In contrast to many other Icelandic black metal bands, which are characterized by their chaotic, dissonant style, DYNFARI show a courage to be vulnerable that is seldom found in their genre on „Myrkurs Er Þörf“. We took the release of their stirring fifth album as an opportunity to ask frontman Jóhann Örn a few questions. In the following interview you can read why he felt it was right to postpone the release under the Corona pandemic, what role the accordion plays in the band’s sound and what lies behind the cryptic artwork for „Myrkurs Er Þörf“.
Hello! Thank you for taking the time for this interview. How are things going for you at the moment?
Thanks for having us. Things are slow due to the pandemic situation, but we are excited to finally release „Myrkurs Er Þörf“ to the world after the delays. As for me personally, my 7-year remission from my auto-immune disease came to an end, so I have definitely been better. So yes, I wish I had a more positive answer for you here.
Icelandic black metal is probably primarily associated with the disorienting style of bands like Svartidauði or Carpe Noctem. Your music on the other hand sounds a bit more comprehensible and sometimes almost fragile. Do you still see parallels to other Icelandic bands in your sound?
Sure, to some degree. This current wave of Icelandic black metal is all individuals around the same age, so we grew up going to mostly the same concerts, listening to similar albums etc. So even though not everyone knows everybody, there will always be a certain shared influence, even if every band has their own take in their creations.
Since you have a rather distinct sound, your musical role models are not as obvious as with many other bands. Where do you mainly get your inspiration from?
I think apart from the obvious branch of black metal, we draw plenty of musical influence from post-rock, the likes of Mogwai, This Will Destroy You, Sigur Rós etc. Maybe it is less prevalent on our new album than on „Four Doors“, I won’t be the one to judge. As for inspiration to compose, I think late nights and winter blues have played a large role.
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the release of your new album „Myrkurs Er Þörf“ was postponed from April to September. Was that your decision or that of your label?
It was a joint decision at the label’s suggestion. The label is based in Italy where the situation was truly scary in April. People were literally fearing for the lives of their children and immediate family. With canceled festival dates and lockdowns all over the continent in addition to that, pushing for an album release into that situation did not seem right in any way.
Do you think that the postponement of the release date will have a positive effect and was therefore the right decision?
I think it’s impossible to tell really. I think it was an inevitable decision, regardless of its effect. Since it was the only choice in our minds, then yes, it was the right decision. But if anything, autumn is a more fitting time of year for this album than summer.
To what extent are you still affected by the situation surrounding the pandemic?
Planning is virtually impossible. Luckily it is possible to make small concerts happen in Iceland right now, but to make any long-term plans is next to impossible. There is no way of knowing how the situation will be next month. We sincerely hope we can make a release concert happen in some shape or form and that we can return to the mainland in 2021.
As far as I know you are dealing with topics like depression and suicide on „Myrkurs Er Þörf“. To what extent are the lyrics based on your personal experiences?
To a large extent. Some of the lyrics are written from the lowest depths of depression and despair.
Many people listen to and play music to process their feelings. Has your art sometimes helped you to cope with personal problems?
I haven’t thought about it that way, but yes, I think so. I think my mood for composing is usually when feeling sombre or joyless, and dealing with difficult questions and thoughts. It is an outlet in a certain way.
Your new record has a very strong emotional expression through the melodies and the singing. Do you think that in black metal sincere feelings are shown too rarely?
I wouldn’t really say that. I think there is space for both deeply personal and emotional expression in black metal and the more ferocious and esoteric side of it. There is definitely appreciation to be found for both of those types. To each their own.
Especially your vocal style distinguishes you from most other bands of the genre. How did it come about that you don’t just use conventional screams?
When I started doing vocals, I was very fond of the shrieks you can find in some black metal, but I was especially influenced by high-pitch old-school death metal vocals, e.g. Chris Reifert from Autopsy. I could actually pull such screams off pretty ok when I was around 20 years old, but as my voice deepened more I tried other approaches. I’ve always been more interested in making my screaming vocals feel authentic and heartfelt as opposed to formulaic or by-the-book.
One could even suspect that this forceful style of singing is more exhausting than screaming. Is there some truth to that?
Not with good warm-up and voice care. There is always a wrong way to do things and without warm-up you can seriously damage your voice, perhaps especially this way. I do often feel rather physically exhausted right after shows, but there are many factors contributing to that. Perhaps there is some truth to it being more exhausting in a way.
Also, you don’t just use common instruments in black metal, but also an accordion for example. Why do you think this instrument fits well into your songs?
The accordion can be used to create some excellently melancholic soundscapes – it’s not just for polka and major chords! I inherited the instrument from my grandfather and have used it extensively in recordings since „Vegferð Tímans“. It fits well as a replacement to synthesizers or others space-filling tracks for a wall of sound.
„Myrkurs Er Þörf“ has a very nicely rounded, not too harsh sound. Some black metal fans might even find it to sound too tame. What do you think about this possible reaction?
We haven’t had a harsh-sounding album since perhaps „Sem Skugginn“, so if they’re looking for such a sound then maybe they can check that out. I personally think good black metal deserves good production, despite its history.
According to your label your new album sounds less complicated and progressive, but rather more grounded and DIY. How do you think does this new approach show in particular?
„Four Doors“ was very experimental, so for „Myrkurs Er Þörf“ we went for a more familiar approach, especially in the recording process. Most of the tracks for the album we recorded ourselves. Perhaps it resembles „Vegferð Tímans“ more in a way, with some simpler approaches to the riffs and not too wild experimentation.
Are you still satisfied with your previous albums despite this new approach?
Yes, absolutely. They were the product of our creative endeavours of the time and stand true to what we wanted to achieve then.
The artwork created by Metastazis looks quite interesting. Did you give him certain guidelines or did you rather just let him do his thing?
I did give him guidelines, perhaps too many! But ultimately we trusted his artistic insight which resulted in something we had not envisioned beforehand. We’re very happy with the result.
What is the connection between the image on one hand and the music and lyrics on the other hand?
The original idea comes from the second song “Langar Nætur (Í Botnlausum Spíralstiga)” which has the rough translation “Long Nights (In Bottomless Spiral Stairs)”. The lyrics to that song are about the downward spiral of self-destructive behaviour and the album cover reflects a kind of “looking downward”, into some abyss if you will. The number five also plays a role.
What are your next plans for DYNFARI?
Plans are difficult right now. We at least hope to get on stage again in the new year.
On Metal1.info we usually end our interviews with a short brainstorming session. What do you think about the following terms?
Sólstafir: Excellent band pre-2010 or so. Okay after that.
Bandcamp: Completely vital platform for musicians.
Mental health: The most important part of health.
Climate protection: Crucial for our survival as a species.
Current favorite album: Enjoying the new Winterfylleth album.
Black Lives Matter: Yes, absolutely. Fuck racism.
Finally, thank you again for your time. Is there anything else you would like to tell the readers?
Take good care of yourselves in these trying times and listen to „Myrkurs Er Þörf“!
8. Dezember 2020 Stephan Rajchl
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