Page 79 - Metal Hammer Issue 334 - UK (May 2020)
P. 79
KVELERTAK
Kvelertak’s “excessive touring”
doesn’t suit everyone… but it
makes for killer shows
Metallica dates wrapped up. “At least, So what if Ivar had said no?
he had expressed his feelings. He “We would be fucked!” chortles
wanted his life to go a different way the guitarist. “We would do an
than how it did with the band. And instrumental album…”
that’s natural. Being in a touring band
– excessive touring – for 10 years isn’t f Erlend’s departure came as
for everyone. He wanted to go another a surprise, Ivar’s anointment as his
way. But we didn’t want to quit. We successor makes all the sense in the
were like, ‘Holy shit, we’re playing world. Not only is he a seasoned face
these rooms, we’re friends with on the Norwegian metal scene, but
Metallica now…’” he’s well-versed in the kind of frenetic, member at a show in Flekkefjord on July
Erlend was a much-loved presence rock’n’roll energy that is demanded of 20, 2018, and would spend the following
on stage, and for a band who had prided Kvelertak both in the studio and on year settling in by way of live shows
themselves on creating a killer live a stage, having fronted (among others) across Europe. Then, it was finally time
show, Kvelertak knew that whoever Hadeland speed-rockers The Good The to think about new music.
replaced their singer had to fit quickly Bad And The Zugly. Not only that, but Returning to Massachusetts’ Godcity
and seamlessly into their mould. he’s actually contributed to Kvelertak’s Studios with producer Kurt Ballou –
Luckily, they happened to have just the a key ingredient of their first two
chap in mind. Enter: Ivar Nikolaisen. “WE DIDN’T KNOW albums – Kvelertak set about creating
“I was just living in a gypsy camp their fourth LP. Despite having
up in the forests up North,” chuckles WE WERE GONNA previously switched things up by
the skinny, long-haired gutterpunk bringing in Nick Terry to produce
called me and asked me if I wanted to CHANGE METAL Nattesferd, the band felt that the new
currently sitting with us. “They just
songs they had written together better
join the band. It was three days before FOREVER” fitted Kurt’s style – and, beyond that,
a show!” they were keen to conjure some
“Erlend quit on a Monday, and on MACIEK OFSTAD familiarity after the line-up change.
the Friday we had a show,” explains “We knew that the songs were gonna
Maciek. “We were already on the music already, making a guest fit his sound, so we really wanted to go
Metallica tour when Erlend first appearance on debut album breakout back with Kurt,” explains Maciek. “And
expressed his feelings about quitting. track, Blodtørst. It all meant that there had been so much shit for the last
The rest of us had a band meeting, and a potentially big ol’ bump in the road couple of years, that to go into a studio
there was just one name who could do was driven straight over. Ivar was with someone you don’t know and have
it. It was either Ivar or nobody.” announced as Kvelertak’s newest one more uncertainty in a process…
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