Manegarm Interview is up 12/19/2009
Manegarm Interview
1. your music is a strong mix of Heathen Metal, power metal and Viking folk sounds . Do you feel this is becoming a lost art to be done properly?
We are a few bands that have been making this kind of music since it’s beginning around 1995. Since then, especially in the last 3-5 years, many bands have submerged but few have the elementary roots or origins as these few bands have. (Manegarm, Skyforger and Thyrfing just to name two others). Although our music is truly heavy metal it is none the less based on historical myths and fables of the Viking era. In this sense, our music is truly original and yes, perhaps a dying art. Although this is an art in many fazes of change, it is still worthy of preserving for generations to come.
2. Your working with Regain now after have several albums on Displeased and one on Black Lodge labels do you feel Regain is the best home especially with so many heathen or pagan influenced bands??
Yes I think so. Our old label didn’t really have the money to push us further I think. Our collaboration with Regain Records is quite new but it seems to be a good record label. It’s a well-known label with several good bands and a good back catalogue and hopefully this collaboration will contribute in making Manegarm an even better and more popular metal band. The scene is all about money it seems. It’s not enough these days to release a great album, you also must have a label that push you forward to reach out to the listeners.
3. Nattevason seems to a bit more melodic and polished then earlier releases was this done on purpose or just came out that way?
I don’t know about more melodic...Overall I think Nattvasen is darker oriented then our last releases in many ways. The album is more straight forward and we have added a big dose of darkness as well as powerful riffs with classic metal heaviness.....AND some wonderful and sticking melodies as well =)
I agree with you that it’s more polished. We have worked a lot on the arrangements in every song and this time we had the time to sit down in the studio and go through every recorded song just to see if there was something missing or something that we could get rid of. Pelle Saether (Studio Underground) did an amazing job and I think that the production is super!!
4. Is there a story line behin Nattevason?
Nattväsen is about the night and the scary creatures that dwell within the night; the creatures that have hunted your mind in your fantasies and dreams...you have all met them…
People have in all times had a curious mind but also some sorts of respect and fear for those “abstract things” that we can’t explain and don’t fully understand.
5. Will Manegarm be coming to US to tour on this release or no I think you played the Heathen Crusade fest here correct?
We played the Heathen Crusade fest in 2007, that’s right!
Right now we have no tour planned in the US but we are working on some contacts and hopefully we will able to do a tour over there in the nearest future, it would be great!!
…..wouldn’t it be cool with some real Pagan metal in the US!! =)
6. Are there other projects the members of Manegarm perform in or is Manegarm the only focus for its members?
Janne (violin) has always some other music project going on and sometimes I (Erik) helps out a bit in other projects but besides from that it’s only Manegarm for all of us. We don’t have time for anything else…
7. Do you find it difficult being an indie extreme metal band in 21st century with digital promos and pirating of music .Where do you see the future of extreme music in general?
Extreme music has always seemed to attract people. Some extreme genres are born and some fade away but if you look at the extreme music in total it’s always present in some form. I think that this will continue, at least I hope so…
About digital promos and pirating of music I really don’t know…One part of me thinks that it’s crap and I’m like “stop downloading and buy our CD you cheap bastard, we wanna get rich…” =), but on the other hand I think of it as a good thing; our music reach out to a lot more people worldwide than it should have if we only would sell CD’s…
8. Do you feel as each member of the band the ways of old heathen beliefs are very lacking in the modern world or do you see the ways of old coming back?
A bit of both I guess. A lot of people don’t have a clue about their heritage or where they come from; they’re rootless and seek meaning in other things which in some cases can be destructive activities. I salute those who are interested and curious and seek their roots. I think it’s important for the personal growth to know who you are and from where you come…
9. Sorry if this is old news but I very curious after working with displeased for so long you left ? They seem to really support the band you were one of them main supports form my eyes being outside of europe ..
We had a contract with Displeased Records for five albums and five albums we did...Displeased is a good label but when we released the last record we had collaborated with them for nearly 10 years and we really thought that we needed a change.
10. Are there any bands out there currently that really impress the members on Manegarm they can be any genre just wondering what the members currently listen to that influence your current sounds?
I can’t really name any band that has influenced our sound. We all listen to metal so of course you’ll get influenced in some ways but I can’t point out special bands…
As a drummer and a singer I can mention two artists that are “top of the line”;
John Bonham – One of the best drummers ever!! Sick groove…..
David Coverdale – One of my favourite singers and probably the best singer in the world (according to me…)
11. Are Manegarm fans of myspace and facebook as promotion outlets for these days or do you see it as more a need ?
I guess it’s not a need but I don’t see why you shouldn’t have it these days. Everybody has MySpace and Facebook today and so do we…We put quite a lot of time in our MySpace site simply because it’s a good way to spread our music and news about Manegarm.
12. Thank you for the time of interview any closing thoughts here?
Thank you!! Buy our new album; You don’t want to miss the Pagan metal album of the century!!!!!
Rock N’ Roll // Erik - Manegarm
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