INTERVIEWS
Interview with Abbath, Demonaz and Erik from "Tales Of The Macabre" magazine(# 01, winter 1993)
From the north abyss... Immortal! They were one of the first bands that took part at the New Wave of (Northern) Black Metal, wich is mainly caused by Darkthrone's second album "A Blaze In...". Immortal's debut album "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" was also a very important album for the Black Metal scene, althought for the it was clearly Bathory like! But with their new recordings wich are avaible under the title "Pure Holocaust", they finally entered new dimensions of that music sector due to a new and even more devastating style. I caugth Immortal on their "Fuck Christ Tour" last winter and talked (mainly) with Demonaz (guitars). Sadly that only little time was avaible to do this ("in a hurry"-like) interview, but the tour bus had to drive to the next gig wich was some kilometers away from Cologne.
***
A tour with Blasphemy, Goreguts and Immortal was announced for April 1993, but you did not join those bands... why?
Demonaz: The promoters were afraid to carry us!
Concerning this tour here, what do you think was greatest gig until now?
Demonaz: In Berlin, we played in front of 260 people and Blasphemy were just standing tall and the busdriver too. It was great there!
What do you think is the main difference between the Norwegian and the German audience?
Demonaz: In Norway there are many stupid people coming to the gigs. The German crowd is our most important one. In Berlin and Hamburg all the people were great.
What's your opinion about the German Black Metal scene ans what bands are good?
Demonaz: There are some bands like Goatwinter or Lacerated Gods, because they are extreme.
Abbath: I know very little about the German scene. Great bands were Sodom, Destruction and Celtic Frost. What? Celtic Frost are from Switzerland? I thought part of them were Germans.
How was the response on "Pure Holocaust" until now? It is avaible for about two weeks (at that time...)
Demonaz: The response was very good, first pressing sold 4000 copies in Germany!!!
What do you think is the main difference between "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" and "Pure Holocaust"?
Demonaz: The music is better, faster! There were some mistakes on the first album. Our new drummer is increadible (He fucken is!!! -ed.)! The lyrics are better and without any mistakes like there were on the first album, due to Osmose Productions. Our next album will be called "Battles In The North" is even more faster... (well, I must say that it's beyond my imagination -ed.)
What about Count Grishnackh? Do you know anything new?
Demonaz: In February Count Grishnackh has to face the court, the police, as they say, have proof that he killed Euronymous. I can't say anything to that, I wasn't there!
What jobs do you have beside Immortal?
Abbath: No jobs!
Your new drummer reminds me a bit at Tom Warrior on the backcover of the "Morbid Tales" EP! (Just look at promo-pic)
Eric: (laughs) I never heard of that before!
One thing that is missing on "Pure Holocaust" I think are some acoustic guitar parts... Why didn't you use some again on your newest release?
Demonaz: I had some written, but I wait until the new album. The opener of "Battles In The North" will probably be a track called "Beneath The Eye Of A Trunk" (or so), wich will be acoustic and very fast played. We just went into the studio and recorded "Pure Holocaust" in a very aggressive way.
Abbath: We have to sattle our horses. See ya!
Demonaz: The promoters were afraid to carry us!
Concerning this tour here, what do you think was greatest gig until now?
Demonaz: In Berlin, we played in front of 260 people and Blasphemy were just standing tall and the busdriver too. It was great there!
What do you think is the main difference between the Norwegian and the German audience?
Demonaz: In Norway there are many stupid people coming to the gigs. The German crowd is our most important one. In Berlin and Hamburg all the people were great.
What's your opinion about the German Black Metal scene ans what bands are good?
Demonaz: There are some bands like Goatwinter or Lacerated Gods, because they are extreme.
Abbath: I know very little about the German scene. Great bands were Sodom, Destruction and Celtic Frost. What? Celtic Frost are from Switzerland? I thought part of them were Germans.
How was the response on "Pure Holocaust" until now? It is avaible for about two weeks (at that time...)
Demonaz: The response was very good, first pressing sold 4000 copies in Germany!!!
What do you think is the main difference between "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" and "Pure Holocaust"?
Demonaz: The music is better, faster! There were some mistakes on the first album. Our new drummer is increadible (He fucken is!!! -ed.)! The lyrics are better and without any mistakes like there were on the first album, due to Osmose Productions. Our next album will be called "Battles In The North" is even more faster... (well, I must say that it's beyond my imagination -ed.)
What about Count Grishnackh? Do you know anything new?
Demonaz: In February Count Grishnackh has to face the court, the police, as they say, have proof that he killed Euronymous. I can't say anything to that, I wasn't there!
What jobs do you have beside Immortal?
Abbath: No jobs!
Your new drummer reminds me a bit at Tom Warrior on the backcover of the "Morbid Tales" EP! (Just look at promo-pic)
Eric: (laughs) I never heard of that before!
One thing that is missing on "Pure Holocaust" I think are some acoustic guitar parts... Why didn't you use some again on your newest release?
Demonaz: I had some written, but I wait until the new album. The opener of "Battles In The North" will probably be a track called "Beneath The Eye Of A Trunk" (or so), wich will be acoustic and very fast played. We just went into the studio and recorded "Pure Holocaust" in a very aggressive way.
Abbath: We have to sattle our horses. See ya!
***
Well, this was all I could ask them in that short time and I have to say that there was a kind of pressure when we did this interview and I was not prepared with any questions because several problems... Their live performance really killed, pure Black Metal mayhem. Catch them on tour when they return with Swedish Marduk in April.
Author: Costa Stoios (© 1993 "Tales Of The Macabre" Magazine)