Shining

Interview date

09 Septembre 2013

Interviewer

Azagtoth

I N T E R V I E W

Interview Niklas Kvarforth (by email)


Hello Niklas and thanks for giving us some of your time to answer to this interview. First, I’d like to focus on your latest 8 ½ – Feberdrömmar i vaket tillstånd. Where did the idea come from?

About a decade ago a German company bootlegged the demos I had made for Hellhammer which he needed before entering the studio. Obviously the fact that some fucking cunt is making money from my art without approval from The Emissary has bothered me ever since. Eventually I decided to record bass, keys and vocals on top of the already existing demos in order to somewhat reclaim what was stolen from us and make sure the fans get something out of the ordinary rather than a mere re-issue of a bootleg already printed in thousands upon thousands of copies.

Most of the original tracks come from the III – Angst album. How did you choose the tracks and the guest singers for each of the tracks?

Apart from “Ett Liv Utan Mening”, which was recorded after an accident I had with my right arm, back then I had only recorded demos for the third album, something I had to do in order to figure out whether I would be able to play again or not. As for the vocalists, I had initially planned on re-recording “Within Deep Dark Chambers” back in 2007 with six different madmen giving their take on the songs instead of me. That idea went into limbo when we started recording the sixth and seventh albums, but it has always remained with me on a subconscious level. So, most of the vocalists had already been chosen and were on board back then. However, as time passes, you see the true colours of people, thus, one of the vocalists had to be removed as he proved in the end to be nothing but a pussy. Another had to be replaced due to his untimely death last year.

Could you tell us about the recording process? Where and who was it recorded with?

For the original guitars and drums, I believe in Gothenburg, but I could be wrong. All new additions were recorded at the vocalists separate studio facilities, where I was not involved, because if I had been I would have had too many opinions about everything. Something, I convinced myself from day one would be a very bad idea.

From what I have heard every guest singer managed to give his own interpretation of each song, since they could even sing in their native language. Are you satisfied with the result? What is your personal favourite among the new versions?

As I said, I gave all of them my blessing to do exactly whatever they personally found appropriate and all in all I am very pleased with how things turned out. I have to admit that on hearing the songs at first it was a bit strange and surreal as all of them mean a great deal to me personally, being as they all are somewhat confessions and prayers coming from the very depths of my heart. All of them have their own twists and individual greatness. However, I must say that Famine’s contribution was the most mind-blowing, together with Gaahl’s. And I am truly pleased to have him fucking around with my art.

You also invited Lars Fredrik Frøislie to record the new keyboard parts. Is he joining the band?

No.

I think this is the first time you have been working with the Norwegian label Dark Essence. Why did you choose this label for the release of this album?

Actually it is our own label NOKER NOK who licensed the album to Dark Essence. A collaboration which was decided when Hoest and I attended a label night of theirs in Oslo earlier this year. I must say though, that with all the labels we have worked with throughout the years, these Norwegians have really proven to be a particularly good choice for this project.

You are going on tour in November (including three dates in our country). What band will you be touring with? Can we expect to see any of the guest singers on stage with you?

Maybe, maybe not. We haven’t toured for three years so it will be interesting to see how it all comes together at the end of the day. Be assured that the French shows will be special though, as France has always been “our” country for some reason. I did hear that there is some festival in Paris the same day we play there but hopefully people have enough common sense to choose to experience our ceremony instead. The other bands on the tour are Crest of Darkness from Norway and a Swedish band called Sterbhaus.

What are your plans after the tour? Will you be working on a new album?

New album, new partners, new everything.

Thanks once again for your time and I’ll leave you with one last word for our readers.

Merci. Support our cause by buying our merchandise from www.shininglegions.com directly so that German bootleggers have a harder time paying their bills and join us in November in a celebration of everything that is bad in society and man! www.shiningasylum.com


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