All Interviews
Naglfar
Naglfar
Posted on Sep 4, 2005
by Anders
The Swedish melodic death metal act Naglfar has delivered some really good albums through the years. The new album "Pariah" is no exception, it's actually the best album they have made so far! I was a bit concerned about how the album would turn out, due to the band losing its frontman and singer Jens Rydén prior to the recording of the album. Though I didn't have a reason to worry, co-founder and bassist of the band Kristoffer Olivius does a killer job and the vocals are very fitting. It was also Kristoffer who gave me a call to discuss the crushing new album a hot summer night.
You are now ready with your new album "Pariah", how psyched are you to see it released?
I am very pleased, that an obvious feeling about new things for me and I can't wait to see it released!
How does it feel right now, when you are awaiting the release and doing promotion for it?
I am confident, I am not worried, but still curious about how people will receive the album. And see how both old and new Naglfar fans will react to the album.
Hasn't there been a big pressure on the band, you must have a lot to prove and people might expect more of you, since Jens Rydén left the band?
There has never been a pressure on us, we are pretty confident. I have been writing most of the songs through out the years and I have also been doing some vocals on all the albums. And remember that I used to sing in Setherial as well, so it's not new to me at all.
Have you felt more pressure on you, since you were the one taking over the vocals?
It wasn't that big of a change, due to me doing some of the vocals in the past as well. It actually felt good, I was in total control and that was great and I am very pleased with how the album turned out.
What kind of an album did you want to make, when you first started to write music for it?
We wanted to continue from where we left with our last album "Sheol". It's hard to tell how things will turn out, due to us being 4 songwriters in the band. We played a bit with the production, a new style for us, with different placing of the instruments, and the drums and bass more audible in the sound picture.
What do you want to accomplish with a new album?
First and mostly we wanted a new record deal when we wrote the album, and we got that when Century Media picked us up. It is cool to be on that label, due to our record being available everywhere. Personally I wanted to accomplish an album where I was totally satisfied with my work and I hope we'll be able to play more live now. It would be great to conquer North and South America, we have a lot of hopes and expectations right now.
How do you get inspired to write music?
I am always writing music, when I am home I always have my guitar around my neck. I really like to play it for fun, and when I do that ideas seem to pop up. I guess my main inspiration is me playing music.
What does music and playing music mean to you?
It means everything; my life has evolved around it the last 10 years. I've played in quite some bands and played some different styles, music is what I do! I enjoy the recording sessions and the touring, to make the music. Besides that I do some studio work as well, I am producing vocals.
Do you want to tell the world anything with your music, or is it all for your own sake?
Basically it is for us! It is what we want to do and what we want to listen to. If others enjoy it as well, that is a big bonus!
Which musicians and music has meant a lot to you personally and your playing style?
When I was a kid, Bathory's "Blood Fire Death" made a huge impact on me, I had never heard anything that moving and emotional. I was very much into doom metal as well, bands as Saint Vitus and Candlemass meant a lot as well. The first album from Iron Maiden made a huge impact too! Today we have our own style in Naglfar, now we just need to refine that style.
How does the band work when writing music and making songs?
Basically Markus Norman, Andreas Nilsson and I make the songs. We do pre-recordings of our stuff and then the 3 of us arrange the songs and record it with a drum computer. Then we bring it to the rehearsal and get the songs finalized.
Has Marcus Norman contributed with more riffs and material on "Pariah" than on "Sheol", due to many Throne Of Ahaz sounding riffs and melodies on "Pariah"?
Yeah he has, but on the new album the 3 of us contributed with just as much material. We also did a cover of Throne Of Ahaz' 'The Calling Blaze', to put on the European version of the digipack release of the album, to pay homage to Marcus' past.
How would you describe the perfect Naglfar track?
I hope all the tracks we make are perfect Naglfar tracks! A typical Naglfar track is 'I Am Vengeance' from "Sheol". There are many paceshifts, it is melodic, primitive and the mood changes throughout the song. A newer style we have approached you can find in 'Swarm Of Plagues' and 'Revelations Carved In Flesh' from "Pariah". My favourite Naglfar tracks are 'Brimstone Gate' from the "When Autumn Storms Come" 7" and it can be found on "Diabolical" as well, and 'The Perpetual Horrors' from "Pariah", those 2 tracks describe what we are about.
What do you expect from the album?
I don't really now, my work with the album is done, and it is out of my hands now, so it is hard to expect something. I think people should give the album a chance and I do hope that we will play a lot live!
It seems like you deliver more of everything on "Pariah", it’s a tad faster, more brutal and more melodic, was it a goal to make it crush all the prior releases?
Yeah it was. We were very worried about the songs, and rebuild them a lot. They are very complex and were hard to make, they are the end of our current direction, I don't think we can take our current direction any further. The next album will be a bit slower than "Pariah". I am working on 3 new tracks, and the same are Andreas and Marcus. It'll take a couple of months to arrange the new songs. There is not time to enjoy the laurels from the new album, we are in a good writing spirit right now, so we better take advantage of it.
How strong is Naglfar as a unit now?
It is stronger than ever, we have all in the band known each other for almost 15 years, so we are a strong unit.
Can we expect the band to be around for many years to come?
Yeah, that's for sure… No compromises!!!
Will you share your 3 all time favorite albums with the Scandinavian metal heads?
I can't really answer that, I am mainly too focused on my own music to know what's going on. Though I can tell you that I really enjoy Wynjara, they have some of the best riffing around. And I find Necrophobic great as well, they are one of the best Swedish death metal bands around. Of Danish bands I really enjoy Denial Of God and Konkhra has made some great sounding death metal through the years.
I am very pleased, that an obvious feeling about new things for me and I can't wait to see it released!
How does it feel right now, when you are awaiting the release and doing promotion for it?
I am confident, I am not worried, but still curious about how people will receive the album. And see how both old and new Naglfar fans will react to the album.
Hasn't there been a big pressure on the band, you must have a lot to prove and people might expect more of you, since Jens Rydén left the band?
There has never been a pressure on us, we are pretty confident. I have been writing most of the songs through out the years and I have also been doing some vocals on all the albums. And remember that I used to sing in Setherial as well, so it's not new to me at all.
Have you felt more pressure on you, since you were the one taking over the vocals?
It wasn't that big of a change, due to me doing some of the vocals in the past as well. It actually felt good, I was in total control and that was great and I am very pleased with how the album turned out.
What kind of an album did you want to make, when you first started to write music for it?
We wanted to continue from where we left with our last album "Sheol". It's hard to tell how things will turn out, due to us being 4 songwriters in the band. We played a bit with the production, a new style for us, with different placing of the instruments, and the drums and bass more audible in the sound picture.
What do you want to accomplish with a new album?
First and mostly we wanted a new record deal when we wrote the album, and we got that when Century Media picked us up. It is cool to be on that label, due to our record being available everywhere. Personally I wanted to accomplish an album where I was totally satisfied with my work and I hope we'll be able to play more live now. It would be great to conquer North and South America, we have a lot of hopes and expectations right now.
How do you get inspired to write music?
I am always writing music, when I am home I always have my guitar around my neck. I really like to play it for fun, and when I do that ideas seem to pop up. I guess my main inspiration is me playing music.
What does music and playing music mean to you?
It means everything; my life has evolved around it the last 10 years. I've played in quite some bands and played some different styles, music is what I do! I enjoy the recording sessions and the touring, to make the music. Besides that I do some studio work as well, I am producing vocals.
Do you want to tell the world anything with your music, or is it all for your own sake?
Basically it is for us! It is what we want to do and what we want to listen to. If others enjoy it as well, that is a big bonus!
Which musicians and music has meant a lot to you personally and your playing style?
When I was a kid, Bathory's "Blood Fire Death" made a huge impact on me, I had never heard anything that moving and emotional. I was very much into doom metal as well, bands as Saint Vitus and Candlemass meant a lot as well. The first album from Iron Maiden made a huge impact too! Today we have our own style in Naglfar, now we just need to refine that style.
How does the band work when writing music and making songs?
Basically Markus Norman, Andreas Nilsson and I make the songs. We do pre-recordings of our stuff and then the 3 of us arrange the songs and record it with a drum computer. Then we bring it to the rehearsal and get the songs finalized.
Has Marcus Norman contributed with more riffs and material on "Pariah" than on "Sheol", due to many Throne Of Ahaz sounding riffs and melodies on "Pariah"?
Yeah he has, but on the new album the 3 of us contributed with just as much material. We also did a cover of Throne Of Ahaz' 'The Calling Blaze', to put on the European version of the digipack release of the album, to pay homage to Marcus' past.
How would you describe the perfect Naglfar track?
I hope all the tracks we make are perfect Naglfar tracks! A typical Naglfar track is 'I Am Vengeance' from "Sheol". There are many paceshifts, it is melodic, primitive and the mood changes throughout the song. A newer style we have approached you can find in 'Swarm Of Plagues' and 'Revelations Carved In Flesh' from "Pariah". My favourite Naglfar tracks are 'Brimstone Gate' from the "When Autumn Storms Come" 7" and it can be found on "Diabolical" as well, and 'The Perpetual Horrors' from "Pariah", those 2 tracks describe what we are about.
What do you expect from the album?
I don't really now, my work with the album is done, and it is out of my hands now, so it is hard to expect something. I think people should give the album a chance and I do hope that we will play a lot live!
It seems like you deliver more of everything on "Pariah", it’s a tad faster, more brutal and more melodic, was it a goal to make it crush all the prior releases?
Yeah it was. We were very worried about the songs, and rebuild them a lot. They are very complex and were hard to make, they are the end of our current direction, I don't think we can take our current direction any further. The next album will be a bit slower than "Pariah". I am working on 3 new tracks, and the same are Andreas and Marcus. It'll take a couple of months to arrange the new songs. There is not time to enjoy the laurels from the new album, we are in a good writing spirit right now, so we better take advantage of it.
How strong is Naglfar as a unit now?
It is stronger than ever, we have all in the band known each other for almost 15 years, so we are a strong unit.
Can we expect the band to be around for many years to come?
Yeah, that's for sure… No compromises!!!
Will you share your 3 all time favorite albums with the Scandinavian metal heads?
I can't really answer that, I am mainly too focused on my own music to know what's going on. Though I can tell you that I really enjoy Wynjara, they have some of the best riffing around. And I find Necrophobic great as well, they are one of the best Swedish death metal bands around. Of Danish bands I really enjoy Denial Of God and Konkhra has made some great sounding death metal through the years.
Naglfar website
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