Inferno magazine 2018

OSLO, NORWAY, 29. MARCH – 01. APRIL 2018

EMPEROR RETURN OF THE BLACK WIZARDS DISSONANT, DIRECT AND CLEAR DISSONANT, DIRECT AND CLEAR

SATYRICON

DARK FUNERAL DEMANDING PERFECTION ONE MORE SAD REALM OF THE STARS

ODIUM

NORDJEVEL FULL FRONTAL ATTACK HOTEL – ARTISTS – LABEL NIGHT – ART EXHIBITON

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WELCOME TO

INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL 2018!

FESTIVAL 2018!

INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL Oslo, Norway 29. March – 1. April Rockefeller / John DEE TICKETS: 4-day festival pass NOK 2250 (included ticket fee).

One day tickets NOK 750,(included ticket fee).

Age limit: 18 years.

Bring your ID to avoid disappointment.

Tickets available at http://tickets.infernofestival.net www.infernofestival.net

INFERNO MAGAZINE 2018 Editor: Runar Pettersen Writers: Roy Kristensen, Gunnar Sauermann, Tor Baklund, Torje Norén and Runar Pettersen.

Design and layout: Asgeir Mickelson, azgr@online.no Advertising: Turbine Agency E: info@turbine.no, www.turbine.no Distribution: Turbine Agency Publisher: Inferno Metal Festival AS www.infernofestival.net

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e're back! With a line-up that will seriously kick some ass.

It will make your adrenaline pump and your skin crawl!

With the legends of Norwegian black metal, like Emperor, Satyricon.

Tsjuder and Carpathian Forest, and pioneers of death metal, like Obituary, Grave and Napalm Death, you are in for a treat. We have also hand picked some of the most amazing newcomers like Earth Electric, Uada, Ulsect, Schammasch and many more. A line-up we are proud to present to all fans of extreme metal!

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www.scandichotels.no

nferno Metal Festival is now turning 18 years old. That is the legal age in Norway, so not only can you vote, drink and drive her in Norway – you can also enter the unholy realm of Inferno Metal Festival. That means that people that was born in 2001, the same year Inferno was born, will now join our extreme metal party. We still improving the festival for each year. The biggest changes for Inferno 2018 is of course that we now have four full days at Rockefeller and the club night is gone. I am sure a lot of people will miss the club night. But the change is not that big as we were heading that way anyway – with bigger bands at the Vulkan Arena and fewer stages. The problem with people having to run all around the city is gone and you are now able to see all the bands playing at Inferno Metal Festival. We are still able to have the same kind of bands that we use to have at the club night, just now on the John Dee stage.

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nother change is that we start a bit earlier at the main stage at Rockefeller. The first band will now start at 17.30 – making room for five bands to perform at the main stage. So get ready for the greatest year in Inferno Metal Festival history! – So far!

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Cheers, Runar Pettersen

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Katatonia

Obituary

Dodecahedron

THURSDAYMARCH 29.

ROCKEFELLER

ODIUM (NO) 17.30 Back in the late nineties the band Odium released their one and only full-length album called “The Sad Realm of the Stars”. A classic Norwegian symphonic black metal album that was released on Samoth's (Emperor) label Nocturnal Art. Sadly the band was soon after disbanded and their members continued on with others bands and projects like Myrkskog, Funeral, Zyklon and Emperor.

Finally Odium has returned and the band will play a rare gig twenty years after the release of their debut album at Inferno Metal Festival 2018.

NAGLFAR (SE) 19.00 Naglfar was formed in 1992 in Umeå, Sweden, and is one of the early Swedish black metal bands.

Their debut album “Vittra” is regarded a classic and a milestone in Swedish extreme metal. With their melodic style of black metal, the band has often been compared to fellow Swedish acts like Dissection and Sacramentum. Naglfar is still going strong and gave us an amazing gig at Inferno Metal Festival 2015 – so we welcome the Swedes back to Norway in 2018!

KATATONIA (SE) 20.30 Sweden's Katatonia was formed in 1991 and quickly gained recognition for their eclectic brand of gothic doom and death metal – joining acts such as Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride as one of the genre's defining bands. On future albums a newer, sleeker Katatonia sound appeared, starting with a streamlined and structured collection of melodic dark rock songs that became their third album “Discouraged Ones”. In 2016 Katatonia released their eleventh studio album, titled “The Fall of Hearts”. The band has since then been touring South America, Europe, Australia and North America with great success. This will be Katatonia's first visit at Inferno Metal Festival, so be sure to catch them at our icon festival.

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WWW.INFERNOFESTIVAL.NET

DARK FUNERAL (SE) 22.15 The Swedish black metal outfit Dark Funeral started in 1993 and will celebrate 25 years as a band in 2018. This means they will do a special set for this occasion. With several classic albums under the belt, like “The Secrets of the Black Arts”, “Vobiscum Satanas” and “Diabolis Interium”, the band is regarded one of Sweden's best black metal bands. Their latest album was released in 2016 and is called “Where Shadows Forever Reign”. A great record that won several awards.

OBITUARY (US) 00.15 Few bands have had bigger impact on death metal than Obituary. Some of the their early masterpieces, like “Slowly We Rot”, “Cause of Death” and “The End Complete”, was genre defining.

Still today the band make some of the best death metal albums out there. Just listen to the amazing self-titled new album that was released in 2017.

Obituary has a long history and we have to go all the way back to 1984 when the band started out as Xecutioner in Tampa, Florida. Spawning way for the Tampa death metal scene with their unique brutal sound. Obituary have rarely performed in Norway and we actually have go back to 1994, on the “World Demise Tour”, for the their last Oslo gig. We are proud to bring the pioneers of death metal back to Oslo and for their very first performance at Inferno Metal Festival.

JOHN DEE

ERIMHA (CA) 18.15 Erimha, meaning "Army" or "Legion" in Sumerian culture, base powerful, dark and epic elements with operatic sound on ancient knowledge and spirituality. Their mantra is one of inner strength and how the individual mind body and spirit can be as powerful as an entire army. Overflowing with dramatic power, dark atmosphere and grim grandeur, the Canadians exhibit their supreme

One Tail, One Head

Uada

amalgamation of epic black metal and punishing death metal throughout the bands discography.

This will be Erimha's first appearance at Inferno Metal Festival.

DODECAHEDRON (NL) 19.45 Dodecahedron was formed in the Netherlands in 2006 under the moniker Order of the Source Below. In 2011 the band changed their name to Dodecahedron and soon after released their selftitled debut album on Season of Mist. In 2017 the band released their follow up “Kwintessens”.

A black metal record that push the limits of extreme metal into new territories with a dark atmosphere combined with stellar technical brilliance. This will be Dodecahedron first time at Inferno Metal Festival.

UADA (US) 21.30 UADA might be a new band – but their music is old school. Their style is traditional black metal as we know it from the early 90s combined with spectral melodies. Their debut album, “Devoid of Light”, was released in 2016 and the band quickly gain followers from all over the world. Imagine a mixture of bands like Mgła, Dissection and Taake and you may understand what UADA is all about.

The band has never played Norway before so check them out when the Portland-based black metallers enter the stage at Inferno Metal Festival 2018!

ONE TAIL, ONE HEAD (NO) 23.15 Norwegian black metal band One Tail, One Head has been around since 2006. The band is a part of the Nidrosian black metal scene. With members from such bands as Mare, Behexen, Vemod and Altaar this band is no stranger to any fans of black metal. Just check out their brilliant 12' vinyl “FIREBIRDS b/w PROWESS” on Terratur Possessions. Watch out for this band as they always deliver one hell of a live performance.

FRIDAYMARCH 30.

ROCKEFELLER

MEPHORASH (SE) 17.30 Sweden's occult black metal band Mephorash deliver a pure and raw take on the old black metal sound with a mighty touch of esoteric and religious elements to create something new and unholy.

The band breaks the barriers with their unique sound and their live rituals are something that must be experienced. Mephorash has never performed in Norway before, so check out this amazing band when they enter the stage at Inferno Metal Festival.

AUÐN (IS) 19.00 Auðn are from the village of Hveragerði in the south of Iceland. The band is known for their haunting melodies and bitterly beautiful atmospheres within the black metal genre. Founded in the bleak winter of 2010, Auðn released their self-titled debut album on Season of Mist in 2014. In 2017 Auðn conquered Norway and Inferno Metal Festival with an amazing gig. We welcome the Icelanders back for a second round armed with a new album.

ORIGIN (US) 20.30 American death metal band Origin celebrates 20 years of existence this year. So it is about time to bring this brutal band to Inferno Metal Festival!

The band has been a favourite for all fans of technical death metal for years. Their latest album, “Unparalleled Universe”, was released in 2017 to great acclaim. Check it out and be sure to see them live when they play Inferno Festival for the very first time.

EMPEROR (NO) 22.15 Emperor is one of the pioneers of Norwegian black metal and need no further introduction for the Inferno audience. Back in 1997 the band released their second album, “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk”. 20 years ago! Today the album is regarded as one of the best albums ever released from Norway – no matter genre. Even the metal god himself, Rob Halford, has this album as one of his all-time favourite albums. We give you one of the very few chances to experience this masterpiece on an intimate indoor stage at Rockefeller during Inferno Metal Festival 2018. This will be one of those rare events that people will talk about for ages to come. Not to be missed!

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE (IT) 00.15 The Italian masters of symphonic death metal Fleshgod Apocalypse will return to Inferno Metal Festival to bring more madness upon the festival.

The band released their latest studio album in 2016 called “King” that has received great reviews from the metal press all over the world.

The album even ended up on the US billboard charts. Fleshgod Apocalypse's music is grand and

epic mixed with technical and brutal death metal – a sound that is hard to compare to other bands.

Fleshgod Apocalypse just have to be experienced – and the best way to do that is when they return to Inferno Metal Festival 2018.

Necrophobic

JOHN DEE

ULSECT (NL) 18.15 Ulsect is the newest signing to Season of Mist and released their debut album in 2017. The band hails from the Dutch city Tilburg – that has spawned such acts as blackened extremists Dodecahedron and rhythmic progressives Textures. Out of this circle, Ulsect emerged. The death metal innovators feature guitarist Joris Bonis and drummer Jasper Barendregt from Dodecahedron as well as former Textures bass-player Dennis Aarts.

It therefore hardly comes as a surprise that elements of their origins have permeated into Ulsect's eponymous debut album. You will find high technical precision and prowess woven into dense dissonance and lucent atmosphere. The primeval forces unleashed by pioneers such as Gorguts and Deathspell Omega are violently harnessed to serve a sinister musical purpose.

Ulsect herewith cordially invite you to dare explore their dark dimension at Inferno Metal Festival 2018.

WIEGEDOOD (BE) 19.45 From Belgium we present Wiegedood. A great band that released their powerful debut album “De Doden Hebben Het Goed” in 2015. An atmospheric black metal album with intense aggression and strong depressive atmosphere. Wiegedood released the sequel to their debut album in 2017, simply called “De doden hebben het goed II”.

An album so good that the band deserve your attention and therefore we welcome them to join the great line-up at Inferno Metal Festival 2018!

EARTH ELECTRIC (PT/NO) 21.30 Earth Electric is the new band from Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen. Blasphemer is no stranger for fans of extreme metal, as he is known from such bands as Mayhem, Aura Noir, Ava Inferi and Twillight of the Gods. Together with vocalist Carmen Simões, also in Ava Inferi, the duo started the band in 2014.

Creating music that was heavily influence by the sound of 70s hard rock, as well as adding their own flavour to the sound, has made Earth Electric something unique in today’s metal and hard rock scene.

Their debut album ”Vol.1: Solar” was released on Season of Mist and has been praised with great feedback from the press and fans.

NECROPHOBIC (SE) 23.15 Necrophobic hails from Stockholm, Sweden and has since 1989 released a huge number of demo tapes, EPs and full-length albums with furious and

Fleshgod Apocalypse

Emperor brutal blackened death metal. Different to many of the other death metal bands from Stockholm, Necrophobic has a more dark and evil sound to their music. Necrophobic has always stayed true to their style of unholy death metal and will do as long as the band will exist. This will be Necrophobic's first appearance at Inferno Metal Festival – so be sure to be down at John Dee in good time so you don't miss out on this great band.

ANNEX

BLACKTÖÖTH (NO) 21.30 Norway's most failure-ridden black metal band to finally play Oslo! Blacktööth, comprising of buddies Ronny (guitar and screams), Svein-Børge (bass) and Metal-Egil (drums), have been working on their domestic and international breakthrough for over a decade, but so far without even a fragment of success. Sometimes Roadie-Reidar lends a helping hand and the demon Pilse-Bob brings them misfortune more often than not. But they NEVER give up. Blacktööth tries to live "the black metal way of life" and hopes to one day play on the world's major stages, enjoy money and fame and be able to take only the hottest of groupies backstage. Metal Hammer Norway and Inferno Festival presents Blacktööth for the first – and maybe last – time live, to coincide with the publication of the collected works of the cartoon band.

Blacktööth is created, written and drawn by Torbjørn Lien, known from the national hit comic Kollektivet, and runs regularly in Metal Hammer Norway. They released their first and so far only single, "Nightsweat Agony" in 2008 while wrapped in an old school filthy doom sound.

WWW.INFERNOFESTIVAL.NET

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SATURDAY MARCH 31.

ROCKEFELLER

NORDJEVEL (NO) 17.30 Nordjevel made a huge impact in 2016 when they released their debut album “Nordjevel” and played their very first gig at Inferno Metal Festival.

Since then the band has not been resting and they released their EP “Krigsmakt” in 2017 and played Maryland Deathfest in the states. The members of Nordjevel are well known in the metal underground, hailing from such bands as Marduk, Tvangeste, Ragnarok, Vidsyn and Witchery, just to name a few. The band will return to Inferno Metal Festival in 2018.

IHSAHN (NO) 22.15 Ihsahn is no stranger for fans of Norwegian black metal. Well-known as the front man in the legendary black metal band Emperor, the man started his own solo career in 2005. Today Ihsahn has released six albums that all received great acclaim from fans and press all over the world.

His latest masterpiece is “Arktis.” from 2016, has been described as a great journey of diversity and emotion. Be sure to join our musical journey when Ihsahn hits the stage at Rockefeller during Inferno Metal Festival 2018!

SATYRICON (NO) 00.15 KRAKOW (NO) 19.00 Krakow hails from Bergen in Norway and was formed in 2005. Krakow is the stoner metal band of members from bands like Aeternus, Kampfar, Gravdal, Gaahl’s Wyrd and Hades Almighty. With several amazing atmospheric full-length album released – in 2017 the band finally released a live-album. If it is anything this band do best – it is to play live. So expect just the best when Krakow returns to Inferno Metal Festival to play some of their heaviest tunes.

MEMORIAM (UK) 20.30 Forged from the ashes of Bolt Thrower, and in tribute to their late drummer Martin Kears, Memoriam is a fairly new death metal band that has risen to do it the old school way. The band consists of Bolt Thrower ex-members Karl Willetts on vocal and Andrew Whale on drums. Together they have joined forces with ex-Cerebral Fix guitar player Scott Fairfax and bassist Frank Healy from Benediction and Sacrilege. Memoriam released their debut album “For the Fallen” on Nuclear Blast in 2016 to great critical acclaim and is regarded as one of the best death metal albums of the last couple of years.

Satyricon started in 1991 and released their classic albums “Dark Medieval Times” and “The Shadowthrone” both in 1994. Since then the band has been one of the most important black metal bands from Norway. The band was never afraid of walking their own path and broke new ground with “Nemesis Divina” and “Rebel Extravaganza”.

Further on the band has always managed to stay at the top with amazing albums like “Volcano”, “Now, Diabolical”, “The Age of Nero” and “Satyricon”. With a brand new album out called “Deep Calleth Upon Deep” Satyricon is back with one of their best releases. Expect nothing but the best when the band returns to Inferno Metal Festival in 2018!

from distinct art circles from Lisbon, Portugal. The band features an actress, a music producer, and instrumentalists, who have followed this path for over 20 years as part of other acts such as We Are The Damned, Besta and Mourning Lenore.

Their self-titled debut album, which was released in 2012, delivers elegant doom rock combined with a soundtrack like approach that harvested praise from both public and critics alike. On Sinistro's next effort, “Cidade”, they welcomed singer Patrícia Andrade on board and went on to explore a massive wall of guitars combined with gritty keyboard layers and an emotional vocal performance. Their latest album “Semente” was released in 2016 and the band did a massive tour together with death doom-legends Paradise Lost in 2017. We welcome Sinistro to Inferno Metal Festival for the very first time.

VANHELGD (SE) 21.30 The Swedish death metallers Vanhelgd will bring the Swedish death metal sound to Inferno Metal Festival 2018. The sound made by Boss HM-2 pedal and the stench of rotting corpses. The band has by now released four albums of death metal monstrosity and consist of members and exmembers from such bands as King of Asgard, Ocean Chief, Ceremonial Execution and Thy Primordial. If you like your death metal rotten to the core – Vanhelgd is a band you can't miss.

AHAB (GE) 23.15

JOHN DEE

COMPETITION WINNER 18.15 This spot is reserved for one of our band competition winners. Make sure you follow us on Facebook or check our website frequently for your chance to participate or vote.

SINISTRO (PT) 19.45 Sinistro is a strong entity driven by five individuals

If you like your music heavy and slow, German funeral doom band Ahab is what you have been looking for. The band is a giant within the genre and their sound can make your stomach turn just by their heavy down-tuned guitars. Ahab will serve you the most melancholic, dark atmosphere gig at Inferno Metal Festival 2018 – created by the slow, heavy riffs and drums of doom. Not a gig to be missed!

Satyricon

Ihsahn Krakow

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Memoriam

Carpathian Forest

Schammasch Grave

Tsjuder

Djevel Napalm Death

Electric Wizard

SUNDAYAPRIL 1.

ROCKEFELLER

DJEVEL (NO) 17.30 Norwegian black metal band Djevel was formed in 2009 with members and ex-members of such great bands as Koldbrann, Ljå, Orcustus, Enslaved and Kvelertak. Djevel has released four albums since then. The latest one was “Norske ritualer” from 2016 that received maximum score in Norwegian metal magazine Scream. The band is now working on their new album and has some line-up chances.

Joining Trond Ciekals (NettleCarrier) and Mannevond (Koldbrann) is no other than Faust (ex-Emperor, Blood Tsunami, StudFaust). We are excited for the new Djevel album and to have them perform at Inferno Metal Festival for the first time.

TSJUDER (NO) 19.00 Norwegian black metal outfit Tsjuder started in 1993 in Oslo. Since then the band has built up their legacy with five full-length albums of classic Norwegian black metal. If you have ever wondered what the name Tsjuder means, you have to check out the brilliant Norwegian movie “Veiviseren”. Tsjuder is also one brilliant band – just check out their latest album “Antiliv” that was released in 2015. A true black metal masterpiece that is impossible to ignore. After six years Tsjuder will finally return to Inferno Metal Festival to show you how it should be done!

NAPALM DEATH (UK) 20.30 Napalm Death are the Godfathers of grindcore.

Listening to their classic album “Scum” back in 1987 – people was blown away. Never had anybody heard that kind of brutal music before. Even today, 30 years after the release of their debut album, Napalm Death is still one of the most brutal

bands there is out there. The legends have been at Inferno Metal Festival once before and it is about time they return to the festival.

ELECTRIC WIZARD (UK) 22.15 Electric Wizard is a British doom metal band formed in 1993. The band has released nine studio albums with the latest one being released in 2017.

With albums like “Dopethrone” and “Come My Fanatics....” Electric Wizard are regarded as one of the best bands of today’s doom metal scene.

Electric Wizard's new album, “Wizard Bloody Wizard”, is heavy as hell. The band is back to the roots of doom metal with an unique record that will kick you down and make you gasp for air – so will be the case when the doom metal wizards perform their magic at Inferno Metal Festival for the very first time. The earth will rumble and heads will explode – get ready for Electric Wizard!

CARPATHIAN FOREST (NO) 00.15 The Norwegian black metal band Carpathian Forest are back! It's been more than ten years since we last heard from this mighty black metal band. Now they are back to release more evil upon the world. Of course their return will all happen at Inferno Metal Festival 2018! “Black Shining Leather”, “Strange Old Brew” and “Defending the Throne of Evil” are all classics that will be amazing to hear live at Inferno Metal Festival 2018!

JOHN DEE

COMPETITION WINNER 18.15 This spot is reserved for one of our band competition winners. Make sure you follow us on Facebook or check our website frequently for your chance to participate or vote.

NAÐRA (IS) 19.45 Naðra is a new band coming from the constant growing Icelandic black metal scene. The band released their debut album “Allir vegir til glötunar” in 2016 to great acclaim. The members of Naðra comes from several of Iceland's best known black metal bands – like Carpe Noctem, Misþyrming, Dysthymia and Svartidauði. The gig at Inferno Metal Festival 2018 will be Naðra's first appearance in Norway.

SCHAMMASCH (CH) 21.30 Schammasch was formed in 2009 in Switzerland.

Since then the band has released 3 studio albums and their latest EP, called “The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite”, was released in 2017. Their music can be described as a horror trip into black metal madness. So if you like music that are heavy on dark atmosphere – Schammasch is a band you can't miss. Be sure to check out Schammasch when the band perform in Norway for the first time.

GRAVE (SE) 23.15 Inferno Metal Festival 2018 will mark the 30th anniversary of legendary Swedish death metal band Grave. The band will perform a set spanning from 1988 (1986 with Corpse tracks) to 1991 – which means only demo material that some of it were later recorded on albums and also some tracks written for the “Into the Grave” album.

So in easy terms; the band will play no songs that were written or recorded later than 1991.

Join the celebration in the name of true old school Swedish death metal at Inferno Metal Festival 2018! This will be brutal as hell!

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Take a stand and support us today. always a helping hand Contact info

Metalheads against bullying

Leif Munkelien Phone: +47 95 79 29 93 leif.mab@gmail.com

www.against-bullying.no

metalheads_against_bullying

INDIE RECORDINGS ARE INVITING ALL YOU METALHEADS FOR AN EVENING WITH NORWEGIAN THRASH METAL: VORBID AND TANTARA. he evening will take place at Hard Rock Cafe Oslo and be free of charge for those with a 4 days festival pass and for those with accreditation for Inferno Metal Festival 2018. Tickets can be

T

exchanged to wristband in the door. If you don't have a festival pass you can still get in for NOK 150,-. After the gigs there will be Inferno DJs and party all night long.

VORBID TANTARA

orbid is a progressive thrash metal band from the southern city of Norway, Arendal. Consisting of Michael Eriksen Briggs, Daniel Emanuelsen, Marcus Gullovsen and Jonas Tellefsen. The band was formed in October 2013 and has since its inception developed quite a unique style of thrash metal. They mix the riffs and the intensity of thrash with the technique and the melodies from prog rock. They have won several competitions like GBOB Norway (reaching 4th place in the Global Battle of the Bands World Final in May 2016), Massive Destruction, Rytmisk Fabrikk's talent contest, Wacken Metal Battle and Bloodstock’s Metal 2 the Masses. In August 2016 they released their self-titled EP to critical acclaim. Norskmetal.net gave it 5/6 and heavymetal.no gave it a fantastic 9.5 / 10! Their debut album is soon finished, and the band is gearing up for an early 2018 release date.

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20:00: Doors opening 20:30: Vorbid 21:30: Tantara 23:00: DJs

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he Norwegian old-school thrash outfit Tantara is bringing the genre back to its roots, combining heavy melodies, fast riffs and complex song structures. The band was formed late 2009, when the four members decided it was time for another great wave of thrash metal. All members, inspired by the heavy and thrash metal scene from the 80’s, have given the genre a new, modern edge, while still keeping true to the legacy. Since the release of their debut album “Based On Evil” in 2012, they have shared the stage with bands such as Kreator, Havok, Destruction, and many other great bands. The album was produced by legendary Danish producer Flemming Rasmussen – well-known for his work with Metallica, Morbid Angel and Blind Guardian. The Scandinavian thrashers, known for their aggressive live shows, are currently in the process of releasing their sophomore full-length album, which is set to release in the first half of 2018.

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- PERFECTION

DARK FUNERAL

DARK FUNERAL, WHICH WAS FORMED IN 1993, WILL CELEBRATE 25 YEARS AS A BAND IN 2018. THE BAND ARE GOING TO INVEST A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY INTO A UNIQUE AND VERY SPECIALLY DESIGNED STAGE SETUP AND MASSIVE PYRO PRODUCTION. By: Roy Kristensen ne of the originals in the Swedish black metal scene will destroy Inferno Metal Festival once again. Since their former appearance in 2007, they have released two albums, with 2016’s “Where Shadows Forever Reign” upholding their reputation of being one of the best black metal bands. Lord Ahriman begins by explaining why the cover represents the album’s title.

- Necrolord wouldn’t tell us anything, so I had to trust him despite being stressed all over. You know, if the atmosphere was wrong or something? When we finally got to see the whole thing, we were like “you gotta be fucking kidding me?”. He didn’t know the title of “IT IS IN the album yet, so when I told him, he was like “you gotta be fucking kidding me?”, ha ha. The cover is perfect alongside the album title.

Ahriman has written two lyrics on the new album, for the first time since “The Secrets Of The Black Arts”.

- I worked extremely hard to make them good enough, or to be perfect if you will. I felt that the music and the lyrics had to be together as one.

Heljarmadr and I wrote them together and we discussed the music and the words through and through so that he would understand my thoughts right from the start. I think the totality is stronger than ever, and both the music and the lyrics give more meaning than ever.

Dark Funeral’s new vocalist, Heljarmadr, says that the process has been very educating and challenging.

- I have written music and lyrics and sung for

O

20 years, so I do of course have my own way of doing things. But now that I am in Dark Funeral there’s a frame I have to respect and work within.

Some of the lyrics were there at once while others didn’t possess the right feeling, to put it like that. I am 100 percent content with the result.

But weren’t you afraid to join such a prolific band such as Dark Funeral? You know, the higher they climb …

- My band, Grá, played as support for Dark Funeral’s 20th anniversary. I knew their music from before, so I sent a note to Ahriman that I

times, you know? (laughs) But when we are on stage and we begin to play these tracks I don’t think of that necessary evil at all! It is in the blood and in the soul, and we give everything the same way we did in the beginning! We do play the songs the way as we’ve always done, though perhaps slightly better (laughs). I mean, if you listen to the originals, the tempo changes in many parts, so we are more even these days!

Perhaps they should alter the tempo at Inferno, hah. I take it that Ahriman won’t do the bass at Inferno, even if he actually recorded them himself on “Where Shadows Reign Forever”.

- When I did them I was very strict THE BLOOD AND IN THE SOUL, AND WE GIVE EVERYTHING towards myself, but damn it, Daniel was even rougher and demanded THE SAME WAY WE DID IN THE BEGINNING!” perfection by pushing me close to the edge. I redid takes that I was – LORD AHRIMAN pleased with, but he knew better and pushed me further to secure the quality of the was interested and well, we did a tryout. Everyalbum. body appreciated what they got to hear. When we announced that I was the new vocalist we also Being the sole remaining original member I suppose you feel even more responsible for the released “Nail Them To The Cross”. I don’t have final result? any intention of being the new Caligula. I have to - I was there every second during the recorddo it my way and I have to say that the response ing of “Where Shadows Forever Reign”. I was have been amazing thus far. there to give instructions to Dominator, HeljarWhen Dark Funeral play live, they still do madr and Chaq Mol. I can be an asshole whenev“Open The Gates” and “My Dark Desires”. er necessary, but I only demand the best and Does Ahriman respect the old tracks or is he tempted to rearrange them now 20 years later? to gain perfection, the best is the only option!

- Well, sometimes it feels like a necessary evil Dark Funeral plays at Rockefeller Thursday to include these and other older tracks in the 29th of March 22.15. setlist. We have played the songs a couple of WWW.INFERNOFESTIVAL.NET

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GramArt

.

Medlem

“Vi signerer ikke så mye som julekort uten å sjekke med GramArt.”

Enslaved

EMPEROR - RETURN OF THE BLACK WIZARDS

EMPEROR WILL GRACE THE INFERNO FESTIVAL FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME AFTER THEIR CELEBRATED DEBUT AT OSLO’S ANNUAL EXTREME METAL GATHERING IN 2006. YET FEW NORWEGIAN BANDS CAN CLAIM SUCH A DEEP BOND WITH THE MEANING AND SPIRIT DRIVING THIS DARK MUSICAL EVENT AT EASTER AS THESE BLACK METAL INNOVATORS. ONE OF THE BAND’S TWO MASTERMINDS, VOCALIST AND GUITARIST IHSAHN, WHO WILL ALSO PERFORM WITH HIS OWN BAND AT THE 2018 EDITION, IS GRANTING SOME GLIMPSES OF THE GLORIOUS THINGS TO COME. By: Gunnar Sauermann uch has been written about the so called second wave of black metal that emerged mainly out of Norway and Sweden in the early nineties. Any reader not yet overly familiar with the still lingering story of church burning, murder, and similarly blood drenched headlines surrounding this scene in its beginning will find a diligently researched and soberly presented account in Dayal Patterson’s seminal journalistic achievement, “Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult”.

M

Classic Darkness For the purpose of explaining why the second Emperor show at the Inferno Festival is such an outstanding event, it suffices to recall that once

the ashes of a juvenile revolt with criminal excesses in Norway started to be swept away by time in the mid-nineties, the defining musical force of particularly three bands from this fresh and exciting scene became clearly recognisable: Mayhem, which under the leading role of the murdered Øystein Aarseth aka Euronymous had been instigators and ideological forerunners delivering the posthumous manifest of this new black metal scene with their album “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas”. The musicians known as Fenriz and Nocturno Culto that had relentlessly pushed the boundaries of extreme music with their band Darkthrone. And last in this list but never least, Emperor.

he band from the town Notodden in the rural Telemark province to the southwest of Oslo had been sticking out musically from the beginning.

Emperor were operating on a different level even in a scene that from the outset was internally far more diverse than it appeared to many observers on the outside. An eminent critic, Robert Müller from the German edition of Metal Hammer pointed his readers towards the general direction, when he wrote in an important feature introducing the growing Nordic scene to headbangers in his country that Emperor had brought wider artistic relevance to black metal. There is a pattern to his observation: whenever this extreme style is introduced to outsiders of the metal scene and

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Photo: Håkon Grav

especially when presented to the ears classically trained musicians and composers, it is nearly a rule that any interest from such professionals gets entirely captured by Emperor. This band stands apart in many ways, including geographically.

While Bergen and Oslo have been rival centres of gravity within the Norwegian black metal scene and become places of pilgrimage for die-hard followers from around the globe, Notodden has more or less escaped further notice. ‘There is a strange thing happening in the Einstein universe’, quips Vegard Tveitan, who is better known under his artist-name Ihsahn. ‘For us it is only a short trip to Oslo, which takes just 1:45 hours, but when people from the capital are supposed to travel to Notodden, it always appears to be a journey to the edge of the world with distance and journeytime doubled. Then again, there is no issue between our hometown and Oslo that goes beyond the usual small tension between any capital city and the countryside.’

Infernal Rites Free from strong opinions that bands from the western fjords often like to reserve for Oslo, Emperor have shown more ties to the scene in the capital throughout their history. It therefore comes as no surprise that Ihsahn takes a positive view towards the main metal meeting of the capital.

‘The Inferno has always been more than just another festival’, states the musician. ‘As the biggest extreme music oriented event in Norway it has always been a focus point especially for our black metal scene, but there are probably nearly as many people coming from abroad to experience this kind of music at its home, which adds an extra dimension to this gathering.’ His own experience and participation at the Inferno Festival reaches as far back as its first edition in 2001, when Ihsahn performed there with Peccatum – a project shared with his wife, Star of Ash vocalist

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and keyboarder Ihriel. ‘It is hard to pick out a particular memory from that show’, admits the Norwegian. ‘My live mode means very much being in a bubble and we were actively touring with Peccatum at that time. All those shows have kind of blurred into each other. I just recall that it was a successful gig and that we had a good time.’ When Emperor reunited for a few selected live shows, which was partly in keeping with a “promise” given to their followers while splitting up in 2001, it was only natural that the band made a celebrated appearance at the Inferno Festival in 2006. Interest was soaring, the band had to give a public and televised press-conference, and the Rockefeller venue appeared to be bursting at the seams. In 2009, the recording of that show was even released under the name “Live Inferno” as a double-CD. The next milestone for Ihsahn at the Inferno Festival came with the solo-band under his own artist-name in 2010. “We had just release our third album, ‘After’ and I had brought Jørgen Munkeby from Shining with me to Inferno’, recalls the mastermind. ‘There is even a raw video on YouTube, which was filmed from the sound-desk at that gig. It was in many respects a very early show for us. We were presenting the fundament of our new style with the extend guitar range for example. It was a good starting point into the festival season and a wake-up call with many people from abroad carrying the message around the globe. The Inferno Festival is in general a great platform for Norwegian bands to get noticed outside the country.’

Intimate Anniversary When Emperor will return to the Inferno Festival in 2018, the black metal icons will continue to celebrate their second highly acclaimed album “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk’, a milestone that was released in 1997. ‘We did only seven shows with Emperor in 2017 and we therefore feel that

the anniversary concept is not played out yet’, explains Ihsahn. ‘After all, this album has been the very reason for us getting together again.’

According to the composer, their previous debut full-length, ‘In the Nightside Eclipse’ (1994) contained some older material as well as new recordings, which nearly gave it the feel of a compilation. ‘To me, ‘Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk’ was different, because it was conceived as one piece with all the songs fitting together’, adds the vocalist. ‘This album is also very special for us as it was created despite many obstacles and in the face of strong opposition. We went through hard times as a band, but there was never even a question about this album not being made. This energetic drive and powerful will is well reflected within the music and we had also become more mature musicians.’ For the metal scene, which seems eternally obsessed with nerdy debates such as which album of any given band is the best, this question as regarding Emperor is overwhelmingly battled out between “In the Nightside Eclipse” and “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk”.

Adherents of the former will probably point out the raw arousing fury of its tracks, while proponents of the latter might enthuse about its dark elegance and emotional sharpness. Both sides have a point and the easy solution is to appreciate each record for being the black metal masterpiece that they most definitively are. Although Emperor remain in ‘Anthems’ anniversary mode, something will change at Inferno. ‘We have played only the biggest festivals so far, but now we are looking forward to present our set in a more intimate setting’, relates Ihsahn. ‘We have discussed that after last summer and decided to rather give the next shows to our core-audience.’

This statement does not mean that the band has suddenly become unhappy with the big stages.

‘The great thing about playing the big festivals is not just that many people get a chance to see

your band, but it is also the immense privilege to being on stage back to back with the heroes of our youth’, he continues. ‘If anybody had told me in my childhood that I would be able to play next to my idols at festivals and to create music for a living, my days would have probably ended with a heart attack. Getting older also means to be able to deal with dreams coming true and to get a perspective on such privileges. It is still humbling to receive the opportunities that we have with Emperor – as friends and as a band. Now we are meeting people that grew up with our albums just as we grew up with Iron Maiden, while we are sharing stages with them.’ With his enthusiasm for big shows undiminished, there must be other reasons to perform “THE INFERNO at more specialist festivals such as the Inferno. ‘The drawback of playing the giant festivals is that there are always a lot of bystanders on the field that are just waiting to get a good spot for the next band’, opines Ihsahn. ‘There is another level of energy, when we have an audience that is dedicated to black metal and specifically came to see us. Another issue is that this kind of music demands darkness to evoke the right atmosphere and an indoor venue means a guarantee for that to happen.’

There is a duality in this, because the abstract force that drives me to change is a constant presence.

When growing up, I was fascinated with how much Iron Maiden managed to have a theme and cohesiveness on each record that made it distinct from the others. This is an approach that I want to continue.’ His desired continuity is an achieved given since it is quite easily possible to draw connection lines between Emperor, Ihsahn, Peccatum, and even his folk excursion under the name Hardingrock – to name a selection. Ihsahn explains his intentions with an example. ‘Radiohead have been a great inspiration for me’, he sets out. ‘That they dared to follow such a massive success as ‘OK Computer’ with an electronic album shows integrity. The HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER FESTIVAL” other thing that I like about Radiohead is that they always remain – IHSAHN identifiable. All their albums bear their mark. I hope that my albums can also be easily attributed to me – even when I take a crew that we can rely on and that takes the worry vastly different approach. Well, in the end, I always about external issues from our shoulders. At the return to distorted guitars and screaming vocals.’ same times, those songs are programmed into our Not every artist is driven by a desire for change and DNA and their flow comes naturally. It is not really new horizons, but the Norwegian underlines his a difficult job on stage, although we have put a lot motivation with another example. ‘Lemmy became of effort into getting there. We have rehearsed a legend for always being true to himself and never constantly for almost a year before the first show. changing with Motörhead – or at least not much’, Our reward is that we are now getting to do what muses Ihsahn. ‘Not long after losing him, we had to we have been dreaming of, since we were at the Iron Integrity mourn the passing of a very different artist. David age of ten.’

Emperor today means a band that has become Bowie was an icon for being an ever-evolving Solo for Ihsahn more at ease with itself and at the same time with musical chameleon, who at the same time stayed As an artist, Ihsahn will not only return with true to himself. It is not better or more of anything playing live. It is no secret that the split of 2001 Emperor for the second show in his career to the to be rather like one of them than the other, but perlargely happened because the two masterminds Inferno Festival but also with his own band. ‘It sonally I identify more with the philosophy of David had musically drifted apart. Ihsahn had made his would defeat the purpose of us enjoying being Bowie.’ Currently, Ihsahn has gone into reclusion to preferences clear with the final album, together in Emperor, if we would focus on the work on a new album and he hopes to be able to “Prometheus – The Discipline of Fire & Demise” band’, reminds Ihsahn. ‘For the same reason, we present a lot of new material at the Inferno Festival.

(2001), which in effect can be taken as the unoffiwill not get together and create another album, ‘I am putting a massive effort into making the Inferno cial start of his solo-career. While guitarist Tomas because in truth we are all at different stages of show into the starting point of our coming live seaHaugen aka Samoth, who is the other and equally other work as musicians. My future lies in my solo son’, reveals the frontman. ‘It will be great to be at important half of the band, had made his penchant career as I am only 42 and the time has not yet the festival with Emperor and Ihsahn. ‘There will be for death metal quite audible on Emperor’s penulcome for me to pull the oars and lean back. We no schizophrenia involved as I am entering the timate record, “IX Equilibrium” (1999). Samoth same frame of mind on stage with successfully continued further both bands. I move into a bubble along this path and after the split “THERE IS ANOTHER LEVEL OF ENERGY, WHEN WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE THAT that feels like a strange world on its at first with Zyklon and later with own, which consists of sound, light, The Wretched End. Quite obviIS DEDICATED TO BLACK METAL AND SPECIFICALLY CAME TO SEE US.” the audience, and something exously, it was the creative tension treme. These days a show already between its two main protago– IHSAHN hits the internet, before a band has nists, which made the magic of even left the stage. This makes it Emperor happen. Yet with a necessary to enter your own space and not to worry just had Alice Cooper playing before us in Tokyo growing feeling that their musical differences about mistakes or a wrong word, or you can easily and that he is still going strong should be an indiwere threatening the integrity of Emperor and end up being self-conscious instead of letting the cation that there are more years ahead for me.” even worse that their personal friendship might music flow.’

With Ihsahn, the evolution of the Norwegian combe in danger, the two band-leaders decided that poser appears to have moved onto the fast track. fame, success, and money were not worth this Each of his six solo albums is offering a distinct mperor and Ihsahn at the Inferno Festival price and that it was time to go separate ways. character and is musically painted from an ever2018 is offering the prospect of seeing some Since then, there has been no new Emperor extending palette of possibilities. ‘I am always of the most outstanding music in the extreme studio recording and only a drawn-out string of striving to improve and make progress, but not for metal genre of the past and present coming rare shows to the delight of their many dedicated the sake of change itself’, declares the artistic together in a once in life time moment. Better fans, who have been relentlessly asking for the genius. ‘I have been making music for quite a make sure, not to miss this very special event. band to return. ‘We are most determined to keep while and it is very important to me that I find the Emperor as a musical entity that we enjoy’, Emperor plays at Rockefeller Friday 30th of March process and result exciting as well as emotionally emphasises Ihsahn. ‘We have not and will not 22.15. Ihsahn plays at Rockefeller Saturday 31th of fulfilling. I do not get that from repeating myself. compromise. We have and will always do everything on our terms. This stance makes us into what we are – first for ourselves, but also for the people that come to see us. Emperor are genuine and that will always show.’ With enough offers on the table to tour around the world for some years, the band has been very selective about where to play and when. With the anniversary of their two most acclaimed albums providing more than sufficient reason to interrupt their ongoing solo careers, there is another factor for Emperor to play some additional shows in 2018.

‘We are more comfortable with our live situation these days’, states the guitarist. “We have a great

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- DISSONANT

SATYRICON

THE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL BAND HAS RECENTLY RELEASED “DEEP CALLETH UPON DEEP”, AN ALBUM THAT SHOWS A MORE PROGRESSIVE BAND. MANY ARE THOSE WHO HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST SATYR AND SATYRICON, BUT MANY ARE THOSE WHO REGARD THE SAME MAN AND THE SAME BAND AS PIONEERS OF THE GENRE AND AS A BAND THAT HAS WALKED ITS OWN PATH [OF SORROW]. THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT SATYR IS THE KING OF THE SHADOWTHRONE AND THAT FROST IS HIS KNIGHT OF THE MOTHER NORTH. TOGETHER THEY HAVE MADE NINE ALBUMS AND DURING EASTER 2018, WE WILL ONCE AGAIN WITNESS A MOMENT OF CLARITY, WHEN THE NORWEGIAN BAND HEADLINES THE INFERNO FESTIVAL. By: Roy Kristensen e will delve a bit into the latest output, but any full-lengths, and there are people who think Satyricon who doesn’t mention this one track. since many of us has a dream of hearing the debut album is the band’s best moment. But But to me the whole album is closer to an album one or perhaps even two tracks from the debut, I am sure there are plenty that think “Rebel compared to the first two releases. Satyr did think we need to learn a bit about the pricey LP-version Extravaganza” is Satyricon’s rhapsody in filth. It album on “Dark Medieval Times” and “The of “Dark Medieval Times”. Satyr begins by telling is, just like the three predecessors, different from Shadowthrone”, but as he says himself, he that it didn’t turn out the way he hoped for. anything Satyricon has made before or after. was so young.

- I actually thought that holding that first LP in - We have always tried to make something that - I was only 17 years old when the first album my hands would be a memory of a lifetime, a kind we would like to listen to ourselves. At the time was released. When we did “Nemesis Divina” of romantic trip of nostalgia. We didn’t have much there were more and more of the gothic approach I was three years older. That meant a lot since money and we had little knowledge about the in the black metal scene. There was a lot of theatre, there’s a big difference between one that is 17 process. The guy from the company didn’t know tons of synths and less guitars and an aesthetical and one that is 20. A lot is happening and when too much about the things he was supposed to do form that became all too smooth. “Rebel Extravayou make music you become a lot better on your either. You know, we didn’t talk to designers, but ganza” was hard, cold and filled with hate. We technique as well as how to write and arrange printmakers, so when we were trying to put things needed it at the time, and it inspired a lot of others music. Success is a relative thing, but from the together it was like walking through mud. They bands to take different turns than the gothic one, underground-ish point of view, we experience didn’t understand anything, to put it so you could say that album was an like that. The LP was printed before inspiration of better nature.

“IN GENERAL I NEED TO FEEL THE WORDS I SING BY HEART AND the CD. So, we got the LP and there I think especially the vinyl version is you had this 0.5 centimetre black great, but the CD turned out really good TO EXPRESS MYSELF DISTINCTLY AND WITH FULL FORCE.” edge around the cover. I can be as well, speaking of the visual presenpedantically about details, so you tation of “Rebel …”.

–SATYR - We did a photo session in London. could tell I was disappointed! We It was cold, dirty and we froze like hell. printed 500 copies and we had agreed In fact, it was anything but a positive happening. to make a poster. Well, they hadn’t included the much success with “Dark Medieval Times” But the result turned out very good and it did fit poster, so Frost and I had to go to the printing and we doubled that for “The Shadowthrone”. the music, no doubt. You will always have those company and do everything ourselves. We had to I remember that Tormod Opedal told a young who think that the demo is the best thing ever fold the poster and put them together with the LP. Satyr that since we’d experienced success and and didn’t give a shit about the band after that.

It wasn’t that hard, it was after all only 500 copies were marching on, we could take bigger studios And there were people that told me and we were two young guys. So, there we were, and making everything bigger and better into “Rebel Extravaganza” was too far off compared folding this and finish off the release. But what consideration – the money was there! That was to what black metal was supposed to be. Well, could’ve been more like a ceremony turned into a really cool. So, we got in touch with a professional we have always done what we have felt like at job. When it comes to the music in itself, we didn’t photographer that was not established yet, but we any given time. When it comes to the photos …, write songs at all. It was more like one riff folhad heard rumours that he was really good. It was we worked with a professional photographer, definitely something else than having your best lowed by another, making the music a cavalcade Marcel Lelienhoff, and he told us at once that friend at the location shooting some random phoof riffs. Did it fit or not? Nah, we didn’t pay attenhe had no interest in turning into some kind of tos. We also used a designer that was with us tion to the keys, to rhythmical combination or black metal photographer, if you see what I from the beginning of the process with “Nemesis tempo. But that album has its charm and there mean? He did like Satyricon and would like to Divina” and the whole album feels more compeare cool things on “Dark Medieval Times”. participate in the development of the band. tent, if you see what I mean.

After the two first albums, Satyricon did We thought it was for the greater good that There’s no doubt that Satyr is right. There will “Nemesis Divina”. “Mother North” is one of the he wanted to be exclusive. of course always be those who like the demo over classics and I haven’t met one person who likes

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remember at the time “Volcano” was unleashed, I didn’t really like it and I didn’t like that “Fuel For Hatred” track. Frost agrees that the album is different from the fab four.

- The structure was much stricter, to put it like that. This was our prime focus and we worked extremely hard with the production. The songs were written in a more traditional way than before. You know, we had many different themes that didn’t repeat themselves, while “Volcano” contained more of these verse, choruses and bridges. In the end it’s not enough with the youthful energy, gritty teeth and fists of fury. We had to write songs! This demanded way more of me as a drummer, since there’s was nothing to hide behind. People could actually hear every punch!

I had to work a lot to manage the material, especially since this way of playing wasn’t natural to me. I learnt a lot during the process and gained a lot from the power of the tracks. I felt that I had reached further as a drummer after the recording.

The sound of the album is excellent and Satyr did a marvellous job as a producer.

Satyr tells us that there are noticeable artists that had a good word or two concerning “Volcano”.

- Kerry King from Slayer and Daron Malakian from System Of A Down have told me how Rick Rubin has made use of “Volcano” as a point of reference for sound as well as music. We highly appreciate that one of the biggest producers values what we have done. I look upon the album as a complete one where I feel that music, lyrics, sound and artwork are well done through and through.

“Deep Calleth Upon Deep” has a dry but very fitting sound. Frost says that they have worked a lot with the balance, so that there is enough of everything instead of too much drums in example.

- We have spent a lot of time on the different themes in each track. It’s not about me or the song. Some songs need a lot of percussions, others are groovier, the intensity varies from song to song and it demands a lot from me to be spot on all the time. It is the song and the totality that is most important!

The mid-section of the track “Dissonant” is great and has a lot of cool drumming.

- We have made a point out of being direct and clear, yet at the same time allowing the music to work in different levels. I have obviously focused on the drums while Satyr has the whole production in mind all the time. The section you mention is not the main part of the song, but we have given rooms for such sections on the album and I think this has added to the final result. There are many layers in the songs and they need time to rise from below.

Satyricon do their autumn-tour across Europe when this is written and have therefore no time to think about Easter 2018. But when playing live in general, how does Frost approach it, having the adrenaline and variation and whatnot in mind while playing?

- I feel that it deals with doing justice to the songs. In fact, I thought about this yesterday

I

when we rehearsed the new material as well as the setlist and all. I don’t think I’ll ever be done with learning about the transitions from the intense parts to the calmer ones, the more silent parts … You can always improve this and that.

I am always thinking about this, and when we play live I think about it even more because then you can’t do another take. My respect towards the playing, the feeling and attitude and the songs has steadily increased the more I learn about playing. The new material demand extreme focus and respect because of the nature of each track and the various themes. In other words, it used to be important and now it is even more important!

On the 22nd of September the band played live in Oslo, on a rooftop of a building. The concert was streamed and they played the whole new album as well as a couple of other classics.

The tenor that sings on the album also sang that evening, and perhaps we’ll get to hear something similar at Inferno 2018. I’m curious upon how Satyr regards this kind of spice?

- Håkon Kornstad has a fantastic tone in his voice that adds air and dynamics to the two tracks he’s singing on. The meaning is of course that such additions will make the song even better and more complete. When the basic is done and the songs begin to take shape, we start to think about elements that can improve the songs even further. We do try out many different things, but when we manage to sort something out …

How does Satyr himself work with the vocals on “Deep Calleth Upon Deep”?

- The song and the lyric dictate my expression as a vocalist. In general I need to feel the words I sing by heart and to express myself distinctly and with full force. I need to find the rhythm and the musicality to make each line stand out!

Will Satyricon stand out during Inferno 2018?

Let’s join the burial rite and see for ourselves.

Satyricon plays at Rockefeller Saturday 31th of March 17.30.

Satyricon will also play Sentrum Scene on 24th of November 2017.

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ODIUM

- ONE MORE SAD REALM OF THE STARS

BACK IN 1998 THE NORWEGIAN SYMPHONIC BLACK METAL BAND ODIUM RELEASED THEIR DEBUT ALBUM “THE SAD REALM OF THE STARS”. AT INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL 2018 THE BAND WILL MARK THE 20 YEARS ANNIVERSARY WITH A SPECIAL REUNION GIG FOR THE OCCASION. By: Roy Kristensen on stage, so I guess you’re live performance will hen a band that was laid to rest, or at be top notch. What can we look forward to when least put on ice, decided to present Odium hits the stage during Easter 2018? symphonic black metal to us in 2018, we got in - Thanks. We will deliver a good show as possitouch with Secthdamon to see if what Odium has ble and we will play the album in full. Don’t know planned for us. The obvious question is why, now about any surprises though, ha ha.

20 years since ”The Sad Realm of the Stars” was Sechtdamon laughs at my hope for them coverunleashed, Secthdamon thought that it was time ing a Limonic Art track or something. When you to perform live again?

- The reason we wanted to play live with Odium next year “FOR THE TIME BEING ODIUM WILL BE A ONE-GIG EVENT AND THE is because “The Sad ONLY LIVE SHOW WILL BE AT THE INFERNO FESTIVAL 2018” Realm Of The Stars” is 20 years old. The - SECHTDAMON reason it took this long is because people began to quit the band after our first album was released. Me and Gortheon (Demariel) then play live, you bang your head and you move joined Myrkskog. This death metal monster had a and seem to have enjoyable times up there. more a brutal and technical approach, which we What does it take for you to be really pleased felt was the musical direction we were heading with a gig, be it with your own band(s) as well towards anyways, so Odium was kinda laid on ice. as when you’re a hired gun?

And it’s not 20 years ago we did play live. We did - Sure I love playing live gigs. I feel pleased if one show supporting Emperor in 1999, ha ha. we all as band feel that we have played a really When you look back some 15-20 years, you tight gig and did a good job. also did Myrkskog. But after these three albums (1 for Odium and 2 for Myrkskog) and a couple for Grimfist, it became quite silent. What happened?

- Well, I did not play any albums with Grimfist.

I was supposed to play bass for them at Blastfest in 2015 but I got sick and the show was cancelled, ha ha. I did 2 albums with Zyklon. After Zyklon was ended I joined as a session guitarist for 1349.

But the reason I haven’t released any of my own music in some years is because I have a hard time making music. I usually throw away most of what I make after a while.

Another obvious question is if you’ve written music lately, since Myrkskog has played live every now and then and Odium is now packed and ready again?

- Yes, I have been writing some songs. We are trying to get finished with our long awaited Myrkskog album. But there’s still a lot of work left before it will see the light of day. For the time being Odium will be a one-gig event and the only live show will be at the Inferno festival 2018. We will see if anything else happens …

You’re experienced playing live, since you’ve performed with amongst others Emperor and 1349

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How do you actually look upon the album now 20 years later?

- Listening to it now I still think it is a good album. It has a good melodic atmosphere to it.

I’m quite happy how it turned out in the end.

We spent a lot of time mixing it to get the sound we wanted. It was worth it and I’m proud of it.

I’m looking forward to play all the songs live.

But my personal favourites on the album is “The Sad Realm Of The Stars” (title track) and “Riding The Starwinds”.

So, when all is set and done and we’re back to daily life after Easter, what is planned for Odium and the future of Norwegian symphonic black metal?

- As I said Odium will probably be a one-time event, so I don’t think we’ll contribute too much to the future of Norwegian symphonic black metal …

Hmmm … It seems like Dimmu Borgir and Emperor still own the throne of that style of black metal.

Odium plays at Rockefeller Thursday 29th of March 17.30.

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THE FIGHT AGAINST BULLYING CONTINUES! METALHEADS AGAINST BULLYING ARE

ART EXHIBITION Daria Endresen Photographer and digital artist, based in Oslo, Norway, Daria Endresen draws her inspiration from her most intimate, personal stories. Observant and sensitive, Daria creates surreal dream scapes, drowned in icy atmosphere and laden with pain and mystery. Her works have been featured in numerous publications and art books in Europe and overseas, and she's taken part in many shows across the world, among others in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France, Belgium, UK, Ireland, Poland and the United States.

Costin Chioreanu Next year, Costin Chioreanu will celebrate the 15-year anniversary of his Twilight13Media studio with a magnificent exhibition hosted by Inferno Festival during the 2018 edition. This project is dedicated entirely to Emperor's second album "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk" and the artist will display a unique twilight vision on one of the most influential black metal records of all time, as a worldwide premiere.

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BACK AT INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THEIR STAND AT INFERNO 2018. THIS IS METALHEADS AGAINST BULLYING IN THEIR OWN WORDS: AB's main purpose is to help engage, in making the metal and rock community specifically, grow more awareness concerning bullying in any shape or from. Bullying is not restricted to any age group and many of us have experienced harassment and still do, maybe some of us have even been the perpetrator and may still do it to others - sometimes even not being aware of it? MAB have taken a firm and rigid stand in this matter and is of the opinion that it is extremely important we start focus on this issue now. Those of us who live and breathe for Metal and Rock 'n' Roll have become synonymous with being a little different, many of us know the feeling of being treated disrespectfully simply just because of how we dress or the way we share this strong passion for music and a certain lifestyle. We are a true symbol for not following trends – therefore it's important that we turn our backs to the trend that is bullying! All proceeds from the sales of MAB merchandise go directly to the organization in support of their work against bullying, harassment and discrimination. Take a stand and support us today!�

M

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he full-length “Nordjevel” was released in 2016, while the “Krigstmakt” EP came earlier this year. How do you view these two releases and the attention they've given Nordjevel?

- The response to both releases has been far above any expectations to be honest. To me Nordjevel is about me making the music I wanted to hear myself. I have been very hard on all involved in Nordjevel that we make music for ourselves, not for other people. If people like it, of course it’s appreciated, but that comes as a bonus to me. The greatest feeling to all this, is when I got the vinyls in my own hands. That is the most proud feeling. I’m proud of the album and the EP, but when you look back, there are always thoughts like “we could have done this or that different”. But I try to avoid thoughts like this, because extreme music is not about perfection.

It's about that inner feeling. The small mistakes you make give albums their own identity, which I would never change.

Nordjevel have performed live a few times, though you haven't always been able to do the gigs yourself. How do you view the tracks when performed live? Personally I think those two live gigs I've seen have been intense and I expect nothing less for Inferno 2018.

- Life intervenes from time to time, which made me unable to do all the gigs. But from now on it will be much more stable. The tracks work extremely well live, the response has been great to say the least. Yes, as you said …, our gigs are intense because the music is intense. Some of the tracks actually works better live for me than they do on the albums. They come to life and they grow on stage, taking their own persona and really reflect their own identity. I can promise you, Inferno 2018 will be even more intense than what you’ve seen thus far. Expect nothing less than a full frontal attack from the Norwegian war machine!

I guess, or at least hope, there are new tracks, and perhaps we can hear one or two new tunes during Easter 2018 from Nordjevel. So, what can

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- FULL FRONTAL ATTACK

NORDJEVEL NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL BAND NORDJEVEL HAVE BEEN BUSY SINCE THEY BEGAN THEIR WARPATH OF THE NORTH. THEY HAVE DONE GIGS AND A COUPLE OF TOURS, AND DOEDSADMIRAL TELLS US THAT THEY ARE READY FOR A FULL FRONTAL ATTACK AT INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL 2018.

By: Roy Kristensen we expect from Nordjevel in half a year, playing in a packed venue?

- There will be new material presented at Inferno for sure. We will be stronger and more confident than ever. You can expect full frontal attack both musical and visually speaking. On

“INFERNO 2018 WILL BE EVEN MORE INTENSE THAN WHAT YOU’VE SEEN THUS FAR” – DOEDSADMIRAL everything! We won't spare anyone …, so expect nothing less than hell. We're more confident and motivated than ever.

You also do Doedsvangr, Enepsigos and Svartelder, who recently released their debuts.

How do you manage to vary the vocals from band to band, when all being black metal?

- Actually I don't try to do anything differently.

But to me, the music speaks for itself, and it acquires different approaches and ideas. They come naturally and create their own identity, without me making a plan how to do it. I let the songs and lyrics lead me …

What do you regard as Nordjevel's strength?

- Nordjevel's strength is probably the ability to be fresh and spontaneous. We don’t do things like

everybody else, especially when it comes to the recording. It’s extremely important in Nordjevel that the music is fresh and spontaneous. And I think that’s what people also can hear in our music, how energetic and direct the tracks are.

We don’t write and change …, and work on each track for months. When we have a track we all go for, we will record it while we’re motivated, and that’s what brings energy to the music. I recorded many Nordjevel tracks just directly on the go, without even rehearsing. So many of the tracks are like live tracks – they just come to life and that’s why they evolve on stage every time they are played.

You started the band together with Nord, two and a half years ago. Any words on how you plan on continuing with Nordjevel now, and perhaps what we can expect from a coming album or something?

- Nothing is 100 percent decided but we have a master plan that will not disappoint anyone. The next album will be darker than our debut “Nordjevel”. It has darker themes and lyrics, thus the music will be darker as well. That doesn’t necessarily mean faster, but definitely darker. You can rest assured that the feeling of the northern chaos from the debut will still be very much present.

Nordjevel plays at Rockefeller Saturday 31th of March 17.30.

HOTEL

SAINTS AND SINNERS! WE’RE BACK AT ST. OLAVS PLASS! SEE YOU AGAIN AT THE OFFICIAL FESTIVAL HOTEL!

e just loved the art deco bar and the great hospitality offered by the staff at St. Olavs plass. Have you ever tasted a better breakfast? Kept us going for the whole Easter! Lots of good thing about this hotel. But honesty, some of us thought this hotel was located too far away from Rockefeller, only to find out it’s close – when going directly.

So once again Scandic St. Olavs Plass is our official festival hotel and like last time the hotel will be open exclusively for Inferno guests! This means that this hot spot will be crowded with artists, music biz, journalists and photographers as well as crew and festival goers.

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nd things are even getting better; The hotel has fixed their outdoor area. So, if you want to enjoy a cold beer and a smoking hot cigarette at the same time, just step outside, onto the terrace deck. Furniture, marquise, heating and yeah baby, you guessed right, outdoor loudspeakers! All connected so you won’t miss a single unholy tune from the DJs inside the art deco bar!

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he Inferno Music Conference (IMC) will take place at the conference rooms at the hotel, and there will be some happenings at Edderkoppen Scene, film screening and a instrument workshop.

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Art exhibitions and stands in the spacious lobby area. Join the official vorspiels and nachspiels with DJs in the stylish art deco bar. Here also the IMC open sessions with live interviews will take place. ractical info for the new comers: Scandic St. Olavs Plass is located in the city centre with approx 10 minutes walk from main festival venue Rockefeller. The airport express train, Flytoget, from Oslo Airport Gardermoen stops at Nationaltheatret station and is within walking distance to the hotel. If you’re up for some shopping and exploring, main street Karl Johan and The National Gallery (Nasjonalgalleriet) is just down the street.

Blitz, the alternative culture house is still alive and kicking, literally around the corner – that is, if you want some punked up vegan food and drinks at Non-Norwegian prices. New tattooed management at Hard Rock Cafe Oslo have brought back rock’n roll into the premises - hard to beat their burgers with the right soundtrack! (PS: Show your Inferno wristband- and you’ll get a discount.)

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taying up late and getting up late? No worries, breakfast are served between 08:00 HRS and 12:00 HRS! Also a tasty menu of dishes are served day and night in the hotel bar.

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GET A ROOM WILL YA! For the period 25. March to 3. April we get these great festival rates: Booking before February 1st 2018: • Single room: From NOK 725,- per night including breakfast • Double room: From NOK 999,- (NOK 495,each person) per night including breakfast Add-ons / up grades (extra price per night): • Extra bed NOK 200,• Room with terrace NOK 200,• Business room NOK 300,• Suite NOK 600,Booking after February 1st 2018: • Single room: From NOK 990,- per night including breakfast • Double room: From NOK 1.090,- (NOK 545,each person) per night including breakfast Important: There’s been high interest and lots of bookings already, so it’s just a matter of time before St. Olavs plass is sold out. So avoid disappointment and book your rooms now!

Scandic St. Olavs Plass St. Olavs Plass 1, 0165 Oslo Tel. + 47 23 15 56 00 www.scandichotels.com Choose hotel and details.

Add booking code: BINF250318

Any questions?

Fire away at tel. + 47 23 15 56 00 WWW.INFERNOFESTIVAL.NET

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