Arckanum interview

Hi! Motestandarin is presented as the beginning of Arckanum's "third phase". That immediately raises the question: how do you define the first and second phases in retrospect?

- That’s simply how I view the different eras of Arckanum. The first phase consists of the first three albums. After taking some time off to focus on my magical practices and esoteric studies, the second phase began with Antikosmos and concluded with Den Förstfödde. Recently, a similar pause and shift in focus became necessary, making the new album, Beswærilsin, the beginning of Arckanum's third phase.

The promo makes clear this is "neither return nor repetition". After more than thirty years of Arckanum, how do you distinguish spiritual continuity from stagnation?

- If you do not evolve on both a spiritual and mundane level, you risk stagnation, and for me, that is simply not an option. It goes against my very nature. I have always seen myself as a tireless messenger for those of the Outside, and that work never truly ends, neither in this life nor the next. Whether expressed through ritual, music, or the written word, my role in the Great Work continues until Ragnarök and the return to Ginnungagap.

Over the years, I have kindled a flame within my Self that cannot be extinguished, a spiritual, Thursian flame that continually fuels me with inspiration, motivation, ambition, and aspiration. It is this inner fire that drives me forward and compels me to keep creating, exploring, and evolving.

You describe this phase as emerging from "a deeper stratum of the Thursian current". What has changed in your understanding of that current since the earliest Arckanum works?

- The reality of my understanding and practice today exists on a completely different plane than when I began in the 1990s. Thirty years of unwavering dedication to the Thursian Path have served as a crucible, shaping me into a wiser and more formidable version of myself. The spiritual awakening and heightened perspective earned through that journey now infuse everything I create, lending a deeper purpose and clarity to every piece of work I produce.

Does deeper knowledge make the work more dangerous - or more controlled?

- The way I see it, any serious pursuit demanded by this path requires deep reverence and an understanding of a simple truth: the deeper you venture, the greater the risks become. Still, mastery is not attained overnight; it is forged through years of experience, discipline, and perseverance. As wisdom grows, confusion gives way to clarity, allowing for a deeper understanding of the forces at work and a steadier hand in navigating them.

So, to walk the path of a Thursian warrior and align oneself with anti-cosmic currents is not an easy undertaking. It is a demanding and often hostile path, one that ultimately calls for steadfast conviction and the courage to confront what lies beyond the ordinary.

Arckanum has always been tied to anti-cosmic philosophy, but many listeners inevitably reduce that to aesthetic or lyrical posture. Does that misunderstanding matter to you anymore?

No, it does not matter to me. My work with Arckanum has never been a performance tailored for public validation or entertainment, that’s why I don’t play live shows. The anti-cosmic philosophy and Thursian path are my life’s blood, not a theatrical concept. It is completely natural for people to engage with music on different levels, and I accept that many will only see the surface aesthetics. However, my focus remains strictly on the forces I serve and the dedicated individuals who connect with the deeper current. The true value of the work is independent of external interpretation.

The idea that the past is "reawakened as a living anti-cosmic force" is compelling. Is memory itself a ritual tool in this process?

- Absolutely. Memory is not merely a passive recollection of the past; it can also serve as a powerful ritual catalyst. Within our Spiritual Blood and consciousness reside echoes of the Ginnic Will and Purpose, along with traces of the Thursian Forces that existed long before the ordering of the cosmos. By consciously engaging with these deep currents and spiritual memories, we strengthen our connection to them and invite their presence into our lived reality.

In this sense, Utgardian memory becomes a bridge through which these timeless, anti-cosmic currents are carried into the present. Through remembrance, reflection, and ritual practice, they are given renewed momentum, further kindling the eternal Black Flame within this world.

There's a nine-year gap between the last full-length and Beswærilsin. Was silence necessary for this next manifestation, or was it simply the natural rhythm of your workings?

- Yes, it is the natural rhythm of my creative and spiritual workings. Silence from music does not mean an absence of work. When I am not composing, I am usually focused on writing new books or immersed in ritual duties and spiritual workings.

I require time to gather inspiration and deepen my understanding, and even more time to internalize and refine what those experiences reveal. What may have seemed like a pause was, in reality, a deliberate gathering of momentum across all facets of my practice, preparing the ground for what would eventually emerge.

Did the absence of Arckanum in recorded form change the current in any way?

- Definitely. The time away gave me the space to step back and find new ways of writing music, which was a big shift from how I used to work. I ended up developing a new formula that turned out to be really effective. It makes the new material more eclectic and diverse, but at the end of the day, it still sits perfectly within the Arckanum realm.

You already have two additional albums written. That suggests this third phase isn't simply an album cycle, but something larger. Is this a single unfolding current divided into parts?

- It is very much a single, unfolding current. Over the years, I have composed more than thirty new song foundations, though each one requires its own time to mature, evolve, and be fully realized.

My process begins with creating a musical foundation, building riffs that capture the precise atmosphere I am seeking. From there, I gradually provide each composition with a specific spiritual purpose. During Þursablót, I seek the guidance of the Thurses, receiving direction through runic divination, spiritual inspiration, and the insights that emerge along the way. I then continue shaping the music until it reflects the lyrics as close as possible, as the lyrical aspect has always remained the true core of the work.

At present, this vision extends across a trilogy of albums that are deeply interconnected. For now, my task is simply to continue manifesting the 128-Current and follow where it leads, until the time comes to be guided toward the next.

Arckanum has existed through nearly every mutation of black metal - second wave, orthodoxy, post-black, modern abstraction. Do you still feel connected to black metal as a genre, or has it become merely the vessel?

- In my eyes, Arckanum is black metal, or perhaps more accurately, Thursian metal, a soundtrack to Ragnarök, but people are free to describe it however they wish. Labels have never been particularly important to me.

My personal taste in music is quite diverse, ranging from classical music to metal, from both the past and the present. I have never felt the need to limit myself to specific genres. For me, what matters is whether the music carries a genuine soul and has the ability to inspire. If it does, then it holds value.

Arckanum simply draws upon whatever sonic elements are needed to serve the work and convey its intended spirit.

When a project reaches legendary status, there's always the danger of becoming one's own monument. How do you avoid reverence calcifying the fire?

- To allow past achievements to diminish your drive is, in my view, a form of spiritual laziness. I have never been interested in living in the shadow of my own history. Each time I stand before my altars or begin a new musical chapter, I try to approach the work with the same hunger and wrathful fire that first set me on this left-handed path.

Experience teaches that a legacy can become a burden if you become too attached to it. The way I avoid that is by continuing to sharpen my spiritual blade, Wilianz Kniwer. Whether through anti-cosmic spiritual workings, writing, or creating new musical foundations, I remain committed to moving forward rather than looking back.

The 7" format for Motestandarin feels deliberate - limited, physical, ritualistic. Does the format itself still matter in how this material should be experienced?

- The choice of format was entirely deliberate, but not because it holds any rigid spiritual requirement for the listener. At the end of the day, both myself and Denny at DSR simply share a deep, long-standing fondness for vinyl. There is an organic quality to a physical record that digital formats can never replicate. While the music remains the core vessel regardless of how you hear it, vinyl forces you to slow down and actually engage with the art. It creates a focused, deliberate listening experience that aligns perfectly with the atmosphere of Arckanum.

The number 218 on the vinyl pressing is not accidental to those who know. Was this chosen purely symbolically, or as an operative gesture?

- The inclusion of the number 218 is entirely intentional and rooted in our sacred practices. Within our tradition, 218 is far more than a symbolic figure; it represents the foundational anti-cosmic current with which we seek alignment. That current is expressed within the Thursatru Tradition through a specific emanation: 128.

Through our holy Thursian Serpentine Runerow, the number 128 is both numerologically and spiritually connected to numerous aspects of Thursatru, including the foremost Thurses of our path, Loki and Gullveig. It corresponds to the numerical value of several ancient and esoteric names of Loki, such as Hveðrungr, Firnaslægr, Múspells-Loki, Valþurs, and Fornvargr, affirming His role as a central Thursian torchbearer within the tradition. Likewise, it is connected to Gullveig through Her realm of Járnviðr and Her esoteric titles, including Ginndróttning and Þursvölva.

For this reason, the use of these numbers on the pressing is a deliberate act of spiritual alignment with the Ragnarokian and anti-yggdrasilian forces to which we dedicate our work. Beyond their symbolic value, they also serve as focal points for spiritual communication, contemplation, and divination. To those who walk this path, they can be understood as Utgardian signs of presence, guidance, and blessing upon the work itself.

Across decades, Arckanum has always retained a very distinct identity despite evolving sonically. What element has remained absolutely untouchable from 1992 until now?

- The lawless, rebellious Thursian Black Fire within me. It remains completely inviolable. With every step I take in the footsteps of the Thurses toward Ragnarök, that Muspellic Fire only grows stronger and more formidable.

Is there an Arckanum recording you feel listeners have consistently misunderstood?

- No, not at all. If there are shortcomings on certain albums, it is not a matter of the audience misunderstanding them. Rather, there are releases where I wish I had pushed myself harder or chosen a superior studio to capture the material. But that responsibility rests entirely on me, not the listeners.

The Swedish black metal lineage is vast, but Arckanum always stood apart from the orthodox coldness of many contemporaries. Did you feel isolated within that lineage, even in the beginning?

- I have always walked my own path. From the very beginning, I answered a distinct calling, and it is that spiritual path I have followed rather than any particular trend or shifting musical fashion. My aim has always been to create music that mirrors the visions I receive through ritual workings and my lifestyle, and it is that dedication which has shaped the unique identity of Arckanum.

As a result, I have often chosen to remain somewhat removed from the mainstream scene, preferring to focus on the work itself and where the path leads me.

Can anti-cosmic philosophy still carry genuine danger in an age where occult language has been commodified and emptied by the scene?

- Absolutely. There is a vast gulf between genuine devotion and mere performance. Real magical practice and authentic belief interact directly with the active currents and fundamental forces that govern this universe, whether one perceives them through the lens of science as core mechanics, or through religion as gods. When our Thursian workings manifest change in accordance with our Will and the intent of the Spirits, we achieve something entirely unstoppable. Similarly, using occult language secularly reduces it to a hollow aesthetic; it carries zero spiritual mass and exerts no impact on reality. It is a fundamental law of the anti-cosmic craft that you cannot wield the Will if your intent lacks absolute substance and truth.

When you say "experience" and "endurance" forged this phase, do you mean musical experience - or life itself as initiation?

- I am speaking of my lifelong journey as a Thursatruar. Every hardship endured, every insight gained, and every year spent walking the Ragnarokian Path has left its mark upon my Self, deepening my understanding and reshaping my perspective.

That process of growth and transformation naturally influences every aspect of my life and spirit. It is from those experiences, accumulated over decades of spiritual work and personal striving, that my music and writings emerge. The music is not simply composed; it is born from the path I have lived and the person I have become through walking it.

If Motestandarin is only the threshold, what exactly is being crossed?

- The threshold of the opened Utgardian gates. By crossing it, we transition from preparation to sworn oaths and begin treading the final path to Ragnarök.

Hel 128!

Hel Þursamæghin!

https://www.facebook.com/Arckanum.Official