Interview with Stian of Devil 2011

By Bradley Smith

Your new album Time To Repent has been released and it is a hammer of old school occult rock/doom.  What does the album mean to you and how did you guys go about constructing and recording it?  How would you say it is a progression over the demo?  And which song would you say best represents Devil and why?

First of all, thanks for your nice words on the album! The album is of course very special to us, as it is the first DEVIL full length. It is also the release for me that I feel that most of my soul is in, and that captures my own (Stian) musical side best. I think it’s pretty much the same, but more, as the demo. Some metal, some blues, some catchy, some repetitive, but all heavy rock. I don’t know how to pick one song, but if you force me, I’ll go with “Time To Repent”. It has both rock n roll, doom, metal and those trademark catchy melodies, and a distinctive old school feel. And it has been with us almost the whole time, and has been used as a set closer live. So it is quite central in our works so far. But I also would have to mention “Howling (At the World)” which is a freaky little thing. Theatrical, strange, yet very accessible. Actually I was kinda blown away when I spent some couch time yesterday watching “The Wolf Man” with Lon Chaney jr. (in the movie, not on my couch), and the whole setting and story of the movie made me think of Howling all the time.  Even though Howling isn’t about werewolves literally, I found the mood to be identical. A great moment for me!

I know in general Devil doesn’t really jam together due to geography and schedules.  How do you feel that affects your songwriting as a band?  What different styles and moods does each member bring to the songwriting process? 

Not due to geography, we all live close to each other. But schedules are tight, that’s damned sure! We’ll probably get more time to jam out stuff now, when this album is out and we have a more quiet period. Rehearsing for the second album and making a common effort to write even more songs in the rehearsal room will be nice. As for what we bring to the table, it differs. But I guess I’m the one who’s most eager to have the classic rock touch in mind, Thomas is the master of most of the catchy melody lines, and Kai likes to do the weird stuff and fillings. Also we like to use Ronny on chorus, cause he has an insane voice and no boundaries whatsoever. Joakim, being the new guy playing in band, is a great quality control for all of us, and takes care of more and more of the lyrics. I think it’s a fine blend all together.

It seems there are Themes in Devil’s Imagery and lyrics that sort of hearken back to the 70s era horror/coven movies and even have a slant towards LaVey’s Church of Satan.  Where do you draw your inspiration for such imagery and how do you work these aesthetics into the lyrics?  Are there any particular movies of poems that stand above the rest?   And why do women play such a prominent role in the lyrics?

I agree on your view, but it really hasn’t been much on purpose. We do watch the occasional horror movie, of course, but we are by no means movie geeks. However we draw some graphic inspiration of classic stuff, but it’s no rule that it should be horror related. I think Easy Rider or The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is visually just as interesting for a band like DEVIL. LaVey’s Church of Satan is of no particular interest to us. Women, on the other hand, are! I think rock ‘n’ roll nowadays takes too little notice of this amazing being. The only ones that seems to care is rap musicians, and we don’t like that view on the female gender. A lot of DEVIL’s stuff is an ode to the woman.

I would say that it appears the time is right in the underground for a rebirth of Occult rock.  Some bands with similar feelings and moods are starting to make waves such as Ghost and The Devil’s Blood.  I know that a full blown movement hasn’t gained a foothold yet but can you see it coming?  Why is there this constant need for regression within the metal scene?  And where does Devil fit in, if anyplace at all?

I don’t think the need for regression is something only the metal scene has. Many artists and genres move back to their roots every now and then. It’s more about finding our roots than being regressive or retro. Those have become so negative words. We like to think of ourselves more like archeologists than grave robbers. We’re the INDIANA JONES OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, haha! I think DEVIL fits in nicely. We are the missing link between rock and metal, without being a proto metal band. But of course a lot of kids gonna be disappointed if they think we’re some occult ceremony worshippers of ze occvlt. Fuck that. We’re in it for the fun and the music. And we’re not gonna change that.

Recently Devil hit the stage to close out the Hole In The Sky festival.  How did it feel to be on the stage for the final festival?  Are you going to miss that event?  What did HITS mean to you and Norway’s metal community?

It felt great, and of course a bit sad at the same time. HitS has been the biggest meeting place for “our” people in Norway. Fans of old heavy metal, extreme metal and everything between, but without the glossy shit that you see on places that has Cradle of Filth and such bands. It’s been an important festival that not only has brought us big and classic gigs, but also been a great promoter for the underground in Norway. Hopefully it will be revived at some point.

I read that you didn’t think the audiences in England liked you on your tour with Electric Wizard.  Why do you think that?  And how was it touring with a band with such a large and devoted following?  It seems like audience might be pretty closed minded to anyone who is NOT Electric Wizard.  Heh heh.

I think ElWiz has some of the most dedicated fans you can find. And that figures, they’re quite dedicated themselves too. But as you mention, I don’t think people had heard us, I don’t think they were prepared for a band not as doomy as expected for this slot, and above all, I don’t think we were properly prepared either. But for the last shows we’d gotten the routine and our shit together, so I think we went out with a bang. Also, I must say that it’s obvious that people think we’ve gotten to the main course FAR too easy, and that’s hard to swallow. But we like to give away things that are hard to swallow, so people should run or open their mouths. HAHA! That’s the most disgusting thing I ever wrote. Good!

So there are only two things in life worth that make it worth living, one of which is a guitar that tunes good.  What do you mean by that?  I mean which guitar are you referring to?  And surely there must be other things that make you want to continue dwelling here on earth with the rest of us! 

That’s the opening line from Waylon Jennings’ “Luckenbach, Texas”. People probably don’t know this, but I’m a huge country and western fan as well.  And it’s a good quote. If you can combine entertainment and love, you’ve come a far way. Luckily I’ve been able to manage that. I have other interests too, of course, but if I can choose two things to do forever, it would be living the rock ‘n’ roll life and share that and everything else with my wife. I’m a simple man.

As you are getting up there in years, do you think your age gives you a different perspective to all these youngsters out there discovering this style for the first time?  I mean you were probably raised on CCR, The Eagles, The Doors and so forth, so it likely had a different influence on you than a lot of the younger generation. 

No doubt about it! Even though I was born a little too late to catch CCR and the other classics back then, it was this kind of music I found in my uncles tape collections. I don’t know if my age gives me a different perspective, but it has over the years taught me to pay less attention to what everyone else thinks. If I was 20 today, I would probably too make my want list based on the Darkthrone blog, but I’m too old for that. Instead I use Youtube. I can sit for hours, using the suggestions they bring up based on an initial Pat Travers video, for instance. Not a bad word about Darkthrone, they’re great guys as you know, and make terrific music. But I find it quite depressive that they are almost FEARED in certain circles, and in Norway too, kids only piss and eat when they are told to.

You and Ronny put together the Metal Merchants festival there in Norway.  How did that start?  It seems like your focus is a more old school set of bands, is this true and what are some of your favorite performers you have had there?  How did Pentagram’s performance at Metal Merchants influence the formation of Devil?

That started EXACTLY like DEVIL, with me and Ronny having some beers and deciding we’re still stupid after all these years, and kicking off another doomed project, in order to get bands here that we wanted to see ourselves. It turned out quite good, however, and even though we’re putting it on hold for now, it has been an amazing experience. I don’t know what to say about the gigs, because there has been so many great ones. But of course some moments deserves mentioning: Seeing Dan Beehler screaming behind his kit on the old Exciter classics, the last ever Warning concert (we knew, but Pat didn’t want to announce it as that), In Solitude playing their TWTFTD songs live for the first time since recording them, etc. The list goes on and on.

So what are some of your Upcoming plans for Devil?  What about the other projects the bands members are involved in such as Faustcoven and Vesen?  Any new material coming our way or any tours planned?

As for DEVIL, we’re doing our last shows for 2011 these days; Southern Discomfort, Til Dovre Faller (Check out the billing on that one! Jeezus) and Hammer of Doom 6. In between we’re rehearsing for the second album and writing some new stuff. Bur we’re very impatient, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we suddenly announce a new EP or something. As for the other bands, Vesen just released their new album “Goat Carcass Rising” which is a VERY good thrash metal album. It’s a disgrace and humiliation for mankind that no one seems to know about this one. It’s so much better than everything else they’ve done that people missing out should be ashamed. Faustcoven is in the finishing stages of recording the third album now, “Hellfire and Funeral Bells”. I am not involved in the creative process in Faustcoven, but I will be hearing the album this weekend, and I’m looking very much forward to it. Touring for DEVIL is not planned as for now, we’ll see if something happens. We’re in no rush when it comes to touring. We like to do festivals, but it means more time to drink, meet people and see other bands.

I’ll leave any final words to you, so get our blood boiling with words of arcane metal wisdom!!!

All hails to Nocturnal Cult for taking their time. It’s an honour to be a part of one of the top underground sites on the web, and that’s not something I just say. Keep up the good work! And to all the readers; Hope you like the album! Or I’ll tell Fenriz you listen to Slipknot!