Interview by Glenda Heijnen a.k.a. Miss Dark:  www.myspace.com/st_germain

It has been eight years since my last interview with Dark Funeral.  The last time I interviewed them was spontaneously, in the backstage area in Tilburg, prior to their show.  The following interview is my first email interview (I'm primarily a live interviewer), which turned out to be quite convenient since I won't actually see Dark Funeral live until March 2010.  My thanks to Lord Ahriman for taking the time to answer my questions.

Greetings, and congratulations on another dark and kick-ass release!  It’s a pleasure to be interviewing you guys again since my last interview (live, in Tilburg, Netherlands) with you eight years ago.

1.First question:  This is the third album (second studio album) to be released on Regain Records?

Lord Ahriman) Yeah. So far we have released 2 studio albums, one live album plus two double DVD’s through Regain Records.

2.Given your unfortunate history with other labels, how has Regain treated you so far?

Lord Ahriman) Pretty good actually. There’s obviously a BIG difference in how we’re treated by Regain compared how we were totally ripped off by our former label.

3.After having read about all of your bad experiences with labels ripping you off over the rights to your music (I’m referring to MNW/No Fashion Records), would it not be more feasible to own the rights to your music yourself?

Lord Ahriman) Well, it would obviously be ideal to run the warship entirely by yourself, but that would unfortunately mean that you would have to compromise on the actual time you spend playing and writing music. And to end up in such a situation is not in my interest of course. I’m a musician in the first place you know. However, you always learn from experience and previous mistakes. Therefore we have naturally taken appropriate measures to prevent ending up in the same situation again. We would NEVER sign away the rights to our music forever so to speak.

-Congratulations on winning the lawsuit against No Fashion Records, by the way.  I’m sure you guys feel triumphant!

Lord Ahriman) This whole issue left me with quite empty feelings to tell you the truth. Although, 7 years of pure fucking bullshit have finally come to an end, and that’s very good of course. However, since they caused us, personally and as a band, so much damage, it will unfortunately take a while longer until we have managed to recover completely. I mean, only because the legal issues are in the past, the scars remain.

4.While reading through some of your previous interviews, I encountered a rather amusing comment in BATTLE HELM, which stated, “There was a time when Dark Funeral seemed to appear in the most peculiar media places here in Sweden. If it wasn't on TV they were in the daily press, and much of this had nothing to do with the music.”  What were you guys doing?  Burning churches?  (hahaha)

Lord Ahriman) Well, you know. In the mid/late 90’s there were a lot of things happening within the Scandinavian Black Metal scene. And since we were one of the very few known BM bands in Sweden at that time, the media started some kind of witch-hunt on us, trying their very best to get the “scoop” of the day. Personally I didn’t participate more than a few times, but some of us did participated a bit more. However, since I know for a fact how much media requests we actually turned down at that time (we only participated in 10% of all the requests), it wasn’t that bad after all. It could have been much worse. On the other hand, it’s of course impossible to control the media, how they edit, tweak and turn the written or filmed material into their own little story. And most of the time their final edits didn’t turn into our favor so to speak. Either way, at that time we were young, inexperienced with this kind of media, so I guess we bitted ourselves in the neck a few times too, but it’s all in the past now.

5.Many of your album titles are in Latin….who is the “Latin scholar” in the band?  What is the attraction of using song and album titles in Latin?

Lord Ahriman) Since Caligula is responsible for the lyrics; he is naturally also the one who comes up with the album titles. Latin is a very strong language and it both fits and gives our albums a true and strong identity I think.

6.Now about your current release, “Angeles Exuro Pro Eternus”, how did the recording process go?  Was much time spent in the studio (as with “Diabolis Interium”)?

Lord Ahriman) The recording process went real smooth. And as always when you are in the studio to record a new album, it is very long and intense working days. Now I can’t remember how long we spent in the studio recording Diabolis Interium, but this time we spent approximately 4 weeks at the Abyss Studios.

7.Of course a Dark Funeral album would not be a Dark Funeral album without its brand of anti-religious and Satanic lyrics.  Today, it seems like religion is playing a bigger role in today’s world events, albeit a more negative one, in my opinion. Care to comment?

Lord Ahriman) Well, I know what you mean, but it’s not much to say about it really. This is just another 2 religions that plague the mankind.

8.While we’re on the subject of artwork, tell us more about the person who does your album artwork.  Do you work with the same person every time?  How did you come about working with this artist?

Lord Ahriman) Can’t remember how we first got in touch with each others, but since “Diabolis Interium” we have worked with an Italian artist called Morbid (Daniel Valeriani). He’s style is just amazing and fits us extremely well I think.

9.When I interviewed you guys the first time eight years ago, I noticed you were a bit reluctant to discuss your Satanic views and what Satanism meant for you in your lives.  Again, while going through some of your previous interviews, I came across this one:

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You guys really “let it rip” in this interview I just referred you to.  As for that Bob Larsen guy you spoke of in this interview, why not just take him up on his offer for a debate?

Lord Ahriman) Well, I’m sure it would have been an interesting debate, but I’m personally not interested to participate in such things. I’m a musician in the first place. And whatever I wish to have said, I generally prefer to have it said through the music and not in some mumbo jumbo circus like that.

10.Regarding your new video for the track, " target="_blank">“My Funeral”: 
Who directed this video?  Was the subject matter for this video that of the director, or of the band itself?  (I like that ‘disclaimer’ at the beginning, to sort of head off any potential law suits, haha)

Lord Ahriman) The video was made by Standard Film Team (Umeå, Sweden). And the storyline was naturally based on the lyrics of the song. So yeah, most of scenes were actually ideas we, the band, got while listening to the song and reading the lyrics.

11.This is your second real video, right?  (The first one was “The Secrets of the Black Arts”.)

Lord Ahriman) Yeah, this is our second real video so to speak. We have done a couple of others, but they have been put together out of live material (Atrum Regina & An Apprentice of Satan).

12.Are you satisfied with the result of the “My Funeral” video?  Or is there something you might have done in another way?

Lord Ahriman) Well, even though we had a pretty low-budget to make this video, the result turned out pretty damn good I think. There is however a few things that I’m not 110% satisfied, but considering the tight budget and so on I guess I can live with those few things. It’s a killer video anyway.

13.You guys have done some pretty extensive touring. What would you say were the positive and negative traits (and by this I mean, promotions, venues, food and drink, accommodation, fans, press, roads, transportation, etc.) of touring in….

Lord Ahriman) Yeah, so far we have toured in no less than 47 countries, if I recall correct. And I strongly doubt that there are many other bands that have such a massive broad of touring behind. However, the main difference doesn’t lie between the continents, but rather between the countries I think. Sure, the fans in South America are the craziest (in a good way) I’ve ever experienced on one single continent, but most of the other things you mentioned vary between country to country and from good to bad.


14.When will you guys start up a tour in support of “Angeles Exuro Pro Eternus”?  Really, it’s been TOO LONG since I’ve seen you play!

Lord Ahriman) We will start touring throughout Europe in March 2010. So far 20 something dates are confirmed and announced, but there will be a lot of more dates, cities and countries added so stay tuned. (see the current tour schedule at the end of this interview ok)

15.Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions….is there anything you would like to add?

Lord Ahriman) Thanx for the interest and support. Make sure to check out our new album (if you haven’t done so already), which just hit the stores! You won’t be disappointed believe me! See you soon on tour!

See you on tour soon, I hope!  Keep it dark!

A DECLARATION OF HATE - EUROPEAN TOUR 2010
presented by: ROCK HARD, Legacy, Metal.de, Metalnews.de

Mar.05 - Skövde, Sweden - Valhall
March.06 - Malmö, Sweden - KB
March.08 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
March.09 - Hannover, Germany - Musikzentrum
March.10 - Bochum, Germany - Zeche
March.11 - Dordrecht, Netherlands - Bibelot
March.12 - Leeds, England - Rios (+ Akercocke)
March.13 - Glasgow, Scotland - HAMMERFEST/Pontins Holiday Park
March.14 - Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms (+ Akercocke)
March.15 - London, England - Underworld (+ Akercocke)
March.16 - Zwolle, Netherlands - Hedon
March.17 - Köln, Germany - Essigfabrik
March.18 - Vosselaar, Belgium - Biebob
March.19 - Strasbourg, France - La Laiterie
March.20 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
March.21 - Limoges, France - CC John Lennon
March.23 - Madrid, Spain - Penelope
March.24 - Alicante, Spain - Mint
March.25 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1
March.26 - Marseille, France - Les Pennes Mirabeau
March.27 - Annecy, France - Le Brise Glace
March.28 - Paris, France - L'Elysee Montmartre
March.30 - Rome, Italy - Alpheus
March.31 - Milan, Italy - Magazzini Generali
MORE DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY…