Satyricon have released a 56-minute composition entitled Satyricon & Munch, which ties in with an exhibition of the long-dead painter’s art.
Edvard Munch, who died in 1944, is best known for his disturbing piece The Scream. It’s often regarded as an image that best defines the modern concept of angst.
Mastermind Satyr is closely involved in the exhibition at the Munch museum in Oslo, and aimed to deliver “an unusual fusion of music and visual art,” with the music “specifically to be experienced” while surrounded by the artist’s paintings.
“I deeply appreciate his emphasis on feeling over technique, his will to experiment and his determination to walk his own way,” Satyr said. “Of course, these are also core values to Satyricon, which in this particular case becomes even more important.
“To create the layers of emotion and atmosphere that we aspired to, the instrumentation needed to be rich in diversity. That is why we have a wide range of old-school analog synthesizers, electric guitar, baritone guitar, bass guitar, drums, theremin, cello, viola, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, jouhikko, Hardanger fiddle, grand piano, to name some.
“It has been important to us to break away from formatted approaches and focus strictly on what this project needs.”
He accepted that the “format is unlike anything you’ve ever heard from Satyricon” but argued: “Black metal’s true nature is being limitless. We encourage everyone to refrain from trying to label the music and just accept that there is no need to. It is certainly not film music, it is not ambient and it is not something you have to make up a word for. It is Satyricon.”
Satyricon & Munch is available in digital formats from Napalm Records, with a physical release to follow. The exhibition runs until August 28.
