DARKTHRONE guitarist and vocalist Ted 'Nocturno Culto' Skjellum has been making waves with his emerging heavy rock project AVRAK, which saw its live debut this past April in Norway.
In a new interview with Dev Gohil, Skjellum spoke about how the idea for AVRAK came about and how it differs from his work with DARKTHRONE.
Skjellum revealed that he had known Anders Hegna of NĂD for over a decade before they decided to collaborate on music.
The two musicians share some similarities in their musical tastes, but also have distinct differences in their approach.
The AVRAK album was recorded in February and is set for release this autumn.
Skjellum described the sound as "a bit more classic heavy metal, hard rock" with elements of doom and black metal.
He emphasized his fondness for the classic heavy metal scene of the 1980s, which he sees as distinct from its American counterpart.
In discussing AVRAK's musical direction, Skjellum noted that it blends two different styles, creating a unique sound.
The album was recorded in Chaka Khan Studios, Oslo, with production work conducted by Ole Ăvstedal and others.
Mastering was carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door and Maor Appelbaum Mastering.
The guitarist also touched on the differences between AVRAK's songwriting approach and that of his main band DARKTHRONE.
While both projects have their own distinct sound, Skjellum emphasized the unique elements of each project.
AVRAK has made its live debut this past April in Norway, backed by Terje KrÄbÞl (drums) and Stian KrÄbÞl (bass).
The group aims to play more live shows in the future.
The full length version of AVRAK's latest release features music that Skjellum describes as sounding chaotic.
He emphasized the importance of getting this sound right, which takes a lot of time and effort.
DARKTHRONE has been an influential force in the heavy metal scene since forming in 1986.
Their debut album 'Soulside Journey' set the benchmark for black metal in the early 1990s.