Mork Interview

Band:

Mork

Formed In:

2004

Origin,

Halden, Norway 

Genre:

Black Metal

Members:

Thomas Eriksen - Vocals, Guitars, Bass

(Lucass - Studio Drums)

Q: What was the reason for using the band name "Mork"? Does it have a specific meaning? 

A: Mork is actually a made-up word I got out of a norwegian word that kind of set the feel to the necro sound i was out for back in 2004. Many years later I was told that atleast one more band was using the same name. But since my variant is a original word made by myself I don't worry about that.

Q: Mork was founded in Norway in 2004. The first full-lenght album however, entitled "Isebakke" was released in 2013. Can you tell the readers the reason for this late release and tell us the meaning of the title "Isebakke"? 

A: As I have always been on my own with the fascination of black metal in my hometown, naturally I have done everything alone. Another factor is that I have always produced everything myself, and back in the beginning my lack of experience and primitive recording skills really proved any releasing of music to be hard. I have however made several demos through the years with various results, wich all is stored in my "private vault".

This day I have become more experienced and therefore can produce a product that I am satisfied enough with to release to the public.

Isebakke is simply the name of a suburb area outside of my hometown were I grew up and later created Mork.

Q: Tell us something about your album "Isebakke". What is special about this album and why should people go check it out? 

A: "Isebakke" is a biographical album about the roots of my own engagement in black metal, and a homage to the originators of the necro classics of the early 90's.

The album is raw and full of cold and eerie atmosphere that can swift you away into a dark state of mind.. It's also a good introduction to the darkness of Mork and the origins of it's existance.

Q: How is the metal scene in Norway like? Describe us the metal-community in your city of origin Halden.

A: The scene in Halden is and has been mostly based on rock'n roll, punk-rock and country-music. Metal has been absent throughout my own upbringing, though I know some of the older guys were into thrash-metal and stuff in the 80's when i ran around in dypers. Offcourse there has been plenty of people listening to metal like myself but no bands or practecing musicians. Now in the later years more of the younger kids is starting to play metal, but that's mostly more modern and "hip" stuff.

Q: What lyrical theme do you use in your music? What message do you want to send? 

A: When i sit down to write lyrics I try to dig deep down into the darkest of thoughts and ideas thats buried within my head. Theres themes based on hatred, misanthropy, death anti-religious at points and so forth. I have been considering to keep the lyrics unreleased to have the listener make up his or her own atmosphere and mindset.

Q: As a two member band, did you already played live gigs ? If yes, how was it and how was the reaction of the fans; if not, are you interested in finding more members in the future and start playing live more frequently ? 

A: Mork is and has always been my own one-man-band. I was fortunate enough to meet the very talented drummer Lucass a couple of years ago and we got to be friends quite quickly. Mork has always been a more necro-kind of black metal but I as a guitarplayer do enjoy the bit more technical modern kind of black metal also. So together we started working on this more modern style and I wrote a bounch of songs and riffs, wich was to be the new Mork. But since this process took some time and I am still encouraged and driven by the necro-style I decided to continue down this path as a loner. 

The more modern-Mork is still in the works and we just have to wait and see what will come of it.

There has never been any liveshows. But I am open to maybe essemble a line-up some time to do some shows. Lucass is always welcome to join in if there should be an opportunity to do a show.

Q: What artists have influenced your band and its music?

A: My first encounter with black metal happened at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark back in 2001. Some of my family has been involved with the festival for many years and I was invited down there as a VIP-guest to experience the event. As I stood in the back of the stage witnessing the true Mayhem show I was blown away. It was the "Grand Declaration of War"-tour and the brutallity of hellhammers drumming and the knifecutting and screaming of Maniac was so fucking extreme. I had never seen or heard anything like this before and went home with a curiousity of what this was all about.

Later I as many others do did discover black metal, including the first and second wave of the 80's and 90's.

Mork's necro-black metal is influenced mostly by the mystic of Burzum and the rawness of Darkthrone.

Q: What is the main source of inspiration when writting new music?

A: Mainly it is me sitting down with my guitar in the studio and recording whatever comes onto the fretboard.. The riffs give me sparks of inspiration that I work further on.

Sometimes I get inspired from things I have seen or thoughts that pop into my head.. Negative and dark things and thoughts offcourse.

Q: What are your plans for 2014 ?

A: I am working on getting "Isebakke" released through a label in physical formats including CD's, tapes and Vinyls. And I am already working on the follow-up album. 

"Isebakke" and Mork is overall unknown as of yet so I have to wait and see if this actually spreads out and what kind of future lies ahead for my music.

Q: Do you have any shout outs to give the readers?

A: Check out the album through the digital medias it is available through at this time (iTunes, amazon and such) and if you get into it.. Spread it out to your brothers and sisters of metal. Facebook.com/morkofficial serves as homepage and there you can contact me and also order a very limited and numbered DIY CD of "Isebakke". Thanks for the attention and keep dwelling in darkness \m/

(Facemelter Webzine would like to thank Thomas for the time spend answering these questions, check out Mork and support this project if you like what you hear! Cheers!)

Links:

www.facebook.com/morkofficial