When MetalKult visited Norway last March, we were invited to visit the private studios of Norwegian black metal band Satyricon for a gear tour and the following in-depth question-and-answer session with frontman Satyr and drummer Frost.

Below, the pair discusses a wide range of topics, including the progression of Satyricon’s sound from traditional black metal to more straightforward rock, collaborating with Samoth and Thorns, and how “Satyricon has always been proudly a part of Norwegian black metal” even though Satyr wasn’t interested in doing what Mayhem’s Euronymous expected of him.

Satyricon also discuss the resolution of Frost’s visa troubles and their plans for recording their new full-length in Los Angeles. On June 2, U.K. and European fans were given a treat of what’s to come when Satyricon released a five-track EP, My Skin Is Cold, which included the new title track, “Live Through Me” and “Existential Fear-Questions” (excluded from 2002’s Volcano) and compelling live versions of “Mother North” and “Repined Bastard Nation.”

Check out this exclusive interview below! (more…)

When MetalKult visited Norway last March, we were privileged to have the rare opportunity to visit with Emperor guitarist/vocalist Ihsahn at his Symphonique Studios in Notodden, Norway.

While we were there we got a tour of the gear Ihsahn used to record his latest solo album, angL (Candlelight/Mnemosyne), before sitting down with the black metal legend for a lengthy interview.

In the following clips, Ihsahn discusses a diverse range of topics, including the roots of angL’s aggressive sound, his collaboration with Opeth’s Mikael Akerfeldt and how the “black metal expression” had to come from rural, isolated places like Notodden.

Check out this exclusive interview below! (more…)

For four days in March 2008, MetalKult’s Brad Angle and Jimmy Hubbard took a journey to the grim-cold heart of Norwegian black metal: Oslo, Norway.

In this revealing four-part series, we catch up with a few of Norwegian black metal’s leading acts. We go on a pub crawl through Oslo’s hottest metal bars with 1349’s Seidemann (bass) and Archaon (guitar), visit Notodden’s ancient Heddal Stave Church, head off to Emperor/Zyklon drummer Trym’s Emperial Tattoo studios (where Hubbard gets some seriously Nordic needle-and-ink action), hang with Emperor vocalist/guitarist Ihsahn at his Symphonique Studios, tour the rebuilt Holmenkollen Chapel (which was burned in 1992 by members of the black metal community), go to Helvete (the late Mayhem guitarist Euronymous’ record store and informal black metal “inner circle” headquarters) and chat with Satyricon in their cavernous rehearsal studios.

Check out this rare glimpse into the lives of these artists below. (more…)