Interview with Ciekals of Djevel 2011

By Bradley Smith

Your new album Dodssanger has been a long time coming.  What took so long and can you tell me about its development?  What is the concept behind the album and behind Djevel in general?  Is it total dedication to TRUE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL?

Well actually Dødssanger was supposed to be the third Ljå album, but when i decided to leave Ljå and start Djevel it all fell into place. My intention was that Djevel would be a one man project, and in a way it is, since i write all music and lyrics. That’s also why it has taken me three years to complete, doing everything myself. The concept of Dødssanger in ancient Norwegian devil worship, its the story about a man making a pact with the devil, from beginning to end, or from birth to death if you will..

The reason for me doing Djevel, and why it sounds as it does is because i never left behind the feeling of NORWEGIAN black metal from when i started playing in 1992.

Djevel is your band, since you are the creative force behind the music.  Who else is in the band and what do you expect from them?  Does it ever bother you when they generate more attention for the band than yourself?  I mean do you just appreciate the attention or does it take you a bit aback when they want to talk with the vocalist instead of you?  Why do you think other people might do that?

I realized after a while that it would be good to include some other members since i am first and foremost a guitarist. I met Erlend (vox) a few years ago, and he turned out to be a big fan of my work with Ljå, so i played some Djevel for him and asked him to sing on the song Djevelheim. I was so pleased with the result that i asked him to join Djevel as the lead grim voice. I play with Mannevond in Nettlecarrier, and we have been friends for a long time, so a few weeks before the recording i asked him to do the bass.

I don’t expect anything from them, i let them do their thing, and if i don’t like it I’m not going to use it.  When i write music and want someone else to play on it, i let them make up their own mind about how to do it.  I always did that in Ljå too.  That way it often turns out a bit different and often better than i intended.  One can get pretty narrow minded and grim sitting and composing an album for three years

Since Erlend is famous from Kvelertak i understand that the mainstream press wants to put him on the cover of Djevel, but both him and me agree on that this is mine (and the devil’s) work, so we are ok with it, and it’s just mags like terrorizer and the likes that do that, so it’s ok by me, i do all the int anyway or we do them together

Of course you are more known for you previous band, Lja.  What happened to end Lja for you?  Why did you choose to start fresh with a new band rather than fight over the use of the name Lja.  Incidentally, wasn’t there some friction with another band over the meaning of Lja?  Heh heh. 

Ljå was never really a band, in the sense of the word, we just rehearsed a few times and recorded two albums. Before the recording of til avsky for livet we had not rehearsed for 9 months, and we did the whole album in 6 days, we were possessed.

I think i realized right after the recording of Til avsky for livet that Ljå would soon die. I live far away from the other guys, and i don’t have contact with them, and i never really had. We are friends, but we don’t talk unless we bump into each other, and we don’t bump into each other, so there you go.. ehhhh..

I decided to leave Ljå for many reasons, but the main reason was that i knew things would be much better if i just did everything myself. and it did.

Yeah, haha, i received an email from the guy in Furze "demanding me to change the name of Ljå (schyte) because he was the blade of the reapers scythe or something.. blaaaa. he owned the name and bla bla bla. in one aspect i liked it because it reminded me of the old days when we were in war with bands like Theatre of tragedy, but in another aspect i got pissed. I replied to him basically telling him that if he ever wrote again we would kick his ass.

he also tried to do the same to Blood Tsunami because they had a barbarian holding a schyte on the cover... ehhhh. Anyway i like some of his music and don’t know him as a person, so i really don’t care.

I know you have been in contact with some people still seem to be living in the early 90s,  as least as far as their attitude goes.  I mean they ask you how EVIL you are and how many churches you have burnt and murders you have committed.  Does that inspire you at times or do you think they should mature a little?  Why do you think there are still people who are obsessed with reliving this period in musical history? 
 

Every now and then i receive a interview that is totally old school, with questions like you mention. I must say that i like it in some way, since all the interviews i did in the early nineties were like that, so it’s a trip down a memory lane answering them. On the other hand i am now 33 years old, and it’s been a whiiiiiiiillllllleeeeee since i acted out my lyrics . Black metal is still the same feeling that it has always been for me, and i take it very seriously, but I’m not a kid anymore..

I think some people just are that way, and i know that some of them were not even born when i started my first black metal band. They probably want to get as close as possible to the feeling, and i hope for their sake they are able to feel it, but i think it’s a privilege for the likes of you and me that actually were so lucky to be a part of black metal back then.

Not too long ago you finally unleashed the Nettlecarrier 7”.  There was a really long wait for that.  Can you tell me a little bit about this project?  Do you have any more plans for this band?  I mean, what about a full length album?

Yeah Nettlecarrier is the band that me and Mannevond started 6 years ago. It’s supposed to be something a bit different to our other bands, more eerie and weird. We aimed for a full-length in the start, but due to our obligations to Urgehal, Koldbrann and Ljå at the time, we had to put that on ice. The 7" "To strangle the hero of heaven" was released in 2010 by Sathanas in Gloriam productions, and i am very, very pleased with it.  I have several more songs, and i am planning to record a full album some day. Dirge Rep will play drums, and do some lyrics, but for the time being he is occupied with Gehenna, and me and Mannevond are busy with Djevel, Urgehal and Koldbrann, so i have to see what happens.

Do you find that life, the reality of living it, to be the most inspirational force to you?  I know you don’t get wrapped up in mythology and other abstract concepts when it comes to creative influences.  What aspects of REAL life do you find the most interesting and how do you incorporate those aspects within your music?

Yeah you are right, i take most of my inspiration from the life i lead, that and ancient Norwegian Devil worship are my 2 biggest influences.

I try to be in the woods as often as i can during spring and summer, i do a lot of tenting then, and in the winter i go skiing in the mountains and have my cabin as base. I used to get inspired by seeing people that are "less fortunate" like whores and junkies, but after being a misanthropic person for many, many years i have started to focus more and more on myself and what surrounds me, and the things that actually means something.

I also read a lot of books, both fiction and more fact based stuff. In ancient Norway, devil worship was as natural as drinking milk is today, and i am extremely fascinated by that, and i read all i can about it.

I know you take your physical training seriously, I mean you need to be in top form to fight Xtianity.  What do you do in order to maintain peak fitness?  And do you take your struggle with Xtianity literally?  I mean, what does do you do to contribute to the downfall of this archaic way of religion?

As i mentioned i am an outdoors man, and i try to be as active as i can by working out 3 days a week. Also i have become a health freak the last 10 years regarding food.  I can’t stand treating my body badly.  i realized when i was 17 years old, in 1994, that i never would be able to take down Xtianity by singing about Satan, so no i don’t care about that anymore.  For me Xtianity does not exist, i focus on my self, my family and the devil.  Much more comfortable and relaxing than being in a constant fight with something that’s impossible to get rid of.

I know you do some travelling around the globe.  What are some of your favorite places you have visited and why?  Do you think this gives you a unique perspective on humanity on a global scale and different cultures in general?  How do you think Norwegian culture as a whole compares to the rest of the world?  And what do you think of Death Valley?

Yeah i like to travel, it broadens my horizon, and I’m not that obsessed with winter as i used to be, so seeing the sun and getting some warmth can be nice when Norway is a freezingbox...

Hmm my favourite places.. difficult as it depends on the goal  of the trip. I am very fond of California, not Los Angeles, but San fransisco and the little cities on the coast. Also Austin and New York are very cool.  All these places appeal to my musical side as they all have strong music scenes- In a total different aspect i like to go to the mountains in Norway where there are no humans, just desolated landscapes and me.

Death valley is a very special place, it reeks of death and it appeals to me on many levels, a bit too hot if you wanna stay there for a long time i guess.  But all the different aspects of nature in one place is amazing.  All the animals there are either snakes, ravens or coyotes, so it’s no place for little bunnies.

I don’t think it gives me a unique perspective no, but it contributes to my development as a person and i have learned a lot from it.

I know you fill up some of your spare time there in Norway with tenting.  What all do these trips involve and who do you normally go on these adventures with?  How does it feel when you are out there deep in nature with some metal flowing out of your speakers?

Tenting in the woods is something i appreciate very much and its very important to me.  I tent with different people, but mostly with Fenriz, as he is probably the most extreme outdoor person i know, and also very good company.  Tenting trips can be very different, in the hottest summertime we usually don’t go to far as i then enjoy to find a water  and just reside there with music and a bon fire, and of course go for a swim in the deep dark waters.  Later in the season a high mountain top is more preferable.  To sit there and look at the nature and listen to stuff like early Bathory really paints my soul black.  I don’t understand why people don’t spend more time in the nature, but i am very happy they don’t, as people and nature often do not match

So what are your Upcoming plans for Djevel?  Is there a special edition of Dodssanger forthcoming?  Will you ever perform live? 

Well as far as i am concerned i am done for now, the album is completed to my satisfaction.  Obviously i am waiting for the vinyl version.  I think there will be a special edition on the next pressing, not sure exactly what it will be like. Not sure if we will perform live.  This has to do with me not being too big of a fan of playing live and that we all are involved in so many bands.  Especially Mannevond and Erlend are occupied with Urgehal, Koldbrann and Kvelertak.

Final Words now that summer is upon you in Norway.  Can we expect a personal facebook page for you soon or will you only be hailing us via the Djevel page?  Get your own facebook page, you know you want one!!!!!!!!  Heh heh. 

Death to facebook. Only handwritten letters are real.