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Since their inception in 1980, the Slovenian quartet Laibach has been turning heads with music that is equal parts political commentary and cultural criticism. Incorporating elements of industrial, techno, and metal, the band has left no musical or artistic stone unturned, bearing a huge brunt of controversy due to their Teutonic anthems and Wagnerian histrionics. In 2003, after seven years of hibernation, the Laibach kunst machine released what is perhaps their most pertinent album to date. With the volatile state of world affairs, and with the somewhat cryptic album title (WAT = "We Are Time"), Laibach are a band whose time is now. WAT is a tour de force that has put Laibach back on the revolutionary map with songs that both celebrate peace and warn of the apocalypse. Here, we get a brief, but enlightening glimpse into Laibach's plans for bringing the revolution to the masses' doorstep. Laibach stages a coup with ReGen's Nick Garland and Ilker Yucel...

It seems clear that Laibach believe in art and music as an instrument of social change. Do you feel that this instrument has lost any of its potency or relevance 20 years later?

Laibach: We believe that anything, including art and music, can be an instrument of social change. Art and music so much more, because it can provoke emotions and minds more directly.

It's fairly common for people to misinterpret the band's ideologies because of ignorance or a lack of education. How do you use this ignorance to your advantage?

Laibach: The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance and lack of education. Good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding. So we, Laibach, simply do not simulate good intentions and we don't mind being misunderstood. At least we know evil when it shows itself.

Why did you not record a new album in seven years?

Laibach: We didn't feel like recording.

Having adopted a totalitarian unity among the members of the group, there is no doubt a sense of discipline the band follows in the production of its music and art. Is your choice of uniform a reflection of this discipline?

Laibach: No, we need uniforms to actually give us a sense of discipline. Uniforms supposed to [sic] represent a universal form, but in fact they are so very unpractical and glamorous. They always make us feel like an army of aliens, like man machine [sic].

How important is the media in shaping public opinion and popular culture?

Laibach: Incredibly important; nobody believes in it but everybody buys it and wants to be part of it.

What can the average person do to control corporations' buying of political influence?

Laibach: He must stop being average.

Why do you think the USA involves itself in such conflicts as the occupation of Iraq?

Laibach: Because of the superiority complex.

What can we expect when you tour the USA in the fall?

Laibach: The least you will expect, the more you will get.

Is the tour meant to coincide with the presidential election?

Laibach: Not really, but we'll be glad to watch the whole thing from the close, keeping an eye on it.