Back in August, we told you about how Gaahl - the controversial Trelldom vocalist and former front-man for Norwegian black metallers Gorgoroth - had retired from metal. This news came after a spree of Internet reports talking about Gaahl (Kristian Espedal, to his folks) hanging around a fashion-designer set, coming out of the closet and being immersed in legal turmoil over the rights of the Gorgoroth name, so, really, it wasn't too much of a shock.
But the man has now outdone himself by announcing a bit of a coda on his cvlt career: he will be participating in what is being called the first-ever black metal musical.
According to Blabbermouth, Gaahl has been cast in Svartediket, which is based on the concept album of the same name. The album was inspired by lake Svartediket's legends and myths, which are pretty black. And, blacker than black, the lake is located just outside Norwegian black metal hotspot Bergen.
Now, even apart from a ton of black metal dudes scoffing at him, Gaahl has been the centre of some controversy here. Due to his relentless and outspoken Satanism and support of church burnings, and the fact that the festival the musical is to debut at is partially funded by the Norwegian state, some are questioning if he should be involved, including Halvor Nordhaug, the Lutheran bishop in the diocese of Bjørgvin.
But we suspect that Gaahl's recent interview with the Bergen Tidende paper should, uh, put everyone at ease. According to Blabbermouth, he told the paper, among other things, that "the symbolic value of burning down churches is important."
The musical is scheduled to open on May 26 at Festspillene i Bergen, a music and culture fest. What exactly Gaahl will be doing in the play remains to be seen, but we can only hope it involves singing about the dark lord while prancing around the stage in black metal makeup.
And we haven't even started with the Glee jokes...
But the man has now outdone himself by announcing a bit of a coda on his cvlt career: he will be participating in what is being called the first-ever black metal musical.
According to Blabbermouth, Gaahl has been cast in Svartediket, which is based on the concept album of the same name. The album was inspired by lake Svartediket's legends and myths, which are pretty black. And, blacker than black, the lake is located just outside Norwegian black metal hotspot Bergen.
Now, even apart from a ton of black metal dudes scoffing at him, Gaahl has been the centre of some controversy here. Due to his relentless and outspoken Satanism and support of church burnings, and the fact that the festival the musical is to debut at is partially funded by the Norwegian state, some are questioning if he should be involved, including Halvor Nordhaug, the Lutheran bishop in the diocese of Bjørgvin.
But we suspect that Gaahl's recent interview with the Bergen Tidende paper should, uh, put everyone at ease. According to Blabbermouth, he told the paper, among other things, that "the symbolic value of burning down churches is important."
The musical is scheduled to open on May 26 at Festspillene i Bergen, a music and culture fest. What exactly Gaahl will be doing in the play remains to be seen, but we can only hope it involves singing about the dark lord while prancing around the stage in black metal makeup.
And we haven't even started with the Glee jokes...