REVIEW SORT VOKTER "FOLKLORIC NECRO METAL"

Sort Vokter, was a band that occupies a special place in the Norwegian black metal scene. Their only release "Folkloric Necro Metal" from 1996 is a special album, a very harsh but also atmospheric one, which exudes a mystical aura. Even the cover artwork, which depicts a forest in twilight, is a good first indication of this. In later re-releases, this was unfortunately replaced by a far less impressive image of an ordinary nocturnal forest landscape. It is important to mention here that Sort Vokter featured a certain Vidar Vaer, better known for his music in his one-man band Ildjarn, one of the most polarising black metal bands of all time, who were rejected or ridiculed by many for their extremely raw, low-fi nosy style, in which an extremely simple guitar accompanied a distorted screeching voice to partially programmed drums. For a few, however, Ildjarn were an important influence, which can be seen not least in the tribute album "Gathered under the banner of strength and anger: A homage to Ildjarn", released in 2004, on which such well-known and illustrious bands as Urfaust, Xasthur, Nachtmystium, Forgotten Tomb, Leviathan and several others express their admiration for Ildjarn in the form of cover versions. 

INTERVIEW AKERBELTZ

The release of the new strong album "Merciless", which should delight all fans of traditional black metal sounds, was a good occasion for an interview with the Spanish black metal institution Akerbeltz, which has been wreaking its havoc in the Spanish underground since the distant year 1996. I talked to the factotum behind the band, who also plays in Korgüll The Exterminator.

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Hey, how does it feel to finally have the new album out with "Merciless"? What have been the reactions to it so far?

Hell! I´m very pleased that after so many years I could release an album that´s worth to be the logical continuation of the predecessor. The reactions up to now are really positive, especially because with this type of band the promotion comes straight from the reviews of fanzines and the social media as I don’t have the possibility to play live.     

REVIEW AKERBELTZ "MERCILESS"

Spanish black metal institution Akerbeltz from the tourist town of Lloret de Mar, which has been doing its mischief since 1996, released its eighth album via Black Seed Productions these days. The factotum, the man for everything, in this band also wears the pseudonym Akerbeltz and is also active in Körgull the Exterminator, which have far surpassed his main field of activity in terms of fame. Akerbeltz have always been and still are deepest underground, although certainly legions of fans should have at least heard the name Akerbeltz since the explosion of black metal in the 90s.   

REVIEW MORTUUS INFRADAEMONI "INMORTUOS SUM"

These days I more or less got to know that Mortuus Infradaemoni have released a new, third album. Honestly, after the two previous albums from 2007 and 2009, I had long suspected the band in the eternal hunting grounds, so I was all the more pleased that the band still exists.

The new album called "Inmortuos sum" is released by Iron Bonehead Productions, after the two predecessors were released by Cold Dimensions, the label of former Lunar Aurora musician Andreas "Whyrd" Bauer. And there we are already at the right keyword, namely Lunar Aurora . The two protagonists behind Mortuus Infradaemoni, Nathaniel and Profanatitas are both ex- members of the legendary Lunar Aurora.   

INTERVIEW WITH KJETIL MANHEIM (ORDER / EX-MAYHEM) PART II

"Euronymous was pissed as hell when I decided to leave, he was really mad."

As announced, here is the second part of the interview with Kjetil Manheim of Order (read part one HERE), in which we talked about his further musical playgrounds in the field of noise music. We also talked about the transfiguration of Norwegian black metal and the film "Lords of chaos", among other things, we talked about his farewell to Mayhem, about the former singer Dead, people's preference for stories and myths, exorcisms as well as Kjetil's love for Berlin.

Did you watch the „Lords of Chaos“- movie and if so, did you like it, didn't you like it? How about the actor who played your role?

Well, first of all, I haven't watched it. I can't see any reason I should see it. It's not a great movie if I understood it right from people, it's not an "Oscar". So, I can't see why I should have watched the movie because it has nothing to do with reality. So far as what I've heard from people who have seen the movie, it has nothing to do with me whatsoever. But of course, they have put it in the context where they got some aspects ot pieces like they have our names, but it has nothing to do with my life. I don't understand why they made that movie.

INTERVIEW WITH KJETIL MANHEIM (ORDER / EX-MAYHEM) PART I

"Being a human is a very lonesome journey."

Here is the promised interview with Kjetil Manheim, the drummer of Order, who released their new strong album "The Gospel" these days. Kjetil had a lot to say, so I divided the interview, which took almost two hours on Skype, into two parts. In the first part you can read what Kjetil has to say about the new album in musical and lyrical terms - we talked about the fragility of human life, buddhism, Aleister Crowley and organized religions, the (im)possibility of life after death but also about Emperor. In the second part we will talk about Kjetil's other musical playgrounds in the field of noise music, but also about the transfiguration of Norwegian black metal and the movie "Lords of chaos". We talked about his departure from Mayhem and former singer Dead as well as Kjetil's fondness for Berlin.

Hi Kjetil, more or less coincidentally, Norwegian weeks are upon me. A few hours ago I did an interview with Mortiis and an interview with Jørn Steen, the maker of "Saga", a movie including a wild mix of black metal, vikings, bikers and zombies, featuring Sarke and also Ted from Darkthrone, is also in the making. Has somehow unplanned so emerged....

Yeah, Maybe this is a coincidence. Or maybe something happens in Norway these days?

Haha, maybe, I don´t know…

Yeah, that movie sounds interesting.

I would say it is something like a horror comedy. Not not to be taken too serious. According to that, I want to ask, did you maybe watch the 30th anniversary Emperor livestream ?

No, I didn’t. I saw that board, which was announcing it, and I thought I was going to watch it, but I haven't yet. So, I have it still in front of me. Did you watch it?

INTERVIEW WITH MORTIIS PART II

"We showed up with the makeup and the masks and there were all these art lovers, it was like a gasp went through the crowd, because we looked like fuckin bums."

So, this is part two of the in-depth interview with Mortiis, the first part can be read HERE. This time we talked about his influence on a whole genre and a lot of other music, artists, bands and projects. It's about ABBA, Björk, Beherit, Ildjarn, Swedish hardcore, Nine Inch Nails, Apoptygma Berzerk, the rating of Mortiis by Barney from Napalm Death and the cover of the "Stargate" album. Furthermore, it is about the payment of musicians by streaming services and the effects of the Corona pandemic. Have fun reading!

Of course, in mainstream terms, you are not so popular, nevertheless, how does it feel to have virtually invented the "dungeon synth" genre and to have inspired thousands of people, myself included (back in the distant 1997), all over the world to start similar projects, sometimes with more or less success? Of course I can only speak for Germany, but at that time incredibly many people from the black metal scene had such a Dungenon Synth -Project at the start, I don't even want to know how many recordings in some cellars or attics live their shadowy existence for decades....

But it's not as easy as it looks, you know?

Yes, of course. 

Oh, I guess that's flattering. If they're inspired by me, that's always nice to hear. It's always cool, I like seeing metal guys starting these projects because it means they have an open mind in music, it means that they don't only listen to one thing and that they do have a broader interest in music in general. It doesn't have to be limited to Cuban music. I mean, you know, if they're into fucking jazz, I think that's cool, too. You know, I used to be kind of a narrow minded guy myself. Like in the very early '90s, it was black metal or nothing. And I just think that sometimes that creates a bit of an asshole. You know, when all you care about is one thing and everything else can go to hell, I just don't like that. That attitude, to me, seems very limited and simple, so I'm glad to see people that want to do something else at the same time. You know, looking at things in a broader light. That's a positive thing to me.  

INTERVIEW WITH MORTIIS PART I

"So maybe it's not a bad thing that they opened graves now just to make sure, that there are no vampires or undead people?"

Here's an interview with Mortiis. Since it was a more than two-hour conversation, I have divided the interview into two parts. I talked with Mortiis, who turned out to be an extremely nice guy, among other things about Emperor, Mayhem and the Norwegian black metal scene, his side projects, Ancient Rites, Moby, historical misconceptions, lack of support from the record company, vampires and opened graves in Romania and children and their excessive occupation with smartphones and digital content.

 

More or less coincidentally, I'm having "Norwegian weeks" here on my blog right now-after this interview I'm doing an interview with Manheim from Order, who was part of Mayhem's legendary "Deathcrush" release, furthermore I have an interview going on with Jørn Steen, the director of the movie "Saga", which features Sarke and Ted from Darkthrone. Did did you hear something about this movie? I think it's not a serious movie, it's more like horror comedy including a wild mix of black metal, bikers, undead people and vikings. 

What was it called? "Saga"? I know there's been made some Norwegian like horror movies about zombies in the snow, up in the mountains and some shit like that. But I think that's a different movie. So I know I haven't seen that one. Okay, I guess I should keep my eye out for it.

And in a few hours I'm doing an interview with Order, more specifically with Kjetil Manheim.

Yes, the band with personal overlaps to Cadaver, right?  

REVIEW ORDER "THE GOSPEL"

Order from Norway are at the start with their now more second album called "The Gospel". The band, which consists of such well-deserved veterans as drummer Manheim (drummed on Mayhem's legendary "Deathcrush" EP), vocalist Messiah (also ex-Mayhem), guitarist Anders Odden (Cadaver, Satyricon) and bassist Stu Manx (ex-Gluecifer), and this name-dropping is in no way necessary regarding the musical quality, however, live up to its members previous musical legacy. Order manage in a very impressive and intense way to mix old black and death metal with faster eruptive parts to a flowing melange, which in contrast to the debut "Lex Amentiae" goes noticeably deeper and also hits the listener where it hurts.

REVIEW ORTUS "AUS DER TIEFE" (ENGLISH)

I already reviewed ORTUS from Rhineland-Palatinate with their debut EP called "Where shadows gather" (see HERE.) This was released in 2018, and in an interview I read that at least a part of the band takes a certain critical distance to the EP and sees this first release retrospectively more as the first steps of musical self-discovery. Well, be that as it may, I was thrilled at the time and still find this EP very good. This release was followed in 2019 by the "Forgotten Memories" EP, which was again very convincing.  

REVIEW ORTUS "AUS DER TIEFE"

ORTUS aus Rheinland-Pfalz hatte ich ja bereits mit ihrer Debüt-EP namens "Where shadows gather" besprochen (siehe HIER.) Diese erschien 2018, und in einem Interview las ich, das zumindest ein Teil der Band eine gewisse kritische Distanz zu der EP einnimmt und diese erste Veröffentlichung nun retrospektiv mehr als erste Schritte der musikalischen Selbstfindung sieht. Nun, wie dem auch sei, ich war damals begeistert und finde diese EP auch nach wie vor sehr gut. Nach dieser Veröffentlichung folgte dann 2019 die "Forgotten Memories"-EP, welche erneut sehr überzeugen konnte.