Lithuania's OBTEST have been making a name for themselves in the Pagan Metal community for the last several years with their unique take on speedy Melodic Death Metal. With lyrics sung in their native language, they take great pride in their ethnic and cultural heritage without crossing into the fascist politics of National Socialism. OBTEST made their debut North American appearance this past January at Heathen Crusade II and Metaleater was there to talk to them.

First of all, how did you like your first U.S. show?

"We liked it very well because the audience was really hot and... actually, we expected... we had nothing to expect, 'cause it’s a very remote and different land, but our expectations weren't too good, you know. We enjoyed the show, really and the audience and the organization of all the festival in general."

Alright, for those who are unfamiliar with the band, tell us about the lyrical themes and why they are important to the band.

"Lyrics, lyrics... actually, the term for the style we're playing is mostly Pagan Metal or Heathen Metal. It describes more than just the music, you know, because lyrics are very important because it brings a very strong charge of energy and of ideology of expression and that is very important. Our lyrics are written in our native language. We get a lot of questions from all around the world, like 'why you don't sing in English?', for example, because it’s so popular in the whole world."

You’re not from an English speaking country, so why would you?

"Yes. We make our best, we make all translations of our lyrics so everyone could understand them and our position is that the language which you think, you know, is the best way to express your thoughts, so we're thinking in our native language and the lyrical contents, it's filled with historical, mythological things of our lands, of our surroundings, of our history. So Lithuania was the last country to face the Christianity, for example. It happened six hundred years ago, officially and actually it had been Pagan spirit, Pagan beliefs were alive before more three hundred years and it has a very deep mark in the consciousness of nowadays people in our country. It is very good material for a scientist who are working on a lot of things like mythology and different old stuff, so we sing about our world view, you know?"

What are the plans for the next album?

"The plans are to record the album, to make it and to materialize it into a musical format, so the songs are in process, in progress, and... uh... sorry for bad English."

It's okay.

"We have a couple of new songs which are now in progress, which have to be finished in some places and I think this Spring, we will record a new album, which will be released in September of this year."

Are there any plans to compile and re-release the various demos and EP's the band has recorded over the years?

"We just re-released our demo from the year of 1995 and it’s released on the vinyl, as well, so we have a couple of seven-inches, but principally, we will not make them on CD, because we are fans of vinyl."

Have there been any picture discs, aside from the reissue of the first album?

"We have two seven-inches – one is containing songs from our second album and one is an exclusive seven-inch, which released in memory of Lord Dominus from the Lithuanian band ANUBI and also principally, it will not be reissued on any other format."

What is the Lithuanian Metal scene like?

"You know, now it feels some rebirth. We have a couple of promising bands, but, you know... talking about the scene in general, so it lacks a lot of things now and... I don't know. People are afraid to express themselves entirely. They are afraid to make something new or something at all, because we have a couple of bands who are no more than clones of well-known bands, you know, from abroad and they tried to make something like this, so that's the problem, I think." [FIN]