Since the mid-90’s, Vintersorg has been the project of Andreas Hedlund, who goes under the same name as the band (and of late, as Mr. V, for short).  Along with long-time collaborator Mattias Marklund, Vintersorg has been putting out albums that not only move the listener, but also invoke thought.  With a new album out in Jordpuls, the duo return from a four year break with an album that is one of their best efforts yet, even by their high standards.  Recently, Mr. V was kind enough to grant an interview with Metal Psalter to talk about all things Vintersorg and balancing music and real life responsibilities.

Peter: For those who are unfamiliar with Vintersorg, would you like to say a few things about the band?

Mr. V: Oh, the story is quite long, as the band started out back in ’94 when I had this vision to create music that was quite diverse and very uncommon at the time being.  My mind was occupied with putting together elements that at first, could sound a bit strange, but somehow it felt very natural. So, the aim was to combine black metal with acoustic guitars, clear vocals, and a large portion of Scandinavian folk music and just to dress it up with some progressive touches. Since I was all alone in this endeavor, I just felt it was natural to do it by myself, and so I did. I did a couple of albums but after a while, I missed my old musical friend Mattias Marklund, so I invited him to the band about 11 years ago.

Peter: Given the numerous bands or projects that you’ve been involved with, what is the key to keeping everything in order?

Mr. V: I guess it’s all about dedication.  I mean, I write and record music on a daily basis and can’t really imagine life without this “drug.” Of course, work and family is something that I have a lot of responsibilities towards and I like that, but all my spare time is about my art. I need all these different musical nuances to keep sane actually, so it’s a need, not just a way of expressing myself. Therefore, it is the actual song writing and recording the things I have most inspiration for; of course, it’s nice to play live as well, but when a new tune hits my mind, it is such a genuine feeling that I find hard to pick up during a performance.

Peter: It has been four years between Solens Rötter and Jordpuls.  How did the break in between albums benefit the band?

Mr. V: It was never a planned break; instead, it was just that time frame that we needed to make it work out schedule-wise. Both Mattias and I did other albums in the time gap and we had a lot of things to do that correlated with our ordinary day jobs. I also became a father for the second time during the second half of 2006, so after Solens Rötter, I had to pay attention to a lot of the family matters.  I also bought a house and built a studio in 2009, so we just waited to record after that was completed. So, you see, it was the sum of things that made the years fly by.

Peter: Speaking of Jordpuls, what can you say about the album in terms of the cover art and production?

Mr. V: The production is raw in a way, but still very detailed and slick. It sounds awkward, but it that’s how I feel. The harsh parts feel very harsh, but the more epic and intricate parts has the sound qualities that they need as well. Our music is quite diverse, so the production issue is always a bit tricky to solve, but I feel that this time, we did a great job to pay attention to all the details needed. About the cover art, it was made by Kris Verwimp.  We had a conversation about the lyrics and music and he came up with an idea that he made a sketch of and then we discussed it some more and then he painted the actual thing in oil.  I think it captures the spirit of the music and lyrics, so it was a wise decision to use him as cover artist.

Peter: In listening to the album, it seems that Vintersorg has drawn elements from all of their previous albums.  Was that intentional, or was it something that just came naturally?

Mr. V: It just came out this way.  I followed the path that my mind seems to find for itself. I write out of passion and inspiration and just go by heart and don’t calculate how everything should be at that point, but when arranging the songs, I’m very eager to check that everything fits to the last piece in the puzzle more.  There, I calculate to make sure that everything is harmonized. I think that when I write music for Vintersorg, the results can end up a certain way at a specific time in my life.  I’ve already written some new tracks that sound very promising.

Peter: What are some of the themes that are covered on Jordpuls?

Mr. V: The lyrical aspect is based on the endless Vintersorg topic: the relation between Man and Nature. It’s such a vast concept and has so many angles and ways to look at it; this time, I focused a lot on the romantic side of nature - observations that I do. I actually live by the foot of a mountain, so I really live in a close bond to nature. The title would be something like “Earth Pulse” translated and it deals with the fact that nature resounds in everything that we have around us and inside us, but there’s also some more “cosmic” philosophizing as well, as it always tends to be.

Peter: Who inspires you in terms of philosophy and why?

Mr. V: Some years ago, I was all over the philosophical table, but all my time is consumed for the actual music work, so my reading has decreased drastically. However, I love both old and new philosophers, and the ones who take part for nature is of course, something that I like a lot. Among the newer ones, I like Kierkegaard and Ness, for example.

Peter: Are there any plans for shows in support of the album?

Mr. V: As we’re only a two piece, we’re not a live act at this point, and we also have so much to do besides the band with jobs, family, etc. So, it’s hard to get out there.

Peter: Is there anything else that you’d like to add?

Mr. V: Nah, not really. Just check out the new album.  I think it’s a very adventurous and dynamic piece that will take you for an emotional ride.

Vintersorg's Mr. V

Interviewer: Peter

May 19, 2011

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TO THE TOP

(Click on Photo to Enlarge)

Formed: 1994
    Skellefteå,  SWEDEN
Label:  Napalm Records
Genre:  Viking/Folk Metal &
Progressive Metal

CURRENT LINE-UP:

Vintersorg: Vocals, Guitars,
                      Bass, & Keyboards
Mattias Marklund: Guitar

DISCOGRAPHY:

Hedniskhjärtad EP (1998)
Till Fjälls (1998)
Ödemarkens Son (1999)
Cosmic Genesis (2000)
Visions from the Spiral Generator
                                                    (2002)
The Focusing Blur (2004)
Solens Rötter (2007)
Jordpuls (2011)

Check out Peter's review of Jordpuls here