WATAIN Frontman Interviewed By INFERNAL MASQUERADE

Infernal Masquerade recently conducted an interview with Erik "E" Danielsson of Swedish black metallers WATAIN. The chat is now available for streaming using the audio player below.

"Reaping Death", the new CD single from WATAIN, which was exclusively distributed in Sweden via Sweden Rock Magazine, was certified gold in the band's home country on April 21 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 10,000 copies. (Note: Each copy of the magazine sold in Sweden was counted towards the certification.)

Danielsson comments on this achievement: "No matter how awkward it feels to be a part of the materialistic record business, and even more so being rewarded by its filthy capitalistic measures, we will still accept this award with a poisoned smile. The same smile with which we have kissed your sons and daughters with 'Reaping Death'. We see this disc of gold as a trophy, a trophy of a successful hunt for their souls."

After announcing its special BATHORY tribute set on June 12 as part of this year's Sweden Rock Festival, WATAIN was approached by Sweden Rock Magazine to record a BATHORY cover for a special CD. In collaboration with Sweden Rock Magazine and Season Of Mist, WATAIN put together a special CD that all subscribers of the magazine received with issue #70 (which came out on April 6). The CD consists of a cover of BATHORY's "The Return of Darkness and Evil" as well as the brand new track "Reaping Death", from WATAIN's forthcoming fourth album, "Lawless Darkness".

The seven-inch picture-disc version of the "Reaping Death" single will be released tomorrow, on Walpurgisnacht. You can order it on Season of Mist's e-shop.

In other news, Erik made the following statement about FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM legend Carl McCoy's contribution to the WATAIN song "Waters of Ain", to be included the "Lawless Darkness" album: "Needless to say, perhaps, but having Carl McCoy participating on the album is a great honor. To us it means a collaboration between two seemingly different but in essence very much alike forms of artistry; the rare kind that aims — and manages — to channel that primordial spark of divinity that permeates all the great works of history.

"Carl's work has always been genuinely linked to spirituality and dark perfection, and this is why we felt it would be a perfect match. We were right."

"Lawless Darkness" will be released on June 7 in a limited three-panel digipack edition with die-cut and a cover of DEATH SS' "Chains of Death" as a bonus track.

Erik "E" Danielsson interviewed by Infernal Masquerade (click on player below to launch audio):