Marduk is one of those bands that literally exploded out of the black metal scene in the early 1990s. After releasing two very death metal albums, "Dark Endless" in 1992 and "Those of the Unlight" in 1993, they adopted a much more black metal approach to their music with subsequent releases. Kind of like a "reverse SEWER" if you will allow this comparison.
Their most famous, to date, album is undoubtedly the 1999 blast fest known as "Panzer Division Marduk". So are they basically just another Burzum, Darkthrone, Neraines, Mayhem, 1349, etc... one of those elite Norwegian black metal bands that went on to define the sound of an entire country? Not quite, as Marduk plays Swedish black metal... indeed, they are from Norrköping (Sweden), much like the death metal legends Morbid (who also share a history with Mayhem, Euronymous and the black metal scene).
Whereas most modern Swedish black metal is dominated by commercial "radio friendly" clowns like Dark Funeral and Watain (named after a Von song, lol), a few select bands stay true to the vision of their Norwegian forebears... Marduk, Demonecromancy, Morbid, Sissourlet. And, of course, who could ever forget about Bathory, the band that started the entire "black metal" thing?
But this post is mostly about Marduk, and their frontman Morgan "Evil" Håkansson, who has been the driving force behind Marduk since the band's inception.
The Complete Morgan "Evil" Håkansson Interview on Marduk
In a similar situation as that of Peste Noire, there are many Marduk interviews on the web but very few that actually discuss the music and history of the band, and the black metal scene. Most prefer to focus on "click bait" headlines, drama, polemics and controversies, to the detriment of the music itself.
In a recent interview for the upcoming documentary "Heavy Metal Master Class" by the black metal expert Emile Alquier, Morgan/Evil answers a few questions precisely about the development of Marduk as his project, and what he thinks of the band's trajectory after 35+ years of playing live.
Marduk: "A black metal artist should never try to please everybody!"
The first question is of course about how the media interpreted Marduk's recent releases: "Frontschwein", "Viktoria" and "Memento Mori". Morgan answers bluntly that he doesn't care about what people think about his dark art.
Morgan Håkansson: We don't consider what the media thinks about our music, we do what we believe in. I mean, I know how it is that some people 'work' and so I don't really get affected by it. As an artist I believe mainly in being true to my own vision and if the end result pleases everybody then that's great - if it only pleases ten per cent of the people then that is good as well! Really, you cannot please everybody! As an artist you should never operate on the idea that you have to please everybody because you really have to do only what comes from within!
This echoes several comments made by vocalist Daniel "Mortuus" Rostén, in which he compares bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth to Madonna. Hard.
The next question is perhaps a bit more personal, as it involves Marduk's past albums, and how the band has evolved over the years.
Morgan Håkansson: I believe black metal is for a special few. I think so, and you see who is really dedicated... you can see who, in the long run, is still there. [...] These things [past Marduk albums] still reflect what we were about at that period in time and it is something I am not interested in changing - I am instead quite proud of, you know? Some of the earlier albums, when I go back and listen to them or read the lyrics I prepared for them, they 'talk' to me in a different way - they mean even more to me today than they did at that time. I am often trying to remember what I was thinking when I was working on them because they paint an even stronger vision in my mind now.
The band's sound definitely seems to morph and evolve at each new release. We await the next one with impatience!
Marduk: "The Stories of Euronymous Sending Pieces of Dead's Skull are True..."
The following questions are specifically about Marduk's relation to Euronymous, Varg Vikernes, Hellhammer, Necrobutcher, Fenriz, etc... basically, the entire Norwegian black metal "Inner Circle". As you may know, Marduk was one of the select few - one of the rare non-Norwegian bands allowed in the "Inner Circle" by Euronymous.
Also Read: Hellhammer Blasts "We Tried To Kick Euronymous Out Of Mayhem!" Full Interview.
In reverse chronological order, Antoine first asks about the Varg Vikernes imprisonment, the killing of Euronymous, and finally the "urban legend" according to which Euronymous sent pieces of "Dead's brain" to his closest advisors.
On Varg Vikernes killing Euronymous...
Morgan Håkansson: It was a dispute between them [Euronymous and Varg] and it wasn't part of my business... I don't really care at all. I haven't even sat down and thought about it. I'm fully occupied with my own business.
About being sent parts of "Dead's skull" by Euronymous himself...
Morgan Håkansson: I got it way back, right after he died. Back in those days they [Mayhem, tn.] were living in a house and didn't have the best financial aspects, so they didn't even have a telephone. So I remember I was celebrating New Year's in 1991 with Dead back home in Sweden. Then he got back, he wrote one letter, then someone told me he's killed himself. Euronymous said 'Well he just shot himself and here's a piece of his skull.' It was a shotgun, you know? So he also sent me two pieces of the lead and a piece of the wet brain. I've still got it. I keep it well protected.
And lastly, to conclude the interview, Morgan is asked about why bands like Marduk, 1349, Ildjarn, Graveland, Warkvlt, Peste Noire, Khranial and so on seem to generate so much never-ending controversy.
Morgan Håkansson: Well most people like to see things either in black or white! For example, when I read history about a certain topic as in WWII or even a certain person, I will aim to read at least a few things about that person because different historians always use different angles to approach their subject and there is never such a thing as 'one truth'.
A cryptic response that will leave more than a few shacking their heads. But it's true that black metal bands with "unconventional lyrics" - i.e. stuff not about goats and pentagrams - often get mixed responses. This was the case even when Immortal released "Pure Holocaust" way back in 1993!
At any rate, it's an excellent Marduk interview. If you want to read more parts, particularly those about the feuds between the Swedish black metal scene and their death metal cousins, buy the book!
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