Öld Black: A black and roll band built for the stage
- Noire Lemag
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
NOIRE: Hi Old Black, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
ÖLD : Hey there! If we were to recap everything from the start, it would take a while, so to keep it brief: Öld Black has been around since 2006. We play black metal that’s old-school first and foremost, but above all, it’s super rock 'n' roll!
We’re based in Haute-Marne, out in the middle of nowhere, well, it’s the gang’s HQ, so to speak. We’re not here to overcomplicate things; we deliver raw, underground black 'n' roll. Öld Black is, first and foremost, a band built for the stage, even if the scene in this sad country might not be the best fit for us anymore. Still, playing live is what we love most: seeing people thrash around and shake their bellies... you know, like the "bellies of unfaithful women" (get the reference?).
NOIRE: The band has been around since 2006; how did you form the group?
ÖLD : It goes way back; Randy and I were already playing together before 2006 during our wild black metal days. We decided to start Old Black. I had some riffs in my head and a desire to inject a rock 'n' roll groove into black metal. I threw the ideas out there, Randy laid down the drums for "Just Fucking Christ" (our first track), and we looked at each other and thought, "Holy shit, we're onto something here." That’s how it all started.
NOIRE : Have you played in other black 'n' roll bands before?
ÖLD : No, ma'am! I think I can safely say that Öld Black is the pioneering black 'n' roll band in France. Well, I'm talking about *real* 'n' roll, not all those bands that slap a "'n' roll" label on themselves just because there's one groovy riff in a song on an album. So, there are very few of us offering this kind of sound...
NOIRE : What story do you want to tell with Old Black?
ÖLD : (Laughs) Not much, just that life is already shitty enough without making it harder on yourself by locking yourself into crappy, brainwashing religions or driving yourself crazy believing in things no one has ever proven exist.
To each their own. I respect all forms of human idiocy, but damn, it’s way more fun to get wasted, screw, and sell your soul to the Devil, who, by the way, represents a lifestyle for us rather than a religion; just clarifying that for the old geezers who might want to come at me.
NOIRE : Black 'n' roll is a very rare genre in the current black metal landscape. What made you want to start a band in this style? What are your influences, and what do you like most about this genre of music?
ÖLD : So, I’m the one (Öld) writing the tracks. I don’t feel like writing anything else right now.
I play this because it’s what I want to play. If people like it, great; if not, well, fuck it. Go listen to that "2.0" music that’s destroyed the black metal scene, in my opinion...
NOIRE : What was the creative process behind your latest album, "D.T.R/R.T.D," released in 2025?
ÖLD : For this latest one, I composed everything myself (the guitars and the general rhythm) and then the others came in and put their own stamp on it; we tweaked a few tempos and added little bits and pieces here and there. And just like that, it was a done deal...
We didn't lock ourselves away in a dark room, chanting incantations over apple juice and a candle to find inspiration—if you know what I mean...
NOIRE: Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll: a bold choice for 2025, given that these themes aren't as subversive as they used to be and—from a certain perspective—can come across as a bit "tacky" or "kitsch." Why choose these themes? Was it about paying tribute to a particular era?
ÖLD : Oh yeah, I can see them coming—the self-righteous hipsters of this new "black metal 2.0" scene... At the risk of coming across as doubly kitsch or low-brow. Well, screw 'em!
Let them go munch on their soy beans and defend the baby seals of the Belgian Congo instead of listening to Öld Black; it’s clearly not for them. And if they still think we’re kitsch? Well, good—at least that means they’re paying us some attention.
We aren't paying tribute to anything; we’re just keeping traditions alive while trying not to shit in the faces of the people who created all this. Above all, it’s what we love, so that’s what we do. We don’t make music to please people.
NOIRE: You will soon be playing on stage, notably at the Nuit des Peûhtes, in Chaumont, in the company of Throne of Desolation and Gorgon, to name just two. You organize this concert. Why did you want to set up this date? Why this choice of programming?
ÖLD : I feel like France really shits all over black metal traditions, or even the underground and old-school scenes in general (whether it’s death, doom, etc.). There’s a clear lack of shows like this one; I wanted to create this event to show that the underground isn't dead yet, even though a lot of people (thankfully not everyone) don't exactly go out of their way to make some noise...
I also wanted to launch this event to see if I could get people to travel to my remote corner of the country, and—if it goes well—organize something even filthier and more underground down the line. The lineup is strictly underground!
NOIRE: What are your future plans with Öld Black?
ÖLD : Unfortunately, Randy is leaving the band in October, so our initial focus will be on finding a new drummer and learning to play together. However, before Randy leaves, we’re going to release a very old-school, 4-track EP—recorded the traditional way—which will also mark our 20th anniversary.
After that, with a new drummer on board, we fully intend to get back to playing live shows and launch our third album, which is currently in the works.
Thanks to Öld for this interview (and for the laughs at Forest Fest).
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