Perhaps not the most known band today, but nevertheless a very interesting project by Ihsahn who is far more known as the vocalist in Emperor. Some years ago Thou Shalt Suffer released a 7īī on a Mexican label, but since then there has been a lot of silence... When do you expect to release this concept of yours? - This is still quite uncertain, as the recording will be done after I have built up my own studio. There is still a long way till this is clear and I will probably use two or three months to finish it. It does not really matter how long it takes, as long as I am perfectly satisfied with the result. Could you describe the musical style for the readers? - Through the years I have been working on this project, the musical material have changed several times. The final result will be a classical album with a very atmospheric and touching concept. The lyrics are said to be very satanic, but Iīve got the impression that the music is quite romantic. Do you think these two things go together? - The lyrics were written a few years ago and are of a very Satanic nature and are given the sense of divinity and mysticism through latin. In a symbolic way they describe different aspects of the Satanic energies, which in a totality entitles the album, "Satanae Imperio Consecratio". I do not wish to go in detail on the meaning of the lyrics, as I want the listener to interpretate the lyrics on an individual basis. The musical part can at some points bring up romantic atmospheres, as I personally find the romantic sides of the dark very appealing and wish to express those sides as well as the destructive. What kind of technical equipment will you use for the recording? - Most of the recording will be done with digital equipment, apart from the vocals and maybe some percussion. Youīre involved in other musical projects, tell the readers about them? - Apart from Thou Shalt Suffer and Emperor, I play keyboards with Satyricon and Wongraven, which is a kind of medieval, national romantic project. I do some work with a techno project and will probably do some minor session performances in the future. Is your painting important for you? Why donīt you use them in for example Emperor? - Yes, my painting is important to me. I like to create and express things in different ways. Therefore I practice different kinds of music with painting I can express myself visually, which might channel artistic expressions that I cannot describe musically. The reason why I have not done any cover-artwork is because I am not good enough yet. I might paint the cover for the TSS album myself. Your musical inspirations for T.S.S. und Emperor? - For TSS I suppose classical music is the basic musical inspiration. This goes also to some degree for Emperor as well, though black metal in general is of course important for Emperorīs identity. Explain why you want to do this classical style on synth? Donīt you think the feeling is much more true when itīs performed by an orchestra? - An orchestra is extremely expensive to use. I do not know if there are any orchestras that wish to perform with a concept like this. There would be a lot of undedicated persons performing my personal creation. I wish to do everything by myself and the most important thing for me anyway is that I am satisfied with the final result. Is there any way you could explain why you are so sentimental? - How can I explain why I came to be the way I am? I just know that I am very open for emotional energies, which I see as a very positive function to my artistic work. Do you think your studio project plans will happen? Would this be a studio for Black Metal recordings, or could you imagine yourself working with a Jazz band as an engineer? Do you have an education? - I might get economic support to start with and I might not. Anyway, I will make a studio, it is just a question of time. I will probably do much work with black metal and other kinds of music of dark nature, though I would not mind working with music that do not interest me in the beginning to get money in to make the studio better. Apart from regular high school education, I have only taken some lessons with sound engineering. I chose to invest my money in equipment instead of education, as I will learn more by having my own equipment anyway. There is no recipe for good sound. What is Satan for you? Is it something that can be personified? - Satan is a name for the dark energies and is symbolically personified for practical reasons due to association. I believe the energies can be visualised by the mind as its true nature can not be channelled through mortal senses. It is only a personal theory and I will not bother to go on about it for ages. Alt for Norge eller alt for Satan? - ALT FOR IHSAHN! This interview is believed to have been done by Dauden. |