I recently spoke with Erik Danielsson of Watain. He spoke about plans after this last part of the tour is complete as well as what happened at the airport. This was a fascinating talk with an insightful and extremely gifted and exciting artist.
You’ve mentioned this is the last part of the tour cycle for Trident Wolf Eclipse. What can we expect from Watain in the future?
This is our last full tour for this record. We do, however, have three more performances planned for 2020 which will be announced next month. These will be like the ceremonial closures for this album cycle.
We are working with a documentary film team and we are finishing the film in 2020. It will pick up where Opus Diaboli left off. But it will be less concert images and more types of different material featured in it.
Thinking about new music… we’re always writing music, every day. But we’re cautious about being trapped in any particular cycle.
So what happened at the airport?
When we arrived we had just gotten out of the airplane and started to walk towards the tunnel (where you go through immigration) when we found we had 7 armed officers taking us off to the side. We had individual interrogations and telephone searches. They went through everything on our phones. Pictures. Everything. There was no limit to what they could do. After getting interrogated we (the four of us) were eventually released but clearly someone told them to check on us.
When we heard Pelle was thrown in jail and deported back to Mexico we knew we had to make changes. We knew we could go on as a four-piece and here we are.
We don’t want to go on as a four-piece but we’re doing this because we know we can do it. We wouldn’t be doing this if we didn’t think we could do it as something that really represents us and the Temple of Watain.
Why do you keep coming back to the US when it seems the US doesn’t treat you particularly well?
The world is not treating us well. But we’ve never been treating the world well either. We’d be naive if we didn’t expect anything coming back at us. As far as the US in general and touring here, it’s like our favorite country to tour because of the extreme diversity.
While everything in the US seems very organized and polished, there’s always this sense of a crumbling facade and a tension. And meeting the kids at shows, the real fans, who we have good, long talks with… they are inspiring. I find the US inspiring to perform in, especially when there’s a constant tension in the air.
Can you tell us about the intimate show you performed in Bergen, Norway this past August at Beyond the Gates?
Beyond the Gates is not just a regular festival. It’s different. We’re always really into going there. Bergen is one of the best places to play in. We had a setlist that focused more on older material. It felt a little bit like stepping back in time. And there were a lot of people there from all over the world. It was really great.
Any plans to play more Dissection songs in the future?
One of the things that led us to performing Dissection songs live was the fact that Set (guitarist Set Teitan) was a working guitarist in both Dissection and Watain who played live with us. Right now that has all been on hiatus. So when he’s back on the stage then that is something we would consider. We wouldn’t do (those songs) without Set.
So Set is still in the band but just on hiatus?
Yeah. Watain is Watain regardless – no matter who stands on the stage and who plays what instrument. We are a tight knit group and whatever goes on inside that group is sacred. That is how it’s always been
Watain is currently on tour with Morbid Angel and Incantation. You know for certain I’m going to be at as many shows as I can.
