All Interviews
Nasheim
Evighet/Untergång cover, LP version
Posted on Aug 18, 2005
by Anders
I heard about this band merely a year ago, heard a couple of tracks and quickly got the album "Evighet/Untergång" traded home. A great slap of atmopheric and dark black metal, with many influences from viking-era Bathory. I was really impressed by the realease and I still enjoy it very much. The band consist of vocalist, guitarist and drum programmer Erik Grahn and bassist and vocalist Mikael Markström, I got hold of the latter and got answers to my questions.
Hails, will you start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you play metal?
Hail. Well, I am Mikael and metal is my passion. It's that simple.
A small introduction of your partner in crime will be great too!
Erik actually does most of the important stuff in Nasheim.
How did Nasheim start and how did it end up with the exact music that you play now?
We were a couple of guys in school that figured we could make good music, but at first we sure as hell couldn't. We changed a bit back and forth before picking the path we now are on. Others dropped off along the way and only me and Erik remains. How we got here... Well, Nasheim is highly emotional, at least for me, telling of what was, is and could have been... Progression over time I guess, it's not merely about making OK tunes and playing the occasional Mayhem cover anymore, it's... Well, I can't really explain, but something like expressing emotions, thoughts and so forth.
Why did you choose to call the band Nasheim?
Nasheim is another name for Hel or Helheim (or sometimes described as the northernmost part of Hel), the realm of the dead in Northern mythology. It's often interpreted as the equivalent of the christian hell (With Valhall being "heaven") but that is not correct, there's no disgrace in ending up in Hel, it’s merely a place for the dead who will not fight in Ragnarök. All of that is slightly beside the point though, essentially we felt that something that sounded and symbolizes Nordic, cold and dead (as our culture is, or close enough) would be fitting.
Your first label release, besides the tape release of "Undergång", is the release "Evighet/Undergång", consisting of the 2 demos by the same name. How has the release been received and do you know how much you have sold of it?
It has been very well received actually, I don't think I have seen one single bad review and people tell me they like it. I have no idea whatsoever about sales, that's the label's problem.
How would you describe your own music?
I wouldn't
How do people react on your music?
How should I know?
Who writes the music in the band?
Erik
How do you get inspired to write music and where do you get influenced?
Like I said, Erik has written all the music so far so I can't really answer that well.
Do you have to be in a certain mood or plagued by some certain emotions to be able to write music?
Sometimes
What about the lyrics then, who writes them and will you tell a bit about them, lyrical themes etc… eventually go through the tracks on "Evighet/Untergång" and tell a bit about each lyric?
We both do, Erik has written most of them though.
General subjects are the moral and spiritual decay in Scandinavia, what once was, what could be, what should be, death, solitude, escape and so forth. For interpretation of each individual song, read the lyrics.
Who do you find inspiration for the lyrics?
I like to go somewhere alone, often out in the woods at night with no sounds but twigs cracking or snow creaking under my boots, sit down somewhere, smell the nature and notice no traces of the degenerate society of today… I suppose it's often the contrasts between that and everyday life where we all are bombarded with fucking shit (Pardon my French) from the media, people we meet and just about everything everywhere that spurs emotions within me, or I can just feel that there is still hope when places like the ones I go to can still exist... My current mood inspires what comes out, even though it's scrapped in very early stages most of the time.
You hail from Northern Sweden, how much influence does that have on your music and daily life?
Very much I'd say, but I don't have anything to compare with so this is hard to answer... I believe that up here where there's less people, buildings, cities, stress etc than down south and we get more time for ourselves in remote places we go deeper within more often, and walks in the woods doesn't only spawn nature romance in me, but also a feeling of timelessness if that makes sense... There we have no middle-eastern religions making laws and spreading spiritual plagues, things are as they have been since man first walked these lands, and with some luck, so they will remain.
How big is the difference between the people of Northern Sweden and the rest of the country?
Most people all over Sweden are complete crap, so probably not that big except there are more homosexual people down south.
On the release of "Evighet/Untergång" you have chosen to write the album title, the song titles and the lyrics in runes, why is that?
Nasheim strives to stay separate from the Judeo-Christian society of today, and even though this might be a long dead form of writing it is OURS and in my opinion should be re-instated as such. Why use foreign letters when we have our runes? There's the big point of being understood, of course, which is why I'm writing this and of course most other things using the more common latin alphabet, but those who wish to understand our lyrics could very well learn to read the runes themselves (or cheat and look them up on the internet) and maybe get interested in our old ways at the same time. The runes are both aesthetically pleasing, conceptually and ideologically fitting to what we do.
Do you feel yourself connected to your ancient Norse roots?
Absolutely.
How much does Northern Mythology and the ancient history of the North mean to you as persons and to the band?
Very much. Mainly the history and mythology where it can be interpreted as historical documentation or used as metaphors for another event as I personally at least find it slightly silly to think that some red-bearded bloke is throwing a chopped-off hammer around every time thunder rolls. I read the Edda as a story making moral points, not an actual historical document, and many of those moral points are far closer to what I feel is right for me and Scandinavia than the imported (And nowadays twisted around so many times we can barely tell what's up or down) tales of the Bible. Ours is ours, theirs is theirs.
You have put a cover of Bathory's 'Blood Fire Death' on "Evighet/Untergång" and dedicated the album to Quorthon, how much has he and Bathory meant for your music?
Extremely much. I can not stress this enough, Bathory is the best band ever, Quorthon should be eternally hailed for what he gave us, and this is our way of showing our appreciation. Rest in peace.
Will you explain the idea ad thoughts about the cover artwork on "Evighet/Untergång"?
The rune on the cover, Oþala, symbolizes the motherland, the land in which one is raised or tied to with bonds of blood. The flames show that the fire will always burn within some of us, thus symbolizing strength, and can also be interpreted as a funeral pyre of sorts depending on what you want to see I suppose.
You are using programmed drums in Nasheim, why is that, can't you find a human drummer or do you prefer the programmed drums?
We can't find a suitable drummer.
Will we ever see Nasheim with a human drummer?
Possible, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. We want more than just a skinbasher, someone who can actually contribute something and someone who agrees in general issues we touch, and that isn't easy to find, especially not within a reasonable distance.
You are right now waiting for the vinyl release of "Evighet/Untergång", who is going is releasing it and will it contain something special compared to the CD version?
It was released by Northern Silence Productions just like the CD.
When can we expect it to be out?
It is out now (But wasn’t when I received this interview). I haven't gotten my copies yet though, so I can't comment on how it turned out just yet, but I trust it to be an excellent piece of heavy wax in a very appealing gatefold sleeve.
When will you start to work on new material, if you already haven't…? Do you have some news for us regarding song titles, progression, date of recording etc…?
We are working on new material, but the process isn't fast. Most written things go directly to the wastebasket, we're not going to release anything half-assed, and thus writing when you're not really inspired is no good.
Who will release your upcoming album and do you know when it will happen?
The next release will be a split LP through Northern Silence again, I won't speculate in when it's going to be done. After that I suppose there will be a full-length album and I have no details whatsoever about that one.
Are you a fan of vinyl, why/why not…? Is it important for you to see Nasheim's releases out on vinyl as well as CD?
I am, nice big artwork with much room for liner notes, detailed pictures and things like that as well as a warm sound, plus there's the technical aspect of analogue/digital where a good vinyl record with a good player beats a CD, but read about that for yourself if you’re interested. I like CDs as well though, more practical in many ways, and tapes have their advantages (even though they are not many). Of course it's about the music and not the format though, I buy music I want to listen to, not items to brag about.
Will you both share your 3 all time favourite albums with us?
Argh, these are always tough so don't hold me to this exact list, but:
Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Ulver – Nattens Madrigal
Morbid Saint – Spectrum Of Death
Thanks a lot for the interview, I hope it has been fun answering my questions. If I forgot something or if you just have anything to add, feel free to do it now!
I can't think of anything to add and you know very well how I feel about answering these kind of things, heh..
Hail. Well, I am Mikael and metal is my passion. It's that simple.
A small introduction of your partner in crime will be great too!
Erik actually does most of the important stuff in Nasheim.
How did Nasheim start and how did it end up with the exact music that you play now?
We were a couple of guys in school that figured we could make good music, but at first we sure as hell couldn't. We changed a bit back and forth before picking the path we now are on. Others dropped off along the way and only me and Erik remains. How we got here... Well, Nasheim is highly emotional, at least for me, telling of what was, is and could have been... Progression over time I guess, it's not merely about making OK tunes and playing the occasional Mayhem cover anymore, it's... Well, I can't really explain, but something like expressing emotions, thoughts and so forth.
Why did you choose to call the band Nasheim?
Nasheim is another name for Hel or Helheim (or sometimes described as the northernmost part of Hel), the realm of the dead in Northern mythology. It's often interpreted as the equivalent of the christian hell (With Valhall being "heaven") but that is not correct, there's no disgrace in ending up in Hel, it’s merely a place for the dead who will not fight in Ragnarök. All of that is slightly beside the point though, essentially we felt that something that sounded and symbolizes Nordic, cold and dead (as our culture is, or close enough) would be fitting.
Your first label release, besides the tape release of "Undergång", is the release "Evighet/Undergång", consisting of the 2 demos by the same name. How has the release been received and do you know how much you have sold of it?
It has been very well received actually, I don't think I have seen one single bad review and people tell me they like it. I have no idea whatsoever about sales, that's the label's problem.
How would you describe your own music?
I wouldn't
How do people react on your music?
How should I know?
Who writes the music in the band?
Erik
How do you get inspired to write music and where do you get influenced?
Like I said, Erik has written all the music so far so I can't really answer that well.
Do you have to be in a certain mood or plagued by some certain emotions to be able to write music?
Sometimes
What about the lyrics then, who writes them and will you tell a bit about them, lyrical themes etc… eventually go through the tracks on "Evighet/Untergång" and tell a bit about each lyric?
We both do, Erik has written most of them though.
General subjects are the moral and spiritual decay in Scandinavia, what once was, what could be, what should be, death, solitude, escape and so forth. For interpretation of each individual song, read the lyrics.
Who do you find inspiration for the lyrics?
I like to go somewhere alone, often out in the woods at night with no sounds but twigs cracking or snow creaking under my boots, sit down somewhere, smell the nature and notice no traces of the degenerate society of today… I suppose it's often the contrasts between that and everyday life where we all are bombarded with fucking shit (Pardon my French) from the media, people we meet and just about everything everywhere that spurs emotions within me, or I can just feel that there is still hope when places like the ones I go to can still exist... My current mood inspires what comes out, even though it's scrapped in very early stages most of the time.
You hail from Northern Sweden, how much influence does that have on your music and daily life?
Very much I'd say, but I don't have anything to compare with so this is hard to answer... I believe that up here where there's less people, buildings, cities, stress etc than down south and we get more time for ourselves in remote places we go deeper within more often, and walks in the woods doesn't only spawn nature romance in me, but also a feeling of timelessness if that makes sense... There we have no middle-eastern religions making laws and spreading spiritual plagues, things are as they have been since man first walked these lands, and with some luck, so they will remain.
How big is the difference between the people of Northern Sweden and the rest of the country?
Most people all over Sweden are complete crap, so probably not that big except there are more homosexual people down south.
On the release of "Evighet/Untergång" you have chosen to write the album title, the song titles and the lyrics in runes, why is that?
Nasheim strives to stay separate from the Judeo-Christian society of today, and even though this might be a long dead form of writing it is OURS and in my opinion should be re-instated as such. Why use foreign letters when we have our runes? There's the big point of being understood, of course, which is why I'm writing this and of course most other things using the more common latin alphabet, but those who wish to understand our lyrics could very well learn to read the runes themselves (or cheat and look them up on the internet) and maybe get interested in our old ways at the same time. The runes are both aesthetically pleasing, conceptually and ideologically fitting to what we do.
Do you feel yourself connected to your ancient Norse roots?
Absolutely.
How much does Northern Mythology and the ancient history of the North mean to you as persons and to the band?
Very much. Mainly the history and mythology where it can be interpreted as historical documentation or used as metaphors for another event as I personally at least find it slightly silly to think that some red-bearded bloke is throwing a chopped-off hammer around every time thunder rolls. I read the Edda as a story making moral points, not an actual historical document, and many of those moral points are far closer to what I feel is right for me and Scandinavia than the imported (And nowadays twisted around so many times we can barely tell what's up or down) tales of the Bible. Ours is ours, theirs is theirs.
You have put a cover of Bathory's 'Blood Fire Death' on "Evighet/Untergång" and dedicated the album to Quorthon, how much has he and Bathory meant for your music?
Extremely much. I can not stress this enough, Bathory is the best band ever, Quorthon should be eternally hailed for what he gave us, and this is our way of showing our appreciation. Rest in peace.
Will you explain the idea ad thoughts about the cover artwork on "Evighet/Untergång"?
The rune on the cover, Oþala, symbolizes the motherland, the land in which one is raised or tied to with bonds of blood. The flames show that the fire will always burn within some of us, thus symbolizing strength, and can also be interpreted as a funeral pyre of sorts depending on what you want to see I suppose.
You are using programmed drums in Nasheim, why is that, can't you find a human drummer or do you prefer the programmed drums?
We can't find a suitable drummer.
Will we ever see Nasheim with a human drummer?
Possible, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. We want more than just a skinbasher, someone who can actually contribute something and someone who agrees in general issues we touch, and that isn't easy to find, especially not within a reasonable distance.
You are right now waiting for the vinyl release of "Evighet/Untergång", who is going is releasing it and will it contain something special compared to the CD version?
It was released by Northern Silence Productions just like the CD.
When can we expect it to be out?
It is out now (But wasn’t when I received this interview). I haven't gotten my copies yet though, so I can't comment on how it turned out just yet, but I trust it to be an excellent piece of heavy wax in a very appealing gatefold sleeve.
When will you start to work on new material, if you already haven't…? Do you have some news for us regarding song titles, progression, date of recording etc…?
We are working on new material, but the process isn't fast. Most written things go directly to the wastebasket, we're not going to release anything half-assed, and thus writing when you're not really inspired is no good.
Who will release your upcoming album and do you know when it will happen?
The next release will be a split LP through Northern Silence again, I won't speculate in when it's going to be done. After that I suppose there will be a full-length album and I have no details whatsoever about that one.
Are you a fan of vinyl, why/why not…? Is it important for you to see Nasheim's releases out on vinyl as well as CD?
I am, nice big artwork with much room for liner notes, detailed pictures and things like that as well as a warm sound, plus there's the technical aspect of analogue/digital where a good vinyl record with a good player beats a CD, but read about that for yourself if you’re interested. I like CDs as well though, more practical in many ways, and tapes have their advantages (even though they are not many). Of course it's about the music and not the format though, I buy music I want to listen to, not items to brag about.
Will you both share your 3 all time favourite albums with us?
Argh, these are always tough so don't hold me to this exact list, but:
Mayhem – De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Ulver – Nattens Madrigal
Morbid Saint – Spectrum Of Death
Thanks a lot for the interview, I hope it has been fun answering my questions. If I forgot something or if you just have anything to add, feel free to do it now!
I can't think of anything to add and you know very well how I feel about answering these kind of things, heh..
Nasheim website
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