With nearly three decades of relentless presence in the global black metal scene, Tsjuder stand as one of the purest and most uncompromising forces of the genre. From day one, they have remained loyal to the raw, aggressive, and violent sound that defined them, never chasing trends or conforming to more accessible paths.
As they gear up for their long-awaited upcoming shows in Greece, RockOverdose spoke with Nag about the unique character of the Greek black metal scene, the philosophy that has kept the band alive all these years, and what fans should expect from a live performance that, as he promises, will be fully devoted to chaos and intensity.
Tsjuder:
- Bandcamp : https://tsjuder.bandcamp.com/music
- Soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/tsjudermusic
- Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TheTrueTsjuder
- Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/0sD9rwKo3qPBs32gi97FNn
- Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/officialtsjuder/
- Youtube : https://www.youtube.com/c/TsjuderTV
RockOverdose: Hello Nag and welcome to our page rockoverdose.gr. Regarding your upcoming shows in Greece, that will be your first time here, if I'm not mistaken. How do feel about that?
Nag (TSJUDER): Nice to meet you! It's about time. For sure. Yeah. I mean, Greece has a very special history with black metal or metal. So I'm very much looking forward to it. It's a long time since I've been in Greece, so it's going to be cool.
RockOverdose: Great. You mentioned as well the Greek black metal scene. How do you perceive the Greek black metal scene and what can fans expect from your upcoming shows here?
Nag (TSJUDER): Well, for the Greek metal scene, I mean, I grew up with Rotten Christ and, of course, as everyone else, I think about Greece, the sound is very different. It's a completely different atmosphere, which is unlike anything else, which I find very interesting and intriguing. So that's that. And regarding our show, I mean, people can expect that we will open the gates to hell, let loose and do every show we try to make the best show possible. So, yeah, I'm very much looking forward to it.
RockOverdose: We are looking forward to it. Well, it's been almost 30 years since you formed the band and your sound has remained consistent over the years. What do you think defines the essence of Tsjuder today?
Nag (TSJUDER): I think it's exactly the same as it was in 1993. So when we started the band, we wanted to play. Well, the thing was that we played in different other bands and we wanted at that time to play death metal in other bands. But it wasn't really death metal. It was just, you know, kids trying to cover songs and it never got to where me in the bands I played in and Drauglund where he played and also Berserk. It never got to the point that we wanted. So that's why we started Tsjuder because we wanted to make something which was much more brutal. And yeah, so we wanted to play the most brutal kind of black metal and we are sticking to that and it will never change.
RockOverdose: That's the spirit. Well, after so many decades in the black metal scene, what continues to drive you create and perform black metal?
Nag (TSJUDER): I think it's something within. I think we are old now. It's not going out in Oslo every night as we used to do in the 90s, early 2000s. We are absolutely not doing that at all. We are staying at home or somewhere at the mountain. And I think the passion for black metal, it's a flame burning inside us and it will probably never, never die. And it's also, of course, for me and Drauglund, which has been in the band since the very beginning, it's a friendship also. Yes, of course. It's a big part of our lives and it will remain like that.
RockOverdose: Do you think that black metal still carries this spirit it had in the early days or it has evolved into something else?
Nag (TSJUDER): I don't know. To be honest, I don't really care. I used to care. Like in the late 90s, we got all those symphonic so-called black metal stuff, which I very much hated. But after that, I don't care. People can do whatever they want. And I do whatever I want. And yeah, I care about myself and I care about my friends and the bands that I like. That's my main priority.
RockOverdose: Nice. Well, as an experienced musician and also as a member of the scene, what do you think is the biggest misconception, let's say, about black metal and the black metal scene in general?
Nag (TSJUDER): I don't know. That's actually the first time I've got that question. You know, many people think they are, for example, not true. It's all for the image. It has no substance. We are controversial, something like that. There's a lot of bands that I can point out and say that that's a circus with no substance at all. And there are bands with music I don't like at all, but which has the substance. I mean, they believe in what they do, but the music is shit. But yeah, I think the biggest misconception is probably that black metal is supposed to be for everyone. It's not. Black metal is this was never supposed to be a genre for the average guy. It's supposed to be for people who really live for the music and also the atmosphere and everything around it. That's at least my opinion.
RockOverdose: I agree. That's probably what I would say is the biggest misconception is that it's supposed to be for everyone. Well, you have played in club shows, in festivals. What does a live show mean to you and how do you approach smaller venues versus larger stages?
Nag (TSJUDER): To be completely honest, I think the smaller stages are definitely the best ones. That's really what I enjoy the most. That's when you get closer to the audience and that you feel that it's a show that you perform together with the audience. I mean, don't get me wrong, because I think it's also very nice to play, for example, Hellfest. It's a great festival. The stage is very big, so you feel you're much more alone. I mean, there's a barrier, which is like five meters to the audience, which kind of sucks. I like to play festivals like that as well, but I prefer small clubs with 200 people.
RockOverdose: Yeah, I agree. Some music genres are better in club shows because you are closer to the band. The band is closer to the audience, so the connection is so strong than in larger stages.
Nag (TSJUDER): Yes, I agree. I definitely agree. And that's why I prefer smaller club shows than festivals. I never go to festivals when we are not playing. I rarely go to shows also, but if there's any special bands, I will go to a show. But it's usually a small show.
RockOverdose: So about your shows here in Greece, have you prepared anything special in the set list? Any song, any cover, as always?
Nag (TSJUDER): Yeah, well, we usually play one cover. It's been like that forever, and it's a way of, you know, playing like a tribute to what we grew up with. So we have typically, I mean, we have played Bathory more or less for the last 30 years. And we also played, like when we played South America last time, we played Sepultura and we played Sarcófago before that. But yeah, there will be our cover. For Greece now, what's kind of special is that we're playing a longer set and we are trying to play some songs that we have never played live before.
RockOverdose: Oh, great. That's great.
Nag (TSJUDER): So yeah, nothing is decided for sure yet, but we are rehearsing songs that we have never played live. And that's also because we have Emil on drums now, and he's very passionate and he's looking into the old songs and like, I really want to play that song because we can change up a few things so we can do whatever and it will be extremely cool. So we are listening to him as a kind of newcomer to the band and yeah, so.
RockOverdose: Nice.
Nag (TSJUDER): I think it will be great.
RockOverdose: Sometimes new members in the band bring new ideas. You can update your set list, not get boring. That's nice for you. And it keeps you alive for a long time. Any plans for a new album or something special coming?
Nag (TSJUDER): No, we are not going to play any new songs. We are in the process of making new stuff, which we are always in the process of doing that. But right now it's riffs. I mean, I have tons of riffs, Drauglin has tons of riffs, and there's no complete song yet. So it's just a matter of time. What we need to do is sit down and like, OK, now we're going to make one song or five songs or whatever and just put the riffs together. But at this moment, we will just focus on individual riffs.
RockOverdose: Well, that's all I have prepared for this interview. Last but not least, you mentioned before Sepultura and Bathory. You know that Sepultura are retiring, let's say, from live shows. This will be their last tour and we are watching our favorite bands retiring or finishing because of deaths, etc., etc. Do you think that in the future we will have legendary bands like the bands we had before decades or the metal scene is, let's say, dying slowly?
Nag (TSJUDER): No, I think, first of all, when I speak about Sepultura, it's Cavalera. And for me, Sepultura, that's probably my favorite band. I mean, it's not the first thing I listen to, but it's what really got me into the more extreme music. And yeah, we also had the pleasure of meeting Igor. He came to one of our shows and just an amazing guy. But to answer your question, I think there will always be legendary bands. For example, my parents. So when I was listening to thrash metal in the late 80s, early 90s, my parents, they were like, oh, it's just it's just noise. It's shit. Because they grew up with, OK, they had Black Sabbath and all that stuff, but also ABBA. And it's what they grew up with. And they felt like this is music. What you are listening to is not. It's just noise. And that's what I can say also today, because in general, not only metal, but in general, I think the music today is shit. It's no soul. It's just like computer made. And recently, it's also artificial intelligence making the music, which yeah, but I'm starting to be old and gray and I probably don't know anything. My kids, they are just laughing at me. So I think it's difficult to answer the question for me. I don't think there will be a legendary band, but for the younger generation, it's probably some 15 years old kids rehearsing in the basement today, which will be legendary in 15 years. Let's wait. So there will always be. Yeah, I think that's so good. Good music will stay anyway.
RockOverdose: OK, nice to meet you now. I want to see you in Athens. And have a nice time. Take care. And we're waiting for you here in Greece.
Nag (TSJUDER): Thank you and we'll see you in Greece. Goodbye.
21/4 @ Black Temple, Athens / Temple Productions
opening act: Svartulven
TICKETS: https://cometogether.live/event/3488/tsjuder-norway-opening-act-svartulven-live-at-black-temple
22/4 @ Eightball, Thessaloniki / Krisis Productions
w// SAD & IGNOMINOUS
TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tsjuder-tickets-1631979989079?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
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