Before the 90s, black metal wasn't a selling tool [and didn't] have money behind it. Then it became a pop sensation. Now that the record industry has collapsed and started to rot, things are livening up a bit again.

Mat McNerney

Categorized in : Tools Black Records

In the past stories have been what tethers us to the world and they've made us who we are.

Mat McNerney

stories past world

There are many ways to portray darkness and evil and it isn't all in being mean and tough.

Mat McNerney

darkness evil mean

I don't think there's anything remotely "new" or "experimental" about any modern metal bands.

Mat McNerney

modern band thinking

Bands are more willing to take risks and we don't need this big label over us anymore telling us what it means to sell records and get into magazines.

Mat McNerney

risk mean needs

I do try to pay attention to new bands and what's happening within the scene. I try to make sure I give everything a listen - even if I loathe it.

Mat McNerney

trying attention giving

I think there was a brief period where Norwegian bands were evolving and that was an interesting time where it seemed like a band like Darkthrone was stuck in the midst of a lot of change and seemed a bit redundant.

Mat McNerney

band interesting thinking

People are appreciating the old stuff again and there's no MTV-style scene police to try to make us all listen to Machine Head and Pantera puke!

Mat McNerney

mtv appreciate people

Ultimately I want my metal in a bar and not an art gallery.

Mat McNerney

bars want art

I like what's going on in Finland, with the rebirth of Beherit. I also like a band called Oranssi Pazuzu and a band called Spiderpact. There's a great scene there where they don't really care what's going on elsewhere and create music in their own vacuum.

Mat McNerney

vacuums band care

I think when you have a band that are so separate and isolated then you have to know each others styles and characters quite well.

Mat McNerney

style character thinking

I don't think it's "true" to sit and play old school heavy metal just so that you can send it to Fenriz or get a pat on the back from the guys you admire and hang out with.

Mat McNerney

old-school play thinking

I don't bring any ideology or barriers with me into my music.

Mat McNerney

barriers ideology

I don't like bands who would play music like Code. I mean I hate most bands with emotional singing parts (I adore metal singing like Iron Maiden though!)

Mat McNerney

emotional hate mean

I have a lot of mental scars from being brought up Catholic and being sent to Catholic school for 13 years!

Mat McNerney

catholic years school

When you're trying to free yourself from a religion that has been ingrained in you since childhood, it's more like ripping out your veins and tendons.

Mat McNerney

veins childhood trying

The religion and it's many barbed indoctrinating tendrils just start to become what makes you who you are, so you have to kind of destroy yourself to be able to rebuild yourself and make yourself whole again.

Mat McNerney

able kind whole

I think Nouveau Gloaming is a classic black metal record and I would hate to be a band that kept trying to recapture the same essence, but failing, for the rest of its days.

Mat McNerney

hate essence thinking

I think there's a certain limit to the number of times you can raise hairs on the back of peoples' heads before it gets kind of saccharin.

Mat McNerney

hair numbers thinking

I don't want people to feel like they'd overdosed on too much candy.

Mat McNerney

too-much want people

Most every album - and especially metal albums these days - are made in a way that you can grow tired of them very easily: They're made to be dissected and played on radio, released as singles or stuck on at parties.

Mat McNerney

tired party way