Vargr - Interview pour projet black metal

Pitchfork - Interview de Vargr (de Nordvargr et MZ412 entre autre)

Vargr is the Swedish musician Henrik Nordvargr Bjorkk, maybe known best for his work in the blackened industrial band MZ.412, but also through Folkstorm, Toroidh, and various collaborations under his given name. Northern Black Supremacy is an iced, atmospheric, Charles Manson-sampling collection of creepy, noisy black metal: Think WOLD and Blut Aus Nord but via early snarling Darkthrone and Ildjarn. The album's slogan: "Worship. Kill. Die."

Pitchfork: I saw a discussion at Encyclopedia Metallum in which people were arguing whether or not what you do in Vargr is metal. Some saw it as noise. You've done recordings with Merzbow, and of course MZ.412 and other non-metal projects. Where do you see Vargr fitting into things genre-wise?

Nordvargr: I'd call it metal. Maybe a bit on the noisy side of things, but still some form of metal. It's not that important really; I find it amusing that people even debate it.

Pitchfork: Please explain the phrase "True Black Nekronoise Metal," which you use to describe your sound.

Nordvargr: Me and Lasse Marhaug coined that when we recorded our Marvargr album... I think it is a perfect description.

Pitchfork: Drakh [note: his MZ.412 collaborator] plays guest guitar on the record. Do you think you two will always collaborate?

Nordvargr: Probably. We are as close as you can get when it comes to creating music.

Pitchfork: Can you tell me a bit about the album title, Northern Black Supremacy? How do the intro and outro work? Is this a concept album? There's obviously an anti-Christian sentiment running through it. I'm interested in the stories behind "Three Days For The King Of Jews" and "Chris Deflowered". What's the concept behind these tracks? No mercy?

Nordvargr: Northern Black Supremacy is not really a concept album, but I have tried to tie the tracks together so when listening to the whole album, there are some calmer parts to allow you to catch your breath. The overall theme is anti-religious-- not exclusively anti-Christian (as someone else said "three weeds from the same root"). "Three days..." and "Christ deflowered" both deals with humiliation and disgust for christian morals.

Pitchfork: I'm also interested in "Bring Forth The Ways Of Old"-- How does the title connect to the damp swampy sounds? "Nature Defines Order Through War" has a march to it, which is more obvious.

Nordvargr: The title "Bring Forth The Ways Of Old" just came to me when recording it. To me it represents the urge of the blood, or blood memory, that is in all of us, the urge that evokes grand feelings that you just can't explain. If you have experienced it you know what I mean.

Pitchfork: Are you familiar with other noise-centered black metal bands like WOLD and Blut Aus Nord? Are you a fan? What do you listen to?

Nordvargr: I have heard both of the above, and WOLD is OK, but I really dont get B.A.N. Right now I am absorbed by the Blaze Birth Hall bands; Branikald, Nitberg and Forest. Other bands on frequent rotation right now are Tenebrous, Wolfnacht, V.A.C.K., Korgonthurus, and Akitsa.

Pitchfork: This new album seems to me to be more about textures and landscapes than grooves. How do you go about writing these songs? How carefully are they composed? How much improvisation is there?

Nordvargr: I really am not a good guitarist nor a great composer. I always improvise around some riffs/sounds and just record what comes out. That has always been my modus operandi. If it turns out bad I just delete it.

Pitchfork: You're in the tradition of the one-man black metal band. Why did you decide to record as a solo musician?

Nordvargr: In Sweden we say "Själv är bäste dräng", I guess I am my best friend and company. (With a few exceptions of course-- Drakh, Ulvtharm, Marhaug, etc etc etc...)

Pitchfork: Thoughts on Nifelheim? The Swedish scene in general?

Nordvargr: Nifelheim rocks. That's all I can say. Actually forgot to write them in the question above-- Envoy Of Lucifer is brilliant. I don't have much contact with any people from the scene nowadays, so I really can't comment. The most interesting scene for me right now is the Russian.

Pitchfork: So far you've had a really varied musical path. What are your next plans?

Nordvargr: Just finished the Nordvargr Helvete album (on Eternal Pride spring 2008), which features vocal appearances by Wrest/Leviathan among others. The follow-up to Northern Black Supremacy [note: Storm Of Northern Evil] is out on Total Holocaust Records. A split CD with Silva Nigra/Vargr will also be released by Ravenheart Productions. Also, [I] finished a collab with Drakh and Cordell Klier due for release on OEC mid 2008. Other plans for this year is to finish the Partikel trilogy with Merzbow, record another Goatvargr album, and wrap up the doom-ambient monster thing I am recording right now. That's about it. Not much really.

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Northern Black Supremecy is out on 20 Buck Spin. For more info on Bjorkk, check out his MySpace, though he plans to discontinue it soon it seems, so also check here.