Not much has to be said about this grim and cold Norwegian band really. I heard they are soon to release a new album and to find out the latest news about it I hooked up with Abbath, spokesman on behalf of Immortal.

Interview by Whodan

You've just finished the recording of the new album. Did everything go well during the recording?

Most things went smooth. We also created some of the arrangements during that time as well.

This time the song writing process seems to have gone much faster than earlier. Any specific reason for this?
I have competent collaburators in the band and together we work as a unit building the songs after I've composed the ground material.

You don't feel you've stressed a bit with new album?
There is always some stress following an artist, but that's normal. For us it's nothing we can't handle.

So what can you tell us about the new album? Will it go in the same path as "At The Heart Of Winter" musically speaking?
This one is way more brutal and intense.

What will the title be?
The title will be "Damned in Black".

Any ideas for the visual aspect of the CD?
This time it will be the three of us presented on the frontcover. A photo.

One of the greatest things with "At The Heart Of Winter" is that you found an identity again, compared to "Blizzard Beasts" which was a bit Morbid Angel inluenced. How do you do to prevent Immortal from being too influnced by other bands today?
The bands which have inspired us over the last ten years are still floating in our veins, but have not and never will turn us into clones. That's all I need to say about that.

As a result of the high amount of unoriginal bands today we see more and more, mainly Norwegian bands trying to bring extreme Metal a step further through including elctronics and more technology in their music. Do you think this is the only way to make Metal more extreme and take it a step further?

It won't make it more extreme, but it could take it a step further probably, or completely fuck it all up and turn Metal into cybermosh or something. Anyway we'll see what happens, don't we?

How much technology will you have on "Damned In Black"?
Nothing more than on "At The Heart Of Winter".

Once again you recorded in the Abyss studio. Do you feel comfortable with that studio?
It's like you are in the middle of a squanderer, but the studio as well as the manager of it makes it worth it staying there for a month.

And speaking about identity again, don't you think there is a risc with so many bands using the Abyss, that the bands will come up with a sound similar to each other and lose their idenity?
It's all up to each band if they know what they want and what they want.

On "At the Heart Of Winter" Demonaz had made the lyrics, despite not being in the band any longer. Has he done lyrics for the new album as well?
He's the outside collaburator and yes he has done lyrics for this one as well. He's the expert when it comes to words and it feels great to have him around.

In various magazines I've read you've said that you would be very pleased if you managed to sell 50.000 copies of the "At The Heart Of Winter" album. How are the current sales?
Somewhere between 50 and 40 000.

Have you never considered to re-record any of the songs of "Blizzard Beasts" as you don't seem overly happy with the production of that album?
"Winter Of The Ages" turned out worst on "Blizzard...", but it's a killer song so it deserves a second chance I think.

Obviously there have been some plans to do a live album. What is happening with that?
We are going to record a whole bunch of shows this year and I believe some of the recordings will turn out usable for a live album.

Yet you haven't done any shows in Sweden. How come?
We've only been offered tours in middle europe so far, but this year were gonna do it on our own initiative.

The lyrics of Immortal have always followed a certain concept, which includes demons and the northern nature in the phantasmworld Blashyrkh. How have you managed to develop this concept and do you get any new inspirational sources?
We follow the innerself mindtraveling the darkest paths. We are our own gods and we work the most mysterious ways.