KEEP OF KALESSIN Interview with Obsidian Claw

XM: Hey, how are you today?
Obsidian: I'm fine. Better than yesterday.

XM: Why is that?
Obsidian: Because we had a day off. We had a big party in Ottawa, so, we went to after party, and came back to the bus at maybe eight or nine in the morning... We had a rough day off, but it was also nice to just relax for a day as well.

XM: Now, on this tour in particular there's only I think two or three days for the whole tour that are days off. Do you like touring so steadily?
Obsidian: Yeah. I think it's two days off or something.

XM: Mhmm. Two days off, but over like 37 shows.
Obsidian: Yeah, 37 or 36 shows... But, when I'm on tour, I prefer not having days off. Because, I think it's quite boring if you stay in a parking lot somewhere. I'd rather be playing shows when I'm on tour.

XM: Makes sense. Now, You just played the eighth show of the tour tonight here in Toronto. What did you think of tonight's show?
Obsidian: It was okay. Yeah... It was a pretty good show. Took a couple songs before I got into it. There was trouble with the power for the wireless in the beginning of the show... So, my guitar fell out. But, once we got over that shit it was pretty good!

XM: And what about the tour overall so far?
Obsidian: It's been a good tour. We had a rough start. Our transport was kind of late so we needed to do public transport between a couple of cities... That was pretty fucked up. But, now, we're getting into it and getting back on track. It feels nice

XM: You have your own bus.
Obsidian: Yep!

XM: Have you spent any time hanging out with the guys from Mayhem? You've worked with Attila before on...
Obsidian: Reclaim.
XM: Yeah. So, you know the guys from Mayhem already.
Obsidian: We hang out a little bit with them. I've been a couple of times on their bus. We know everyone from before, so we're friends with them. It's nice to have a Norwegian headliner that we know pretty well, because it normally saves us a lot of trouble. The crew is treating us very nice and all that shit, it's great. Normally we see them every day and yeah... Hang out.

XM: And you've also toured with a lot of other big Norwegian Black Metal bands before. Do you usually keep in touch after the tours?
Obsidian: Yeah. Of course. All the Norwegian bands are quite close, everyone knows everyone. Even though we have quite a few big bands over there, the scene is quite small. It's not that many people and everyone is friends with everyone.

XM: Now, when there's not a party planned, how do you like to stay entertained on the road?
Obsidian: I like to watch T.V series, some times play a couple of computer games. Mostly it's just sit with our laptops, chill out.

XM: What computer games do you like?
Obsidian: The Elder Scrolls series.
XM: Oh yeah? Getting ready for Skyrim?
Obsidian: Was it released today? Or yesterday? It's on the eleventh of the eleventh month...
XM: That's midnight, today.
Obsidian: So, Skyrim will be out tomorrow... But, unfortunately, it seems I need to upgrade my computer so I won't be able to play it before I get home. But, I am buying a new computer just to play this game.
XM: Awesome. I've played all the previous ones too, Morrowind and Oblivion... Great games.
Obsidian: Yeah. Everyone in the band are huge fans of those kind of games. Everyone used to play Morrowind and Oblivion. I actually started with Areana and Daggerfall. I played those games when they came out back in the day. I played the whole fuckin' series and I love it!

XM: Haha awesome. But, anyway, Keep Of Kalessin have been very busy touring this year. You were in fact recently here earlier this year, in April with Sepultura. Can you tell us if you've started to work on any new material for another album or EP?
Obsidian: We have started. We always have... Because, when you start recording an album you always have a few songs that maybe don't fit the album or that you don't have time to rehearse with the band before you enter the studio. So, there are a couple songs that have been lying. We've also done some new material. But, we are waiting to get the focus on the new shit until after the touring. It's like, when you are in touring, it's really hard to sit down and be in studio mode. And when I get home, the first thing I do is not run into the studio. I like to be very creative about it... And I have done that sometimes, when it's needed to be done. But, I don't like working like that. I want to chill out, get my energy back, and re-focus. That will be the thing now, we get home for Christmas, have a Christmas holiday and shift into studio mode in January.

XM: How do you like to celebrate your new years eve?
Obsidian: Normally, we just hang out with friends. I go to a dinner party with some good friends. Have a party there, I guess. Celebrate with our best friends.

XM: If you had to describe Keep of Kalessin's music in three words they would be...
Obsidian: Epic Extreme Metal.

XM: If you could have been involved in the writing, recording, or production of any album ever which would it be and why?
Obsidian: You think about a future album or one that has been released?
XM: One that has been released.
Obsidian: If I had to be a chance of that part of stuff I would choose to be part of Appetite For Destruction.
XM: Why's that?
Obsidian: I have three albums that I think are the number one. I think they're very different albums so I can never decide if this one or this one is the best. They are all equally good, but very different. And these are life changing albums for me. They are Master of Puppets, Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of the Seventh Son and Appetite for Destruction.

XM: How did you pick your nickname, Obsidian Claw
Obsidian: This was back in the days as well when we started Keep of Kalessin. Keep of Kalessin is based on the Earthsea book series. It has like, reptilian, and draconic thematics there.Obsidian, is a black volcanic rock which has some special powers as well. I felt it fitted the whole theme of Keep of Kalessin with the claw and the black dragons talon.

XM: And, of course, you have special powers...
Obsidian: *laughs*

XM: That was actually the last question. Final words are up to you...
Obsidian: Well, check out our albums and keep updated with our Facebook and shit like that to know what's going on with the band and touring.