Interview

Watain's Erik Danielsson Engages In Black Metal Warfare

Sweden's Watain is still riding high on the success of latest album "The Wild Hunt" (reviewed here) - which pushed the boundaries of black metal and experimented beyond what many fans were expecting.

Now the band has officially landed on North American shores to wage black metal warfare with Mayhem and Revenge (full tour dates here).

Just a day before the trek kicked off, we got in touch with Watain's front man E. (Erik Danielsson) to discuss the tour and upcoming activity from the band. While he was evasive about whether or not new material is in the works or if new songs would be played on the trek, E. had plenty to say about the process of coming to the U.S. for touring and how the media has reacted to the group's stage show. Check out the full interview below.

xFiruath: The Black Metal Warfare tour is about to kick off – how have the preparations been and are all the bands arriving in the U.S. without a hitch? It seems like European metal bands have been having a rash of visa problems lately.

Erik: Without a hitch? Haha, as if that would be possible… No it is always a fucking hassle to get into the States, an extremely tiresome and annoying process even with the help of lawyers, management, booking agents etc. Horrible! I can understand why many bands just don't go there anymore. I pray for a revolution in the States soon!

xFiruath: Are you hitting any stops you haven't been to in North America before?

Erik: The only place we have not yet played on this tour will be Edmonton, Canada, which is also the farthest north we've ever been in America. All of the cities we're going to do have been killer before so I can't really name a specific one that I look forward more to than others. I look forward to doing Webster Hall in NY since its such a legendary venue. Fonda Theatre in LA will be interesting since it's right in the middle of all the Hollywood hysteria.

xFiruath: What's the Watain set list going to look like and are you covering all eras or mostly focusing on the latest album?

Erik: It's stuff from all the albums, maybe 2 - 3 songs from each, including some stuff we have never done live before.

xFiruath: What do you think of the bill what's it like knowing you are playing with the legendary Mayhem?

Erik: Yea we toured with Mayhem before and we get along well with them. Some of them are our friends from way back. Revenge is a band we have great respect for and it will be perfect to have them annihilate the crowd every night before us. All in all a very strong and unique tour package, one that will go to the books for sure… It's been a long time since I saw a tour package like that.

xFiruath: The bloody stage show from your North American trek this past Summer somehow managed to nab the attention of online tabloid TMZ. Did you ever see that happening? Can fans expect a similar style of show this time around?

Erik: The media has always been filled to the brim with sensationalist cunts wanting to thrive upon anything extreme or controversial, especially in these days when peoples brains are so digitally fried that they can not cope with anything else than brutally shallow information. So I am not surprised by TMZs report, neither by that of the metal media (which in union tried to scorn TMZs report while in fact they were doing pretty much the same thing as them). Anyway, fuck them all! Come to the show and you will see if they are right.

xFiruath: “The Wild Hunt” hasn't been out that long, but is there any work going on at this point for upcoming material, or will you premiere any new tracks live on this trek?

Erik: I do not know. We are walking blindfolded on paths of no return, armed to our teeth and ready to explode at any second.

xFiruath: The new year is finally here – what's coming out in music this year you are looking forward to?

Erik: I really look forward to hearing the new Degial album.

xFiruath: What's on the horizon for Watain after this tour ends?

Erik: We are doing a few more shows in Europe in the spring, and then we shall withdraw into the shadows for a while.

xFiruath: Anything else you'd like to add?

Erik: A North American holocaust is now at hand, join us amidst fire and Satan's metal!