Sidebar/interview for Kerrang's: "Black Metal -The new breed" scene report, October 3 1998.
Formed: 1989, in Norway.
Line-up: Hellhammer (drums), Garm and Simen (vocals), Knut (guitar), Skoll (bass).
They sound like: "I don't think we are a black metal band, really," says Garm. "But because we come from that sort of background and all of us are involved in the scene in some way, shape or form, Arcturus is seen as being black metal. It's unavoidable, I suppose."
Arcturus' sound has a slightly medieval/folk feel to it. Although it does have obvious elements of the black metal genre - dark, sinister lyrics, ultra-heavy guitar punctuations and demonic drum patterns - the band aren't afraid to experiment. Their first album 'Aspera Hiems Symfonia' proved to be chilling and extreme in a flamboyant manner while its follow-up, 1997's, 'La Masquerade Infernale' took everything a stage further: marrying a theatrically expressive metal sound with haunting themes and intonations.
For all concerned Arcturus is something of a side project. Garm himself is also involved with another Norwegian band called Ulver as is Skoll while Hellhammer, of course, is committed to Mayhem.
"What usually happens with this band is that we all get together for an intense period of writing and recording," explains Garm. "And when this happens all of us are totally committed to Arcturus. We give it our undivided attention. In that respect, this is not a side-project, it then becomes our priority. We have complete belief in the band and what we're trying to do."
The quintet have been busy recording again in Garm's home studio. And what they're doing is likely to surprise long-standing fans.
"We've just done one song that I would call 'organic techno' in style, reveals Garm. "But then that has always been the way with this band: we have never stood still nor have we just pandered to what people think we should be. Arcturus has no boundaries."
This new song is slated to be included on a remixed version of, 'La Masquerade Infernale', which should be released shortly.
"We've brought in several Norwegian musicians and producers to work on the project none of whom would mean anything outside of Norway but they'll give the material a different slant - and perhaps prove the point that Arcturus are not bound by the chains of our black metal reputation."
In the meantime, Garm's other band Ulver will have a new album - titled, 'Themes from William Blake: The Marriage of Heaven & Hell' -in the shops before the end of the year.
As for any brand new material from Arcturus, this might be some way off as Hellhammer is committed to Mayhem for the immediate future. When a new album finally does emerge expect the unexpected.