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BACK
Old
Man’s Child 
Striking Out Down the Defiant Path
By: Aaron McKay
Anyone will tell you, life is a cruel teacher. Why?
For starters, it ultimately kills all its pupils. On the other hand,
with experience comes wisdom and, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The
wise through excess of wisdom is made a fool." Too much of
any one thing may be bad, but Old Man’s Child seems to have
struck the perfect balance.
In Defiance of Existence is the sixth effort by founder, vocalist,
guitarist, producer and all-around creative influence behind Old
Man’s Child, Galder. Pulling from extensive understanding of
the metal scene, Galder fashions a powerfully dynamic experiment
in extreme metal with this album. Furthermore, drawing from his
unique insight and talent, In Defiance of Existence caters to even
the most discerning black/death metal fan. There is something to
be found on this release for everyone.
Now, with a ferocious independence, Old Man’s Child again walks
a path few dare to venture. First things first—let’s take
a look to the past that made this band what they are today.
"When I was making The Pagan Prosperity [1997]," Galder
begins, "I knew that this form of black metal was completely
new and I was a bit concerned how people would react to it just
because of that. People certainly had mixed feelings about it; [the
album] seemed to be more appreciated in the States, for instance,
than in Europe since, at that time, most people were still hanging
on to that old-school black metal thing. These days everybody seems
to be mixing different styles into the music—heavy, thrash,
death, et cetera. That was exactly what OMC was all about since
the beginning."
Presently, In Defiance of Existence picks up on the band’s
whole technique by starting off with ferocious potency ("Felonies
of the Christian Art"). Why did you select that song as the
opener?
"This is the album were I had the most problem when deciding
which songs to put where," comes the metal veteran’s reply.
"So I suppose that it was more of a coincidence than on purpose,
but I also like to start the albums off with a heavy song."
When it comes to the band, are you the main decision maker or is
it totally a group effort?
"Everything in OMC goes through me in one way or another,"
confesses Galder. "I’m very open minded, so if the other
guys have some cool ideas, then of course I’m always willing
to listen to them. Ninety-nine per cent of everything involving
the band is done by me, however. This is not something I want it
to be like; it’s just the way it’s been for the years."
Do the lineup changes strengthen OMC as a whole? Is the general,
somewhat inconsistent nature of Old Man’s Child a conscious
effort or does it just happen that way?
"I don’t think it hurts the music in any way since I’m
always looking for the right musicians for each album," he
offers, "but, of course, having lineup changes also has its
down sides sometimes. Generally it is a good thing for us since
it gives the music a fresh input."
Other than the vocals, the drumming seems to be a vital aspect to
the band. Could you elaborate on that, possibly paying particular
attention to the involvement of Gene Hoglan, Grimar, Tjodalv and
Nick Barker?
Galder rings in, "OMC would never work with out a high-class
drummer. I have tried out many different, very good drummers, but
with not a very good result. Being a good metal drummer is more
than just the ability to play fast on bass drums—you also need
the ‘groove,’ which many drummers lack. And that is definitely
a quality that Gene and Nick possess."
You are going into the studio with Dimmu Borgir again soon. Would
you please elaborate on how your participation in that band came
about and your unique view of that unmistakable outfit? The two
bands have enjoyed quite a history together (most notably the Devil’s
Path/In the Shades of Life split CD released by Hammerheart Records).
"Yeah," comes the reply. "We will soon be finished
with the album, actually. I have done a lot on the album, but that’s
the good thing with Dimmu—everyone has ideas, so making music
in this band is far easier than anything I have done in the past."
Galder continues, "We did have a strong bond even before I
joined the band, growing up together and listening to the same music,
et cetera."
Going back a bit, what are your thoughts on Hot Records, around
1994, picking up on and running with the sound that became known
as Old Man’s Child?
"I really don’t have much to say about Hot Records,"
Galder says. "Other than that the ‘label’ was nothing
more than a joke! We released two CDs there and even to this point
in time, we have not yet seen one penny from those releases. The
owner is nowhere to be found, which is probably the best thing for
him right now."
In Defiance of Existence ends with a great cut, "Life Deprived."
Why did the new effort close with that song in particular?
"I wanted the album to open hard and close really hard,"
Galder confesses. "That’s the main reason for that choice.
I also think that song was the one that separated itself the most
from the other songs on In Defiance of Existence. I really didn’t
know where to put it. Those songs always end up last for some reason."
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