Polish Werewolf Promotion is one of my favorite labels. Its owner, Szymon, is a real hard worker, adequate (even this interview took him less than two weeks, which in my practice happens extremely rarely!), and absolutely not greedy person - always great to make trades with. While not every one of his many releases hits the spot, Werewolf Promotion has consistently put out good music, getting better every year. He is also an active supporter of Krywian scene. Through this interview, I want to draw your attention to his humble persona, who gave way to STWORZ, SEVEROTH, WĘDRUJĄCY WIATR and many other great bands.
Hello Szymon! Let’s start our conversation from the very roots of Werewolf Promotion. A desire to open the label is not the most popular thing among extreme metal people; usually, everyone wants to be the musician. When did you realize that you want to start your own label?
S: Hello! Generally, label started in first weeks of 2007. Earlier, in 2003 I released debut demo of my one-man project Ślęża, then during next few years I was involved in some local underground NS/Pagan activism. I wanted to return to music, but due some circumstances I wasn’t able to continue my project at that time, so to be still active within music I decided to start with label. I am a person who can’t stand stagnation, so new ideas come all the time.
What ideas, goals and purposes the newfound label had? How Werewolf Promotion get its name? Judging by promotion, one of your main goals was to promote the bands you found worthy. Did these goals, ideas and purposes change somehow after so many years?
S: Main idea was to release/promote worth and dedicated bands/projects, which generally didn’t change. To keep active and give small piece of myself into history as well.
Have you played / sang in any bands?
S: Yes, as I mentioned above, I released in 2003 a demotape of my project Ślęża – “Blask Gwiazdy Swaroga”, self-released. It was pretty poor and simple Pagan Black Metal with lyrics related to Slavic Faith, antichristianity, and obvious political things. Despite I tried few times, I still couldn’t continue it properly within almost 20 years, but hopefully it will finally happen some day. The name – Ślęża – was taken from the name of holy Mountain from my area, place of religious cult for all European tribes living here within the history.
What was your very first release? Was it hard to make it? When we were doing cassettes, it was fine, but when we released our first CD in early 2000s, my colleague had to take the train and travel more than 3000 kms to receive the print run himself, because the closest CD factory was in Russian Urals… Have you encountered with similar problems at the early stage?
S: First release was tape album from band of my friends from Wroclaw, Flame of War – “The Flames Are Rising”. It was not very hard at that time, but of course not as easy as digital myspace release which was already a trend at that moment. Still, blank cassettes were slowly removing from shops, so was hard to find them, anyway I was living in big city so that was yet not a big problem. However, I remember travelling by bicycle and big bag on my back, to bring hundreds of cassettes from wholesaler from far part of the city. But it’s nothing with Your story, he he. CD manufacturing was never a problem here, but tapes later completely disappeared from shops so only abroad wholesale was the way.
You have a lot of releases, do you remember them all?
S: Sure. When you are focused on the entire process, you can’t forget it. I think I can’t give you the full list now from the head of course, but looking at every release I can remember a story about it.
At the time when many labels completely abandoned cassette tapes (before the current trend), you were still releasing them, doing it with huge print runs – around 500 copies usually, if I am not mistaken. Why do you like cassettes so much? Do they really sell so well?
S: I was very big fanatic of tapes. I raised with them, and simply enjoyed them as a listener more than CD or other formats. When many people were abandoning them, as you say, I was still going this path, and before this current “tape trend” the sells were still very high. It’s always funny to hear about this current “tape trend” because it is only small part of tape market from years, let’s say, 2003-2013. Now they are mainly popular as expensive die-hard editions for collectors I would say. Of course now, I still sell tapes, but less than in past. Anyway, I decreased really much amount of tape releases during last years too. The fading interest of people except few fanatics, and I was also tired. Tape release eats much more time than CD release if you do it old-school way, and it wouldn’t be possible work properly having still so big focus on tapes. I release now many CDs and some vinyls, and people are much more interested in them, so sadly tapes are slowly but fading… Only some demos or special editions nowadays we release, from time to time.
Do you have other job, aside from label? Do you work alone at the label or there is someone to help?
S: Label is now, for many years, my only job. It’s not only job, but very big and important part of my life/ It’s connected with my personal views and interests too, so it’s perfect way. Generally, I work alone but my girlfriend helps me sometimes with some details – she works as handicraft, so most of special editions or die hards like wooden boxes etc are manufactured by her.
In my label work, I have to be quite flexible, otherwise we won’t survive, but there are still some fundamental “no-go” principles. For example, I will never sell leftist propaganda stuff, Christian metal or the Russian band Satarial (because it would be fucking disgrace). What are your no-go principles?
S: Of course, principles are mandatory, not to be just another shitty “fun-factory” music label which delivers entertainment to people, and which only count money and don’t care about the rest. Under the banner of Werewolf Promotion you will never see bands with leftist shit views, abrahamic religions believers, or dirty tribes members.
Sometimes, ideologically-driven artists tend to change their ideas. Sometimes, these changes are radical. You have people not just abandoning but completely betraying their views. Did you have such cases in your practice?
S: Of course, we all know such situations. Did I have such from people I ever worked with as a label? Honestly, I don’t recall now any situation like this… many people disappeared within all those years of course, but I don’t remember spectacular betrayals, and going to opposite side. More often just becoming “normal people” after fascination of extreme music disappeared. Well, of course, several people also became regular thieves, too…
What is your most commercially successful release? Less successful?
S: In purely commercial meaning, most successful releases were both Wedrujacy Wiatr albums. Well, less successful – I release underground Black Metal mostly, so there is really many “less successful” releases. But money is not our main goal when planning the release or signing the band – we released many albums without expectations of “high sales”, but because of true appreciation of musical, ideological and / or personal attitude of the artist.
The most expensive?
S: It’s in the factory now, should be ready in early 2022 max I believe, and will be really killer surprise I think.
Your favorite?
S: I don’t think I have a favorite release of Werewolf Promotion.
Is there any band / particular album that you dream to release?
S: Well, I never thought about that. I would more say it is about ambition, not dreaming, since I don’t like “dreaming” generally, I prefer acting. But I got your point. Well, I think to release new Burzum album as a main and exclusive label that would be the top, he he.
Your roster consists mostly of traditionalist and right-wing bands, sometimes openly NS. Did you have any problems because of that? All I can remember is that your Bandcamp page was wiped out about 2 years ago.
S: Some small issues happens from time to time… But it’s not a place I think to go into details. Luckily, really serious “big” problems were always out of our label. Regarding social media censorship, well, in our times it’s “popular” and will be increasing I think. Yes, bandcamp was deleted, as well as our over 10 years old facebook fanpage. But I don’t cry or care too much – social media profiles are tools, not goals. It’s just a waste of time to re-create them...
Generally, is it hard to make such business in Poland? What about the tax policy?
S: You really must work hard and with dedication. Werewolf Promotion is officially registered label, and tax policy in Poland is really shitty, as I know, one of the really worst in Europe. Taxes are high, and “social taxes” are pretty oppressive. From the other hand, having business on such level you can’t keep it “underground” and unregistered anymore because punishments for “illegal business” can be painful.
Unlike many so-called underground labels, you are still making trades, despite being busier than most of them. Do you feel trades are important thing for the underground?
S: Trades are cornerstone and the base of existence for underground labels, I would say. Yeah, there are a lot of labels with few shitty releases and “wholesale only” policy, but it really says a lot about them. I think it’s needless to say, that with trades you can spread releases wider, getting in exchange many interesting or good releases for own distribution or even yourself. But I think if you are focused on money only, you don’t care about that.
Do you encounter rip-offers often? Any names you want to mention?
S: Somehow during all those years, it happened I guess only 1-2 times only, but also because we avoid labels from circulating rip off lists. I think I don’t remember now the names, because it was in very early period of label.
When signing the band, what criteria do you seek? What happens more often – you make proposition to the band or vice versa?
S: Music, of course, but on the same level of importance is background behind the project. Ideology, attitude, lyrical themes etc. We will never release a band with music we may enjoy, but their message we can’t accept. Of course, not always we agree with 100% or share the same views, it’s normal, but there must be always some mutual aspects at least. We have our roster of bands we work with, so we usually don’t look for new deals, but they happen of course when it is good.
Do you make something else for your releases except just releasing them? I mean, designing them, mixing records, etc.
S: Yes, it often happens that I work on design – personally myself, or I arrange work of a designer who are friend of me and sometimes help as well. With purely musical/sound issues – I am not skilled there.
Top-5 of countries buying from you?
S: Besides Poland of course, it would be also Germany, France, U.S.A, and Canada, I think.
Last years, you started to release more stuff in digipacks. Before that, I can hardly remember this format with your logo on the back. What changed?
S: Yes, it’s true. Personally, I am not really big fan of digipacks, because I think they get destroyed easier and faster than classic jewel case. But I agree, they look great. Within many years I released only jewel cases, but I think it was rather coincidence – came from agreements with bands. But indeed, during last few years, the number of digipacks is very high – bands ask for them more than in past years, so I respect their requests. So, nothing I guess really happened, maybe just preferences from bands.
In 2019 and 2020 you released a few LPs, both independently and together with Wolfspell Records. What was this experience like? Are you satisfied with everything? Do you plan to release more vinyl records in the future (assuming that vinyl manufacturing will come back to normal)?
S: Yes, we started releasing vinyl not so long ago, actually pretty late, if you see how long the label exists. And we definitely plan more vinyl releases coming, even soon. Well, as for me, I like vinyl, but I am not this kind of fanatics who says that it’s best format and so on. But it’s definitely worth to release good albums on that format nowadays, even when big part of vinyl demand is just “trend” for some people around, who actually don’t listen to those records but it’s cool to have them for Instagram photo. Vinyl manufacturing problem lately is big problem, that’s another story, everything is very slow and getting more and more expensive during current crisis, so I think we can expect decrease the amount of vinyl releases around, I guess.
It seems that you always release few new albums on special days like summer solstice. Is there any particular reason for that (aside from being cool)?
S: Yes, I always do my best to make new releases out during some special time, it doesn’t have to be cosmos time – can be historical anniversary date, or so on. Symbols are important, and it is always good to add some special meaning to our works, I believe.
What is your opinion on current state of metal scene in Poland? Do you feel much support from your compatriots?
S: It’s very strong I think, as it has always been. Within the last decade (more or less), Black Metal has been infiltrated by more and more people who were never supposed to be a part of it. Hippies, tolerasts, leftists antifa supporters and so on. Of course, it was always a problem, but since around ten years it became a big problem. You can easyly find really many tolerant, hippie newcomers and neophytes who are ready to teach veterans what Black Metal is, and what is not, online of course. They are completely joke, and will fade away soon, as every trend in shitty, rich and “safe” societies. But besides them, and fake modern hipster “Black Metal” bands created for them, scene is strong and doesn’t seem it will change soon. Many great hordes, labels, zines and people. Ah well, almost forgot - and of course we have nergal – the biggest retard and idiot in entire metal scene in the world (I believe) – our jewel in crown!
What can you say about Belarusian scene? You are quite supportive to us. News about signing Pragnavit were unexpected but not surprising, because I know you like Pragnavit for many years now. You also released Kruk on tape. What other Belarusian bands do you like?
S: Since a teenager I was a fan of Eastern European Black Metal – Belarusian, Ukrainian, Russian and so on. Remember listening tapes of Kruk, Sturm, Apraxia, Pragnavit, Gateward or more from the ancient times – it was something completely different than popular Scandinavian bands, and as always in underground, there was a feeling that you listen to something “real”, in opposite to another Lord Belial or Setherial album. I am sure You know what I mean, when we say about times from 20 years ago. Now it’s great honor for me to work sometimes with people, who were inspiration for me when I was young. From more “new” bands I appreciate Krumkac really, Ulvkros is very good too. About Werewolf releases - I also worked with Piarevaracien and Zaklon albums from Belarus in last few years which was great honor, as well with Jar and Gnieu in more older times. Also, current logo of Werewolf, was created by Vietraslau from Gnieu, by the way.
If you could go back in time and give an advice to younger self, what would you say?
S: To make several decisions sooner than later.
What are your plans for nearest future?
S: Huh, there are some good things coming, but since they are officially behind the curtain yet, let me keep that in secret, but you will know soon!
Uh, I think that’s it. Thank you for your time and work! If you have something to add, don’t be shy.
S: Thank you too for interview, and good interesting questions. Keep strong in those hard times! With Gods.
http://www.werewolf-promotion.pl/
English (UK) 
Крыўская