Mr. Erik Unsgaard is the frontman and, at this point, sole composer behind Norway’s Sarkom. Unsgaard co-founded Sarkom in 2003, and the band remains one of black metal’s most worthy outfits.
Sarkom finally presented their fifth album, Exceed In2 Chaos, earlier this year, on February 21st, nearly a decade after their previous full-length offering, Anti-Cosmic Art (2016) — another masterpiece of which we never tire. The fact that Sarkom unleashed three brutally awesome EPs in the meantime only made the wait for the new record all the more unbearable, as it seemed the group was teasing their fanbase.
However, we must admit that the extra time that Sarkom gave us to become increasingly infuriated by poser acts and the “glorification of weakness and anxiety,” both of which have infested the supposedly extreme metal scene to a sickening degree, made the release of Exceed In2 Chaos feel all the more special.
Even knowing what lies in store for the rest of the year, it’s apparent that Exceed In2 Chaos, a testament to Sarkom’s continued “Bestial Supremacy,” amounts to one of the two best black metal records of 2025. This highly varied effort provides the danger, originality, strength, and pure black energy that the scene lacks these days. The fantastic compositions are enhanced by stellar lyrics, which are both relevant and timeless.
The magnificent video for Exceed In2 Chaos’ second track, “Enter as Fool — Exit as Beast,” actually premiered on Valentine’s Day, proving a bloody haunting gift. The beautiful execution owes to the vision and artistry of Ms. Ksenia Hinderson, who moreover took stunning photos of the band.
Granted, Sarkom has also spawned unbeatable music videos in the past, as to accompany their spin on The Prodigy’s “Breathe” and “Seen Through the Eyes of a Pedophile Priest” — one of my favorite black metal moments. On the topic of “Breathe,” verily, Sarkom has recorded some of the best covers in the genre.
In addition to Sarkom, another one of my most highly recommended black metal projects remains Unsgaard’s So Much For Nothing, whose Livsgnist (2012) definitely offers one of the most rewarding dives into the abysmal realms of depression.
Of course, it was an honor to speak with Mr. Unsgaard himself about Sarkom; and without further ado, we present the result of our discussion.
Congratulations on being invited to the Berlin Music Video Awards for “Enter as Fool — Exit as Beast.” Could you please tell me about that experience?
Yeah, we didn’t know what to expect, but I guess it was sort of an underground, dark version of Eurovision or something like that… It was a special and really nice experience for sure! It was fun and something different. We got an email from someone who apparently had seen the video, so it wasn’t something we were chasing at all. But since we got the invitation, we thought, “Why not?!” The event showcased a lot of great music videos and artists, which I never would have checked out if I hadn’t been there.
I would love to hear about Ksenia Hinderson, who shot your video and took your photos. She did a fantastic job, obviously. She’s done album art and stuff too. I see that she’s worked with some cool bands like Troll. But it looks like she’s new to making videos, which is really surprising, given how excellent yours turned out. Do you know anything about her background in film?
Yeah, she’s new when it comes to videos. I think that the Troll video [“To the Shadows”] was the first video she did, and I know she has done some of The Kovenant’s background videos for when they’re playing concerts. She’s just learning by doing, I think, so it was a new experience for her. I remember when I first saw the Troll video, I thought that it was sort of what I could imagine we could do with the “Beast” video as well, as it didn’t have any specific story I wanted to visualize. So, I contacted her, and, at first, she said, “no,” but I kindly asked if she would at least take the time to listen to the song, as I really believed she would be the right person for this video. And then, she said, “okay.” We didn’t know each other at all, but I don’t think it took long before we figured it was a match, with both of us having the same visions, etc. And it worked out really well socially too, so I think it is safe to say that we have become friends now… And the same with her husband, Nagash from Troll and The Kovenant. Really nice people, both of them!
Nagash was present on set as an assistant?
Yeah, he was walking around, helping out with this and that. He’s a really nice guy, and I appreciate his help a lot. The Kovenant are playing in South America now, and I got some texts yesterday about how it’s going. Apparently, it’s going very well, and that’s cool! I like The Kovenant. I started listening to this kind of music when I was probably 14 or 15, I think. Back then, Dimmu Borgir and Covenant [as they were then known] were in their prime, I think, or they were at least two of the big names in the scene, so I naturally got into those bands as a young teenager.
Nagash is amazing, one of the genre’s best. So, I really love the music itself too for “Enter as Fool — Exit as Beast.” It’s a really awesome track, and I love the energy. You’ve said that the disco beat came from a rock song. Can you say which one?
Nah… But it is certainly not inspired by Marduk’s “The Blonde Beast,” as many like to think… I mean, they are not the first band who has ever used that simple beat. I had actually never heard that song before I wrote “Beast,” I think. So, it’s not inspired by Marduk at all, even though “The Blonde Beast” is a cool song! And yes, I agree, it is a song with lots of energy from start to finish, which also was the intention when I wrote it 7-8 years(?) ago.
Could you talk at all about composing Exceed In2 Chaos and also writing the lyrics? I think that making the album was a long process.
Yeah, it was a really long process. Three of the songs were actually written before the Anti-Cosmic Art album, but I was determined that these songs were supposed to be on this album. However, what was certainly NOT part of the plan was that it would take 10 fucking years between albums… But better late than never, I guess… As for the songwriting, it was clear to me from the beginning that I wanted to write rather long songs with lots of riffs and tempo changes for this album, hopefully to make it a bit more interesting than the regular black metal compositions… And how I work is that I program a drum beat, often based on some ideas that have come to mind. Then, I experiment on the guitar until I think it sounds cool, unless I have some specific idea to begin with. But that varies…
As for the lyrics, I spend quite a long time on those too… I need to be in the right mood and have something in mind that actually matters to me… Writing a random lyric about blood and gore doesn’t appeal to me, so I’d rather go for something strange and unorthodox for black metal instead of spewing out some random bullshit. And I guess it works the same way for So Much For Nothing, both music- and lyric-wise. Hopefully, we’ll be able to record a new album next year, as I actually wrote most of the songs like 10 years ago, but I just haven’t found the time to finish it 100%.
That’s really exciting because I love that project. I love Livsgnist, and it’s also cool that So Much For Nothing shared a split with Angst Skvadron, which was a great and really original band as well. Trondr Nefas from Angst Skvadron and Urgehal [with whom Sarkom shared a split] made a guest appearance on Livsgnist. So, yeah, that’s a fabulous album. You’ve said the second one will be more pop-oriented. Do you still think that will be the case?
Yeah, at least, that’s the plan, but we’ll see how it goes! At least, I want to have “easier” drums and less double bass this time, but that might change when I get closer to the finish line… But simple pop beats are both catchy and easy to listen to, so I wouldn’t mind more of that on the next album.
On Livsgnist, I think it was such a great idea to invite the two ladies [Live Julianne Kostøl and Sareeta, who now plays in Funeral] to participate in “Suffer in Silence.” They do such a beautiful job on violin and cello. And I love your vocal parts on that song and throughout the album. Livsgnist has a lot of other great guests. Both in So Much For Nothing and Sarkom, you’ve used trumpet, for example. So, you’ve worked with some unexpected instruments and a lot of different types of surprises. Is that something you plan to do more of on the next So Much For Nothing album?
I haven’t thought that much about it, actually, even though, again, all the new songs are already like 10 years old. But no one has heard them yet, except for Uruz, of course, and a few friends. As I said, the material is more pop-oriented, so I don’t think this album will be that experimental, but we’ll see how the final result will be… if we ever get there…
Exceed In2 Chaos’ “Prime Time Suicide” reminded me a bit of “Black-Bondage Suicide” [from To Ruin Something That Was Never Meant to Be, 2009] because the two songs both have some chanting. When you made “Prime Time Suicide,” were you thinking back at all to when you did “Black-Bondage Suicide”?
Oh, no. Actually, for “Prime Time Suicide,” I got the idea for the title and the theme from one of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. Correct me if I’m wrong, as it has been many years since I saw them, but I think there’s a scene with a woman who wants to be an actress or something… Then, Freddy Krueger haunts her dreams and says, “This is your prime time, bitch,” before he smashes her head into a TV. At least, that is what I recall happened, and that’s how I came up with the title, as both the title and story reflect the theme of the song, which is based on social media and how so many people are desperately trying to get attention. I mean, before social media, you had to have some kind of talent to be recognized. These days, any idiot can be “famous”, or infamous, on the internet or at least get their five minutes of fame.
True. “Spectral Prophet in a Demonized Dream” maybe has a little bit of the vibe of Mayhem’s “A Bloodsword and a Colder Sun,” or even a bit of the atmosphere of a Marilyn Manson song like “Say10.” So, I’m not sure if you were thinking at all of how that Mayhem track added the right kind of sonic variety to Grand Declaration of War [2000]…
I work night shifts for my day job, so, actually, I don’t have a day job; I have a night job, and I have been working like this for more than 15 years now… This has, of course, resulted in problems having a good night’s sleep. So, even when I have several days off, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I will feel particularly rested. I usually sleep maybe two hours, maybe five hours, maybe 15 minutes, before I wake up. So, I have my share of sleeping disorders… And that’s what the lyrics are based on — insomnia and dreams. As for the music, people often ask me what I’m inspired by, but it’s always difficult to answer because I don’t have any specific inspirations, I think. I usually just sit down, maybe with an idea or two, program a beat, and pick up the guitar. And I don’t know where it comes from. I’m self-taught, so to speak. I started playing music because of my fascination with black metal, so my inspiration is obviously taken from many bands I listened to as a teenager. Regarding the specific song you mention, it is not inspired by the “Say10” Manson song, but after experimenting in the studio with the vocals, I also actually got a reference to the Mayhem song you mention, even though it was not intentional. But I think it turned out rather well, and it is definitely not something you hear that often in black metal.
Yeah, it’s definitely a great track. It’s cool that Dominator appears on Exceed In2 Chaos, and it would be interesting to know how that came about… And I was confused because there are some artists listed as members on Metal Archives who didn’t play on this album. I was curious about your situation with Tom Kvålsvall, for example, who is an excellent engineer as well.
First, don’t use Metal Archives as a source for correct information! As for Mr. Kvålsvoll, we went our separate ways before Anti-Cosmic Art was released. We are still on good terms, so no drama there! However, the replacement was found in Galaaen, and he has been with Sarkom since. He is both skilled and easygoing, very solid with a structured way of working. And as for Dominator… I met him at Imperium Festival in Halden in 2023, I think, while I was helping out my friend Kenneth Tiller, who had a merch stand there with Katakomben (which is a record shop in Oslo). Before I went home after the festival, I randomly met the Nordjevel guys, and I offered whoever wanted to have a ride back to Oslo to join. Dominator was one of those guys, and that’s how we met… We had actually met before, but I’m not sure if we had ever spoken to each other. However, we were looking for a drummer for the album around that time, so I asked him a few weeks later if he was up for the job.
So, was the production process difficult because Exceed In2 Chaos was recorded, I believe, in four different spaces?
Yeah, we went to Sweden to record the drums at Studio LV5, and I had never met that engineer before, Jonas Jönsson. We clicked really well. He’s a really nice guy, and he’s a really good drummer and producer as well. However, after the drums were set, we had to wait like 6 months or something before we could record guitars due to other commitments… When we finally were ready to go, we went to a cabin near Lillehammer for a week and were working 10-12 hours each day. The vocals were recorded at H10 Productions in Oslo, while the bass was recorded at our home studio. Then, we sent everything back to Jonas at Studio LV5 for mixing. After a bit back and forth and he had set a solid mix, I went back to Sweden for some days to join for the final details. It is much easier if both parties are present, as the sound engineer can’t know exactly what the band is looking for… But to sum up, the process wasn’t that difficult, but it was rather time-consuming, to say the least… The trickiest part is to actually find time when everyone is available…
This might be a bit of a silly question, but you’re one of the few bands these days that does all the corpse paint and the inverted crosses well, like Urgehal and Vulture Lord were a couple of others who’ve done it best. Is there anything you want to say about that?
I think when you first are going to use images, like spikes and stuff, you go 100%; don’t do it 50%. So, if you are going to do corpse paint, I think you should put some effort into it, rather than putting on some random makeup because “it’s fun.” If you’re going to do it, you do it fucking well. That’s at least how I think. And as you said earlier, regarding our music videos, which you liked, I think it’s also important to put a solid effort into that as well; have a solid plan, and don’t just see how it turns out. At least, that’s how it works for me — I really put my mind into it. For The Prodigy video, for example, I grew a beard for two years. I was walking around looking like a caveman just because of that fucking video. So, I had this huge beard for one character, and we recorded that part of the video. Then, I went to shave, took a shower, and put on new makeup for the other character.
I thought that cover was a duet until I saw your Instagram post. So, I had been confused until then because I didn’t know who the “other guy” was.
That’s cool! Then, it turns out that it worked to make two characters! The original song has two vocalists, so that’s why I had to create two different characters and vocal styles. At least, that’s how I imagined that we should do it, and I think it turned out pretty well, both the song and the video! I had planned to do that cover for 10 years or something, so it’s kind of rewarding when the result is close to, or might be even better than, what you imagined.
Yeah, both the song and the video turned out fantastic. And… I like your version much better than the original. So, I obviously enjoy the way you incorporate different types of vocals, like I love how you use cleans in “Seen Through the Eyes of a Pedophile Priest,” for example.
I try to mix it up a bit so it won’t come out repetitive. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with doing the same kind of vocals all the time, but personally I find it more interesting if there’s some variation. On the other hand, there’s nothing I strive for when writing song lyrics, it must feel natural. For example, I’m very satisfied with the vocals on the chorus on “Exceed In2 Chaos,” and, to me, it was obvious from the beginning that it had to sound something like that… I never intended to write a typical album this time.
As for the “Priest” song, I figured it wouldn’t sound as dark with screaming vocals, so it was better to just talk calmly through the whole song. It turned out how I wanted it to be — cold and dark. And we also did a video for that song that I think turned out really good.
Yeah, it turned out amazing, and, again, I’m really impressed by your various videos over the years. I complain a lot about music videos because I usually don’t think they’re done well, but yours are always so professionally executed. You know how to pick the right people to help with those, and you also know how to pick the right individuals for cover art. For example, you’ve worked with Maxime Taccardi. And I also really like the painting that Ole Teigen, who’s another musician, did for you.
Yeah, he did a very nice painting. I just told him what I was looking for and gave some examples. And based on what I showed him, he came up with that one, which is a really great work of art. I have the original on my wall at home as well! Maxime, as you mention, also did great artwork for a 7” some years ago! He actually did a couple of paintings for me a few months ago too, which are supposed to go up in my living room, but I haven’t had the time to have them framed yet… Soon!
Kenneth Tiller, whom you mentioned, released the EP Svøpt i en dynge av dritt [2021], which has “Breathe,” and also Rock Bottom Manifest [2021] through Apocalyptic Empire Records. I have heard that Tiller is quite an interesting character. Do you want to talk about what a great label owner and store owner he is?
I remember ordering records from Apocalyptic Empire before I had ever met Tiller. So, I got some good bargains many years ago. I can’t remember when or how we actually met in person, but it was probably at his shop in Trondheim [Important recording sessions, as for Kaosritual’s Svøpt morgenrød, 2007, took place in the basement…] more than 20 years ago. Then, he moved to Oslo, and I guess we randomly met at concerts several times since we are friends today. But since I can’t remember how or when, it can’t have been much of a killer bromance story… But Katakomben is a great place in the heart of Oslo where you can buy extreme metal! Tiller also plays drums in Nachash, by the way! — Old-school black thrash at its best!
Celestial Bloodshed [for whom Tiller provided drums] was a great band.
Oh, yeah, I have the Mitt Rike [2001] demo from Celestial Bloodshed with the burnt page from the Bible on it. I’m pretty sure I bought it from Tiller back in the day!
I already mentioned Trondr, but since you’ve worked with other musicians from Urgehal, I’ll say that it was an amazing band. Would you like to comment on it?
Yeah, Urgehal is actually one of my favorite black metal bands. I liked Urgehal even before I met any of the guys. Goatcraft Torment [2006] is definitely one of my top 5 black metal albums!
So, this is kind of random, but I read in an interview that you like Fallen [2011], and “Valen” and “Fallen” are two of the most important songs to me. So, I was wondering what your favorite track from the band behind that album is.
My favorite track is the first one on Hvis lyset tar oss [1994], which is called “Det som engang var.” And also, of course, the Filosofem [1996] album is probably the best. The first two songs on Filosofem are timeless. But “Det som engang var” is probably what means most to me due to the nostalgic feeling and memories connected to it. I think what often makes music from the earlier days so good is that it brings back specific memories.
Is there anything you would like to say about the beginning of Sarkom? I know that you, Renton, Sagstad, and Tjalve from 1349 had a band called Ritual.
I can’t remember that much, actually. People might think that there would be some really cool story behind all bands, but after Ritual went to shit (I had almost forgotten about that band, by the way!), Renton and I started Sarkom and wrote some songs together. Then, Sagstad joined after a short while; he was not in this Ritual band. So, unfortunately, there’s not much interesting to say about Sarkom’s beginning… I was really into black metal, and that’s why I started a band. While most others seem to be into music because of their love for their instrument and can play both metal and rock or whatever, my passion was always for this kind of music. And I guess this is how I differ from most other musicians.
(Purchase Exceed In2 Chaos here.)
