JayKeeley
Be still, O wand'rer!
J. said:
Fenriz Presents... interview with Erik....ok here then:
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: This here Peaceville promo sheet tells me that you have commented a bit on each track, its impact on black metal etc, in the album booklet, but unfortunately they didn't include the actual booklet with the promo, so I'd like to ask you a couple of things about certain tracks on the album if that's OK...[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]MERCYFUL FATE "Evil" -- I take it you subscribe to the opinion that Mercyful Fate is in fact a black metal band despite their musical differences to stuff like BATHORY or SODOM, then?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: No, it's not BLACK and white - it never was in the 80s. one just reached out for the darkest metal there was, and when asked about what this style should be called, it was natural to call it BLACK METAL. The compilation is also VERY true to what we Norwegians listened to and were inspired by in the early 90s, but we also listened to WHEN "the black death" or DIAMANDA GALAS for inspiration. Or MUNCH or CHRISTIAN DEATH... [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: TORMENTOR "Elizabeth Bathori" -- sadly overlooked band. I like how they're able to incorporate all sorts of melodic solos and plenty of keyboards and still have it sound so black and sinister... Listening to this the other day I realized how much of an influence this must have had on bands like DIMMU BORGIR, for better or for worse... Any thoughts?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: Of course, I agree, but remember that in the beginning (reh. demos) DIMMU BORGIR was a band that played a lot on MELANCHOLY and SADNESS, which is archetypcal of the 90s sound, not the 80s sound. I supported dimmu borgir a lot in 94, but their style became a bit too polished for me. I still dig their first rehearsals! [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] E: DESTRUCTION "Curse the Gods" -- while this is a fucking killer song, of course, I was a bit surprised to see that you included a song from "Eternal Devastation" instead of one from "Sentence of Death" or "Infernal Overkill" which are arguably a little bit more raw and blackened...[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: Quite correct, but I needed the BALANCE. I have heard HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of compilations, and i've been dj'ing quite a lot myself, and i thought picking a song from "Eternal Devastation" would freshen up a HENGEMYR of darkness, but I find a lot of BM strength in ALL 3 first DESTRUCTION releases. and the intro is FABULOUS. I also enjoy doing a "mistake" like that, so people will find it ODD - perhaps PROVOKING, even.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: SAMAEL "Into the Pentagram" -- this is also one of those bands which are so overlooked, I mean the "Worship Him" LP came in 1990 and was very dark and sinister for the time, but you hardly ever hear anyone speak of early SAMAEL as an important influence on black metal... Isn't that a bit strange?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: They were VERY important in the scene 87-91, cuz together with for instance TREBLINKA and MAYHEM, they were one of the only bands to keep BLACK METAL hermetic and fresh at a time when an entire metal scene wanted to leave black metal out in the sun to DECOMPOSE. The way I see it, DARKTHRONE was one of those bands who continued to carry the torch of black metal after SAMAEL's first releases.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: BURZUM "Ea, Lord of the Deeps" -- BURZUM doesn't usually appear on compilations, and as we know Varg himself has totally distanced himself from everything black metal related, but apparently you got permission from him to include this track on the comp. How did that go about? I assume he's at least aware of how important his work has become as inspiration for more recent BM (and probably directly responsible for the whole NSBM movement..?)[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: He knew he was important in 91 already, because I TOLD HIM he was, and he KNEW that he had power and magic. We quickly acknowledged each others importance in the scene at the time - only he wanted to move on. I did not have plans to move on, I had found something VERY worthwile. we always had maximum respect, i guess it is therefore he KNEW what compilation to say YES to and to those who say NO to...[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: BATHORY "Dies Irae" -- killer track, not much more to say... Just wondering what your thoughts are on Quorthon's recent passing? What did you think of his post-"Blood Fire Death" work?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: I was lucky enough to discover the magic of the first 6 works of Quorthon. He is and was the most important person in black metal. He bridged rock n' roll black metal with more majestic dramatic vibes. Fucking HAILS!!! As you see, I also enjoy his HAMMERHEART and TWILIGHT OF THE GODS albums.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: You included both CELTIC FROST and HELLHAMMER -- what do you think each of these projects brought to black metal that was unique?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: The RIFFING, the FEELING, and the preservation of PUNK in the metal style. People say DARKTHRONE is punkish - perhaps because we are insppired by the Morbid Tales abum - and HELLHAMMER as a whole.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: How did you decide to include the two newer bands, NATTEFROST and AURA NOIR? What other good, recent bands do you feel stay true to the spirit of old-school BM? NIFELHEIM comes to mind...[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: I constantly reply NIFELHEIM when people ask me this question, yes. NATTEFROST was a very obvious choice, as that solo album sounds more old school than old school itself. Also drum machine PLAYED not programmed - genious. The AURA NOIR song has been a black metal fave of mine for a long time, also an easy choice. I included a couple of new songs to prove that people are still around who are true to the ancient black matal sound - TODAY. IT IS POSSIBLE. Other bands are OLD (germany), SARCOMA INC, URGEHAL, IMPIETY and many many many others... ORCUSTUS...[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: I read a really old interview with you quite some time ago, and in it you stated that your favourite three LP's of all time were BATHORY - Blood Fire Death, DESTRUCTION - Eternal Devastation and CELTIC FROST - To Mega Therion. I notice that there are tracks from all of these three on the comp... So does this statement of yours still apply?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: CELTIC FROST is even better now!!! But 3 fave albums-questions are SOOO populistic. I might have said it because I was asked - or, to MAKE A POINT.[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]E: While I have to commend the great song choices, I assume there are some bands you would have wanted to include but couldn't, for length or licensing concerns, or whatever... Any in particular you would care to mention?[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]F: Not really, but you seem truly interested so I can say that osmose didn't go along with having IMMORTAL on the comp (would have been the UNHOLY FORCES OF EVIL "7 version). We couldn't get a hold of the band GOATLORD (the track THE FOG is amazing!) and POSSESSED is SHIELDED by Larry Lalonde, i think - he wants to deny his past or something. There are MANY demo bands I would want to put on a compilation, but they seem to be ULTRA HARD to track down. Sad.
[/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/font]
You really hate Bathory, don't you?
