There’s something stirring in the Norwegian fjords. Norway has always been a major contributor in the extreme metal field; Audrey Horne, Kvelertak, Dunderbeist and Djerv are the most notable recent offerings from the Scandinavian musical utopia. Doom/post metal outfit Altaar are about to join that list, with their latest self-titled release. Ghost Cult caught up with one half of the dynamic duo, Andreas Tylden, to talk about what sets them apart from the rest.
What are you feelings on the new record, as a finished product?
Since it took us pretty much a year to finish the whole thing, due to many reasons, it feels great finally getting to the stage of releasing the record. However, for me at least, it’s always with great ambivalence because I’m never ever 100% happy with the end result when making and releasing music. One can always improve.
How would you describe your music to someone who has never listened to you before?
Well, to be honest, I’m having great difficulty labeling Altaar or pin pointing the music to a spesific genre. Our main goal is to have no musical boundaries to what we do. I guess that’s why it comes out schizophrenic; in a good way! I guess one can say we play experimental and atmospheric doom; the soundtrack to Twin Peaks on opium.
Can you take us through the creative process that you go through: how do you bring together your ideas, inspirations and thought processes into the artistic whole that is evident on the record?
I write most of the music by myself before taking it to the rehearsals where we form everything together. In the case with this album we worked it all out in the studio. I have been making music for years, but with Altaar I had to radically rethink structure and form to keep it interesting. I didn’t decide to make two long songs, it came and felt natural. We’re very much into experimentation and improvisation and don´t pay too much attention to rehearsing things to death. I guess what I’m trying to say is that we have a completely different approach to writing and performing music. I am way more inspired by movements and moods than a certain band or whatever.
What have been the high points and low points of being in the band so far?
No low points, really, other than carrying shitloads of gear around the world through airports and train stations; that’s the worst! The high points are definitely the overwhelming feedback we’re getting from this record; to be honest, I did not expect that at all.
What aspirations do you have for the band?
The next step is to start working on the follow up album, which has already begun. It’s going to sound way bigger and way better.
Can you talk us through your relationship with the artist Sverre Malling?
Sten Ove is a personal friend of Sverre and suggested him doing the artwork early in the process. He is a great guy and a phenomenal artist. At first look his work might seem like, eh, ”just pencil work”, but it has a great amount of detail in it and he is definitely one of the more young and exciting Norwegian artists at the moment. The cover illustration works perfectly with the music; an analogue feel, straight and clean lines yet very detailed, open for interpretation and it’s somewhat obscure.
Have you got any plans for touring across Europe?
I don´t think we’re gonna do month long tours, as we prefer to do one offs and make sure all shows feel and look 110%, but we will tour Europe in some form.
What other bands/artists have you been taking inspiration/ enjoyment from of late?
I do listen to a lot of ”new” black metal such as Cultes Des Ghoules, Negative Plane, Wrathprayer and the likes. I’m a sucker for 60’s freakbeat, heavy psych, psychedelia, experimental, prog etc, so I always find great bands by digging backwards in time. Why look for something new when there still are so much good music from the past, you know.
The Norwegian music scene seems to be going through a very productive and creative time at the moment. Who should readers of Ghost Cult look out for?
You should check out the new Vemod record Venter På Stormende, which is brilliant. The band Mare is pure black magic; they just rereleased the Spheres of Death 10” which includes the long gone, much sought after 7” ‘Throne of the Thirteenth Witch’. I’m also looking forward to the new Wolves Like Us7” which should be good.
Mat Davies