INTERVIEW with Tsjuder's drummer Anti-Christian

Anti-Christian of Tsjuder

In the quest to remain "trve kvlt," Norwegian black metal stalwarts Tsjuder have persevered since 1993. They will perform at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest on Saturday, May 26 in the main room following a string of other satanic black metal bands, making Saturday night something of a "ritual" kind of night for the festival.

Tsjuder is also one of my personal favorite groups in the traditional black metal gene. I don't remember when or how I came across them, but I was hooked from the first moment I heard them. Part of their charm is that they are not just all blast beats and guitar distortion. Real rock and roll drumming make them stand out. I was very honored when Tsjuder's beast of a drummer, Anti-Christian, took a few moments to respond to questions via email.

So I believe this is your first time at the Maryland Deathfest. What have you heard about this festival and what do you hope to bring to the audience there?

It´s Tsjuder first gig in USA and we´re looking forward to this. This is one of the few festivals in USA we heard of and the audience will get good old fashion Norwegian Black Metal.

What recordings will you be focusing on to create your set list? 

We are gonna serve some threats from every album.

When do you arrive in the USA and will you be playing any other shows before or after deathfest while you are here? How about other tours, outside of the festivals already listed on your Facebook page?

Nag and I will arrive on Tuesday and we are gonna check out some bars in the states around. There´s no tour or other gigs planed for USA. It would be nice with a tour over there but maybe in the future.

What other groups are you excited to see play at MDF? 

Horna and Brujeria would be cool too check out, but we nearly never get to see anything the day we play a show. I can´t see a band without a beer in my hand, and I can´t play drums with alcohol running thru my veins. Bad combo.

How have American fans reacted to the new recording, Legion Helvete, as compared to other fans around the world?

I really don´t know, but we got some decent reviews as far as I know.

How would you explain explain the origin of the name Tsjuder (pronounced shoe-der) and how you chose the name for the group?

The name Tsjuder comes from a tribe that came to the north of Norway around 1000 years ago. They butchered the Norwegian natives and they where dressed in black leather. How we got the name I don't know but it's hard to pronounce for the majority of the world.

What sort of Tsjuder items will be available for sale at MDF, anything unique or unusual?

If things goes like it should, Maryland will get their own T-shirt made special for you. Only 50 shirts from our own design.

What other types of music do the members of Tsjuder enjoy listening to? 
That is a really hard question. I can only speak for myself but everybody likes Motorhead.

Are there books, films or other things that inspire you? 
I´m into Tom Egeland's writings at the moment and I meditate to Family Guy. Chelsea Cain has got some good books out.

Is there anything else that you want American fans to know or understand about Tsjuder?

It´s our first show in the USA and we are looking forward to sharing some alcohol with our new friends. Cheers. We also would like to know if there´s any good place to party for Nag and me those days we arrive before Draugluin. Let us know on our Facebook page!
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Countdown to MDF X: (23) Tsjuder

Norwegian true black metallers Tsjuder (pronounced shoe-der) have a mission statement posted on their Facebook page: "to create the rawest form of Black Metal, and continue that for the lifetime of the band." No doubt, Tsjuder plays relentlessly raucous, blasphemous music designed to promote all that is evil, impure and brutal. The fact that the songs are as catchy as "helvete" only helps their cause.

Tsjuder actually sometimes sounds like some kind of awesome hybrid of black metal and speed metal. The pace is breakneck, the riffs furious and the vocals shrill, but dammit if  those blazing guitar solos don't put a smile on your face. I dare you not to want to clutch some invisible oranges to the sky during the guitar solo in "Ghoul". You will not want to stop head banging! The melodies are literally spine-tingling! Listen to "Mouth of Madness." You will hear some Motorhead in there. You will hear Slayer and Anthrax. This music was built on the best and purest of metal foundations.

I know this joyous response may not be the intended effect, since Tsjuder takes their music and performances super seriously. This is all done for the glory of their Dark Lord, you know. But their songs just kick major ass, and that makes me happy. I don't care what mythology their lyrics support. It should be evident by now that I really like this band.

Performance-wise, expect some spikes and corpse paint. Like many black metal bands, the members use pseudonyms. The current line up includes Nag on (frighteningly harsh) lead vocals and bass, Draugluin on (amazing) guitars and vocals, and AntiChristian on (phenomenal) drums. Unlike a lot of black metal bands, however, Tsjuder is cyber-active. They maintain a Facebook page, Facebook fan pages for each band member and someone representing the band even participates in Twitter. Hails the Tsjuder Tweet!

See Tsjuder live Saturday night, May 26, at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest.

Countdown to MDF X: (47) Setherial

Sometimes it is best to listen to a band without the distractions of the visuals presented in a storyline video. That is what I had to do with Setherial, a Swedish black metal band founded in 1993. I prefer to just listen to Setherial's excellent musicianship without watching their videos. The reason being, that in some cases, corpse paint, maggots and flaming skulls can become a bit overwhelming. Don't show me how brutal you are, prove it to me with your music. Setherial does so!

Setherial plays that kind of fast guitar picking, melodic, blast beat driven kind of black metal that I favor. Their earlier recordings, such as 1996 Nord,  follow the minimalistic aural aesthetic of their black metal peers, while more recent albums, such as the 2010 Ekpyrosis, demonstrate a more lush, produced sound. Yet they never waver in their extreme brutality. Dark, grim, atmospheric and demonic and dare I say it, even EPIC compositions--Setherial delivers all that and more. If you are familiar with extreme groups like Tsjuder and Gorgoroth, you will appreciate Setherial.

Members include Infaustus (vocals), Kraath (guitar) and Mysteriis (drums). I know there is another member in Setherial but I cannot confirm who that person is. Setherial's website lists Thurz, Metal Archives lists Empyion and Wikipedia lists Funestus! Whoever they bring, I am sure they will be exciting to watch! They perform Friday evening, May 25 at the 2012 Maryland Deathfest.