While Watain’s Erik Danielsson is an affable, articulate and charming character, it’s very clear that to him black metal is life and death. For some, that kind of confidence is both disturbing and off-putting. For Danielsson, who grew up and into a scene that at the time was much reviled and demonised, it makes sense that he would have such strong and personal opinions on how black metal and in particular, Watain is viewed. We asked Cheryl Carter to sit down with Danielsson prior to his band’s December show here in London, to ponder those issues at length.
They conducted this interview in the dark. Fitting.