Former EMPEROR Drummer Reflects On Past, Looks Forward To Future

Former EMPEROR drummer Bård "Faust" Eithun is due to be freed in December after spending nine years and four months in prison for murdering a homosexual man. Speaking to Britain's Terrorizer magazine, he outlined some of his feelings about the past and plans for the future, which include occupying the drum stool in a reformed DISSECTION.

"I am really excited about the DISSECTION involvement," Faust said, "It will be an honor to perform the classic tracks as well as the new ones that Jon [Nödtveit] has created while behind bars. He assures me that it will be in the classic DISSECTION vein."

Regarding a rumored collaboration with former EMPEROR guitarist Samoth, Eithun commented: "Other possible plans are very much in the air and we have decided to not reveal anything since nothing is cleared. I am sure people are generally fed up by projects being hyped up and then eventually falls out into nothing."

Despite his lengthy incarceration, Faust has remained conspicuously active during his time in the slammer. "I concluded eight years of education while being in prison," he said. "Most notably, I got a bachelor-grade at the University Of Oslo in the history of religions and the history of ideas. I also fulfilled a year of E-Business at a private facility school in Oslo. Secondly, I tried to stay in touch with the scene and I did some literary work. Most important are the lyrics I do for ZYKLON but also other bands like SIGH and ABORYM. Then I managed to do some guest appearances for bands like ULVER, CADAVER INC. and SIRIUS, all of whom I am proud to have participated. I also did some writing for magazines around, basically Slayer mag and Descent, who also remain, besides Answer Me!, my fave magazines.”

Having kept in touch with the scene, Eithun has observed the changes within it as closely as anyone has. "I think it has changed both for the better and the worse," he said. "For one, I like extremity, progression and innovation in music, but on the other side, I dislike the shallow and superficial attitude that follows in the vortex of major trends. Needless to say I appreciated the comradeship, loyalty and integrity of the scene at the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s. I think a major turning point was when the majority of the black metallers actually became musicians in the real sense, probably in the middle of the 90s. I also like the fusion of different styles of metal and no matter how much SLIPKNOT is labeled nu-metal, they represent something fresh and brutal for me. I would much rather see the majority of the population being drawn to SLIPKNOT's decadent semi-satanic ideology and propaganda instead of the brainless muzak that fills our world."

With regards to his time in prison, Eithun said: "It has taught me a lot about myself, my limits, my psyche and my will. I think it as a positive thing that I was removed from the black metal scene because I was heading towards a very destructive path. Sure, I thought about what went wrong, trying to analyze where things took the wrong turn, but I never really sat down and thought what I should have done different and if I would live my life the same way again. Life's too short to worry about the things you did wrong."

(Thanks: Terrorizer)