1. Greetings to SVARTIDAUÐI! Thank you very much for answering several questions for our zine. Your debut release ''Flesh Cathedral'' is out and for many people it’s been a highlight of the last year. Mortem had reviewed it in June 2012 already but the album itself was released just recently. What was the cause of this long delay and how are you satisfied with the final result? Would you change anything if you had a chance?

Releasing Flesh Cathedral has served us a reminder that there are still lands left unconquered and bones left unbroken. It remains our greatest artistical and spiritual accomplishment to date.
As for reasons behind the delay, they are far too mundane to address here.

2. When was the first foundation of ”Flesh Cathedral” laid? When did you finish the compositional and recording process? If I am not mistaken you have worked with Wann (Rebirth of Nefast) from Emissary Studio on the production, right? I am wondering if his talents were indispensable to you as I assume there are not many sound engineers in Iceland truly capable of capturing the essence of your music?

There was never an option in our minds to have somebody else then Wann handling the whole recording process with us and we will be working with him again in the future.
The first notes were written in early 2008 and the recordings took place from January to February 2011.

3. Two of the songs on ''Flesh Cathedral'' have already been known to some of us from your demo sold at Nidrosian Black Mass 2010. Why did you include them on the full-length instead of using more of the new material? ''Those Who Crawl and Slither Shall Again Inherit the Earth'' has now also been re-released on LP. What was the reason for this?

Flesh Cathedral, the album, is an ideological and artistic whole. And lets not forget what a demo really is. A demonstration of things to come. We never expected Those who Crawl… to make the impact that it did but we refused to let it take away from our vision. There was an obvious demand for a "real" version of these recordings but most importantly we wanted a real version to indulge our collective vanity and it made no sense to us to do it unless it was directly connected to Nidrosian Black Mass.

4. The earliest material of SVARTIDAUÐI sounded to me like a classic, aggressive black metal with some hints of the things to come. What made you to push the band into nightmarish spheres that you occupy nowadays? Was this your goal from the beginning and you simply needed time to improve your skills or was there some kind of “epiphany” involved?

There is a six year gap between the release of The Temple of Deformation and Flesh Cathedral. If we would not evolve as artists in that time, we would have failed miserably.
This transaction was quite natural for us to the extend that we did not really notice it happening. This is nothing but a text book example of art imitating life.

5. SVARTIDAUÐI are now receiving a great feedback but the band was highly respected even before the release of the debut. Does this mean anything to you? Is the attention of fans important for the band?

The minute you start to focus on the reaction of others or the expectations of your audience is the minute you loose your artistic integrity. That is not to say that we don’t appreciate the feedback that we've gotten so far, but is it Important for us? No, not really.

6. You are also becoming more active as a live band. How is it to be on the stage, spreading your curse by this way? Does the band enjoy live performances? Do you have any special requirements for festivals/gigs you are part of, or is SVARTIDAUÐI prepared to play also on more commercial metal festivals?

We see no real difference between performing with commercial acts that we despise and performing along side underground acts that we despise. We did not choose to bring our rituals in front of an audience to gain any street cred amongst people we don't know or even care to know.
We choose to go on stage, and remain there, because nothing gets us higher then performing those rituals live and as long as people are willing to experience this incredible high with us we will continue to conduct them.

7. Nowadays, you play “Flesh Cathedral” live in its whole and that is quite a feat in my opinion considering its intricate compositions. I’m wondering if there is any place for improvisation, changes (and maybe some mistakes) when playing live or do you only aim for tight, flawless performance?

A flawless performance in my mind is not about technical perfection but channeling of the energies that made the art manifest.

8. SVARTIDAUÐI is usually being compared to Deathspell Omega. I could agree with that but your music seems filthier and more packed with disgust. What would you say to listeners about this constant comparison?

Svartidauði is Svartidauði.

9. When I immersed myself into “Flesh Cathedral” it quickly reminded me the dread and mania of a psychedelic trip gone bad. Is it the fear and horror that mainly influenced you in creating “Flesh Cathedral”?

Flesh Cathedral was manifested during a time of great personal turmoil and art imitates life.
All great things must first wear terrifying and monstrous masks in order to inscribe themselves on the hearts of humanity.

10. If yes, I am wondering if you “cultivate” your fears and phobias when (ab)using the consciousness-expanding techniques or drugs. But let us talk mainly about things like meditation, sleep deprivation, lucid dreaming etc. For me personally, the nightmares or dreaming in general have always been the most inspiring...

Since the time our forefathers were disgusting cave dwelling half-apes, mankind has fashioned numerous methods to reach altered states of consciousness and to varying degrees they all hold a certain importance to us. Sex, drugs and pranayama.
But at the end of the day, it's not what state you reach that matters but what you bring back from your journeys.

11. I see many allusions to the religious, literary, cinematic, scientific works in your lyrics (especially in the “Psychoactive Sacraments”). Does it happen to you when reading or watching some piece of art that you must take a break and pull yourself together after the weight of ideas/images contained therein hits on you? Can you give us any particular examples of that? Did any work of art “disturbed” your mind when you were young and thus maybe influencing your nowadays creations?

Science, art and spirituality lie at the heart of Svartidauði, and all these three paths should be viewed as intertwined. The last time I was truly disturbed by a work of art was when I viewed Kurt Kren's gloriously fucked up video/performance Mama Und Papa. But when I was younger I was greatly inspired by the perverted and often disturbing illustrations of Alfreð Flóki and I can still feel his influences lingering in my own creations.

12. Anyway the ending of “Psychoactive Sacraments” gave me the impression that the nightmare, or the bad trip if you want, is ending. The hangover is dizzying and unpleasant, yet the reality does not seem to be as bleak as it was a while ago thus there is a light of hope at the end. Is it? Or is the end and oblivion the only conclusion?

For some it's an end, for others it is a new beginning.

13. I guess you would agree that the world as we know it is coming to its end. What do you think is the reason? Is that because of being in Kali Yuga? Or has the God abandoned us? Or do we simply subconsciously wish it would end?

I have no doubt in my mind that the world as we know it will come to an end during our lifetime. The peak has been reached and we are now breathing, shitting and fucking in a husk of a dead world. All that which is falling must be pushed.

To the eyes of a god, mankind must appear as a species of bacteria which multiply and become progressively virulent whenever they find themselves in a congenial culture, and whose activity diminishes until they disappear completely as soon as proper measures are taken to sterilize them.

14. Which musical record(s) do you personally consider to be the most disturbing? I am also wondering if you have ever run into any uncommon musical styles and techniques such as binaural recording, xen-harmonic music, microtonality, noise etc.? If yes it is possible that you might one day try to implement such odd influences into your music?

Swans - Filth, Mz.412 - Burning the Temple of God, Diamanda Galas - The Litanies of Satan just to name a few, And I would think that after listening to Flesh Cathedral that there would be no doubt in your mind wether or not we've been influenced by non-conventional or uncommon musical styles.

15. Music from Iceland is known for its special, non-metal projects like Björk or Sigur Rós. When it comes to metal, Sólstafir became the first known and representative band emerging from your country (together with less known Curse, Potentiam or Fortid). Nowadays there are several relatively new hordes like SVARTIDAUÐI, the related band Chao, Wormlust or Azoic. I would like to know what do you think about this cultural export and creativity of Icelandic (not necessarily metal) musicians? What’s the scene and relationship between these bands like on Iceland?

I don't know, reckon you better ask somebody who's actually involved with the local scene, but I can tell you that this list of yours is missing Vansköpun and Unortheda.

16. By the way, you also share one member with Gone Postal who also seem to have entered the similarly “sinister” musical spheres as you do, judging by their recent live footage. Is there anything SVARTIDAUÐI (or both bands) will ensure so the listeners won’t ever mix the both bands?

No. Svartidauði is Svartidauði.

17. During your last concerts you have performed a new song so I trust that you have some new material at your disposal. Anyway, the new song didn’t sound THAT different from material presented on “Flesh Cathedral”. I believe that you don’t intend to release “Flesh Cathedral 2”. So I’m wondering how do you shape your future music and what are your ambitions?

Our ambition still remains the same as when Svartidauði was formed many years ago, total and utter world domination.
As for our future plans, expect only the worst.

18. Generally speaking now. Could you please tell us about the future plans of SVARTIDAUÐI? You have now released a new t-shirt and a limited reissue of the “Those Who Crawl and Slither Shall Again Inherit the Earth'', is anything else in works? Any notable gigs planned besides Prague Death Mass?

I will not comment on anything else beyond confirmed future live rituals, which are at this point a few shows in Germany and Switzerland at the beginning of July, followed by Prague Death Mass and Hell's Pleasure, then there is Black Flames of Blasphemy in Finland in November.

19. To conclude this interview: “What is best in life?”

Svartidauði.

20. Thank you for your words and music. Is there anything else you would like to add? Perhaps a warning to those who plan to attend Prague Death Mass?!

Bones are meant to be broken.