Infernus

Gorgoroth

Numerous incidents took place in the GORGOROTH camp the last years. The result of what happened was a totally different line up, a new album and a slightly different sound. Since I have been a fan of this band for years and the band's leader Infernus is a musician and person that fully deserves my respect, when I learned that he accepted to answer to my questions I felt honored! Here's what he had to say...

By Yiannis Dafopoulos

• November 15, 2009

Interview with: Infernus from GORGOROTH

Hails Infernus! Welcome to the temple of Metal! Since everyone knows GORGOROTH, I won't start by asking you the history of the band. But I will definitely start by asking you... What went wrong with GORGOROTH in the first place? Why the argument between you and Gaahl and King Ov Hell?

Ah, it is a question which would take its time to answer. The short version is that things went a bit out of control, and they seemingly had a problem respecting my authority. When we after a while reached a point where it would be too difficult to continue working together, they obviously found out that they would get nowhere without the name and the trademark which the band gave them for some years. Thus, instead of saying goodbye in an appropriate way, they went on with that petty attempt on stealing the name while running to the media giving excuses for why they did it. Pathetic, nothing less. A 7th generation bass player which I picked up from some fusion-band back in 1999 and a 3rd vocalist? I won't even bother to comment it anymore. It was my way or the highway, and they could not cope with it. Big deal.

Even though they were against you and wanted to get the name and logo, it turned out that you won the trial and rightfully remain the leader of GORGOROTH. After all those incidents, do you see this as a new start?

Not really, but they really made things difficult for a while. I knew I would win and that it was just a matter of time, but a new start ... no, definitely not. One should not overestimate the impact of these two ex-members. I - at least - put it in a perspective where I see this last obstacle as just one more of a thousand in the long line of troubled years from the birth of the band into fire and pain.

As you can imagine, it will be hard for me not to ask you for the recent news about Gaahl's sexual identity and his relationship with the young fashion designer. Did you know his preferences when he was still in the band? Did this annoy you?

I am done with that guy and I am done with whatever he is up to. We live in total different worlds and we have done so for as many years as I can count back as of now. When that is said, I have no problems with people choosing such a preference, as you call it. Many great persons - even within the realm of metal music - did so, way before him.

So, let's leave all the non musical stuff behind. New line up, new album, new start! After listening to Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt I realized that not only the line up changed, but the music is also kind of different. You have incorporated more melodies and have a slight Swedish aesthetic in your sound dare I say. Did you intend to do an album like this or did it just ended up like this during the process?

Of course, every little detail you can hear, and most probably some which you cannot as well, is there for a reason. A Swedish drummer and a Swedish studio would of course affect the outcome. Every person involved in this production one way or another really branded a bit of himself into it; that is not something one can get away from. And it is all according to a plan. People chosen for the job are chosen for the job exactly because I all the way knew they had something to offer. Something according to my liking and to the legacy of the band and its direction. Whether it sounds more melodic or not, hmm, it is all there, out in the open. All and everyone else can go find out for themselves. That is after all something which can be seen as one of the reasons why one releases an album. To cut through in terms of all the pretentious blabbering of self proclaimed artist-musicians, right?

If I am not mistaken none of the new members has taken part in the composing of the new album. You have written all the music yourself right? What about the lyrics? Who wrote them and what do they deal with?

You are right. I wrote all the music. The lyrics are written by two of my closest friends. They deal with satanism and why that is a good option in the world of today. All in order to convert as many a possible into the realm of Satan.

Really, how did you choose the specific musicians for GORGOROTH? I mean, Pest is an old friend, Asklund and Tormentor are known to the Black Metal scene but... Watkins? It seems kind of strange!

Strange to you, perhaps. To me, he is an old friend who has more to offer than most others. He has a CV and a personality destroying most other options there might be. He is the guy, and he is so because I say so.

The new album is released through Regain Records, like the live album you released last year. Are you satisfied there? What was the label's reaction to all those incidents? What did they tell you?

The guys at Regain are friends of mine, as well. And they offered me good support in a time when I needed it. They did not tell me much, except for agreeing that destroying the counterpart was the best alternative.

Are you planning any live shows to promote the new album now? Can we have hopes of seeing you live in Greece in the near future?

Yes, and we already did a couple of live shows already. Last time was October 19, when we did an exclusive festival appearance up north in Trondheim to celebrate the release of the album. We will - insofar we get everything according to our liking - continue to do so. And we will be happy to inform you about when and where as soon as something is settled. Whether we come to Greece again or not, I do believe so, and I really hope so as well. Time will tell.

How have the fans and the press reacted to the new album until now?

Haha, I am probably the last one who gets to hear it if there is any crying around. But I have an impression that it has been well received so far. To a certain degree, I must admit it is a bit flattering. But again: am I happy with it, or not? That is what counts.

Where was the new album recorded and who took on the mixing and mastering duties? The sound is really good! To be more precise, exactly what this album needed!

Thank you for that! We produced it ourselves this time. And we did so in Asklund's Monolith Studio, not so far from Stockholm. We spent quite a lot of time there, working days and nights, in order to get the results we wanted. Then we mastered it in Stockholm, at Cutting Room, with Mats Lindfors. The best option there is and the best mastering tech in the world, insofar you want my opinion.

The new album's artwork is really minimalistic. Who designed it and why did you choose such a simple artwork?

Friends of mine did so. Friends who are familiar with the history of the band.

Are the songs that are featured in Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt new compositions or have you used any old tracks that didn't fit your previous albums?

They are all new, as the writing process started in 2006.

Is it too early to be talking about new material? Have you started thinking about your next recording step? Will the new members contribute or will you compose alone once again?

By all means, no it isn't. I have been writing some primitive sketches already, and me and Asklund were working on something like an early pre-production for these first fragile elements in the studio already some 3-4 weeks ago. Whether I will write everything this time, or if Tormentor and/or someone else will participate, time will tell. I surely hope for the last option to be effectuated. I have no money hungry or fame hungry beast gone out of control. What matters for me is that the very result is as good as it can become. Nothing less.

I don't want to spend your time with more useless questions, since that's all I had to ask. Thanks a lot for your time and for accepting to do this interview! It was a real honor for me! Any last words from you?

Thank you Yiannis; thank you for your time as well. No last words this time, no. Goodnight.

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