Interview with Hvall of Vreid 2007

By Bradley Smith

 

Your new album I Krig (At War) is ready for its release.  How is it different than your previous work?  I have noticed that it is a much more powerful and mature album than your previous two.

 

It is a more powerful and mighty album indeed.  We have slowed down the tempo a bit, to get the songs a bit more dynamic and heavy.  We have also added more guitars and guitar lines to the songs.  This combined with a richer and warmer production has made it the best Vreid album so far.

 

I notice you play some great bass lines on I Krig.  Do you think that within Black Metal the Bass guitar is an underutilized instrument?  Also I would like to say it is nice for you to bring it such a prominent role without going crazy with complexity or show boating.  Do you think sometimes musicians go too far just because they can rather than concentrating on how to use it within the confines of their music?

 

Absolutely. I see as myself more as a composer than a musician.  Technical music just for the case being technical does not interest me at all.  Music is not a competition, play chess or do sports if that is the case.  When I write guitar and bass lines, I want to create a certain atmosphere with them, I never think, “oh I must make this line more or less complex.”  Fuck that!  It is all about the ambience.

 

The lyrics on I Krig are based on poems surrounding the Norwegian resistance during WW2.  Can you tell me more about the lyrical aspects of the album and why you chose that subject matter?

 

History is my main interest, and I have since I was a kid been fascinated by the Norwegian resistance during WW2.  Last year I came across this amazing poem collection written by a resistance poet during this period.  I was completely blown away.  It is a breathtaking description of hate, sadness, longing, courage and pride.  I immediately decided that this should be the basis for our third album.

 

You guys just finished with a European tour with Battered and In Vain.  How did the tour go and how did you feel headlining such an event?  I thought the London show was really sort of a more personal interaction between the band and the audience.  What sort of effect do you want to have on the crowd?

 

Total devotion is what we seek.  The interaction with the audience is essential for us.  The energy we get from the audience, we wallow back on them, and it is a constant energy going between us.  It is the greatest feeling in the world when it really works out.  After shows like that, I am often completely drained.

 

The tour was good.  Some ups and downs.  The Raganrok gig was amazing with more that 3000 people, and I also really enjoyed our shows in Tilburg and Berlin.

 

On a similar note you guys ventured forth to the US for the Heathen Crusade Metalfest.  Can you tell me how that show went and what you thought of the US?  Do you prefer performing at festivals or on a tour?

 

Great tour with a brilliant reception from the audience.  We are thinking of doing a full US tour this autumn, so I hope that works out.  Festivals are always great fun, but of course one has better control over the production at ones own tours.

 

With the uniforms you guys wear on stage you seem almost a black metal military unit.  But at the same time I always feel that most metal bands are sort of anti-military despite lyrics that surround war and so on.  Why do you think that there is such a difference between the imagery metal bands use and their attitudes towards the military?

 

We are the pitch black brigade, and our stage clothes are our uniform.  It symbolizes the unit that is Vreid.  We have no pro or anti war statement.  We are delivering ambience, not politics.

 

You guys are releasing I Krig on Indie Recordings.  Why the jump from Tabu?  I have heard that Indie was formed by some of the guys from Tabu.  Did you go with Indie because you like working with those same guys?

 

Exactly.  We wanted to work with those guys again.  Not really happy with the way things were going with Tabu, so we looked for a new label.  After spending last autumn discussing with several labels, it was quite the easy choice to once again work with these great people that first signed Vreid for Tabu.

 

Windir was called a Sognametal band.  What exactly does that mean and have you incorporated any Sognametal influences within the confines of Vreid?  If so how is it differently used between the two bands?

 

Vreid does not use the label Sognametal.  Windir was and is the only Sognametal band.  It was a term used to separate Windir from the rest.  Therefore it is pathetic for anyone else to call themselves Sognametal.

 

Having had your albums subjected to the critical ears of the underground I wanted to know how you felt about reviews in general.  Do you prefer longer more detailed ones or shorter ones?  How do you feel when you read a negative review for any of your albums?  Do you ever take any of this criticism to heart and use to help develop future albums?

 

Always interesting to read reviews, but I don’t base anything on them, it is just the opinion of one person.  Nevertheless it is interesting to see what they think of you work.  I prefer detailed reviews that show that the person has really tried to understand the music.

 

In a previous interview you said that man always repeats the past.  Do you think he will ever break out of this cycle?  What do you see as the final destination for humanity?  Will we wipe ourselves out?

 

We will wipe our ass to eternityJ

People never learn from their past, and most people are quite ignorant to their heritage.  I have no vision for the future. I am not a visionary or prophet.  I try to learn from the past and live in the moment.  Tomorrow is tomorrow’s worries.

 

What other upcoming events and activities can we expect from you guys in the near future? 

 

May the 8th I Krig will be released in Norway, while June the 2nd is the worldwide release date.  We have been confirmed for the Metalcamp, Metalheart and Stoy festival, and more festivals will be confirmed soon.

We are also working on both European and US tours for the autumn, hope to have things sorted during next month.

 

Final Words?

 

Thanks for you interest in Vreid.  Interesting and well thought questions as always.  Grab a beer go out in the spring sun and relax, fall will be here again before you know itJ  Skål!