With their debut album "Aggravation Of Mind" SARKOM just released a fine piece of aggressive black metal, so it’s time to find out some more details about the band. Drummer and bassist Renton is talking about Tom Waits, Sigmund Freud… well, and black metal.
How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t heard of you yet? What’s special about SARKOM?
Renton: Cold, dark and experimental black metal. What’s special about SARKOM is the characteristic riff and unique melodies.
"Aggravation Of Mind" sounds quite mature and original for a debut album. Have you been involved in other bands before founding SARKOM in 2003?
Renton: We have all been involved in other bands besides SARKOM. PANTHEON I is one of them, and the debut album is out now! Members of SARKOM have been involved in different bands for over ten years.
On two tracks of "Aggravation Of Mind" you are experimenting with trumpet and saxophone sounds, which is very unusual for a black metal band. How did this idea come up and will you continue to use these instruments on future recordings?
Renton: The reason why we used these instruments was to create a specific atmosphere. We wanted to capture a feeling and we needed these instruments to do that. We haven’t decided if we will use these instruments on the next recordings.
The booklet of your album states explicitly that you didn’t use any keyboards or synthesizers. Why is this fact important to you and do you have a problem with other bands using keyboards?
Renton: We have no problems with bands using keyboard, but it’s important for SARKOM to manage to create an atmosphere without using such instruments. Nowadays many bands don’t manage to create atmospheric music without the use of keyboards.
What does the title "Aggravation Of Mind" mean?
Renton: I think that you could say it’s about destroying yourself from the inside. That’s one way to interpret it, I think…
What are your lyrics about and do they play an important role?
Renton: The lyrics play an important role in SARKOM. Mostly issues concerning death…
Do you think it is an advantage for SARKOM as a black metal band to be from Norway, or is it rather annoying to be labelled as "Norwegian black metal" and compared to the renowned bands from your country?
Renton: I haven’t thought much about this. It isn’t annoying to be labelled as "Norwegian black metal". But actually it isn’t a compliment to be labelled this way in 2006, because today’s best black metal bands aren’t from Norway, I think.
What do you think about the Norwegian black metal scene and what does black metal mean to you?
Renton: Black metal to me is an extreme, atmospheric, dark and cold music, unlike any music ever created. It’s a unique musical genre that all people with interest in music should be aware of. Norway has good black metal bands today, but we don’t have a strong black metal scene these days.
Will there be live gigs to promote "Aggravation Of Mind"? If you had the free choice – which would be the band(s) you would like most to tour with?
Renton: I think it will be some gigs, but when and where I don’t know. I would most of all tour with Tom Waits.
On the record you are playing the drums as well as the bass. How do you solve this problem when playing a live show?
Renton: We have to get a live bass player to handle this problem. We wanted to have complete control over the recording and the making of “Aggravation Of Mind”. Therefore we decided not to get another member, and instead wait to get a bass player till we got any live gigs.
Will there be any chance to see SARKOM live in Germany?
Renton: There is a possibility.
Last words:
Renton: "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." Sigmund Freud
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