### Zyklon - Secthdamon

#### 09/05/06 || Lord K Philipson

It’s about fucken time I got ahold of Secthdamon of Zyklon-fame for a fucken interview. Following up “Aeon” with “Disintegrate” firmly states that Zyklon’s one of the true leaders of the death metal-scene.

GD: Congrats on the new album. You know I got my panties wet from it so let’s deal with the most important shit right away: What’s yer fave NHL-team?

Secthdamon:

Hahahaha! Im not into ice-hockey man. Norway maybe, hehehe!

And to be less serious: Why is this album better than “Aeon” and “World ov worms”? Or, is it?

Of course it is a better album, man! I think we have developed alot since “Aeon”. This is a kick ass album! All the songs will hit you in the fucking face, man. I guess you had the experience, hahaha! “WoW” is a mixture of BM and industrial elements. “Aeon” is more or less a DM album. But this time we have mixed those two albums into “Disintegrate”. We have the sound we were looking for this time. The vocal arrangements has also been improved compared to “Aeon”. The riffs and the whole nine yards is better on “Disintegrate” than the two previous releases.

A staff-member adds to the above question: “Well, I think you should ask them about the progression in style from “World ov Worms” to “Aeon”. The first album was really speed-oriented with a virtually unending assult of blastbeats and general instrumental destruction, while the second album was way more groove-oriented with alot more focus on rhythm than constant speed. How did this progression come about? Do they feel it was a natural progression or was there a conscious effort made by the band to delve into new stylistic possibilities? And how do they feel the new album exemplifies this progression? Also, when they fuck are they gonna come over here and rock my ass off with a live show? I might add this guy lives in the States.

Yes, this was a natural progression. The sound we have now was also the sound we where looking for when we made “Aeon”. When you want a certain style you have to naturally develop through different stages to really reach the sound you were looking for in the beginning. I dont think our style is that much different. But what may appear as different is that we made better songs and sound more massive. I hope we`ll manage reach the States for a tour. Been a while since last time we where over there.

There’s some serious unique approach you got when it comes to doing vocals. And needless to say (but I’ll do it anyways), I adore them. Who’s idea was it to bring in these kind of untraditional vocals into Zyklon? How come you ended up joining the band in the first place? Were you singing in any bands prior to Zyklon? I can’t remember the guy’s name, but what do you think of the vocals on “World ov worms”, considering you are not doing them on that one?

Thank you very much, dude! Samoth wanted Zyklon to have untraditional vocals from the beginning. So it is his idea. I came from a symphonic black metal band called Odium. Everybody kan check this old band at www.myspace.com/odiumhell. In this band I sing with a very high-pitched vocal-type. So I can not say that this band was prior to Zyklon. I ended up in Zyklon because Daemon quit due the lack time with touring and such. They asked me if I wanted to do an audition for them. I did. And got the job. But I was tested on a 4 and a half week tour in the States. So it was a very long audition. I think Daemon did very a very good vocal preformance on “WoW”.

What’s the chances of you coming to Sweden when we record the next The Project Hate-album, to do some backing-vocals? You’ll have to pay the trip yourself though. Deal?

Hahaha thats even a worse deal than you offered me the first time you asked me to sing on a Project Hate album, man. The first time you offered to pay the fucking trip and didnt even call me. I think we have to disguss the terms very seriously. Give me a good deal and maybe sing on your whole album, hahahaha. 1 term is that you come over to Norway and pay me a visit. Deal?

I can live with that, haha… Isn’t death metal a big thing in Norgay? I mean, what do you guys have except for Myrkskog?

Death metal is not as big a thing over here as over in your place, Sverigay. This is the country of Unholy Black Metal. We have some DM bands: Blood Red Throne, Zeenon, Mind Grinder, Chton etc. But Myrkskog whips all their asses, hahahaha.

Talking about Myrkskog, you do the drums there and you do it damn well. I also know that yer a ace-guitarist. And in Zyklon you do vocals and bass. What is yer main-instrument really? What did you start out playing and at what age? And at what instrument would you consider yourself being the best at?

Thanks. Main instrument is guitar. Started ripping strings at the age of 15. Probably also best at guitar-playing. I played guitar and did vocals in Odium though. I really wish I could have opportunity to develop more as a drummer as well… But it’s hard when you dont have a motherfucking drum-kit!

Will we ever see another Myrkskog-album? And by the way, what’s up with that fucken name anyways? You gotta agree with me when I say it sounds fucken ridicolous.

Yes, you will. We have done some pre-recordings of our new stuff and it sounds awsome. Hope we will get finished with all the songs by fall. We are even thinking about recording it in Sweden. About the name: Shut the fuck up!

Rate the following Norwegian artists on a scale from 1-10. 10 is naturally the best score:

Ram-Zet: 5 Theatre of Tragedy: 2 Emperor: 8 Marion Raven: 2 Mayhem: 5 Dimmu Borgir: 6 Artch: ? Lene Marlin: 2 Slayer: 8

Being from Norgay and not knowing about Artch should render in a 2-minute penalty for boarding, at least. But fuck it. I seriously have a hard time coming up with questions for this interview so let’s make it easy and steal a few from other sites: Who to marry, who to sleep with, and who to kill out of these fellas: Trym, Samoth and Destructhor.

This is a question for homos! I really hope you don’t look at me that way…

Is Zyklon making you any money? Have you guys seen any royalties whatsoever? What was the biggest cheque for? And while on the subject of royalties, how many albums, respectively, have you guys sold? Don’t bullshit me here.

Dont make money on record-sales. No royalties. You know how it is. Studio, touring, traveling etc. All of this costs money. To cover all the expences with record-sales is hard when you play death metal. If you want to respectively know how much we have sold, you should ask the record-company.

I know that you and yer Mrs. have like 600 cats in yer house. What’s up with that? Do you think cats are metal?

I just got 2 cats at the moment. My boys Beast and Nervy. They are the superior cats of Metal.

As I saw some shows with you guys in Japan, I know that you have quite a powerful presence on stage. What’s some of the weirdest things that’s happened while being on stage? Having me sitting besides Trym, throwing out cd’s to the crowd?

Or the other time when you shouted over the audience: “Så der skal det låta!”. And everybody started laughing. I guess that was the wierdest moment ever. Another time was in England when I was supposed to say: This is from our forthcoming album! And it went like: This is frojfvgkdfhghjjh nei… ksjdfhdfhksjf eh.. They also started laughing.

Who’s the better guitarist, Destructhor or Samoth? And don’t give me any crap about “they are both great in their own way”, I wanna know who’s technically the best one, dammit!

That would be Destructhor. A normal guitarist makes love to his guitar, it is a guitarist 2nd girlfriend. But Destructhor rapes his guitar. He rapes that guitar so hard! I dont even want to think about what he is doing with that guitar when he is alone…

I wanna start a band with you? We can call ourselves Dyke-lon and play ultra-brutal gabba-techno. You do the drums. Are you game?

It think we should call our band Project Ape instead. I’ll do the drums and I am a gamer.

Since yer quite a decent drummer, rate the following skin-bashers (and yes, the same scale as before applies):

Tony Laureano: 10 Gene Hoglan: 10 Dave Lombardo: 8 Tobben Gustafsson: 7 Trym: 7 Hellhammer: 6 Nick Barker: 8 Leif Edling: ?

Do you even know who Leif Edling is, without cheating?

I do not know Leif Edling. Who is he?

A drummer. Do you prefer doing drums over bass/vocals? Or the other way around? Isn’t it a hella lot cooler to be the frontman instead of the drummer? You get more chicks that way, right?

Those two things are completely different. I think its alright not to be the frontman all the time. It’s fun, both of them, but I would love to exchange the bass with a guitar. I dont experience girls hitting on me that much either even if I am sitting in the backgound or standing in the front hehehe…

Your drummer, Trym, seems to be quite a silent guy. I think we changed like 3 words during the week in Japan. Is he always like that? Is he like the blueprint for a drummer? Not giving much of a fuck and just let the drumming do the talking? I might add he’s definitely one hell of a drummer.

It depends on his mood. I think he had quite a jet-lag in Japan. He didn’t sleep well. I didn’t see him that much on that trip myself. But usually he is not that silent.. Yeah he is a great drummer though, he beats those skins. I guess you will meet him at another time and get another impression.

By the way, some fag we used to have on staff has got a question for you: “Ask him if there was anything the band set out to do upon conception and if they’ve accomplished that or not. Such as, did they set out to be totally anti-Emperor/Myrkskog, etc. Ask him if he’s pleased with the efforts the band has put out so far”. So, there you go. Answer or I’ll slap you.

We try our best not to sound as Emperor or Myrkskog. I mean that there is no point in making another band sounding like the bands you are already playing in. And I am very pleased with the effort that has been done. The band has managed to build up a good name and reputation, both live and albums… Please don’t hurt me…

A forum-member says the following: “Ask him why he’s bothering with this Zyklon-shit, I want another Myrkskog album…”.

I play in different bands because I know how to play different instruments. You want to show the people all your skills, and it’s tough to play live with a one-man band. It would be gay to use playback. A Myrkskog album is coming.

Another forum-member wants to know if you think it’s gay to sing someone else’s lyrics.

That would depend on who and what the lyrics are about. I am very pleased with Faust’s lyrics for Zyklon.

And yet another forum-member says: “Ask how it was to film the dvd, and if they ever took some Asian groupies into their tour-bus. Because the Asians went totally nuts on the dvd, I tell ya!”.

We didnt have a tour bus in Japan. No bus to have groupies in.

Since the band obviously is ruled by Samoth, how is it working with him? I can imagine what he says goes, right? He seems to have a fucken clear vision of what he wants, correct? Do you work your own vocal-lines or is Samoth involved with everything Zyklon?

Yes. he surely has a clear vision of what he wants but it doesn’t always goes the way he wants it to. The whole band actually works good together as a team. I work my own vocal-lines. But when we are in the studio I usually check with everybody if it sounds good or not. If someone has an opinion we try something else. We are all involved pretty much in Zyklon, but of course Samoth is the brain behind it all. He does all the business and makes most of the songs, but we all share our inputs on the songs if they are not flowing right.

Without cheating, what’s Peter Forsberg’s jersey-number?

48? Or 42?

Jesus Christ on a cyclone-stick… What’s the worst Zyklon-tune ever recorded?

The worst tune ever recorded would be: “No Name Above The Names”. I don’t feel satisfied with that one.

And the best one?

The best one would be on the new album. It’s a song called “Wrenched”!

Why the hell isn’t Zyklon having your official forums at Global Domination for? Aren’t you guys interested in communicating with the supporters of the band? We’d fucken love to have you guys, you know… Can’t you talk Samoth into doing this? It’s not exactly a bad thing to be here since we fucken dominate, you know…

I think you should talk with Samoth about that. He is the manager of the band, hahaha. Maybe you will get lucky and we will have our official forum at your place. You truly dominate!

I love you, in case you didn’t fucken know that. Are you guys friends with people in the Norwegian scene? I mean, do you guys hang out with members of other bands ocassionally? Name-drop some of the rockstars you do beers and pot with on a somewhat regular basis. Who are some of the coolest and who take themselves way too serious for their own well-being?

No, I do not hang with any rockstars from other bands where I live. There are no rockstars here… The only rockstar here is Samoth. I hang out with other bands at festivals sometimes but can not call that ocassionally. I am sitting here waiting to hang with a rockstar called Lord K, but he takes himself way to seriously to come and pay me a visit, hahahahaha!

I will fucken come, just need to sort the bus-ticket, damnit! What the hell happened to Bertine Zetlitz? Is she big in Norway? She looks scary.

Of course she’s big here, she’s Norwegian. I don’t actually know what happened. I guess she will be back with a new album sooner or later. I heard she is even into black metal. She wants to do a song with Satyricon. Thats is maybe why she scares you.

That’s even very likely, though I didn’t know about it until now, haha… Are you making a living off Myrkskog and Zyklon? What’s yer education anyways? Is it metal to be educated?

No, I am not living off Zyklon and Myrkskog. I wish I was. I don’t have an education. I started working in an early age, lost my job and now I’m sitting on welfare waiting to be educated. I hope I’ll manage to start my education by fall. You can use use some education to metal, like web-designers, studio-technicians etc. Some educations are metal!

Most bassists play their stuff at half-speed compared to the guitars, but not you. You blast away at the same pace as the guitars, why is that? And you do this while singing as well… I’m impressed.

Thanks. Half-speed looks sloppy, I think. It looks more agressive if you pound those bass-strings at full-speed and roar your guts out like an animal. Most people say that half-speed is the correct way to play a bass but I dont fucking care. I play the way that suits me the best.

So, to start wrapping this thing up, what’s lined up for you guys now? Festival-gigs? Signing-sessions? Hockey-games? Drugs? Spill the fucken beans, man.

Album-release 15th of May. We are doing some shows and festivals, probably some signing sessions, no hockey-games. The same old route, hahaha. All of you can get info about the bands at these sites:

www.myspace.com/zyklontribe www.myspace.com/myrkskogmetal www.myspace.com/odiumhell www.myspace.com/emperorhorde

Thanx for the interview, man. Close this thing now and remember that I love you.

Thank you for the interview and take care, brother. And to all of you people out there: Please visit our profiles.

HAIL METAL!!!!!

/Secthdamon