Why maniac left mayhem

Gradually, the audience started to expect blood dripping gigs, and when we realised that the cutting had become a phenomenon people came to watch I quit doing it. We were also told that all Norwegian black-metallers lived in caves in the forest! After all we were Fenriz and Maniac! On another occasion, an Australian woman came back-stage and insisted on holding my arms and feel the scars left by the knife cuts. She wanted to absorb my aura and take on the vibes that was supposed to surround me.

In my world, being a groupie is just about the most pathetic there is so I had one of the bouncers throw her out of the venue we were in. Back home, the press has always managed to dig up some old and gross stories. When a deranged guy from some crap band was caught molesting a corpse, the newspapers thought it was a great idea to call us for comments because the guy had been pictured wearing a Mayhem shirt at a party years earlier.

That says a thing or two about the level of reporting in Norwegian media. This idiot attitude was also one of the reasons why we at one point refused national dailies VG and Dagbladet access to one of our gigs at defunct Oslo club Mars — if they were to see the gig they had to buy tickets as everybody else did. Naturally, it was awesome — we were welcomed everywhere. Our appearance was like it always is: longhaired and clad in black.

As we approached the building, one of the guards eyed us with increasing intensity; we sort of expected a gun in our faces at any time. Don't be so certain about it Surely the police would have noticed that It's possibly another rumour spread to make the band more "evil" Hmm, he chased a cat out of the house naked He was a good vocalist though, I heard him on Live on Leigzip. Only a couple points in the song, I think near the start.

He sounds like he's mic-shy, then he warms up and sounds good. Like a lot of people, intially I found them laughable and annoying but soon I began to appreciate the atmosphere that they created with the music.

I don't know if Dead would have been great on that album, I mean he was awesome with his drunken rasps in a live setting, but I don't know about in a studio. Those recordings of Carnage and Freezing Moon aren't as powerful vocally as everything I've heard from him live.

I also adore Maniac's vocal work on Deathcrush, and it's the only time he's ever done a good vocal job. Grr he's Hungarian, and it's Liepzig not Leigzip!!! I only found out recently that it was the same guy on Deathcrush - so different - I always thought the names were similar and I found it confusing :p.

A lot of people say that the true mayhem was with Euronymous. Is this necessarily true? Dead was a great vocallist but it was difficult to see him conform to a style Attila is a very death metal style voclist but dead and to an extent maniac did not really stick to a black metal style of vocals. For the record when I sing freezing moon and funeral fog with my band, the timing and style are very like Attila's.

As on live in liepzig, dead comes in at different times to the album versions with attila. Initially, the role of being a father was kind of surreal for me, but as time goes on it has become more and more important for me to be there for them when they grow up. Through his lyrics, Kristiansen has never tried to conceal his hatred for organised religion and, in particular, Christianity. How has it been to have such fundamentally opposing stances? After all, your past is full of offensive lyrics that convey your hatred for Christianity and Christians.

What can replace the adrenaline-rush that a dedicated audience can give to a band like Mayhem? Kristiansen turns silent for a while. He looks down at the table, scratches his neck and looks to the interviewer while shrugging his shoulders. We have very different, but also very similar, ways of seeing things. To understand it I think people should just listen to the album. In a previous interview Niklas admitted to have written songs for Skitliv under the influence of the drug.

Were drugs an important tool during the recording and writing process? It used to be a big part of it. Part of our drug-induced daily life. About the effect of being awake for days on end and what it does to your mind. Reality comes really fucking close and that can be a rather scary, but also enjoyable, experience.

Lately I have realized that my mind actually works the same way, drugs or not. What else influenced you? My whole experience of life, including philosophy, art and the music of geniuses like David Tibet and others. It is very hard to put your finger exactly on what inspires you.

The small in the great. Is it true? What happened? I know him and we are good friends. How did this come about? I just asked him. And last but not least: When did you meet David Tibet? I have been a fan of David for many, many years. Some years ago I met up with him in London. For tea, actually.