Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth has been followed by controversy and spectacle ever since forming in the early 1990s. Most notably, the band outraged Polish authorities and religious figures during a now infamous 2004 concert in Krakow that featured crucifixions, sheep heads on spikes and gallons of blood. Band members have been dogged with accusations of crimes like assault, and former vocalist Gaahl recently acknowledged that he is gay.

Perhaps the strangest saga in the band’s history started when former bassist King Ov Hell and Gaahl fired founding guitarist Infernus (Roger Tiegs) and claimed the rights to the name Gorgoroth. What amounted to a trademark dispute – a somewhat unusual struggle in the underground metal scene - ended up in the Norwegian court system.

A Norwegian court ruled in March that Infernus owned the Gorgoroth copyright and could continue using the band’s name. King and Gaahl have since formed a new black metal band God Seed. Infernus checked in from Norway with About.com to discuss the court’s decision, Gorgoroth’s future plans, the status of the band’s new album and his thoughts about his former bandmates and legal adversaries.

Justin M. Norton: Do you feel vindicated by the decision?
Infernus: I am always more or less angry at someone or something: fellow co-workers, politics at practice here in Norway, the law system, God, and even a few ex-members now and then. But concerning the outcome of this case, which I won, I am of course happy.

I am not really surprised about it, but I am content and happy.

This is not just a victory for common sense and reason, nor is it only a victory for me and my band. It is a victory for the music scene. This will set a standard in terms of legal issues in Norway, at least, so that musicians and artists who come up with a concept of their own can focus on what should be their main concern: the creative aspect of their life. People can feel safe not having to do tons of paperwork to be able to protect their ideas and immaterial belongings in case of future issues where, as in this case, there might come some seventh bass player and try to claim the name of a band he had no part in creating.

Did you ever consider abandoning the case and playing music under another name?
Running a court case always represents some kind of a risk. I was not 100 percent sure I would win I have to admit, even though I knew I was right. I allied myself with some rather strong forces working in the same direction, so the outcome was more or less clear. I have problems understanding that the counterparts (King and Gaahl) might honestly have believed they could win a case like this, and it is still a mystery for me why they would not accept my offer not to take them to court. They should just have quit and found themselves another name and started their own band. But they had to do it the hard way, and we all know the outcome of that by now.

I did at no point consider not playing music or continuing, and honestly, I didn't think much about that other option either; abandoning the case and playing music under another name.

Did you ever understand Gaahl and King’s rationale that they deserved the name Gorgoroth when you were the sole founding member?
Whether I understood them or not is of complete irrelevance. I do not care what they feel about this.

If the case had gone the other way would you have tried to continue to litigate it?
I have the ability to take a confrontation. And I have been through the court system some times before, so yes, I would have gone all the way.

Are there any other matters that need to be finalized, like financial arrangements?
There are quite a few practical issues which need to be dealt with, and are being taken care of. For example, my counterparts registered themselves a little business company here last year called "Gorgoroth DA." It was decided that it should be put to an end.

What is next for Gorgoroth now that the court case has passed? Will you finish up Quantos Possunt ad Satanitatem Trahunt and begin touring?
I have been in studio rehearsing/arranging/doing pre-recordings for this album for more or less a year now. We are using the studio of my new drummer and co-producer Tomas Asklund in Sweden, Monolith Studio. We will work pretty effectively in the upcoming period to (finish) rehearsals for future live activities as well, when all the guys are here doing their part of the recording. We are looking at a mix in the end of June, then mastering in July. There will be an October release on Regain Records, the label I chose for Gorgoroth back in 2005, before the legal issues came up.

What will the new music sound like? Can we expect something in the vein of Under The Sign of Hell with Pest and Tormentor back in the band? You now have close to what many consider the classic Gorgoroth lineup back in place.
I would like the listener to decide what it sounds like. It never, in my eyes, looks especially good having a musician or songwriter going on in an interview pestering people with his or her own personal opinions on topics like this. I can say we are working hard on it and are going to be able to stand behind this product upon release around October this year. It is time for some real metal.

Will you incorporate material that Gaahl and King worked on in your live sets, or stick to older material and new Gorgoroth songs, especially considering Gaahl and King’s allegation that you did little work on more recent albums?
I can and will choose not to give the material they contributed a great deal of priority. That is a promise. For the ones who did their homework, there were a fair amount of releases from the band years before they were even considered as possible members of my band, Gorgoroth.

Whether they now will end up as a Gorgoroth cover band or not, and what the future brings for them, I'd really not like to speculate. Gorgoroth's set list will be made public at the time we are on stage again.