1. Greets to Bergen! „Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt“ will be officially released in few days, but it’s already available on internet for weeks (unfortunately). Do you know how this happened? Aren’t you disappointed that Regain Records failed in safeguard of release?

Hey there! I am not very familiar about how this happened, no. Of course, i am not very pleased with the thought of it. Anyway, it is a modern world we live in, and now and then people around you or someone connected to them do things which are not always favourable. Anyway, it leaked, and many albums do these days. As i see it there are two ways of dealing with it. Sitting down crying or dealing with it somehow. We did not get to know who this traitor was, and even though the record sales might be slightly affected by this - take it for what it is. a minor problem and not the end of the world.

2. I know that this question must be boring for you already, but I can’t miss it. How do you feel after your win in long-time cause with Gaahl and King?

Hehe, i guess there is no way around it, no. I am doing good. Very good indeed and i feel accordingly.

3. New releases have been produced in new-old line-up. Pest and Tormentor are back from the past, but Bøddel and Tomas Asklund are new members. So my personal opinion is that there must be mix of nostalgia with absolutely new experiences. Am I right? So tell us what atmosphere is in GORGOROTH now?

Yes! It is the best mix there could have been. The athmosphere and the sincere work ethic is better than ever. We all aim at the same goals for once, and every minute we spend together we have something constructive going on. Some of the guys are able to bring in some elements which earlier on were quite absent in the band. And we have forces at work maintaining a certain stability as well. this all suits my plan for fulfilling the task and the quest defined in the very beginning, back in 1992.

4. Let’s talk about „Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt“ finally. Everyone who will play this album will tell “Oh, this is real return to the roots!”. But on the other hand, Gaahl and King told about you that you wasn’t too active in last two GORGOROTH albums… So „Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt“ is something like fact that things were really like they said…

I think there has been quite a lot of talking lately. In terms of this issue, i choose to let the album do the talk.


5. Material has been recorded in Monolith studio. The sound is really clear, drums are triggered, etc… Was that your exact intention? I maybe expected more “live” sound…

As far as it can ever be right to utter such a statement, i would like to go for something like this: all and everything on the album is according to our intentions and we are all 100% responsible for how it turned out. This time we also took total control of the production part of it, not bringing in any 3rd party external producer or sound guy. This is what we wanted, and this is what we delivered. like it or not.

6. To be honest, I heard only positive reactions to your new album (from my friends), but how about you and people around? Did you heard positive or negative reactions?

I have more or less been skipping reading through the reviews of the album. But insofar my closest circle of contacts gives me a feedback corresponding to the taste of others in the scene, it must be good. I have heard very good and positive things coming from those. Anyway, i feel very good with it myself. That is what in the end should matter. Always has to be like this.

7. You told that album has been written during 2006-2009. So how about future, do you have already some plans or you’ll take a “break”?

No, not at all. we are on it already. I had some material ready this summer, and me and asklund re-entered the studio in september where we did the first rough sketches for fragments to be used as part of the next studio album. There are no plans for, nor is there a need to, take a break. There will be hard work, and i will still be relocating, for as much time there is available, to sweden and the studio in order to work on that album. When that has been said, how much time this will take, i cannot give any estimates about. It will have to take the time it takes until we are satisfied, that is for sure. But, we are on it, yeah!

8. When we interviewed you last time, you told that GORGOROTH will start play live after you’ll be prepared. And as I saw, you already played in Hole in the Sky and in Trondheim. So how do you feel about first gigs in this line-up? Any more shows planned for this moment? For example European tour? Hehe...

Ah, it went really well. All according to the plan. We are in a very aggressive mode these days, and we really want to set things straight. This again reflects itself into the energy and the priorities given. Even though facing a logistic nightmare in terms of where the band members are settled and where they have to go to, just to deal with a few rehearsals or so, we manage these days to rehearse more than ever during the last ten years. At the two festivals you mention, this paid off. There were no insecurities, just great fun. At the moment we are having a look at an option for doing a nine-day tour across the central parts of europe in april. Then again, we are now feeling we are in a position where we finally can get done with things our way without compromising. Meaning we are in a kind of a mid-position in which we really badly want to go touring, but then again simply will not accept whatever package being offered. these are the issues i am concerned with right now. But, keep an eye on the april alternative. And check out how the summer festivals will turn out as well. I will be happy to be more precise on this matter later on this winter.

9. Could you describe little bit live presentation of “new” GORGOROTH? For those ones who want to see you but hadn’t chance to this moment... Are there any differences in your presentation?

I really would not like to do so. For those it might concern, you will have your chance to check it out by yourself. That is a promise.


10. I noticed (around me) that people involved in black metal – groups or listeners – is going away from this style after some years of activity... I don’t know if this is in the name of mentality, but you’re fine example that man can be interested in black metal for many years... Am I right?

Sure. I guess action speaks for itself right? Iit has been many years since i found out what i wanted to devote my life to, and - even if that might not be a goal in itself - i have no plans on changing my musical or bottom line ethical-religious fundament. why should i? If black metal - hypothetical as it might sound - should one day be commonly understood the way that i define it personally, and that it should turn into a somewhat more popular phenomenon, that would of course be great, and nothing less. On the other hand, as you indicate, things can go in the other direction. It would not be according to my wish list, but again it really would not make me want to give up what i am concerned about either. Obstacles and difficulties are there to be dealt with. As far as i am concerned, it was always like that.

11. Are there any really good releases which made you happy this year?

No, as of 2009-releases, i really cannot bring to mind any other example than the one i have been consumed with working on myself. And - objectively speaking - whether that is a good one or not, i leave for others to judge.

12. Thanks a lot for your time you spent with my questions! And we’re of course looking forward to see you play live. Hails to the new era of Gorgoroth!

It was my pleasure. Thank you for your sincere interest.