interview of chris wicked by

denise wessolleck

https://denise-wessolleck-photography.jimdofree.com/support-promotion/chriswicked/

Sometimes you lose someone over all these years until they suddenly enter in your life again. So welcome to this Nightclub of Sin and Decadence. If you dare to join me, I’ll show you who Chris Wicked are!

20 years has been passed, 20 years since I have seen Chris Wicked with his band Malice In Wonderland last on stage. Isn’t it strange how life sometimes brings you back together and brings back all the good memories from the past. 20 years since Glam, Metal, Rock N Roll and Gothic came all together in one. Even when Malice In Wonderland broke up in 2015, Chris never stopped with making music.

2026 marks the 20th year anniversary of Malice In Wonderland’s self-titled album. Chris Wicked remastered their album for this anniversary and you can order it on all streaming platforms including as physical copy. So if you are interested in buying a cd directly, please make sure and check out Chris Wicked on Bandcamp. Link below.

Since Malice In Wonderland broke up, Chris makes music by himself. In 2021 he released his debut ALEINE on Apollon Records. With his unique voice blended with darker gothic and cinematic sound, Chris Wicked impresses you on in his very own way. With this record he created an album in the Norwegian language and and even if you don’t understand any word, you feel absolutely attracted to this record. With his covers of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” and Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” he created a darker and deeper version you can’t ignore.

Chris looked back to his earlier years and took a little flashback together with me into the past. Please read below:

[01] Chris, it’s been quite a while or rather said, almost 20 years. What have you been up musically to all these years?

A lot has happened musically during those twenty years. After the release of the first Malice In Wonderland album, we continued releasing music and touring internationally until the band eventually came to an end in 2015.

After that, I started releasing music under the Chris Wicked name. I put out some singles before releasing my first solo album, Aleine, in 2021. It was quite a different record for me, as I sang entirely in my native Norwegian and explored a more melancholic and Nordic sound.

Since then, I’ve continued writing and releasing both original material and cover versions, moving between Norwegian and English and exploring different sides of my music. I’ve also revisited the Malice legacy for its 20th anniversary and recently started developing another new project called Ibex Black.

I have also written some songs for other artists.
So although the names and musical expressions have changed over the years, I’ve never really stopped creating music.

[02] What are your current plans?

Musically, we’re currently putting the finishing touches on the new Chris Wicked EP, Black Horns & Black Hooves. As I mentioned, I’ve previously released an album with Norwegian lyrics, but this EP will be mostly in English and will include a mix of original songs and cover versions. After that, we’ll begin working on the next release. I work closely with multi-instrumentalists Eskil Sæter and Marius Mathisen as musicians and producers. They’re incredibly talented and wonderful people who help me bring my (and theirs) visions to life. We’re also rehearsing a new live set. We haven’t performed much lately, so I’m really looking forward to changing that and getting back onstage. Eskil was actually the drummer of Malice the last years of the band, so we’ve been working together for a long time now.

In addition, I’m working on this new project called Ibex Black. It has more of a synth-pop and darkwave sound. I’ve already recorded some songs together with ex-Malice bassist Anders Trier-Vaage and recently shot a music video for the first single with the extremely talented photographer Francisco Munoz. I’m really looking forward to finally launching the project.

So yes, I’m keeping busy!

[03] You are also making music by yourself. Have you stayed true to your earlier music style?

Yes and no. I’ve stayed true to my musical identity, but not necessarily to one particular style.

The first song I wrote after Malice In Wonderland ended was “Northern Heart,” which is more of a dark folk song. We eventually recorded and released it properly in 2024, and I really love how it turned out.

I think you maybe can hear that all my projects come from the same person, at least if you know it’s me. The music is always melodic and usually carries a certain melancholy. At the same time, I like to change things up. I have no interest in writing the same song twice, so to speak. I’m always evolving, exploring and experimenting.

I’ve always tried to create the kind of music I feel is missing, to make something that doesn’t already exist. I also feel that I’m continuing to grow as both an artist and a songwriter, and that my understanding of the craft keeps deepening with time.

So while the musical style may change, the core of it remains the same. I’ve stayed true to myself ever since the Malice releases in the 90’s, and I simply can’t imagine a life without creating and performing music.

[04] You remastered your self-titled album from your band Malice in Wonderland. What has brought you to do that?

It was simply part of celebrating the album’s 20th anniversary. We were able to improve the sound quality a little and include some bonus tracks, so we thought it would be a fun way to mark the occasion.

The songs had also not been available for use on social media. With this release, people can finally add them to their posts and videos on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and other platforms.

[05] I still love to listen to this record after all these years. When you are looking back, what was the best written song by Malice in Wonderland and is still your favorite one?

That’s an interesting question, but also a difficult one. “Nightclub, Sin & Decadence” was actually the first song I wrote for the album, and in many ways it established the direction for the record.

It’s hard to choose the best-written song, especially since some of the material dates back to when we were still teenagers. I’ve always had a soft spot for some of the slower songs, like “In the End” and “My Heart (Belongs To You)”. And I still think “Lucifer’s Town” is a well written catchy rock song.

If I had to choose one favourite, though, it would probably be “I Love to Sin.”
Malice In Wonderland was always more than just a straightforward rock band, and that song is a good example of what we were trying to achieve. It has quite profound lyrics and an ambitious arrangement featuring saxophone, cello, violin, piano and a full choir. I always wanted the band to be something more than expected.

What I still appreciate most about the album is how varied it is. That desire to explore different sounds while maintaining a recognizable identity is something people can still hear in my songwriting today.

[06] You are celebrating 20 years of your debut album and you’ve also announced it with new music. Are you planning a comeback with Malice in Wonderland?

No, I’m not planning a full comeback with Malice In Wonderland. But with 2025/2026 marking both 20 years since the debut album and 30 years since I started the band, it felt like the right time to stop and reflect. I’m not a particularly nostalgic person, but sometimes you have to allow yourself to look back. I felt that the legacy of Malice deserved to be celebrated properly.

The first thing I wanted to do was complete a song I had started writing in 2015, around the time the band split up. We finished and recorded it as “I’ve Chosen Darkness (Over You),” and I’m really pleased with the result. It reflects the heavier direction Malice was moving towards at the time.

I also wanted to incorporate saxophone into the song as a link to the self-titled album, which ends with “I Love to Sin”, a track featuring some great saxophone parts.

After that, I thought it would be interesting to revisit our best-known song, “Lucifer’s Town.” The intention wasn’t necessarily to make it better, but to explore the song from a different angle.

Finally, I wanted to write one completely new song in the spirit of Malice In Wonderland. That became “Dying Breed,” a catchy goth rock track that has received a fantastic response. With those releases and the remastered anniversary edition, I feel we’ve celebrated the band’s legacy in a meaningful way.

So there won’t be a Malice In Wonderland reunion, but we will incorporate those newer songs into the Chris Wicked live set and probably bring out some of the old classics from time to time as well. If you want to hear Malice songs live, you’ll have to come to a Chris Wicked show!

[07] Let’s have a look back to your earlier years. It must be almost 20 years ago as well where you played with The Pleasures and Big Boy at Wild at Heart in Berlin. What are your thoughts when you are looking back at this day/show?

Yes, we played some shows with them in Germany. What I remember most clearly about the Berlin show is that it was insanely hot! It must have been right in the middle of summer, right? Anders (Andy Valentine) had to leave the stage at one point as he was about to faint hehe. But it was a great night, and I also joined The Pleasures onstage for a guest appearance.

I have nothing but fond memories of those days and the time we spent together.
I love seeing that Leif DanDette is still keeping The Pleasures alive after all these years. He’s the real deal. It’s also great to see everything Chris Harms has achieved with Lord of the Lost. They’re both still out there making the music they truly believe in, and I’ll always be cheering them on. I really treasure the memories from that period.

[08] What have been your best memories with Malice in Wonderland in all these years?

There are simply too many to count. We had so many incredible experiences over the years, and I’ll always be grateful for them.

A few moments stand out, though. Performing in China for the first time was unforgettable. We had no idea how many people over there supported our music until we arrived and found fans waiting for us at the airport, singing our songs. Those moments when something completely unexpected happens tend to stay with you.

Another highlight was supporting my childhood heroes, Def Leppard. They welcomed us so warmly and were simply wonderful people. After the show, we were invited to celebrate with them, just Malice and Def Leppard together in one room. That was quite surreal.

There were many other memorable experiences as well, like appearing on television, performing for the President of Finland and travelling to places we might otherwise never have seen. I truly cherish all those moments.

But when all is said and done, my best memories are probably the simplest ones. Travelling around, performing our songs and sharing all those experiences with my friends in the band.

[09] If you are looking back to the past, what would you do today completely differently and what would you like to do exactly the same way again?

There are certainly many things I would do differently. We made some bad decisions along the way, and there were also moments when luck simply wasn’t on our side. Perhaps with different choices and better timing, we might have broken through on a bigger scale.

But I’m not someone who dwells on the past. I know I’ve been fortunate and have lived a very blessed life. If I could do it all again, I would still choose music, follow my creative instincts and stay true to what I believed in even when it wasn’t necessarily the most commercial path.

I’ve never been in this for fame or money. For me, it has always been about the art, and that is something I wouldn’t change.

[10] Last but not least, thank you for your time and for having that short flashback with me. I am looking forward to what’s coming next. What would you like to say to all the people out there?

First of all, thank you for taking the time to look back with me. And a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the year, from the early days of Malice In Wonderland to what I’m doing today. The fact that people still listen to those songs and have their own memories connected to them means a lot.

I’m also grateful to those who have only recently discovered my music. The past will always be an important part of who I am, but creatively, I’m much more interested in what comes next. I hope people will continue following the journey with the Chris Wicked band and give Ibex Black a listen when that project is launched.

There is still a lot of music left in me, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you.
Cheers! // Chris