MORTIIS

You originally started out as a member of the Norwegian black metal outfit Emperor before moving to Sweden. What is your current relationship to this scene in general, and do you believe the growing "trend" of BM artists turning to dark ambient music will help broaden the rather narrow mental focus that some of these people display?
I guess it may show certain BM people that there does exist other sorts of listenable music than black metal on whatever form they enjoy listening to. However, a lot of people from the black metal scene seem to find all their pleasure and stimulation within this music. The music that I do is sort of a nighttime hobby in front of some silly computer. Which I personally find completely and totally laughable. My relationship is limited to certain members of my old band, a few hand-chosen people that I view as friends ­ people that are not necessarily in bands. I hope it will stay that way. I don’t need the new black metal wankers that copy Darkthrone, Satyricon or Emperor... or whatever. Personally, I hardly listen to any black metal at all, seeing that I find no mental (and hardly any physical) pleasure in this form of music. Surely, this has much to do with the fact that when I was once considering myself a part of this movement (if you please), I believed in what I and the other people around me was doing. I do not believe in the black metal scene any longer. I blame no one for this, but I personally have lost all my faith in it... if it was ever really there.

With the success of Cold Meat Industry in the last couple of years and a lot of new record companies turning to this style of music, do you believe it will eventually turn into a circus as has happened to black metal, thrash and death metal (to name but a few genres)?
I doubt it... I think the flexibility of the music we could label ambient/ industrial/experimental is far too great for the ­ as you stated earlier ­ people of the black/death metal scene (not to mention the beer-drinking hardrockers) to be able to enjoy this sort of music. There s a great deal of narrow-mindedness within the above-mention metal categories, which is ruining the chances of these people perhaps enjoying such music, as well. Mind you, there are hardrockers etc. that like the music that I do (although I’ve never made ambient music), and personally I have been a metal-oriented person all my life. For example, when we’re out playing, some people may play a tape with a weird industrial band and I´ll go "Don’t you have any Manowar in this bus?". You know, I suppose I am just one of those slightly more flexible persons around, as I like to see the qualities in the actual music... and not in the wanna-be and gotta-be attitudes that most black metal bands have today.

Being one of the more respected and successful musicians in this genre, do you feel that you personally are influencing the way it develops?
No, I don’t. And I hope that I don’t, because the music I make isn’t really ambient the way I see it. I’m just doing my own music, thinking my own way, speaking what I want, drinking as many beers as I want, fucking whoever I want to fuck and puke wherever I want to puke. I don’t want to influence anybody... I just want to please myself. However... whatever happens, happens.

How would you personally like to see dark ambient music ­ and the music scene in general ­ develop, and what do you think will happen in real life?
I don’t care one bit. The way I see it is like this: If everyone just minded their own business and did their own thing ­ or at least tried to ­ then the scene would be really healthy and everybody would be happy. I guess we could call that musical utopia or something... as it will never happen. Anyway, I don’t think I’m that much appreciated among some of the "heavy duty" industrial people, the fans of heavy electronics and stuff like that. So why should I care about the welfare of their scene? The way I see things, I don’t belong to any scene.

As most people are probably aware of already, you have two side-projects besides Mortiis (being Vond and Fata Morgana). Do you see these as completely separate concepts, or is there a possibility that all your projects will eventually turn into part of Mortiis?
You may see them as part of Mortiis in a greater whole. Mortiis represents my spirit, my eternal and undying, ever-lasting self. Vond is my human earth personality, the one doing this interview right now. Fata Morgana is more like a pure musical project... my love for music. Sometimes, Fata Morgana has Mortiis titles as song titles. Fata Morgana is also the lighter, "happier" side to my earth personality.

I must admit that I was highly skeptical towards your music before I actually heard it, even to the point of laughing out loud the first couple of times I saw your flyers with your face on them. Does this constitute a problem when trying to spread the word and music of Mortiis?
The way I see it, people that laugh are ignorant. How much does one know from looking at two or three photos? Enough to laugh, unless you are obviously supposed to laugh? (Oooh, I guess I pressed a big, bad, red button here - ES).

There are a lot of people out there ­ including myself ­ that would kill an entire nation to get signed to a label like CMI. Do you have any hints and tips on how to make this happen?
Send in your tapes and records. Do not copy others... be unique and make sure you’re from Scandinavia. And tell him to get another employee, hehe!

Besides your involvement with CMI, you also have your own label called Dark Dungeon Music. What were the reasons for starting this, and do you think it’s worth the time and effort of doing all this stuff yourself, instead of just concentrating on the music?
So far, so good as they say. Lately, I have succeeded in becoming the only official manufacturer of Mortiis (and related) T-shirts. This will hopefully serve me good once I get my contacts aware of this. I think that it is worth it seeing as the most cool items have probably been issued here (except the CMI releases)... as they kill, if I may be so open about my own records. Sometimes, I’d really like to spend some more time with the music, but there is always time for that, as well. Currently, I am spending much time in the weekends for this, as I have calmed down with the "wild weekend parties" now... taking a break, so to speak.

You also collaborate with a mailorder-service called Static Age. What can you tell me about these guys and your cooperation with them?
These guys are actually me and Paolo from Primitive Art Records working our asses off to make things happen there, as well. We share this place, actually...

You’ve only played live a handful of times so far. Do you see any possibilities for Mortiis going on more extended tours, and what exactly can one expect from a Mortiis live-show?
I don’t know about those extended tours, seeing that a Mortiis show takes a lot of time and work for me. I would love to try it once, to see how it would all work out. I think it all depends on CMI and whether they can get hold of a decent booking agency. Somebody that doesn’t give you cold buses... Haha! What to expect from a Mortiis show? A theatre in a nutshell, I suppose. I wouldn’t really want to go on too much about it here, in case I play in Norway or whatever and people know what to expect. However, the show keeps developing all the time.

You’re also in the process of publishing a book entitled "Secrets Of My Kingdom". How did you get the idea for this one, and how does it fit into the world of Mortiis?
It IS the world of Mortiis. The idea was born some four years ago, with the first lyrics that became the world of Mortiis.

As usual, you have too many new releases planned for any mere mortal to remember. Would you care to remind us what you’ve got in store for the future?
Err... too many! Well, at the moment there are three more 12" ep´s to come in the series. However, the music here has already been released on the "Crypt Of The Wizard" CD. I am also planning "Crypt..." on vinyl, and Vond´s second album, "The Dark River", on vinyl, too.

You’re often asked towards your feelings about the metal scene, but I haven’t really seen you make any comments on other styles of electronic music. What do you think of EBM, industrial and power electronics?
I think there is so much crap, just like in any other musical genre. Basically, I just listen to electronic stuff like Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Kraftwerk and so on. Other than that, I do like Coil, Brighter Death Now and so on... whatever sense that made to your question.

Are there any dark ambient bands out there that you would like to recommend on the basis of them being young, fresh and innovative?
I don’t know. I am not at all so involved in this scene that everybody seems to think. I’m not really involved with anything any longer... The last album that I bought and paid for must have been a double Judas Priest compilation from the GULL days. I suppose that might clarify some things.

Define happiness...
Unreachable.

OK, I guess that’s about it. Were there any special questions I forgot to ask you?
I don’t think so...

So far, Mortiis has proven to a friendly guy and seems to take good care of the mail he gets. There are also the small, but very professional newsletters covering the latest information on his activities to be obtained, and of course a vast amount of merchandise to spend all your money on! For all those out there seeking the ultimate in dark and medieval atmospheres, there’s no way around the guy with the hairy, pointy ears and a nose of immense proportions. For more information on Mortiis, Dark Dungeon Music or any of the other entities mentioned in this interview, please get in touch with: