Interview by FORLORN SOUL
Dark Greetings! The usual boring
question to begin... I know you will hate me for this... could you
write down some biographical info of the band, for the readers who
don’t know you yet? What was the aim you had in mind when giving
birth to Shining?
I begun working with different layers and phrases back in 1996 (more
or less material which today has been used in some way) but Shining
wasn’t a real band until the spring of 1998 when Wedebrand joined
to handle the drums. A couple of rehearsals later we entered the studio
to record our debut 7-Inch, today known as “Submit to Self-destruction”,
a small piece of vinyl that went pretty fast. However, we’ll
try to re-issue it through Selbstmord Services later this year with
some bonus material or something. Up till today we have also released
two full-length albums and we’re at the present working with
the material for a third one. The basic idea behind Shining is to
spread my suicidal voice and to influence people to hurt themselves
or preferably commit suicide. I don’t care too much for other
things related to the band. But all in all, Shining is the glorification
of such topics as suicide, murder, abuse of the human flesh/mind,
the ruin of happiness etc. Those are the basic elements in the musical
as well as lyrical perversion of Shining.
What did lead you into the dark side of music and thought? Was the
discovery of extreme music also an input for your personal inner evolution?
I would rather say that the music helped me to fulfill my negative
self. Though, the extremity of Black Metal did appeal to me some years
ago. However, I see much more negativity and more evil presence in
music outside the Black Metal scene for it is known that most of these
bands only practise it for the fun of the moment, so to say... But
it is as you say, and that’s one of the main reasons why we chose
this particular genre to influence people through cause it is very
easy to manipulate youngsters who feel bad to begin with. You get
my point? We do not have to seek followers for they seek us and with
our distribution network moving in the direction of mass-hysteria
they will find us without having problems to do so.
How do you explain the choice of the moniker “Shining”?
The name had a very deep meaning some years ago. Otherwise than being
the enlightenment of self-destructive pathways it’s just a name.
But I like it so I decided to stick with it.
You have already released a 7-Inch for Selbstmord Services, what can
you tell us about this work, was the musical and lyrical direction
already in the same vein than the present one? Had you put out any
demo-tapes? Do you like any other bands of the Selbstmord rooster?
Together with one other close person we are the ones who run Selbstmord
Services (Fuck ! When I began this interview I didn't know it yet
/nda). And I did not release Shining on my own label not because other
labels weren’t interested in us but the other way around actually.
I am not too found on working together with other people. The 7-Inch
differs from the albums however, it’s the same basic idea but
more developed so to say. I personally despise the tape format so
I saw no reason for releasing a demo back then. Since I am the one
who takes care of the signings on Selbstmord Services it’s quite
obvious that I like the artists as well as persons behind them...
Your singer for the first album is Classen, the historical Bethlehem’s
“Dark Metal” gloomy singer... Moreover Selbstmord Services.
re-released some time ago (when it was still called Solid prod.),
as its first production, exactly this album on vinyl... What do you
think of this work, that I personally consider a real masterpiece
of suicidal Art? In the past there were around some false rumours
that Classen had committed suicide by hanging himself during a gig:
maybe you know how was this gossip born? And how did you begin the
cooperation with him inside Shining?
Classen is not the singer of Shining! I am, and Classen was just a
session-member I used for my own pleasure. Still, he only sings like
60% of the lines on “Within Deep Dark Chambers”. I gave
birth to Selbstmord Services in order to release that particular album
on vinyl. “Dark Metal” is perhaps one of the greatest albums
ever released, at least in my opinion. Regarding the rumours: I am
fully aware of the truth however, this is not any of my business so
I leave it to Bartsch and the rest of Bethlehem to answer this question.
I got in touch with Classen when releasing the “Dark Metal”
album, and since I worshipped his voice on that particular album I
asked if he was interested which he of course was. He came to Sweden
in association with his girlfriend and we spent some time together
both inside and outside the studio. However, that was it and I really
hope there won’t be too much of that in the future as I’m
not this party-guy who needs to socialize with fucking hard-rockers
and make a fool out of myself by banging my head to Motörhead.
Nothing bad about Motörhead, but banging your head looking like
a fucking idiot really disturbs me.
Ok, let’s now talk about your first album, “Within Deep
Dark Chambers”. As I read, it was recorded in the Abyss studio
with Tommy Tagtgren as producer! Why did you choose exactly those
studios? Some people say that even if they are the best ones, all
the bands who record there tend to have always the same sound, a brilliant
one but without personality. What are your experience and your opinion,
on the contrary?
Abyss Studios is a great studio in all ways but I was very sceptic
to record there because of, as you said, the risk of getting the same
sound as all the other crap bands that record there. I only did it
to please our drummer. But on the other hand, I personally adore the
sound we went home with, it’s dark, it’s suicidal and it’s
damn sterile! Talking about our sound, notice the production we got
on “Livets Ändhållplats” – it’s enormous!
Shining will also record the third album there, as we already have
booked it for the first two weeks of January next year.
Your album is a masterpiece of great Black Metal ferocity, with some
shades of dark depressive music... What is the musical background
of every one of you? And what are your favourite bands concerning
depressive sounds (I mean stuff in the vein of Burzum, Katatonia,
Abyssic Hate, Dolorian, Mutiilation etc.)?
I am inspired by my surroundings, atmospheres etc. But of course some
bands have played their role for me as well. I could directly point
out such artists as Burzum, Dolorian, Forgotten Woods & Raison
d’etre as inspirations. Otherwise I listen to all the bands you
mentioned with exception for Mütiilation whom only has made one
7-Inch worth spending time on. All members of Shining (or tools as
I prefer to call them) have their roots in Black Metal with exception
for our new second guitarist (which we hired because of the coming
tours), who has his roots in extreme Death Metal and shit like that.
How do you consider the Black Metal scene at the moment? Could you
advice us some good UG realities still devoted to the true Cult?
Black Metal people as well as Black Metal mentality sucks! There is
too much double standard for my taste. I am devoted to true negativity
and by that I also mean that I practise true negativity. I don’t
see any evil in rehearsing with your friends in order to record a
fairly decent album and claim to worship Satan, it’s laughable
but at the same time disputable. The only bands of today which I support
are either brilliant or just lousy musicians, which results in bad
albums, and of course, a lack of seriousness towards the entire movement.
But, there are shitty bands in all genres but they do overwhelm the
Black Metal scene. Every single idiot who gets into Black Metal starts
a band and releases an album, it’s a problem, and it’s a
serious problem. But then again, I don’t have the energy to care
less about this fucking circus.
Black Metal is sometimes a very
close-minded genre, and when you deviate for a while from the fixed
outlines of it you are immediately strongly criticized or seen as
a traitor. I know some people are so intolerant they would even speak
badly of your band because of the desolated and suicidal lyrics. They
say Black Metal is the glorification of pride, victory, domination
upon the world, strength, superiority and other positive values, and
that weak individuals who support suicide shouldn’t have a place
in ‘their’ scene... What do you think of this? Wasn’t
Black Metal originally an exaltation of the dark side of man, of death,
sorrow, and scorn? Don’t you think these people are very ‘optimistic’
if they really believe they will soon dominate the planet and get
rid of the Christian scum, that the “dark age” will soon
return and the victory is theirs??
For fucks sake, Black Metal doesn’t glorify pride or other positive
aspects. Black Metal is the glorification of Suicide, Negativity,
Child-abuse, Fascism, War, Paedophilia, Rape, Incest and Murder. You
are in contact with people who know shit! I won’t commit suicide!
I am the emissary of self-destruction and it is my mission to influence
the youth of today to commit suicide. Why can’t people get it?
Are you fucking retarded??? The Dark Age has arrived; we live in it
at present. Just look at all drugs, prostitution, street-violence,
violation etc. That is true evil! How the hell can someone even dare
to speak of evil when being a low-life just sitting at home listening
to “de mysteriis dom sathanas” while eating their well-made
food and spending time with alcohol and whores? Seriously, this pisses
me off. Attempt to a gig with a Selbstmord artist and you’ll
experience true evil for they will kick your teeth in and rape your
tiny Asses! We do not long for domination of this feeble planet but
the ruin of all life and civilization but as this is a task none of
us never will achieve we prefer to let the coming generations breed
our negative dogma. And they learn, they do have some intelligence
that’s for sure. We just have to adjust some of their views and
start to give birth to criminals and psychopaths.
Do you listen to other musical genres besides extreme metal? If yes,
will they ever influence Shining’s music?
Yes, I do. As said, I do not listen that much to Black Metal these
days. But Shining performs this kind of art because of the possibilities,
which lies within. Okay, I admit that we would have the possibility
to ruin more via pop music but the problem is that most of us face
difficulties with the social life, which is not too positive when
you become a giant rock-star.
I know you are keen on dark-ambient,
industrial music, and this shines out sometimes also from some particular
passages and outros in the Shining music. What are your favourite
artists in this field ? Do you like labels like Cold Meat Industry,
Eibon rec., ENDE ecc. ? What can you tell us about Desolence, the
new signing of Selbstmord Services, and the first one performing a
different kind of music, namely dark wave ?
I actually rather listen to industrial/ambient music than Black Metal
to be honest, for this entire scene is less limited than the latter
one, and yes, this is something you can hear in Shining as I am inspired
by it on a certain musical level. Mostly I listen to the CMI releases
as they are the ones giving me the most so to say, Raison d’etre,
Puissance among others are simply brilliant! Desolence is a darkwave
project by an old friend of mine. He was actually the one who introduced
me to that scene, thus having to capability of impressing me with
his musical works. But still Desolence might differ from the other
artists but don’t you think Joyless does that too?
What is the role your music plays
in your life? If you couldn’t crystallize some particular moments
and emotions in tunes and words, how would you give vent to them?
Is the music we hear the expression of your whole existence, or of
just those temporary periods of disheartenment?
Apart from religion, Shining plays a major role in my life. If I can’t
crystallize particular moments in music I wouldn’t be creating
music. The truth is, that I can portray all my personal views and
emotions in my music, no doubt of it but then on the other hand, that
would be rather stupid as Shining isn’t about reflecting my own
personal hell but encouraging others to enter it. So, momentary we
try to focus (at least lyrically) on some form of manipulating suicide-propaganda.
I think it is useless to ask if you do support suicide, as the answer
is quite evident. What instead I wanted to ask you is why you haven’t
done it yet... do you think you have still something to give to humanity,
your music for example? What are the things worth living for, in your
own view? What are the elements in your life that give you enough
strength to wake up every morning defeating the growing sickness?
As said, I am the emissary of self-destruction and I work with Shining,
as in my eyes it’s nothing more than a disease, the new aids
or even worse preferably. I put all my energy in influencing others
to let them long for death. This way of spreading negativity as well
as other things regarding my personal life are worth living for but
with those words I do not glorify myself at all, on the contrary,
I am useless in many aspects but it would be sinful to end my life
as I still have what it takes to manipulate and stagnate. As I am
a servant, these elements of negativity are the only ones needed to
continue this earthly struggle, and a struggle it is, that’s
for sure.
Your lyrics are not very long but quite discouraged ones; how would
you define your way of writing? Do you need to be in a particular
situation, time/place or mood to compose your material? When is the
perfect moment in which creativity can manifest, in your opinion?
I seldom write lyrics, of course a frustrated situation is needed
but also a feeling of conviction is a must. The perfect time to write
material must be when something really horrible has happened and my
lust to experience it again grows inside. For example, I wrote our
second album during 53 hours. I just sat on my bed with that borrowed
guitar of mine. Hell, the negativity reigned supreme during those
days and the vision was as clear as crystal water. The only negative
aspect about this album is that all the lyrics are written in Swedish,
which won’t let us embrace the rest of the world with suicidal
happiness. But in the future we will use English ones again, or translated
ones if I cannot write any.
What do you feel towards this world and its inhabitants: scorn, indifference
or compassion? Which are the elements of life / reality that make
you sick most? Have you ever thought about leaving this society and
choosing an isolated, hermit-like life?
Everything, which ruins the society, is to be glorified. Just look
at this guy who ruined Sweden enormously before he died, Olof Palme,
a politician who let the immigration take form over here. This decision
resulted in what Sweden is today, Europe’s trashcan! Everything
human disgusts me; the entire human race is a disease, which we must
find a cure for. I am a misanthrope and to isolate myself would only
make me gain too much positivity, which would result in the death
of Shining, and my dedication to influence would for sure fade away
after some time. The dedication wouldn’t die, I am not saying
that, what I mean is that when you taste the fruits of happiness and
positivity you just can’t get enough and then you focus on that
instead of the important things in life. But it would be damn nice
to reject you all one day, even though I wouldn’t.
Are you favourable to self-mutilations and injuries, and do you yourself
are involved in these practices? If yes, what are the inputs that
lead you to cut yourself, and which are the sensations and thoughts
you go through while doing it? Do you think physical pain can wash
away part of our inner disease, at times?
I torture myself. Sometimes I cut myself or burn myself or even beat
myself, it all depends on the situation. It’s a calm, that’s
for sure but it could also enlighten me and keep me off losing track.
It’s a self-destructive behaviour that is needed in my life,
just by looking at my scars I can remind myself of who I am. For a
life serving the Lord does demand suffering. I know that many persons
do this because of the fact that they are searching a way out but
then follows my question: Why don’t you go and kill yourselves?
But it is great anyway that they hurt themselves also, I’m not
against that, though I wish they would take the final step sometime
instead of pity themselves all the time.
What can you tell us about the personalities of Shining members outside
the band? What do you do in your lives, what are your hobbies, favourite
readings, how you spend the time before your departure...
I will not discuss the others as I don’t know them that well
(with exception for Wedebrand) and the fact that I give a shit about
them either. My hobbies has already been discussed during this interview,
oh, maybe I should add that I really adore manipulating Black Metal
girls and lead them to hurt themselves in front of my camera. Some
of this material might be revealed to the masses sometime and then
most of you who are reading this will leave this scene. Ha, believe
me, I’ve witnessed it all before.
All the members of the band we were talking about in the previous
question, have left after the release of the second album. What were
the problems with them ? Do you think it all depends on your own carachter
or on the people you relate with ? Is there an ideal person you could
get along well with ? And tell us something about your choice of the
new Shining’s drummer, Hellhammer…
Tusk and me decided to walk separate ways because of him being unable
to perform live, something which I won’t discuss with others,
but there are no problems us between, we still meet each other from
time to time as I see him as a great friend of mine, the ironic part
of this is that his younger brother is now the new bassist of Shining,
so the atmosphere of Tusk still lives deep within the band. Wedebrand
on the other hand, blew his bridges and I find comfort in the fact
that he is replaced by a professional person. Inisis is still a part
of the band and the new full line-up is truly satisfying.
How do you imagine your funeral? Do you think someone will cry your
death? Do you believe in an after-world, will the spirit carry on
in another dimension, after our trespassing? Choose a song you would
like to accompany your hearse to the place where you’ll find
eternal peace...
If I was let to have a funeral I assume people would cry, or rather
I know that people would cry and they would cry for different reasons.
I do not discuss most topics regarding my religion with other people
however, I can’t tell what’s going to happen with me when
I die but I can at least reveal that I know of other dimensions etc.
To hear music would be rather horrible, I would only like to hear,
smell and taste death.
I read in another interview of yours that you hate nature, and you
prefer grey industrialized areas instead. This will surely draw towards
you the hatred of most of the other Swedish nature-lovers, including
the majority of Blackstreet Metal boyz, did you know?! Ha ha... Why
do you prefer industry to nature ? Industries give of course a strong
feeling of desolation and greyness, but after all it’s stuff
created by man, while nature existed even before man’s appearing,
and maybe one day it will take revenge against what mankind has made
to it. I personally see nature as something really separated by man,
because if the human race would die tomorrow, nature couldn’t
care less, and the endless circle of creation/destruction would go
on anyway. Total indifference.
You are correct on some of your views but the reason why I despite
nature is because it allows life to grow. Nature (mountains, forests
etc.) could be truly inspiring when searching self-realisation as
it’s surroundings are very clinical, however, industrial environment
is the only hope when longing for the death of mankind. To quote a
wise man, namely myself, one bullet-belt wearing kid cannot destroy
the human race but nature can as nature itself gave life to the human
race, get my point? Without nature, mankind couldn’t possibly
survive…
Bands as yours with an extreme attitude have often got many enemies
inside and outside the scene, is it your case too? Have you ever received
any boycotting, death-menaces or something like that? Are you happy
when people are hating you?
Of course there are people who hate me and our organisation but I
couldn’t care less as they usually haven’t got the guts
to confront me when they meet me in real life (more likely they run).
Boycotting on the other hand is truly negative for me as I have to
be bound to certain distributors and promoters to continue with the
label, therefore some ways of propaganda has to be hidden in the background.
Happy about people hating me for what I’m doing, ha, you are
one funny girl…
What is morality for you ? Have you got some kind of personal moral
code signing some limitations to your actions and thoughts or you’re
too cynic and you think everything is permitted ?
To put it this way, I am a human being. A fact I cannot work against.
But my code of life demands the destruction of limitations as I do
nothing half-hearted, everything I do, I do it all the way. There
are no compromises what so ever. Of course, you always tend to take
a break from time to time thinking over your actions and goals but
fanaticism leads one into self-realisation, thereby sentence what
normal beings would call morality into death.
I know you are keen on horror/splatter/mondo/snuff movies... what
do you search in this extreme art ? What are your favourite directors
and movies ? What is the most extreme documentary you have ever seen
? What do you think when fiction leaves place to reality and unaware
adults/children get killed or tortured just to satisfy the spectator’s
morbidity and his attraction/repulsion towards the extreme ?
I have watched some snuff-movies and they are very inspiring. They
are sick and perverted, extremely wrongful pieces of art. I feel bad
while watching them which possibly is the reason why I watch them
as well. It’s the same with child-pornography, negativity is
overwhelmingly present. These ”forbidden” movies are just
like Shining in a way but seen as even more provocative in the eyes
of the authorities, death is reality, longing for sexual harassment
of minors is reality, these desires of primitivism dwells in the deepest
chambers of our hearts. So therefore one could label child-pornography
and snuff-movies as art performed by whole-hearted fanatics reflecting
the reality of life. We all have perverted desires, I for example
(sexually) am an extreme nylon-fetish, not too negative but you get
my point…
Do you think ‘normal people’ are worthy playing Black Metal
? All those children-bands playing with Satanism without even knowing
what it means... Anyway, many people affirm these bands are useful
too, because even if they are unaware of it they help spreading propaganda
among other children and brainless sensitive teen-agers. Do you agree
with this, do you think every means is good to spread ideology ? What
is instead your conception of Satanism ? Can you tell us something
about your own personal religion, as you define it, and cult ? How
did you first get into it, thanks to some studies and books and was
it all born from some personal experience of yours ?
Black Metal is music, music is performed by people, but Black Metal
is only appearing in it’s true essence while being performed
by devil-worshippers (in some cases along with various tools, ”musicians”).
I don’t think that at least 99% of the Black Metal bands around
know what they preach, and oftenly when they find out they suddenly
vanish in fear of death. Let us be reminded of the wise words: You
must practise what you preach! And that’s probably also the reason
for all of them being worthless when they do something they cannot
stand behind to 100%, it’s foolish… You can not spread something
on a effective level which you do not master. I do not define my religion
as a cult, but the movement. Regarding my religious life, it is based
on self-exploration and experiences. Though, the bible as well as
some other useful books have given me further insight. I see everything
which appears in my daily life as being useful for insight in my religious
self, I do not have to study the religion as I live the religion.
And basically, you cannot study the code I’m following as it
isn’t seen as a religion in itself but more of an ideology which
it certainly isn’t.
Now let’s talk about the new Shining album, ““Livets
Ändhållplats”… the first impression I got listening
to it was its anti-commercialism… I mean, it is even less immediate
and in-your-face than the previous work, one needs much more time
to assimilate the songs… do you agree with this ? I think that
your inspiration doesn’t follow any predefined path… but
don’t you think that this fact will not be of any help for your
propaganda? Don’t you think your music is too “uncommercial”
to appeal the masses ?
What! I think the new album is even more commercial than the first
one, being more basic and presentable. I don’t think people will
have any problems whatsoever to get the listener to assimilate with
the songs, the other way around actually. One bad fact though is that
we used Swedish lyrics on this one, not being too positive in propaganda-purpose.
But on future releases we’ll use English ones or at least translations
and I can assure you that it will work splendid comparing it to the
previous works of Shining…
The recording of this new album was very fast, and the result is a
rawer sound if compared to “Within deep...” Will you continue
on this way for the next works ?
The reason why the sound turned out like it did was because we simply
couldn’t get a good guitar sound as two of the three guitars
we brought was damaged during the trip to the studio we had to make
compromises. Just sitting there playing with different sounds Tommy
came up with the idea of using two simple rock-guitars in the back-ground
and one distorted guitar as lead which worked out splendidly in my
opinion. On the recording of our third album we’ll try to focus
more on the guitar sound I think, to get a perfect appealing, dark
sound. But then on the other hand, we’ll have a larger studio-budget
this time, so, this shouldn’t be too hard to achieve.
You’re going to enter the studio in January for the recording
of your third album, that by the way will be out through Avantgarde
rec… When asked to tell something about this new work you said
: “It’s horrible.” … since ugliness could also
appeal to some people, can you deepen this topic ? Will there be more
depressive intermezzos or will the black metal component always be
the dominant one ?
Yes, we’re going to use another studio located in Oslo, Norway
for the drums and then head away to the Abyss Studio once again to
portray the vision. When saying horrible I’m referring to the
entire atmosphere which I experience while listening to the pre-recordings.
It’s not horrible in matter of ugliness but more like a knife
cutting into your soul. This album will be more or less a Black Metal
album, though dominated with many, many, strange, depressive intermezzos.
While working on the fourth one I’ll try to focus more on the
depressive parts though as the next one has a quite different concept
than followed on the earlier albums…
Last words of pain.... Let the Self-Destruction fucking rule the world
!!!
Let the Self-destruction Blossom! Kvarforth 2001/2002
www.selbstmord.nu
Selbstmord Services / Shining
Åsastigen 20
132 35 Saltsjö-Boo
Sweden
