*When did you really get involved into music in general and into metal specific? Who was responsable for your interest in (metal) music?

-Mallorn: I was introduced to music at a very young age, as my parents (especially my father) are very interested in music. So, I grew up listening to a big variety of music, from 70s rock to classical music. The first songs I learned on guitar were by Guns ‘n’ Roses, The Scorpions and Bon Jovi, these were the first rock bands that I liked. Later on I listened a lot to Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. One day a school mate introduced me to Dimmu Borgir, which was my introduction to black metal.

-Blot: I got in touch with music by my older brother. He was listening to some pop, rock and grunge music. So thanks to him hehe. Into metal music I got involved through some class mates. They showed me bands like Iron Maiden and Manowar. From this on I got deeper and into extreme metal music and meet some other guys who were also into black metal. My first black metal CD was ‘Enthroned Darkness Triumphat’ by Dimmu Borgir. Followed by Satyricon, Dark Funeral and Marduk. Later than Burzum, Gorgoroth and German Bands like Nagelfar, Lunar Aurora, Nocte Obducta and Nargaroth.

*Which artists or bands did influence you the most?

-Blot: I can not really relate on one single band or artist. In my youth I was influenced by so many great bands like I mentioned before. But in the first days of SVARTALFAR we were really influenced by the second wave of Black Metal from Norway.

-Mallorn: One of my most important influences is undoubtedly Dissection. It’s not only this flawless combination of heaviness and melody, but also this melancholic vibe in their music which I find really fascinating. Other bands I’m influenced by are Naglfar, Emperor, Dark Fortress, Gráb, Kalmah, Blind Guardian, (early) Rhapsody, Stratovarius, Dream Theater and Yngwie Malmsteen.

$Which instrument do you play and how and when did you learn to play? Did you had lessons in school or private lessons? If so, was that because your parents expected that from you? Or did you learn to play the instruments by yourself? Do yo still follow some lessons?

-Mallorn: I started playing the guitar when I was about 12 years old. My father taught me the basics, I never had any formal education. There’s a quote by Yngwie Malmsteen, which says that nobody can actually teach you how to play the guitar, as it is something that has to come from within yourself, which I think is very true. Besides metal I also like playing classical pieces (such as the lute suites by Johann Sebastian Bach), which is an excellent way to hone your technique.

-Blot: My main Intsrument is the guitar. I started when I was 17. I took a few lessions but then some metal dudes showed me some skills and i learned a lot from music books and this sort of stuff. I started to play because my friends also picked up some instrument and we started our first band named Dark Winklern. Winklern is a surburbs from our home town. My parents were not really into music whether listening or playin. Since the comeback I switched to drums and now im taking drum lessons every week at a music school to improve my technique.

*Do you follow other or are you intrested in other styles of music beside metal? If so, what is the kind of music you prefer to listen to?

-Mallorn: I like classical and baroque music a lot, especially Bach. No matter, how often you have listened to his compositions, there are always new aspects that you can discover in it.

-Blot: Im listening to so many styles of music like metal, rock, pop, singer songwriter stuff or some ambient music like dungeon synth. It depends on the mood which music I prefer.

*Is music a full time job for you now or do you have a job beside music? If so, what kind of job are you doing? If you would be really succesful with music, would you quit your other job?

-Blot: Na we cant make our living from the band. at the moment it’s even the case that we tend to invest a lot of money in the band and pre-finance certain things. But we hope that this will change as we become more and more known. I would rather run a label or organize concerts. Currently I’am working in health care.

-Mallorn: I think, it’s very difficult to make a living with the kind of music that we make, unless you’re on a major label. I work as a teacher at grammar school, which I really enjoy (at least most of the time), but working as a musican full-time would definitely be tempting.

*If you could start a complete new band (something like an all star band) with other musicians on other instruments, which artists would you pick for wich instrument and why? Would you still go for a black metal band?

-Mallorn: I absolutely don’t feel the need to start a new band, as the chemistry between Blot and me works so well, however if he was unavailable, I’d find it interesting to start a power metal band with Hansi Kürsch on vocals. I’m a big Blind Guardian fan and I think his vocals are still among the very best in the genre. On guitar I’d have Luca Turilli. His style has changed quite a bit over the years, but I really like the neoclassical stuff he played on the early Rhapsody-albums. And on drums I’d like to have Nick Barker in order to give the whole thing a certain edge. As a bass player Jeroen Paul Thesseling from Obscura would be cool. That guy plays a fretless bass guitar with eight strings, what more could you ask for?

-Blot: I think that there are so many great musicans out there that it is really hard to pick a few one for a band. So im really greatful that I have such a great guitar player like mallorn on my side. But if start a new band and mallorn would not be available I would pick infernus on guitar, maybe Satyr or Hoest on Vocals, me on drums. Another great line-up would be Mallorn on guitar, Jon Nodveidt second guitar and Emperor Magnus Caligula on Vocals and Bass. Would also love to play in a rock or metal Band with Steve Harris, Lemmy (RIP), some Manowar dudes or some german artists from Nagelfar, Lunar Aurora or Nocte Obducta.

*If you had been banned to an uninhabited island and you may pick 5 albums to listen to, wich albums would you choose and why?

-Blot: Gorgoroth-‘Under The Sign Of Hell’ / Burzum-‘Filosofem’ / Sufjan Stevens-‘Illinoes’ / Ryan Adams-‘Cold Roses’ / Manowar-‘Kings Of Metal’.

Mallorn: In no particular order:

1. Dissection – ‘Storm Of The Light’s Bane’. To me, this is one of the few examples of an absolutely perfect album from the beginning to the end. This unmatched balance between evil heaviness and melodic melancholy, which permeats each and every song is unique.

2. Blind Guardian – ‘Nightfall In Middle-Earth’. I think, this is their very best album and the guitar work is stellar on this one. It’s not so much about shredding, but about creating an epic and enthralling atmosphere. Furthermore, ‘The Silmarillion’ (on which the lyrical concept is based) has been one of my favourite books for many years.

3. Yngwie Malmsteen – ‘Rising Force’. This album more or less invented neoclassical shredding and is even after all these years among his finest works. When I first heard it, I was completely blown away, not only by the musical virtuosity, but even more by the beauty and elegance of the melodies.

4. Dimmu Borgir – ‘Spiritual Black Dimensions’. In my opinion, this is their most atmospheric album and also the one with the best guitar work (which is always an important factor for me). Stian Astennu was an absolute beast on guitar.

5. Johann Sebastian Bach – ‘The Four Lute Suites’ (played by John Williams). There definitely has to be a baroque album on this list as well. Bach is best known for his organ / harpiscord compositions, however he also composed four lute suites which are beyond brilliant. As I have already mentioned, no matter how many times you listen to Bach’s pieces, you’ll always discover something new.

*What happened after the release of ‘Der Stille Fall’ (2004)? Why was there “a complete silence” until the release of the ep ‘Von Niedergang Und Neugbeginn’ (2020)?

-Mallorn: Actually, there are several reasons for our hiatus. At the end of 2005 we decided to take a break because Herr Grimm, our drummer, left Austria in order to study in America and Svartur (bass) and D.W (singer) lacked motivation because they were focusing on projects of their own. Additionally we lost our rehersal room at that time. It was not until 15 years later that Blot decided to reactivate the band, the result of which was our ep “Von Niedergang und Neubeginn”, which marks a new beginning for us.

-Blot: At the end of 2004 Mallorn joined Svartalfar. And we wrote a punch of new songs but then things changed like Mallorn mentioned. So I also focused more on my metal rock band. The idea of resurrection SVARTALFAR was in my mind for a few years. But it wasn´t clear until we were with mallorn in contact again and made some new songs. Then it was clear that the old magic was back.

*Every new album of a band or an artist is the best one, so they say. So here is a chance to promote you album. Why should a music lover buy your album? What are the standout tracks for you on this new album and why?

-Mallorn: I know, that’s a standard statement, but I think in this case it is actually true. This is our most sophisticated release so far, with a professional sound engineer taking care of the technological aspects, the cover art which absolutely captures the vibe and atmosphere of our album and last but not least seven tracks which I consider our finest work to date. The opener ‘Von Geisterhand’ sets the stage with its haunting, yet melancholic main riff, preparing the listeners for what is yet to come. ‘Omen’ is probably my favourite track with its epic structure, ranging from thrashy/old skool riffs and mournful melodies to fragile acoustic guitars and a „Maidenesque“ twin guitar lick towards the end. ‘Verwitterung’ is another example for the integration of very melody-oriented songwriting in a very grim and raw-sounding framework, whereas ‘Aus Abendrot und Blut’ offers an old skool banger. ‘Heimgesucht’ is certainly one of our most atmospheric tracks so far and perfectly leads into ‘Im Bann deiner Stille’ which is a very epic track again, including grim riffs, as well as acoustic guitars and female vocals. All in all I also think that the musical realisation of our lyrical concept (which is based on the novel ‘Bahnwärter Thiel’ by the German author Gerhart Hauptmann) worked really well.

-Blot: because it’s just a great black metal album. it has a great concept, a coherent concept, great riffing, ultra evil vocals and a great cover. So if you like hot Austrian black metal you should definitely listen to ‘Von Geisterhand’ or ‘Im Bann deiner Stile’.

– See “CD-Review” for a review (written in Dutch) for the new SVARTALFAR album ‘Geisterwerk’ (Pesttanz Klangschmiede) –

*Is there a chance that you will promote these songs through live concerts? If so, would you prefer small clubs or big festivals? And is there a chance we can see SVARTALFAR in Belgium?

-Mallorn: At the moment it is rather difficult to make plans for live shows, but we’d definitely be interested in presenting our new songs on stage. Small clubs would probably be more appropriate at the beginning, but who knows what the future will bring. If the opportunity arises, we’d certainly love to perform in Belgium.

-Blot: we really hope to do a comeback and a album release show this year. Unfortunately, the Corona Pandemic makes it very difficult for everyone for playing live and rehersaling songs with live members. I think for a live start after 18 years we would prefer a small dark club rather than a big festival. We would love to play outside from Austria. So to every agency out there book us a flight, pay us a hostel and some drinks and we´re in hehehe.