GORGOROTH Guitarist: 'Black Metal Is Not A Hobby Or Something You Do For The Fun Of It'

Jeff Maki of Live-Metal.net recently conducted an e-mail interview with GORGOROTH guitarist/founder Infernus. A couple of excerpts from the question-and-answer session follow:

Tell us some background on GORGOROTH's new release, "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam". What is the meaning of the album's title?

Infernus: "From the last album released, which by the way, was the sixth in the row, 'Twilight of the Idols', we have been more or less constantly followed by all kind of hassle, facing imprisonment, court cases et cetera, [and] we have been left with no [other] choice than to try to [stay] focused and get the work done when time allowed it. On top of it, we also switched over to another label this time, with all the contractual negotiations and work that comes with that. We spent six months in search of something fitting our needs, and found Regain Records, based in Malmo, Sweden. We have used a variety of studios and external co-engineers this time, also probably having a certain relevance for the outcome of the production. The title more or less means in honor of Satan, something that came across my mind once reading an article on the counter reformation, the Jesuit Order and Ignatius de Loyola."

Live-Metal.net: Give us an explanation into the band's Satanic practice. How does metal best channel your beliefs?

Infernus: "That's very difficult to give a brief answer on. Let's just say I created GORGOROTH as a tool of manipulation, to bring up — it being live or in studio — the most sinister energies working on the psyche of myself and others. When in the spheres of psychodrama and magic common sense and reason is not present, as for what the rituals of the Catholic church goes as well, this implies working upon something beyond full comprehension, thus it is difficult giving a proper explanation on this. Intuition says it is good. Then we do consider ourselves grown-up men we are to be of a certain value as role models, we have a certain degree of influence on people we relate to, and we choose more or less to have a consious approach to that. Third, which I should briefly mention is that black metal is not another musical genre, and it is not a hobby or something you do for the fun of it. It is a life code and it implies a certain mentality and an outlook on life. It's meaningless to have a too strictly defined role as an artist opposed to the one of private life, as these do blend together and one way or another have relevance for the product being worked upon. Needless to say, as a black metal musician you have to be a Satanist. With the Satanic approach to life comes a set of goals, standards and ethics which will always be there transcending and affecting whatever you relate to. That I chose metal to be the genre to work within simply can be explained as a matter of taste, and of what I formally wise, craftsmanship-wise, [am] best at."

Read the entire interview at Live-Metal.net.