Updated: 02/21/99
Dark Funeral played several shows in California during the month of February. While the dates were best described as chaotic, the music was thrilling and intense, with the band proving that they are, indeed, the best Black Metal has to offer. I attended the Los Angeles show at The Whisky, and have never seen so many people tossed out of the club, including one guy who looked like Farmer John running around the pit screaming "SATAN!!!" at the top of his lounges! Unfortunately, the show was cut short as guitar problems kept plaguing Lord Ahriman. Prior to all these problems, we had a chance to speak with the guitar wizard about his controversial band. Check this one out, chuildren of the night!
Highwire Daze: Introduce yourself, what you do in Dark Funeral, and tell me how long the band has been together.
Lord Ahriman: My name is Lord Ahriman, I am the guitarist of Dark Funeral. We have been around since January of '93.
HD: If you had to describe your music, how would you do so?
Lord Ahriman: The darkest, most symphonic Satanist symphony ever been pressed on CD.
HD: Where is the band from and what is the music scene like there?
Lord Ahriman: We come from Stockholm, Sweden. As most people should know by this time, the scene is Stockholm is quite big. The death metal scene is huge. And as for black metal I can tell you, without bragging, that we are the most famous and biggest black metal band is Sweden.
HD: Where do you get some of the ideas for the songs?
Lord Ahriman: They just come from our souls. They just grow from me. It's just natural for me to create this kind of music. It's nothing to think of, I just do it. I just do what feels right for me to do.
HD: What other styles of music have you played in the past? Has it always been black metal?
Lord Ahriman: I only played in one band before Dark Funeral. That band was called Satan's Disciples. Lyrically it was pretty much similar to Dark Funeral, and musically it was a mixture between black and death. We had some slow songs as well, but it was still very dark. It was black metal.
HD: What do you think sets Dark Funeral apart from other black metal bands?
Lord Ahriman: We are one of the few bands who can really play our instruments. We are one of the few bands who really practice and put our soul into the music.
HD: I would say you're one of the most intense ones as well...
Lord Ahriman: Yeah, I would say that as well! That's actually one of the main things I want to achieve with the music. I want it as intense as possible!
HD: Give me your take on organized religion.
Lord Ahriman: Organized religion is for the weak and the blind and for the stupid people. I don't know how people can just submit themselves to it -- it's a weakness that plagues the whole of mankind. It's a big plague.
HD: What is your view on Satanism?
Lord Ahriman: Satanism is all about independence, strength, and spiritual conviction.
HD: So what was your favorite CD of 1998 and why?
Lord Ahriman: The first thing that comes to mind is GALLERY OF SUICIDE by Cannibal Corpse -- I don't know why -- it's just metal that really gets into me.
HD: What CD would someone be very surprised to find in your collection?
Lord Ahriman: My collection is all about metal. There must be some really old albums that might be a surprise. The thing is, the guitarist I had in Satan's Disciples -- whenever it was Christmas or our birthday, we had this ritual and we have done this for probably ten years now. He still lives up in the North and I live in Stockholm, bur we're still doing this kind of thing. We go out to the supermarket or record store and try to find the worst album you could ever give as a present. We buy that and we find each other. And we have a deal -- we've got to save those albums. I have some Russian techno that I've gotten from him -- and it sounds really terrible! We try to find really horrible music and give it to each other.
HD: Well, I hope I never have a friend like that!
Lord Ahriman: It's a ritual and I find it cool.
HD: You'll be playing out here in Los Angeles. What can we expect from a Dark Funeral live show?
Lord Ahriman: You can expect the most intense, most powerful live performance you can ever behold.
HD: When you are not performing in Dark Funeral, what are other things that you enjoy doing?
Lord Ahriman: Besides the band, I'm working. And I have a family, I have kids. I don't have much time besides that. I never go out, I just take care of all the business for the band. I'm working from 9:00 in the morning until probably 1:00 at night. And at the same time, I have a family to take care of.
HD: If you could leave the listener with one thing after listening to your CD's, what would it be?
Lord Ahriman: Just to feel the power and try to f*cking get smart. Try to realize the hypocrisy that Christians are plaguing the mankind with. Try to realize the human instinct -- try to f*cking open up your brain and be intellegent. Most people close down their brain -- they don't use all the energy they have. They are just fools running around in a f*cking circle. They're afraid of reality. They're afraid of everything! You've got to wake up!
HD: Any other messages for fans here in the States that we can put in?
Lord Ahriman: We're going to record a live album. And we're going to release a cover EP with four cover songs. And to not rip off fans, we're also going to put two live tracks. And it's going to be a low priced EP, because we want to be honest to our fans. Our record company felt that the cover songs we recorded were so good that they wanted to release it, to show that Dark Funeral is capable of playing more kinds of different styles. It sound come out in a couple of months. It's a special release to honor the bands that have meant something to us.
HD: Thank you very much for your time. I enjoyed talking with you.
Lord Ahriman: Yes, thank you very much for your support. I appreciate it very much. Thank you. Hail Satan!
In addition to Lord Ahriman on guitars, the Dark Funeral line-up is Emperor Magus Caligula on bass and vocals, Typhos on guitars, and Alizazmon on drums. the new album is called VOBISCUM SATANAS, and it's available domestically through Death/Metal Blade Records.
