Today I had some time to sit with Grá vocalist/guitarist Heljarmadr.
I have been a long time fan of his work and friend so it was a lot of fun to sit down and talk to him on a whole new level.
Enjoy finding out all there is to know about Grá and where the idea came from and where it is headed!
Photo taken by Hanna Dubois
Interview conducted by LS on Saturday May 25,2013
I have been a long time fan of his work and friend so it was a lot of fun to sit down and talk to him on a whole new level.
Enjoy finding out all there is to know about Grá and where the idea came from and where it is headed!
Photo taken by Hanna Dubois
Interview conducted by LS on Saturday May 25,2013
LS: Hey, I say we get started on this interview. How are you on this Saturday
afternoon?
H: Hello! I'm just doing fine. I've actually been writing some new material for the
next Grá album today. If it makes it all the way to the album remains to be
seen though.
LS: New GRÁ album hu? That sounds like music to my ears. Very excited to hear what you guys have in store for us this time around.
So since your last release "Necrology of the Witch" was an EP, will this one be a full length?
H: Next release will be a full length album, yes. It will be the conclusion to our
suite about Charon and Death. We expect it to be ready and recorded during next
year. We don't rush the creative process.
LS: Nice... We will get back to that in a minute, but what about you? I know you
play in a couple different bands, the first one that I knew about what Cursed
13. Was there anything before that worth mentioning?
H: I started out in bands that never got anywhere back in the mid 90's. Only thing
that I think is worth mentioning is Diabolic Lust which actually lived for
quite some time and we did some demos and so. That band finally died forever
last year when the drummer died from an overdose. I'm thinking about the
possibility to re-release some of the old songs but I don't know. Perhaps you
should let sleeping dogs lie.
LS: I see, well I guess that would be up to you to decide, but these days you have said GRÁ is
your main focus. You recently played some live shows and have
more coming in the near future maybe? What makes GRÁ worth your 100% attention?
H: Grá is my main focus right now. We have the train rolling and why distract
yourself with anything else when everyone involved is 100% dedicated.
We just finished our 6-gig mini tour and don't have any gigs booked until December
but that might change. We intend to use this "slow time" to cut together a live
video from the shows we did in Finland and Estonia amongst other things.
There's a new album we feel like start working with.
Aside from Grá we have a Cursed 13 album that is recorded and almost ready for
release. We haven't made the final mix and the mastering remains but it's
getting there. The difference is that Cursed 13 is not a live band and we don't
have to go through that constant rehearsal practice like we do with Grá. Cursed
13 is boiling in the background but will soon burst out when the album is done.
LS: Well, that makes sense I suppose. To put 100% attention on multiple bands would
take up a whole lot of time I am sure. You mentioned a video from the mini tour.
I was actually going to bring up a video. You have one official video for the
song "Kraft" that I LOVE. That song is a real head banger. So, will the new
music be similar to the past albums and will there be another crazy video like
this one? I think I will listen to it now while we do this.
H: Grá will always be and sound like Grá, no doubt there. To say in what direction
the material will go is pretty impossible to predict. It might be speed
oriented or it may be monotonous, we haven't got there yet. I would guess that
it will be a quite varied album, like the last full length album was.
There will of course be a video to that album as well. I don't think it will be
anything like the Kraft video though. There are so many visual spectras to
explore. I love the simplicity of our last video "Helfärd pt.II" for example. I
understand that people get restless from it but genuine black metal is not a
fucking party and head banging. The darkness goes deeper...
LS: Black Metal indeed runs deeper then parties and head banging but it is what it
is. So, when it comes to choosing a song for a video, is this something you do
as you are writing the song or do you decide which song would make a good video
after the fact?
H: When we have all the material we do a briefing upon what would be the best
song, based upon lyrics and what is possible to do with a limited budget. Our
record company is not at all involved in the video making hence we pay for
everything ourselves.
LS: DIY is a good way to go in a lot of ways. Speaking of labels.. Who will be
releasing your upcoming album and is there anything you can tell us about this
album, like...is their an album title yet or does that come AFTER the song
writing is complete?
H: It will be released by Unexploded Records. that will be our final album on
our contract. Where we go from there, nobody knows.
No, we have hardly even
begun with the songwriting process yet. Everything I might say now is a subject
to change anyway so... the next album is the fourth and final part in the Charon suite, how it will
turn out is yet to be seen!
LS: So, your contract will be up but does that mean you wont work with that label
in the future? Time to move on now? Any higher expectations for Grá?
H: At this moment we don't know. The next album is like a year away so it is
really hard to predict anything. It depends upon what offer we might get of
course. With Unexploded we have a big artistic freedom which I know that bigger
labels don't give. We value our freedom very much.
LS: Sounds like Unexploded Records is a great starting point for a lot of good
bands then. So, who does the actual lyric writing for the band? I know you do
vocals and guitar. What about the music. Do you all sit down in some kind of jam
session or does everyone come up with ideas on their own and see what the rest
of the guys think?
H: For the first EP I wrote the material together with the drummer, on the album I
wrote 90% of the material, we had some guest lyricists also but I wrote most
parts of the music and the lyrics. As for the "Necrology of the Witch" I wrote
everything except for the Greek titled track which was written by me and the
drummer. Usually I have ideas which we try out at the rehearsals, if it works
and is good enough it makes the albums. I might add that there are tons of riffs
and songs which never made it for various reasons.
I have encouraged the other guys to bring material but this far
it has been mainly me and the drummer.
LS: What about the Greek titles. Why? Does the music involved with Grá stem from
Greek myths or anything...I mean you guys are Swedish...
H: Greek mythology and Scandinavian mythology are related. There are thousands of
kilometers and thousands of years between us but still we share the same pre-
abrahamitic heritage. I have a great respect for ancient Greece and their
philosophers and myths.
You are American yet hail to Norway because you have
a relation to it. We have a religious relation to Greece, as well as with the
whole Germanic region, as well as with all the Indo European populations, going
as far as to Egypt and India. This is something people tend to forget.
LS: Interesting. You don't find this sort of thing happen much in BM bands (At
least not many that I know of) So, maybe someday you guys would like to play in
Greece? That might be something to put on your to do list... What about other
places? Any countries that you look forward to playing in?
H: I'm actually going on vacation to Athens this summer and we will meet up with a
couple of guys there who will show us what is worth seeing there. We also plan
on renting a car to go and see the Apollo temple in Delphi.
Yes, we would really want to play in Greece!
We would really want to do the whole of Europe really, and also the States.
LS: Awesome!! Hope you have a great time. I hear Greece has a wonderful Metal scene
so you guys should do well there. As far as live performances go, how has the
audience reacted to you guys (like on your latest mini tour) I hear the cops
showed up to one of your shows?
H: The audience is always fucking great when we play. Of course we don't fill all
venues we play at but those who comes are fucking dedicated! They join our
ritual and becomes a part of it. Yeah, well there was some knife drama or something.
LS: Join in your ritual? What ritual? Or are you speaking just your stage
performance.
H: Well, every live show is a ritual with everything meticulously planned and
calculated. Each gig is a tribute to Death.
LS: Ahhh ok. I see. So, that is where the name Grá comes from? Death?
H: In a way, Grá means gray. Gray is "in between". As is Death (between life and
"afterlife").
LS: Ok...got it. You started Grá after Cursed 13, right? But why? If you already
have a band that in my opinion is really good and could go places, why
something else that will put Cursed 13 on the back burner? I mean, what does Grá
have that Cursed 13 couldn't of had?
H: Yes, we started Grá when working on the Cursed 13 album, 3 years ago. We never
put Cursed 13 in the back burner but we needed a change of focus because we
didn't want to release an album which we weren't 100% satisfied with. With Grá
we got a pause and could get some distance to the material. I'm fucking glad
that we did that because the Cursed 13 album which is about to be released in a
couple of months is light years better than the one we planned 3 years ago. You
could say that Grá and Cursed 13 are different sides of the same coin, the
music is not similar at all, nor are the lyrical approach but they need each
other to survive. Grá is better suited for live performances while Cursed 13
is best in studio recording form.
LS: Yeah, well I always wanted to ask about this but the topic never came up, and
so Grá (In the long run) is going to maybe push on due to the touring...and you
love to play live? I can't imagine the feeling you get standing up on stage and
having other people sing along to your music. It must be an incredible
feeling....
H: Yeah, Grá will continue to play live, Cursed 13 will probably not. We did one
gig with Cursed 13 at a festival but it wasn't the same magic as with Grá.
LS: When exactly did you decide in life that you wanted to play music? Was there
any particular band or person that "Guided" you in this direction?
H: I got an acoustic guitar when I was 8 I think. My uncle introduced me to AC/DC
at an early age and my step into black metal came when my older cousin gave me
the album "His Majesty at the Swamp" by Greek Varathron. At about that time I
started to think that "I can do this" and started to write music.
LS: Ha! Uncles seem to be the magic charm...that is who first introduced me to
guitar as well. ..Anyways, does Grá (AS a band) have any influences then? I
mean you certainly don't sound like AC/DC. haha Or do you guys just like to
keep things to your own style because you guys definitely do have a sound all
of your own.
H: Of course we have influences, mainly from bands of the early 90's. Bathory have
always had a great impact on my musicianship and we are all huge Bathory fans!
We listen to a lot of the old Scandinavian scene bands like Burzum, Mayhem,
Dissection, Marduk. You know, the ones that now are considered as classics. Our
taste hasn't changed much in the last 15 years I guess.
Thank you for your compliment!
That fact might have its origin in that we don't ONLY listen to
metal music. I enjoy piano music by Erik Satie or Edward Gried for example. We
usually listen to a lot of outlaw country music when drinking. Our external
sources of inspiration makes our music stand out I think. Progress...
LS: Yeah, I remember during our Cursed 13 interview back in 2008 you mentioned
Country music. I guess it is good to have influences who push you without
trying to sound exactly like them.(Which you guys don't sound like any other
band) And so what exactly is your long term goal for Grá?
H: It is, you can never compete with them you know.
Our long term goal is to be out on the road as much as fucking possible! There are few things that feels
better than to pack your gear and leave for the next town, for the next
excellent ritual in front of people that are hungry and eager for our chaotic show.
We want to make great albums also, of course. Everything has its time.
LS: You once said something along the lines to not giving a shit about "Being
known" or something along those lines....does this still hold true with Grá or
was that speaking directly about Cursed 13 ?
H: It is a two edged sword. There would not be much of a live show without the
audience. Still I don't give a flying fuck about personal "fame". As long as the
music is pushing forwards, I'm fucking pleased.
We really dislike to take band pictures for example, the whole posing thing makes it feel a bit silly. But
since everybody is requesting it we made a compromise. Our friend Hanna Dübois
came to one of our shows and took some great live footage and after the show,
while still completely wired up, we went outdoors and took some pictures. That
way it didn't feel like "posing" for the camera. We were still in another world
after the show.
We are also talking about that perhaps we should remove our
identities completely on the albums, no names, no pictures. Grá is what is
important, not who we are. The best would be to use a live picture of the band.
LS: I totally get what you are saying. It is 100% understandable, and yes some
promo photos can be a bit dick cheese. hehe So...now what...you work on your
new album and make plans for future live gigs and do what you guys do best
which is make music. Anything left that you would like to add then before we
say farewell?
H: Yeah, that is about it. We're going to complete a live video from the
Finland/Estonia gigs which will be uploaded as soon as it's done. We're
working on the Cursed 13 album, more news on that when it is time.
I would
like to add that club owners around the world should get in contact if they are
interested in getting a fucking nasty band on stage. We don't have any booking
agency or middle hand so direct contact is the key.
Anyone interested in
merchandise, bookings or other inquiries should send it to
grahorde@gmail.com
Thank you Lilith Scare Webzine for your time and thank you for reading
this.
Hell Karon!
Hell Death!
/Heljarmadr
You can find Grá on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/GR%C3%81/163426903683650?fref=ts
Want to watch the video and listen to the song "Kraft" that I spoke about early on in the interview?
http://youtu.be/_m970k2dfMI
Here is the song he spoke of as well to listen to
http://youtu.be/sjYxBdg63t4
afternoon?
H: Hello! I'm just doing fine. I've actually been writing some new material for the
next Grá album today. If it makes it all the way to the album remains to be
seen though.
LS: New GRÁ album hu? That sounds like music to my ears. Very excited to hear what you guys have in store for us this time around.
So since your last release "Necrology of the Witch" was an EP, will this one be a full length?
H: Next release will be a full length album, yes. It will be the conclusion to our
suite about Charon and Death. We expect it to be ready and recorded during next
year. We don't rush the creative process.
LS: Nice... We will get back to that in a minute, but what about you? I know you
play in a couple different bands, the first one that I knew about what Cursed
13. Was there anything before that worth mentioning?
H: I started out in bands that never got anywhere back in the mid 90's. Only thing
that I think is worth mentioning is Diabolic Lust which actually lived for
quite some time and we did some demos and so. That band finally died forever
last year when the drummer died from an overdose. I'm thinking about the
possibility to re-release some of the old songs but I don't know. Perhaps you
should let sleeping dogs lie.
LS: I see, well I guess that would be up to you to decide, but these days you have said GRÁ is
your main focus. You recently played some live shows and have
more coming in the near future maybe? What makes GRÁ worth your 100% attention?
H: Grá is my main focus right now. We have the train rolling and why distract
yourself with anything else when everyone involved is 100% dedicated.
We just finished our 6-gig mini tour and don't have any gigs booked until December
but that might change. We intend to use this "slow time" to cut together a live
video from the shows we did in Finland and Estonia amongst other things.
There's a new album we feel like start working with.
Aside from Grá we have a Cursed 13 album that is recorded and almost ready for
release. We haven't made the final mix and the mastering remains but it's
getting there. The difference is that Cursed 13 is not a live band and we don't
have to go through that constant rehearsal practice like we do with Grá. Cursed
13 is boiling in the background but will soon burst out when the album is done.
LS: Well, that makes sense I suppose. To put 100% attention on multiple bands would
take up a whole lot of time I am sure. You mentioned a video from the mini tour.
I was actually going to bring up a video. You have one official video for the
song "Kraft" that I LOVE. That song is a real head banger. So, will the new
music be similar to the past albums and will there be another crazy video like
this one? I think I will listen to it now while we do this.
H: Grá will always be and sound like Grá, no doubt there. To say in what direction
the material will go is pretty impossible to predict. It might be speed
oriented or it may be monotonous, we haven't got there yet. I would guess that
it will be a quite varied album, like the last full length album was.
There will of course be a video to that album as well. I don't think it will be
anything like the Kraft video though. There are so many visual spectras to
explore. I love the simplicity of our last video "Helfärd pt.II" for example. I
understand that people get restless from it but genuine black metal is not a
fucking party and head banging. The darkness goes deeper...
LS: Black Metal indeed runs deeper then parties and head banging but it is what it
is. So, when it comes to choosing a song for a video, is this something you do
as you are writing the song or do you decide which song would make a good video
after the fact?
H: When we have all the material we do a briefing upon what would be the best
song, based upon lyrics and what is possible to do with a limited budget. Our
record company is not at all involved in the video making hence we pay for
everything ourselves.
LS: DIY is a good way to go in a lot of ways. Speaking of labels.. Who will be
releasing your upcoming album and is there anything you can tell us about this
album, like...is their an album title yet or does that come AFTER the song
writing is complete?
H: It will be released by Unexploded Records. that will be our final album on
our contract. Where we go from there, nobody knows.
No, we have hardly even
begun with the songwriting process yet. Everything I might say now is a subject
to change anyway so... the next album is the fourth and final part in the Charon suite, how it will
turn out is yet to be seen!
LS: So, your contract will be up but does that mean you wont work with that label
in the future? Time to move on now? Any higher expectations for Grá?
H: At this moment we don't know. The next album is like a year away so it is
really hard to predict anything. It depends upon what offer we might get of
course. With Unexploded we have a big artistic freedom which I know that bigger
labels don't give. We value our freedom very much.
LS: Sounds like Unexploded Records is a great starting point for a lot of good
bands then. So, who does the actual lyric writing for the band? I know you do
vocals and guitar. What about the music. Do you all sit down in some kind of jam
session or does everyone come up with ideas on their own and see what the rest
of the guys think?
H: For the first EP I wrote the material together with the drummer, on the album I
wrote 90% of the material, we had some guest lyricists also but I wrote most
parts of the music and the lyrics. As for the "Necrology of the Witch" I wrote
everything except for the Greek titled track which was written by me and the
drummer. Usually I have ideas which we try out at the rehearsals, if it works
and is good enough it makes the albums. I might add that there are tons of riffs
and songs which never made it for various reasons.
I have encouraged the other guys to bring material but this far
it has been mainly me and the drummer.
LS: What about the Greek titles. Why? Does the music involved with Grá stem from
Greek myths or anything...I mean you guys are Swedish...
H: Greek mythology and Scandinavian mythology are related. There are thousands of
kilometers and thousands of years between us but still we share the same pre-
abrahamitic heritage. I have a great respect for ancient Greece and their
philosophers and myths.
You are American yet hail to Norway because you have
a relation to it. We have a religious relation to Greece, as well as with the
whole Germanic region, as well as with all the Indo European populations, going
as far as to Egypt and India. This is something people tend to forget.
LS: Interesting. You don't find this sort of thing happen much in BM bands (At
least not many that I know of) So, maybe someday you guys would like to play in
Greece? That might be something to put on your to do list... What about other
places? Any countries that you look forward to playing in?
H: I'm actually going on vacation to Athens this summer and we will meet up with a
couple of guys there who will show us what is worth seeing there. We also plan
on renting a car to go and see the Apollo temple in Delphi.
Yes, we would really want to play in Greece!
We would really want to do the whole of Europe really, and also the States.
LS: Awesome!! Hope you have a great time. I hear Greece has a wonderful Metal scene
so you guys should do well there. As far as live performances go, how has the
audience reacted to you guys (like on your latest mini tour) I hear the cops
showed up to one of your shows?
H: The audience is always fucking great when we play. Of course we don't fill all
venues we play at but those who comes are fucking dedicated! They join our
ritual and becomes a part of it. Yeah, well there was some knife drama or something.
LS: Join in your ritual? What ritual? Or are you speaking just your stage
performance.
H: Well, every live show is a ritual with everything meticulously planned and
calculated. Each gig is a tribute to Death.
LS: Ahhh ok. I see. So, that is where the name Grá comes from? Death?
H: In a way, Grá means gray. Gray is "in between". As is Death (between life and
"afterlife").
LS: Ok...got it. You started Grá after Cursed 13, right? But why? If you already
have a band that in my opinion is really good and could go places, why
something else that will put Cursed 13 on the back burner? I mean, what does Grá
have that Cursed 13 couldn't of had?
H: Yes, we started Grá when working on the Cursed 13 album, 3 years ago. We never
put Cursed 13 in the back burner but we needed a change of focus because we
didn't want to release an album which we weren't 100% satisfied with. With Grá
we got a pause and could get some distance to the material. I'm fucking glad
that we did that because the Cursed 13 album which is about to be released in a
couple of months is light years better than the one we planned 3 years ago. You
could say that Grá and Cursed 13 are different sides of the same coin, the
music is not similar at all, nor are the lyrical approach but they need each
other to survive. Grá is better suited for live performances while Cursed 13
is best in studio recording form.
LS: Yeah, well I always wanted to ask about this but the topic never came up, and
so Grá (In the long run) is going to maybe push on due to the touring...and you
love to play live? I can't imagine the feeling you get standing up on stage and
having other people sing along to your music. It must be an incredible
feeling....
H: Yeah, Grá will continue to play live, Cursed 13 will probably not. We did one
gig with Cursed 13 at a festival but it wasn't the same magic as with Grá.
LS: When exactly did you decide in life that you wanted to play music? Was there
any particular band or person that "Guided" you in this direction?
H: I got an acoustic guitar when I was 8 I think. My uncle introduced me to AC/DC
at an early age and my step into black metal came when my older cousin gave me
the album "His Majesty at the Swamp" by Greek Varathron. At about that time I
started to think that "I can do this" and started to write music.
LS: Ha! Uncles seem to be the magic charm...that is who first introduced me to
guitar as well. ..Anyways, does Grá (AS a band) have any influences then? I
mean you certainly don't sound like AC/DC. haha Or do you guys just like to
keep things to your own style because you guys definitely do have a sound all
of your own.
H: Of course we have influences, mainly from bands of the early 90's. Bathory have
always had a great impact on my musicianship and we are all huge Bathory fans!
We listen to a lot of the old Scandinavian scene bands like Burzum, Mayhem,
Dissection, Marduk. You know, the ones that now are considered as classics. Our
taste hasn't changed much in the last 15 years I guess.
Thank you for your compliment!
That fact might have its origin in that we don't ONLY listen to
metal music. I enjoy piano music by Erik Satie or Edward Gried for example. We
usually listen to a lot of outlaw country music when drinking. Our external
sources of inspiration makes our music stand out I think. Progress...
LS: Yeah, I remember during our Cursed 13 interview back in 2008 you mentioned
Country music. I guess it is good to have influences who push you without
trying to sound exactly like them.(Which you guys don't sound like any other
band) And so what exactly is your long term goal for Grá?
H: It is, you can never compete with them you know.
Our long term goal is to be out on the road as much as fucking possible! There are few things that feels
better than to pack your gear and leave for the next town, for the next
excellent ritual in front of people that are hungry and eager for our chaotic show.
We want to make great albums also, of course. Everything has its time.
LS: You once said something along the lines to not giving a shit about "Being
known" or something along those lines....does this still hold true with Grá or
was that speaking directly about Cursed 13 ?
H: It is a two edged sword. There would not be much of a live show without the
audience. Still I don't give a flying fuck about personal "fame". As long as the
music is pushing forwards, I'm fucking pleased.
We really dislike to take band pictures for example, the whole posing thing makes it feel a bit silly. But
since everybody is requesting it we made a compromise. Our friend Hanna Dübois
came to one of our shows and took some great live footage and after the show,
while still completely wired up, we went outdoors and took some pictures. That
way it didn't feel like "posing" for the camera. We were still in another world
after the show.
We are also talking about that perhaps we should remove our
identities completely on the albums, no names, no pictures. Grá is what is
important, not who we are. The best would be to use a live picture of the band.
LS: I totally get what you are saying. It is 100% understandable, and yes some
promo photos can be a bit dick cheese. hehe So...now what...you work on your
new album and make plans for future live gigs and do what you guys do best
which is make music. Anything left that you would like to add then before we
say farewell?
H: Yeah, that is about it. We're going to complete a live video from the
Finland/Estonia gigs which will be uploaded as soon as it's done. We're
working on the Cursed 13 album, more news on that when it is time.
I would
like to add that club owners around the world should get in contact if they are
interested in getting a fucking nasty band on stage. We don't have any booking
agency or middle hand so direct contact is the key.
Anyone interested in
merchandise, bookings or other inquiries should send it to
grahorde@gmail.com
Thank you Lilith Scare Webzine for your time and thank you for reading
this.
Hell Karon!
Hell Death!
/Heljarmadr
You can find Grá on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/GR%C3%81/163426903683650?fref=ts
Want to watch the video and listen to the song "Kraft" that I spoke about early on in the interview?
http://youtu.be/_m970k2dfMI
Here is the song he spoke of as well to listen to
http://youtu.be/sjYxBdg63t4