1. Tell us about your release " the conjuration of fire "
”The conjuration of fire” is a very malevolent text that I wrote originally for Belphegor, for the Totenritual album, many years ago. But it was not used, (I always write many more than Helmuth needs, so he has enough to choose from) so I decided to use it myself in Noxium Ferus, before Helmuth maybe would decide to use it for a later album. I really like that text, and I love doing the vocals for it, it is such a intense and hateful chant. It is a re-written version of an incantation from an ancient book of evil spells. The music was written very long ago by Steinar Aven, and had not been used for anything yet, and he asked me to compose lyrics and vocals for it. At first I thought it was too fast and short, but when I tried this text for it- it suddenly clicked and fit perfectly. After the release of our debut album BLASPHEMICON, I made a zero budget music video for it, to establish the type of look and atmosphere of how I want to present my band and musick. Dark, demonic, gory and twisted.
2. What feeling do you hope people get from your music?
The songs we make all have their own “feeling” and message, so the album will bring the listener on a journey filled with different moods and visions. We don’t make the same song twice, so it never gets boring or repetitive. It ranges from energizing rage and blasting fury, to empowering elitist self indulgement, and down to dark and occult mysteries of satanic horror. The key to these emotions and inner journeys, lie in the lyrics. So I really hope that people will read and learn the words, and complete the experience.
3. How do you prepare for recording a track?
Personally , when I compose a new song, I either listen to some suggestion that my guitarplayer has made, and try to find or write lyrics that fit its structure and melody, or I work on my guitar to compose a tune or theme which can be the basis of a new track. So If I get a finished track, I just need to learn it enough to know how I want to sing on it. Then I can record vocals for it in a short time, as a first draft. Then we play it at rehearsals, and re-adjust it here and there many times, until we find the best verison. I have used more than 2 years on some songs, making tiny changes now and then, before I became satisfied. I think that the song “Live life loveless”, is the only one which has not been changed since the first draft. We just added some guitar fills on the album version.We rehearse the songs a long time, before we record them for album use. We want to feel sure that the songs are as good as they can be, before we send them to our producer.
4. What keeps your passion for music alive?
The joy of creating is in itself extremely rewarding, and sparks new passion along the way. Composing music that comes from somewhere deep within, and then playing it with full intensity and becoming the words I sing- that energizes me incredibly much, and later when the album is out- people all around the world get to hear and maybe share that same energy…Now that is fuel for passion.
5. Who do you look up to and how have they influenced you?
My first encounter with heavy metal was thanks to my cousin Karsten, who introduced me to bands like Black Sabbath (Mob rules), W.A.S.P. Twisted sister, and Mötley crue. This was way back in 1983-84, I was barely 9 years old. After that, I was hooked. It got heavier and darker for each band, Metallica had Master of puppets out, and that was just insane at the time. Then thrash metal with Slayer etc, and when I was 13 I discovered Morbid Angel (Altars of madness), and then the Abyss swallowed me. Deicide and Morgoth followed, and my cup ranneth over. So all these whom I have mentioned, still stand as metal-gods to me, and invoke the same feeling of awe and might, as they did to the skinny little mini-me. Naturally, I wish to honor them by showing them that I have swallowed and digested all of their unholy offerings, and regurgitated something new but recognizeable. You can hear that my vocals are closer to early Morbid angel and Deicide, then to anything more typical of today’s metal. Also the logo I designed for my band, is a tribute to especially Morbid Angel. It is my way of saying thank you to them.
6. How has your music evolved over time?
Noxium Ferus has evolved from more straight forward thrash metal, with elitistic and hedonistic content, to much heavier and darker death metal with black metal content. That was simply because at first I was only supposed to write lyrics for it, not sing it. But when I started singing it myself, my vocal style demanded that the music needed to tune down to darker and heavier tuning, and then I asked the drummer to beef up the drumwork, with more double bass and wild rolls etc, and some of the guitar riffs also were powered up a notch. So then the music was suddenly closer to deathmetal, and more to my liking. I didn’t care how it was when I was just supposed to supply lyrics, but when I became part of the whole sound picture- then I started molding it into something more to my liking.
7. How has your experience been with Wormholedeath?
Wormholedeath has been a good experience so far, they have a huge distro network, and have really put our music out there. Since this is our first label contract, we have to start at the bottom and work our way up- prove our worth. The music industry has changed a lot since the 90’s when I worked as manager for Gaahl and Trelldom, and it is difficult for me to not compare it to how it was back then. But of course things are very different now, and artists have to do much more themselves, unless they are big enough to hire a competent crew. I am waiting for wormholedeath to start selling our CD, so I am exited to see how that will go. I guess that’s what labels are most concerned about- sales. Not many people buy CDs anymore today, so -fingers crossed!
8. What is your ultimate goal?
My ultimate goal with music, is to keep the passion and creativity for as long as possible, and work with competent people so we can bombard the world with many more ancient spells in sonic form. BLASPHEMICON was just the beginning.
