Elegy 2003

1. Sex and death, Eros and Thanathos are definitely recurrent themes in your albums. Do you think that a large part of the problems in our world could come from a lack of equilibrium between both sex and death?

Life is the consequence of sex, and death is the inevitable outcome of life. Everything that is born is the product of genesis and everything that expires must be allowed to crumble. Those are the elementary conditions of existence. But as a consequence of being human, we consistently try to alter these indispensable rules of regulation, just like everything else we feel hinders mankind’s quest for world domination, instead of realizing that our entire existence rests in the hands of living by these very regulations.

People fear life, fear their instincts and fear death. There is no equilibrium as far as the cycle of life is concerned.
We should live like lions, one day at a time, even it suggests that we live for only a day instead of an entire lifetime in restraint, and die fulfilled at the end of the journey. But instead of realizing life’s fragility, people seem to believe that life is never-ending, in order to avoid the thought of death.

Life is rarely lived TODAY but more willingly postponed until next week or the week after, and so on until we die, unfulfilled and bitter.

People are born into a society which fosters them to slavery and acceptance without questioning. As far as you accept the product of what society provides - televised drama, daytime soap-operas, TV-dinners, real-life TV-series, life without an apparent meaning etc., etc. society will sustain its nourishment and make sure that people are kept on life-support.
Life, quality and purpose are no longer the legacy of being born, but more willingly something which has to be seized, over and over until we die, hopefully fulfilled.
One must realize that there is a vast difference between living and being alive.

The concept and desire of equilibrium lives within the soul of a few, but is seemingly dead as far as the larger picture is concerned.
But although reason is dead and the fools are made kings, the problems of this world are not as easily summarized as to say that all depends on the absence of Equilibrium.
I wish they were, but they are not.

2. This is your fifth album, celebrating your ten years of “career”. How do you look at these ten past years today?

Career seems as such a pretentious word. Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio is the uncompromising and egotistical canalization of Tomas Pettersson, his personal preferences, understandings, visions and thoughts; and to have had the possibility to produce and release music for the past ten years, visit a variety of countries throughout Europe and meet some interesting and truly rewarding individuals, was something I never expected. I am truly glad for the opportunities I have been given and I have learned a lot.

3. Many of your songs deal with sex and esotericism. This is close to Crowley’s sex magic, what do you think about him and his legacy?

Crowley was an interesting character who’s accomplishments and creeds should be acknowledged and respected.
I do indeed find him inspiring as an individual who certainly engaged in all that HE ever wanted, whether it was magic, drugs, men, women or sex, but as far as ORE is concerned I do not necessarily wallow in his works or ideas, either for the purpose of guidance or inspiration.

4. About man’s carnal nature, do you think that the body Art is a way to express this carnal nature or a way to negate our body?

Assuming that I know what you refer to, I believe the answer to this question is determined by the conscious and/or subconscious motives of the person utilizing his/her body in this particular context of art. Some certainly do it because the love to display themselves as objects of admiration and lust, while others most certainly do it because they hate themselves and perceive such conduct as an act of self-destruction.

Pain and lust and invariable linked, they both make us feel alive.

5. What does bondage add to sex? A bit of violence and pain? A foretaste of death?

Pain is another issue, not necessarily related to the concept of constraint. The incorporation of bondage as part of sex is a matter of domination and servitude, furnishing the relinquishment of control under consensus and care. Bondage allows you to relinquish control and willingly surrender to the domination and care of someone else; someone you trust and respect.

6. Do you believe that pornography is a way to express our carnal nature?

Pornography - sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other material whose primary purpose is to cause sexual arousal.

Sexuality and sex are part of our nature; we crave it, one way or another, and pornography is hence the consequence of our need and desires to experience sexuality and arousal even at times when it can’t be found and/or satisfied elsewhere.

Most men, not to say all men, are born hormonally impaired; testosterone turns men into idiots, Neanderthals willing to do almost anything to realize sexual gratification and relief; so it has been and so it shall ever be.
Men crave, adore and envy the sexuality and delicacy of the female body, explaining why most works of art throughout history almost exclusively portrays female nudity (only the Greeks who endorsed and advocated male homosexuality bothered to display naked men), and pornography is consequently the product of male sexuality and the workings of testosterone.

There are certainly numerous women who enjoy pornography, but pornography would certainly look a whole lot different if it was produced by women instead of men.

Pornography is probably a masculine way to express our inherent carnal nature, but more willingly an involuntary consequence of being who we are.

7. Sex can be a religious act but do you think that for some people religion can be ersatz sex?

Life is the consequence of sex; religion an appliance by which to control mankind’s natural instincts, and Jesus on the cross, the religious ornament of Christianity’s understanding of sexuality - a god-given son born of virgin birth and crucified as a virgin; the pinnacle of Christian perfection; devoid of sex, devout to chastity.

Religion is seemingly capable of serving as a placebo for sex and all that is intrinsically natural, but I am however willing to say that surrendering to the superstitions and apparitions of religion at a mature age, detached from the enforced misfortune of being raised as a devout Christian, implies tendencies of mental impairment more than any alleged need and/or desire to remain chaste and pure.

Why do people renounce themselves and strive towards a fabricated virtue of not to be human?

8. “Eucharist” is a frightening song. We hear the word sex repeated over and over and a blade getting sharpened. Is this an allegory of the castrating aspect of the Christian religion?

Liturgy of 6 is the incantation and celebration of 6 in all its various forms - Sex, Sex, Sex (Two is Company, Three is an Orgy), Six, Six, Six…. (Satan takes a Holiday) And so on….

9. CCCP means USSR in Cyrillic alphabet, and you use the soviet anthem in your intro and outro. What are the links between USSR, sex and death?

Cocktails being a privilege of the rulers and the historical characteristic of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov (1890-1986), Carnage being the conduct of the Soviet Union through the reign of both Lenin and Stalin, Crucifixion being an opium for the people and what Communism hence tried to abolish, and Pornography being the product and financial contribution of contemporary Russia. Maybe somewhat unjust; but however a relatively vivid image not far from the truth.

10. The artwork of CCCP is absolutely fabulous, how did you choose it?

I extend my gratitude for your appreciation, especially as I am entirely responsible for the layout myself this time; photography, design etc., etc.

I wanted something new and improved, something which didn’t resemble the appearance of the previous ORE/OE releases, something which wasn’t a compromise relative to the lack of time and dedication; and Cocktails Carnage Crucifixion And Pornography was the outcome.

11. For ten years you have worked with CMI, what do you like in this label?

I appreciate the artistic freedom that CMI has to offer, and I appreciate the relationship between the label and the artists.

I am glad to be part of CMI, and despite our differences from time to time, I am quite content with my decision to remain.

12. What do you want to do in the next ten years?

I do not willingly plan that far ahead, but seek to get older and wiser….
I will try to continue my work, my journey towards perfection; to evolve and refine what I have accomplished so far, and hopefully manifest myself more regularly through the use of music, photography and video.