Interview with Fenriz of Darkthrone 2006

By Bradley Smith

Firstly I want to say that A Blaze in the Northern Sky changed my life and for this I am eternally grateful to Darkthrone.  Enough about that though and on to the Cult is Alive.  What a hammer in the face of music that lacks the spirit of metal in all its forms.  You guys must be pretty proud of this album.  How do you view this album in regards to its contemporary musical landscape and also compared to your own back catalog?(this may be a little boring I know)

I think we are best when we are chopping up some fresh wood, so to say - and that we did with this THE CULT IS ALIVE album. hotdogs and overlords, oh yeah (thanxx Grutle hahaha).

I like that we made something that doesn't really sound like most albums these days, at least production wise...it takes some guts to just let everything happen by itself, we don't try to control much in a studio situation - I think controlling nature is Christian, hehe.

I know you guys are already working on the new album you have titled “Fuck off and Die.”  How far along are you guys in this process?  I have heard you have recorded two songs already including “Raised on Rock” and “Canadian Metal.”  I know it is early but when are you planning on unleashing this upon us?

Yeah, I have to say that we usually just make music - it seems like albums to all of you guys, but for us it's been a long TUBE of songs, really. so those 2 songs were recorded before THE CULT IS ALIVE was even out. next album FUCK OFF AND DIE is scheduled for autumn 2007.

I have heard Canadian Metal is the title of one of those songs and it represents a tribute to the great bands of the past from Canada?  Who in particular are you referring to?  Slaughter, Voivod, etc.?  Why Canada as opposed to any other place that metal thrived?

Canada bridged the USA thrash style with the European thrash style - so many of their bands sounds kinda timeless - but those are just a few of them. of course my song Canadian Metal is not Canadian metal, but the lyrics hail various songs from bands like PILEDRIVER, OBLIVION (obliveon), SACRIFICE, SLAUGHTER, CELINE DION etc

Thrash seems to be making a huge revival these days both in the reuniting of older bands such as Nuclear Assault and Assassin as well as the birth of new bands that incorporate thrash in their sounds such as Old and Audiopain.  Why do you think the time is right for this to occur and what do you think of these old bands getting back together?

Revival? when I saw what started happening to black metal, I started thrashing on a constant basis again in 94, and so did bands like INFERNÖ and AURA NOIR - and I am SOOOO pissed off with all the "scene" people that dissed this retro thrash style - cuz the "scene" fucking needed it! some of the best thrash there is has been made by these 2 bands.

Enough with that. reunions is not my thing. why I think many does this now? hmm, Audiopain has been thrashing since 98, man. but ok, musical trends often follow ca 20 year cycles. so you do the math, y'all...

You are widely considered an expert in thrash metal.  There are so many bands out there that get lost in the in the deluge of bands.  What are some of the bands you consider the hidden Gems?  Some of the ones I feel merit attention are Ulysses Siren, Violent Force, Sentinel Beast, and Sextrash.  

I don't even WANT to be a thrash expert, trying to be too much into one music style barely brings bounty in the long run. hmmm, bought some bounty chocolate in the shop a couple of hours ago, feeling a certain craving now...

I just discovered VIOLENT FORCE last year cuz of Oscar in OLD and i have to say it's FANTASTIC. psychodeath lunatics demo of French MUTILATED is perhaps not known to everyone, it's damn good! morbid saint had a fantastic album out called SPECTRUM OF DEATH in 90 or 91 if I remember correctly, my friend from France Thomas fixed me up with that orgasmic album.

but my die hard favourites are ENGLISH DOGS with their FORWARD INTO BATTLE and WHERE LEGEND BEGAN albums. #DROOL#

Some time ago you said you were going back and discovering old bands that you missed the first time around.  I have been doing the same thing for awhile now too mainly in the thrash genre.  What are some of the better bands you came across during this listening voyage?

Arrrgh, the ones I mentioned, plus VULCANO (thanx Infernus), THRUST, HOLY TERROR, HALLOWs EVE, but there are too many too mentioned, i got into 60 albums of 70s stuff so far this year, plus all the punk/crust stuff and all the musical styles I like (going back to the 40s, 30s). so I like to know a little of a lot, and not a lot of ONE thing.

I'd rather listen to the 1st METAL CHURCH  than most else, though

There has been a lot of talk that I have read where some people are talking about your music saying that punk doesn’t belong in black metal.  Don’t you think it is ironic they would say that since most of these people worship Bathory and their early albums have a bunch of influence from GBH in them?

Sepultura worshipped DISCHARGE, SLAYER liked A LOT of punk, VENOM crazy with punk, Metallica huge MISFITS fans, Iron Maiden started out with A LOT of punk in their sound.

I think this discussion will end here.  I am D I S G U S T E D of the lack of historic knowledge and general understanding of certain people.

I know this is kind of mundane but why don’t you make Melodic Riffs anymore?  And I am not really talking specifically about Transilvanian Hunger, I am referring to stuff like the closing riff on Earth’s Last Picture or some of those haunting riffs from Kathaarian Life Code.  Incidentally you have said that when it comes to your music you have favorite riffs instead of favorite songs.  Some of my favorite riffs you guys did were the above mentioned riff in Earth’s Last Picture and the middle riff in Pagan Winter.  What are some of your favorite riffs?

The mid paced one in the 5th or 6th song on Tanzanian hunger, the first time we change tempo on that album. a very NON-MELODIC riff, by the way.

Melody was what destroyed the strong style of black metal.

In a recent interview you made an interesting statement where you said all humans are Spiritual and said in one way or another that those “gut feelings” that people have are a manifestation of this.  But don’t you feel there is a difference between adhering to a religion such as Xtianity or Islam and the belief in something outside of ourselves?  And you can be opposed to religion but still believe in a god can’t you?

I think this subject is too melodical. i just returned from hours in the forest as usual, and that is plenty for me.

I don’t really want to interpret your lyrics since that is an individual issue, but based on certain songs like Hordes of Nebulah and Neptune Towers as well as your project Neptune Towers it seems like you have an affinity for the vast void and cold of Deep Space?  Is this true and can you expand on this theme and its meaning to you?

Been there, done that. when I've been in the zone, the results are left for others to ponder.  I always move on, onwards hail. 

It seems to me that a good sense of humor is overlooked and disdained by a lot of people who listen to extreme metal.  Do you think these guys take themselves far too seriously?  I mean a sharp wit can be more effective than a thousand evil corpse paint pictures.  heh heh.

Oh yeah?! oh yeah?! shall we take it outside?!!(Cartman-voice). hehe, no, I think angry attitudes in interviews are far and few between, I actually contacted Phillipine band KRATORNAS because he had a vicious enough attitude for me. very pleasing to read people who attack "journalists", you know - let me have at least THAT guilty pleasure PLEASE, huh huh.

My circle of buddies ALL have a lot of humour - I have EXTREMELY LOW INTEREST to have boring people around me - and believe me, people bore me on a constant basis. 

You have made a bunch of anti-Fan comments lately.  I know you have some pretty rabid fans who get Darkthrone related tattoos and make tribute websites and such.  That obviously can have a negative affect on your wanting to deal with people.  What do you think motivates these people and how do you deal with it?

How do I deal with a stalker who for instance impostors me and makes a MYSPACE site and everyone think it is me but it isn't me? I am in the forest while all the people read that crap. that's what I do.

and I make new music and lyrics fuelled by my hatred to these acts.

I have lot of musically related tattooed myself, like the REPULSION logo - but that doesn't mean I have to contact those guys, y'know.  I just dig their music.

Tyrant Syndicate’s latest signing Old is a killer blend of thrash and black metal as well as having an old school attitude.  Sindre(of Obliteration) told me that you DJ’ed Old’s recent gig with Obliteration and Warbastard in Norway.  How was that concert and when can we expect Old’s album to be released?

The gig was AWESOME, and for me it was great because people couldn't really contact me behind the DJ booth and I had a bad cold so I could just say that unless they wanted to become sick they shouldn't talk to me. and it was true, and that was perfect cuz I don't really lie.

OLD "down with the nails" album will be out in August, extremely anti-trend style and lo-fi as fuck.  j-lo fi HAHAHAHA

Last words?  DIE HARD!!!!!!

there, there.

Support REAL METAL! DERKETA! DR SHRINKER! DREAM DEATH! MANILLA ROAD! WARFARE! PENTAGRAM! AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!

(to my knowledge all photos by Metalion)