Interview with Oscar of Old 2006(66)

By Bradley Smith

So you have finished recording your new album?  How does it differ from the material on the Nocturnal Ritual 7”?  What is it called and when is it going to be released?  Song titles?

Yes, we recorded the album “Down with the Nails” in 3 days at Toxomusic Studio (Desaster, Nocturnal, Metalucifer etc.) somewhere in October 2005 and we did the mix and mastering work by ourselves in the last weeks. Well, there is no change in the music itself just the sound is a bit more old “fuck you” school than before and for the first time  I like my vocals. Never liked them really on the previous releases. The album will be released in August 2006. Here some song titles: Empire in Flames, A Knife, Scream for Hell, Down with the Nails, Black Jewel Throne etc…

Which release got you the deal with Tyrant Syndicate?  Was it the Nocturnal Ritual 7” or your reh demo or even both?  What did Nocturno Culto and Fenriz say about your music?

I guess it was both releases. I stay in contact with the guys since the reh. Tape because they really like it. Later they got the 7” stuff before it was released, and we signed on Tyrant Syndicate about 2 months before the release of the “Nocturnal Ritual” 7”.

On the topic of Tyrant Syndicate, how do you feel about Darkthrone as a band and was that motivation to approach Tyrant Syndicate for a possible deal?  How do you feel about it being a sublabel of Peaceville?

I remember that Fenriz was the one who contacted me first, saying that he fucking digs our reh. tape. He got that tape at a time when NOBODY knew that the Darkthrone guys would run their own Label. I remember 2 or 3 months later it was official. I NEVER said that they should sign us on their Label….instead I sent him fucking great Bands to sign like Toxic Holocaust, Apokalyptic Raids etc… but at the end of 2004 they said that they want us on their label….we all felt honoured and couldn’t believe that our baby OLD got that much attention. We aren’t  guys which worship their own music at home…. There are a lot of fucking great Metal bands outside, so there is no time to listen to OLD by OLD. I think its fucking AWESOME for a band to be signed on Peaceville records… even on a sublabel!! Things are rolling like they have to roll and of course Peaceville releases and released treasures in Metal!

Why do you think that there are so many new bands that incorporate thrash into their sound appearing these days?  Also the atmosphere in Metal seems to be right for old thrash bands to reform with such examples as Assassin, Exodus, Nuclear Assault and so on.  What is your perspective on this?

First of all I HAIL newer bands like Hellish Crossfire, Apokalyptic Raids, Farscape, Trench Hell, Nocturnal, Betrayed, Deathhammer, Obliteration, Sodomizer, Toxic Holocaust, Rademassaker, Orcustus  etc… you see I am ULTRA HAPPY that we still have bands who are hailing the old 80s gods!... Well, about re- unions of 80s bands I can only say that they should listen to VULCANO’s 2003 release “Tales from the Black Book” before they start to play their instruments again….

Vulcano knows how Metal has to be! HAIL!

Since you play with such a large thrash influence and an old school attitude I thought you might be a great person to discuss old thrash with.  What are some of your favourite of the old bands?  How did they affect you and your musical development?

Hell yes! 80s Thrash is endless! But beside bands like Exodus, Slaughter, Rigor Mortis, Morbid Saint, Exorcist, Razor, Sodom, Bathory, Piledriver, Sarcofago, Whiplash,  Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Hobbs Angel of Death, Witches Hammer, Voor, ….etc… I like stuff like Pentagram, Brocas Helm, Manilla Road, Metalucifer, OZ, Motörhead, Cirith Ungol, Thrust….etc…too. And of course I like a lot of old school Death Metal bands too…. That’s Metal – a world without end!

Obviously the roots of metal play a large role in the development of your music and attitude.  Does it ever bother you when there are these younger fans who are ignorant to metal’s glorious past or even deliberately scorn these roots?  I know sometimes it bothers me!

I have my Metal circle- and there are my important friends inside. Everyone else can go   home and play with coloured pencils. 

I know you are playing an upcoming show with Obliteration and Warbastard in Oslo.  I have corresponded with Sindre(Obliteration) and I know he is excited about it.  How do you feel about playing music in such a sacred ground for extreme metal?  How do you feel about playing live in general?

Well, the gig is done. 2 weeks ago by now. All fucking HAIL to Obliteration! Extreme real old school Death Metal! Absolute Killer show! You guys should check out their stuff- SOON! Its fantastic!.... About the OLD gig there – for me it was our best gig till now….we worshipped Metal in front of possessed skull banging maniacs… Norway- EVERYTIME again….. and yes, in general we like it to desecrate the stage.

Germany has a strong lineage of great metal bands from the early days of Sodom, Destruction, and Kreator up until today with other great underground bands of varying degrees of success like Nocturnal, Desaster, and Katharsis.  Do you feel any kinship with this heritage?  What is your favourite band from Germany?

I know a lot of guys behind those bands and to me they are the great bands in Germany. You know it would be a bigger honour to me if THEY would say OLD is a part of us…. than I would say OLD is a part of the German Metal “history”…I don’t masturbate by watching my own passport- photo. Hahaha. Well I have a lot of favourite present and past bands from Germany, and it would be absolutely wrong to mention only one band as favourite. Because the feelings can change day by day…. Today I need “this” band tomorrow I want to listen to “that” band…. I have too many favourites to name just one band now.  Here are some of my favourite german bands of nowadays- Hellish Crossfire, Betrayed, Rademassaker, Blizzard (R.I.P.), Zarathustra, Luror, Morrigan, Necros Christos, Excoriate, Nocturnal, Witchburner etc…

Based on your logo and coverart I see you have no love lost for religion.  What do you think of the current rising tide of conservatism and religion that appears to be grabbing hold of the world in general?  What do you think of religion in general?

I don’t care about religion – because I don’t care about PEOPLE…. I don’t see any reason to waste my time for people’s lifestyles….   I have my own world- ALONE!...

I even don’t share my feelings….. because ALONE I get the best results to be in Hell for Satan’s glory.

Also your logo got me thinking about how when I first was really into death metal that I thought a killer log was soooooo important.  Who did you logo and what part do you think a logo plays in a bands image?  Is it important?  What are some of your favourite band logos?

I don’t care about logos, they are not of a big importance…. But I HATE logos in this stinking alien style… like of some Nuclear Blast bands….. fact is to me- 80s band’s had the best logo’s

…I like simple and primitive logos…. like Germans' Blizzard logo.

Metal bands conjure certain images within the listener's mind.  Some music is more nature inspired while others draws atmosphere from urban decay.  What sort of feelings does Old affiliate itself with more? 

We stay for old school metal and typical 80s is to have songs for more than one kind of feelings…. It starts with hate and wrath… goes over bang your head against the wall… till depression and self destruction.

I have never really thought about it before now but it also seems to me that there has been a strong association with a lot of these neothrash bands and alcohol.  Do you understand this?  Do you agree with this? 

Like I said it before I don’t care about other people…. I LOVE it to drink alone while I listen to Metal…. It doesn’t matter if its Thrash, Death, Heavy, Black or Rock… I get in all that styles extremely DEEP feelings…. And I am about 4-5 times drunken a week. Alcohol is the voice who whispers “the gates of hell are open wide…”…..and I follow that voice.  

Thanks for giving me your time.  The Last words are yours.  Make them Bone Hard!!!!!

Drink milk, paint flowers and worship Jesus. Fuck you ALL!