In today’s A-Z challenge, we asked Minneriket 26 questions to find out all about themselves!
A song that made you want to make music?
I grew up around music, it was always a part of my life, so it felt very natural. But before I ventured further into metal, I started out with both punk and ambient music, mostly because for an un-skilled musician it seemed more available. That was a very shallow approach though, which I’m a little ashamed of today, but some music like Mortiis and Bad Religion showed me that you could do a lot with very little as long as you had the right ideas and convictions. Especially the “Selvmord” album by Vond is an atmospheric and simplistic masterpiece.
Best rider you’ve had?
No rider, Minneriket does not play live.
Craziest moment you’ve had in the band?
Haha, well, since Minneriket isn’t a traditional band it’s a little difficult to speak about “crazy moments”. But there have been some incidents, of course. I had no idea the album artwork for “Gjennom meg går ingen til hvile» would get banned almost everywhere and make Minneriket (and reviewers) shadow banned on social media for… Well, just check the album art yourself.
There’s been some controversies regarding the Burzum cover album too, which made it impossible for Minneriket to be featured on several sites and platforms.
Deepest lyric one of your songs features?
I try to make lyrics that can both speak to the listener on a general level, and also mean something very clear to me. I’d consider most of them rather deep, but perhaps the most truthful and hurtful one is “Nåde”. That’s an open wound. With salt.“Time for Suicide” also hits pretty close to home.
Easiest song you wrote?
If it were easy, I wouldn’t be doing it. But if we’re taking simple, I think “An all too human heart” is a pretty straightforward banger.
Favourite song in your set?
If Minneriket ever were to play live I think “Of Storms and Sorrows”, “Det lyset jeg ikke kan se” and “Regnbuer i gråtoner” would make for some great soundscapes in the right setting.
Guest you’d most like to feature on your record?
Bruce Dickinson. C’mon dude, I’ll write you a killer tune! He never answers my emails…
Hardest thing about being in a band?
As a one-man band the hardest part is to stay motivated and on top of everything. I need to write the music, the lyrics, record, mix and produce it, release and promote it, and then get ready to do it all again. And on top of it all, there’s no-one to blame but yourself if it doesn’t work out the way you want it.
Interesting fact about one of your members?’
Just one member, and I’m not that interesting. Well, I guess some might find it interesting that I combine being a Black Metal musician with a masters degree in religion. As they say, you gotta know your enemy…
Jokes you have in the band?
That the guitarist is incompetent and the singer has a way too big ego.
Key to writing a song?
I always start with either a word, a colour or an abstract feeling. It’s like a vibration in the air that begins to will itself to life. I never start with a concept or a map of what I wish to do. I don’t sit down and think “now I’ll write a riff-based song in 200bpm”, haha. It’s something pricking underneath the skin, waiting to get out. Mostly it’s the lyrical drafts that decides how the music needs to sound.
Longest distance you’ve travelled to play a show?
I don’t play live.
Most inspiring musician you’ve experienced?
Oh, interesting! I’ve been lucky enough to work and collaborate with some very unique individuals. I would hate to leave someone out by mistake, so won’t do any namedropping now, but you know who you are. The best feeling is when you work with people who are so good at what they do that they inspire you to do even better. That’s pure creative magic.
But, to name something at least; I grew up in a very small place outside the city of Tønsberg in Norway, and we have a pretty famous local band from there called Seigmen. Seigmen is a well-established act, also with their side-projects, but growing up and venturing into the music scene it was really inspirationalseeing that such a great band, with such a long reach, could come from that small town area. That brings confidence to your art.
New band you’d recommend?
The problem with new bands is that they often get drowned out and they’re hard to discover. Of course Whispering Void seems like an interesting project, and while they’re new they still consist of veteran musicians. I’d very much prefer to find the golden demo tape of someone young and hungry and not the solid albums of the seasoned artists. But I just don’t know.
Opening for this band would be ideal?
Burzum and Darkthrone.
Place you’d most like to tour?
Not interested in touring, and don’t even like to travel.
Quote you’d like to pass on to our readers?
“In a fleshly tomb, I am buried above ground” – William Cowper
Reason for the title of your recent/forthcoming release?
The last album was “Gjennom meg går ingen til hvile» (Through me no one will find peace) and it deals with a restlessness, an ongoing internal war, where you can bring no salvation or peace of mind to your surroundings as long as you’re not at peace with yourself. The upcoming album have a working title, but it’s not ready to be revealed yet. It will deal with some kind of hunger…
See us live at?
Nope, not at all.
The old days of music were better than the current, do you agree?
Absolutely not. I hear this all the time. And it’s like spitting in the face of all those who try. Music and music production have become much more democratised. It saturates and bloats the market, which is bad, but it also makes creativity available for people. Nowadays almost anyone (at least in our part of the world) can get the minimum viable equipment to create music, and that is an artistic revolution. They still have to work hard, maybe even harder than before, to get noticed, but at least they have the possibility. That’s worth a lot in my mind.
Unusual merchandise?
The debut album “Vargtimen” was released in a limited box set on cassette tape with human bones, graveyard dirt, feathers of a blackbird and wooden carved runes. That’s a pretty special box which sold out about 10 years ago.
Variations you’d like to do on any of your songs?
Not many know this, but I usually write most of the music on acoustic guitar. I have a theory that music which works well acoustic works extremely well when you go electric and start working on layers. So there actually exists some recorded acoustic versions of some of the songs. I might complete the acoustic version of 3 or 4 of them sometime as bonus tracks. Especially “Of Storms and Sorrows” and “Så kald en jord” works well on acoustic guitar.
What do your fans mean to you?
I have an ambivalent relationship with the fans. I don’t even like the word, so let’s call them listeners. I mean, I appreciate each and every one who listens to Minneriket and who reach out to me to share their listening experienced. Love it. But at the same time, I don’t know… Who am I to get praise from others? It feels a little too weird.
And, then of course we have the other end of the listener spectrum, those who take things so personally that they start hating when you evolve your music. They just have to realize that I have no intention of catering to their preferences, and if I did that would sell out the whole concept of the internal monologue that Minneriket is.
X-rays or any treatments needed for band related injuries?
Haha, nope! A lot of injuries and treatments, but nothing related to the music. Or, well, there’s of course been some self-destruction that have fueled further creativity, but that would have happened regardless of the music…
You’re late for a show, whose fault is it?
Any shortcomings in each and every aspect of my life is completely my own.
Zoo animal that next describes the personality of your band?
Platypus.