Sahg - Taking the influences in their own direction
Two times the Norwegian heavy rock band Sahg blew me away with their traditional yet innovative albums. After the second one I got curious about the guys behind the band, so I decided it was time for a mail interview. My questions were kindly answered by vocalist/guitarist Olav Iversen.
For those not familiar with Sahg, could you introduce yourselves to our readers?
For those not familiar with Sahg, could you introduce yourselves to our readers?
“We are Sahg, a Norwegian band which plays heavy music. We are labelled as a dark doom band with a lot of rock influences of the late 60s and 70s named as Black Sabbath, Pentagram and whatsoever. That’s basically us, hehe.”
Members of Sahg are also active in Manngard, Gorgoroth, I and Audrey Horne amongst others, is it hard to combine all these bands with Sahg?
“First of all, Sahg is not a project or whatsoever. We are a real band and all members have a 100% focus on this group. It’s probably hard to combine all the mentioned bands but we can also live with the fact to play with session members when it comes to the vacant situation on drums or the bass.”
The recordings for your second album, entitled II, didn’t go as smooth as one would like. Could you tell us what went down before II saw the light of day?
“It started already shortly after we first started recording, when the landlord came in and commanded us to leave the studio, because he was going to tear the whole eight floor building down, with immediate effect. So, we had to pack up and leave the studio where we had planned to record the entire album. It was pretty frustrating, because we had already spent more time than we had intended, due to technical mishaps in the studio. It took us quite a few weeks to book a new studio and continue recording. But we were still pursued by technical problems, which delayed us even more, and kept causing trouble all the way through the mixing of the album.”
You’ve already toured with Celtic Frost and now have plans to go on the road with Trouble, how did you get to this level of notoriety so soon?
“This upcoming tour means a lot. We get the chance to go around Europe so recently after the release of our new album, along with a headliner that we respect a lot. Our set will be a combination of material from both our albums, delivered with uncompromising attitude and fierce energy. We take a lot of pride in our live performances, and promise that no one will leave disappointed from any show on the tour!”
I was really disappointed when I saw that you guys weren’t gonna play with Trouble at the Roadburn festival, why is this and how do you feel about it yourselves?
“Our tour agency already said before that we can’t play this festival so we had to live with the fact. Sad but true!”
Even more important; when are you guys gonna play in Holland!?
“I don’t know yet. Hopefully soon! We work with a new booking agency right now and hopefully they offer us something soon.”
What drove you guys to go out and re-create the roots of rock once more, a concept that has been produced over and over again, yet still sensitive to original approaches?
“Seventies music is what we all grew up with and which inspired us to start playing music. So this was the sound that came out when we started writing songs. Black Sabbath I guess is one of our main common sources of inspiration. In one way or the other, every metal band in the world is influenced by Sabbath, but I think we have taken the influence in our own direction. Also a lot of other seventies doom-related bands have been of great inspiration, such as Led Zeppelin, Kiss and Pentagram. Some of the "newer" stoner/doom bands also need to be mentioned, such as Kyuss and Cathedral. But we find inspiration in all kinds of music and that's what makes Sahg stick out of the big mass and makes it interesting.”
Stupid question then, in movies, who do you prefer, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone? Motivation?
“I don’t know really? Probably Arnold Schwarzenegger???”
Will the Godless EP which you released prior to the first album see a reissue in some form some day?
“Probably? We really don’t know yet!”
Do you have anything else to add to this interview?
“Thanx a lot!!!!”