I truly believe that you would remember our interview with Icelandic doom band Völva, of course you do! There are three guys who released a great DIY self-titled record in 2010 and one of main features - besides cold and bloody fresh doom metal - was the fact that each of them played a different role recording songs. Drummer could beat his drums on one song and be a guitar player and vocalist on another, as a guitarist could growl or be a drummer on another track, therefore Völva had a very diverse yet monolithic sound. Here comes first big news since that time: Völva releases split-album with atmospheric band Hindurvættir. Did you ever heard of them? Well, I guess the answer is “no”. Then welcome Ingi Jóhann, he sings and plays guitars, bass and drums in Völva and play bass in Hindurvættir too. Feel the breath of Northern Dawn! Taste the grimness of Polar Night!! (hah, as if we’re talking about some black metal stuff, right?)
Hail comrade Ingi! How are you man? I see that finally you came out with brand new stuff, are you ready to tell our readers about this release?
I’m all right could be better but i could be worse. But I will try to answer all of your questions in the best way that I can.
First of all let us clarify one thing about the new release – what do we have now? Is it a split-album of Völva and Hindurvættir or is it two different Eps from both bands? I remember that you told about split-vinyl but right now I’m looking onto two different art-works on facebook pages of your bands.
When we were recording our new album, the one that will be released with Hindurvættir, we had another band in mind, Olde Growth from Boston, USA. They came to us looking for a band to make a split with and we liked the idea but their label didn't want to produce a band that was not under them. We had been writing and recording these songs for a while and when Olde Growth made contact with us and bailed it slowed the process down partly because we were unable to find anyone willing to make the split happen so now we have been sitting on this material for over a year. Finally we made the decision along with Hindurvættir which is a band including me and the current drummer of Völva.
Once we did an interview with you of Völva totally concentrating onto it’s un-ordinary doom band, but Hindurvættir is a new name for me. Please introduce the band to our readers.
Hindurvættir were formed in late 2011 by all three members. Like Völva, Hindurvættir have a lot of variety because the guitarist, Benedikt Natanael, has a strong black/death metal background. He is also the frontman for the black metal band Azoic. I play bass and I have the doom element from being a member of Völva. Jón Haukur, the drummer has brought a lot of groove into our music. We have been trying to capture the true atmosphere of Icelanders and their bitter love of their country. I will discuss this later on. We have worked together for over a year now and we have mixed these elements together and this half of the split is the first outcome.
There’re not too much elements of black metal in Hindurvættir, it reminds me most Finnish dark folk band Tenhi. I see that such sound is really good to manifest a northern spirit, but most of extreme musicians used to play black metal to describe this feeling, what would you say about such different methods?
Yeah we don´t have the black metal sound and not the agony that follows the black metal scene, but what we are taking from the black metal genre is in some form of atmosphere, we want to get the honesty that follows good black metal, the feeling and the atmo. Those are the things that we think are important. If the both methods have good atmo it doesn't matter which one you choose.
Does Hindurvættir have other records besides that split-album?
No this is the first release of Hindurvættir but we are working on an album that will most likely be heavier and colder than Hrímland.
What is current state of both bands after finally having this release?
The split has already been published online but the preparation for the vinyl pressing is still ongoing. We are trying our best to fund our project. The reason we published online was to gain some attention again since we had not published anything for almost 3 years.
You released first Völva full-length onto your self-made label MBS Skifur, but now you have entire vinyl edition. Did you finally find a proper label for your music?
We decided to publish the album ourselves and perhaps later we will re-publish, like we are considering to re-publish our first album, re-mastered.
Oh, I can’t just skip this question! How did Völva record new songs? I’m meaning did you change your instruments as always playing this stuff? I remember that all of you play guitars, sing and play drums…
We recorded, mixed and mastered everything ourselves in our so called Hole. We still change instruments and to put it simply I will tell you who plays what in each song. There were four of us: Hrólfur, Ingi, Áki and Tryggvi.
Skammdegi: Guitar: Hrólfur and Ingi; Bass: Tryggvi; Drums: Áki; Vocals: Áki, Hrólfur and Ingi.
Vísdómur risans: Guitar: Hrólfur; Bass and vocals: Áki; Drums: Ingi.
Sónn: Guitar: Áki and Ingi; Bass: Hrólfur; Drums: Tryggvi; Vocals: Áki, Hrólfur and Ingi.
And do you work in same way with Hindurvættir?
No not at all. In Hindurvættir we all have our part in keeping the flow and we have such different playing style that if we would change instruments we would get a totally different band. So it is much easier to take it the old fashion way, so everyone has a settled role to follow.
Both bands have lyrics written into your natural language, so I would like to ask you to comment topics of new songs.
Icelandic is the language of literature and Icelandic poetry thrives on symbolism and it's really hard to translate these images and words into English in a proper way. I will try though..
The lyrics of Skammdegi is written according to strict and old Icelandic traditions. In short it is about the seemingly eternal winter of Iceland.
Vísdómur Risans (Wisdom of the giant) Is a criticism on politics. The answer lies in the name.
Sónn: Our world was a concrete piece but now it is a shattered goo which can't be fixed. It's like a puzzle where none of the pieces fit. The Hindurvættir side of the split is a solid unit where the lyrics are written together as a single piece, all the parts are about the same thing. The title Hrímland is an old word for Iceland and the piece is about how beautiful, yet scary and cruel Hrímland can be. Most people outside of Iceland look at the country as something peaceful and beautiful but don´t realize the dark history of Iceland. Most people look at Icelanders as some strong vikings (berserks). But Icelandic Viking age collapsed around 1300-1400. We were stuck on this little island with nothing but our poetry. Icelanders lived in houses that were dug in the ground made of mud. It wasn't until 1930 that most Icelanders moved out of there holes. The idea of the never ending winter is something that has always followed us though we live in one of the best static country in the world. But the main concept of the lyric is how beautiful and magnificent Iceland is but on the same time cold and dangerous and the lyrics of Hrímland describe Iceland as a woman that is waiting for the winter that comes and goes. But when he is gone she feels deserted.
Two years ago you’ve said that Völva works onto full-length album, what is it’s fate? I’ll never believe that after all you have only these three songs!
We have a lot of ideas and some fully written song, but we are still working to fit everything together and it is expected that our next album will be more solid pice then our depute and Vísdómur Risans.
Good, just don’t forget to let me know when you’ll have it mate! Send my best regards to your band’s mates, hope you’ll survive eternal Icelandic winter!
Thanks for the interview and thanks for reading and if you are interested in purchasing some of our material you can stay in touch through facebook for more info for the release and where you can find it. We will try our best to thrive through the winter darkness and staying sane until the sun rises again.
Interview By Aleks
Volva | Facebook
Volva | Bandcamp
Hindurvaettir | Facebook
Hindurvaettir | Bandcamp
 |
| VOLVA |
I’m all right could be better but i could be worse. But I will try to answer all of your questions in the best way that I can.
First of all let us clarify one thing about the new release – what do we have now? Is it a split-album of Völva and Hindurvættir or is it two different Eps from both bands? I remember that you told about split-vinyl but right now I’m looking onto two different art-works on facebook pages of your bands.
When we were recording our new album, the one that will be released with Hindurvættir, we had another band in mind, Olde Growth from Boston, USA. They came to us looking for a band to make a split with and we liked the idea but their label didn't want to produce a band that was not under them. We had been writing and recording these songs for a while and when Olde Growth made contact with us and bailed it slowed the process down partly because we were unable to find anyone willing to make the split happen so now we have been sitting on this material for over a year. Finally we made the decision along with Hindurvættir which is a band including me and the current drummer of Völva.
Once we did an interview with you of Völva totally concentrating onto it’s un-ordinary doom band, but Hindurvættir is a new name for me. Please introduce the band to our readers.
Hindurvættir were formed in late 2011 by all three members. Like Völva, Hindurvættir have a lot of variety because the guitarist, Benedikt Natanael, has a strong black/death metal background. He is also the frontman for the black metal band Azoic. I play bass and I have the doom element from being a member of Völva. Jón Haukur, the drummer has brought a lot of groove into our music. We have been trying to capture the true atmosphere of Icelanders and their bitter love of their country. I will discuss this later on. We have worked together for over a year now and we have mixed these elements together and this half of the split is the first outcome.
 |
| VOLVA |
Yeah we don´t have the black metal sound and not the agony that follows the black metal scene, but what we are taking from the black metal genre is in some form of atmosphere, we want to get the honesty that follows good black metal, the feeling and the atmo. Those are the things that we think are important. If the both methods have good atmo it doesn't matter which one you choose.
Does Hindurvættir have other records besides that split-album?
No this is the first release of Hindurvættir but we are working on an album that will most likely be heavier and colder than Hrímland.
What is current state of both bands after finally having this release?
The split has already been published online but the preparation for the vinyl pressing is still ongoing. We are trying our best to fund our project. The reason we published online was to gain some attention again since we had not published anything for almost 3 years.
You released first Völva full-length onto your self-made label MBS Skifur, but now you have entire vinyl edition. Did you finally find a proper label for your music?
We decided to publish the album ourselves and perhaps later we will re-publish, like we are considering to re-publish our first album, re-mastered.
 |
| VOLVA |
We recorded, mixed and mastered everything ourselves in our so called Hole. We still change instruments and to put it simply I will tell you who plays what in each song. There were four of us: Hrólfur, Ingi, Áki and Tryggvi.
Skammdegi: Guitar: Hrólfur and Ingi; Bass: Tryggvi; Drums: Áki; Vocals: Áki, Hrólfur and Ingi.
Vísdómur risans: Guitar: Hrólfur; Bass and vocals: Áki; Drums: Ingi.
Sónn: Guitar: Áki and Ingi; Bass: Hrólfur; Drums: Tryggvi; Vocals: Áki, Hrólfur and Ingi.
And do you work in same way with Hindurvættir?
No not at all. In Hindurvættir we all have our part in keeping the flow and we have such different playing style that if we would change instruments we would get a totally different band. So it is much easier to take it the old fashion way, so everyone has a settled role to follow.
Both bands have lyrics written into your natural language, so I would like to ask you to comment topics of new songs.
Icelandic is the language of literature and Icelandic poetry thrives on symbolism and it's really hard to translate these images and words into English in a proper way. I will try though..
The lyrics of Skammdegi is written according to strict and old Icelandic traditions. In short it is about the seemingly eternal winter of Iceland.
Vísdómur Risans (Wisdom of the giant) Is a criticism on politics. The answer lies in the name.
Sónn: Our world was a concrete piece but now it is a shattered goo which can't be fixed. It's like a puzzle where none of the pieces fit. The Hindurvættir side of the split is a solid unit where the lyrics are written together as a single piece, all the parts are about the same thing. The title Hrímland is an old word for Iceland and the piece is about how beautiful, yet scary and cruel Hrímland can be. Most people outside of Iceland look at the country as something peaceful and beautiful but don´t realize the dark history of Iceland. Most people look at Icelanders as some strong vikings (berserks). But Icelandic Viking age collapsed around 1300-1400. We were stuck on this little island with nothing but our poetry. Icelanders lived in houses that were dug in the ground made of mud. It wasn't until 1930 that most Icelanders moved out of there holes. The idea of the never ending winter is something that has always followed us though we live in one of the best static country in the world. But the main concept of the lyric is how beautiful and magnificent Iceland is but on the same time cold and dangerous and the lyrics of Hrímland describe Iceland as a woman that is waiting for the winter that comes and goes. But when he is gone she feels deserted.
 |
| HINDURVAETTIR |
We have a lot of ideas and some fully written song, but we are still working to fit everything together and it is expected that our next album will be more solid pice then our depute and Vísdómur Risans.
Good, just don’t forget to let me know when you’ll have it mate! Send my best regards to your band’s mates, hope you’ll survive eternal Icelandic winter!
Thanks for the interview and thanks for reading and if you are interested in purchasing some of our material you can stay in touch through facebook for more info for the release and where you can find it. We will try our best to thrive through the winter darkness and staying sane until the sun rises again.
Interview By Aleks
Volva | Facebook
Volva | Bandcamp
Hindurvaettir | Facebook
Hindurvaettir | Bandcamp