As the stylishly subtle artwork to Koldbrann’s new album ‘Vertigo’ hints, there is something a bit different about this Norwegian regime in 2013. To explain all, core members Kvass and Mannevond kindly agreed to talk with Ave Noctum.
AN: First off, I would like to congratulate you on your stylishly diverse new album, ‘Vertigo’.
Thank you!
AN: Musically there is a big difference between this album and your first two, although the shift in direction was obviously not an overnight decision given how long it has taken for ‘Vertigo’ to materialise. What motivated the idea of evolving the band’s sound, and when did the process of change begin to take shape?
Kvass: I think that “Vertigo” represents not so much a shift in KOLDBRANN´s musical direction, as it does an expansion and refinement of elements that we have already touched in our earlier works. Like on our last full-length album, “Moribund”, we still have plenty of groove and some dissonant elements in the songs. But this time around, we also have more of the doomy and slow passages, as well as some progressive elements. Perhaps the most striking new thing is the use of analogue synthesizers on some of the songs, which was done to add extra layers of atmosphere. For this, we got help from the very talented Lars Fredrik Frøislie (of WOBBLER, IN LINGUA MORTUA and ANGST SKVADRON). On the album he plays among other things Solina String Ensemble, mini-moog and mellotron.
I guess some sort of turning point for the band was in the summer of 2009. It was a moment when redefining ourselves and our music was necessary for the band to persist. This realization coincided at a time where we recently had gone through some line-up changes. Since then, the dynamics of the band has changed in many ways. I would say we are more focused as a band now, we have more knowledge and skill, and we are more determined to fulfill our musical vision.
AN: Were there any reservations beforehand about making such a marked change, considering how rigid some fans’ expectations may be when buying a Koldbrann record? Has feedback for the ‘Totalt Sjelelig Bankerott’ single given any indication as to how fans consider the ‘new’ Koldbrann?
Kvass: To us, the answer would be no. KOLDBRANN has always been, and is still an outlet for some of our own extreme emotions, and we are not concerned with if it fits the narrow framework of “True Norwegian Black Metal” or things like that. In the end of the day, all you can really do is try to create songs that reflect your state of mind through late hours and heavy thoughts. If the listener somehow also can relate to these emotions, it´s great, but we won´t make any deliberate changes in the way we make music to make this happen.
Judging from the reception of the single, there are some reactions that I can understand, and some that I don´t get. The songs on the single have overall been received quite well, and many say that they sound like good ol´ KOLDBRANN. This makes sense to me, as “Totalt Sjelelig Bankerott” is a relatively old-school song off the Vertigo album, and has a familiar structure. Some seem not to quite understand our choices for the cover art, and some have made comparisons between KOLDBRANN and WATAIN, which is odd to me. But I guess people will always interpret things differently.
AN: As I’ve been living under a rock for the last seven years, I was just wondering if you could explain how the line-up changes came about, and what specific impact they have had on the band’s sound?
Kvass: In 2009, the drummer Fordervelse was asked to leave, and the other guitarist Antonsen chose to leave by his own decision. This led the rest of us to recruit two new members, drummer Folkedal and guitarist Voidar. They have since become an integral part of KOLDBRANN, as both songwriters and recording members for the band. We go way back with Voidar, as he was a sound technician on several of our releases. Voidar has created a lot of droning, doomy stuff in his own project, HJARNIDAUDI, and he has incorporated some of these elements in KOLDBRANN songs as well. In addition to being a drummer, Folkedal is also a skilled guitarist, and he has added some progressive elements to the music. Surely, the creative influx from these two members has been very good for KOLDBRANN.
AN: Perhaps the most surprising element in some of the new material is its progressive spirit, as evidenced in the likes of ‘Inertia Corridors’. What were your sources of inspiration in this respect?
Kvass: The song, both drums and guitar riffs were made by Folkedal. I can´t speak for him exactly what inspired him to make the song, but progressive rock is a part of his musical background.
When the rest of us heard the song, we knew it was such a great song that needed to be on the new album. We did what it took to add extra layers of atmosphere needed for this particular song, and that´s why different synthesizers were used as well. For the lyrics part, I wrote them, and I tried to make them a bit more open and psychedelic than I have done in the past. To give some clues, there are a few hints to old BEATLES and DAVID BOWIE in there.
AN: How did the writing and recording process go compared to say, ‘Moribund’? I get the impression that creating and pulling together the material on ‘Vertigo’ must have been a quite a challenge…
Mannevond: The writing process has changed quite a lot since “Moribund”. In the past we would work more by ourselves. Kvass or I would present the songs more or less finished to the band, and then we would rehearse and record, and the song would be done. This time the outcome is more a product of the whole band. Most of the songs are still being written by mainly one person, but the songs are now being more formed and refined in the process, during rehearsals or demos we make along the way. Also we have recorded almost everything ourselves, taking our time and allowing the songs to mature.
One challenge though has been the fact that we started this recording with 14 songs, but only 8 ended up on the album. It was important to us not to make the album too long, something we feel is the case with the mentioned “Moribund”, and we value variation highly. So we had to kill some darlings, but I feel safe to say; this is by far our most accomplished work.
AN: Are there any individual tracks from the album of which you are particularly proud?
Kvass: I am quite proud of the songs “Drammen”, “I Eklipsens Skimmer” and “Inertia Corridors”, which were written by me, Voidar and Folkedal, respectively. In “Drammen” we tried to capture a feeling of the early days of the band, something I think we managed to pull off. “I Eklipsens Skimmer” is an apocalyptic song that just rocks out all the way. And “Inertia Corridors” takes you far away with its special and strange atmosphere.
AN: What plans do you have for promoting ‘Vertigo’, and how much of an emphasis do you intend to put on the new material when playing live?
Mannevond: We have always been a live-band, and after a few years of writing, recording and preparing for the album, we are getting eager to see some action again. We have a string of festivals booked, and we are working on a European tour. Hopefully this year we will make it back to the UK, as well. It’s a long time since the TAAKE/URGEHAL/KOLDBRANN tour in 2007… Naturally we will be focusing on new material, but we will surely be putting in some of the old stuff as well. Djevelens Treskeverk!
AN: Could you tell us why you chose to sign a deal with Season Of Mist, and how has collaborating with one of the most renowned underground metal labels been?
Mannevond: We had wanted to change record label for quite some time, when our previous label went bankrupt during last spring. We were looking to get off the hook, so this turned out quite fortunate for our part. While working on “Vertigo” we had already been in touch with a few interested labels, and Season of Mist was one of them. I had seen their work for URGEHAL, as I played there for some years, and they seem to be one of the few labels who still knew how to run a business. We presented them the album and they offered us a deal. It was an easy choice. So far everything has met our expectations, and it’s evident that we have taken a step up.
AN: Another important question I have regarding the new album is the minimalistic, Soviet-styled artwork. Who designed it, and what is the signification for the band?
Mannevond: It was clear from an early point that we were looking for something with an authoritarian and threatening feel to it. We wanted it to stand out from the typical Black Metal cover, and we wanted it oppressive and imposing, with strict lines and sharp edges. We gave the assignment to Trine+Kim, whom we also have worked with before (best known for their avant-garde artwork for MAYHEM, VIRUS, DØDHEIMSGARD etc.), and we are utmost satisfied with the result.
Trine+Kim drew inspiration amongst others from the artwork for the Russian Vodka 7” (2009), where we used some Cyrillic letters, and they designed a Cyrillic-looking font for us, which we have used on both our new logo and some text in the cover. It is meant to complement the artwork and give it an even “harder” feel.
It should also be mentioned that Kim Sølve, the one part of Trine+Kim, is the man behind the three ambient interludes you’ll find on “Vertigo”, recorded under the name BLITZKRIEG BABY.
AN: Are there any other Koldbrann releases or related projects planned for 2013?
Mannevond: When twilight-Vertrieb went down we also gained the rights to our previous releases, so Season of Mist will be re-issuing both “Nekrotisk Inkvisition” (2003), “Moribund” (2006) and “Stigma: På kant med livet” (2008) this year. All re-mastered by Tom Kvålsvoll at Strype Audio, featuring bonus tracks and a new layout. There will also be a bonus-DVD on the “Stigma:..” mini-album. You’ll definitely be getting your money’s worth here.
As for other projects the next DJEVEL album will be recorded this winter; I’m doing the bass guitar there. And the coven of DJEVEL & NETTLECARRIER will do one exclusive concert at the Bunker II Festival in Oslo. Except for that, 2013 is the year of KOLDBRANN!
AN: Going back in time, I would like to ask a quick question about ‘Nekrotisk Inkvisition’. For me, this album embodies the darkness and obscurity of black metal at its finest. What was your approach to recording it, and what memories do you have of your debut? I am particularly interested to hear what inspired that drum sound…
Kvass: The album was recorded in our first rehearsal space in Drammen, as well as in the basement of the old drummer´s house, using a lot of equipment that we had brought there ourselves. It was not a very structured process, and none of us had that much studio experience from before. It basically took a lot of time for us to make it sound the way we wanted it to, and we would often not start the actual recording until it was late at night. I remember that my math studies went to hell that semester…
Despite the somewhat poor studio conditions during the recording of “Nekrotisk Inkvisition”, it was also a cool and exciting time. Jonas Aus Slavia (RIP) was an important part of the band at this point, and made several riff contributions to the record. We had many good laughs, we had a spot at the upcoming Inferno Festival in 2003, and we were in the process of signing with an underground and now defunct record label from Scotland, namely Desolate Landscapes.
In hindsight the sound settings turned out to be quite extreme. I had no idea it would make such a long-lasting impression. If my memory serves me correctly, we took some inspiration from 1349´s “Liberation” for that insane drum sound.
AN: Finally, I would like to ask if you have any closing words for the readers out there?
Mannevond: Thanks for the interview and the interest, Jamie. Stalk us on http://www.facebook.com/koldbrannofficial for updates and news. Hails!
AN: Thanks very much for taking the time to answer these questions, and cheers for creating such a head-spinning new record!
Interview by Jamie Wilson
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