Terrorizer #194 March 2010

How many of you usually go right past this self-indulgent diatribe at the front of mag? And how many of you are sneaking your first peek at this column based entirely on your curiosity as to how Terrorizer can justify putting that[$itals] man on our cover.

Whatever you think of Varg Vikernes as a person, his contribution to early second wave black metal is undeniable. But that's not a story that needs telling, it's ingrained in our very being, and if you don't know, well Terrorizer's Secret History of…Black Metal is still available on the website (oh, shameless plug). The fact that albums like 'Hvis Lyset Tar Oss' and 'Filosofem' have become benchmarks for raw, cultish black metal also prove how far his influence has shaped the past fifteen years of extreme music. 

What Varg says, or does, outside of the recording process, however, is not something that Terrorizer wishes to endorse. But then this interview, which had been on the wishlist for me, personally, since becoming editor, was never going to be an exercise in paying lip service to a man who is unambiguous and remorseless  when it comes to politics. This interview was only ever about getting to the core of one of metal's most interesting characters and one of its most innovative and ground-breaking musicians. 

When he agreed to give Terrrorizer an in-depth and exclusive interview (done over a series of emails with James Minton, instead of just the one granted to other music magazines), we knew this would become one of those once-in-a-lifetime features, much like Ciaran Tracey's interview with Gaahl in July 2006. And yes, we fretted over it, should we do it, shouldn't we? Many late nights were spent discussing and debating the issue and this is the result of almost six months of constant to-ing and fro-ing – a legend-making and sensitive cover feature that is as much testament to Varg's wit and frankness as it is to James Minton's respect for the subject-matter. 

Louise Brown, editor