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THE ARCHIVES
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Morrigan's Pit has closed down as of November 2006. The site and its articles will stay online as an archive until September at least, but probably longer.
The Archives
2002-2006
» CD REVIEWS
» INTERVIEWS
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GJALLARHORN
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Fenrir
August 2005
http://www.gjallarhorn.tk
In 2003 Vali from Italy and Fenrir from Norway create something for themselves about Viking history, but after positive reactions they decide to form a real band out of it, Gjallarhorn. So the songs are recorded again (except the vocals) and now in 2005 "Nordheim" gets its official release by Dragonheart Records. There is still secrecy around the line-up though. Is Vali really DoomSword's Deathmaster? And Gungnir their drummer? The website info is also very brief, so I threw some questions into their direction. A sympathetic Fenrir picks them up and returns his smart and funny answers.
Congratulations with "Nordheim", how are the reactions so far?
Thank you for your feedback, I'm glad you liked it. The reactions so far have been not bad, have to say. They've been quite varied to tell you the truth; we've seen enthusiastic responses and normal responses - all in all we can say we're very satisfied, since hardly anyone thought our album was bad. It's good to hear that since it's our debut album.
Gjallarhorn didn't form like most bands, starting with a band and then make music. In your case Vali and Fenrir created something and afterwards decided to make a band out of it - can you explain it a bit more to our readers?
Yes, it was quite odd. We have always been interested in Viking and Nordic mythology, and one day we found ourselves in front of a very big change in our life - so we decided almost instantly to meet before parting for a long time and create an album that would challenge our spirits. An album for us, with no intention of releasing it. We did it and it went great, then after a lot of time we thought it was worth releasing it and at first I (Fenrir) even wasn't happy about that, but then I gave in and went on. I'm glad we did it, it's a big satisfaction.
How did you write these songs, did you start with the story and created the music around it? Is one person more responsible for certain aspects in the songwriting than the other?
Well, I created almost everything concerning concepts, lyrics and so on. But it was a product of two minds really, Vali liked almost everything I proposed and we first created the global concept, and then music and lyrics at the same time.
Did you never consider making a concept album with DoomSword out of it, even with your part in it? The music and atmosphere are close to Doomsword's I believe.
Heh, this almost happened in fact. But I don't think this is going to be possible. It's hard for us to meet since we live in two different countries. But I don't think this is going to happen in the future... DoomSword and Gjallarhorn have different purposes and different attitudes, even though the music looks similar due to the two members in common.
Most of the band is Italian (except for you I believe?), do you get a lot of strange reactions, or criticism even, on the fact that a bunch of Italians are raving about Viking history and playing Viking metal as if it were their own heritage?
Yes. And let me tell you that this is absolutely nuts. Since when is it forbidden to sing about other cultures even if you are not part of them? Music is basically freedom, freedom to express whatever we like. I've never heard about a rule that denies people to sing about something they aren't. Rhapsody aren't fantasy warriors, Nile aren't Egyptians, Finntroll aren't trolls, Therion aren't middle-orientals. Yet they all sing about those themes and nobody ever questioned their concepts. There have been heroes in every culture, and every culture has its own appeal. We are more interested in nordic mythology and history rather than mediterranean themes, and we sing about that. Viking in 956 raided most of Italy, Romans in the republican age raided England and France. Can you tell if a man from Manchester has more Roman blood than English blood? And a man from Florence could be more Viking than Italian, on the account of blood? European heritage is an hazardous field, mind this. It's not blood that makes the man, it's education, spirit and social/cultural environment he lives in.
The website doesn't give much information (not to mention Dragonheart's) on your line-up, it seems a bit secret? I did read that Vali and Gungnir are from Doomsword, Vali even seems to be none less than Deathmaster. I didn't recognize his voice in all the vocals, at first I thought it was another singer with guestvocals of Deathmaster ;) Can you reveal a bit more about who's in the band (and how it came to that if you will)?
Osur lineup was not created by case. Gungnir and Nidhoggr shortly followed me and Vali in the project - we can't say more than we already said in our, er, very informative website, but let me tell you that you aren't all that far from the truth!
Do you have any live plans with Gjallarhorn?
So it seems. Not in the immediate future, though. Probably next year, if we manage to meet together and plan things.
What fascinates you about the Viking history so much that you dedicate at least your musical lives to it?
Just about everything. The strength of their myths, the way of thinking, the essenial purity of their actions, astray from the global movements that raided Europe in that period. They created an honourable heritage and it's worth singing it.
The bio states your influences are Bathory, Falkenbach and Amon Amarth, are there other bands you listen to outside that genre, that the fans maybe wouldn't expect?
Probably, yes. I'll speak for myself. I like viking metal a lot (no surprise here), and especially I like bands like Moonsorrow and Asmegin, very elaborated compared to our minimal style. I like Norwegian black metal too, the rough and bad-recorded one. One wouldn't tell if he listened to our music, isn't it?
In case you want to reveal something of your private lives: what do you guys do that pays your bills and what are your hobbies besides obviously music and Vikings ;)
Heh, we've got very, very common jobs just like many bands out there. I'll tell you that you might even have spoken with Vali if you had a certain problem with a certain thing of everyday life. And I could have read something you wrote, and you could buy things from Nidhoggr every day. And if you have a problem in your house you could even end up having Gungnir fixing things for you.
That's interesting to know! Do you know what his call out charge is to Holland? ;)
Thanks Fenrir for your great answers, any last words for our readers?
Yes, thank you for your interest and support, it's been a good interview and I enjoyed answering to it. I'd handshake every one of you if I could, unfortunately I live in a place forgotten by gods and humanity. See you soon!
submitted by Marlies 05.08.2005
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