Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Interview with Vintersorg done by Patrick on 7-15-14
Here is another new interview with the great Vintersorg's MR.V if you haven't had time to check out and buy the new cd "Naturalb" through the great label "Napalm Records.
Enjoy the interview and stay tuned for new reviews,interviews soon.
Interview with Mr V. Vocals and guitars,Bass and Keyboards for Vintersorg done by Patrick
1.Hello Mr V. how are things going with you these days? please introduce yourself to the readers
Mr V: I’m fine. I’m actually having a vaction from my day time job as a teacher and now I’m writing new music, building some stuff to my house and spend a lot of time with my family. I’m one of the two guys behind Vintersorg and I’m also involved with Borknagar, Cronian, Waterclime……a music addictJ
2.What gave you the idea to create Vintersorg?You started the band in 1994 did you think it would still be going after all these years? Also how do you feel the sound/music has changed over the years?
Mr V: What I wanted to do was to mix the harsh elements for Black metal with acoustic guitars, with clear vocals and some good portion of Scandinavian folk music. That’s the foundation of Vintersorg, but as musicians and humans we like to evolve and therefor every album has a bit of a new “take” on the mixture. I didn’t really think about how long we would proceed as I started this band as a one-man-band type of thing. But as I said above…I’m addicted to music, especially to write and record..so I think it’ll be a very long trip. The music has gone through some changes as we like to explore new musical grounds, some albums are a bit more progressive than others but I think we’ve found a nice balance between all the elements now.
3.Vintersorg is getting ready to release the new cd "Naturbal"How long did it take to write the songs for this release?
Mr V: It took my maybe a month or so to do the framework but as we record, mix and master at my own studio we add and take stuff off during that whole process. So, the finished album is a result of that process and we like to keep it like that, to keep it open until the very end. We’re open minded guys and live by our passion and on an emotional basis when it comes to the music we create, therefore it’s so nice to have it all in our hands until the finish line.
4.Where do you draw inspiration for the lyrics ?Do you usually write the lyrics first or the music?
Mr V: I always write about the relation between Man and Nature in one way or another in Vintersorg. Just finding a new angle to it every time and “new” topics in that area to ponder about and write down for the lyrical content. This time I wrote the lyrics first as it’s a concept album. This is part III in our “four-element-cycle” and this album is concerning “FIRE”.
5.Are you thinking about making any video's for this release or do you like making video's? Is their a certain song{s} you would like to make a video for?
Mr V: We’ve already don a video for a track called “Lågornas rov” (The Flames Prey) and you’ll find that on here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34D_Tq46z2o
6.How has the response been from the fans?What about the press?
Mr V: It’s been very positive so far and we try to interact with the audience as much as apossibel through our FB-site. The over all impression is that people really like the album as much as we do and that’s just great fuel for us for the next album. Media seems also to enjoy it as the reviews have been very good and that’s of course also niceJ
7.Has Vintersorg ever played live or is this strictly a studio only band ?
Mr V: We did a lot of touring back in the beginning of this Millenium but recent years we’ve not been a live act. We’re only two guys, I have huge problems to get time off from my day time job, as well as Mattias. ( the other guy). I’ve also a family with kids, dog and you name it…so the whole thing with touring is just too hard to make it happened as least for the moment.
8.When did u first become interested in singing? Who are some of your favorite singers? Do you do anything special to keep your voice/throat healthy when recording?
Mr V: From the beginning I did some singing at my own while writing songs etc. Then when I started to play the more harsh metal I just did growls and that was something that I was satisfied with. But at the side I did some “clear voice” singing with other bands and after some time I just thought it was time to really do that type of singing in the music I wrote myself. I don’t have any great tip to get your voice in good shape but the ordinary tip of drinking a lot of water is of course basics. Keep it moist and not dry.
9.Mr V you also handle the guitars for the band when did you first become interested in playing the guitars?Are you self-taught or did you take lessons when first learning?
Mr V: I learned it by myself..those endless hour of practicing and playing around with chords and how to really get the tone that I wanted. But it was all just plain fun and when you have that type of experience it’s not a “drag” it’s just something that your mind want to do out of joy. I see that as teacher all the time, when the student is interested in a subject it’s a self-going process. I guess I was like 7-8 years when I first started to strum on my grandfather’s guitar.
10.Who are some of your favorite/influences for the guitars?
Mr V: I don’t have any actually, I have in my youth listen to some guitar music and back then I always loved Steve Vai due to his extraordinary style and there’s if course guitarists in band I like. Mick Box for example in Uriah Heep, very simple playing style but with a lot of emotion.
11.Are their any instruments you haven't learned yet that you would like to soon?
Mr V: Probabaly…but I’m so occupied with all the bands I’m involved with and all other things in life that calls for my attention, so at the moment I just try to inject as much as possible time and effort in what I have at the table.
12.You live in the great country of Sweden what is your opinion of Sweden's metal scene?
Mr V: It’s vast I guess you could say. I mean we’re a small country when it comes to habitants and there are so many bands around.
13.Who are your all- time favorite bands from Sweden?Are their any new bands you feel the readers should watch out for?
Mr V: I don’t have any specific but I think some of the Swedish bands have been pioneers in their genre like Bathory, Entombed, Unleashed and so on.
14.Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out. Do you have any final words for the readers?
Mr V: Nah..just check out the new album, it’s a great adventure I think but it may take you some spinns until you really get hold of the whole thing as it’s many details.