Along the shores of Bathory and Celtic Frost we bring you the best (Black Metal) band ever to appear in this dimension. No need to introduce the excellent Darkthrone it should be, but we do it anyway! Being the premier leaders of what we can call Northern Black Metal they have released such gruesomely grim and blackened album’s which will forever stand as monument’s of an immortal heritage. From “Soulside Journey” to their last effort “Total Death”, Darkthrone have always been there at the top transforming their power and pleasure for all of us to enjoy in a neverending manner. “A Blaze in the Northern Sky”, “Under a Funeral Moon” and “Transilvanian Hunger” are the unholy trinity three titles forever. What would Black Metal have been without this band, we can ask! We bring you with pleasure Darkthrone, and Darkthrone brings us Fenris!
Your album “Total Death” is now available and how do you feel about this album compared to how you have felt about previous album’s at this state of time?
I don’t know, I guess with more and more releases one tends to feel a bit numb. The actual making of the album is more exciting than seeing it released.
With “Total Death” you broke a Darkthrone tradition with each of the members on the cover. Was there any special reason for that? And at the same time, do you have a favorite Darkthrone cover?
I have no idea, Nocturno Culto decided everything on the cover. I never thought about having a fave Darkthrone cover, but the “A Blaze in the Northern Sky” cover is brilliant.
You played a historic gig in Oslo on April 6 after years of no live appearance at all. What made you finally enter a stage for an audience?
Nocturno Culto made me. I did it only for Nocturno Culto. I still hate live shows.
Did this gig make you want to repeat such a performance or was it definitely a one time experience? Do you have any kind of reaction towards those who attended that gig?
I don’t know. It’s supposed to be our last gig. I did a great job, no playing mistakes, I was totally dedicated and aggressive. I’d been rehearsing for month’s only to play this one gig. I sat backstage with 13:50 to 23:30 without drinking beer (in order to play well) and the audience looked really lame. I wonder why, I have no explanation.
Now as Zephyrous is no longer a member of Darkthrone you used Satyr as a session musician on the gig you had?
Yes, it’s a quite unique situation as Zephyrous has not quit, neither did we fire him. It’s a case of very slowly fading away. We used Satyr on the gig because why not, you know. He was there and Satyr agreed to do it.
How do you look upon a musical development for Darkthrone. Will it happen do you think and if so in what direction?
Aahhhrrgh, no musical development! Black fuckin Metal! Maybe I’ll throw in some old Blackthrashing riffs in newer songs but that’s all.
Referring to the lyric to “Du som hater Gud” from Satyricon’s “Nemesis Divina”, how does it feel when others perform something you have expressed?
Nocturno Culto has always performed what I’ve written, so when Satyr does it, it doesn’t feel much different, but it’s great that Satyr wanted me to do this lyric for Satyricon.
Many of the fans Darkthrone have gained have a great interest in knowing as much about you as possible. How do you like that? Do you wish they respected you with more privacy or don’t you mind at all?
They can’t possibly know half of what’s been going on. I don’t mind at all though.
Could you have put Darkthrone away if you had wanted to or is it such a major part of you that it is impossible?
Again I will have to say I don’t know because I would have to try to ditch Darkthrone before I could say it was possible. Anyway, if it could be done Darkthrone would still be my reference and a big part of my life forever. Darkthrone is my pride.
How is your backcatalog selling and how do you look upon “Soulside Journey” these days?
The previous albums are selling fairly well, Music For Nations are selling ‘em nowadays. I still like ‘Soulside Journey’, it’s Satanic but not Black Metal at all, as we know.
“Look out for imitations” has been an expression bands have used almost frequently during years, but if there are some bands who deserve to use that expression it must surely be Darkthrone and Bathory. How does it feel being the Black Metal kings of Norway while others imagine they are, as well as being the key inspiration to alot of the newer bands, both musically and lyrically, without getting almost any kind of credit for it?
I never said ‘look out for imitations’. Darkthrone is not original, we’re influenced by Bathory & Celtic Frost and we never denied it. I’m used to not getting credit or being ignored, I don’t expect too much, but on the other hand Darkthrone has got their fair share of publicity in the underground.
One thing today is that some repetively claim to have weakness, but still playing in a band without any musical gifts or skills. Do you have any reactions towards these people who are contradictive and who do not have the skill to see that weakness also is to not know your own limitations?
No. Not knowing your limitations is very embarrassing, but ‘everyone’ knows that, right? I’d rather use my energy on hating people who always goes to ‘Syden’.
What does Fenris think about the position Black Metal has got nowadays? What is good and what is not?
Hmm. I always say the bigger Antichristian Horde the better, but it’s important that we don’t let idiots speak too loud. This is obvious. Somebody might think I’m one of these idiots, you know every case has at least two sides to it. The whole Black Metal idea is, for me, contradictive since I sometimes want to be obscure as hell, and sometimes I want to spread the Satanic message to get to most possible people.
“Goatlord” will most possibly be Darkthrone’s next release. For those who are not familiar with this album would you care to say some words? How do you think the people who only like Black Metal will react to such a good album when they don’t have the presumption a general base?
“I haven’t thought about how Black metal people will react. People in general will probably moan about the sound; the usual wimps I guess. It’s dark Death Metal, when it will be released? I haven’t thought of that.
Any last message?
Thanx for interviewing me in the best Black Metal magazine I’ve read. (you are more than superwelcome. ED)