This Morten Sorensen interview is a continuation from the March 2010 issue of Sick Drummer Magazine. To read the entire interview, subscribe NOW and login for access to all issues, past and present!
Interview by: Noel Smart
SDM: A personal question, if you don’t mind: are you solely living off the money you’re making with your bands, or do you have a part-time job on the side?
Morten: Yes, I’m filthy rich! I will probably be featured on MTV Cribs very soon… okay, jokes aside — no, I am not living off that money at all. You really have to sell a lot of albums (or merch) to see some money. Of course I earn a little money now and then on occasional session work, but if I’m lucky I can live from that money for maybe two months. Besides playing drums I work with mentally disabled people, but only part-time. Actually, I can decide myself how much I want to work. So it’s never a problem going on tour, besides the fact that you only lose money touring.
SDM: Tell us about Amaranthe.
Morten: Amaranthe is kind of a cross between death/prog/pop metal and a lot more. I’m very enthusiastic about that band. Everyone is a master of their instrument. We have three singers: two male (clean/growl), and a very hot female singer. And Olof Moerck [guitars and keys] is just a hit machine! The music is very catchy with hit potential but still very interesting and challenging. So far we have only played one showcase, but we have a Scandinavian tour in April supporting Kamelot, and I can guarantee that something great will happen with this band.
I really don’t want to limit myself to only playing death metal. It’s not that there is anything wrong with that, but I think it’s important not to limit yourself and not to focus on the physical aspect of playing alone. There is so much to learn from so many players outside the genre. Personally, I wouldn’t feel satisfied only playing fast stuff all the time, but of course it’s fun, and hopefully it stays that way. I’m really curious as to what the metal scene will look like in ten years, because at some point it’s not interesting to play so damn fast all the time. It is a really strange phenomenon; like the deathcore scene, I mean, how can such extreme music become so popular? It’s crazy, but I think it’s a good thing. Metal has always been about pushing the boundaries, and like it or not, it’s very trend-based. A few years ago it was metalcore, and now labels won’t touch those bands anymore. So I guess it’s a great period for all those obsessed speed freaks!
SDM: What was it like taking the spot of Romain Goulon, most well known for his work with Necrophagist, Disavowed, and Arsebreed? Did you think you could pull it off? Did you think you had big shoes to fill?
Morten: Everyone would have big shoes to fill when replacing Romain! Holy shit! I mean, is there anyone out there that could top his playing? I guess it’s just a matter of taste, but my goal wasn’t to play the songs exactly how he played them. Of course I didn’t change the beats or anything like that, but every drummer has their own habits, and I just tried to make the songs my own.
SDM: What’s the difference between your drumming style, compared to all the previous drummers of Disavowed?
Morten: Well, I guess Robbe V was more straight-forward and had very fast hands! I would probably have played the drums very different if I was to record those albums. I like to really follow the guitar and sometimes the vocals, but at the same time add my own layer. I think Romain was very creative on the last Disavowed album, and he recorded all the songs in one take! That’s very rare these days.
SDM: Which has been the best record label you’ve worked with?
Morten: I really don’t know. I haven’t really worked with any labels that were amazingly outstanding yet. I guess they all have a very standard kind of promotion machine going, unless you sell really well, of course.
SDM: Do you have any endorsements? If not, who would you like to endorse in the future?
Morten: Yes, I do. I’m endorsed by Tama, Meinl, and Evans. I’m really happy with it. They have been very kind and helpful. I’m also doing clinics for them. So far I have done maybe six or seven, including two with Simon Philips (great but scary experience).
SDM: What do you recommend for kids just starting in death metal drumming? What should they listen to? What should they practice?
Morten: I guess it’s very individual, but you have to realize that you simply can’t start by playing like George Kollias. It really takes a lot of time and effort. Also, don’t just copy other drummers, find our own voice and don’t just focus on speed. Of course, speed is necessary when playing that style of music, but practice regularly but not religiously. It’s my experience that you actually can practice too much! You have to start by maybe one hour a day and then slowly build it up until your body gets used to the punishment, and do take the time to learn proper technique. Learn the basic techniques and hand positions before learning all the "tricks", and of course get a good teacher to show you all the rudiments correctly. Then just experiment a lot with all kinds of styles and time feels.
I have always enjoyed a little creative boost now and then by studying some books. All the Gary Chaffee books are my favorites, along with the Gavin Harrison and also lately Beyond Bop Drumming (yes, it’s jazz!). But there is so much information these days and a lot of great DVDs. The Jojo Mayer DVD definitely put everything in place for me, and also motivation-wise it’s amazing. I guess it’s just about listening to a lot of different drummers in all kinds of styles. The most important thing is to play with other people (it’s called a band). Don’t just be isolated in your parents’ basement trying to reach 350 bpm on a pillow, just to put it out on YouTube. Get out there and play!
Leave a Reply