Fight the Fight Guitarist: How Cabin Trip With Father Ignited Satyricon Obsession | Page 2 | Revolver

Fight the Fight Guitarist: How Cabin Trip With Father Ignited Satyricon Obsession

Norwegian musician Amok recounts game-changing discovery of "raw, brutal" black-metal duo
fight-the-fight-by-anine-desire-web-crop.jpeg, Anine Desire
Amok (far left) performing with Fight the Fight
photograph by Anine Desire

Revolver has teamed with Satyricon for exclusive vinyl variants of their first two albums: Dark Medieval Times (2LP in silver) and The Shadowthrone (2LP in Oxblood). Quantities are extremely limited — grab yours before they're gone.

In 1994, Satyricon dropped their debut full-length, Dark Medieval Times, which was quickly followed later that year by The Shadowthrone. While the band — led by core creative team of vocalist/guitarist Satyr and drummer Frost — would eventually adopt a more "black & roll" sound on later albums (like 2006's Now, Diabolical), their early work was a grim slice of raw Norwegian black metal that continued in the icy, lo-fi lineage made famous by their countrymen in Mayhem, Burzum, Darkthrone, Emperor and more.

Satyricon's latter-day material may be more accessible (and subsequently more commercially successful), but the duo's early output is still highly coveted by collectors (Dark Medieval Times has achieved white whale status) and beloved by black-metal aficionados. Fight the Fight — the Norwegian melodic metal upstarts who's debut album, Deliverance, dropped last fall on Metal Blade — are among the faithful fans.

We caught up with guitarist Amok to discuss his history with Satyricon, and how he went from discovering the "brutal" black-metal band via a trip to the woods with his dad — to touring with and becoming "good friends" with Satyr.

HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER SATYRICON?
AMOK
I remember the first time I discovered Satyricon. It must have been in winter of 2006. My father and I were going to our cabin in his car when he pulled up a new CD he had bought. It was the Now, Diabolical record and I had never heard anything like this raw, brutal and aggressive music. By track two, "K.I.N.G.," they had already become my new favorite band. Damn, what a record.

TELL US THE STORY ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD DARK MEDIEVAL TIMES AND THE SHADOWTHRONE, AND WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THEM?
To be honest, I think I am a bit too young to remember the era of Dark Medieval Times or The Shadowthrone. I don't even think I was born yet when they were released … We did a tour together with Satyricon in 2015, and they did play a couple of oldies from the era. My favorite track must be "Walk the Path of Sorrow" or "Hvite Krists Død."

WHAT WAS TOURING WITH SATYRICON LIKE — DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING WATCHING THEM UP CLOSE?
We had the chance to tour with Satyricon a couple times, and we learned and evolved a lot from that. I can't tell you all the tricks today, but there are a few. Satyricon is still, to me, one of the greatest live bands. They have an energy and spirit that few bands have.

DARK MEDIEVAL TIMES AND THE SHADOWTHRONE ARE LONG OUT OF PRINT AND QUITE COLLECTIBLE. DO YOU OWN COPIES OF THE ORIGINAL VINYL?
I do not own any copy of those two records, but I sure will when they get re-released.

SATYRICON ADOPTED MORE OF A TRADITIONAL HEAVY-METAL SOUND ON LATER ALBUMS. HOW DO THESE FIRST TWO RAWER BLACK-METAL ALBUMS RANK FOR YOU WITHIN THEIR CATALOG?
I am the kiddo who really enjoyed their later albums, as the sound is more appealing to me. I am a riff guy and they seem to get better and better at that.

HOW, IF AT ALL, DID SATYRICON INFLUENCE YOUR OWN CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT, OR THE WAY YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING MUSIC?
Their later albums such as Now, Diabolical and The Age of Nero have had a huge impact on my songwriting and inspiration. I am good friends with Satyr today and we sometimes laugh about it when I show him some new riffs. [Laughs]

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SATYRICON SONG AND WHY?
My favorite Satyricon track must be "Commando" — what a banger! 

DO YOU REGULARLY GO BACK AND LISTEN TO SATYRICON? OR DO THEY REPRESENT A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME IN YOUR HISTORY?
I do often still listen to Satyricon, but not so much from those early days. I do think I will listen more to those records once they are re-released.