Interview with Cato Bekkevold from Enslaved 2004

By Bradley Smith

First I must say that you guys continue to amaze me with each musical achievement you release.  Isa is another great album that expands and broadens your previously set musical boundaries.  Can you tell us a little about the creative process behind this album?

Thanks for the good words! c”,)

Ivar made the basic songs over a period of about six months. Because of lack of time we didn’t have much time to rehearse, so I was given the rythmguitars and a clicktrack to record the drums. It was pretty much a jamsession, as I didn’t have too many ideas of how to lay the drums, and I was tired as hell during the recording. The other guys added their instruments when they had time to. The guest-artists added their contributions during the Hole in the Sky-festival when they were in Bergen.

Isa is a little less dreamy than the previous three albums.  Did you guys decide to ground it a little more than your previous efforts?  Actually now that I think about it is has a deep feeling of space without sounding like something from a science fiction movie.  Really what I am saying is there is a sense of far off places about it.  I may just be fumbling for the right words.  Hopefully you can make out what I am trying to say.

We had that comment before, that it’s a dreamy record. If that means that the music is doing something good to people that’s cool.

What are the main spiritual themes behind the lyrics of Isa?  How is it similar and different from other albums in Enslaved's history?

The lyrics have slightly changed to more abstract topics I guess. Apart from that I think people should read them and make up their own minds. They can be understood in several ways.

Your early material was great but something changed around the Mardraum era.  What happened around that period that changed your approach to songwriting? 

I guess there was a hunger for exploring new musical territory. People change over the years, and to just play the same music all the time is boring and not challenging. It’s a matter of natural development I guess.

The Viking themes in your music have been prevalent throughout but it seems that over the last few albums the musical but they have had a deeper and more existential mood to them.  How do you view your Nordic spiritual heritage as contrasted with its place in today's environment?

The old Aasa-belief is a kind of semi-religion where there are no rules, only guidelines. Apart from that each individual has complete freedom too take his own choices in life. That’s the way we like to live our lives. I guess you find some links to the whole attitude in life in the lyrics. We’re proud of being Norwegian, we love our country and it’s one of the less religious countries in the world. That’s probably also the reason why it’s peaceful here. Religion with strict rules and brainwashing religion is the cause to all kind of conflicts in the world. I can’t understand why people need religion. Some guidelines along the way are always useful, but else religion sucks.

I feel Enslaved is a perfect example of the seemless melding of a person's personal and spiritual beliefs and their music.  What role do you feel a person's belief system should play in their artistic endeavors?  I personally feel that one is somewhat of an expression of the other.

Music is about emotions, one way or another. Your emotional state when you make music will affect the songwriting. If we succeed in touching other peoples emotions with the music and lyrics that’s cool, and if people can feel our emotions from the songs it’s even cooler.

The guitar solo on Neogenesis seemed a little different than the normal solos you guys play.  It kind of reminds me of Santana.  Did you have any particular influence you had while writing this solo?

Arve loves all the ’70 and ’80 guitar heroes. The solo on Neogenesis is much more moody than a lot of other solos where the guitarists try to play as many notes as possible. Arve can do that as well, but on this one I think he found the spirit of the song and added his own with his guitar: I love the solo, and Arve is a brilliant guitarist. He can literally do anything with his guitar. I guess his influences are Kiss, Black Sabbath, all the Ozzy guitarists and so on rather than the more technical guys.

I have read many reviews recently of your live show being one of the finest around.  It appears that you have made great strides in the live environment.  How important is this aspect to you as a musician?  What do you attribute all this positive praise to?

We have tried to have a much more professional attitude. Do good rehearsals, enter the stage sober, make sure we have slept properly, eaten properly and so on. There are a bunch of people out there that had paid money too see you perform, and that’s a responsibility we take very seriously. And I guess we are better musicians nowadays. And it’s a matter of our own pride to do a good live show.

Though Enslaved has been considered part of the Norwegian scene I feel your lyrical standpoint separates you somewhat from your contemporaries.  Do you feel this separation at all?  Also do you feel some sort of inner strength from the knowledge you have made your own way in a scene obsessed with Satan and evil?

We are all individuals and will never follow any trends. We like to do our own thing. We know probably most metal bands in Norway personally, and we often hang out and drink beer. Last night I drank with Necrobutcher from Mayhem and Fenriz from Darkthrone at Elm Street in Oslo and later Vortex from Dimmu Borgir at Rock In. So there is no separation even though we have our musical and lyrical differences. The Norwegian metal scene is like a family. If you need to borrow some backline there is just the matter of a few phone calls and it’s OK. And the guys are really cool.

I have been really impressed with the recent selection in cover art that you have chosen.  It has been simple and deep and has many varied interpretations.  How have you selected the cover art?  And what is the meaning behind the cover art of both Below the Lights and Isa?

The coverartist is Truls Espedal. It’s a friend of ours. Ivar slightly told him a little of the concept behind the songs and Truls did some suggestions. He is brilliant. Simple, yet effective and emotional coverart. “Isa” stands for frozen in time, coldness, ice and stagnation. Below the lights is a dark concept. People should make up their own minds apart from that.

For this album you are on TABU Recordings.  Why the switch from Osmose?  How did the band's relationship with TABU develop? 

Osmose has lost several bands lately; Marduk, Immortal and us to mention a few. If they had done their job as well as Tuba records that wouldn’t happened. For the first time we have also made a video for the song “Isa”. The guys at Tabu have a much more professional approach and are much more enthusiastic about the whole thing. PR-related things are much better. Osmose released the albums, and that was just about it. They were close to getting the band to stagnate, but we would go further. Therefore we left Osmose for a label that had the same goals as we have.

How do you feel as one of the final lasting stalwarts still upholding the banner of the proud Norwegian metal history?  Any words about some of your peers like Darkthrone, Satyricon, Gorgoroth, or anyone else that you feel still holds this banner high?

Darkthrone is probably the most traditional of the bands. They stick to their recipe, and cred for that. Dimmu Borgir has gone the other way and has grown big that way. Mayhem are still masters of Brutality and always finds their own path. They also experiment a lot. Gorgoroth is more old-school like Darkthrone. But they are all friends and cool guys to hang out with.

The world seems to be on a steady rise in ethnic tensions and heated world politics.  DO you follow any of these developments?  What do you think about all this world strife and the rampant anti-Americanism that seems to be prevalent on the world stage right now?

I follow it very close. From my point of view it’s a battle between radical and fanatic Muslims that put their religion above everything else and the modern western world that liberty and individuality are the most important. It’s scary and sad. I still think religion in general and Islam especially are useful tools to brainwash people to do horrible things without any regrets. They don’t think about their victims and hate us just because we have a life we can live exactly the way we want it.

Any particular words of wisdom or discoveries you have made on your spiritual quest that you would like to share with the fans?

Live your life the way you want, be good to other people, enjoy life and make sure to check out “Isa”! Don’t let anyone mess with your mind! Have your own rules in life, be spontaneous, enjoy  football, beer, metal and fishing. Fishing kicks ass!

Cato, Enslaved

For more info check out www.enslaved.no