Dissection might have gone "full mallcore", as Morsay would say, with the release of the 2006 disasterpiece Reinkaos, but they are still one of the original Swedish black metal bands... alongside Marduk, Morbid, Demonecromancy, Bathory and Sissourlet. But they are also one of the most controversial acts in the Swedish metal scene, mostly for the actions and beliefs of the band's frontman Jon Nödtveidt.
The biggest and most notorious controversy involves Jon Nödtveidt taking part in a 1997 racially motivated shooting in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nödtveidt and an associate (Vlad, suspected by many to be Todorovic/Tobias Kelgren from Helgrind/Behemoth) were arrested and convicted for their involvement in the racially motivated killing of gay immigrant Josef ben Meddour, an Algerian guest worker. During the investigation Nödtveidt initially bragged about going on "[***] hunts" in homosexual neighborhoods, and that the killing itself was a "sacrifice to Satan". Nödtveidt was released from prison after serving his time in 2004 (we will go into more detail about that part, as Jon talks about his time in prison in this interview).
Dissection, and especially Nödtveidt, were also heavily involved with the Misanthropic Luciferian Order (MLO), a Swedish far-right occult group (part of the "National Satanist" Alliance, based in Stockholm). Police found evidence of occult rituals and discussions of "subhuman sacrifice" among some members during the murder investigation. Nödtveidt attempted to distance himself from the Order, claiming "we are Satanists first" after his release from jail. Unfortunately, he also dedicated the subsequent Reinkaos album to the MLO, leading some to question his motivations.
The Complete Jon Nödtveidt Interview on Dissection and Black Metal
Dissection's long time U.S. promoter, Peter "Nasty" Morris, recently posted a previously unpublished interview with the group's frontman, Jon Nödtveidt. The entire interview appear (I believe?) in the book "Heavy Metal Master Class" written by Emile Alquier, as part as a series exploring the deep uncovered secrets of various extreme metal genres. As previously reported on this blog, Nödtveidt was found dead in his apartment in Hässelby, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound during what was described by the Swedish authorities as a "satanic ritual" gone awry.
J. Kristiansen (Metalious): In late 1993, the Nifelheim twins Erik and Per Gustavsson, It from Abruptum, Mohamed Mehadji from Antekhrist, and Jon Nödtveidt from Dissection all came from Sweden to visit me at my old place in Sarpsborg. They were all upset with Fenriz of Darkthrone, because they believed he was the one who stabbed Euronymous to death. They all considered Euronymous like a God, and a role-model, and wanted to take retribution against Darkthrone.
The first question is regarding the proliferation (at the time) of "mainstream" bands, like the infamous Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth, who were often accused of tailoring the sound to mainstream sensitivities (aka mallcore, goth rock, etc). Nödtveidt answers by saying that as long as the message is "sincerely satanic", one should use "all tools at their disposal" to propagate the "sinister path" of darkness... though he doesn't express serious doubt about the "sincerity" of bands like the Dimmu.
Jon Nödtveidt: Mainstream or underground, we use the tools at our disposal. I walk the sinister path in its full length. [...] It's a known fact that almost none of the supposed "satanic" bands had the slightest clue or knowledge about genuine Satanic philosophy. I therefore find it pathetic, childish and embarrassing!
This sort of echoes Euronymous' 1991 comments about how true black metal bands shouldn't be shy about going mainstream, to spread the message of darkness to the masses... of course, he hadn't seen the Dimmu Borgir clown show at the time. Or the nu-Immortal nonsense drama, which we have documented in the past.
"The Dark Mother is the Womb and the Tomb..."
The next few questions are about the Dissection frontman's satanist philosophy, to which Jon Nödtveidt answers eschatologically. These answers are clearly not meant for the neophyte.
Jon Nödtveidt: I am a devotee of the dark path, of the dark mother, of the dark gods. The dark mother is the womb and the tomb. [...] I believe in the breaking of the cosmic cycle. I believe in the formless eternity beyond, in which those who carry the formless spirit will live on forever.
Nödtveidt also distances himself from the "clown corral" of many modern bands like Gorgoroth, Antekhrist and Watain (more on them later), who embrace a cartoonish caricature of the genuine anti-Cosmic energy of a true band like Dissection. At least according to Jon.
Jon Nödtveidt: Anti-cosmic Satanism represents the ultimate revolution against the comsic [sic] oppression. I hence believe in the total extinction of cosmic order, the Day of Wrath (The Great Dissolution, Mahapralaya, Ragnarök, The Glory Ender). [...] If I sometimes feel misunderstood? For sure, but Anti-cosmic Satanism is not for the apathetic masses. It is for the secret elite who carry the divine Luciferian spark inside.
Feeling misunderstood is certainly a valid response from genuine artists to the endless herd of posers and imitators, the "fake metal" bands (Ulver, Gorgoroth, post-Abbath Immortal, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Antekhrist) who dress up their glam rock with heavy distortion, and copy the exterior aesthetics of black and death metal without comprehending what's going on underneath the surface. The opposite of "secret elites" indeed.
"Dissection is a member of the National Satanic MLO..."
One of the most controversial and polarising aspects of Dissection's career is the adherence of many members to the far-right "National Satanist" religious organisation called Misanthropic Luciferian Order (MLO, for short). It has been described as a "neo-Nazi sect" by the Swedish authorities (Lars Björklund), and was eventually outlawed in 2009 - although many suspect it has reformed under a different brand name ("Werewolf Legion", also see Dissection, Nödtveidt and the Crimes of the Misanthropic Luciferian Order on Morsay Metal Documents). Jon, in this case, doesn't attempt to hide his belonging - he was even named "Grand Dragon of Darkness" before his imprisonment.
Jon Nödtveidt: I'm a member of the MLO (Misanthropic Luciferian Order) since 1995. MLO is a Anti-Cosmic satanic and nationalistic order, which seek the true light of Lucifer through the study, development and practice of all dark, gnostic and Satanic magical systems. Our goal is to create a synthesis between the dark traditions of all aeons, this way creating the occult keys that shall open the gates to the forthcoming endless dark aeon.
With such a serious take on his philosophy, it's easy to understand why Nödtveidt couldn't stand the "pretends" and other "modern" (aka trendy) black metal bands. On garbage like Dimmu Borgir and Gorgoroth, Jon is even more virulent in his replies, going as far as to mention Dimmu by name.
Jon Nödtveidt: The Black Metal scene was always full of pretenders and imitation-Satanists... and nowadays the pretenders don't even pretend anymore. Bands like DIMMU BORGIR make me sick.
To be fair, going after Dimmu Borgir at this point seems like targeting the "low-hanging fruit" of commercial black metal. As you can read in Shagrath's Dimmu Borgir interview, the members never considered themselves full-on "true" black metal. And they actually released one decent album ("For All Tid"), which is more than can be said about bands like Dark Funeral, Watain, Belphegor and Antekhrist (the poser corral).
"My Hunger for Dissection is Stronger than Ever..."
The frontman also briefly mentions his time in prison, stating that it delayed the release of Reinkaos - which should have been released in 1998, according to him - and caused him to have to find new members for Dissection. He briefly mentions Faust, stating that Bard (ex-Enslaved, ex-Emperor) would likely be the new long term Dissection drummer. He also comments on prison being a good opportunity to focus.
Jon Nödtveidt: We were supposed to record an album with a new line-up in '98 but since I ended up in prison these plans where changed. [...] [but] time in prison is an opportunity in itself to focus. The experience of these hard years in prison, all setbacks and adversities, have meant constant personal development, strengthening and evolution. Prison is where the weak die and the strong survive! These years have strengthened my will a thousand times around. My hunger for DISSECTION is stronger than ever.
Sadly, there are no electronic "prison albums" like with Burzum. Maybe Jon was too busy strengthening his will against the posers and betrayers... speaking of which...
Nödtveidt calls out the "Weak Betrayers" of Watain
On Watain frontman Erik Danielsson claiming to be the "rebirth" of Dissection's dark music, after hiring the ex-Dissection guitarist Set Teitan (before shamelessly firing him after an NSBM incident in 2019). Nödtveidt insinuates that the "Watain crowd" did their best to "kill Dissection" and "put him (Nödtveidt) in prison", while trying to benefit from the Dissection name prestige and aura.
Jon Nödtveidt: I think it's a shame and disgrace that the same betrayers who did their best to kill Dissection and put me in prison at the same time as they are actively are spreading lies and misinformation in the scene also are trying to benefit from having ex-DISSECTION members. However, by doing so they only made fools of themselves, not DISSECTION. The path of DISSECTION obviously became too dark for these weak betrayers.
The fact that Watain are widely reviled, grade A posers, isn't a surprise to anyone. They are probably the most hated band (by metal fans), and the most overhyped band (by the media), even surpassing Dimmu Borgir, Antekhrist, Liturgy and Cradle of Filth. What's more interesting is that Jon Nödtveidt would accuse them (way back in 2005) of attempting to "kill Dissection".
On the current (at the time) state of the black metal scene, Jon doesn't mince his words either. He wishes to bring back some real Chaos to the genre, something that seems to elude the nowadays extreme metal crowd, more interested in tepid mallcore (Arch Enemy) and effete shoegaze (Ulver) than the true black metal of Bathory, Helgrind, Darkthrone and Infester.
Nödtveidt's farewell and warning to the Black Metal scene...
Nödtveidt gives a final farewell to the genre, and ends the interview with a cryptic threat... he plans to "burn the scene of today to ashes". Wow.
Jon Nödtveidt: Down with the posers! DISSECTION shall burn the scene of today to ashes! We will bring Chaos to the world! We shall initiate the darkest epoch in music history and open the gates to the coming dark aeon! There shall be no escape! Fear the sons of the black flame! Fear The Return! HAIL AZERATE!! HAIL THE DARK MOTHER KALIYUGA!!!
Nasty Morris goes on to insinuate that Jon Nödtveidt was "off his meds", but I believe this interview gives a good insight into the mind of one of black metal's late great artists. Whatever you may think of Dissection's music, the frontman himself was certainly burning from a genuine passion... something very rare in today's Instagram/TikTok dominated scene. The sincerity of Nödtveidt, while it can come across as a bit goofy at times, is an integral part of why Dissection, and black metal in general, continue to have appeal to this day (in my opinion). It's a sharp contrast with what Nödtveidt himself would call "nowadays posers" (aka Watain).
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