ASMEGIN

Asmegin is the power of the Aesirs (the northern gods), I think that it’s a clear sign from where the inspiration of the band comes; I read elsewhere that "Hin Vordende Sod Og So" literally means "The Future Broth & Soup", what is the exact meaning of the title of your album and is it "ironically" linked to the cover artwork ?

The exact meaning is actually "The prospective Broth and Soup", and yes, it`s a strong link to the front picture of the cover. The cover shows us an old troll--mother coocking soup, and guess what`s gonna be the meat in this soup?? The textline "Hin vordende.." and the also this picture is taken from the song "Til Rondefolkets Herskab" ,which means something like "To the rooring class of the people of Rondane". Rondane is the name of a range of mountains in Norway, and Dovre is a part of that, then again the Hall of Dovre-gubben is an imaginary Hall inside Dovre where the "big man" of the trolls lives. This is an old norwegian fairytale. (You`ve maby heard "the hall of the mountain king" by Grieg, it`s based on the same story.) This song "Til Rondefolkets herskab" is a part of a Peer Gynt trilogy (trc.2+3+4), kind of an expanded version of a part in Henrik Ibsens play "Peer Gynt". Then again Ibsen based this play on old norwegian tales-including the one about the trolls in Dovre. You can say that in our version, Peer Gynt does not have a very bright future; as "the prospective Broth and Soup"...

Speaking still about the artwork cover and music it seems that Asmegin’s will is to recreate an imaginary strongly connected to the Norwegian folklore, it deals also with Norse mythology ?

Yes, I believe norse mythology is the foundation of the later cultural expressions of Norway,-naturally, I should say, because history doesn`t disappear in peoples minds, even so a lot of people, new ideologies and religions tries to change it. Peoples culture will always attract and incorporate new elements as the time goes by, but that (hopefully) doesn`t make the already established culture go away. 2+2=4, you can`t take away the first 2, and just say that 2+2 still is 2, but a new different one.. Haha, that was a little philosophical, but I think it makes some sense. I think our mix of older mythology and a little "younger" folklore is a strength, and I believe we take the history further, using the tradition in our own way.

What are the main themes present in the lyrics ?

I have already told you a little about the Peer Gynt- trilogy, and as I said, the Ibsen story of Peer Gynt is again originally based on traditions, myths, fairytales and stories of the Norwegian culture,-and that`s basically the main themes in the other songs as well. Traditional national and local tales has been a great inspiration, as well as some specialized literature by historians and folklorists. And of course supplied by own mindwork and fantasy..

In particular speaking about "Huldradans – Hin Gronnkledde", it deals with the creature of the Norwegian folklore called Huldra ? And in "Sfit Livets Baand" and "Efterbyrden" what is the meaning of the newborn’s cry ?

You are very correct,-Huldra is a very strong figure in Norwegian tales, and yes, she is the one speaking in "Huldradans- Hin Grønnkledde". The tale tells us that Huldra lives in the woods, she is very beautiful, and sometimes you can hear her sing, or maybe even see her dance(Huldradans means "The dance of Huldra"). You get paralyzed- and tricked into the woods, and never seen again.. It`s a very old explanation to the fact that very many people got lost in the woods, and never returned,- not a very seldom destiny. So, if you ever see a beautiful girl in the woods (trademark:tail!), you should not follow her... As for the babycry, it points directly to the title "Efterbyrden". "Efterbyrden" means the part of the uterus that follows the baby after the birth-giving. In this case the baby turnes out to be a evil mix of human and monster/troll. You find stories about these evil children in a lot of cultures, also in the Norwegian tales (kind of an older form of "Child`s play"..),-and that`s the kind of babyscreaming you hear in these songs.

I consider Lars Nedland (Solefald, Borknagar) as an extraordinary singer and musician, I think that his bring has been fundamental for the exceptional mood of this work, do you think that you’ll collaborate with him again for the future releases ?

Lars Nedland did an extremely good job on this album, and I am very found of him in other collaborations too (Solefald is my favourite), so I would love to have him participating in further albums. But, we`re now looking for two vocalists (Bjorn Olav have unfortunately left the band), and what guest appearances we`ll include in our next opus is of course depending on what we want or need when that time arrives. Of course, the best thing is always to do everything by the band itself (both me and Lars Froislie are now members of Àsmegin, by the way), but it`s always inspirating and fun to work with other people as well, so nothing is final. We`ll just wait and see..

Another great think is the way how the classical instruments and female vocals, that I found really moving, has been used. Do you think that in the future you’ll focus more on these two elements ?

I hope so, so I can have some more work to do, haha.. Well, I don`t know how the new material is going to work out, but I think naturally it will not be any less violin- since I`m now a part of the permanent line up, and that it in that way more a part of the prosess than I was at "Hin vordende..". Because of that we won`t get any plroblems in live situations either, so maby.. But how much and in what way is hard to say. I see our music as a whole,-and I think it`s dangerous to pay too much attention to what elements that`s gonna get the most focus.. If so, it`s easy to loose tha float and the natural expressions in the music. The most important is always to make music that express the ideas, sounds, moods and thoughts we want,-independent what instrument/element that`s most focused. A band is a band, not several instruments fighting about the attention. I think "Hin vordende" reflect this thought in a good way, and I hope to continue on that direction.

Throughout the whole album there’s a sort of floating mood between a nocturnal fairytale atmosphere mixed to a more "joyful" feeling that reminded me in a certain way Edward Grieg, do you feel influenced by classical music and what are the other main band’s influences ?

I personally am very influented by classical music, naturally because of my classical instrument and background, but I think the link between our music and Grieg is a little more occasional. Marius is very found of prog.-rock, and the way of composing in that genre is very much alike a classical composition-specially in the romantic period,-in which Grieg lived and composed. But that`s the structure. The main element that makes you connect us strongly to Grieg (and other norwegian national-romantic composers), is of course some of the rhythm and melodies we use. The reason why, I believe, is because (without pulling any further resamblances) Grieg and Àsmegin uses a lot of the same inspiration sources. Grieg was very interested in traditional norwegian folk-music, and brought it further by base his classical works on such material. A lot of Grieg "trademarks" are stylized norwegian folk music-elements, as we also base a lot of our ideas in similar elements, you will find resemblances in the musical results as well. As for other bands that have influenced the music-making directly, I can amongst others mention Kebnekaize, My Dying Bride, Folque, pluss various folkmusicians.

Do you feel strongly connected with your country and his ancient traditions ? Don’t you think that the northern wilderness present in the Norwegian nature has a kind of mystic appeal ?

Yes,of course. I think the mystic parts in Norwegian folk-culure, an specially folk music, are strongly connected to the mystic and wilderness in our nature. I am very found of the nature of here, and try to get out in the woods and up the mountains as often as possible. (Unfortunately it isn`t often enough..) And in that way, yes, I feel very connected to my country, and I`m fascinated by it`s cultural variety. I think it`s very important that everybody get to know their own culutral traditions,I`ll go more into that in question 10..

What do you think about the ridiculous "modernist" trend that many bands seems to have decided to follow , recreating something souless just to sell-out and impress "metal-kids" ?

I think it`s kind of sad, that it`s the soulless music that actually impress the "metal-kids", if you understand. On one side I don`t bother to care that much about what other bands do in their music, as long as nobody`s forcing me to listen to it.. I just hope that every band do what they really want to do,and if someone just want to get money in their pocket by giving "the kids " some crap, that`s not my business. On the other hand, I think it`s a bit cruel to "newborn" metal-heads to

"trick" them in that way,-by pushing bad music-and instead of getting more really interested people into the scene, these kids will maybe be searching elsewhere to find meaningful music as soon as they discover that these "sellout"- album really is crap.( And I believe they will, you should never underestemate the youngsters!) Would be very sad if they by then got the impression that the whole genre is just as crappy. But it can also turn out otherwhise,-that when they first get "tricked " (to use my own expression) into this music, even if it`s "sellout-crap" they fall in love with in the first place, they start digging a little deeper, and then they discover all the good stuff. I of course hope for the last theory. I think the "sellout-issue" won`t be an issue for a very long time, either. At the time it`s kind of fashionated to listen to extremer forms of metal (at least it is here in Norway, I don`t know the situation elsewhere), but like every other trend, I think it will go away pretty soon., and the we`ll see who`s really serious..

What do you think about this multi-cultural society that the TV is so able to lobotomize with the brainless masses ? Isn’t that dangerous for the individual cultural identity of every European country that can speak highly of their ancient traditions and past instead of becoming a carbon copy of a "plastic" country without culture and history like U.S.A. ?

Well, I agree with you in general,but I don`t agree with your way of speaking. I don`t see a multi-cultural society as a threath, actually I think it`s the other way around. I think that it`s healthy to get to know several cultures, not only european, but from all over world,-and that such media-channels as television could be used as an important information-channels in litting us know cultural traditions from different parts of the world. We live in a global world now, and it`s more important than ever to try to see our own lives in different perspectives. But to have the opportunity to gain that kind of cultural capital, you have to know your own cultural identity as a fundament,-and understand the importance of bringing it further to new generations. As I said;it`s not the multi-cultural society that frightens me,, a multi-cultural society only means that the society contains a lot of different cultures, and if it stays that way, we`ll only get more

perspecives, and become more aware of both our own and others cultural traditions. BUT I`m afraid of the culture-less society. and as you pull the USA as an example, I think that`s what you are talking about. It`s a very big threath that all the western countries seems to copy a culture that makes Arnold Swartznegger (I don`t remember how to spell his name, sorry..) a governor (not to mention Bush as president..), and where soap-opera is the main daily "cultural" input. Hopefully people will understand this before it`s too late. I would like to say that I normally don`t go into political discussions in

music-related contests, but this is an important discussion that I hope people will give some thought. Besides that, Àsmegin is not a political band, and these expressions of mine are my personal opinions.

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