The one-man Norwegian death metal project talks about album #4
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR US WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOU AND YOUR MUSIC AND TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
I’m Stein Akslen from the Norwegian Black Metal band Minneriket. Minneriket is my one-man band which I’ve now released four original full-length albums with, while I at the same time participate in other bands such as Blodsgard and Æra.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NEW ALBUM OR SINGLE?
“Gjennom meg går ingen til hvile» is the fourth album by Minneriket and the first one including a roster of session musicians such as string sections and several vocalists. It’s almost an hour of gothic melancholic Black Metal, dedicated to the memory of everything life takes away from us.
WHAT INSPIRED THE ALBUM OR SINGLE?
I wanted to present the darkness in other colours. Paint with shades of grey. Everything which has been suffocating me, screaming beneath the skin and gnawing at the roots have now been brought into the light.
CAN YOU SUM UP THE ALBUM IN A FEW WORDS?
Vanity and melancholy. The beautiful beast.
WHAT RECORD CHANGED YOUR LIFE AND WHY?
I don’t know if I’d be comfortable having my life changed by some other people's products, but there are of course some releases which I discovered at the right stage of my life and thus made a big impression. I think music hits you harder when you’re younger, and going back listening to an album works almost like opening a time-capsule, teleporting you back in time and letting you experience all those strong emotions again. The original “Stormblåst” by Dimmu Borgir is an album like that for me. So is “Ignition” by The Offspring, and “Selvmord” by Vond.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO FILMED BY YOUR BAND OR ANOTHER ARTIST?
I’m really satisfied with the video for “Hjemlengsel” made by Valhallartworks. We released it back in February as the first single for “Gjennom meg går ingen til hvile” and it’s a beautiful visual representation of the cold loneliness of the music, shot with drone on Iceland.
I often venture down the rabbit hole on YouTube watching other bands music videos, as I’m always interested in how artists choose to interlace their music with a visual representation. I’ve really appreciated the videos by both The Hu and Bloodywood, both those bands gets total support from me.
WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU DOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUSIC?
Preferably you won’t find me. ;)
DO YOU GET NERVOUS PERFORMING LIVE, IF SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
Minneriket is a one-man band, and does not play live. I’m not interested in being an entertainer.
HOW DID YOU FORM THE BAND?
I had things to say that didn’t really fit in other bands. I plugged in my guitar and the rest is history.
HOW DO YOU WRITE?
I write and compose all the music, record all instruments and write all the lyrics. On “Gjennom meg går ingen til hvile” I have utilized session musicians to play several instruments and lay down voices, and some have written own parts, but in general I map out and create everything myself.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Something in the silver lining between quiet contemplation and the ferocity of improvisation. The cold and calculated emotions laced together with the burning sensations of responses. “Gjennom meg går ingen til hvile” is me writing my own epitaph.
WHAT IS NEXT?
There will probably be another music video for the album out in a little while, but other than that… only the norns know.
PLEASE TELL US ANY SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS SO WE CAN SHARE.
Minneriket.com
Minneriket.bandcamp.com
Facebook.com/minneriket
Instagram.com/minneriket
Twitter.com/minneriket
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