Fleshrites
Link: Fleshrites
Fleshrites: Hail Arvinger, How are you? Can you first Introduce yourselves to the readers?. Tell us how and when the band was formed.
Arvinger: We're doing pretty good, thank you. Arvinger consist of myself Hauk, and Djerv. Djerv writes and perform the lyrics while I play and compose most of the music. The band was formed in 2001 when Djerv asked if we could write and record some songs together. We then wrote and recorded 5 songs and we had Ronny Tegner from Pagan's Mind as a guest musician, doing the keyboard parts for us. Almost a year later I wrote and recorded an instrumental called, Mørkets Dal. During the summer of 2002 we decided to let go of our songs and we uploaded them to a mp3 site which distributed them for free. After a while we started to recieve great feedback and alot of people requested a demo or album from us, so we decided to release an album called, Helgards Fall. We then made 3 more songs so we would be able to get a full-length out of it. Our album has been out since the middle of Feb.
Fleshrites: How do you define your own music and what meaning has it got for you?
Arvinger: Our music is basically norwegian black metal with influences from skandinavian folk music. Together with the keyboard we try to create sort of a viking sound to our music. I really enjoy writing this kind of music, because it gives me the chance to use alot of different elements in my composing. I mean, we use blastbeats, folk rythms , female vocals, male vocals, clean guitars, grunts, fiddle , keyboard, ect. And when you're able to use all these elements it makes the music more interesting to write, and the listener isn't so easily bored.
Fleshrites: Within the time you have been helped by Internet music free distribution, can you tell us how was this and what´s your opinion about this kind of free distribution?.
Arvinger: That's right. We had never promoted our music before we uploaded our mp3's to the internet. We made a simple Arvinger site and uploaded our songs to a site in the same vein as mp3.com. After a few days we started to recieve great feedback and people was interested in knowing more about the band. This inspired us to write and release our songs on an album. I think the internet is a great way to promote a band.
Fleshrites: This first album, reviewed in fleshrites.com, is 9 tracks long, about 45 mins of total length. Too long for a demo, isn´t it? What does it mean, it took a lot of time or you searched for all your old songs to gather them here? (Maybe both things)
Arvinger: Our album is a full-length, but it consist of 3 different recordings which can be looked on as demo recordings. We have printed it professionally and we sell it as an album, but to a lower price than other full-length albums. Somehow i think I have answered how it came together above...
Fleshrites: Why are your lyrics in Norwegian, do you prefer this language to express yourself better than English, which may give you a better recognition? (mention please anything about your land, but don´t explain too much, leave it for the next question)
Arvinger: Djerv writes all the lyrics. I think he's pretty good at it and he writes them with rythm and rime which he would not be able to do as good if he wrote them in English. He also got his own style of writing which I think suits the music just fine. He gives the lyrics a feeling of being old by not using mothern words, but rather use words that are not so common and write alittle different from how we normally talk.
Fleshrites: Talking about the land and your culture, which makes your main concept of inspiration, can you tell what it has in special, or just the roots of your land-love?
Arvinger: When I write songs for Arvinger I always try to have them somehow sound a bit nordic if you what I mean. When it comes to artwork, lyrics and images, we have and will still try to give them the nordic thouch too. But our lyrics are differen't from what you would expect from a band like us. All lyrics are written with a possitive message of hope, love and salvation through Christ !
Fleshrites: What have been your influences? Not only musically, also readings, films, and so on.
Arvinger: We listen to all kinds of metal, so metal in general is a major influence for us. I also think that we are inspired by the enviroment we live in. The national folk music has also inspired me lately and I think that will show even more in the future. Our lyrics are inspired by our faith in Christ and therefor all lyrics are based upon the Bibel, but Djerv writes them in a way that inculdes nordic elements as well.
Fleshrites: Norway is a land full of underground pagan/viking black metal bands like you, What is your favourite or favourites?
Arvinger: Our favorite Norwegian black/viking bands ? I havn't heard so many of them, but there's a band called Lumsk here and I guess they're the best folk metal around.At least the best I have heard. Djerv is the one that is into black metal, and I think he would have included Antestor as his favorite black metal band. There are alot of other bands i could have mentioned, but I don't got any special favorites, because I listen to so many different bands.
Fleshrites: What are your plans for the future? Any new release ready? Any tour? Any gig? Or just working with new material?
Arvinger: Our future plans are to release another full-length. I have written about 25 minutes of that album now. We are working on getting a session violinist for our next album and also a small male choir. We do not have any gig or tour plans since it's only me and Djerv who are permanent members of the band.
Fleshrites: Thanks for the interview, these last few lines are for you. Tell all the Fleshrites.com readers whatever you want.
Arvinger: Ok. If you havn't heard Arvinger and are interested in knowing more, then visit our site at http://www.arvinger.com There are 2 complete downloads there and samples from all our songs from the album called, Helgards Fall. Our album is available on our site through online payment, but there's also a list over available distros there too.
Thanks !