All Interviews
Thyrfing
Thyrfing
Posted on Jan 11, 2006
by Anders
Thyrfing received their breakthrough in my world, with the release of "Vansinnesvisor" in 2002, a really good album displaying a mature band, which finally had utilized all the talent they had shown on their earlier albums. Not that the earlier albums were bad in any way, they just missed that last bit, that made them great. Though I still cherish my picture disc copy of "Valdr Galga" a lot. We are now writing 2006 and late last year, the Swedes released their fifth full lenght album "Farsotstider" om Regain Records, yet a great and atmospheric opus. I got in touch with guitarist Patrik Lindgren and got a little chat with him.
Hi there, how are things in Sweden as we speak?
Hi. I guess things are more or less as usual in Sweden. The New Year's Eve celebrations are over and people are getting back to work. The big thing right now is that we from today on you have to pay toll every time you enter or leave inner Stockholm by car, which is making quite a lot of people upset it seems. However, I don't have a car, and it's only on test for 6 months so it doesn't really bother me.
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you deliver Viking metal and why you do it in Thyrfing… A small introduction of the rest of the band a bit about what they add to the universe of Thyrfing will be great as well!
My name is Patrik Lindgren and I play guitar in Thyrfing. Why? Because I enjoy it, what else? The rest of the band consists of Thomas Väänänen (vocals), Henrik Svegsjö (guitar), Kimmy Sjölund (bass), Peter Löf (synthesizers) and Joakim Kristensson (drums). Thyrfing is the only "serious" band I've been playing with and I see no reason why I would look anywhere else.
There have been quite a wait since your last album, the masterpiece "Vansinnesvisor", why has the new taken as long as it has to become ready, how long time has you used on the song writing process and the recording of the new album and lastly are you satisfied with the end result "Farsotstider"?
There are several factors why the album took three years to complete. In a way, I think we needed some kind of "creative break" to get our things together, and get back the urge to write new songs. Also, much of the time was actually spent on writing and rehearsing new songs, so it's not like the band has been dead for a year or so. We're not interesting in rushing something out just for the sake of it. If we were going to come up with something that would be in the same league as "Vansinnesvisor", we knew it would take some time, and we don't see that as a problem. And I’m utterly happy, and pleased with the result of "Farsotstider" – the album we've put most time and effort into this far.
What does the album title mean and what are your thoughts behind it… Which themes have you lyrically touched this time and where do you find inspiration for the lyrics?
The title means something like "times of plague" in English. It's taken from one of the songs that deal with the plague in Europe in the 14th century, the flagellants and so on … in a way I think it's the suitable title, looking upon the state of the world today. Just as the rest of the album the lyrics connects the despair, angst, misery and death of the older days with the ones of today. It's also usually the feelings and thoughts around these topics that influence you when writing the lyrics. There's no specific message to anyone out there, but of course we find it both flattering and interesting if people put time, energy and devotion into interpreting them and trying to find a pattern.
What does it mean for the band to deliver the lyrics in Swedish and how are the reactions on Thyrfing singing in Swedish?
I think it gives the band a unique and original touch, and we feel that we can do something which definitely better and more interesting if we use Swedish instead of English lyrics. The reactions are usually very positive to this, even though some people want them translated, which we have refused to do this far.
How has the album so far been received by both the press and your fans?
Very good I'd say. It gets a lot of great reviews, and many fans and journalists hail it as the best Thyrfing album ever.
What do you in the band expect from the album… What did you have in your minds when you started out to write the album, and do you feel you have accomplished what you had mind?
We just wanted to create an album that we'd be proud of ourselves, and to make songs that we'd enjoy both to play and listen to. Then whatever the sales are, or how people reacts to it is of course something that could be a source of inspiration, but not the main thing. I think that the album lived up to most of my own and the bands expectations – it's a great piece of music.
Where do you find inspiration for the music and how do you find the right mood for the Viking-inspired atmosphere and you mention 3 songs that have inspired you and made an impact on the way you make music?
Inspiration can come from almost any kind of music I guess. Inspiration is not something you can set up for yourself and then keeping it strict. It's something natural that affects your state of mind when listening, writing and creating music. Three important songs for the foundation of Thyrfing would be Isengard 'Vinterskugge', Bathory 'One Rode To Asa Bay' and Storm 'Mellom bakkar Og Berg'.
If you look back on all the music there have been written in Thyrfing, which 3 tracks do you think captures the "real" Viking atmosphere the best and why those 3 tracks?
It's always hard to choose and motivate between your own songs, but three tracks that I think utterly captures the best elements of our band is 'Far Åt Helvete', 'Kaos Återkomst' and 'Höst'. If it's a "real Viking atmosphere" or not, is up to the listener – even though I doubt many of our listeners have heard any music played by the Vikings, which was extremely primitive and not much to build a band upon today…
Isn't it at times hard to get in the right mood to deliver such music as you do and what is driving you and the rest of the band to make this amazing music that you do?
Inspiration and creativity goes up and down, and writing songs is nothing you can force yourself to do. I've never seen any point overanalysing our music or writing, it has always come as a natural thing.
How do you look upon the future of Thyrfing and what and we, the ever-hungry fans expect from your side?
We never plan much in advance, but I hope we can put out more great albums, and play more great gigs. That's pretty much what we do.
Do you care to share your 5 all time favourite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
Metallica - …And Justice For All
Bathory - Hammerheart
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane
Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk
Thanks a lot for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Thanks for the interest and support. I hope that all readers of Nocturnalhorde.com will check out the new Thyrfing album "Farsotstider", and also visit our website. Cheers!
Hi. I guess things are more or less as usual in Sweden. The New Year's Eve celebrations are over and people are getting back to work. The big thing right now is that we from today on you have to pay toll every time you enter or leave inner Stockholm by car, which is making quite a lot of people upset it seems. However, I don't have a car, and it's only on test for 6 months so it doesn't really bother me.
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you deliver Viking metal and why you do it in Thyrfing… A small introduction of the rest of the band a bit about what they add to the universe of Thyrfing will be great as well!
My name is Patrik Lindgren and I play guitar in Thyrfing. Why? Because I enjoy it, what else? The rest of the band consists of Thomas Väänänen (vocals), Henrik Svegsjö (guitar), Kimmy Sjölund (bass), Peter Löf (synthesizers) and Joakim Kristensson (drums). Thyrfing is the only "serious" band I've been playing with and I see no reason why I would look anywhere else.
There have been quite a wait since your last album, the masterpiece "Vansinnesvisor", why has the new taken as long as it has to become ready, how long time has you used on the song writing process and the recording of the new album and lastly are you satisfied with the end result "Farsotstider"?
There are several factors why the album took three years to complete. In a way, I think we needed some kind of "creative break" to get our things together, and get back the urge to write new songs. Also, much of the time was actually spent on writing and rehearsing new songs, so it's not like the band has been dead for a year or so. We're not interesting in rushing something out just for the sake of it. If we were going to come up with something that would be in the same league as "Vansinnesvisor", we knew it would take some time, and we don't see that as a problem. And I’m utterly happy, and pleased with the result of "Farsotstider" – the album we've put most time and effort into this far.
What does the album title mean and what are your thoughts behind it… Which themes have you lyrically touched this time and where do you find inspiration for the lyrics?
The title means something like "times of plague" in English. It's taken from one of the songs that deal with the plague in Europe in the 14th century, the flagellants and so on … in a way I think it's the suitable title, looking upon the state of the world today. Just as the rest of the album the lyrics connects the despair, angst, misery and death of the older days with the ones of today. It's also usually the feelings and thoughts around these topics that influence you when writing the lyrics. There's no specific message to anyone out there, but of course we find it both flattering and interesting if people put time, energy and devotion into interpreting them and trying to find a pattern.
What does it mean for the band to deliver the lyrics in Swedish and how are the reactions on Thyrfing singing in Swedish?
I think it gives the band a unique and original touch, and we feel that we can do something which definitely better and more interesting if we use Swedish instead of English lyrics. The reactions are usually very positive to this, even though some people want them translated, which we have refused to do this far.
How has the album so far been received by both the press and your fans?
Very good I'd say. It gets a lot of great reviews, and many fans and journalists hail it as the best Thyrfing album ever.
What do you in the band expect from the album… What did you have in your minds when you started out to write the album, and do you feel you have accomplished what you had mind?
We just wanted to create an album that we'd be proud of ourselves, and to make songs that we'd enjoy both to play and listen to. Then whatever the sales are, or how people reacts to it is of course something that could be a source of inspiration, but not the main thing. I think that the album lived up to most of my own and the bands expectations – it's a great piece of music.
Where do you find inspiration for the music and how do you find the right mood for the Viking-inspired atmosphere and you mention 3 songs that have inspired you and made an impact on the way you make music?
Inspiration can come from almost any kind of music I guess. Inspiration is not something you can set up for yourself and then keeping it strict. It's something natural that affects your state of mind when listening, writing and creating music. Three important songs for the foundation of Thyrfing would be Isengard 'Vinterskugge', Bathory 'One Rode To Asa Bay' and Storm 'Mellom bakkar Og Berg'.
If you look back on all the music there have been written in Thyrfing, which 3 tracks do you think captures the "real" Viking atmosphere the best and why those 3 tracks?
It's always hard to choose and motivate between your own songs, but three tracks that I think utterly captures the best elements of our band is 'Far Åt Helvete', 'Kaos Återkomst' and 'Höst'. If it's a "real Viking atmosphere" or not, is up to the listener – even though I doubt many of our listeners have heard any music played by the Vikings, which was extremely primitive and not much to build a band upon today…
Isn't it at times hard to get in the right mood to deliver such music as you do and what is driving you and the rest of the band to make this amazing music that you do?
Inspiration and creativity goes up and down, and writing songs is nothing you can force yourself to do. I've never seen any point overanalysing our music or writing, it has always come as a natural thing.
How do you look upon the future of Thyrfing and what and we, the ever-hungry fans expect from your side?
We never plan much in advance, but I hope we can put out more great albums, and play more great gigs. That's pretty much what we do.
Do you care to share your 5 all time favourite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
Metallica - …And Justice For All
Bathory - Hammerheart
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Dissection - Storm Of The Light's Bane
Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk
Thanks a lot for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Thanks for the interest and support. I hope that all readers of Nocturnalhorde.com will check out the new Thyrfing album "Farsotstider", and also visit our website. Cheers!
Thyrfing website
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