Let's start this interview the usual way, by recalling the historical background behind VINTERSORG... It all began back in 1994, when "Vargathron" was your moniker, I assume...

- Yes! we started up as a full line-up band in á´94 with the intesion to merge black metal with "clean" vocals, acoustic guitars and heavy riffings, back then it was quite unique. But after two years of constantly line-up problems we decided to end it, but i still felt strong for the songs i wrote back then so continued by muself under the banner Vintersorg. So, i recorded a Mcd without having a deal and just hoped that someone would release it, and several companies was intrested but Napalm seemed to give the best so i hooked up with 'em. In July '98 they released it, but i had then already composed the debut album "Till Fjalls" so i recorded that one August. As Napalm promote the two and the response seemed to great i composed the "Odemarkens Son" album which was out in Nov '99. Still i constantly worked on new songs, and having in mind that i wanted to refresh the sound i simply created "Cosmic Genesis". Before the recording process Mattias Marklund joined the band, we have played together for ten years so it was natural thing. phew........

What surprises me a bit, VINTERSORG is often considered a black metal act, at least judging by the reviews I've read; however I wouldn't be so sure labelling your band a black metal one...

- It's hard to label it i think. It's some form of heavy / black metal with folk influences. And on the new album a quite cosmiveil over it, maybe also a more mysterious and progressive atmosphere now have taken it's form. I can't call it pagan as i don't deal with those lyrical topics, i've only written three such songs, with hints to the Viking era.

Personally I don't think we should reckon VINTERSORG to the BM horde, mainly due to the fact the lyrics of yours don't have anything to do with satanism or whatsoever. Not mentioning plenty of elements borrowed from heavy metal and folklore, when it comes to musical canvas...

- As i stated above it's quite hard to define the style. But to call it simply black isn't fair i think, it's missleading in many ways. Especially as the lyrics is a merge of science, spiritual matters and refections within the four elements in the nature.

Lyrically, both "Till Fjalls" and "Odemarkens Son" were based on the Northern heritage, weren't they?

- "Till Fjalls" have two nordic mythology songs, the rest is totally nature worshipping style written like ryhming poems. "Odemarkens..." is only nature worshipping in it's most extreme form, a total dedication to mother nature so to speak. Oh, well, the last song "Pö landet" is about feeling trapped in the city and flee to the countryside and discover its greatness.

VINTERSORG's lyrics are entirely woven through a Swedish language, at least when it comes to the albums I mentioned in the previous question... Why such a decision?

- Well, i felt that i could most hoenstly describe my emotions through my mother tongue. But i noticed that i was stuck in a pattern that would force me into a corner, so i decided to try my wings in English on the new piece, but i still love to sing in Swedish also so included two Swedish songs.

... and what about those who consider themselves to be a "pagan metal" band, simultaneously singing in foreign language, be it English, German or any other?

- I think it's up to every band to choose in what language they want to sing. For me in the past i prefered Swedish but just continue for the sake of it wasn't even a thought from my side, for me it's about exploring new and untouched grounds, both physically and metaphysically.

By the way, now it regards your brainchild as well, since seven tracks of nine (off "Cosmis Genesis") come with lyrics in English. Perhaps, it has something to do with the fact the subjects they're dealing with, are a bit different now?

- Yes! the lyrical topics was a bit changed. It deals with the large
questions of cosmos, who's the architect behind its symmetry, and what makes it so constant even if it's provked by chaos such as the Jupiter effect. I also deal with the spiritual side of it, maybe our known universe is just a part of a multiverse, like a sphere in a sphere. It's very fascinatimg to puzzle the mind with these subjects and just investigate as much as possible.

Probably a stupid question, but anyway: do you think including acoustic and folklorish passages is a necessary for each and every pagan metal band?

- The real old music was created by only acoustic instruments, so it's more the other way around, in my opinion.

You also take part in OTYG, the band which doubtlessly have much more to do with the notion of "folklore". I guess you have a greatest respect for your cultural and ancestral heritage...

- I can't say that i'm pagan. Here we all learn about the Viking era in school, but that's just that i've study regarding it. Culture on
the other hand is much more important for me, it's much more spiritual awakening. OTYG is much more traditional folk music inspired and the lyrics only deal with folklore.

Are you involved in any kind of heathen movement? What's your attitude to organizations of this kind, such as Heathen Front and others of that ilk?

- No!!! i'm not in any Heathen organisiation. Well, it's up to every man to decide where his / her beliefs belongs, but i have no political or religious ambition at all, i think in much larger terms, the existence of man and the symbiosis between micro and macrocosm.

Any comments on all these so-called "futurists" claiming that nature is nothing but "a tool" to reach utter supremacy? "Mankind holds the sceptre", you see...

- I have no respect for those people, nature is the essential life bringer on this planet, unfortunatley man is a parasite that only takes, hardly gives, but i try to do my share, i live in symbiosis with the nature, and i live nature sorrounded with the four elements as my mentor.

Disdaining everything that might have anything in common with nature seems to be a characteristic quality of this goddamn society... We, the Europeans, seem to forget our origin despising the old beliefs, violating everything that was considered "sacred" by our ancestors... Only industrial luxury and comfort rule supreme... Don't you think that, by following the same path, humanity will cease to exist in the nearest time to come?

- If we continue in this way this planet's days are counted, i mean what took four billion years to create man have soon destroyed in two hundred years. If we can't see that we deserve the exstinction.

Back to the music. I've heard that VINTERSORG appears as a two-piece nowadays...

- Yes! as i explained in the begining, Mattias is the other member. He does most of guitar leads and some rhythm guitars, i do the other parts. And our collobration works perfect, and have for the last ten years.

Anything of importance to be said, concerning "Cosmic Genesis"? What has your musical evolution been alike, taking "Cosmic Genesis" and "Odemarkens Son" as the examples (the opposites, so to say)?

- More astral keyboards, more gloomy, more complexity regarding arrangements (both vocal and instrumental), a larger diversity in moods. So if you ask me it's just better in every aspect.

"Cosmic Genesis" is already the fourth album brought forth the light by Austria's Napalm Records. Are you pleased with the way they treat both VINTERSORG and OTYG?

- We're having really good relation, i feel that i can trust them as i think they trust me, so far we haven't had any major disagreemant. Of course some smaller form of different opinions have occured, but those have been talked through and solved, and we have two more albums at least with 'em.

Could you please name us the bands you consider to be your faves?

- I listen to everything from progressive 70's music to extreme metal, and of course folk. Also some gloomy electronic music is spinning in my stereo once in a while, so i have a large range of bands i like. But i must say that i'm really happy that i now have joined BORKNAGAR as their new vocalist, cause they are one of my alltime favebands.

What bands have influenced your personal musical style? Do you think you've found your real musical identity with "Cosmic Genesis"?

- It's so hard to say which bands, i try get my most inspirations from other sources than music, in order to keep the unique VINTERSORG touch. I've already composed the next album and it's a progression of "Cosmic..." My goal is to never stagnate, keep doing experiments.

Do you have any interest in bands outside Scandinavia? Are you acquainted with any acts coming from Spain?

- Sadly enough i haven't heard so many bands from Southern / Eastern Europe, so i can't really say if there is someone i like. Mostly my fave bands comes from Norge, but i'm open-minded and haven't anything against bands from other countries.

Conclusive statement, please.

- In my world i talk about man as one being, the important thing isn't from which country you come from, it's about the way you experience life.
 

VINTERSORG website -
http://www.vintersorg.com