Andre Kvebek

Pantheon I

Listening to a great album, Worlds I Create, it was time for me to find out what is hiding in the mind of these crazy Norwegians who acclaim that their motivation for the album was to ...give every religious believer a kick in the groins, and every lover of extreme and melancholic Metal a huge boner.... I had the chance for a discussion with Andre Kvebek, the singer and guitarist of the band, who gave me thorough and...quite descriptive answers about the band, their philosophy and music tastes...

By Eirini Papadopoulou

• October 4, 2009

Interview with Andre Kvebek from PANTHEON I

Hello Andre! First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the new album, Worlds I Create. For me, it is definitely one of the best releases for this year.

Thanks!

So, where do I find you now? What's the weather like in Norway? Here in Athens we're getting boiled by the high temperature.

I am in Fetsund and at the current moment I am amongst dead animals and I am about to apply makeup on them.

Coming from Greece and being familiar with the concept of Pantheon, I would like to know how come you named the band PANTHEON I? Is there a spiritual context to it for you?

The name of the band is a totally fucked up story. It happened on a winter night when me and Sagstad were out drinking and flirting with nuns. We actually, believe it or not, got a nun to come with us to our apartment for some altar-wine. What she didn't know was that the wine actually was goat's blood with rum and vodka in it. Hehe! When she drank half the bottle she got horny as hell so we leaped at the chance to get some hole of the holly. We decided to do a dp on her from the rear and then she screamed enter my pantheon so I shoved my cock right up her ass and when I came I shot my load on her back in a perfect line. And when Sagstad came he was ravaging her face with his meat-stick and he hit her in the back of the head as he came so she landed on here stomach and then he kind of dotted the i on her back. So that is the bizarre story of why we are called PANTHEON-I. (editor's note: woah...)

From Atrocity Divine and Wanderer and His Shadow to Worlds I Create I see you have great artworks and these are original paintings, right? Who is the artist of the Worlds I Create cover? Is he/she the same artist with the one of the previous artworks?

The name of the artist is Kjell Age Meland and he is the artist on all our albums. He has the unique ability to know exactly what we are looking for regarding artwork. When you buy our album you don't only get the musical experience but an imagery experience as well.

Why did you choose to use paintings as cover artworks in most of your albums?

We have always believed that the strongest expression is the organic one. We like our music to be organic and so our artwork. I hate the digital artwork people use nowadays.

About the Worlds I Create photo-shooting, what's with the naked chicks with the dog collars and the leash? What's the concept?

It is just a snapshot of what we are as a band. We have slaves that like to abide our needs and sinful pleasures. Our orgies are legendary and are a rite of utter blasphemy. You should come join us some time. I bet we could make you a star. (editor's note: woah #2...)

What is your favorite song of the new album and why?

Defile The Trinity! The song has it all. I love playing fast and brutal so this song is a good up-tempo song to get me fired up.

What is the content of the lyrics?

On this album the lyrics is mostly anti-Christian, but on the next one there will be a more anti-religious theme to it. I mean if you are a Satanist you are not any better than the rest of the believers. To believe in religion is as stupid as believing in Peter Pan and Never Land. All faith in a god that never shows up will in the end fall and perish. I think it is remarkable that in these times of enlightenment and knowledge people still believe in a god that obviously failed.

Comparing to Wanderer and His Shadow in the new album the vocals are more dynamic. Was that intentional, Andre, or is it a natural progression happening with time?

Pure progression and a more hateful attitude towards mankind and its narrow-minded beliefs.

How come you collaborated with Jonas Renkse (singer of KATATONIA) for Ascending?

Because he is a friend of mine and I asked him. He lifted the song 10 times by adding the vocals and we are all extremely happy that he had the time to do this.

My friend says this song (Ascending) has an OPETH-esque feel; what would you say about that?

He is wrong.

What are the influences of the band members?

I can only speak for myself. My influences are based on certain bands like EMPEROR, ULVER, METALLICA etc. and the everlasting hate towards religion.

What about your guitarist influences?