When did the initial idea for your latest single come together?
That’s hard to answer to be honest. I tend to work on a few tracks simultaneously, so sometimes it can be hard to determine where one ends and the other begins. Conceptually they’re all part of the same story, something which develops along with the song(s). Melodically, the first elements of ‘Folkvangr’ probably started about a year ago, though the overarching concept goes back even further.
How would you describe the track, to a reader that is unfamiliar with the band?
I’d say it’s immersive, atmospheric and melodic instrumental rock. ‘Folkvangr’ in particular has quite a lot of shoegaze elements, more so than other tracks.
Can you tell us a bit more about the meaning behind the track?
All the tracks on the EP, and the forthcoming album, are inspired by Norse mythology, and more specifically the afterlife. ‘Folkvangr’ is Freyja’s domain, and half of those who die in battle go there (the other half go to Valhalla). The track symbolises the fallen warriors’ journey there; the atmospheric soundscape represents the spiritual voyage, escorted by Valkyries.
How would you say that the track compares to anything you’ve done before?
As I mentioned earlier, it’s definitely got more of a shoegaze feel to it. It’s a bit more experimental in terms of structure and sound.
What was the hardest part about putting it together, and why?
Structure was the main thing, as I don’t want every track to seem identical in that regard. I love combining heavier sections with lighter, more melodic parts, but if every song had the same basic structure, then that would be quite boring. The other thing was trying to keep the length down, again trying to keep it from being boring. I improvise a lot over the main riff (that’s the way I usually write), so I always end up with too much material. I had some hard choices to make about what to cut and what to keep in.
Why should a reader check out the track?
If you like instrumental music in general, and particularly guitar-based post-rock, I think you’ll find something there that you like. Or if you’re a fan of shoegaze and/or blackgaze there will be something there as well.
What else can you tell us about the track, that we haven’t covered in this interview?
All the music I create I mainly do for myself, and if others like it too then that’s obviously great. I draw from a lot of different influences to create something that has bits of (almost) everything I like. I’ve had some amazing feedback on this track, which I’m very grateful for, but getting it on playlists hasn’t been that easy. It’s on a few, but for some it’s either too heavy or not heavy enough! Hopefully that means that there’s something, if not unique, then unusual about it – which is a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
LINKS:
https://solnedgang.bandcamp.com/