overcome by being in the metal world.
CV:
Do you find that with the multiple classifications within the Metal genre, it
is often difficult for a band to accurately define or describe their style...especially
considering the diverse range of individual interpretation of music?
BofoKwo: Yes, in our case it is really hard to classify our sound as we don’t follow one Metal sub-genre throughout our music. I don’t often pick what I listen to based on what genres I like…if I see a video on YouTube or get a link to any music from a friend or other band I know I tend to find new music that way, and also don’t lock me into only listen to one genre, although most of the music I do listen to is Rock and Metal. I sometimes also listen to the classics to remind myself what our foundation is, but I also listen to modern music. If someone sends me a song or link, I listen, and I don’t desperately try to place them in a genre unless it is obvious. I tend to listen to the structure and total of the song. If it is good music it is cool with me.
BofoKwo: Yes, in our case it is really hard to classify our sound as we don’t follow one Metal sub-genre throughout our music. I don’t often pick what I listen to based on what genres I like…if I see a video on YouTube or get a link to any music from a friend or other band I know I tend to find new music that way, and also don’t lock me into only listen to one genre, although most of the music I do listen to is Rock and Metal. I sometimes also listen to the classics to remind myself what our foundation is, but I also listen to modern music. If someone sends me a song or link, I listen, and I don’t desperately try to place them in a genre unless it is obvious. I tend to listen to the structure and total of the song. If it is good music it is cool with me.
CV:
Do you feel Heavy Metal music is viewed differently by fans in Europe compared
to fans in America? What's your opinion?
BofoKwo: Yes, in Europe I feel there is a longer tradition of underground metal music so the live shows might be a bit crazier, at least in Scandinavia where I grew up. However, the USA has a very dedicated fan base for Metal and Heavy music so tours are usually very exciting for metal bands from everywhere in the world. In the end I don’t think fans are that much different in any part of the world. Yes, they might have different culture but when it comes to two people liking the same band from different places in the world, often something magical happens and people can connect that way. I myself try not to see the differences of USA vs EUROPE fans but more at what we have in common. Music is a powerful way of connecting people with different world experiences.My wish right now is to be able to perform live again in front of any fans or non-fans for that matter.
BofoKwo: Yes, in Europe I feel there is a longer tradition of underground metal music so the live shows might be a bit crazier, at least in Scandinavia where I grew up. However, the USA has a very dedicated fan base for Metal and Heavy music so tours are usually very exciting for metal bands from everywhere in the world. In the end I don’t think fans are that much different in any part of the world. Yes, they might have different culture but when it comes to two people liking the same band from different places in the world, often something magical happens and people can connect that way. I myself try not to see the differences of USA vs EUROPE fans but more at what we have in common. Music is a powerful way of connecting people with different world experiences.My wish right now is to be able to perform live again in front of any fans or non-fans for that matter.
CV:
Tell us a little about the album "Space/Time
Carnivorium." Does it follow a theme or have some particular
conceptual inspiration associated with the totality of the album's track listing?
BofoKwo: The Story of BofoKwo is based on an ongoing novel written by Ted Egger. The story is based on a mix of Modern cannibal tribes and space. The first release “Legend of a Cannibal King” Established the characters (band members), and this is our first full length album called SPACE/TIME CARNIVORIUM. On this album the story goes a bit wild and the three members of the band travels space to consume space alien’s flesh to gain their powers and become golden Gods. The musical influences come from Black/Death, Symphonic Metal, Rock and various Jazz/goth/electronic music. All members contribute to the complete song writing and production. We also produce the live set together. The album was recorded in each of our locations, during the course of18 months and we spent a lot of time making the choices both lyrically from the novel and the music as we wanted it. We paid no attention to how we were perceived and that was the most refreshing thing of making this album. In the end if we are happy with the result, we are confident to spread it.
BofoKwo: The Story of BofoKwo is based on an ongoing novel written by Ted Egger. The story is based on a mix of Modern cannibal tribes and space. The first release “Legend of a Cannibal King” Established the characters (band members), and this is our first full length album called SPACE/TIME CARNIVORIUM. On this album the story goes a bit wild and the three members of the band travels space to consume space alien’s flesh to gain their powers and become golden Gods. The musical influences come from Black/Death, Symphonic Metal, Rock and various Jazz/goth/electronic music. All members contribute to the complete song writing and production. We also produce the live set together. The album was recorded in each of our locations, during the course of18 months and we spent a lot of time making the choices both lyrically from the novel and the music as we wanted it. We paid no attention to how we were perceived and that was the most refreshing thing of making this album. In the end if we are happy with the result, we are confident to spread it.
CV:
With current band members living in three different countries, how had BoFoKwo stayed active and in touch with
its fans during the COVID pandemic?
BofoKwo: Normally we work remotely, and we keep the attention of our fans via social media and press. We release music or videos to keep new stuff happening. We also had the challenge of not being able to play live and therefore last year releasing the CD we still have much to look forward to when we can meet and play live again. To compensate for that we decided to increase our social media presence and do some new media. We then created together with our marketing/management team two concepts. We created a “TV show” called “The Dishes” where I cook a meal based on one song from our Album every episode. We did live cooking with my cat on Saturdays and then released an edited version on Thursdays for Season 1. We released it all on You Tube and our live streams on Facebook and Instagram engaged a lot of new and old supporters. It was a fun way to present the album and keep our fans happy during lockdown. We increased the frequency of posting new media (artwork, memes etc.) on social media. We then also started the production of our latest concept that will premiere in the spring via our You Tube channel. It will be an attempt to involve our fans into our song writing and producing music. It will also give an insight in how we go from idea to final product as we intend to record a four song EP based on the result of the show. In each episode we will present two song ideas/riffs and we will have a voting schedule for our fans to pick which idea we should work with, but there will be more contained in the show including live Q&A and edited episodes with feedback from all band members on each song idea/riff. We will announce more details about the concept very soon on all our platforms. We are hoping our fans will find it interesting to get an insight in how we create music and also be a part of helping us finalize the songs. The name of the show will be announced together with the date of the first episode and Q&A. Since 2021 will be mostly lock down we will also involve some of our Metal and Rock bands we know to be part of “The Dishes” Season 2. I think this is what we are doing mostly to keep our fans, and maybe gain some new one during these COVID times.
BofoKwo: Normally we work remotely, and we keep the attention of our fans via social media and press. We release music or videos to keep new stuff happening. We also had the challenge of not being able to play live and therefore last year releasing the CD we still have much to look forward to when we can meet and play live again. To compensate for that we decided to increase our social media presence and do some new media. We then created together with our marketing/management team two concepts. We created a “TV show” called “The Dishes” where I cook a meal based on one song from our Album every episode. We did live cooking with my cat on Saturdays and then released an edited version on Thursdays for Season 1. We released it all on You Tube and our live streams on Facebook and Instagram engaged a lot of new and old supporters. It was a fun way to present the album and keep our fans happy during lockdown. We increased the frequency of posting new media (artwork, memes etc.) on social media. We then also started the production of our latest concept that will premiere in the spring via our You Tube channel. It will be an attempt to involve our fans into our song writing and producing music. It will also give an insight in how we go from idea to final product as we intend to record a four song EP based on the result of the show. In each episode we will present two song ideas/riffs and we will have a voting schedule for our fans to pick which idea we should work with, but there will be more contained in the show including live Q&A and edited episodes with feedback from all band members on each song idea/riff. We will announce more details about the concept very soon on all our platforms. We are hoping our fans will find it interesting to get an insight in how we create music and also be a part of helping us finalize the songs. The name of the show will be announced together with the date of the first episode and Q&A. Since 2021 will be mostly lock down we will also involve some of our Metal and Rock bands we know to be part of “The Dishes” Season 2. I think this is what we are doing mostly to keep our fans, and maybe gain some new one during these COVID times.
BofoKwo: Song writing defines the bands sound in time, but it does not necessary define the goals of the band or the future sound of a band. I have been in bands where people with different approaches or influences have broken up but in BofoKwo it is completely different from any band I have been in. The fact that we have no rules and any feedback is ok. We can be very harsh towards pieces of our work and how we want to change it, but there always room for the most insane idea sound wise or production wise. For me BofoKwo is the first band where for this long period (founded in 2014) have been able to compromise all members influences as we also get better and more aware of what we want it to sound like. There are challenges but also many positive benefits with being so free in genres and not turning down any ideas of any member without consideration. In the end if we all are satisfied with the end result of a song we don’t really care how it came by, we did it together and we always know we can do better next time, but for each song we complete, we make sure all agree. That is how we defined our sound during these years. When we start making the EP for our new “TV show” we will try to create something unique again!
CV: What can fans expect to see
coming from BoFoKwo in 2021?
BofoKwo: We have three things in planning...we will have a few songs on different compilations, we will announce and share the links on all our sites once it is released.
BofoKwo: We have three things in planning...we will have a few songs on different compilations, we will announce and share the links on all our sites once it is released.
There’s the coming of Season 2
of ”The Dishes” on Youtube and a new TV show about songwriting, producinga new
EP.
CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with
our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
BofoKwo: Thank you. I hope I answered the questions correctly...sometimes our minds can float away. It was very fun!
Check out BofoKwo at:
Album CD: https://deadpulse.com/product/bofo-kwo-space-time-carnivorium/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3M2sb1NzXa25vN7HCkKQZo
Latest music Video: https://youtu.be/QdQUVTCqBM8
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BofoKwo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bofokwo/
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAeUWhBMpTe0b3r8q8hR6fw
Wallmart (US Only): https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bofo-Kwo-Space-Time-Carnivorium-CD/168961969
BofoKwo: Thank you. I hope I answered the questions correctly...sometimes our minds can float away. It was very fun!
Check out BofoKwo at:
Album CD: https://deadpulse.com/product/bofo-kwo-space-time-carnivorium/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3M2sb1NzXa25vN7HCkKQZo
Latest music Video: https://youtu.be/QdQUVTCqBM8
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BofoKwo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bofokwo/
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAeUWhBMpTe0b3r8q8hR6fw
Wallmart (US Only): https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bofo-Kwo-Space-Time-Carnivorium-CD/168961969
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The Cosmick Voice
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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary.
Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say
in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me
a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms
including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and
now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to
raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational
light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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