DARKTHRONE's FENRIZ Discusses Illegal Music Downloading

MTUK Metal 'Zine recently conducted an interview with DARKTHRONE's Fenriz. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

MTUK Metal 'Zine: How long was the recording process for "F.O.A.D." was everything laid down in one take?

Fenriz: Just back from the studio recording the two first tracks for our next album (nr 14). As we don't tour we can keep writing songs and recording them when we have them ready. We prefer just going to the rehearsal place (we both travel three hours to get there),carry the studio equipment in, plug it up, do line checks, learn the songs, record the basics, I do the vocals — and then we get hammered. Next day we pack it up and then we usually meet again for another session three months later. Ted records additional titbits at his home in the mountains, and also his vocals. The choirs are laid after I do the vocals, we have always the owner of the house we rehearse in there to help us and also another sidekick called Mats. Those guys and Ted do eventual choirs. Recording process isn't an issue any longer, but when did the songwriting start? October 2005, I think. Like the songwriting for this new album we are working on started already last year (Ted had a coupla riffs already then) and I started in January this year. I already have the material ready more or less, before "F.O.A.D." came out, even. So if you wonder if we are influenced by feedback from the press/fans, we can honestly say NO because we are well ahead of that — AND I don't read reviews or get any fan reaction at all, as I don't surf on the Internet or go out anymore.

MTUK Metal 'Zine: Peaceville didn't send out promos for the album due to internet leaking. I remember we spoke before about the speed that "Sardonic Wrath" was online. Was this effective or did you find it popping up on torrent sites? Looking now it is up as of 13 days ago, approximately the album release date. What is your opinion of all this and how would you consider it has affected you?

Fenriz: It affected me....I realised someone out there is EXTREMELY WEAK and silly...if they get a kick out of putting our album out on the Internet before we even have our own listening copies. So we had to change mastering studio. For "The Cult Is Alive" didn't leak at all, and "F.O.A.D." didn't either. Nice. Un-aired ideas have suddenly a LOT bigger value now after the Internet came into our world. So I can't tell you the new album title, even! Anything in due time. It didn't use to be like this before, no big problem, but us oldies often forget and we trust people too much. People think they get a favour from a band if they get a promo, but if the album is prematurely leaked NO ONE that got the promo will admit they did it — so EVERYONE is a suspect. So the best honour you can give your friends/contacts as a band, is to explain them this situation and NOT give them a copy until the album is out. This should be OFFICIAL MUSICIAN LAW nr. 1. I hope you all understand and listen.

MTUK Metal 'Zine: On the same subject, a lot of labels release promos with voiceovers on them to stop them being leaked. As a reviewer I would rather stick it where the sun don't shine rather than listen to it like this. It ruins it musically and disrupts the artist's intentions. I would imagine this is something you would be against, was such a move considered with "F.O.A.D."?

Fenriz: I don't know, I don't deal with the business; I do the music and screaming and drums. It is best that others do the business and I do the music - not the other way around, perhaps. At least it would be tragic if I should do business because I know almost nothing about the way the record business works, and I don't UNDERSTAND capitalism in a creative environment.

Read the entire interview at www.metalteamuk.net.