There’s no reinvention or reinvention hype here – just Blood Red Throne being the best version of themselves. Siltskin feels mean, muscular, and somehow even catchier. We caught up with Daniel ‘Død’ Olaisen to talk about how chaos stays fun when you’ve been doing this for almost 30 years.
Hi! Siltskin feels heavier but also more melodic. Was there a particular mood or event that drove that contrast?
Cheers! Heavier for sure. The melodic leads have kinda always been there, but they are even more tasty now and longer. I’ve always been a sucker for melodies, but in death metal you have to incorporate it in a not cheesy way. Like almighty Death did for instance. It gives the song a nice break and to be honest this is the only way I play leads. Sure, it’s cool with some chromatic and squealing Deicide/Slayer leads, but this my other guitarist, Meathook, takes care of, haha. There are some real heavy parts that make your head noddin’ and overall the production is heavier. It’s all natural. It’s not like we forced anything. The riffs just come and I constantly work hard to arrange and give the songs a perfect flow from start to finish. We know death metal!
Some riffs feel cinematic. Did any tracks start as a jam or a personal obsession that you couldn’t let go of?
Not sure what that means, but I guess it’s positive, hah. I always start my songs with a single riff and it spins off from there. Drum beats are very important to me and I constantly know what beat should come after the other. This also makes it easier to make the nest guitar part as well. BRT is very rhythm based and personally I like more straight drumming than trying to hit every drum thing as much as possible. It’s many years since we rehearsed. We live in different cities and I feel very comfortable writing the songs in my home studio by myself. The other guys put on their signature to it anyways. It’s just how the modern world works. At least for me, hehe.
The production punches harder than anything you’ve done. Did any happy accidents in the studio shape the album?
When comparing these 3 last albums we mixed/mastered in Sweden… they definitely improve. I remember when getting the Imperial Congregation mix, I was like hell yeah this sound heavy. That one vs Siltskin is like night and day. I know some of the guys still wanna have a more filthy sound and even more acoustic drum vibe to it. It’s hard to have an original mix these days if you know what I mean. The most significant with Siltskin is that we flew in both our drummer and our producer and the whole band was gathered in studio to record the drums and just give inputs. That was a great feeling. Maybe one day we all go to ONE studio and record like they did back in the day, haha. And there were beers of course…
Any moments on the record that made you think, “We’ve actually never done this before”?
I think we did it once before, but having a clean guitar part, especially with a drum beat on it, on the last song of the album is somewhat new for us. Even have some clean vocals on it too. We have a pretty basic formula and I would never experience too much in this band. Powerful death metal is on the menu!
With a relatively new lineup, did arguments, disagreements, or “what the hell is this riff?” moments shape the songs?
Not at all. Everyone is confident that I’m the leader of the band. I also write most of the songs. I know Freddy(drums) questioned the intro of the album and a couple of my solos. And the chorus riff on the opening song of the album was something my bass-player needed some time to accept, hehe… but all in all we all have faith in each other and knows that all members deliver the goods!
Are there lyrical themes on Siltskin that surprised even you as they came together?
I never involve myself in lyrics. I trust my singer(s) to write something that make sense. Lyrics in the band have evolved though from typical death metal themes to more serious and with substance. Sindre was not surprised per se, but he delved into some parts of his mind that is not very often visited, so you can maybe say it was a good therapy session getting into it.
Almost 30 years in – does releasing a new album feel routine, or still exciting?
A mix I would say. This is my 30th full-length release, so it’s not like it’s the first time, hehe. But, it’s always exciting when you feel it’s the band’s best album comin’ out. It’s hard though. There are millions of metal bands out there and new music is being released constantly. It feels like a battle sometimes to reach out. The only thing is to keep the quality and play live as much as possible.
With Freddy back and Ivan holding things together, how does the current chemistry shape the writing and recording?
Freddy’s been back since 2013 and Ivan is actually the one, except myself, staying the longest in the band. Of course, Freddy has his drum style and that affects the albums in a way. Subconsciously, I might adapt my writing because of his playing, but I don’t feel I limit myself. Ivan is also adapting more and more and uses my song-writing as a direct influence. Naturally, he has his own style, but there’s a huge difference in his songs now vs on Brutalitarian Regime and self-titled. He also contributes with some leads on my songs and vice versa. A couple of albums ago we also wrote a song together. What’s so easy and great with this band is that everybody’s on the same page. I know I get some crazy and cool bass-playin’ from Stian. I know I get top notch death metal vocals from Sindre and we 97% agree on where to have vocals. I know death metal and it’s just natural for me. I have the best team on board!
Are there moments from BRT’s past that echo in Siltskin?
I think Siltskin is the heavier and more brutal version of Nonagon if you will. I really like the development from Imperial Congregation to Nonagon and now Siltskin. It’s like a step up every album. And it won’t end!
Death metal has changed a lot. Where does BRT fit into the scene today?
Well, I started this band when everyone was expecting black metal. I used to play in Satyricon in the 90’s and we all know how big that genre became. Today, I feel it’s a lot about playing fast and technical. What happened to the good riffs and songs? Of course there are some bands still doing this and I will always be an old-schooler though I try to keep up and follow some of the more modern stuff. At the end of the day it’s all about being true to yourself and what you like. I’ve never tried to be anything else. Groovy and powerful death metal has always been my favorite metal genre. Everything comes in waves and being around since early 90’s as a listener and now almost 30 years with BRT, I definitely think there’s a place for us in the scene. I mean, we don’t sell millions of albums or whatever, but we fuckin’ play all over the world and spend time with our fans and audience. It’s the best feeling!
The lyrics feel darker, almost personal. Was that intentional, or did it happen naturally?
It probably feels personal because they are. Sindre wanted to express his thoughts about what is going on not only in his mind, but the world and his life in general. So it was intentional!
After decades of extreme metal, what still drives you to push faster, heavier, sharper?
Some people change when they get older and life happens. I would say my musical taste is a bit wider now that I’m getting closer to 50, but there’s still this passion for death metal that I actually think is even stronger now than in my 20’s. I know I can keep making even better songs and albums and when you have build a band for 30 years, it would be ridiculous to end it now. As long as I have fun and maintain my creativity, BRT will go on!
Touring everywhere from Wacken to Mongolia – any experiences that sneaked into the songs?
Exactly. Our pockets don’t say rock stars, but looking at our travels does. 2024 was just insane. We went to 25 countries. 3 tours. Asia, South America and Europe. We also played in Dubai and Iceland. And of course 70.000 Tons of Metal again in the Caribbean. And regarding Mongolia, we are the very first metal band from Norway to play there. So it’s all freakin’ cool. We get to see the world, play our music and have a party. What’s not to like! What always strike me, whether playing myself or watching other bands, is those heavy riffs with straight drum beat. You’ll notice right away the heads noddin’ and bad faces. I wanna make more riffs like that!
Life on the road can be brutal. How do you unwind when the amps are off?
We have a pretty good chemistry in the band. We stick together and go eating, partying, watching other bands play. If someone needs time alone, that’s ok too. After all these years, you become real experienced and you know the drill. It’s always good to come home, but after a few weeks, you wanna go touring again. There’s also plenty of time doing some thinking when you lay in your bunker, driving for hours to the next venue. I know Stian reads sometimes and of course you have your phone doing that scrollin’, haha.
Outside of music, what keeps you grounded – hobbies, routines, or just escaping?
Most guys in the band have jobs. Personally, I work a lot. I like to be economically independent one could say, hehe. Luckily, I love both my jobs, so it’s never a battle. I actually enjoy going to work! I also have a 3 year old home and the last 5 years I’ve been playing a lot of padel tennis. Before that it was football. It sounds strange, but I rarely play guitar. It can be weeks before I sit down. But when I do, I work hard and intense not quitting until I have finished a song. I also watch a lot of shows and series. There’s rarely a silent day.
Norway has a strong metal tradition. Does that seep into your daily life, or is it just music when you’re home?
I wear my metal shirts and listen to metal music almost every day. It’s just who I am. Nothing I try to be. But I have serious jobs and I train a lot. Metal music will always be important for me, but I have other things in life too. Norway is a small country and it’s pretty cool that we have world class bands in almost every metal genre!
With Siltskin dropping in December, what’s first on the road for you guys?
We just announced a big EU tour. 6 weeks together with Kataklysm and Vader in February/March. We also have some big festivals next summer. We constantly get offers and having a new album out will increase the offers as well. One of our goals is to play established festivals we’ve never played for some reason and also visit countries we haven’t played. We love being on the road, but we have decided to only play cool stuff and not small bars and unknown festivals. Been there, done that!
Where’s BRT heading next – musically, or just in general? Thank you for your time!
Our mindset is to take this band as far as possible. 12 albums and almost 30 years in the scene and we’re still an unknown band to many death metallers out there. We have a job to do. I will keep writing the best material and keep going with our energetic shows. We are the Kings of Norwegian Death Metal!
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