GroundCast – To heat up, tell us how the whole lot started out?
Sigurd: neatly, I began the band in 1995 in conjunction with Stolean, below the name of Morrheim. We had each been fanatics of the black metal bands right here in Norway and wished to begin our own band and create our own song. So we began to play as lovers of the genre. The phrases again then had been totally different from now. to begin with black metallic was once moderately controversial in its expression and had an unconventional way which excited me a lot. the primary motivation was to create song that best we have been happy with. after we started we had no purpose of getting our shit allotted out to the “masses”. remember that, this was earlier than web and prior to black steel used to be regular within the society. We recorded two demos, “The Midwinter Frost” and “endlessly night Infinity”, but didn’t distribute these any more. The musical expression modified in 1998 and we felt that it was time to additionally change the name into Grand Alchemist.
GroundCast – What are your influences?
Sigurd: It’s difficult to level the finger on one or two things which might be the principle influence in Grand Alchemist. My private influences are huge, to be honest. My parents had been truly desirous about rock-song and i’m grown up with bands like Rolling Stones, Jethro Tull, Genesis and Led Zeppelin. In my early teens I began to hearken to guns N’ Roses, Metallica and most important: Pantera. The bands that introduced my consideration towards black steel had been Emperor, Darkthrone, Immortal and Satyricon. I nonetheless assume that Emperors “in the Nightside Eclipse” is the very best black metal album ever recorded. I do additionally hearken to classical tune, major Beethoven, to mention one legend, and digital song like Shpongle, Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada. The sources of notion for the lyrics are to be found in the contradictions of Nature and the human physique, generally spoken. In these days’s institutionalized society such contradictions or emotive appearing-outs are viewed as social divergence. natural emotions like extreme happiness, unhappiness, frustration and displeasure are pathologies. I steer the phrases throughout a dismal and expedient mind-set. I imagine that this sort of dark psychological study is necessary as a result of it enlightens your thoughts concerning the fucking world you’re dwelling in. We don’t have any bodily copies on the market yet so the lyrics for “Disgusting Hedonism” are meanwhile to be found at our fb page http://www.facebook.com/grandalchemist
GroundCast – I follow the band considering the fact that 2002 with the primary free up Intervening Coma-party and now in 2012 you liberate the Disgusting Hedonism, what was the explanation to take see you later to unencumber something new?
Sigurd: imagine me, I’ve asked myself that question repeatedly. The ten 12 months of lethargy is because of the a couple of minor and major incidents. The band was once in a good glide after the discharge of “Intervening Coma-get together”. We skilled the first set-again in 2005 when Stoelan needed to depart the band as a result of an damage in is hand. He was quickly changed with John. the next couple of years we changed each Ole on session-synth and Terje on lead guitar. This did indeed delay the process. In 2007 and 2008 I wanted to focal point on my master level in Criminology. To prime all of it, we didn’t have any label. while you suffix the truth that all of us are kind of dizzy, the calendar was abruptly showing 2012 and things had to be performed.
GroundCast – I passed a while in Norway and might say that is a great usa, however we’ve got lots of Black metal bands there and Grand Alchemist is considered one of them, what do you do to sound like Grand Alchemist and now not like another black metal band?
Sigurd: first of all, I take that as a compliment! a few elements contribute to get that Grand Alchemist sound. the method within the songwriting is perhaps crucial issue. approximately 90 % of the songs are composed on keyboards and piano. I work out a body for the songs in my residence studio before the rest of the blokes come with their own and feedbacks and concepts. once I current a music for the band I do all the time have a transparent imaginative and prescient of how i need it to sound. but of course, the entire band contributes with ideas on how things can be higher and put their very own contact on the songs. I do also assume that the manufacturing is an essential a part of our sound. The complexity of the songs makes the recording and mixing essential. there are various different parts in the songs so the mixing must be accurate and precisely. both of the albums had been produced and blended by Rune Thoen. He’s an educated jazz-guitarist and a grasp behind the blending-desk. he is additionally a excellent pal of mine, so the working local weather within the studio has been excellent. it’s his abilities that has made sound-picture is that massive and still atmospheric.
GroundCast – What modified with Grand Alchemist, how will you describe the “old” and the “new” Grand Alchemist?
Sigurd: we’ve got grown older and been beardy, hehe. Grand Alchemist is no doubt a more skilled band lately than we have been when we began, both musically and “environmentally”. We were very naïve about how the track-marked was functioning after we started up. the primary goal was to get our album out and there are numerous traps you may fall into. we now have fallen in a few of them, both musically and “administrative”. particularly after we launched “Intervening Coma-occasion”, we didn’t a couple of mistakes. today we know what we want and how we want it: Grand Alchemist without compromising on the standard of the tune and expression. This received vainness does certainly impact the song in a positive way.
GroundCast – we’re in internet era, where each person can obtain everything free of charge. What do you take into accounts it?
Sigurd: the whole lot is in growth. The changing of the conditions of distributing and promoting your track are evident. individually I pass over the mystic of just figuring out a band in the mild of bodily albums and maybe an abnormal interview. however on the similar time web has been an important part of distributing track. It’s a possibility for impartial and underground- bands like Grand Alchemist to distribute and promote our tune worldwide. however, there are of course bad factors of this unlimited access to a bands subject material, when it’s first online. though, that is the best way the arena is attached. we now have to do one of the best out it and find the right way to care for one of the vital changeless that may occur and rather try to take advantage of them. These quandaries don’t make me lose my breath.
GroundCast – What are the longer term plans for the band?
Sigurd: i’ve subject matter enough for a brand new liberate, so that’s indubitably a center of attention for the long run. It has been some years because we did a concert and we will be able to do some gigs, evidently. presently, the band is spread all around Norway and the participants are desirous about other projects, so we aren’t ready to rehearse that frequently that we used to. as a way to perform satisfying concert events we need to observe as an entire band, however that is something everyone are into.
GroundCast – Are you involved with another mission that might you wish to share with us?
Sigurd: Yeah, Stoelan and that i are working on a undertaking named Diogenes and that i’m also considering a venture with the work-title Skullfucking Mulder. We’re planning to have a debut prepared for both the bands during 2013. John is taking part in drums in DHG they usually’re working on a brand new report this present day.
GroundCast – Europa está passando por tempo dificeis, como isso afeta as bandas no seu ponto de vista?
Sigurd: Muitos países passam por tempos desafiadores, aqui na Noruega posso dizer que somos felizardos, pois não estamos passando por isso. Isso tudo é reflex do que as pessoas que estão no poder fazem e essa crise é apenas a “porrada de volta” que estão levando. Penso sempre nas pessoas novas que não estão arrumando emprego. A música é o fundamento das coisas para mim e ela não vai sumir por um lugar estar mal ou não, ela quebra a realidade e aproxima as pessoas. É uma paixão que nunca se esvai. Tocar algumas notas faz com que qualquer um se sinta livre. Infelizmente eles não podem viajar para tocar por causa da crise, mas espero que todos na Europa superem isso rápido e tempos melhores virão.
GroundCast – Voltando ao novo álbum, como foi sua aceitação?
Sigurd: Melhor do que ecu esperava, pelo menos pelas resenhas que li. Estou realmente feliz por ver que o Grand Alchemist tem uma boa posição na música. Sabe como é, essa coisa de metallic sinfônico está na tênue linha do ame ou odeie para os fãs de metal, fiquei preocupado no começo, mas posso lhe dizer que estou orgulhoso, pois são 10 anos após o lançamento do primeiro álbum.
GroundCast – Grand Alchemist tem planos de lançar um novo álbum em breve ou teremos que esperar mais dez anos?
Sigurd: Ainda não temos planos de lançar algo tão cedo, mas estou escrevendo subject material novo e ecu realmente espero que não demore tanto tempo. Não quero esperar até 2022 para lançar algo hahaha.
GroundCast – Obrigado por tudo, agora esse espaço é seu para falar com os fãs da banda e com nossos leitores. Obrigado.
Sigurd: Obrigado pelo apoio e por deixar que eu fale com nossos fãs brasileiros, estamos lisonjeados pelas pessoas daí gostarem da nossa música. Cheers and horns up! Sigurd