Sahg: Disciples of doom

	Sahg

August 23, 2006

Sahg, featuring members of Norwegian metal bands Gorgoroth, Manngard and Audrey Horne, are creating quite a buzz with their debut album, Sahg I. They are the new disciples of doom metal, carrying the torch first set ablaze
by Black Sabbath. Sahg I contains some of the most powerful riffs in ages on such songs as the crushing "Godless Faith" and "Soul Exile," while "The Executioner Undead" and "Repent" must have Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne grinning from ear to ear. In an interview with lead vocalist/guitarist Olav Iverson, Jeff Maki of Live-Metal.net asks about the history of the band, the Sabbath influence, the upcoming U.S. tour with Celtic Frost and more.

How did Sahg come to be? Give us a brief history of the band:

The idea and desire to form this band had been around for years before we finally managed to get it together. We were all busy with our other bands, until we finally found the time in August 2004. The line-up had been ready for some time already, and we had also had plenty of time to figure out pretty much which musical direction we wanted to move in. So when we finally got started, things moved pretty quickly. The song-writing was incredibly efficient, and by the end of the year we had the first demo recorded, which eventually got us the record deal with Regain Records. We spent most of 2005 writing the album material, recording and mixing the album, and played concerts in between. At the beginning of 2006 we continued to play more concerts around Norway, and we played Inferno Festival in Oslo in April. Sahg I was released around Europe throughout April and May, and we spent a lot of time promoting and doing more gigs in Norway and Europe. In short terms, that is pretty much it up until now.

King of course has left Gorgoroth, but what about the other bands that members are in? Is Sahg a full-time band now for everyone involved?

All of us are still involved in other bands and projects. But Sahg has naturally been a high priority to all of us for a while now. The activity levels of the other bands vary from time to time, and this still hasn’t been a big problem. Since we play in other signed bands, I guess I can’t say that Sahg is a “full-time” band. But the fact is that all members are 100 per cent involved, and we put all the energy we can into Sahg.

King's recent departure from Gorgoroth was reportedly due to "ideological based issues." Is this entirely true and is he still on good terms with the other members of Gorgoroth?

No comment.

Sahg's songs are absolutely phenomenal in my opinion. How did the songs come together and what is the secret to writing some of the heaviest riffs of all time?

Well, thanks! The song-writing for Sahg I was pretty intensive, and I guess we got onto a wave of inspiration which we managed to take advantage of. The whole band took part in the writing process to various degrees, and I think that explains the variety of the material. Heavy riffs are a vital part of our music, and I am pleased to hear that we have made it work the way we hoped.

Obviously Sabbath seems to be a huge influence on Sahg, but what other bands have influenced your sound?

Since we all have written material and obviously played on the record, I think each member have added their share of personal taste and style to the songs. Though we share a lot of the same influences, we also have experience from various ends of the rock genre. King and Kvitrafn have definitely added some of their black metal experience on there, and Thomas has added a lot of his devotion for traditional riff rock, such as Thin Lizzy and Kiss. My own riffs come mostly from the Sabbath/Pentagram landscape, I guess, and vocally I have taken a lot of inspiration from a lot of different singers, like Bruce Dickinson, Robert Plant, Ian Gillan – and Ozzy, of course.

The band is set for an upcoming tour in the U.S. with Celtic Frost. How did this tour get put together and what can we expect from a live Sahg show?

We got a personal proposal from frontman Thomas G. Fisher himself, to join them for a part of the North-American leg of their tour. It is a great privilege, and makes it an even greater pleasure when the headlining band expresses a personal wish to have you joining them on tour. The background for the proposal came from King’s acquaintance to the Celtic Frost guys from touring with Gorgoroth. I am a big Celtic Frost fan, so I didn’t hesitate for a second. We put a lot of effort into our live shows, and put all we can at stake to make every show as memorable as possible. I would describe it as a macabre combination of dark atmosphere and musical explosion. We focus a lot on the musical performance as well as the visual, and vary each show with impulsive improv parts to make each show special.

Do you plan on touring extensively for the album here in the U.S., or are you planning a trip back to the studio anytime soon?

We are only doing 17 dates in the U.S. and Canada this time, and we are heading straight back to Norway to continue working on songs for the next Sahg album after the tour is ended. Our goal is to release the next album already next year, and try and keep a higher intensity on album releases than a lot of other bands are doing today. I think a lot of bands wait much too long between their album releases, and I think that’s a disadvantage in many ways. We plan on starting recording the new material already this autumn.

If Sahg could tour with any 3 current bands right now who would they be and why?

If it was up to me personally, it would be Slayer, Celtic Frost, and Witchcraft.

Slayer, because they are still a ground breaking and unique sounding metal band, still releasing great albums after all these years, and I have always been a huge fan. And they are an amazing live band with an immense energy, equal to none.

Celtic Frost, is another legendary band, which have had a huge impact on a lot of newer doom and metal bands. As mentioned before, I am a great fan, and can’t wait to tour with them.

Witchcraft is a great new band, which, like Sahg, take a lot of inspiration from 70s heavy rock. But they still have a different approach to it, and I think we would make a great combination.

What are some of the lyrical themes on Sahg I?

Most of our lyrics evolve around the traditional doom universe, where the threat of evil forces and predictions of last judgment are the typical themes. But when you put these themes into different contexts and expressions, they touch in on subjects that are relevant to many people in the present time. These dark themes come very naturally with the musical atmosphere, and in general, the lyrics are most of all a tool to amplify the dark atmosphere of the music.

Tell us about the "Godless Faith" video and are there plans for any more videos or singles from the album?

The video for ‘Godless Faith’ was shot in an old factory building in Bergen, Norway. This was in October last year, it was cold and rainy, and there was no heating installed in the building, so the setting couldn’t have been more appropriate. The idea was to make the video underline the theme of the song, with a dark, grainy expression and people being obsessed by evil. We got great help from the director of the video, Tommy Naess, who managed to get a great film crew and some great actors together on a very limited budget. We are very pleased with the result, and we think we have captured the atmosphere, which brings out the right quality of the song. We don’t plan on releasing another single or video at the time being. Our main goal is to release a new album as soon as possible, and probably release a new single/video from that.

Is there anything else we need to know about Sahg?

To those who get the opportunity, come see us on our tour of USA and Canada in September-October, and also check out our album Sahg I, which is out now. We hope to see you around, and check out our website www.sahgweb.com for more info on the band.

Thanks for your time. Sahg I is the best debut release I've heard in quite some time and we wish the band all the best of luck with the album and future.

Thank you very much!