CHROME DIVISION is a fairly new Norwegian Biker Rock/Metal outfit featuring members of various bands,

Including Shagrath of Dimmu Borgir (rhythm guitar), Eddie Guz from The Carburetors (vocals), Bjorn Luna (bass), Ricky Black (guitar) & Tony Kirkemo (drums).

  I, Metal Hellion Incarnate spake to Shagrath recently & here doth by thou conversation that transpired.

METAL HELL: How did Chrome Division first get together?

SHAGRATH: The idea came back in 1999 when we were rehearsing for the album Spiritual Black Dimensions with Dimmu Borgir & me and Lex Icon stayed in the rehearsal room & jammed on songs. The songs we came up with at that point were more of a stoner rock kind of thing & then nothing happened until 2004 because I’ve been constantly going on tour and making albums with Dimmu. We did Ozzfest with Dimmu in 2004 and then after that we decided to take a little break so then I established a 5 piece line-up and the Doomsday Rock & Roll album is the result of what we have been working on for the last 10 months.

MH: Do you think stoner rock shaped the bands style?

SHAGRATH: When we got the singer, Eddie Guz, from the Carburetors, into the band the songs were shaped in a different way. The basics of what we started out with was more kind of a stoner rock thing, but we got away from that and mixed different elements of music into the genre. So it’s a varied mix of different styles.

MH: Was it natural to go back to playing guitar?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, I’m very happy with my position in Chrome Division & then in Dimmu I do vocals. I get to do both things so I’m very pleased with that.

MH: Was there any material that didn’t make it onto this record?

SHAGRATH: No, not really, we used most of the songs for the record but we are already working with new songs these days. We have almost 4 new songs for the next album already.

MH: Can we expect the same direction as Doomsday?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, kind of but probably with a little twist I guess. We’ll do something a little bit more different, but the basic style of Chrome Division will probably be there.

MH: Was the recording process easier than it usually is with Dimmu?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, cause it’s dirty rock & roll, you don’t need to think so much. It’s more about there & then and what sounds good at that time. In Dimmu it’s more like we can spend maybe 2 months creating one song but in Chrome Division we can make one song in a couple of hours. So it’s a totally different way of writing songs.

 

MH: Do you write out of improvised jam sessions?

SHAGRATH: Yeah definitely. That’s how we come up with most of our stuff.

MH: Do you get black metal fans saying they’ve gotten into this kind of music now?

SHAGRATH: Actually I haven’t. I’ve read a lot of reviews for the album so far & they seem to be very good but I guess there will be a lot of black metal fans who would not like the album, but that’s how is, people either love it or hate it. Either way it’s fine with me as long as we are happy with the result of the album.

MH: On the other side you could be reaching totally different listeners.

SHAGRATH: Yeah, of course. That was the intention from day one, to do something totally different. When I have been working with Dimmu for 13 years it would be pointless for me to start up a black metal side project, that would be just stupid, so it’s just fun to do something different and to work with other people.

MH: Are there plans for live gigs?

SHAGRATH: We’ve played one show so far. It’s kind of hard to. We have some offers but we are very busy. I am busy with Dimmu & I have to prioritate that and the other guys have day jobs and families & stuff too so it’s not easy to go on tour or anything like that but I hope we can find some time to do some shows in the future.

MH: How much of the new Dimmu CD is finished?

SHAGRATH: Nothing is recorded but we are scheduled for a studio in October so we’re still working very hard on the songs, it takes a long time. We don’t have the whole record finished yet but we are working on songs. Hopefully it will be ready by October & we can maybe have an album release in March of next year.

MH: Do you think having Hellhammer (on drums) will inspire how you & Silenoz will approach it?  

SHAGRATH: Not really, Hellhammer is taking part of doing the new songs too & he’s really professional to work with. It works very fine. So far we are very pleased with Hellhammer.

 

MH: After Ozzfest (2004) Dimmu found a lot of new fans in the US. How does it feel to be the first exposure to black metal for those people?

SHAGRATH: That’s a very good thing of course. You also have a lot of other bands out there, which are good quality bands, but it also comes from a lot of hard work. We have toured a lot & that’s what you need to do to be able to sell records, especially in the states, so it’s been good.

MH: Do you think it’s important to include catchy elements?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, we combine

Different elements in our music

So, a lot of people who are into

Different stuff, are probably able to find something they will like.

MH: How would you compare your writing style to Silenoz & the other members?

SHAGRATH: We all create stuff for Dimmu. We have different elements and different types of  riffs we combine together which makes It sound like Dimmu. So we all have different ways of making riffs.

MH: Do you think having played guitar, keyboards and drums helps you understand the big picture as a singer more?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, I make a lot of music for Dimmu as well, I’m not just singing so I’ve been a part of the writing process always.

MH: Which instrument did you play first?

SHAGRATH: I played drums for the first Dimmu album (For All Tid) and then I moved up to play guitar on some more albums & now I just do vocals. It’s much easier to just concentrate on doing one thing. I started out with guitar, I was playing guitar first.

MH: Do you think it’s important to have a sense of humor in metal?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, but black metal also has to be aware that it’s more about seriousness. It’s not so much about humor, maybe some black humor. It’s easier that way in rock and roll, you are allowed to have more fun in rock and roll.

MH: With black metal, some bands are into the necro- sound of old Hellhammer & Bathory. What do you think of the classic black metal albums with bad productions? Do you think it adds to the ambience?

SHAGRATH: I think they are good the way they are. I prefer old school black metal instead of all the new bands coming out today. I don’t find it so interesting (these days). I like the sound of, for example Bathory, which is more like the old albums. I prefer listening to old school black metal.

MH: Do you think it’s important for bands to have a cool theatrical image?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, that’s much more interesting, to see bands that have a more theatrical part. That’s also a big part of Dimmu’s music; the theatrical parts together with the music. So I definitely enjoy bands who have strong imagery, I prefer that.

MH: What do you think of bands like Venom & Celtic Frost coming back with new albums this year?

SHAGRATH: I think it’s cool, I heard the new Celtic Frost album and I really liked it so I think that’s pretty positive & very good. Of course they can never capture the sound that they had back in the 80s’, but still it’s good.                            

MH: How did it feel to hear that Dimmu passed 100,000 for sales in the US?

SHAGRATH: It’s a hard way to the top if you wanna rock & roll.

 We have worked very hard for what we are today. It’s all about the hard work and dedication. I think we sold 100,000 records in the states knowing that it’s a good thing, but it’s the result of hard work.

MH: Do you think re-recording Stormblast brought you back to your roots at all?

SHAGRATH: No, it’s a different chapter and we have moved on now and tried to do other things.

MH: Are there any plans for a DVD with the history of Dimmu Borgir?

SHAGRATH: It’s hard to say. We have released one live DVD before a couple years ago, World Misanthropy. We’re probably gonna make more DVD’s in the future but nothing is really planned for it yet, so we’ll see.

MH: Will there be a video from CHROME DIVISION?

SHAGRATH: Yeah, we have done a video for the song “Serial Killer”, that was done by Patrick Leers, he’s the same guy who did the Dimmu videos.

MH: Is there anything else in the future for both bands?

SHAGRATH: We’re in the process of making new songs already for both bands & hopefully there will be more live shows with CHROME DIVISION in the future and we are working with the new DIMMU album which maybe will be out by March of next year.

    

MH: Any messages for The readers of Metal Hell?

SHAGRATH: Just check out the new CHROMEDIVISION Album; DOOMSDAY ROCK & ROLL and hopefully we’ll come to shred up a town near you soon.

 

* Interview by Joe D.