You and Andreas together have formed a band called Cronian (which was formerly known as Ion). What do you want to say about "Terra" and "Enterprise" albums?
---- Well, TERRA was released by Century Media Records in 2006 and was our debut album. Musically speaking I am very satisfied with that album but I am not totally pleased with the production. ENTERPISED was released by Indie recordings November this year, 2008. I think it became a great album but musically and production wise. Very proud of both the album!
Your third "The Archaic Course" album is very important for me. I've learned your music with this album and never forget! 10 year passed away from that days on! With their debut, you began as a melodic viking/black metal style and then we saw your progressive approaches. What kind of things do you want to say me about Borknagar's evolution?
---- With BORKNAGAR I have always wanted to challenge myself, the band and the fans musically. We never wanted to make a sort of easy listening band, but more a band that is able to go beyond musical borders and for each album we have always taken a step further. Commercially not always the best way to walk, but musically it is much more satisfying. I simply dont want to repeat myself!
As a guitarist and founder of the supergroup Borknagar, whats your favorite Borknagar record? And why?
---- All the album has their own meaning to me and all is equally important I would say. But I must admit that THE ARCHAIC COURSE is an album that is really close to my heart. Thats one of the albums we have done where I just can sit down listening to it without thinking about all the things that could have been better I would maybe say that THE ARCHAIC COURSE is our REIGN IN BLOOD, so to speak ..;-)
Versatile man Andreas interested in Vintersorg, Cronian, Fission and Waterclime without Borknagar. How can he reach another works? It must be tiresome.
---- Making music is always something that demands allot of you mentally. But being able to do music on different fields somehow motivates and gives you fresh ideas. So for Andreas, being in many different projects, I think he just feel that it somehow empowers him. Atleast that is the case with me and my bands .
Why did you prefer David Kinkade's drum duties for Borknagar?
---- First off, he is a great man with an approach to music that suits us very good. We are very much on the same wavelength so to speak. And ofcourse he is a great drummer. So it just had to be like this .
Is Lars's Solefald and Age of Silence works on the way? When will we see him in new albums?
---- I am sure there will be e new record, but I dont know where that project is right now .
What happened to Thornbound since 2006? I suppose that Jan Erik and your ex-drummer are keeping their works together. Is it right?
---- Asgeir told me that he is still rehearsing with that band, but I really dont know what the status is there right now. I am not too interested to be honestly, to me that seems to be music that is far beyond my interest .
I've asked this question to your compatriots Skitliv presently. What do you think of the underground metal scene in the Norway? Do you feel its stronger than ever or stagnating in a pool of its own shit?
----- Well, from my point of view the scene is very diverse. Its very much alive as there are tons of new bands coming. Some tends to stick to the traditional BM whilst others are more experimental. There are very many different sorts of bands at the moment, everything from Black rock to far out experimental things as CRONIAN. Thats a sign of health I believe, even if I kind of miss the good old days .when music was pure devotion and passion. Its different now .
I think progressive black metal is very important style in their genre and who want to ask me a good black metal band, I advised him/her a good progressive metal band name. Well, which progressive metal bands do you prefer to listen/see?
---- ULVER Shadows of the sun is probably one of the best albums made in decades .!
As a member of creative and inconsistent band, what's your favorite Century Media bands? Also, I want to ask this questions for Indie Recordings.
---- I used to be a huge fan of TIAMAT and SAMAEL, but they are not signed to that label anymore. The bands they have nowadays are far out of my interest. But of course I still respect them as a label and their artists. But they just have such a boring catalogue at the moment .
As for Indie Recordings they have a very diverse rooster. Many good bands actually and one I would recommend is the new WARDRUNA album- thats a great and bold release!!
To speak honestly, some compilation albums are useful records for listeners and artists. You wanted to release a compilation album in this year as "For The Elements (1996-2006)" and did it. What was the results and what's the importance of a compilation album according to you?
---- For me it was about completing the circle with Century Media Records and it was a cool thing to do this compilation. Almost like a testament for the 10 years we were on CM.
For CM it was all about the money, I guess .haha
You're a well-known band as their acquaintance former/past members too. What kind of reasons have they gone? I mean, have you got a difficult rules for playing with Borknagar?
---- I am not a dictator in any means, but I usually have very strong opinions about how I want things to be. So musically it might be that I am hard to work with, that might be part of the reason. On the other hand I have always had (for some) a very strange idea behind the band. I never wanted to be a professional musician, living from music. So many times I have turned down proposals for tours and festivals just because I am not interested. Often that is proposals that would have meant money and allot of CDs and T-shirts sold. Many have a hard time to understand this and I think that have played a role why people have been quitting. I dont want BORKNAGAR to be a money machine and I always wanted to keep things down to earth, to keep control etc.
Please tell me that your untitled eighth studio album (2009)? How will it be? Any current news about it?
---- We are starting to record the new album next month and we hope to release it later next year. What can I say about the new album? Well, it will be back to the core of the band musically. We will take a step further, as always, but well keep on to the musical ideas that BORKNAGAR was founded on. So youll see a mix between QUINTESSENCE; THE ARCHAIC COURSE, THE OLDEN DOMAIN and ofcourse our more recent releases. I think it will be a real goodie for those who like the band ..
You have been the only permanent member of the group, and are also responsible for writing many of the songs. How do you see Borknagar's next?
---- Impossible to say. But I hope the line-up we have right now will keep on for a long time, I certainly wish so! But we take it album for album and see how things turn out .the future is always in motion
All right! Thank you very much! It was a pleasure doing this interview with you. As it is customary here on Blogger Schizo!, the last words to our readers are all yours. Cheers!
---- Thanx for the support! Our new album is rising in the horizon, so beware!!
Answered by Øystein G. Brun, December 2008
http://bloggerschizo.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/borknagar
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.NET/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=111424
---- Well, TERRA was released by Century Media Records in 2006 and was our debut album. Musically speaking I am very satisfied with that album but I am not totally pleased with the production. ENTERPISED was released by Indie recordings November this year, 2008. I think it became a great album but musically and production wise. Very proud of both the album!
Your third "The Archaic Course" album is very important for me. I've learned your music with this album and never forget! 10 year passed away from that days on! With their debut, you began as a melodic viking/black metal style and then we saw your progressive approaches. What kind of things do you want to say me about Borknagar's evolution?
---- With BORKNAGAR I have always wanted to challenge myself, the band and the fans musically. We never wanted to make a sort of easy listening band, but more a band that is able to go beyond musical borders and for each album we have always taken a step further. Commercially not always the best way to walk, but musically it is much more satisfying. I simply dont want to repeat myself!
As a guitarist and founder of the supergroup Borknagar, whats your favorite Borknagar record? And why?
---- All the album has their own meaning to me and all is equally important I would say. But I must admit that THE ARCHAIC COURSE is an album that is really close to my heart. Thats one of the albums we have done where I just can sit down listening to it without thinking about all the things that could have been better I would maybe say that THE ARCHAIC COURSE is our REIGN IN BLOOD, so to speak ..;-)
Versatile man Andreas interested in Vintersorg, Cronian, Fission and Waterclime without Borknagar. How can he reach another works? It must be tiresome.
---- Making music is always something that demands allot of you mentally. But being able to do music on different fields somehow motivates and gives you fresh ideas. So for Andreas, being in many different projects, I think he just feel that it somehow empowers him. Atleast that is the case with me and my bands .
Why did you prefer David Kinkade's drum duties for Borknagar?
---- First off, he is a great man with an approach to music that suits us very good. We are very much on the same wavelength so to speak. And ofcourse he is a great drummer. So it just had to be like this .
Is Lars's Solefald and Age of Silence works on the way? When will we see him in new albums?
---- I am sure there will be e new record, but I dont know where that project is right now .
What happened to Thornbound since 2006? I suppose that Jan Erik and your ex-drummer are keeping their works together. Is it right?
---- Asgeir told me that he is still rehearsing with that band, but I really dont know what the status is there right now. I am not too interested to be honestly, to me that seems to be music that is far beyond my interest .
I've asked this question to your compatriots Skitliv presently. What do you think of the underground metal scene in the Norway? Do you feel its stronger than ever or stagnating in a pool of its own shit?
----- Well, from my point of view the scene is very diverse. Its very much alive as there are tons of new bands coming. Some tends to stick to the traditional BM whilst others are more experimental. There are very many different sorts of bands at the moment, everything from Black rock to far out experimental things as CRONIAN. Thats a sign of health I believe, even if I kind of miss the good old days .when music was pure devotion and passion. Its different now .
I think progressive black metal is very important style in their genre and who want to ask me a good black metal band, I advised him/her a good progressive metal band name. Well, which progressive metal bands do you prefer to listen/see?
---- ULVER Shadows of the sun is probably one of the best albums made in decades .!
As a member of creative and inconsistent band, what's your favorite Century Media bands? Also, I want to ask this questions for Indie Recordings.
---- I used to be a huge fan of TIAMAT and SAMAEL, but they are not signed to that label anymore. The bands they have nowadays are far out of my interest. But of course I still respect them as a label and their artists. But they just have such a boring catalogue at the moment .
As for Indie Recordings they have a very diverse rooster. Many good bands actually and one I would recommend is the new WARDRUNA album- thats a great and bold release!!
To speak honestly, some compilation albums are useful records for listeners and artists. You wanted to release a compilation album in this year as "For The Elements (1996-2006)" and did it. What was the results and what's the importance of a compilation album according to you?
---- For me it was about completing the circle with Century Media Records and it was a cool thing to do this compilation. Almost like a testament for the 10 years we were on CM.
For CM it was all about the money, I guess .haha
You're a well-known band as their acquaintance former/past members too. What kind of reasons have they gone? I mean, have you got a difficult rules for playing with Borknagar?
---- I am not a dictator in any means, but I usually have very strong opinions about how I want things to be. So musically it might be that I am hard to work with, that might be part of the reason. On the other hand I have always had (for some) a very strange idea behind the band. I never wanted to be a professional musician, living from music. So many times I have turned down proposals for tours and festivals just because I am not interested. Often that is proposals that would have meant money and allot of CDs and T-shirts sold. Many have a hard time to understand this and I think that have played a role why people have been quitting. I dont want BORKNAGAR to be a money machine and I always wanted to keep things down to earth, to keep control etc.
Please tell me that your untitled eighth studio album (2009)? How will it be? Any current news about it?
---- We are starting to record the new album next month and we hope to release it later next year. What can I say about the new album? Well, it will be back to the core of the band musically. We will take a step further, as always, but well keep on to the musical ideas that BORKNAGAR was founded on. So youll see a mix between QUINTESSENCE; THE ARCHAIC COURSE, THE OLDEN DOMAIN and ofcourse our more recent releases. I think it will be a real goodie for those who like the band ..
You have been the only permanent member of the group, and are also responsible for writing many of the songs. How do you see Borknagar's next?
---- Impossible to say. But I hope the line-up we have right now will keep on for a long time, I certainly wish so! But we take it album for album and see how things turn out .the future is always in motion
All right! Thank you very much! It was a pleasure doing this interview with you. As it is customary here on Blogger Schizo!, the last words to our readers are all yours. Cheers!
---- Thanx for the support! Our new album is rising in the horizon, so beware!!
Answered by Øystein G. Brun, December 2008
http://bloggerschizo.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/borknagar
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/BLABBERMOUTH.NET/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=111424
