Bathory... sellout?

[Jim LotFP]

Why is it that since leaving the style behind the first time, Bathory releases the 'Viking' theme album after trying and failing to get away from it?

Requiem and Octagon weren't received too well? BLOOD ON ICE!

Destroyer of Worlds didn't rack up the sales? NORDLAND... IN TWO PARTS!

Seems pretty insincere to me.

 

[NapalmForLunch]

no i dont think so

 

[Ormir]

The songs on Blood on Ice had been recorded in the early 90's, in his Viking period, not after the failure of his hockey and motorcycles albums. Quorthon got thousands of letters from fans pleading for him to release them as an album. He seems to care a lot about what his fans think, so it's only natural he would have released them.

Quorthon hasn't worked a day in his life, because he is living comfortably off the sales of his old albums. He isn't dependant on the sales of the new records, and really doesn't need to write anything new, as he doesn't tour either. Further, the sales of his albums have shrunk by so much the financial benefit of releasing anything new is minimal. Quorthon seems quite sensitive to the opinions of his fans though, and Nordland feels more like a service to them. Since this is the best material he has written in 10 years, I'm not complaining.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Originally posted by Ormir
The songs on Blood on Ice had been recorded in the early 90's, in his Viking period, not after the failure of his hockey and motorcycles albums. Quorthon got thousands of letters from fans pleading for him to release them as an album. He seems to care a lot about what his fans think, so it's only natural he would have released them.

Has there been any verification of any of this besides what's come out of Quorthon's mouth in interviews? From the things he says in interviews, Quorthon seems to be the kind of guy that if he told me water is wet, I'd want to stick my hand in just to make sure it is so.

 

[Ormir]

Originally posted by Jim LotFP
Has there been any verification of any of this besides what's come out of Quorthon's mouth in interviews? From the things he says in interviews, Quorthon seems to be the kind of guy that if he told me water is wet, I'd want to stick my hand in just to make sure it is so.

Small mistake there, I meant to write 80's, not 90's. It was common knowledge that he recorded a full Viking album, but it was never released. This was a topic of discussion among his fan community for years, and people were constantly nagging on Quorthon to have it released. He gave in when BoI was released in 1996. The album was salvaged from old tapes, and the sound quality speaks for this. There are also liner notes explaining how he pieced together the album.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Quorthon always did what he wanted, not what his fans wanted...his personal albums are both two total shit ....he didnt care about it ...destroyer of the worlds has some epic songs..not in the quality of the ones in nordland of course ...
when he made hammerheart he definetaly lost some fans ...but he made that epic "experiment" he didnt cared if they will like it or not ...
quorthon is god \m/

 

[J.]

he didn't sell out. that's just dumb

 

[no country for old wainds]

"Selling out..."

If the music's still good, who the hell cares? And if it's shite, it's shite, whether they sold out or not.

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Well, I don't see how someone could possibly "sell out" by releasing a Viking metal album that will be LUCKY to sell 50,000 copies worldwide.

We're not talking Metallica's 'The Black Album' here.

 

[Bodylouseuk]

Originally posted by markgugs
Well, I don't see how someone could possibly "sell out" by releasing a Viking metal album that will be LUCKY to sell 50,000 copies worldwide.

We're not talking Metallica's 'The Black Album' here.

I agree, the sense of desolation I felt after hearing The Black Album has never been matched.......

Nordland will will my next purchase....

 

[Onde Erik]

Originally posted by IOfTheStorm
Quorthon always did what he wanted, not what his fans wanted...his personal albums are both two total shit ....he didnt care about it ...destroyer of the worlds has some epic songs..not in the quality of the ones in nordland of course ...
when he made hammerheart he definetaly lost some fans ...but he made that epic "experiment" he didnt cared if they will like it or not ...
quorthon is god \m/

"What I think doesn't matter. The fans are the ones deciding what our records will sound like..."

Excerpt from an interview with Quorthon in Sweden Rock Magazine, rough translation by me.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

i can find quorthon interviews that say "i do what i want "
the biggest proof of this is the whole change of his music from black/thrash metal to epic metal ....how many fans liked it then ?

 

[Soilent Goat]

Is there any relevancy in bitching these days about Bathory? They gave us Blood Fire Death and several other wailing black metal classics. So what the hell if Quorthon decides to experiment with 'Viking' it's not going to make a damn bit of difference anyway..nor is there a huge difference between the styles.