Black metal in writing
Through the years there has been written several books on Black Metal. Some of them are only scraping the surface and focusing on the violence and crime, while others attempt to dive deeper. Authors Dayal Patterson and Harald Fossberg have both written books on the beginnings and evolution of the genre. They will share stories around their books as well as pontificate on the challenges of writing about music and interviewing artists from the world of extreme metal: As Frank Zappa said: "Most rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read." Is that really so?Thursday 28. March 15:00 - Room: Central Park
Thursday 28. March 15:00 - Room: Frognerparken
Dayal Patterson // Cult never dies (GB)
Dayal is a British author and founder of the publishing house Cult Never Dies. He has written several books on black and extreme metal and worked as a journalist for renowned magazines such as Decibel, Terrorizer, and Metal Hammer amongst others. His book ‘Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult’ - recently released a massively expanded 10-year edition - and its sequels ‘Black Metal: The Cult Never Dies Vol. One’ and ‘Black Metal: Into the Abyss’ are regarded as essential reading for followers of the genre. He has also supplied liner notes for albums by Emperor, Killing Joke, and Cradle of Filth and penned an official biography for Rotting Christ with founder Sakis Tolis.
Photo by Ester Segarra
Harald Fossberg // RadiOrakel/Hærverk Forlag/Turbonecro (NO)
Harald is the 77-punk turned journalist, author, and radio show host. With his beginnings in the pioneering Norwegian Punk scene, he played in the seminal band Hærverk (1978-1981) before several other bands, among them Turbonegro (1990-1993) – who at that time shared rehearsal space with Mayhem. Now he’s in Turbonecro, which consists of ex-members from the ”mothership”. From doing fanzines in the late 70’s he started working as a music journalist and reviewer in the national newspaper Aftenposten in the late 80’s. He has followed the Norwegian Underground Scene, especially the Punk and Metal community, since the 80’s. In 1987 he started at RadiOrakel, where he has a weekly show covering the alternative scenes.
As an author, he has been published in several anthologies. His book on the beginnings of Norwegian Black Metal, ”Nyanser av svart”, is now out in a new, revised edition, and is being translated into other languages.