For the fans of Scandinavian death
metal, the Norwegian scene is well known especially because of the bands as
Cadaver, Darkthrone, Mayhem or Old Funeral. Now it's the year 1992 and we can
add a new band to this group - Immortal. Sorry, it's not actually a
"new" band, some time ago they showed a sign of life with the older
name Amputation. Under that name they recorded a rather good demo called
"Achieve the Mutilation", and then in 1990, they did a two-track
tape, which is hard to be forgotten even nowadays. After that tape they split
up, and the loss in the scene was filled by Immortal. Soon their first
full-length album will be out through Osmose Productions, it's named
"Battles in the North". The music on that hellish "black"
record will be Unholy Black Metal, really close musically to the leading acts
of the Norsk Black Metal -League like: Darkthrone, Burzum and Mayhem. So read
the interview with the guitar player Harald, and maybe you will learn something
more about this sinful band - Immortal.
What was the main reason for
Amputation to split up in 1990?
- "I think I've answered that
question a lot of times by now. We ended Amputation because didn't like it. We
were not satisfied with that band anymore. The second reason is that we started
Immortal, and we don't want to play in both bands at one time. Our drummer at
that time, Pedda, played in Old Funeral. Now in Immortal we play with this
line-up : Jorn -guitars, Greda - drums, Olve - bass & vocals and Harald -
guitars."
Was it possible for Pedda to play in
Immortal as well?
- "He played in Amputation and
Old Funeral and actually, he was okey, no problems with him at all. When we
started the work on Immortal, Pedda decided to concentrate on Old Funeral. There
was no chance to force him to stay in Immortal."
Under the name of Immortal, you
didn't record any demo, but we soon shall see your debut full-length album. How
come?
- "That's right, we didn't make
any demo. We got signed thanks to our promo tape, which was sent to many
different labels, and I am sure that our old records as Amputation, helped us
as well."
I had the chance to listen to your
stuff, but I bet most of the fans in Poland didn't had that opportunity. Can
you tell us bit more about your music?
- "I prefer all the people to
wait some little time more and then to listen to our record. But I can say
briefly that the music is unholy, extreme, brutal and at last but not at least
technical."
And now, a thing which we can
discuss for hours. You run the zine named "Bad Taste", tell us more
about it?
- "Damn, it's hard to tell
something, I bet people will learn more how to do a zine from you, rather than
me. Alright, it's not looking like Morbid Noizz, the first issue was out in the
autumn of 1990. It's a death metal fanzine, with content of sick interviews
with well-known bands."
Do you think that your zine can help
somehow to your own band?
- "I think not! Immortal takes
almost all of my time, but I am trying not to forget the zine. Most people do
mistakes with own zines. If you want the thing you do to be good, you have to
devote a lot of time to it. I think that won't be problem for me."
In Norway, we can find some bands
that had chances to play some concerts. We know that in your country it's
rather hard to play. Have you had any gigs by now?
- "Yes, we were lucky to do
that. As you said, Norway is a place where it's hard for death metal gigs to
take place. We are happy if some death metal bands have the chance to play, but
it's rather not that spectacular."
Will you do something when your
album is out?
- "I'm not sure what we will
do, but it's not hard to find out what we want to do - play many gigs, play,
play, and once more play!"
Tell us more about the rest of the
band members?
- "Hmm, it will be an
optimistic answer. The other members of Immortal are sick creatures, no one of
them works or have proper jobs, it's impossible to work with guys who have
jobs. I don't understand myself why I'm still with such people."
What about the death metal scene in
Norway?
- "I can't say much about that.
We have bands like Mayhem, Cadaver, Old Funeral, Phobia, Darkthrone, Embrionic
and some zines too, like Slayer Magazine and Sepulchral Voice."
And for the end, say something about
yourself?
- "I think I am more polite and
peaceful than my pals. I like to walk in the woods by night, to write letters
to my grand parents in Yougoslavia and to of course to answer the mail. Life is
beautiful! Thanks for the interview and greets to the fans of death/black in
Poland!"