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susperia

Despite their image and roots, according to their biography, Susperia are ‘not Black, not Death, just pure energetic, aggressive metal’. I got the lowdown on this Norwegian band backstage following a performance true to their description.
-Shan Siva
Ok guys, tell me about the band – Tjodalv, I remember when you were in Dimmu Borgir..
Tjodalv: Yes, that’s correct. Susperia was formed from elements of Dimmu Borgir and Old Mans Child but I have to say the music is completely different. Well ok, we’re not totally different but we’re not just another symphonic Norwegian black metal band.

Cyrus: We have elements of the more popular bands like Dimmu Borgir and Emperor but I would like to think we’re a mix of black and thrash metal bands like Testament and Slayer.

So how did you guys hook up? 
Cyrus: Tjodalv and I are old friends so we had always talked about forming a band together and finally we did

What does Susperia mean?
Tjodalv: Something like the endless void or the endless deep or....

You don’t give a shit do you ?
Tjodalv: Actually no ha ha! Its just a cool name ha ha
Cyrus: Its from the Dario Argento movie and we are great fans of his so we decided to name the band after one of his greatest films

Whats the black metal scene like in Norway now?
Tjodalv: Well, it doesn’t exist like you used to remember it maybe. In the old days you had to look evil. I mean, even if you went to a bar for a beer you weren’t allowed to even smile....you just sat in a corner and looked evil. 

Cyrus: Today black metal is a lot more commercial and looking evil is just an image, not a way of life. Many of today’s bands are also not true black metal although Mayhem still are. And they started it all (in Norway) in my opinion. Whilst our lyrics decry religion
they don’t tell you to go and burn down churches.

Tjodalv: We want people to think for themselves and not be exploited by religions or whatever. Listen, when Christianity came to Norway its not like our people just embraced it. People were opposed to it so much in fact so they built their churches over sacred
Viking sites and brought in new laws. At one stage they forbade meat eating because in the old days Vikings sacrificed their horses and ate them. Today there are lots of small villages where people are very religious. From your travels you know that Norway is a big mountainous country, so it’s sometimes difficult for people to interact and embrace new things and its the same with black metal and society’s reaction to it.

Cyrus: Onstage we don’t wear make up and we interact with the audience - traditional black metal bands would not even speak to the audience. And the audience wasn’t allowed to react back either! 

Tjodalv: We let our emotions out but look, we still have a black metal element cos we have the vocal style and the fast beats. You get tired of wearing make up all the time and its not you - we want to people to see and feel us as musicians.