Grand Alchemist hail from Norway and play well-executed symphonic black metal; they recently released their debut full length, Intervening Coma-Celebration through Portuguese label Sound Riot. The band integrate all kinds of unusual sounds into their varied music, adding a diversity rarely found in what has become a largely saturated and often unoriginal - genre. I recently had the opportunity to talk with vocalist Sigurd, the man behind the music, who also plays guitars and synths.
First of all, congratulations on an excellent album with Intervening Coma-Celebration! Did you find the recording process difficult, or did it all go smoothly?
Thank you.
We cant, when we look back at the recording, point at anything that caused any major difficulties. Nothing that had a big impact on the recording. I think the recording went as smoothly as it could, when youre spending 200 hours in a small room.
You find this difficult yes? Ever get into arguments?
The process is intensive in periods, and we sometimes felt we lacked time. There were a few episodes of light argumentation, but these were solved without any shed of blood.
Are you pleased with the final result, or is there anything you think could have been improved?
There will always be things that could be improved. With all the possibilities there are in music, I think it would be strange if I did not get that feeling, actually. That said, I must say that were all pretty satisfied with the final result of this album. A lot of work was put into the mixing, as well as the recording, in order give each song a dynamic and complex sound, and we achieved what we wanted.
Do you have any personal favourites on the album?
If I should mention a favorite, it would be A nailed visual effect, the last song I wrote. It contains many different elements and I was a little nervous before we entered the studio about how these would fit into the song. I think the final result is great.
One thing that I feel gives your music an edge over other bands is the excellent singing, do you find sung sections harder to write than growled passages?
Well, I dont perform the clean vocals on this CD. The co-producer Rune Thoen, as its written in the booklet, does. When I started to write the vocals, I soon found out that the clean passages would be hard to perform. One night in the studio, Rune asked if he could try to sing on the clean sections on Incurable longing. The result was marvelous, and he did the rest of the clean vocals as well. In some passages Roland is doing backing vocals together with Mr. Thoen. We will use samples of Rune Thoens vocal when were performing live.
How do you choose between the two styles?
The main vocal has always been the grim and I had actually not thought about using the clean vocal in the first place, but it kind of came in naturally during the writing process in some passages where I couldnt get the growled vocal to fit properly.
So you find clean vox easier to fit in at times? I would have thought they were harder!
The vocals are meant to strengthen the atmosphere in the melodies. I couldnt get the grim vocal to fit properly at some themes, and I thought of the idea of using clean vox. The main vocal is the growling and I think this is hard to perform if you want to give it the right sound. A lot people think its just to shout out load, but its a lot training behind the grim vocal.
You have been playing both guitar and piano for a long time now, which did you find easiest to master?
I dont know actually. I like both piano and guitar, but it came naturally to play the guitar live. A lot of people have been wondering about why I dont do the keyboards live, because I do all of it on the album and write almost all of the music on the keyboard or the piano, but I think Im more comfortable handling the guitar together with the vocal live.
Who do your consider your major influences?
Most of the inspirations come from my inner feelings and thoughts and not from any particular band or music style. I listen to all kinds of music, that of course inspires me to an extent, but always I try to let my major source of inspiration be my own emotions and atmospheres.
From where else do you draw inspiration - art, literature, films?
I am fond of all kinds of obscure and dark art. The animations in the videos from TOOL, are one the best combinations of music and art Ive ever seen. I dont read that much these days, besides my studying, but Im fond of writers like Bret E. Ellis, J.R.R Tolkien and Jens Bjoerneboe. Fight Club, Braveheart, Apocalypse Now and Goodfellas are examples of some excellent movies that I have seen and have touched me like other worse movies dont.
Cool, what are you studying?
Im studying Criminology at the University of Oslo.
Another reason I find your music more interesting than much symphonic black is the eclecticism is it a conscious effort to make the music sound more varied, or does it just happen naturally?
When I start to write a song I have I visions and thoughts about all of the elements I want to include in the song, but I dont think its intended that this leads to a varied sound. One great thing with Grand Alchemist is that all of the members have got different tastes of music, which contributes to the variation and helps to develop the production and arrangement of the songs.
How do you keep these elements in mind when writing? Do you not find it hard to remember them when you get into a song?
The elements come naturally when Im writing a melody. When I hear the melody, I also hear, in my head, the elements that will strengthen the theme. I have a mini-studio at home, and Im recording the songs on this studio before I show them to the rest of the band. Otherwise I think it would be hard to remember all of the elements in a song.
How do you go about writing your songs? Do you always use the same process?
When I compose music I always start with a single melody usually from playing guitar or piano, or I come up with the melody in my head. Then I think about what kinds of elements I can use to strengthen the melody, get the best out of it, and work on my sequencer until Im satisfied. Then I show my proportion to the rest of the band, and we start rehearsing the song. During this process the other band-members give advice on, and sometimes criticise, the compositions.
How much do you rehearse each song before you record it?
When I have a song ready, we usually rehearse for about one month before we record it. But the process of writing a song is much longer and harder. It took me a very long time to write some of the songs on this album.
Which instrument/part of the song do you find hardest to write?
Its always hard creating the two opening themes in a song, and the last. These have to be catchy so the songs dont start with a boring theme or fade out with a boring one. The drum beats are also pretty hard to fit into the melodies. The possibilities are so many, and it is hard to find the right solution, which fits song best. I think the drums are much like the vocals when it comes to the arrangements; if you choose the wrong vocals or drum-beats on a theme, it could destroy the whole melody.
Do you just use trial and error until one fits, or do you just have a feel for which will work?
Sometimes its easy to get things right, but in cases when the feeling doesnt score as planned and hoped, it may take hours to for example, find the right drum-beat.
Where does the name Grand Alchemist come from?
I look at music as a sort of alchemy, when youre able to describe your mental state of mind with only the melodies you compose as your pure speech. Grand Alchemist could be like an idol of music writing, a vision Im working towards.
With the current abundance of generic symphonic black metal bands what do you think the future holds for the genre?
This genre does, as you mentioned, contain an abundance of bands, and I think it will be hard to stay at the surface for a long time, if you dont produce a good piece of music. Its a big danger of getting forgotten almost before youre getting known, but I think the genre itself will last.
Do you not see the genre becoming unpopular in response to its current success and going back underground like, for example, power metal has (relatively speaking)?
I dont actually think (and care) that much about this issue. When bands become popular, some will look at this as a bad thing. It will always be like that, but I dont think that this unpopularity will have any big affect on the genre.
And what do you think the future holds for Grand Alchemist? Do you intend to continue playing in a similar style, or do you see yourself changing in the future?
Some changes will occur, sure thing. You know, we wont give out Intervening Coma-Celebration 2, but I dont think Grand Alchemist will go through major changes, like, for example, Theater of Tragedy has. I hope that we will develop the music and ourselves as musicians, and give the band a more unique sound without changing the style completely.
Have you any news on your next album, or have you not thought that far ahead yet?
Were working on a new album that will ready for recording during 2003.
Hows it going? Are you finding it easier than Intervening Coma-Celebration at this point?
So far its going fine. Many good compositions are already done, and I have a good feeling about it. Its kind of hard to compare it with Intervening Coma-celebration at this point.
What role does music play in your life - is it a catharsis, a way of spreading a message, a hobby?
Music is an extremely important part of my life. I cant imagine a life without making music, but I dont want to put a name on my feelings about making it.
When youre not playing with the band or recording, what do you like to spend your spare time doing?
Personally I like to watch a good movie, hang out and do some seriously drinking. At this time of the year, I sometimes go skiing as well, and a lot of other things.
What are your views on the actions of some of the more infamous members of the Norweigan black metal scene?
People have always different opinions about how things are to be done ..
Do you support some of the more extreme methods that black metal musicians have tried to convey their message, however?
Personally I dont support it. I think there are better methods to forward a message, and it has been discovered that these methods have, in most cases, the opposite affect on people.
Are any of the UM readership going to be able to see you on tour in the near future?
There are plans for a festival, and some other concerts in France, during September, but I dont have that much information yet. We will also play at the Inferno Festival 2003, in April, besides this there are no plans for a tour yet so we will concentrate on making the new album.
When you play live who is responsible for the keyboards?
These days its a guy called Torbjoern. He is not a well known face in the scene, and will only handle the keyboards live. I will continue to do the synth on the recordings.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions!
No problem!
First of all, congratulations on an excellent album with Intervening Coma-Celebration! Did you find the recording process difficult, or did it all go smoothly?
Thank you.
We cant, when we look back at the recording, point at anything that caused any major difficulties. Nothing that had a big impact on the recording. I think the recording went as smoothly as it could, when youre spending 200 hours in a small room.
You find this difficult yes? Ever get into arguments?
The process is intensive in periods, and we sometimes felt we lacked time. There were a few episodes of light argumentation, but these were solved without any shed of blood.
Are you pleased with the final result, or is there anything you think could have been improved?
There will always be things that could be improved. With all the possibilities there are in music, I think it would be strange if I did not get that feeling, actually. That said, I must say that were all pretty satisfied with the final result of this album. A lot of work was put into the mixing, as well as the recording, in order give each song a dynamic and complex sound, and we achieved what we wanted.
Do you have any personal favourites on the album?
If I should mention a favorite, it would be A nailed visual effect, the last song I wrote. It contains many different elements and I was a little nervous before we entered the studio about how these would fit into the song. I think the final result is great.
One thing that I feel gives your music an edge over other bands is the excellent singing, do you find sung sections harder to write than growled passages?
Well, I dont perform the clean vocals on this CD. The co-producer Rune Thoen, as its written in the booklet, does. When I started to write the vocals, I soon found out that the clean passages would be hard to perform. One night in the studio, Rune asked if he could try to sing on the clean sections on Incurable longing. The result was marvelous, and he did the rest of the clean vocals as well. In some passages Roland is doing backing vocals together with Mr. Thoen. We will use samples of Rune Thoens vocal when were performing live.
How do you choose between the two styles?
The main vocal has always been the grim and I had actually not thought about using the clean vocal in the first place, but it kind of came in naturally during the writing process in some passages where I couldnt get the growled vocal to fit properly.
So you find clean vox easier to fit in at times? I would have thought they were harder!
The vocals are meant to strengthen the atmosphere in the melodies. I couldnt get the grim vocal to fit properly at some themes, and I thought of the idea of using clean vox. The main vocal is the growling and I think this is hard to perform if you want to give it the right sound. A lot people think its just to shout out load, but its a lot training behind the grim vocal.
You have been playing both guitar and piano for a long time now, which did you find easiest to master?
I dont know actually. I like both piano and guitar, but it came naturally to play the guitar live. A lot of people have been wondering about why I dont do the keyboards live, because I do all of it on the album and write almost all of the music on the keyboard or the piano, but I think Im more comfortable handling the guitar together with the vocal live.
Who do your consider your major influences?
Most of the inspirations come from my inner feelings and thoughts and not from any particular band or music style. I listen to all kinds of music, that of course inspires me to an extent, but always I try to let my major source of inspiration be my own emotions and atmospheres.
From where else do you draw inspiration - art, literature, films?
I am fond of all kinds of obscure and dark art. The animations in the videos from TOOL, are one the best combinations of music and art Ive ever seen. I dont read that much these days, besides my studying, but Im fond of writers like Bret E. Ellis, J.R.R Tolkien and Jens Bjoerneboe. Fight Club, Braveheart, Apocalypse Now and Goodfellas are examples of some excellent movies that I have seen and have touched me like other worse movies dont.
Cool, what are you studying?
Im studying Criminology at the University of Oslo.
Another reason I find your music more interesting than much symphonic black is the eclecticism is it a conscious effort to make the music sound more varied, or does it just happen naturally?
When I start to write a song I have I visions and thoughts about all of the elements I want to include in the song, but I dont think its intended that this leads to a varied sound. One great thing with Grand Alchemist is that all of the members have got different tastes of music, which contributes to the variation and helps to develop the production and arrangement of the songs.
How do you keep these elements in mind when writing? Do you not find it hard to remember them when you get into a song?
The elements come naturally when Im writing a melody. When I hear the melody, I also hear, in my head, the elements that will strengthen the theme. I have a mini-studio at home, and Im recording the songs on this studio before I show them to the rest of the band. Otherwise I think it would be hard to remember all of the elements in a song.
How do you go about writing your songs? Do you always use the same process?
When I compose music I always start with a single melody usually from playing guitar or piano, or I come up with the melody in my head. Then I think about what kinds of elements I can use to strengthen the melody, get the best out of it, and work on my sequencer until Im satisfied. Then I show my proportion to the rest of the band, and we start rehearsing the song. During this process the other band-members give advice on, and sometimes criticise, the compositions.
How much do you rehearse each song before you record it?
When I have a song ready, we usually rehearse for about one month before we record it. But the process of writing a song is much longer and harder. It took me a very long time to write some of the songs on this album.
Which instrument/part of the song do you find hardest to write?
Its always hard creating the two opening themes in a song, and the last. These have to be catchy so the songs dont start with a boring theme or fade out with a boring one. The drum beats are also pretty hard to fit into the melodies. The possibilities are so many, and it is hard to find the right solution, which fits song best. I think the drums are much like the vocals when it comes to the arrangements; if you choose the wrong vocals or drum-beats on a theme, it could destroy the whole melody.
Do you just use trial and error until one fits, or do you just have a feel for which will work?
Sometimes its easy to get things right, but in cases when the feeling doesnt score as planned and hoped, it may take hours to for example, find the right drum-beat.
Where does the name Grand Alchemist come from?
I look at music as a sort of alchemy, when youre able to describe your mental state of mind with only the melodies you compose as your pure speech. Grand Alchemist could be like an idol of music writing, a vision Im working towards.
With the current abundance of generic symphonic black metal bands what do you think the future holds for the genre?
This genre does, as you mentioned, contain an abundance of bands, and I think it will be hard to stay at the surface for a long time, if you dont produce a good piece of music. Its a big danger of getting forgotten almost before youre getting known, but I think the genre itself will last.
Do you not see the genre becoming unpopular in response to its current success and going back underground like, for example, power metal has (relatively speaking)?
I dont actually think (and care) that much about this issue. When bands become popular, some will look at this as a bad thing. It will always be like that, but I dont think that this unpopularity will have any big affect on the genre.
And what do you think the future holds for Grand Alchemist? Do you intend to continue playing in a similar style, or do you see yourself changing in the future?
Some changes will occur, sure thing. You know, we wont give out Intervening Coma-Celebration 2, but I dont think Grand Alchemist will go through major changes, like, for example, Theater of Tragedy has. I hope that we will develop the music and ourselves as musicians, and give the band a more unique sound without changing the style completely.
Have you any news on your next album, or have you not thought that far ahead yet?
Were working on a new album that will ready for recording during 2003.
Hows it going? Are you finding it easier than Intervening Coma-Celebration at this point?
So far its going fine. Many good compositions are already done, and I have a good feeling about it. Its kind of hard to compare it with Intervening Coma-celebration at this point.
What role does music play in your life - is it a catharsis, a way of spreading a message, a hobby?
Music is an extremely important part of my life. I cant imagine a life without making music, but I dont want to put a name on my feelings about making it.
When youre not playing with the band or recording, what do you like to spend your spare time doing?
Personally I like to watch a good movie, hang out and do some seriously drinking. At this time of the year, I sometimes go skiing as well, and a lot of other things.
What are your views on the actions of some of the more infamous members of the Norweigan black metal scene?
People have always different opinions about how things are to be done ..
Do you support some of the more extreme methods that black metal musicians have tried to convey their message, however?
Personally I dont support it. I think there are better methods to forward a message, and it has been discovered that these methods have, in most cases, the opposite affect on people.
Are any of the UM readership going to be able to see you on tour in the near future?
There are plans for a festival, and some other concerts in France, during September, but I dont have that much information yet. We will also play at the Inferno Festival 2003, in April, besides this there are no plans for a tour yet so we will concentrate on making the new album.
When you play live who is responsible for the keyboards?
These days its a guy called Torbjoern. He is not a well known face in the scene, and will only handle the keyboards live. I will continue to do the synth on the recordings.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions!
No problem!
