Interview mit Mannevond von Koldbrann

First of all, congratulations for the new album. It’s very convincing. Very harsh, but intelligent and direct. The most obvious question, which, I fear you have to answer all the time: It’s been ten years. Where have you been all the time? We kind of missed you.
Well, I’m glad to hear that you’ve missed us. We haven’t been away, but ten years to release this is certainly a long time. It wasn’t anything we intended to. I guess we have never been the most prolific band in terms of releases. We have always valued to work on the songs and the material and the recordings in the best way possible before just releasing anything. But that’s of course not the only reason. We were quite active up until 2015, doing some tours and concerts and also working on new material with our former drummer at the time. But that’s part of the thing. We experienced some changes in the lineup and some setbacks. Our drummer on “Vertigo” moved to the west coast of Norway around that time. We tried to make it work with the distance, but it was hard to keep it all together. So we had to search for a new drummer, and at the same time, we decided to lay the stuff we have been working on to rest and start over again. I guess most of the material on the new album is made around 2018-2020. But there are riffs and material dating back to 2015 and some riffs dating even longer back.

It’s material back from the “Vertigo” sessions, partly?
Just a few riffs. But most of it was made a few years after “Vertigo”. One main point is that our main music writer was stepping down on writing music around the same time, leaving more of the songwriting responsibility to me and to the other guitarist, Voidar. That also took some time before we got back into it. I, personally, didn’t make any riffs or songs on Vertigo. I have had maybe three songs on the first album and three songs on the second album, but now I am actually the main songwriter myself for the new album. So there’s been some changes in the in the lineup in that way. But Kvass still writes all the lyrics.

In ten years this world has extremely changed. Did this change influence the way you see music or the way you compose? Does the world still need black metal, still need Koldbrann?
A lot of things change during such a long time. But I think we still have the same mindset when it comes to music, as we have always had. It might be a cliche answer, but we are first and foremost doing this for ourselves and as a creative outlet and also an outlet for emotions and feelings and we are doing what we have always done, staying true to doing what we want.

Was there one event that made you come back playing and writing music again after ten years? One point where you said, okay, we have to start over again and we have to release a new album and we have to get on stage again, or was it a process?
It’s more of a process. As I mentioned, I didn’t write any music on “Vertigo”, but I was very much involved in the album. I was kind of finding my way back to making songs again. I’ve always made and recorded riffs, but there was a period of many, many years where I didn’t put them together or wrote songs. It was a natural thing. When Kvass was stepping down on his songwriting, I maybe got the kick in the butt to make some songs out of the riffs. And then I suddenly found the inspiration and the workflow in it again. I guess, it’s partly coincidence and partly the will to make a new album and show everyone that we’re still here.

The title of the new album would translate to “no adornment”, or “no fucking compromises”?
The way we say it translates to “no mercy”.

So it’s not a direct allusion to the previous album, Vertigo, which incorporated more progressive or unusual elements?
No. The title started as a song title, but I really liked the sound and the meaning of it. I really wanted to use it as an album title. Maybe regardless of the theme for the actual lyrics for the song. “No Mercy” is more of an attitude. You can use it to whatever you like. We have always had this kind of “no mercy” attitude in our music and our expression, so it fitted well for an album title. You’re right, “Vertigo” was a little bit experimental, a little bit prog-influenced. We had some vintage synthesizers here and there and added some new elements. But with the changes in the band, it was just natural to go in the direction of the new album. I generally can say that I have always tended to make more raw and primitive stuff. And Kvass has been more “finely tuned”. A little bit more skilled than me and a little bit more experimental and melodic. It was a natural evolution. We didn’t feel the need to do “Vertigo part two” or anything. We wanted to go in this direction this time. Let’s see what happens next.

So it’s not a correction, you still value “Vertigo”?
Yes. Absolutely. I hold “Vertigo” very high myself. I feel that it’s a great collection of songs, and I’m really glad that we went that way on that album and explored those themes and those atmospheres. We wouldn’t have been here without it.

This time the lyrics are completely and exclusively in Norwegian. Was this a deliberate decision? What role do lyrics play for you and your process of composing?
I’m very fortunate to have Kvass as the lyric writer. He has always written the lyrics with only a very few exceptions. He has a unique way of using the Norwegian language. Unfortunately, only 0.07% or something of the world speaks Norwegian, so there’s not so many who will understand that. But we will have translations of all the lyrics in the booklets, both for the CD and vinyl, and we will publish them online as well, so that anyone who wants can read Kvass’s own translations of the lyrics. It’s not a must, but I listen to a lot of music where I don’t care about the lyrics or never read them. Everybody does, but it definitely adds to the atmosphere. To answer your question, it was a deliberate thought to go back to old Norwegian this time. I know that for Kvass it is very rewarding to make the songs in Norwegian because when it works, it works so well for him and for us, way better than to write in a language you don’t speak that often.

So the lyrics are not just a bonus. They are a core element of your sound?
Yes, absolutely.

Would it be a different composition if you were to compose a song in a foreign language? Does it influence the melodic composition?
No. We usually write the songs first, or the riffs if you like, and Kvass takes inspiration from the atmosphere of the riffs and the songs. He adapts his lyrics to the atmosphere. So, it’s two different things, but both are important for the expression wouldn’t have been the same without his lyrics. Definitely.

Is there lyrically a main topic on the album?
No, not really. Kvass takes inspiration from anything, society, books, psychology, you name it. There are songs about outsiderness, about standing tall on the outside of of society, turning one’s back to the world, so to say. There are lyrics that are more blunt and nihilistic and maybe not so meaningful, but still an expression of primal energy.

So you see no contradiction in Black metal using lyrics concerning current events or timeless topics? Can black metal comment on current affairs, recent developments in our world, or should it be more “meta”?
No. I think bands can do whatever they want. People can write about what they want in the lyrics. We may not approve of course. Nobody likes everything. Even though Kvass may take inspiration from society and such, we don’t have any lyrics commenting on specific topics like that. It’s more layered and general. I would say it’s open to make your own kind of interpretation, as, of course, many lyrics are.

What are the next steps for Koldbrann? Is the band at the center of your work again? Are there any current plans for the future?
Koldbrann is definitely at the center of my attention again. Related to what we talked about in the beginning: With ten years in between the albums, I’ve been at times occupied with a few other bands. That’s also something I came to realize a few years ago: I wanted to spend some more of my time on Koldbrann and less of my time on other bands, even though that brings satisfaction as well. But honestly, Koldbrann is definitely what I burn for. The album is finally being released this week. We had the album master ready for well over a year. And it’s a long time since we started recording everything, so it’s good to finally have it out. And we have some festivals lined up for both this year and the next year. We are eager to perform the songs live. It’s something we all still feel gives us a lot. to perform the songs live. The energy you bring to the songs and the energy you get from the crowd and the songs and the atmosphere is still very rewarding. We’re looking forward to that as well.

I will close this interview with our Metal1.info brainstorming.

Time off? Oh. Time off. That’s, something I rarely have.

Bokmål oder Nynorsk? (The two standard varieties of the Norwegian language): Bokmål. I actually got a very good grade in Nynorsk. Everybody has to have exams in Nynorsk in Norway, and I’m still proud of getting an A grade in that. I think it’s 22 two years ago or something.

Surströming. (An as famous as infamously smelly fish): That’s a bit too much for me. I think I have smelled it. Generally I like “funky food”, if you call it that. But that’s maybe too extreme.

Drum triggers.  No, that’s not for us. But I have to say, if you use it right, I guess it’s not a problem. We don’t use it. I do like, contrary to very many other people, Mayhem’s “Grand declaration of war” because for me, that record wouldn’t have been the same with another drum sound. But that doesn’t mean, that drum sound should be used for “Freezing Moon”.

Endstille: Good comrades, good friends. I met the vocalist at Party San Festival last year, but we hope to see more of them in future times.

Koldbrann in ten years:  Oh. Well, I haven’t thought about that before. But, I mean, in other bands I play with people who are, ten years older than me. So I guess we don’t need to stop. Let’s see. We’ll keep going.

Publiziert am 25. September 2024 von Wenzel Widenka