photo credit: Claudio Marino
Known as one of the most controversial acts in the black metal scene exploring the dark and unthinkable, Shining have recently released their eleventh full-length self-titled offering. Promised to be their most brutal album yet and first under Napalm Records, the follow-up to 2018’s X: Varg utan flock takes listeners to darker waters, exploring negativity through musical blends. The Swedish black metal project executes morbid disturbances in ways that transport listeners out of reality, with harsh melodies taking over. Released on September 15th, a few weeks after the record’s arrival, Metal Insider recently caught up with Niklas Kvarforth to explore the latest vicious creation.
What was the creative process like behind making the new self-titled album?
I hadn’t touched a guitar for years, until one night when I was hanging out at a friend’s place, and he asked me if there was a new SHINING album coming soon, to which I replied “No, I don’t even own a guitar anymore.” Tomi, my friend, went to another room and came back with an acoustic guitar and the words “Here, write another album.” A few weeks passed, and I glanced at the guitar a couple of times until I finally grabbed it. About three days later, I had a new album written and booked the studio. So, in many ways, if it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, and I am truly grateful that he pushed me in the right direction.
How does the self-titled album compare to your previous efforts, both musically and thematically?
I don’t really feel that I can, or want to, compare the new album to any of my previous releases. I consider all of my full-lengths to be sort of a diary over the time passed between each of them, and a rather long time has passed between the new one and X / Varg Utan Flock. The longest time ever in the history of the band actually, so there’s a lot of things that have happened and thematically managed to sneak in here and there. Overall the theme of embracing the unknown and welcoming Death with open arms is present in each song and every syllable, but there is more to it than that obviously. I suggest if it interests you, you should grab a copy of the new edition of “When Prozac No Longer Helps” which will be released in January and sold exclusively through our official webshop www.shininglegions.com – as it will include the new lyrics and translations by myself as well.
The album’s opening track, “Avsändare Okänd,” is described as one of the most vicious and brutal songs in the band’s history. What inspired the intensity of the track?
Most probably anger towards all the idiots that I have had to deal with over the last couple of years. So many fucking humans, yet so few bullets.
What are some of the themes and emotions listeners can expect to experience?
Impossible for me to tell, some might be appalled by the underlying malicious tone, and some might find it soothing. What do you feel when listening to it?
What inspired “Allt För Döden” to be an homage to Death and how does it fit into the overall narrative of the album?
I was surrounded by Death throughout the entirety of my early childhood years, as well as violence, madness and a deep, profound sorrow. A sorrow that till this very day grows stronger each year that passes. One could say that Death is the one constant I have in my life, everyone I have had too close to for a longer period than a year of my life are, with very few exceptions, all dead. So is my family. As a kid this one constant made me extremely curious about not only Death itself, but also both physical and psychological pain, perhaps trying to cope with aforementioned sorrow. Curiosity turned into admiration. Admiration turned into obsession. And obsession turned into what can only be described as an intense love affair, an affair eventually turned into Worship.
Can you talk more about the song “Fidelis Ad Mortem” along with the collaboration with Andy La Rocque?
Well, initially we had another song that was meant to be featured on the album, but after Andy overheard me playing the three parts which are the main themes of “Fidelis Ad Mortem,” he was more or less telling me that they had to be recorded for the album. I actually wrote the song back in 2000 or 2001 but somehow never found a way to use it in the past, so it’s sort of like a weight that has been lifted from my shoulders. To finally have it out of my system. I have a tendency to listen to Andy’s suggestions as he is an amazing producer, and that’s also why we have decided to stick with him for more than a decade now.
Shining’s music often evokes intense emotions in listeners. What emotions do you personally experience while performing and recording this album, and how do you channel those emotions into your music?
To be truthful, apart from the amazing feeling of completion at the end of each recording session, it’s nothing but agony and I experience when I create, mold and execute anything that is related to SHINING. Hopefully, these horrific emotions are experienced by the listener as well, but I don’t really try to find that out due to that these feelings I conjure up when I write are all absurdly personal, and the opinions of others usually only makes me angry and homicidal. I prefer not knowing rather than feeding on such pointless garbage, which is something I should have learned way back in the past, but unfortunately didn’t until quite recently.
Looking ahead, what plans can you reveal for later this year/early next?
We will try to manifest the new SHINING in a live-setting next year. I would have loved to do so sooner but we physically aren’t able to. This is due to that I am currently recovering from a few months of being incarcerated and treated for acute PTSD on top of my other mental disorders and Nicholas’ health deteriorating quite a lot since the studio session. Also, we have just recently reissued a few older SHINING albums on my own label, The Sinister Initiative, and before the end of the year we will release a proper version of Redefining Darkness on TSI as well. There are a few more things that we are working on as we speak, but for now, those things are not to be announced. Just keep eyes and ears open and soon you will know.
