Bands are more willing to take risks and we don't need this big label over us anymore telling us what it means to sell records and get into magazines.

Before the 90s, black metal wasn't a selling tool [and didn't] have money behind it. Then it became a pop sensation. Now that the record industry has collapsed and started to rot, things are livening up a bit again.

People are appreciating the old stuff again and there's no MTV-style scene police to try to make us all listen to Machine Head and Pantera *puke*!

I do try to pay attention to new bands and what's happening within the scene. I try to make sure I give everything a listen - even if I loathe it.

I think there was a brief period where Norwegian bands were evolving and that was an interesting time where it seemed like a band like Darkthrone was stuck in the midst of a lot of change and seemed a bit redundant.

There are many ways to portray darkness and evil and it isn't all in being mean and tough.

Basically every song on modern metal albums follows a formula and you get that formula in between one to three tracks.