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Norwegian black metal band Fortress of Kalessin have done something a little different within the black metal genre since forming in 1995. Enduring several hiatuses and several line-up changes (including longtime lead his vocalist), the band produced their most ambitious album to date. Cartharsis.
Original member/vocalist/guitarist Obsidian Claw (Arnt Obsidian Grønbech), bassist Wizziac (Robin Isaksen), and new drummer Wanja “Nechtan” Gröger work across eight sprawling tracks, featuring trademark melodies and intricate riffs. , weaving in aggressive vocals, and also added some new elements to their sonic arsenal, such as the gorgeous ballad “Journey’s End.”
Obsidian Claw responded via email shortly after the 70,000-ton metal cruise, talking about the long period between the previous album and its release. Cartharsishis ever-expanding role as new lead vocalist, and future plans for his band.
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You recently returned from a 70,000-ton metal cruise, how was the set? Did you enjoy your trip?
Yes the trip was great. In fact, we had a few days in Orlando and Florida before our cruise, which is also great. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to America, so I’m glad you enjoyed it even a little. As for the 70k, it was great too. It was great to see so many old friends and play two very special sets. We performed a set to commemorate the 25th anniversary of our activities centering on catalogs, and then performed new songs. Cartharsis on the main stage of the festival.
Why did the band go on hiatus in 2000 and reunite in 2003?
It was basically a personal battle within the band, and there weren’t many people in Trondheim with the same goals and ambitions as me. It wasn’t until I joined Satyricon that I had contact with people who helped me move forward.
8 years since the last album. epistemology; What is the reason why it took so long?
Well, I didn’t mean to let eight years pass. I actually started the album in 2017. I may have made the first riffs before that. But then life just happens. After over a decade of touring extensively and concentrating solely on the band, we needed more balance in our lives. So when your focus changes, time flies by. I was also facing many challenges in business, relationships, both physical and mental issues exacerbated by the pandemic, and suddenly, instead of three or five years, it’s been eight years. But one thing I’ve learned is that things never let things slide like they used to.
do Cartharsis Dawn of a new era for the band? If so, in what way?
Yes, probably. We have a new drummer who is really great to work with! He is very professional and makes running the band really easy. Cartharsis is the starting point for a new era of greater focus on release consistency. It also proves that the band still has something to offer musically, and I think the current setup is the best yet.
With Thebon leaving in 2013, this will be your second album as lead vocalist. How do you think you settled into the lead vocal position?
I think epistemology, was the first album where I did the vocals myself. Everything was very new to me. The sound was fine, but not very professional.i think it has vocals Cartharsis Please hear that I did some shows and had time to evolve the vocals on this album.
Have you ever had to adjust anything to make both your vocals and guitars perfect?
I haven’t made any adjustments to make it possible to sing while playing the guitar. Because I write riffs and songs first and then do the vocals when everything is done. So I never really thought about the fact that I had to do both at the same time before I started rehearsing live. But yeah, when we started rehearsing for 70,000 Tons of Metal, I thought, “What have I done?!” For example, playing both guitar and vocals on “The Omni” was the biggest challenge for me as a musician. Playing vocals and guitar at the same time is very complicated. He wasn’t 100% on 70K Cruise either, but with a little more rehearsal and gigs, he’ll probably get there… I hope.
Many of the band’s lyrics were written by Ursula K. Le Guin. earthsea trilogy book series. Do the themes of the book still stand out in your songwriting? Are there still songs from the new album that relate directly to this theme?
The new album’s lyrics don’t have much to do with this. We passed by this many years ago, but you can probably find some references to it.The new album has more personal lyrics and is more continuous. epistemology Contemplate the big questions of life, the universe, and at the same time keep it epic and personal. Cartharsis is our most mature album to date, and I think the lyrics reflect that beautifully.
Lyrically, what are the inspirations and driving forces behind your other songs?
The lyrics on this album contain a lot of personal thoughts and feelings. This has been my life’s journey over the past few years, battling challenges both inside and out. Most of the songs are related to this in some way, but still loaded with hopes and aspirations for the future. Cartharsis It is a cleansing process that leaves behind negative thoughts and emotions and looks to a better future. As such, I think the album is very much in line with what many people are feeling during the madness of financial instability, war, and pandemics. Ultimately, how we feel and how we see things create our reality. And I hope that this is the overall theme of the album and hopefully inspires people to purify their minds so we can move forward.
“Journey’s End” is a lovely melancholic yet uplifting track with clean vocals, piano and great backing vocal harmonies. Are these new additions to the Keep Of Kalessin sound? How did you build this track?
Ever since I was a kid listening to 80’s ballads, I’ve always loved power ballads. And I think any metal band that respects themselves should put at least one ballad on every album he does. So I created it.When I hear Reptilian, even the song “Dark As Moonless Night” is very close. But we’re not going to go ‘all in’. Also, “Heaven of Sin” is something of a ballad regarding the rest of Keep Of Kalessin’ tracks. That’s why I’ve been doing this for a long time. and, Cartharsisthere were actually three different ballads, but of course only one of them was chosen to be put on the album.
And that’s because “Journey’s End” was the first song with vocals and everything done perfectly. We decided to put this one on the album due to the fact that it fits the whole album better than the other two. Down to that level, Our Blast may surprise those accustomed to his beats and screaming vocals, but still, the melody and choir are very Keep Of Kalessin. A lot of our songs could be arranged differently with slower drums, resulting in this kind of epic ballad. , and to my surprise, most of the people I spoke to actually picked this up as an album highlight.
The production is grand and massive. Who was involved and what kind of sound did you want to create?
Record everything in your home studio. I record my guitar Robin records bass at his home. Wanja recorded drums instead, and Jonny Maudling, known for Bal-Sagoth, played keyboards. I’m a huge Bal-Sagoth fan so it was a huge honor for me to have Jonny willing to help me with keyboards and he certainly brought another level to the album’s epic. He was performed by Linus Corneliussen, whom he met during the tour of . He’s the monitor for his Soilwork, but since he’s also working with Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, he decided to try Linus for the album’s mixing. ! The best production ever on any album.
Describe the camaraderie of the band and the musical chemistry of all members.
The band is now set up in a very good way. Also with Robin he is a live guitarist playing in a band called Nexorum. I, Robin and Roger live in Trondheim and Wanja lives in Germany. It’s been great working with them and I think everyone is very professional. So it’s not my job to keep everyone in line and everyone is fully prepared for the live show. And since the band doesn’t have a big ego, everything works well even on tour.
What’s next, including the touring schedule?
This summer we have several festivals including MetalDays in Slovenia. Then Leyendas Del Rock from Spain and he will do Cosmic Void from the UK. Then towards the end of the year he’ll have one or he’ll have two tours, with more festivals planned for next year. But this is also a bit dependent on the reception we get, and we can show some good numbers to the promoters out there.
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Cartharsis It was released by Back on Black on March 24th. Get it here.
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