Kampfar was one of the bands that defined dark, extreme pagan metal back in the 1990s and has always managed to keep its hobnailed boots planted firmly in respectable black metal territory. Now, with the band’s 20th anniversary approaching, Kampfar is back with a vengeance, a new label and a new album which builds on foundations laid by previous album Mare but with a deeper exploration of the band’s sound. Djevelmakt stands shoulder to shoulder with some of Kampfar’s classic albums of the past with its prowling, hook-laden tunes whilst trudging further into dark, snow-covered Nordic folklore. As the band itself says, two decades of existence has not dulled the blade. Dolk and crew will be heading to London in April as part of a busy tour to air the new and old tracks side by side to let the fans decide for themselves how Djevelmakt measures up. Here he takes some time ahead of the packed tour to explain to Ave Noctum the philosophy behind the new album, why he hates birthday parties and how the country’s black gold helps him juggle his family life with the increasingly rigorous demands of the band’s growing success.
AN: We’re big fans of yours here at Ave Noctum so thanks very much for agreeing to the interview.
Dolk: Thank you for the support!
AN: The new album seems to have brought a new dimension to the band’s sound – although it’s very definitely Kampfar. Can you explain the differences between Djevelmakt and Mare and how things have evolved?
Dolk: This time we really needed all the time we had available to create something we could all stand behind one hundred percent. This album has been years in the planning and we had to take the time to do it properly. That’s why we decided to only do one exclusive live show last year during all our work with the new album. We did Hellfest… and we do not regret that. It made us very focused on the new album. We felt we had no option – we had to go to Abyss studio again. We felt like we had unfinished work together in that studio: Kampfar, Jonas [Kjellgren] and Peter [Tägtgren].
This time we did something different though. We did all the pre-production of the guitars, bass and synths of the album in Ole’s [Kampfar’s guitar player] studio in Bergen, before we entered Abyss. Then we did all the re-amping, mixing and technical stuff there – and vocals and drums. The mastering was done in Black Lodge and also in Abyss studios. So it was just perfect for us. We were very pleased with the result. So you can probably say that Djevelmakt is the first album so far in Kampfar’s history where every little detail was well considered and planned across a whole year. This album is not a product of time pressure. That’s exactly what we wanted to avoid by saying ‘no’ to almost every offer to play live last year. We wanted to focus on the album in 2013 and so we did.
With Mare we took huge steps both musically and lyrically. We brought it, maybe, closer to our native origins. It was more darkness and soul searching and it also started something new when it came to the live shows. And we continue to walk down that road with Djevelmakt now. So the sound has evolved for sure, but the work had already started with Mare.
AN: The concept seems to have more in common with Mare than previous albums. Is the lyrical theme similar?
Dolk: The new album is anti-religion – but not anti-human. But at the same time it’s much wider than just religion. In our society today you need to follow and obey its ‘laws’ and you are damned if you don’t! It’s a fucking crazy world we are living in. It’s just fucked up. All religions condemn you to an infernal place – Gehenna, Hell, you name it – if you don’t apply to their laws. All these places are constructed out of places that exist, or existed, here on earth during mankind’s time here. If you read history you will find them. It’s so scary to see the impact these places still have on people even today. It’s scary… Where is the free man? Where is the free, strong, self-thinking individual that chooses its own path in life, regardless of what others condemn you to? Damned if you do and damned if you don’t… Fuck it! We all head towards the darkness no matter if we listen to those who speak about salvation or not. This goes both for the ‘light’ side of religion and for the ‘dark’ side of it – and for society in general.
This album is about that: it’s about what these idiots tell you to do and about the condemnation you face if you don’t. Light and darkness and the human in between. Raise the banner and be your own strong King or Queen is more or less the message coming through on Djevelmakt!
AN: Tell us about the cover – it’s very striking.
Dolk: For this album we decided to use existing art from [Polish artist] Zdzislaw Beksinski for the cover and also from [English painter] John Charles Dollman. First of all, these paintings are a blast! A true sense of art! Period! But, even more importantly, it’s also closely connected to the lyrical condemnation on ‘Djevelmakt’ and the essence of the lyrics and music. We knew immediately when we saw the paintings that this was it, these are the paintings for 2014. Some lyrics and songs on the album are even written as a direct inspiration from them. To even try to explain this would be wrong I think – everyone should get their own ideas about it and, together with our music, that should be perfect for you… haha… It will always costs some money to invest in good art but financially it makes sense for us.
AN: The themes over the last two albums have been very female-centred – and the new cover hammers this home. Is there something that has been driving you in that direction? Experiences in your life or a philosophy?
Dolk: As I mentioned before, this album follows the same path as Mare and there was a female touch in that one, for sure. This time though I would say it’s a more universal thing and about the condemnation in our society and religions overall. I have always been into history since I was a little child and my grandmother told me stories about forces in nature and so on. So that lit a fire in me and, ever since, that has been of huge importance in my life. It’s so important to know your history. And even more important to do some real soul searching and not just follow the flow. And women? Well yeah they have always been easy targets haven’t they?
AN: Have you had difficulty dragging fans of `old’ Kampfar along with you as you develop the new themes?
Dolk: No not really – but, of course, albums always seem to get bigger in people’s minds after a decade or two. It’s always much easier to look back and say ‘yeah that was great’ than look ahead and see something new as some sort of coming classic. It’s insane when I see all kinds of ‘voted’ metal lists in magazines with the ‘best black metal albums from the nineties’ etc. Like one in Sweden that I saw just a couple of months ago where I saw my debut album Mellom [Skogkledde Aaser] got voted number 7 out of 100 – or something like that. I can tell you for sure that was not the way it felt back then… But over time things always change.
That said, I must say that I‘m very proud of everything we have managed to create with Kampfar, new or old stuff, it really doesn’t matter. Take the songs Norse and Ravenheart as an example. These songs have really opened up some doors for us! That doesn’t mean that they are my favourites. But they mean something special for me and I am proud of those two songs. During a show, it is the show as a whole unit that really matters and we want to play old stuff in a show too. A Kampfar show should represent the whole back catalogue of Kampfar as well as the new stuff. It’s all about the full content in the show. I do not feel like we have a much stronger response to all the old stuff, compared to the new stuff. I think a Kampfar listener is much more up to date than this, to be honest. And it feels that way when we play shows around the globe.
AN: Have these two albums been a conscious effort to move away from the
pagan/Viking theme into more folklore territory?
Dolk: The ‘Viking theme’ has never been a theme in Kampfar. ‘Pagan folklore’ on the other hand always has. But, in a way, you are correct here because I do not have too many nice words to say about all the ‘Hey Ho’ pagan metal bands out there. But I do not have any war against them either. It’s maybe more a fear, or even irritation, about being compared with these bands all the time. Kampfar has nothing in common with those bands. We belong to the black roots of metal!
Yes, indeed we have folk, pagan roots in our music. But it’s more hidden in the metal itself. It’s about more than just adding something folklorish or an instrument that even my mother would enjoy, if you see what I mean? It’s impossible for me to say what we will do in years to come but because of that I think it’s less likely we’ll bring in traditional instruments in our music at any point. So back to the question… You are probably correct about that: we want to move away from the form of music that puts us in the same terms as these ‘Viking metal’ kind of bands.
AN: You have clearly delved quite deeply into Norwegian folklore – is there a story or theme that has most caught your imagination that you can tell us about? Maybe something that you have read or that someone has told you?
Dolk: Ohh man, where to begin… I have always been into pagan history and Norwegian folklore or superstition. There are so many stories, my friend, but I will take one story from the album ‘Heimgang’ from 2008. There I refer to a priest named Antvort. This was a priest living just 10 minutes away from my house where I live today, but it all happened back in the year 1800 or so. No one really knew where or what he belonged to but you might say he had big roots in both the underworld and heaven. So, at that time, around 20 children disappeared from nearby the Church in mysterious ways. He was later convicted for being a ‘black priest’ but no one ever found a trace or evidence of anything. There have been so many stories around this ‘local’ historic event and this is just some very local history – just imagine if we look at things on a much wider scale.
AN: Who is the character on the inside of the gatefold and on the back of the CD (a gaunt, skeletal, shepherd-like figure on a moonlit moor with two ravens and leading a huge pack of wolves)? What’s his story?
This is the oil painting of the English John Charles Dollman. That painting is a direct link to the last song on the album ‘Our Hounds Our Legion’. The idea is that the world will end and only the strong survive and a new world of pain and supremacy will live on – the devil himself, we’re speaking about – and the hounds will gather in a pack!
AN: Does the Nordic pantheon figure in your view of folklore and the themes you’re developing on recent albums?
Dolk: To me the ‘pantheon’ is there – and not there – at the same time. I write lyrics and compose music in a very personal way, but the links to pagan folklore will of course always be there. So in that manner the answer is ‘yes’.
AN: You’ve said in the past that making albums is increasingly a collaborative process with the rest of the band. How does that work? Is there a split of responsibility or a process? Or some tracks on the new album that were written more by one member or another?
Well, we are more a complete band now and that’s also the case when it comes to the composing part of the band. There have been many flights for me back and forth to Bergen and Ole’s studio this last year. Ole and me especially have worked very closely when it comes to the composing of this album. And every single word in the lyrics and every single note in the music are there for a reason. There is nothing – and I mean absolutely nothing – on this album that was not planned before entering Abyss studio in Sweden. Every detail was there for a reason. This album is definitely not a solo project. Of course I still have something to say still in Kampfar – haha! But we all have all the same quantity of work when it comes to the composing the music.
AN: Ask seems to have played a bigger part – even writing lyrics and contributing to lead vocals on two tracks (Blod, Eder Og Galle and Svarte Sjelers Salme) – how did that come about and how would it work live?
Dolk: Yeah, Ask has a bigger role in the composing part now too, for sure, and these two songs especially are very personal to him. The album as a whole has been our goal all the way now. As I said, we work as a complete band and these two songs were made for his vocals. It’s more direct than my vocals and it really suits the album very well. These songs are just ‘Ask’, period! We are doing some pre-production at the moment for the live shows and we are working on that now, so how it will all end when it comes out live, I don’t know yet. And I will not tell either…
AN: As I said, I think Kampfar has always had its own sound but do you consider yourself to be a part of the main black metal scene?
Dolk: Hmm, well what can I say? When I was a kid, around 10 years old or something, my teacher asked everyone in the class what we wanted to do when we became adults. There were a lot of policemen and fire fighter answers among the boys, as you can imagine. My answer, on the other hand, was: ‘I want to play metal. I want to play in a band’. It may sound like a joke, but it’s not. I was already pretty sure about what I wanted to do in life. And metal was my life even back then. I’ve had long hair since I was nine years old. And still get comments from friends from children’s school about the statement I made that day. But I was already pretty sure of my goal back then.
So when my previous band Mock (1991-1994) split up there was never an option for me to stop. Kampfar was created the same day Mock split up and the rest is history. I guess that has been my life story. I cannot answer it any clearer than that. It’s just who I am. That’s why it’s not strange for me to still be here with Kampfar. I haven’t thought about my achieved goals, not achieved goals or intentions in that way. Kampfar is my life. It’s that simple and it’s just a bonus to meet people that adore and find things very meaningful in life due to what I – or we – do in Kampfar. From very early on with Kampfar my goals were not about selling a lot of albums or surfing the black metal church burning wave. If that was the case I would have done satanic black metal with corpse paint and all that shit. That would have been the easy way. So to conclude this question I think the most correct way to answer this is that I still have the same goal with Kampfar as back in ‘94. And that goal is to be able to look at myself in the mirror every morning knowing that I do this with honesty and self-pride and without regretting anything. It cannot be done any other way!
AN: How do you think the black metal scene is changing at the moment?
Dolk: Hmm, I do not wish to sound patronizing, controversial or anything here. But ask yourself this question: where would Norwegian Black Metal be today without all the church burnings and the murders? And ask even this – for those old enough to remember: where would Norwegian Black Metal been without Kerrang? Haha… I guess I should explain that last one a bit further. The front page of Kerrang back then [in March 23, 1993 with a cover featuring Varg Vikernes and the strapline ‘Arson… Death… Satanic Ritual… The Ugly Truth About Black Metal’] made a huge impact to the rest of the media interest and the historical development of black metal.
Even more than people can imagine these days, I guess. The snowball started to roll and it all became just crazy and out of hand. I am really not being disrespectful when saying this, but music came second back in those days! Of course, we cannot deny the fact that a lot of massive, classical, black art came out of all that. Classics which it is just impossible to deny the quality of today. I am not that stupid. I just like to point out something here that people don’t seem to think about too often.
Anyway, compared to today’s scene, I guess it’s all about music and even the search for fame now. But the new Norwegian bands of today cannot get the same level of respect these days. It’s just pure and simply impossible! But some seem to surf on the wave from the past, of course, and they’re getting credits still for just being Norwegian. But that happens less often these days.
AN: Do you listen to a lot of music outside of metal? What are you listening to at the moment?
Dolk: Not really anymore. I get ‘drilled’ all the time by my band mates about my age and that I still talk about the old stuff, so I guess I am no different to anybody else when it comes to looking backwards sometimes rather than ahead… haha… I still listen to those Bathory, King Diamond and even Kiss albums that got me into this in the first place. But of course, I am not senile, I still enjoy new art. Like the more classical Watain, Behemoth, Ghost and so on. But I also enjoy some new stuff like Obliteration (from Norway), Velnias (US), Mgla (Poland). It is quite interesting and fresh to me at least. Even If the old school roots are there with me without any doubt.
AN: How much of your time does the band occupy now and how soon can you give up the day job? And what is the day job?
Dolk: We could live from making music today if we wanted to, but that would have meant touring, touring, touring. And I have a family now and I will not let my kids down in that way. Even though Kampfar is my life. I will never sacrifice my kids! No way possible! So, yes then, I have a day job. I am working as a CNC designer / operator and design programs for milling parts for the Oil industry here in Norway. I am an oil junky – as the rest of Norway then I guess… haha.
But again, I have a day job that allows me to be available for Kampfar 24-7 every day. So, in that way, I have a combined working schedule and job title, I guess. Those were the terms from my side when I signed the contract for this day job in the first place – so that works out fine for me. Besides my family and kids, Kampfar takes up all the hours. Kampfar is also an official company these days too. It’s a huge demand and I have my own office in my house now.
AN: Do you look forward to touring and how will you balance the old favourites with the new stuff given your productivity seems to have taken off again in recent years? Will you always play Ravenheart, for example?
Dolk: We will never forget the old school people out there. We have done some mistakes there previously and it will not happen again. But of course you will have some ‘premiere’ songs for the first time in London too. It will be a complete show, that’s all I can say! And, hell yeah, we are looking forward to hitting the battlefield again, that you can be sure of!
AN: Finally, it’s your 20th anniversary this year! Congratulations – any plans for celebrations?
Dolk: Hah… We all are in fact so fucking tired of this buzz with the 20 year anniversaries all over these days. It seems like almost every old school band are celebrating 20 years, even if half of them haven’t actually been going on for 20 years, they seem to fake their way to an anniversary anyway. So we have decided to just skip the whole shit. We are here for the music, not for fucking birthdays…. And we are more eager to show our music than ever before and that’s what we care about. I think the only thing we will mark is that we have made some kind of 20 year-old symbol for Kampar and we will print up some anniversary shirts for the Kampfar Horde, but that’s about it. There has also been some talk about a ‘film crew’ that will follow us this year… But honestly fuck it! Kampfar will just keep on doing what we always have done, playing pagan black metal!
AN: Thank very much for your time, Dolk, and we look forward to seeing you guys in London!
Dolk: Thanks a million for the support! Hope to raise the banner together in London in April! With ‘Spreading The Plague MMXIV’ Tour we take with us Hate from Poland, Velnias from the US and the northern warriors Iskald from Norway. All of these bands belong to the true hardworking underground! That’s why this tour is so great. Main underground excelsi will hit London in April!
(Interview by The Reverend Darkstanley)
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