I can't really remember how I came across this band, but I do however remember that I was instantly hooked on its ferocious intensity. Arse-shredding viking/black metal.
We did the interview by e-mail between the 2nd and 13th of June.

Hey there Ymer, as I suppose you�d like to be called on this occasion, hehe. Anyway, I hope everything�s fine with you, but let�s get on with the interview. Just present the band to the readers, not a full biography, but more of a small explanation to whom you are and what it is that you�re doing.
Hello there! Well, I am the creator behind Rimthurs. The music can be described as fast, melodic Black-metal in the Scandinavian vein and all lyrics are written in Swedish dealing with death, chaos and old Nordic myth.

You started the band sometime around �95, if I�ve been informed correctly. And in �98 you recorded your first demo, but you never released it, how come? I mean, you made a cover and such for it� So why didn�t you release it?
I started playing guitar in -95, but I think you can say the idea that became Rimthurs came to me around -96. I didn�t release that first recording simply because the sound is awful... It was recorded with an old 4-track porta and I didn�t have much experience in recording so the result wasn�t very good at all. But I suppose the sound is very "True", hehe..... Nonetheless, it will probably never be released!

Oh, so now it�s �probably� never be released. In the past it�s been more like never ever. Got a soft spot for the stuff, hehe? And yeah, why is it that what�s considered �true� and �kvlt� has the worst fucking sound ever?
Hehe, well, it is still the first material I ever recorded, and so I have learned that you never should say never.... But it need to be something really special if it ever should be released! About sound and so on, I really enjoy music that�s not perfect in sound, it add very much atmosphere (if the music itself is good and if it�s done the right way, that is...), but there are so many bands out there that do some real fucking crap-recording with awful music and sound believing that that by itself will make the music "true" and evil and what the fuck ever....

In 2003 the first actual release of Rimthurs saw the light of day. What was the response like from the press/audience? Were the reactions of the magnitude that you expected?
The response from everywhere was overwhelming! I never expected such commotion about it, but it was very satisfactory that people liked it that much. I don�t think I got one bad review from it, so it was way more than I thought!

Your latest demo, Ur Kaos, was released in 2005, and will be re-released this year as a MCD by the Spanish label Temple of Darkness. But from what I understand the demo has 10 songs, but the re-release will only contain 5. What�s the dealio?
Well, I recorded 10 songs, five new ones (Well, one cover..) and 5 re-recorded from the first demo. The plan I had was to release it as a fullength, but it never happened so therefore I shortened it and started sending out to various zines and labels as a demo instead. I thought it was unnecessary to send out the old songs once more....We�ll see if I get any use of those, might be they�ll be released or something in the future....

You had another label that were supposed to release the entire thing, all 10 songs. But for some reason you lost contact with him, have you gotten an explanation to the whole situation?
No, I don�t know what happened to that one! I suppose he died or something, he stopped responding to the mail I sent him too. But I didn�t lose anything from it, I hadn�t paid him or signed anything so no harm done. Nevermind, it just lead me to a way better situation!

How did you get in touch with Temple of Darkness? And what made you decide to accept their offer?
It was the owner who sent me a mail and wanted to hear more, I think he had checked me out at download.com and liked it. I sent the demo and just days after he got back with an offer for a contract! I accepted it because the label seems to be very serious about the whole thing, and I felt this was exactly what I needed for Rimthurs.

How do you think people will respond to Ur Kaos when it�s released as an actual CD? I suppose it�ll reach way more people than when it was a demo�
We�ll just have to wait and see, it will be really fun to see the response from people!

Will we be seeing any merchandise when the CD�s out?
There is nothing said about that yet, but I would like to get some shirts out at least! Maybe I�ll fix that myself, if I would have the money someday.... Else wise there isn�t that much I would like to put the Rimthurs-logo on.

You�re also supposed to release a fullength through the same label, right? When can we expect that one to see the light of day?
I have absolutely no idea, but I aim to get it recorded sometime during this coming fall or winter. So maybe sometime around spring 2007! We�ll just have to wait and see what happens....

Rimthurs is a one-man band, but I know you�ve played with the thought of expanding the ranks. Can we expect Rimthurs to get a full line-up and maybe do some gigs?
Yes, that�s right. I have been thinking, the hard thing is to get hold of a Drummer capable of playing that isn�t already tied up with a 1000 other bands.... Guitarists I believe grows on trees, drummers are way harder to get your hands on. But it would be great to have full line-up and be able to play live!

Well you�re a drummer, why not take control of the drums yourself? There are bands where the drummer is also the vocalist, like M�negarm � one of the greatest Viking bands in my opinion!
Because it is so damn hard doing it live! And as I am the composer of all music and lyrics, I really want to stand in front line doing it, it wouldn�t feel right if I left all guitars to other people......

The project�s been around for about 10 years now, but since it�s not until the last few years recordings have popped up I was wondering how the sound of the band has changed over the years? Or is it still pretty much the original idea?
Hm, I don�t write very fast so four of the songs from the first demo is amongst the first I ever wrote.... I also had some very unproductive years when all energy was put in Necrocide. But I suppose I�ve gotten a bit better at playing and that of course put its mark on the music. I try to keep to the original idea of Rimthurs, fast and melodic yet aggressive, and trying not to be very complicated. The new material is still pretty much straight forward Black-metal!

You�re also involved in a number (at least two) of other bands; Undivine and Necrocide. But if my memory serves me right Necrocide is on hold, or maybe even on permanent hold. But nonetheless, how do you work out the time between your bands and your personal life?
As you say Necrocide is put to the eternal rest. But I play with one of the old guitarists now in his old project formerly known as Zweihander, which is not very easily described music. We recorded a demo (check out at download.com/zweihander) that never got very much spread and are now working on a new one that will sound not very much like the first. We are going to try to record the new demo this autumn. The new stuff is very unique music, melodic and fast but neither death- nor black-metal. It must be heard.... Undivine are also writing for an upcoming fullength, we have been contacted by a couple of labels but nothing is signed. We plan to record on our own and then release by whatever label that give us the best deal! Keep an eye at www.undivine.se for updates! My personal life pretty much consists of music, and so I have a job to pass the rest of the time....

Well, so what do you hope/think will come out of Rimthurs in the future?
At the moment I�m writing for the fullength record, trying to get all pieces together. After that I don�t really know, I take it one bit at the time! Some more records, full line-up, doing some concerts....

You know, I can�t say I have any serious questions left, so on to the standard ones.
Latest record you bought?
Hm, last record I bought was "Rainbow on stage" on double vinyl, really great stuff.

Latest record you listened to?
As I�m answering these questions I�m listening to Old Wainds, have to get some cd�s with those guys!!

Latest book you read?
The book I�m reading at the moment is "A feast for crows", the latest in George RR Martin�s series "Songs of ice and fire".

Latest show you went to?
Latest show was Gadget�s release party at Monster here in G�vle, before that I was in Stockholm for the Close-Up festival.

Crappiest record you�ve bought?
Crappiest record, haha..... I don�t use to buy bad records, but I have done some chances with vinyl and bought some not so good albums.... Otherwise I don�t have anything that isn�t good in my collection!

In case you�d ever commit suicide, how�d you do it?
I suspect this is the most standard, but I would shoot myself in the head. Probably the best way of doing it!

That�s it. Thanks a lot for your time. I wish you all the best for the future, and I hope I�ll be seeing you live some day! Anything else you�d like to say that I might have missed to ask?
Nah, don�t think so! Keep an eye at rimthurs.se for more news on the band! Also check out templeofdarknessrecords.com for some news and good music! Thanks for the interview!



For a closer look at Rimthurs' discography please click here