Darkthrone pour l'album "The Cult is Alive"

Hi. You don't need to introduce yourself, as everyone knows you, or should know you. The Cult is Alive is a bit special because you put some Thrash Metal or Punk elements in there. Why ? Did you feel that way or more like parting away from the « raw black  metal » scene ?

We ARE the raw black metal. I fail to see what's raw about having a WHO CAN PLAY FASTEST competition (already made fun of by Quorthon in 88). We have always had thrash elements, but we play those riffs differently always. Closer to what DESTRUCTION did sometimes, but not like that either. We hail punk as one of the forefathers of REAL metal (as in NOT modern shit metal), so when we put together all this it's is kind of difficult to say what we are now perhaps...like motorhead - is it punk? rock? metal?


Can we talk a bit about your label change ? Why did you leave Moonfog ? Did this event have an effect upon your friendship with Satyr from Satyricon ?

I think this is an answer I would NEVER want to bore any readers with.


You came back to Peaceville Records, even though they almost throw you out a few years ago. Why did you go back ? Did they apologize ?

WE threw ourselves out! I am a madman and very hard to deal with, so I had it coming. I decided to go to Satyrs label moonfog instead, in 1995. Ted (ndr : Nocturno Culto) might have agreed on this, but maybe he said yes to be nice to me - he has had a great relationship with peaceville all along, and he has been running the DT business since 99, so now I cannot answer questions about labels or business as I only deal with the music and lyrics.


You have decided to make Too Old Too Cold into a single. I know that you want us to call it a MCD, but you can't deny that whatever the name you call it, it's still a single, isn't it ? Was this a choice made by Peaceville ?

I don't care if you call it a MIDGET.
Ted should know more about all of this. Maybe we wanted to do something special for our fans - maybe we will NEVER do THAT ever again.


Nocturno Culto played with Satyricon on the Wacken 2005, and played some of Darkthrone's songs. This and the fact that you're releasing a single gives us the hope to see you in live. Will you go on tour or should we forget it ?

Forget it FASTER THAN A SHARK. I have no, ABSOLUTELY NO desire to play live OR travel.


Looking back through your discography, which album do you prefer ? Which do you dislike the most ? What do you think of them now, from Soulside Journey to The Cult is Alive ?

I don't have fave albums, more like fave songs OR PARTS OF SONGS. What I think is that when I discover a new band that I like (let's say from the 70s), and I discover that they have released MANY MANY albums, I think YES! GREAT! EXCITING!


In fact, does Darkthrone allow you to live through ?

I have worked full time since I was 16 to earn a living. What do you think? And before that I took jobs wherever I could find it to have money to buy albums. "I was born on sunday, on thursday I had me a job" (Creedence Clearwater Revival).
So, yes, I still work full time AND do darkthrone beside it. I fuckin hate lazy people.


You've been playing with the name of Darkthrone since 1988. You are one of the biggest band from the « old » Black Metal scene, so it's I think the time and the occasion for you to answer to some questions about the Black Metal scene. With hindsight, do you have anything to say about what happened at the beginning of the 90's ?

It was necessary and natural for us to act like we did. Norway was a metal vacuum and the almost only ones doing anything in 88-93 were TOTAL MANIACS!!! That's why we are now known, and most other acts benefitted on our extreme personalities.
I come from the 80s underground scene, first and foremost. THEN I was there to participate in the norwegian uproar. That's why you can't put me or darkthrone in ONE box like that, cuz we have DUAL background.


What was your implication in church arsons ? Did you ever take part in any ? I think you were a bit distant with all that, weren't you ?

[Pas de réponse]


With all the rumours that are spread over the internet, we don't really know if « Norsk Arisk Black Metal » sentence was only provocation. Do/did you think so ? (you can reply honestly, we don't mind if you are NS)

It was another one of my metaphores gone wild.


What do you think of the Black Metal scene today, with all the new names like NSBM, or « Heathen Metal », and other bullshit like that ?

New styles are important and NATURAL and has always happened. But a new style does NOT mean that is has to SUCK. Too many people have wimpy plastic sound on their albums, maybe because they are insecure about their riffs and structures and want to wrap their insecuity in "powerful tight" production. I hate that so much I can't even begin to say it. There is a RIGHT sound for most bands, and the more that fail to find it, the more people listen to us instead, perhaps.


Are you still in contact with Varg Vikernes ? What do you think about his release from jail and his return to Black Metal ?

I think there is mutual respect between Varg and me.
I just think it's difficult that it all had to happen.


What do you think about Emperor's reformation ? Just business ?

I have nothing to do with Emperor, man. The kids are extatic, I think. And the Americans seems to love it. But do these people like REAL USA metal like THRUST or WHIPLASH!?


Are there currently any Black Metal bands that impress you ? What do you think of the French Scene, with bands like Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord, Antaeus... ?

VOMITOR from Australia is the only new band I have on my forest jacket.
From France, my favourite is MUTILATED/MUTILATOR. Don't you people understand that MY job is taking care of MY home, the 80s underground metal scene? Not new bands, that is the job of the new people to take care of.


What do you listen to, apart from Black Metal ?

Music from the 30s (schlägers), Billie Holiday and up to now (Christian Vogel). The list in between is too long. Todays tip is the first punk band (in MY book) THE SONICS from 1964.


What do you think about norwegian embassies being ransacked by Muslims ?

Haha! FEAR FEAR FEAR reigns supreme , behold the mechanism of totalitarian desperation. The fight against secularism has begun for real. Will we give up on ideals we have fought for for 2-300 years? Follow this program next week etc.


What do you think about religions like Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism... ? Do you believe in anything ? Satanism, paganism, or anything like that ? If yes, how do you live your religion ?

I believe in myself.


Is there anything you want to say ? A special message to french Black Metal fans ?

Hail REAL METAL! Hail Cirith Uungol, Audiopain, Manilla Road, Violent Force, Orcustus, Nifelheim, Onslaught etc!!!


Thank you for this interview, and keep on making great music !

We keep on being true, hard, raw and crusty.