An Interview with Gaahl
of Trelldom and Gorgoroth

by Kenneth Morton

Gaahl is a heavy metal icon of near mythic proportions. Described as the most “Despised Man In Norway” due to his well-publicized crimes, when the chance to speak to Gorgoroth’s controversial frontman about his side project Trelldom came up, this was an offer that Highwire Daze simply could not refuse. In this interview, we speak with Gaahl about his two bands, time in prison, Satanism, and the infamy he has acquired throughout the years. Read on...

How does the music and philosophy of Trelldom differ from Gorgoroth?
There are resemblances of course. Trelldom is directed inwards – to the inner self of the being – and not outwards like Gorgoroth.

What does the CD title Til Minne mean and is there any concept behind the title or the entire CD?
It has different meanings of course – it’s To Remembrance in a way – Minne which is an aspect of the soul. So it’s directed in honor of the memory. And the concept of it is the nine aspects of the soul. This is solely concentrating on the part of memory, but there will be nine albums in all. The three first are now finished. There will be three upcoming that derive from the same title or work around the same concept, then it will be three albums that will be a mere statement or simple word. So it’s a trilogy in nine.

So there’s six more albums left?
In this series, yes.

Hopefully it doesn’t take another ten years for the next one, or you’ll be like 90 when the final one come out…
Yeah, it’s possible. (Laughs) But we’re already working on and have most of the concept lyrically and musical – we’re working on it continuously so we’ll probably gather before I go to South America on tour with Gorgoroth and get rehearsal or at least work the music out with the two other members.

Do you plan on doing any live performances with Trelldom?
I’ve been offered a lot now lately. I have not planned it, but it might be with the right circumstances – it would not be anything we’d go on tour with, but we might do single gigs. It’s a possibility, but I’m a bit worried to mix the cards that people expect the Gorgoroth character to appear instead of the Trelldom character – so I have to see how we can solve this.

Would Gorgoroth and Trelldom ever want to play any shows together at all?
No. I will not mix them at all.

I was reading on a website that you were referred to as the “Most Despised Man In Norway.” What do you think of being referred to in that way?
Ah, well, I have basically nothing to say. People that meet me are probably in the completely opposite opinion in that case, at least that’s the way that people around me seem to react when they meet me with other people. I don’t know. It might have been that way for a while, but I might have been able to turn it around. Just be stubborn and remain truthful to yourself, and then also people will see if they can trust you or not.

When you first heard that phrase being referred to you, what did you think? Did it bother you at all?
No, I’ve never been too concerned about what people might think about me. I live with myself, and that’s what matters.

Do you feel that your conviction and prison sentence has been covered properly in the worldwide press?
I don’t know. I’ve not been watching the press basically. It, of course, will have been presented in a one point of view angle. The depth and the truth is not necessarily brought to the audience’s light basically. I have not been the one presenting this. But this is the way media functions. They want to headline themselves and not necessarily represent the truth. People usually say that they don’t trust media, but when they first read or see something in the media, for some reason think that there has to be something to this. So even though they are aware of things being not necessarily right, they still choose to believe what is presented.

When you were in prison, did you encounter any Gorgoroth fans or people who recognized who you were?
Well, to put it this way, of course there were a few Gorgoroth fans – but mainly people recognized me anyways. But I’ve been met with respect both from inmates and also the prison guards. As long as that’s the case, then it’s fine by me. It’s not been any difficulties that way.

I read on the Wikipedia website that you personally do not want the lyrics printed on the Gorgoroth CD’s. Is that true and why is that?
The thing is, Gorgoroth is in the English language which most people understand. The thing is when you print lyrics, people easily will read them instead of listen to them. I don’t trust in the written word – I trust in things being – it’s in a way like whispering – if you want to pay attention or get someone to pay attention to what you’re actually saying. It’s better to feed them violently-like and not with pushing things into their face. And I think this is the way to do it with the art – to get the listener to pay attention to what actually happens in the music and what you put into it lyrically. The ones who are not paying attention to the whispering – they are not interested in your message either.

What does Satanism mean to you, if anything.
For me, Satanism is a word that I use outward. It is the one that puts himself in the center. It’s very important for every individual to do so, otherwise you cannot respect anything else. It means opponent – as long as the world speaks in a Christian language as they do with Christian words. I have to be Satan – the opponent of this – the opponent to slavery basically, which the rest of the world is. Therefore, Satan means freedom.

I was reading about your beliefs in Shamanism. How did that come about?
That’s something I’ve always been, as long as my memory has existed.

When you look back on the infamous concert Gorgoroth did in Poland, what are your thoughts on all of the controversy surrounding it now?
It’s interesting to see how scared they actually are of what we present. For me, this is just another proof of what I’m fighting against. It’s the right thing to fight against. So they are actually feeding my existence – feeding my war.

Is there any truth to the story that one of the girls in your show fainted onstage?
Yeah, that’s true. She was quite okay with everything that had happened there. But I thought when she came up onstage, she probably didn’t understand what she was taking part in. Before she went on the cross, she was starting to shiver. I didn’t notice that she fainted, but the drummer saw this happen. She was trying to pull off her hood, but didn’t manage. I think she got kind of scared when she saw the scenery and what she was taking part of. The psyche of man is interesting.

How in the world did the police become involved? Where they already there?
No, we didn’t know anything of this before. We came back to Norway and then we were in the headlines everywhere basically. I noticed that when we were at the airport, I know there were some talking in the scenery if I was allowed to leave Poland or not. Of course, I don’t know Polish, so I didn’t know what this way – but I was stopped even after I went through the security and everything. And just entering the train, one of the stewardesses was calling up and took me along to the side and were talking to someone on the phone. Then I get the go ahead to fly. But obviously they were thinking about keeping me there.

What was your experience like playing the Milwaukee Metalfest?
There were so many, many gigs in between. I think it was an okay gig. Maybe a bit strange hall to play in anyway. I think it was good.

I think that may have been your first time over here in the States.
That’s true. First, and only. It was a quite okay experience.

Are there any plans of Gorgoroth coming over here to the States to play again? Do you think you’d be able to get a visa?
I should be able to get a visa. If I come over there as a member of Gorgoroth, then it might be a problem because of what Gorgoroth stands for. But maybe if we get a touring visa or something, it can be arranged. I think it’s not too difficult for us Scandinavians to get a visa, even though we are convicted for violence. It would probably be worse for someone else than a Norwegian.

How did you feel when you heard that Jon from Dissection killed himself last year? And did you know him at all?
I just met him a couple of times. People choose the wrong ways out. I don’t think too much about it – what happens happens.

I think that Gorgoroth toured with them a long time ago.
That’s true. That was before my time.

Did you like the last album Dissection did?
I’ve never been a fan of their sound. I like some of their riffs basically, but the sound gets a bit too Swedish for me – if we can use that expression. If I were working in a band like that, I would have chosen a completely different sound to it.

You have been painting for a little while now. Have you ever done an art show before or would consider doing one?
I might be able to do that now. There are some things that are so honest with these paintings, and its something that I communicate with myself with. I think I’m ready to do that now, but it’s been something that I’ve hidden away for a reason. Of course, it’s a dialogue towards myself. I had one exhibition in ‘94. Then I got offered a bit too much money for a painting. I didn’t sell it. I chose not to exhibit anymore because of being put prices to something that meant too much for me. I think I might be able to move on from that statement.

Do you think if you did an art show now, would you feel nervous about all of these people seeing your paintings?
No, not nowadays. I don’t think that people would be able to read the paintings like I read them. But for me, originally it would be almost like standing naked in the middle of a town square basically. But it may be time for something like that.

What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about you?
I don't know what conception people have of me, basically. I don't focus or read too much of what I'm presented as. I would guess that I might be seen as a brute and one that embraces violence. This is of course things I can be, and I will embrace violence it it's needed. But it's not something that I'm doing.

Do you have any messages for your fans out here in the Los Angeles area?
Just listen to yourself.

Trelldom Links

Trelldom: Their Official Home Page!
Gorgoroth: Their Official Home Page!
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