This interview was primarily, or perhaps solely; initiated by THAT album, "...And So The Night Became". MAGNIFICENT. PURE BRILLIANCE. I dare you to have a listen. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three-piece… also when you’re performing live?
No, we need 2 guitars live. So far, we’ve had Døden from OBTAINED ENSLAVEMENT helping us out on 2 tours and a festival. On the DEICIDE tour, Mr. T. Reaper of MALIGNANT ETERNAL helped us. We’re slowly working on getting a second permanent guitarist. We’re kind of fed-up with the session-thing. So future will tell if we find someone suitable for us and what we do (and they have found one ever since-ed.)
Let’s talk about the “…And So The Night Became” album. Personally I find it not that different from your earlier offerings, but it would be better to know your opinion about it instead.
In ways, it’s different, but it’s not so different in other ways, you know?! That’s how I see it. The musical progress is clear, I think. “…And So The Night Became” has more pounding sound, better arrangement and more ‘focused’ emotion than “Beyond The Wandering Moon”. Our third CD “Shadows of Old” will be strongly different compared to the differences on our earlier releases. Guaranteed. Await in October ’99.
I find the guitars sound to be much darker and evolving…
Yes, and it will keep on being dark and pounding. We’ll have it clearer too, on our third CD. I’m work a lot on the sound for this third release as it is important because our new songs require a clearer and even more pounding sound. Developing?! Most fucking definitely!!
Your songs are usually long in its duration. Is it intended to be that way?
Usually, our songs end up lasting 6-7-8 minutes. It’s just the way it is. There’s no special reason for it, it just happens. It has never been a vital thing for us or anything, to focus on having ‘long’ songs.
I understand that AETERNUS take the lyrics seriously. Mainly what would be the main theme for all of them?
Basically, to put it down shortly, our lyrical realm speaks of dark emotions. Plain and simple.
I think the band is so obsessed by the night, and things surrounding/revolving around it. What’s the night really represents to you (and the band as a whole)?
Night time is an enchanting time, nature becomes more beautiful in ways, etc. etc. I could go on and on about what the night can give me emotionally and so forth, but I see no reason for that. The night is enchanting for those who knows and feels its bare essence and power.
Dark Metal, as what you call your music as. Tell me what sets it apart from black Metal?
Musically, AETERNUS stands between black Metal and death Metal mostly. We have our own style and the term ‘dark Metal’ suits it all perfectly, if one wants to label our music.
The members of AETERNUS also involves in various other bands, is the situation still going on till these days?
Today, we don’t play in any other bands. AETERNUS is it for us.
Lots of these new bands from Norway are exploiting their nationality to gain recognition. What’s the way it should be then?
Whatever makes people content with what they do. We focus on our thing, we don’t compete, we creat dark music and we do what we do best. Our way. Others do their thing their way, we don’t care too much.
Also, most of their materials appear to be sounding almost the same with each other.
Yeah, a lot of bands sound the same. If they can ‘see’ it, they don’t care or they want it all that way.
And what about using Norge in songs?
AETERNUS has 5 songs with Norwegian lyrics. Ain’t nothing wrong with my language, man!
Since that Morrigan is a woman, why not use her voice for your forthcoming releases, just like most of the bands these days? Or, is this ‘female-vocals’ thing is not to your liking at all?
Morrigan is a bassist, not a vocalist and I don’t think we would have used her vocals at all if she could sing ‘cause (like you say) it’s not our thing at all.
What do you think would happen to the always fascinating Norwegian scene in the future?
I have no idea. All I know is that we’ll keep on doing our thing until our destiny says otherwise.
Your music comprises of three elements: originality, beauty and darkness. So tell me where these elements could be found in the music of AETERNUS.
When/if one finds originality, beauty and darkness in AETERNUS, one will know exactly what we are about.
Simply put one of the original Norwegian act, the band Aeternus has never compromised on bringing music with strong characteristics and distinguished charisma. After the demo “Walk My Path”, “Dark Sorcery” followed and received good response thus re-released in MCD format by VIEW BEYOND RECORDS, this one being very hard to find these days. It is later re-released again by HAMMERHEART RECORDS, and it’s also initially sold out by now. After the impressive debut “Beyond The Wandering Moon”, “…And So The Night Became” followed, and this interview was done prior to its release (and as usual your editor fukked things up, inevitable it seems). They’ve released “Shadows of Old” ever since, but surely this interview could still give you something…
AETERNUS has become the supporting act for DEICIDE on some of their European Tour shows not so long ago, so how was it?
In general, this was a great tour for AETERNUS. Good promotion and good inspiration. We had some shit-shows, but that happens. It’s not cool to play first out of fuckin’ 5 bands, you know… You start at 1900 and 40 people shows up. Anyways, this only happened a few times and like I said: In general a great tour for us.
How’s the crowd managed to get along with your sets? I’ve been thinking that most of your songs need to be listened in full-concentration of the senses before it finally shows up its true magnificence. AETERNUS is also known for their great live-sets, so it just makes me wonder a lot…
We argue some before we really know how we want our live-sets to be, always the same thing… It’s kind of hard (in ways) to pick songs for live shows. Especially when you got a lot of ‘long’ songs like we do. I believe we choose songs wisely every time, the crowd seems content (at least and at worst) so it’s cool. It’s true that it takes some ‘listen-to’ before the essence of our songs reveal on our albums. Some of our new material is much more to the point, so that’ll be good for our next tour (they’ve toured with CANNIBAL CORPSE for the latest album-ed.). Some songs will kick ass regardless if you know them or not.
In general, this was a great tour for AETERNUS. Good promotion and good inspiration. We had some shit-shows, but that happens. It’s not cool to play first out of fuckin’ 5 bands, you know… You start at 1900 and 40 people shows up. Anyways, this only happened a few times and like I said: In general a great tour for us.
How’s the crowd managed to get along with your sets? I’ve been thinking that most of your songs need to be listened in full-concentration of the senses before it finally shows up its true magnificence. AETERNUS is also known for their great live-sets, so it just makes me wonder a lot…
We argue some before we really know how we want our live-sets to be, always the same thing… It’s kind of hard (in ways) to pick songs for live shows. Especially when you got a lot of ‘long’ songs like we do. I believe we choose songs wisely every time, the crowd seems content (at least and at worst) so it’s cool. It’s true that it takes some ‘listen-to’ before the essence of our songs reveal on our albums. Some of our new material is much more to the point, so that’ll be good for our next tour (they’ve toured with CANNIBAL CORPSE for the latest album-ed.). Some songs will kick ass regardless if you know them or not.
Three-piece… also when you’re performing live?No, we need 2 guitars live. So far, we’ve had Døden from OBTAINED ENSLAVEMENT helping us out on 2 tours and a festival. On the DEICIDE tour, Mr. T. Reaper of MALIGNANT ETERNAL helped us. We’re slowly working on getting a second permanent guitarist. We’re kind of fed-up with the session-thing. So future will tell if we find someone suitable for us and what we do (and they have found one ever since-ed.)
Let’s talk about the “…And So The Night Became” album. Personally I find it not that different from your earlier offerings, but it would be better to know your opinion about it instead.
In ways, it’s different, but it’s not so different in other ways, you know?! That’s how I see it. The musical progress is clear, I think. “…And So The Night Became” has more pounding sound, better arrangement and more ‘focused’ emotion than “Beyond The Wandering Moon”. Our third CD “Shadows of Old” will be strongly different compared to the differences on our earlier releases. Guaranteed. Await in October ’99.
I find the guitars sound to be much darker and evolving…
Yes, and it will keep on being dark and pounding. We’ll have it clearer too, on our third CD. I’m work a lot on the sound for this third release as it is important because our new songs require a clearer and even more pounding sound. Developing?! Most fucking definitely!!
Your songs are usually long in its duration. Is it intended to be that way?
Usually, our songs end up lasting 6-7-8 minutes. It’s just the way it is. There’s no special reason for it, it just happens. It has never been a vital thing for us or anything, to focus on having ‘long’ songs.
I understand that AETERNUS take the lyrics seriously. Mainly what would be the main theme for all of them?
Basically, to put it down shortly, our lyrical realm speaks of dark emotions. Plain and simple.
I think the band is so obsessed by the night, and things surrounding/revolving around it. What’s the night really represents to you (and the band as a whole)?
Night time is an enchanting time, nature becomes more beautiful in ways, etc. etc. I could go on and on about what the night can give me emotionally and so forth, but I see no reason for that. The night is enchanting for those who knows and feels its bare essence and power.
Dark Metal, as what you call your music as. Tell me what sets it apart from black Metal?
Musically, AETERNUS stands between black Metal and death Metal mostly. We have our own style and the term ‘dark Metal’ suits it all perfectly, if one wants to label our music.
The members of AETERNUS also involves in various other bands, is the situation still going on till these days?
Today, we don’t play in any other bands. AETERNUS is it for us.
Lots of these new bands from Norway are exploiting their nationality to gain recognition. What’s the way it should be then?
Whatever makes people content with what they do. We focus on our thing, we don’t compete, we creat dark music and we do what we do best. Our way. Others do their thing their way, we don’t care too much.
Also, most of their materials appear to be sounding almost the same with each other.
Yeah, a lot of bands sound the same. If they can ‘see’ it, they don’t care or they want it all that way.
And what about using Norge in songs?
AETERNUS has 5 songs with Norwegian lyrics. Ain’t nothing wrong with my language, man!
Since that Morrigan is a woman, why not use her voice for your forthcoming releases, just like most of the bands these days? Or, is this ‘female-vocals’ thing is not to your liking at all?
Morrigan is a bassist, not a vocalist and I don’t think we would have used her vocals at all if she could sing ‘cause (like you say) it’s not our thing at all.
What do you think would happen to the always fascinating Norwegian scene in the future?
I have no idea. All I know is that we’ll keep on doing our thing until our destiny says otherwise.
Your music comprises of three elements: originality, beauty and darkness. So tell me where these elements could be found in the music of AETERNUS.
When/if one finds originality, beauty and darkness in AETERNUS, one will know exactly what we are about.
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