Interview 1349

La sortie de Hellfire (Candlelight, 2005) était l'occasion de tailler une bavette avec le guitariste Archaon de 1349 C'est en ligne sur .

1349 interview (january 2006)
English version below

Prince de Lu : Can you introduce the band to the french readers that slet this last years ?
Archaon (guitar) : 1349 was born from the fall of Alvheim, a band where Ravn & Tjalve played in together up to 1997 (around the Oslo-area). From here, Ravn wanted to perform Black Metal preserving the quality of the bands known as true during the first half of the 90's, and asked Tjalve to join in. Seidemann, which Ravn had played with at an earlier stage, then moved to Oslo and joined on bass. The band recorded a demo in 98 that they never released, and another demo in 99. In September 99, I was introduced to them by a friend of mine, and they asked me to join them. In 2000, we'd decided to record 4 new tracks, and we asked Frost if he would be willing to help us out playing drums- which he said yes to. (At this time, 1349 and Satyricon shared rehearsal-place) When we had written all the music for our first album Liberation, he heard it and asked us whether he could join permanently. We went into Gordon studios and recorded the album in February/march 2001, and started looking for the right label to release it. 1349 is the year when The Black Plague came to Norway, and killed 2/3'rds of the population at the time. A dark era of our history which gives the right associations to our music. Ravn came up with it.

Does the membership of Frost help the band to be renowned through Europe ?
Yes, of course it has done. However lately people finally start realizing that 1349 is a band that has been going a long time before he joined, which is a good thing. Frost is a full-time member, but for all of us involved in 1349 it is no side-project.

Can we consider that you are the norwegian side of the brutal black metal, as opposed to the swedish scene ?
I am not sure whether I understand exactly what you mean with your question, but we're representing Norwegian Black Metal- quite obviously, as we're all hailing from Norway. Sweden did at least have a Black Metal scene back in time, but lately I haven't seen/heard much Swedish quality Black Metal.

Unlike the swedish bands, you mix old school norwegian "svartmetal" with extreme brutality. What are your influences to create such pieces of evil ?
Our musical influences are lots of different bands if you ask every individual in the band, that is. But to mention some of them: Darkthrone, Burzum, Carcass, Death, Kreator, Celtic Frost, Emperor, Mayhem and many more. Many bands that have had some great releases, especcially when keeping their early material in mind.

Who is in charge of creating the musical side of 1349 ? Is it a collective work or somebody brings the ideas ?
It is the result of collective work, but every menber plays a different role and have different "territories" in the process. Me and Tjalve mainly writes the music, but sometimes with contributions especcially from Frost and Seidemann. The lyrics are mostly written by Seidemann (and on the two previous albums also Ravn), with contributions from me and Frost. On Hellfire, Destroyer (Nocturnal Breed) also wrote some lyrics. Then during rehearsals, we all usually participates in arranging the songs.

A release every year. The releasing rythm of the band is impressive, regarding to the quality of the music. Can we expect something in 2006 ?
No, in 2006 we will concentrate on festivals and live appearances. For your information, our 1'st album Liberation was recorded during feb/march of 2001, but released in 2003 after finding the right label. During this time, we'd written a lot of the music for our 2'nd album and between nov.2003 to january 2004, we recorded Beyond The Apocalypse, released in april 2004. From there, it took us 1 and a half year to have Hellfire ready.

Hellfire is more intense and violent than Beyond the Apocalypse. Do you think that 1349 has found the mix between the raw ultra-brutality of Liberation and the oppressive atmospheres of Beyond the Apocalypse.
One could put it like that, yes. Liberation is an ice-cold attack with brutality although I'd say that to a certain extent also goes for Beyond the Apocalpse. But I find that Beyond... are in many ways much darker than Liberation. And on Hellfire, one can definately find both of those elements- as well as more varied content in general... Which is part of result in the way, that this time around we tried out some different ways to write the music. Me and Tjalve wrote most of the songs on our own before presenting them as a whole piece to the rest of the band, which I believe gave them a greater sense of professionality as compositions.

The last title is a very hypnotic track where merciless blast alternates with high speed riffs. Is this a gimmick to end the albums with a more atmospheric title ?
For Hellfire, this was the result of co-operation between Frost, Seidemann and Tjalve- not decided to be presented as a gimmick from the start. But the pieces fell into their places as the new work was born thus it became clear that it was a good song to wrap up the rest of our fire presented here. The fact that it ended on something like 13.20 gave room for the idea to add some effects to it to make the clock tick in at 13.49.

The lyrics are far away from the traditional anti-christianity we can read in booklets. What are your sources of anger ?
I would advice you to read one more time into them if you couldn't find the Darkside clearly represented.. At the same time: For us it is not the point to write clichè-lyrics, it is art like in a poethic sense. What inspires us? Plenty of different sources such as ancient legends, several books, movies, the presence mostly referred to as "everyday life" and much more.

Since the debut album Liberation, you "reap the fruits of your dark labour" (as it's said on your website). What are the objectives of the band ? Are you satisfied with the work of Candlelight to promote the band ?
The phrase is referring to our satisfaction from creating one Hellish dark album after the other and being able to transcend from where we were at our last work. Otherwise, making music like we do wouldn't be give us that enormous self-satisfaction, and we'd probably be better off not releasing it.

You became regular customers of the Studio Nyhagen. Have you found the right sound to record your violence ?
Definately. We are really satisfied with how the two last albums came out, which is the ones we recorded there. And I cannot see a reason to why we wouldn't go back again for the next one.

The norwegian sound is evolving nowadays. Contrary to the grimness of the 90's, bands like 1349, Tsujder or Gorgoroth use a more "big sound", according to black metal rules. "To be true but to produce the album" is a natural development of the scene ?
We simply make the music that we want and that happens to be very brutal Black Metal. And as for the production-part: It wouldn't be a point in settling for less than what one can, would it? We're making high-quality Black Metal, and a proper production doesn't change the fact that the music is extreme.

How do you share your time between the projects of the members of 1349 ? I think especially to Frost and the next Satyricon album/tour ?
It has worked out fine so far. When 1349 is active on the live/studio-front, Satyricon are writing material for their next album and vice versa. Everyone else in the band prioritizes 1349 as #1, and for me and Ravn 1349 is the only band/project we're playing an active role in at the moment and it has been that way pretty much since the beginning.

You're touring with Gorgoroth again (for the third time ?). What are your relations with this legend of the norwegian scene ?
No, for the 2'nd time. Gorgoroth is a great band, and a band that we are comfortable touring with. Our music is at times somehow similar, and the personalities of Gorgoroth I have nothing but positive to say about.

If you want to add few words to conclude...
Thanx for the interview. Hopefully we'll see you at fetivals in 2006!