Interview: Kärv

The past few years, it seems as if there is an influx of newcomers to the underground black metal scene, specifically when it comes to quality underground artists. One such artist is Kärv out of Sweden, a raw black metal outfit that has hit the ground running at a rabid pace. With furious pace and heavy atmosphere, Kärv is quickly gaining the attention of fans of the genre, including myself.

Recently, I shared a brief review of the upcoming split between Duister Maanlicht and Kärv, which is set for release November 19. It’s fantastic. Trust me on that. One thing I noticed when listening to both artists was the maturity Kärv conjures, even though they’re a recent newcomer to the genre. Doing a split with a legendary act like Duister Maanlicht that has been at it for two decades can’t be an easy feat. Yet, Kärv was very impressive in their musical presentation, which simply isn’t seen frequently.

Thankfully, we were able to carve out some time (yes, pun intended) to get his thoughts on his music, his life, and what drives him as an artist. Enjoy!

First off, thanks so much for joining Blacforje for an interview! I absolutely love your work, so this is an honor!

Thank you so much for having me!

You’re from Sweden, correct? What part?

Yea, that’s right. I grew up in a small town in the mining belt of central Sweden but have been living on the South-East coast of Sweden for about ten years now.

Did you grow up in the black metal scene in Sweden? If so, what bands influenced you as both an artist and a person?

Not at all, actually. I grew up on Blues and Rock through my dad – BB King, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, and the like. Eventually I discovered folk and country music, both American and Swedish, and have been playing, listening to, and writing that pretty much ever since I learned to play the guitar.

The projects I’ve been involved in have pretty much exclusively been in folk music of different sorts. However, I guess I’ve always been drawn to the darker, more sorrowful, and serious expressions of both the kind of music I’ve been involved in and have listened to through the years. David Eugene Edwards deserves an honorary mention here because of the immense impact he’s had on me through pretty much all of his musical work. I guess through that I eventually drifted into rawer, more brutal expressions of the like. I don’t want to make too much of a blanket statement, but there has definitely been a disconnect between me and the traditional Black Metal “scene”, so to speak, because of what it has been historically connected with ideologically and spiritually, and I’ve always been careful with such matters since I believe in the absolute reality of both light and dark spiritual forces and don’t want to dabble in anything “above my pay grade”, so to speak.

Today that has changed, of course, and there are so many bands in the current (and historical) scene who draw thematically from vastly different sources than back then - both secular and Christian - and I’ve grown immensely fond of a lot of them. So, at this point, I definitely feel quite at home in the winding halls of extreme music, and it’s been a very interesting endeavor to explore in terms of sound, expression, and lyrical content.

So far, you’ve released one EP titled Abominations of The Canaanite. A split with Duister Maanlicht is set for release November 19. After getting started in 2021, you seem to be hitting a stride. Do you have plans for another EP or a full-length in the near future?

I started dabbling in heavier music some four years ago, to be honest, but it took me about 2 years to get good enough at it to actually produce something worth sharing with people. In the beginning it sounded absolutely awful, but eventually I guess I carved out some kind of sound and style that works with my limited technical skills. [laughs] But yeah, there’s more in the works for sure – a Kärv full-length is the plan.

As you know, I did a review on the upcoming split with Duister Maanlicht. It’s absolutely fantastic! What inspired the three tracks you added to the collaboration? Is there a backstory to the songs and the meanings behind the songs?

Thank you so much. Hans is such a great guy, both as a person and with the music he makes. It’s been a pleasure getting to know him and working with him - something which I hope to continue doing in the future, as well.

About the songs – I guess I wanted to present three slightly different aspects of Kärv, both in terms of lyrics and sound. They were written at different times, in different stages of my life, thought processes and studies (Biblical, historical, philosophical), which hopefully can be gleaned from the lyrics in some way.

“Unholy Prophet” is a very reactionary song; it really is. It was written in one fell sweep, so to speak. Lyrically it deals quite explicitly with my feelings towards certain spiritual traditions; the language is grim and direct, and the imagery is quite brutal, simply because the history of religion and spirituality is brutal in so many aspects. It doesn’t reflect my everyday sentiment towards these traditions, and not at all towards the people who follow them, but it’s a word carved in stone, a print of a conscious and ideological reaction to what I perceive as an Evil: deception and leading people astray into practices and beliefs detrimental to both humanity as a whole and to the individual.

“Justiciar Angel” is an apocalyptic song primarily about the exacting of divine judgment on all forces of evil. It draws heavily from the book of Revelation and other passages concerning the biblical End Times.

“Pillars of Salt” is at its core an introspection - a reflection on a person faced with the ever-growing number of cleverly designed temptations and vices this world has to offer, and the self-destroying consequences of continuously yielding to them, which ultimately is despair and death. It is truly a battle, and only through the power of God can one be victorious.

Your faith in Jesus is something we both share, which is obviously something that immediately resonated with me and your music. How has your faith influenced your music and you as a person?

Simply put, absolutely and completely. My walk with God and Christ is something that permeates every aspect of my life. I just wish I was better at it. But taking a step back, it has given my life a meaning and purpose that is far beyond what I could ever have imagined, and far beyond what I deserve, and thus my prayer is one of absolute gratitude.

In terms of my music, it’s pretty much the only thing I seem to be able to write about in one way or another and have for as long as I can remember (I have been seriously writing music for about 20 years now).

Christians in the black metal underground are increasing at a wonderful pace, which is great news for listeners like me who love the music and want a message that resonates with my soul. Of the Christian bands/artists who either disbanded or who are still making music, which ones have impressed you the most artistically?

I haven’t been around this scene for very long, you know, but speaking of the Christian bands I’m familiar with, Skald In Veum is probably the band that has had the greatest impact on me musically. They have a raw seriousness and directness about them that resonates with me on a deep level. Lyrically their stuff is exquisite. Hans of Duister Maanlicht is brilliant in all he does, and my friend Josam of Trebuchet (Who I’m sure you’re familiar with) writes some insanely good songs. I just wish he released more of them. [laughs]

But as I mentioned earlier, Wovenhand is probably the band that has had the greatest impact on me. DEE’s (David Eugene Edwards) music is unhinged, insane, profound, and lyrically very complex. I can’t get enough of it.

What can you tell readers about you as a person outside of music? Who are you and what are some of your favorite hobbies?

Most importantly, I have a wonderful wife who loves God and continuously helps me sort out the mess that is my mind, is my companion and best friend through life. I thank God for blessing me with her, and with parents who raised me in the Christian faith and helped me carve out my way both creatively and spiritually.

Apart from that, I love video games, Liverpool FC, and read and listen to too much philosophy for my own good (thus the mind problems mentioned above).

Last question: are Swedish fish actually Swedish? I’ve been dying to know the answer from a real Swede for a while now.

Oh, you mean Fish? [laughs]

You can follow Kärv on Bandcamp , Facebook, and Instagram.

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