"Mein Deutch ist nicht so gut, hehe”, says Ivar, guitarist of the Black-Metal-Legend ENSLAVED from Norway. And he doesn’t like E-Mail-interviews because they can be limiting as opposed to phoners where you can talk more freely. But he did his best and so there might be some interesting things for the Black-Metal-Maniacs...Interview Enslaved are Ivar Bjørnson (guitar), Grutle Kjellson (vocal & bass), Cato Bekkevold (drums), Arve Isdal (lead guitar), Herbrand Larsen (keyboard & vocal). Guitarist felt free to praise the line-up.

This line-up is the ultimate Enslaved line-up, this much we can guarantee. Drummer first: after Dirge Rep was out of the band, immediately after recording "Below the Lights”, we used some different session drummers. One of these session drummers finally became Cato, and after a short while working with him we knew he was the perfect drummer for us. The same was with Herbrand; we wanted to have a session keyboard player live since so much of our material contains important keyboard-parts to create the total atmosphere. After working with him for a year we realized how important he was for our sound and he became a full time member of the band. He is not only a brilliant keyboard player but also a great vocalist, as you can hear on "ISA”. Finally Arve Isdal is the "oldest” member besides me and Grutle. He was a session player in the band since 2002 already and joined full time for the recording of "Below the Lights”. He is definitely one of my favourite metal lead guitarists, and we are very proud to have him in the band. We have some contact with ex-members, of course. Dirge Rep we meet sometimes as he is playing in bands still; Gehenna and Orctustus. Trym we meet when playing gigs and festivals with Zyklon. Trym has really been doing well with Emperor and Zyklon. Also ex-guitarist Roy Kronheim is working on a very good new band from Bergen called the Obscure. I am going to see them live this Saturday here in Bergen. Working with the new guys is fantastic! We have a great atmosphere in the band and we are all very dedicated to Enslaved.

The last ENSLAVED-product was a DVD? Are you happy with the result? What about the DVD-format in general?

Oh yes, we are very very satisfied with the new DVD "Return to Yggdrasill - live in Bergen”! Both the sound and picture turned out very much how we wanted it to do! Personally I have only a few DVD’s in my collection. I think the sound and the picture along with of course the playing has to have a very high quality before it becomes interesting. Sadly a lot of the Extreme Metal productions look and sound like shit I suspect is only products to make easy money, but hopefully the it will develop towards a higher demand for quality. To sum it up; I guess I like it as a new dimension of art.

ENSLAVED has been a symbol of norwegian black metal, now the music sounds more like so-calles avantgarde/extrem metal. What do you think: Is black metal only a (life-)-style for younger guys? And what do you think in general about the classification into "raw/true/war Black Metal”, "symphonic BM” "avantgarde BM” and perhaps other drawers?

I think Black Metal is a life-style that is true and honourable for those who work hard to make good music and develop solid concepts around their bands. Of course there is a lot of shit, but you will find that in all kinds of music. I think some people have used and are using Black Metal and it’s image to hide that they have no talent and no substance in their life’s work. But luckily there are many great Black Metal bands to prove the opposite: Taake, Dark Throne, Tsjuder, 1349, Sulphur and many more I am sure! About classifications I personally find it very un-interesting. For example: Symphonic Black Metal is normally utter shit, but again there are good bands like Emperor, Anorexia Nervosa (some stuff at least is good). Norwegian Black Metal is normally good, but also here you find crappy bands all the time. So I never trust classifications, only my ears.

By the way: Tell me some bands, that you count to your important influences and which bands do like today also?

Influences range from all kinds of bands: Rush, Yes, King Crimson, Morbid Angel, Dark Throne, Motorhead, Bathory (!!!!), old Mayhem, Neurosis, Swans, Tool, Pink Floyd, Thorns, Celtic Frost, Kreator, Destruction, Sodom etc etc. Of course there is also a lot of bands I like to listen to even though they are maybe not sources of inspiration for Enslaved directly: Immortal, Entombed, Mars Volta, Candlemass, Mew, Danzig, Entombed and many, many more!

What about a new album after "ISA”? Is there already (finished) material?

Yes, I am actually finished writing most of the material for the new album already. It will be recorded from December 2005 and will be released something like early May 2006. We will release a press statement with details like album and song titles very soon.

Something about your image? To talk in cliché: "Evil” black-metal-guy” or a ”dirty rock’n’roller or what?

We are musicians and have our beliefs. Some people might think we are evil, some see us as rock’n’rollers. I simply don’t give a fuck, we are what we are.

And what about hat norwegian black metal-history? Your role? Is it in Norway a theme after all this years? And what about norwegian black metal nowadays?

I think we have played a certain role in Norway’s metal history. Our role has been to make music that has expanded the limits for Extreme Metal, we haven’t been too involved in the whole "bla-bla-bla-bla-bla" thing: let the music do the talking. Norwegian Black Metal isn’t what it used to be, but nowadays we are seeing a very positive development with Dark Throne, 1349, Taake and others are still going very strong, while newer bands like Tsjuder, Sulphur and others are making new and very good music in their own ways.

Touring? In the past: How do you like Germany and did you have some special experiences for example at the "Headbangers Ballroom” in Hamburg or somewhere else.... Let’s see into future: 2006 you will play at PartySan. Do you know this festival.?

We have played a lot in Germany: 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005. It was extremely good in the 90’s and then it was not so good around 1998-2000, it seemed too many bands were touring and the crowd got a bit un-interested in the whole Extreme Metal scene. But when we went back this year to do our "ISA”-tour with Vreid it was really good again, a lot of the old fans found their way back together with new listeners. A BIG THANKS to our German fans for making the "ISA” tour 2005 such a great "comeback” in Germany! Funny also that you mention "Headbangers Ballroom”. It is a very small and very cool place to both play and hang out (I went there for the Wacken 2004 afterparty!). This year it was special because the gig was almost cancelled because of flood, hehe. We had to wait until 17.00 in the afternoon before we knew for sure that we could make the gig. Almost like home in rainy Bergen.

As you mentioned Bergen: Where do you live now exactly? What about your local scene? Some hints for going underground?

You are absolutely right: four of the members live near the city of Bergen, which is a city I love very much: beautiful city, great people and an awesome music scene - not only for metal but for all kinds of interesting music and happenings. Every year we celebrate the Bergen Metal scene with the Hole In The Sky festival, where you some times find good underground hints. This year I think one of the best hints was Sulphur which I already mentioned. They have just signed a deal with Osmose Prod (Fra), so watch out. Another very interesting newcomer is the Black Stoner band Sahg, who have signed to Regain Records (Swe). Other good ones are the Obscure and Manngard. Keep your ears open!

"Your” country especially: what means this for you? In Norway I saw impressing nature, not so many people. I saw smoking womeon in front of every restaurant, but no one in… Stupid law or not? More Norway: beer for terrible prices, I know that nurses and doctors have better jobs as their colleagues here. But I saw no elk…. Try to tell me something about Norway out of Norwegian sight.

I am very proud to be Norwegian, even though it doesn’t make me feel superior in any way: I wish to be judged by my work and doings, not my nationality - as I would judge every other person, no matter where they came from. We have an interesting history like every other nation. Both myself and Enslaved as a band have spent much of our lives to study our ancient culture and mysticism. These days it feels better to be Norwegian as our prime minister is no longer a priest; FINALLY! Of course the nature is important to us, it is a source of inspiration and a beautiful place to travel and behold the wonders of nature. And… I am a smoker myself, but I think the smoking law is totally ok: a lot of people does not smoke, and if they don’t want to be suffocated by smoke they should be allowed to avoid it - even if I chose to hurt myself with delicious tobacco fumes. I’ve seen some elks, and even eaten a few, hehe. I don’t know what more to tell you; people should experience it themselves! But yes, the beer prices are very embarrassing to us when we have foreign visitors here. Especially Germans, who are used to high quality beer at low prices, hehe.

Tell me something about your private life? What about the members‘ jobs, hobbies. I read, you are owner of a software-company.

We try to keep private life private - our music shouldn’t be too obscured by petty details like what we do during the day. But most people already know that Grutle and Cato is heavily into fishing. Now music is full-time for me, I only do some small software-production as a hobby. Herbrand also works as a studio producer for other bands as well as being a music teacher. Finally Arve plays the guitar in many different projects besides Enslaved and does some part-time teaching.