Hail Atziluth, how is the Danish spring treating you?

Hails to you too! Terrible! Ha ha! No, it’s quite good. I’m terribly busy with all kinds of things at the moment. Playing with Victimizer, working with the studio and so on… I’m not bored. Ha ha!

Will you tell us what there is to know about your band Blackhorned?

Well, I started the band in 2001 after having played in a few other “black metal” bands that just didn’t have the spirit and passion for what I wanted to do, so I decided to start my own thing.

Up till now I have released 3 demos, a cd-r album and the new “Arrival Of The Firedemon” cd.

Grim black metal, the way it was meant to be, like a fist in the face of the weak… How did it end up like that for you?

Passion, I would say. I have always had a passion for that kind of music. I have been listening to metal over half my life, since I was about 13-14 years old, and as soon as I had the possibility to make my own stuff and use all the ideas I always have in my head, I just started.

What do you want to accomplish with Blackhorned?

Hmmm… I never really think about that. I just wanna keep the band going, and since I am the only member of the band it shouldn’t be a problem ha ha. Blackhorned belong in the underground and the thing I want to accomplish with Blackhorned is vinyl releases to spread some hate!!

You released your first full length album “Arrival Of The Firedemon” late last year, how was the album received?

It has been good. Some good reviews and good responses. Of course there will always be some who complains, but they can fuck off… ha ha! The album is in distribution around the world, so that’s great. (you can find links to the distros on the Blackhorned homepage!)

What do you think about the album and what makes it special?

I think it’s a good album. The production is not as good as it should have been, as I had some problems with the production of it.

There was problems with the studio at the time, so I had to move the recording equipment into my rehearsal room and record everything there, which gave it a bit too noisy sound. What makes it special would be the raw aggression and primitive approach to the songs, I guess.

The album is released on Pesttod Records, how did you get that deal?

He wrote to me and asked if I would be interested in a cd release of the album in 666 copies. It was just a deal for that one cd release. It’s an underground release on an underground label.

How has the promotion of the album been and do you know how much it has sold?

Well, surprisingly the guy from Pesttod Rec. has closed down the label, so I actually don’t know anything about the sale and I’m not getting any answers from the bastard, so I can’t tell… I know it’s in distribution elsewhere, as mentioned before, so I know it is selling a bit. I’m trying to get the rest of the copies from Pesttod, so I can distribute them myself, but until I hear from him I don’t know what will happen… It’s quite a problem actually!!

What does it give to you to play grim and hellish black metal?

It gives me a possibility to get some aggressions out. A lot of negative feelings from within and outside things that pisses me off. It gives me an outlet for that. And of course I like the music!

You’ve been playing black metal for quite some time now, how do you keep it up?

Well, again, it’s the passion! As long as there’s inspiration and demons inside to fuck with me, there’s no problem in keeping it up!

Where do you find inspiration for both music and lyrics?

Hate, pain, anger… all the negative feelings I have in me. Then of course other bands. Bands I have grown up listening to…

Are the sources of inspiration still the same as when you started to make black metal?

Pretty much! Of course there will always be new things to inspire you, but basically it’s still the same sources of inspiration.

Are you in a special mood when you write music and lyrics for Blackhorned?

Hmm… I think I am... I do not notice it while I’m writing, but the result always shows it... ha ha! I never sit down and think: “Now I want to write a song”, it just comes to me, and I have to grab a pen and some paper to write the lyric-idea, and the music always takes shape in my head, which I then try out on my guitar.

Which bands has inspired along the way and any new hordes that you find interesting?

There are many bands that has inspired me. Among many others, I could mention Venom, Bathory, Possessed, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Mercyful Fate, old Slayer, old Mayhem, Darkthrone, Sarcofago, early Death and so on… Among all the crap that is coming out these days, there are a few great bands. I could mention Swedish acts like Watain and Funeral Mist, Necrovation and Incinerator and Danish acts Denial of God, Exekrator, Church Bizarre and Nortt... to mention some Scandinavian bands..

Please describe the perfect black metal tune..? And you are welcome to list some examples of some too…

I couldn’t possibly do that! There are so many different tracks and bands, so I will not judge on what is the perfect tune… I can give you some of my favourite black metal tunes: Venom “Seven Gates of Hell”, Hellhammer “The Third of the Storms” and “Massacre”, Mayhem “Freezing Moon”, Darkthrone “Transylvanian Hunger”, Sarcofago “Nightmare”, Sepultura “Troops of Doom” ..among many many others… What I can say is, that I prefer a black metal track to be simple, evil and catchy!

Can you pull out 5 Blackhorned tracks that mean a lot to you and tell us about them, what emotions they invoke in you and how they were created?

Hmm… well, I should try and get around as many of my recordings as possible:

'Curse of the Pale Grim Moon' from the “Demonic Domain” demo.

A slow doomy track. It has a cold and horrific atmosphere and a chilling guitar melody. Great track, over 8 minutes long.

'Lord of the Black Flame' from the “Troops Of Death” demo.

A great, fast oldschool thrashing black metal track. It’s a track I’m proud of, as I just cached the right structure to the lyric, that was already written, when I recorded it.

'Altar Of Blasphemy' from the “Infernal Journey” cd-r album.

A track that starts out slow, doomy and creepy. It builds up half through the song, before all hell breaks loose. The music follows the lyric, which is about a raping ritual.

'The Dark Path Of Shadows' from the “Arrival Of The Firedemon” album.

A track that many would call a ‘typical black metal song’. It’s a short, fast and violent track with one of my darkest lyrics.

'Black Metal Hell' also from “Arrival Of The Firedemon”.

Many tell me that this is their favourite Blackhorned track. It’s a very simple and fast oldschool black/thrash metal song. It’s also one of my own favourite Blackhorned songs.

A lot of other bands in the genre has evolved in one way or another and have become more polished, you have kept the raw nerve of black metal all the way through, even evolved the music, but kept the music and sound raw as hell. Why do you do that and what does it mean to you to keep your music like that?

I guess it’s a reaction to the way many other bands evolve, or wimp out, if that’s a better word. I try to keep the rawness and the nerve, because it’s the way I feel it has to be. To me black metal is not about beautiful sounding keyboards, polished production and a lot of female Goth vocals. Black metal is there to give you an evil, dark and hateful atmosphere. On the other hand, a simple production is not just to get away with recording a rehearsal on a ghetto blaster as many new kids do, and then say that they have a self proclaimed “cult” band or recording, just because it sounds like shit and they can’t even play. That’s just childish and stupid!

If you had to convince a common black metal head about the qualities of Blackhorned, what would you tell him/her?

Take care of your ears! Hahaha! No, I don’t want to convince anyone. I would just say give it a chance and listen to it.

Do you have some news to share with us… When will we hear new music from Blackhorned and are you still with Pesttod Records?

Yes, I am working on 4 new tracks now for a promo EP. All music is recorded and I am working with lyrics for the tracks now.

As mentioned previously, Pesttod Rec. is closed, so I am not with them anymore and it was also just for the cd version of the album.

Velorium Rec. from Bolivia will release “Arrival Of The Firedemon” on cassette in 666 copies in the near future, and then it would be great if I could have it out on LP also, but we’ll se what happens.

Are you a fan of vinyl, why/why not and will we someday see some Blackhorned material on vinyl?

I am a BIG fan of vinyl. It is the Black Gold I have grown up with!

Yes, there’s a 7” EP planned for release on Sombre Records this year. It’s titled “Altar Of Blasphemy” and will contain 2 remixed tracks from “Infernal Journey”, 1 unreleased track and a new recorded intro. It’s possible that Sombre will Release the “Troops Of Death” demo as a 10” mini LP in the future, so maybe there will be 2 vinyl releases from Blackhorned in the near future.

Have you thought about getting some sort of a band together and perform a live show or 2?

It has never been the plan, to play live with BLACKHORNED, and I don’t think it would work, but on the other hand, the idea is cool! Some musicians has actually offered themselves as session members, if I would play live, but BLACKHORNED has always been a one-man band, so I don’t think it will happen. A lot of the old songs is not even written to be played live. On the other hand, I can’t say what could happen in the future...

Will you share your 3 all time favourite albums with the Scandinavian metal heads?

Uhh! That’s very difficult to pick just 3…! But I’ll try..

Mercyful Fate - Melissa (1983)
Sodom - In the Sign of Evil (1985)
Kreator - Pleasure to Kill (1986)
Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1993)

Well, that was 4, but I hope that’s okay... he he!

Thanks a lot for answering my questions, if you have any remarks, please feel free to add them now!

Thanx for the interest and support!

Please visit Blackhorned and Victimizer

Fuck off to posers!!!

[This interview was first published on the now defunct scandinavianmetal.info webzine]