Katla Interview

A lot of people like the Sludge/Doom genre, which is the closest to Katla’s music. You guys are extremely talented and with a “cool label” behind you, I think you have a great future! How do you guys see the current situation? How far have you ventured into your fantasies about the rise of the band? Can it happen in reality?

Katla: We are super excited about the current situation. We feel like we are on the right path and so far Napalm Records has been really cool about the whole process leading up to the release about Scandinavian Pain. And of course, we are aiming for total world domination! 😉

You’re a Danish band, you were formed with 3 members and your lineup are still the same, but there was a member change a few years ago. Previously you released 3 EPs and other releases. Concerts have been great, and you have already gained plenty of recognition as a “beginner” band. Please continue, what else is worth knowing about Katla?

Katla: We’re aiming to be the biggest underground band in the world, of course. Besides that it’s worth knowing that we enjoy craft beers, video games and going to shows. Almost sounds like an add on a dating site. To us there is no difference between standing on the stage or being in the crowd. It’s all about the music and the community.

What catches me about the music is that you managed to take a unique approach to the songs. It’s not just sludge, we can feel the Devil’s present! Evil effervescence from hell! How far do you consider the distance between Black Metal and Katla? What other genres would you mention in relation to your music?

Katla: Zero to none. Being born and raised in Scandinavia we’ve been exposed plenty to the black metal that this region has produced, but we don’t consider ourselves a black metal band. However, we do get inspiration from the genre, as well as punk, hardcore and rock and roll.

So, the great Napalm Records will release your debut album “Scandinavian Pain” on March 21st with a well-done cover featuring a stray demon dog. How did you get to the English writer Dr. Samuel Johnson apropos of the cover? How does the cover relate to the songs on “Scandinavian Pain”?

Katla: We really liked the duality in the concept of the black dog with it both being as Dr. Johnson intended, the symbol of bad omens. But also, as used by Winston Churchill in a more popular sense as a symbol of depression.

The songwriting process now had been done with a different line-up. In what direction has Katla changed a little? What did Theis Stenberg Thorgersen offer you that made you include him in the band?

Katla: The new album is a natural evolution of the Katla sound and with the addition of Theis, the energy of the band blossomed and kick started the creative process that resulted in the nine songs that are on Scandinavian Pain. And the reason we chose Theis to join the band after the old bassist David left, is because we had the pleasure of having Theis along as a stand in for two shows and it felt like a natural choice after David announced his retirement.

You made 2 videos for the album “Scandinavian Pain”. For a song with a dark and ominous atmosphere, there are quite funny scenes in the Taurus video, which also features Ole Luk, who might know from the band Afsky. What would you tell me about that?

Katla: Even though we deal with very serious subjects that can either be touching or have an emotional impact on the listener, we still wanna keep our very positive outlook on life and invite people into the world of Katla and show that not everything is miserable. And in a world of terror and hate you can still love, happiness and scooters.
And the Ole thing, he is a great friend of the band and it only made sense to have him be on this song.

Please tell us something about every song on the album.

Katla: Ok. This one we decided to make a dogme. We are going to give you three words per song.

Track number 1: Live, love, Satan
Track number 2: Hail the Sun
Track number 3: House of Pain
Track number 4: Brutal Truth
Track number 5: All hail scooters
Track number 6: This is important
Track number 7: Embrace the shadow
Track number 8: You’re not worthless
Track number 9: May the sun always shine on your enemies and may your ass always itch and your arms be too short!

What festivals can you play at in the summer? Which live performance has been the most memorable for you so far? Have you seen a bigger increase of Katla fans at the concerts 🙂 ?

Katla: We have Mystic Festival in Poland and Rage against Racism in Germany at the moment and then our booker is working on some stuff that hasn’t been confirmed yet, but all in all we are looking at a great 2025 concert-wise. Of the most memorable performances that has to be the gig at Copenhell. Playing a show at 1 in the morning in a little forreste with almost too much pyro and a packed crowd. That was just insane. In Denmark we have a very supportive and dedicated following, but getting to travel Europe and play in a new town in front of a new crowd trying to win them over, that it’s a very rewarding thing. I don’t know if we have seen an increase in attendees, but we have been lucky enough to have played some cities in Germany several times have had people coming back to see us play after having discovered us as an opening act at a previous show. That it heartwarming!

What is worth knowing about the previously released 2-part EP “Warmongering Luciferians”?

Katla: They helped pave the way for where the band is today and the fact that Scandinavian Pain will be released on the 21st of this month.

The new album is definitely a more polished and better all-round collection of songs, but the early EPs are not to be underestimated. Your next album must have be even more interesting and exciting certainly. Have you thought about the next release and what Katla’s songs will be like in the future?

Katla: We haven’t gone that far into the future yet. We still need to release this album before looking into the next release 😉 But one thing is sure, we will keep having an open mind and a no-rules approach to the making of Katla music in the future. It will still be heavy for sure, but only time will tell.

I will follow the band with great interest in the future! Thank you for your answers! Please say hello to the fans!

Katla: Thanks for having us and thinking time to do this interview! We hope that you enjoy our new album and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for Katla coming to Hungary one day! Love and Satan!

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