NAGLFAR – Exploring some new ground
- Posted on 08-04-2012
With new album "Téras" ready to hit the shelves, Eternal Terror’s Peter Loftus caught up with Naglfar to get the lowdown.
What news from the Naglfar camp?
The main news is of course that the new album "Téras" is finally to be unleashed!
Tell us about it.
We’ve been exploring some new ground with this one, but still keeping close touch with what I’d consider to be the traditional Naglfar-sound. "The Monolith" is a great example of a darker and more sinister approach whilst "Pale Horse" shows a far less compromising side of the band.
It seems to me as if the Naglfar sound is getting more and more brutal as time goes on…
You always try to bring everything one step further with each release. The challenge is to do that without losing the connection to the basic elements of what our musical trademarks are.
How does the song-writing work within the band? Do you have a very specific idea of what you want to do when you enter the studio or is there an organic element, where you just let things happen?
For the last couple of albums most of the song-writing has been taking place in my studio. It’s an easy way of trying out different ideas and arrangements and is what works best for us. Usually all three of us are involved in the music while Kristoffer and Andreas write the lyrics. The way we work on tracks is rather different from time to time really. Some tracks are done in hours while others may be worked on for months.
I have read a few interviews where you were less than happy with your live sound and listening to ‘Teras’, it is obvious that a huge effort has gone into getting the writing and production exactly right. Would you describe yourselves as perfectionists?
I’d definitely say that. The album was recorded at my place and we are more than pleased with the final result. I can’t take all credit though since Mattias at Toontrack did an amazing job with the mixing!
What was the concept behind the lyrics?
All tracks deal with death in one way or the other.
What non-musical influences do you have?
Movies can indeed be a source of inspiration when it comes to writing music. Apart from that I don’t know really. I’ve never thought of what inspires me, I simply pick up the guitar or sit down by the piano and let things happen and it turns out the way it does.
What has been your favourite gig of the last year?
I haven’t attended many gigs lately but Tiamat played a great show at the local House Of Metal festival some weeks ago.
What has been the greatest moment for you so far in the career of Naglfar and why?
Personally I have to rank our trips to Japan the highest. The professionalism over there is just amazing and it was a great experience indeed!
Any band recommendations for the readers?
No, not really. Should be my other projects then – I’m currently working on new albums with both Ancient Wisdom and Eudaimony.
What next for Naglfar? Any gigs/touring in the pipeline?
At the moments a couple of festivals are confirmed and there is definitely more things happening. Make sure to check our sites for the latest news!