At first let me congratulate you for your really good album "Ghouls Of Grandeur". Thank you very much for the time you are taking for that interview

OLE :
Thank you Sir, appreciate the kind words!!


As long as "Ghouls Of Gandeur" is out now for a while what about the reactions of fans and press?

OLE :
The feedback and the overall reactions has been massive!! We got great reviews all over, + lots of fans contacting us telling us how much they dig our music. They all are wondering when weīre gonna tour, both Europe and US..
We truly appreciate this, and it inspires us to continue to deliver the goods.


There has been a lot of excitement around in the press area just before the release of your debut album. Have you ever thought about so much attention?

OLE :
We knew that there was gonna be a certain amount of attention.. It feels good to know that Metalcommunities all over shows interests in GRIMFIST.
Like I said, weīve received only great reviews, so it seems that we live up to most of the expectations. Of course some expected a more Immortal feel to the music, but itīs important to understand that weīre on our own, and have nothing to do with the GRIMFIST-members bands past or present.


What do you think has the attention also something to with the recent Immortal split and Horgh playing for Grimfist?

OLE :
Obviously we get some attention due to that, and Horghs position. Thatīs just positive!
You gotta understand that weīve been rolling with this band since October 2001, so we donīt have anything to do with the Immortal split. But we need all the attention we can get to make it in this world, the music-business is more than fucked up as it is.


There are quite a lot of different styles mixed up in the album so that it is hard to try a real definition. In my eyes it seems that you really don't want to be put in only one drawer. Am I right with this?

OLE :
Absolutely!! To us itīs nothing more disasterous to have to stick with one so called genre. Thereīs so much fascinating music out there, why not explore & mix!!
The general feedback on "Ghouls Of Grandeur" is that they all dig it, but have a hard time categorizing it, which is only positive for us. We donīt give a ratīs ass what kind of music it is, as long as we like it.

In my eyes "Ghouls Of Grandeur" is an absolutely riff orientated album. Has this been one of your ambitions since the beginning?

OLE :
I do have to agree on that one, although itīs not been one of our goals or ambitions..
We try to keep the listener entertained all the way throughout the record, without overdoing it. Thatīs important to us , and not ending up doing "show off music"..


If I think in this way about Grimfist playing live how will you manage it ? Isn't there the need of a second guitar player to create such a wall of sound?

OLE :
No I donīt think so.
GRIMFIST will be massive as Hell live, I can promise you that!!


I read that Grimfist will play on the With Full Force next year. Are there any other tour plans especially here in Europe?

OLE :
Weīre currently working on it. Unfortunately this isnīt up to us, if it was, weīve been out there busting our ass a long time ago. . But there seem to be a general interest in GRIMFIST, so hopefully weīll get to tour on this album, fingers crossed.

The album has been recorded in Peter Tätgrens Abyss Studios. How did you come on Peter? Just because of Horghs membership in Pain?

OLE :
Well it all started that way. We recorded a 3 song demo, and Horgh brought it with him on a Pain tour. Peter liked the material, and wanted to work with us. He gave us a nice offer, and we went over to Abyss in March, recorded & mixed the album within a couple of weeks. We had a great time over there, and Peter was a great guy to work with.


Is it right that in the beginnings Iscariah joined the band, too? Were his reasons to quit the same as in Immortal?

OLE :
Thatīs right, Iscariah was involved in the very beginning. But he wasnīt involved in the writing at all. He didnīt have time to focus on the band 100% due to other commitments, such as family-life, Necrophagia etc.


As I know Horgh is living in Bergen. What about the rest of you guys?

OLE :
Me and Horgh lives here in Bergen, while Frediablo lives about a 7 hour drive from us, at a place called Fosnavåg.


What is the reason for each of you to stay at the place you are living now? Only because it is the place you were born at or is there more that keeps you?

OLE :
I wasnīt born here in Bergen. Iīm from about the same place as Frediablo, but moved to Bergen cause I wanted to focus more on the music, when we started out with Deride.
Since then Iīve stayed here, cause itīs an ok place to live. I donīt think thereīs a "better place" .. itīs the same fucking shit everywhere.
....As long as I get to move out of the city in the nearest, Iīm a happy boy!


Alright! Thank you very much for your time and for the interview!
Mange tak for eur tid og ha de bra!

Thanks Martin!!
Watch out for GRIMFIST, we will destroy this fucking planet!!
SKÅL FOR FAEN!!

-OLE/GRIMFIST


martin