There will always be some bands who choose to stay outside this underground label thing. Not without reasons. Vanaheim from Norway has so far released two albums on their own. We contacted Fredrik Haraldsen for an update.
1.When and where was Vanaheim started ? Could you give us a brief biography ??
The glorious age of Vanaheim was commenced in the middle of this decade upon the ashes of five local bands centered around Rykkinn, Norway. Despite some dark and confusing time of hardship and travail, it finally emerged into the band behind our first CD, coming to be known as "En Historie". With the addition of another member, it was the same assembly which created "Helter og Kongers Fall" of late (fall 98). But tribulation had apparently not yet come to an end: With the aquittal of two members recently, one would easily suspect Vanaheim to be left a mere remnant of itself, haggard and torn. But lo! Magnificent may seem the fate of Vanaheim, for just as the hour seemed as dark as ever, the thunder of drums was heard anew, but different, greater! And though the exact future of the vocals at the writing moment remains unclarified, you may live in certainty that the sound of Vanaheim are to be heard again; nay, a stronger Vanaheim, a Vanaheim of English lyrics, more impressive and powerful, yet whistful and dreaming; a Vanaheim of fragrant, lush forests, of epic and mighty battles, of loss, the revival of hope and bitter fates, of tunes never heard and tales never told....and even...... (Sorry for all this, but you actually asked!)
2. What do your name means in English ?
The "va"-part should be reminiscent of such terms as "vacuos"/"vacuity" and "vacilation", or perhaps "vainglory", while the "ana"-thing be connected to the hilarious item commonly called "rectum". "heim" is of course a rare dialectical form of "loony-bin", but is to me more in the line of meaning "portmonteaux", because the latter is a very funny word (though sadly not in the slightest way related to the word "heim") (Of course this isn't exactly true; Vanaheim is a singular term connected to Norse mythology, but I don't even want to hint at where our vocalist picked it up.)
3. With your name and the art- work; I expected another textbook Norwegian Black Metal attack, but I was wrong. Is there a coincidence that you have a Black Metal band name or is it a hidden agenda behind this name ? What is your views about the Norwegian Black Metal thing ?
The agenda behind the name is, I believe, sufficiently stated above. As to our relationship to the Black Metal thing, I am personally not overly negative to the church-igniting I was no part of just a few years after I was born. The dark might of the present scene is more dubious, however, (though some bands and characters admittedly exist!) but a healthy respect.., mayhaps a few contacts...damn good music....
4. Please tell us more about your debut album. Is there any copies left of this album ?
More copies of the debut album is being produced even while you read this (I hope).
5. Please give us a full insight to your new album "Helter Og Kongers Fall". The recording, the tracks, the concept, the line up on the album and the art- work.
I could give you a fuller insight to the new album, but I won't do that, because I obviously have a certain flamboyant and overwhelming style of writing which isn't really appropriate for a serious publishing. (In short, I would be lying, and I can't help it).
6. Please give us an insight to your lyrics.
Seriously, the conceptual narrative is left quite open, for people to make their own interpretations. I don't want to discuss the "extremely hypothetical" connection to our first album. And saying this, I am (annoyingly) reminded, by a-person-who-has-nothing-to-do-with-this-interview-and-should-not-meddle, that the texts are in Norwegian, and probably quite unaccessible to the general audience of Your magazine. Okay,- the truth is that the question seems somewhat too large to a sloth like me.
7. Is it something wrong with my ears or is it a fact that "Helter Og Kongers Fall" is very influenced by the new wave of Prog Rock ?
Well, I cannot really speak for your ears (though I suppose they're perfectly all right);
neither am I familiar with the "New wave of Prog Rock". I do, however, appreciate the recent developments in the avantgardistic tradition (Xenakis etc.), but this may be outside the question.
8. What do you call your music ?
Most of the time we call our music "music" (of course we use the Norwegian word), though I am aware that not everybody agrees to that categorization.
9. You have released both your debut and your new album on your own, but without a web- site. How do you market, promote and distribute your records ?
Do you get any help from Norwegian companies, like for example Voices Of Wonder and the three new upcoming Norwegian companies Nocturnal Art, Oskorei and Aftermath Music ? What is your experiences from the shark infested water (Read: the music industry) so far ?
I have no clue. Jon takes care of that part of the job (it seems to be his untrespassable property, sort of, and, frankly, I don't really want to turn his pleasure in doing it into my pain), but I seem to recall good experiences with Oskorei, and maybe some of the others. Ask Jon (but that is perhaps what you in fact did before he turned this interview over to me).
10. What is your political, religious and philosophical views ?
Considering contemporary epistemologies, I have personally adapted, more or less, at lest parts of the traditions of Ayer, Nozick and Quine. I must also admit that the various theories of anti-realism are intriguing. And I do of course deny the possibility of the existence of a deity and the concept of a free will. In ethics, I find the most acceptable line of theory to be the nihilism of Nietzsche. In politics, though it
interests me not to the same degree, I believe a combination of the systems of such theorists as Nozick and Feyerabend to produce the most compatible basis for a society, though I do not fail to recognize the value of Stirners.
It should be noted, however, that these are my personal preferences. I cannot truly speak for the rest of the band; we don't discuss these matters very much (which, you might say, is just as well).
11. What is your future plans ?
To conquer the world is my personal, immediate future plan. As to the band, we are just reentering the scene after a low period, and will do some local conzertes fast approaching. Alas, I do believe you will have to wait awhile in excruciating longing and covetice for a new release, but new material, which will make the previous releases seem analoguous to the infamous sounds which, on unfortunate occasions, is being produced by the hilarious item described above, is beginning to take shape. Wait, and thou shalt be meeded.
12. Where can Vanaheim be contacted ? Any web sites ?
I recommend that you buy the cd. Anyone buying the cd may note that there is an address written somewhere in the booklet (unfortunately, there is no special reward to those who make this discovery- a fact I have personally experienced).
13. Any final comments ?
If you (the reader, that is) are a pretty girl, you may contact me on phone number 0047 67133575.