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An Interview with Rachael Kozak of Hecate
Posted: Sunday, January 06, 2008
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

Hecate was originally a goddess of the wilderness, but is nowadays seen more as a figure of witchcraft; thus, no moniker could be more appropriate for the primary musical outlet of Rachael Kozak. Often referred to as the most prolific female producer in the underground electronic music scene, Kozak's music has delved into the dark and brutal recesses of humanity, incorporating elements of dark ambient, experimental noise, and extreme metal to create a distinct style of breakcore that is as terrifying in its atmosphere as it is beautiful in its construction. Besides that, she is known for a number of collaborations with such contemporaries as Venetian Snares, Xanopticon, Vile Enginez, and even more recently, death metal act Belphegor. As if this intense range of activity were not enough, she is also the head of Zhark International, a label that specializes in all forms of extreme electronic music, particularly breakcore and noise. After the 2006 release of her last album, Brew Hideous, 2007 saw a decline in activity from both Hecate and the Zhark camp, only to be resurrected in the final months of the year, promising darker and more brutal things to come. A series of shows in such locations as Japan and Brazil, as well as relocation from Basel, Switzerland to Berlin, Germany is just the start of what is sure to be an exciting time for fans of Hecate and dark noise in general. Taking some time off before embarking on another set of shows in Japan, Kozak lets ReGen in on what hideous brew she is conjuring up, including the next set of planned releases from Zhark, a re-release of Brew Hideous, her new collaborations in Treachery, Crisis Theory, and Deluge, and even touching on her slight fascination with nunsploitation.

To start, let's talk about your recent move to Berlin. You spent quite some time in Basel, Switzerland, and in our last interview we spoke about how living in the quiet of Basel had an effect on you and your music. What prompted the move back to Berlin, and how has being in the more city-like atmosphere been a benefit to you as a musician and as a person?

Kozak: After spending so much time in Switzerland, I decided to make a shift for a multitude of reasons. Basel, the city where I produced a major part of my discography, was a type of hermetic retreat. As I had spent my years prior in major cities, it provided me with the space and time to delve into my work without any interruptions. But after too many years in any city, I like to get a new perspective. Berlin has been wonderful so far; I have lived here before, but this time, I feel very solid, with a good network of artists around me. My music has evolved in terms of collaborations and improvisations. I will be using the next months to start work on some new solo Hecate material, which I am sure will be brutal. However, I am not sure if the essence of Berlin is going to affect what I do. We will see what comes out in the writing process.

Speaking of collaborations and improvisations, you've not only released several improv tracks via your MySpace page, but are currently in the works on some collaborative projects, Treachery and Crisis Theory. To start with Treachery, that's your project with Slutmachine and Abelcain and has been in the works for some time. What is the progress of Treachery now? Is it nearing completion and a release date?

Kozak: Treachery’s five-track debut will finally make its way onto this cursed Earth next year, both on 12-inch and CD. We are in the midst of signing contracts with the label that will be co-releasing our material, and will update the information as soon as we finalize the discussions. It will come out on CD from our friends in Basel: the main man from Zatokrev's label, Czar of Crickets. Zhark will press a limited 12-inch and the CD will be released through our allies. We have finished all of the mixes, and I am very much looking forward to its impending release!

What about Crisis Theory? Can you tell us more about that collaboration? Will we see a release for that?

Kozak: Yes, of course it will be released. Probably by spring or summer, I imagine. Crisis Theory is the collaboration between Christoph Fringeli, the Praxis label owner, and myself. We have made a few 12-inches together in the past, and since he is also here in Berlin, we have decided to work on some new pieces.

What would you say are the primary differences between these projects and Hecate? What does working in Treachery or Crisis Theory accomplish musically or emotionally for you versus Hecate?

Kozak: They are all completely different projects which facilitate the expression of vastly varying moods and emotions. Working as Hecate is the most challenging, because it is a pure reflection of myself, one which I choose to bring into the open on my own accord, however disturbing. Treachery is usually a great time when we can actually be together and write and record, but those times are rare, seeing that the other two members live in the States. Crisis Theory is mostly C.F. and I discussing the state of the music industry and the world while making beats, shattering bass, and hanging out, as we have for years. And the new project we have also started since my move here is Entfernte Verwandte. That is the four-piece of Yann Keller, Julien Percy, Farah Hatam, and myself. We have made quite a few recordings during the months of September and November and will be going through them in the coming year to see which parts we will use and edit.

So with Entfernte Verwandte, Crisis Theory, Treachery, and Hecate in the works, what's it like to manage your time and energy among these various projects? Do you ever find yourself bleeding one into the other in terms of your musical mindset?

Kozak: With these projects it is more like a constant flow, because although it may be a different sound or rhythmic structure, it is the same current of energy I am drawing from. With Entfernte Verwandte, I just show up and do vocals, whereas with Crisis Theory, we are taking a look at different electronic compositional styles and drenching them our own sound and signatures. It's two different things, but I am not a different person while engaging in them.

As for managing my time, that's another story. Let's just say it is a lot of work and effort, but mostly from the traveling and playing gigs part of the life. I truly enjoy it, though, so it is worth the energy I spend booking shows and traveling to new cities. The past two months have been very hectic on that front, so now it's the time to get back to work in the studio.

About your recent shows, since it had been some time since you performed live, what was it like? What sorts of changes were there in your approach and your sound this time around?

Kozak: I took about a year off of playing shows. The first gig after I stopped was in an ultra-punk squat in Prague with Abelcain, Fanny and Xanopticon—some of my best friends—so that was a good way to start back into everything. I have incorporated more vocals and more head-fucking tracks into my set as well. At the moment, it feels like I have always been doing this, so it was probably best to take that time off to think about everything. It is nice to know that I can still blast it, though!

Awesome. What about playing in the USA? Being originally from Detroit, what is the potential for Hecate to perform on this side of the Atlantic, or is it even a consideration at this point?

Kozak: I don't know, to tell you the truth. I have been thinking more and more about it. I used to spend a couple months a year in Wisconsin, recording and spending time with friends there. A tour is not impossible in the near future, but I would say probably mid-to-late next year as far as I can see. I am planning on booking some shows for myself and Christoph De Babalon for spring in Europe, and possibly with another Zhark artist, Slutmachine, so we will see what happens after that!

Since moving to Berlin, you've also gone back to work on your Zhark label after yet another period of inactivity. As some of your past material was distributed through Hymen and Sublight, are you still associated with these labels? What is in store for the future of Zhark, and what is the potential for further releases from other artists on the label?

Kozak: Yes, everything has been restarted over here, I am happy to report! I am sure Hymen/Ant-Zen will be stocking the new Zhark releases in their mail order. Sublight and I did not end well, and I hear that he went bankrupt in the following months. There is quite a roster for Zhark at the moment; I am hoping I can get this list all out in the next year. Here is how it looks: Xanopticon's 12-inch, The Silver Key EP is out now. Bong-Ra's 12-inch is on test pressing and will be out in the beginning of next year! Slutmachine is finished with a 2x12-inch and double-CD! Vile Enginez has finished his Zhark follow-up 12-inch. Valav is going to be working on her debut solo 12-inch for us! Abelcain/CDatakill have remixed each other for another slamming Zhark 12-inch. And last but not least, Treachery is in the midst of finding a label to be on. More on that soon!

Will the catalog of new releases also be available on CD?

Kozak: The Slutmachine releases will be on CD, as will Treachery. Plus there is slated to be a re-release of Brew Hideous on CD with a new booklet, remixes, and the video.

Wasn't the video banned from YouTube not long after it was posted?

Kozak: Yeah it was, due to the violent/sexual content. It is now on MySpace Videos, though.

How did that video come about? Who was involved in its production, andh ow would you say its visuals were connected to the subject matter of the song? The song in question did have some rather overt 'Satanic' samples.

Kozak: I worked with my close friend Alexander Koenig on the 'Brew Hideous' clip in 2006. He loved the song, and I trust his work, so we got together and shot the material with Nahema and myself. I was deeply immersed in a lot of nunsploitation at the time and I turned him on to some while explaining that the song has heavily veiled references to menstruation. We worked all of the elements in, and I am really impressed with the way it turned out.

So there will be remixes. Who can we expect to see on that list?

Kozak: Abelcain, Xanopticon, Slutmachine, Vile Enginez, Bong-Ra, and possibly one or two more.

Now that we've covered your collaborations, the revival of the label, and live shows, let's talk about Hecate. Where do you see things going for the new Hecate album, musically and thematically?

Kozak: I want my next album to be a logical continuation from where I was going with Brew Hideous. I think more guitar and live instruments will be brought in, while even more horrific soundscapes rip through the mix. I already have some guitarists that have offered to contribute and I will integrate my vocals with very hard breaks and speedcore elements. I cannot tell you what it will be like exactly, because things always come out that you don't expect in the studio. I do not want to restrain myself at all.

Brew Hideous was about the genocide of witches through the ages, along with nunsploitation, whereas your previous album, The Seven Veils of Silence, was about Salome and her dance for John the Baptist's beheading. What would you say is the current underlying theme or concept for your new material, if there is one?

Kozak: Details about my upcoming work will be released when the time is right.

You'd also done a track with Belphegor in which you contributed some ambience that closed the song out. Given your incorporation of extreme metal in your own music, how did your association with Belphegor come about, and what are the chances of seeing a future collaboration with them?

Kozak: Yes, last year, Helmuth asked me to construct an outro for their sixth album, Pest Apokalypse, on Nuclear Blast. I had originally met them previously at a gig where I interviewed Karl Sanders from Nile. We shared some common interests, I was impressed by their performance, and we struck up a correspondence since then. At the moment, Belphegor are in the studio, between tours, finishing their next opus. Helmuth has once again asked me to contribute, but this time in the form of writing some lyrics for them, as well as recording some sick samples. I am not sure which pieces he will be using at the moment. However, it will be out next spring worldwide!

Considering your connections to the metal scene, has it ever been a consideration for you to start or join a project that would be strictly metal, without any of the electronic or breakcore elements you're primarily known for?

Kozak: Of course I have considered it, but at the moment I have so much going on, I don't have time to put into finding the right band-mates and write the songs and practice. It could happen eventually, and to tell you the truth, I would love to partake in something like that, but until the opportunity is presented or the timing is right, I won't push to satisfy that one desire. I was asked to do some vocals for Bong-Ra's doom project, and a Columbian band invited me to do some vocals when I go there next year.

Was there anything else that you wanted to let our readers know about?

Kozak: I would like to thank everyone who has supported Zhark and our fucked up family for all of these years. Without your interest and energy, we wouldn't be here! If you are interested in having us play your city, drop a line to zhark@zhark.org!