Greetings, Atle! Boring but necessary question - how, when and why  TWIN OBSCENITY was spawned to these earthly realms?

- TWIN OBSCENITY was created during the winter of 1991 / 92. See our
homepage for a sort of a history.

A lot of Norse black metal bands seem to be into Northern mythology very much, but TWIN OBSCENITY is an exception, I guess... You mention some infernal and mythological creatures in your lyrics, although they have nothing to do with the present "viking" trend. What are your lyrics based upon? Do you consider yourself as a poet? What (or who) influence you in your writings?

- The lyrics are mainly fantasy stuff I come up with, based on different ideas I get, and  sometimes folklore etc. I don't consider myself as a poet, but as a composer. To me it's the sound and rhythm and melodies of the words and music I find important. The lyrics I'm working on now is more based upon ancient warfare. A homage to the brave kings and warriors of ancient times if you will.

What do you think of using keyboards? Are you able to capture the same atmosphere without this instrument?

- I believe the keyboard is a great alternative to the instruments it
resembles, when you don?t have the means of hiring somebody to play i.e. strings etc. live for you. Yes, we would be able to capture the same atmosphere without the keyboards, if we could hire someone the play real instruments i.e.  timoani, strings, etc.

Tell me about your deal with Head Not Found... How much albums are you planning to release in cooperation with Metalion? What about other Head Not Found latest signings - RAGNAROK, KVIKKSOLVGUTTENE, CREST OF DARKNESS, FORLORN, CARPE TENEBRUM, 122-STAB WOUNDS, NETHERWORLD, etc...? Do you listen to these bands?

- The deal with HNF was a one record deal. We have just signed a 6 record deal with Century Media, so that's going to be our "home" for the next couple of years. I got the CD's of FORLORN, RAGNAROK and 122-STAB WOUNDS. The guys in FORLORN and 122-STAB WOUNDS are close friends of mine by the way.

Where did you take that marvelous cover painting for "Where Light Touches None"?

- It's a doomsday painting by John Martin. He's been dead for like more than 100 years now, so there's no big chance of getting sued for copyright infringements, as the work is no longer protected.

Do you play live? How can you manage playing both guitars and  keyboards? Do you invite a session keyboardist while performing a concert?

- It's been some years since we played live now, but we will start again real soon. We have just recruited two new members, so that our live line-up is now complete. The new members are Alexander (guitars) and Mona (vocals and keyboards).

Why don't you sing in Norwegian, like many Norse bands do? Strange, but sometimes it's much easier to write lyrics in English than in your mother-language; do you agree?

- I don't mind writing Norvegian lyrics. (I have for example written the lyric "Lik Av Falne Menn" recorded by FORLORN). However, I feel more comfortable singing in English. If I were to sing in Norwegian, I could sing with my own dialect, so I feel I might as well can do the singing in English.

Do you have any plans to release second TWIN OBSCENITY masterpiece in the near future? Have you written any new songs already? How do they sound alike?

- Yes, I'm working hard on it now. I hope to have the material ready by next Summer. I've only just started writing. The songs sound more epic and perhaps even more majestic. I'm trying to create epic and majestic war metal, inspired by medieval warfare.

Are you pleased with Terje Refsnes and his work as producer? What was his role in the studio - was he just a man who did all the sound-engineering work, or his person meant something more for the band?

- Yes, we are very satisfied with his work. We had a really low budget so it's a quite amazing result he managed to create. He did most of the work, while I only had to decide what sound we really wanted.

"True black metal albums neither cannot be recorded in famous and
expensive studios on professional equipment, nor to be released through major labels; this kind of music must be performed only in small clubs with the little number of fans. Support the war against christianity, stay underground!" Do you agree with such kind of assertions?

- It depends on what is "true black metal"? Anyway, people are entiteled to their own opinions. We don't look upon ourselves as a BM band, so I don't really care. We will always try to get the best results and best production as possible.

TWIN OBSCENITY sounds more Swedish, than Norwegian... Does such bands as NAGLFAR and IN FLAMES influence you a lot?

- Yes, perhaps we do sound more Swedish. I guess that's because we're more technical than most Norwegian BM bands.  I can't say I'm influenced by NAGLFAR or IN FLAMES. I haven't heard anything from NAGLFAR before, and I've only got the first IN FLAMES album which I don't really listen to too often.

Some say that life is a curse, others - that it's the greatest pleasure... And what is your opinion, regarding this question?

- After my opinion, life is mostly fucking boring, but sometimes great.

Do you have any political views?

- I believe I'm quite conservative, actually. Things are mostly ok in
Norway.

Have you ever read the bible? Did you find this book interesting in  any ways? Nikolay from Russian MELISSA said that it has irrefutable historical value... would you agree with him?

- No, I can't say I have. I've read some expcerpts though. If what it say is true, god must be a mean motherfucker. I don't believe in it of course, bet yes it has a great historical value. The old testament is really only the legislation, with the god as a sanction. That was quite common at the time. In Babylon i.e. every city had their own god. The only person who had contact with the god was the priest. Some day he could say that the god Marduk ie had told them to go to war against the neighboring city. If they were loosing the war, he would then say the god had told him to make truce with the other city again.

Don't you think that incorporating female vocals in BM became a kind of "cliche"? Why did you asked Tonie to participate in your debut recording? Is she only a session TWIN OBSCENITY member?

- I don't know and I don't care. I only think of what sounds good or not. You could say that it?s a big trend of using distorted guitars as well!?! We asked Tonje to participate because we had some parts were female vox were needed. She was only a session member for the recording.

What do you think of this new fashion, reigning nowadays - mixing extreme music with industrial?  Many bands follow this way, but only  few of them are good at that... I appreciate their craving towards experiments, but I just can't understand why they chose industrial - this so-called "music" is soulless, it is something for such persons  as Bill Gates, maybe, but not the ones, who look for music with any kind  of emotions... Do you agree with me?

- Mixing different styles can be good, but needn't be.

Would you like to comment the present situation on Norwegian BM scene? Did something change comparing f.ex. to 1994 AD? Did the death of Euronymous affect the scene somehow?

- I have no idea.

Tell me about your usual life... What is your parents' view upon your
music and beliefs?

- I'm a student normally, so it's quite boring. Normally I go out drinking in the weekends though. Apart form that I try to create beautiful music , and I make mail shirts. Both my father and my brother are into black / death metal. I guess my whole family are atheists or perhaps agnostics.

Black metal hordes, whose lyrics deal with christian topics - do these bands have any right to exist?!  People created such meanings as "death" or "black metal" because that's what this music is all about - death and blackness! You know, I feel very strange seeing extreme metal band, singing about suffering african children or christian testaments...

- You can't kill people just because they're stupid. If you decided to do it, you would have a great task ahead of you.  But christian metal is nothing I would listen to anyway. Too boring.

What do you know about Russia and what is your opinion, concerning my
country's people? Have you ever heard any Russian black or death metal bands?

- I've been to Moscow once in '89. I didn't get to know a lot of Russians though. I think Moscow was both beautiful and ugly at the same time. I prefer to live in Norway though. I haven't heard any Russian metal bands before.

Ok, now tell something for the end...

- Thanx for the interview. I hope the answers are satisfactory.

TWIN OBSCENITY
Email (Atle Wiig):
twinobscenity@hotmail.com