1.The band started way back in 1993 when the whole black metal explosion was happening.How or were you involved in the scene at this time.What was the first time you were exposed to "black metal"?
i heard aggressive metal for the first time during (late) school (i was 15-16 i think), when a class-mate introduced me to it. before that i weren't interested in music at all, but it didn't take long from i first heard metallica and accept, etc, until i were completely hooked on the darker side.. this was back in 1985 or '86. i then played in atrox from around 87-88 up until '92, when it all started to go darker and bleaker... for a short while i were in perifa, where i found sargatanas, but from '92 and onwards it was manes only...
2.Were you always into heavy music? Growing what were some of your favorite artists?
from the start, i enjoyed extreme music much more than mellow, soft ballads. i listened to almost everything, or, any band that had something unique. and it was/is always the outsiders that got my attention. the dark side, the outcasts.. not always metal, but also stuff like ggfh, church organ music, ..
3.The Maanens Natt demo came out the same year you formed. Have ever gone back and listened to it?What do you remember from those recordings?What do you think of that material now?
i never listened to manes music after creating and/or releasing it. to me, the interesting part of it, was (and still is) the creative activity, ans some other smaller things you can't pinpoint or describe. after things are 'finished', i'm fed up with it, and want to do something else. so i haven't really considered, or listened carefully to much older material. no critical listening, at least... i remember programming the drums on a demo version of scream tracker, that had no save options, so i had to do all drum and synth programming, and then record them to 4-track tape in one session. guitars and vocals only took a few hours each.. mixing even less... it was all very spontaneous and impulsive, and not at all planned or following any grand scheme.
4.You put out 2 more demos which were quite highly regarded and it seemed as though you guys were on your way.But why so long after the last demo to release the full length Under ein Blodraud Maane which is utterly fucking essential in my eyes,would you say at or around this time Manes really started to evolve?
i got struck with some serious diseases during that time, lots of surgery, medication, hospitals, very, very close to dying twice, now chronically disabled, and supposed to be on a heavy medical diet for the rest of my life (although i don't take any of their pills or medicine... but, hush...don't tell them :-)
and, my thinking and general mindset has changed drastically after all this. it wasn't too easy to keep a constructive mindset..
5.Would you consider yourself an eclectic musician?Manes had made some drastic changes musically,did you feel that black metal wasn't the right vehicle to express what you wanted anymore?
kind of. black metal was never "the right vehicle", it was/is just _a_ vehicle. i can't limit myself to one small sub-genre. especially when that genre has become a total parody on itself. very little of what i have done lately could be classified as metal in any way.
6.You have had many past members in the band,did this have anything to do with all of the experimentation the band dabbled with in the early 2000's
not really. there are no definite line-up in manes, no kicking of members, no new joining ones. we use different personae for different settings and releases. and everyone involved is completely aware of that.
7.The album Solve et Coagula was released last year which featured 1 new song pretty much in the old manes style and several other older tracks slowed down a bit.What was your reasoning and meaning behind doing such an album?
it was just one of these things i do without thinking, without planning, without any deeper meaning... there were this old tape i found at the bottom of a dust-filled drawer, with these riffs and some test arrangements on. with crappy sound, of course.. i thought it could be cool to hear this 'properly' recorded, and started doing some simple recordings and drum programming. then, the snow ball got rolling, and more and more people got involved.. unfortunately, two additional contributions didn't make it into the final song. we had lots of good and moody violin and piano performances. but, because of some technical errors done during recording, and because i got fed up with the project (and just wanted to get this thing out of the door), they weren't included on the final version... there might be some alternate versions, or remixes based on these performances, though..
8.Continuing on with the last question,what led you to use to seperate vocalists on the new song,Kvaroth from SHINING and malefic from XASTHUR. Why did you choose them to both be on the same song?Are you a fan of their other bands works?
i thought they would fit into the song. i'm not a fan of their bands, as i don't listen much to traditional metal, but they have the important negative attitude (especially towards humanity as a whole), and the sound of their voices fitted the music very well. also, these were the two first names that popped up in my head when considering this project. some contact had already been established. kvarforth were a bit on the offensive regarding some manes collaboration, and i had just heard xasthur's manes cover...
9.This recording is obviously a return to the old sounds in a way?When you compose music do you have a set idea or is it just a "whatever comes out" kind of attitude?
more or less just "whatever comes out". not many percent of the music i create is ever suitable for other people, or for releasing.
10.All of your experimentation led to manes sort of "morphing" into kkoagulaa.Who else is involved with this project and is now your main focus musically?Is it an extension of manes,or this now what has become of the band?
manes has NOT morphed into kkoagulaa. kk is a totally different entity, although some of the same persons are involved int the audio generating side of it.
11.There have been rumors of a new full length Be All/End All. Is this true and when/if can we expect it and will the direction of the album be along the lines of Solve et Coagula?Will it contain all new music?
i have a "be all//end all" prototype/test here, right now. time will tell if you we will ever release it... it's all new music, and you shouldn't expect anything at all, as you most probably will be wrong..
12.Is manes dead?If not what is the curent lineup for the band and will you continue to use either Kvaroth or malfeic on the supposed new album?
manes as an exploitable, commercial, monetizable thing is dead... as a creative entity it will never die, but is more active than ever!! "fåfengt, fåfengt, kryp der nede! døy? eg er udøydeleg!". no recording contracts will ever be signed again, no promotional activities, no rules will be followed, we will never do whatever you think/feel bands should do... better to die than becoming an attention-whore, like most others.
13.I know that you previously felt disconnected from the black metal scene. Do you still follow any bands at all,are there any left from the early days that you would say you like what they are doing?What do you think about Varg and the upcoming new burzum album?
i don't follow any bands, i don't listen much to the older bands, i don't listen to new bands, in generally i don't care at all. but, sporadically, a few bands have surprised me, though, but they're very, very seldom, far between... none of the 'old' bands are interesting now, not even manes. i guess the new burzum will be amazing!
14.What types of music do you listen to nowadays?
i mostly listen to classical music and jazz on the radio, even though i hate both!! but, when i put on music myself, it's electronic, experimental stuff..
15.Would you say that your are proud of all that manes did?Would you do anything differently?
wouldn't change anything. i'm proud of the fact that i have always done whatever i feel like, and not bending to any pressure or exploitation...
16.That is all i have for you sir!Any final words or comments for the readers?
not really. except, never, ever bend over for any pressure, stay away from attention-seeking band-whores. and let's applaud the death of the music business/industry... let it die a painful and horrible death, and please let it be full of personal tragedies and ruined lives!
Interview By:Bastard Son Of God
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