Mr. Bård G. "Faust" Eithun should need no introduction to those true fans of black metal and the extreme. Only a few years ago he joined Blood Tsunami a little while after their formation. With their new album "Thrash Metal," they provide all metal heads a reviving shock to what metal is all about. Faust is also known from his time with early days Emperor and other bands including Scum, Aborym, Zyklon, and Bomberos. Blood Tsunami and Aborym are his only current active endeavors. Join me as I talk to Faust on all that and along with how he get started with the drums, more on the band Blood Tsunami, and his defining moment. Time to get swept away by the blast behind Blood Tsunami... Metal Fanatix: Faust, thanks for taking sometime and answering some questions for us at MetalFanatix.com. It’s truly a privilege. Lets start… Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: No problemo. Let`s get kicking… Metal Fanatix: First off, what is the story about the name Faust? How did you get the name? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: A little by coincident, since I already knew about the Faust-myth, but the main reason was that I wanted to have a pseudonym that stuck out a little more from the crowd, not just taking something out from the Satanic Bible or Necronomicon. Anyway, I think the name is easily recognizable and it has its own aura to it. Metal Fanatix: How did you become interested in playing the drums? How long have you been playing drums? Have you had interest in any other instruments? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: The interest for drums goes as far back as I can remember. I always praised that instrument above everyone else. Mainly because of the energy, the responsibility of keeping the rhythm in the band and so on. I got my first drum kit when I was 10 years old, but obviously I had a break in playing between 1993-2003. Metal Fanatix: In your opinion, what is essential to be a remarkable metal drummer as yourself? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: The will to give it all, stability and most importantly; you got to take the pain of exhaustion with a smile on your lips. Sometimes it hurts so much when the stamina and energy is left, but you just need to make the drums keep going steadily. Metal Fanatix: Tell me about your drum kit! What do you like to use?
Metal Fanatix: On to Blood Tsunami…How did the formation of Blood Tsunami occur? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: The band started in 2004, I joined a year later. The founding member of the band is Pete, guitarist and singer and he had various members in the band before the line-up settled with him and me, then Dor on guitar as well and Bosse on bass. This line-up has proven to be stable and good. Metal Fanatix: Bård, the debut album for Blood Tsunami, “Thrash Metal,” is quite impressive. What did you set out to write when you guys started? Were those goals met? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Well, it is Pete who made all the music on the first album. As you can hear, he is truly a thrash fanatic and our goal was to take some of the 80ties thrash and put it into a modern framework. Metal Fanatix: Was there a specific approach or band that inspired you to write this album, in this particular manor? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Well, as said, Pete`s fascination for 80ties thrash was the sole approach behind the writing process. We do modernize our music a little but with a certain rock `n roll approach as well, since thrash can sometimes be a little static. Metal Fanatix: How did you write such a brilliant record so early in the band’s existence? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Well, I am glad you like it. It is ok for a debut but there are numerous things that will be improved by the next one. We can`t wait to get started on that one. Metal Fanatix: “Infernal Final Carnage” and “Godbeater” are probably my favorite tracks on your album “Thrash Metal.” It’s really hard to pick because everything else excellent as well. Do you have any favorites? What are they? Any reason why? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Probably “Evil Unleashed” since it is so hard, short and straight in your face. But I really like “Godbeater” as well, although that is a kind of song that sticks out from the type of music we really do.
Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Well, the song was meant to be shorter and with vocals, but as we rehearsed on it, and put onto more and more riffs it became evident that the songs worked well as an instrumental but hey, at one point I had to tell Pete stop making riffs, because it became more than enough after a while really. Metal Fanatix: “Thrash Metal” was recorded at Lion Heart Studio in Oslo. What was the main reason why you chose it? How did that go? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Simply because we had previsouly recorded our demo there and we could get the recording for a relatively cheap price so that was what mad us go for that studio. Will probably use another one next time though. Metal Fanatix: Do you guys play any pranks on each other in the studio? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Not really, just getting down to business and trying to nail the stuff. Metal Fanatix: How did the idea of the cover artwork come about for the album? It reminds me somewhat of a couple Manowar covers. Was that in mind when it was created? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Yeah, well, hehe, we did not really have Manowar in our thoughts, but we wanted to bring the painting as such back into the cover artwork, bearing in mind especially the covers of Deathrow`s “Raging Steel” and Kreator`s “Pleasure to Kill.” Metal Fanatix: Bård, you have played in many great bands over the years. What would you say is your defining moment?
Metal Fanatix: Like many metal musicians from Scandinavia, you are involved in multiple bands and projects. How many bands are you currently involved in? Do you have one that you consider as your top project, or one that you put your most effort into? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Well, only Blood Tsunami and Aborym these days, and Blood Tsunami being the number one priority, since that is the band taking up most of my time. Scum is put on ice and I quit Bomberos a long time ago. Too many bands create quantity over quality and since I have a family, job etc, I need to prioritize. Metal Fanatix: As true metal fans know, you were in Emperor…quite a few years ago now. Looking back, what is your most memorable instance of your time with the band? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Difficult to say, but witnessing the band rising, from a demo band to getting a deal with Candlelight, recording the mini-album and then the full length…Everything happened so fast so it is difficult to pin point. Everything was a lot more idealistic back then, we all loved to rehearse and work with the band, nothing was more important than that back then. Metal Fanatix: What are you more fearful of, life or death? Why? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Dunno, I don`t really fear any of those. There is a time and place for everything, isn`t it? Metal Fanatix: Bård, what’s your opinion corpse paint? Still cool or repetitive trend? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: A little bit retro and it wouldn`t be anything for me anymore but I have no problem with other using it. Metal Fanatix: What do you prefer, beer, liquor, or mead? Something else?
Metal Fanatix: What do you do in your spare time? In other words, what do you enjoy to do on a lazy day? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Not much, I still work out regularly and I rehearse twice a week. I just got a son and that takes a lot of my time and I normally work long days as well, so there is really enough to fill my time with. Metal Fanatix: Faust, I have one final question for you. Do you have any famous last words for the Metal Fanatix of the world? Bård G. "Faust" Eithun: Thanks for your interview. Support your local metal scene and stay true. Metal Fanatix: Thanks for your time, much appreciated! To keep up with all the latest news & much more on Faust & any of the bands he works with check out the following websites: http://www.bard-faust.com/ - Official Bård G. "Faust" Eithun Site http://www.bloodtsunami.com/ - Official Blood Tsunami Site http://www.myspace.com/bloodtsunami - Blood Tsunami MySpace Site http://www.aborym.net/ - Official Aborym Site © Jeffrey D. Adkins August, September 2007 Not to be re-printed in any form without written permission. |
