VREID Interview with the entire band

XM: Hey. Nice to meet you all.
*All- Hello!

XM: So, I suppose everyone can answer some questions here. Just kicking off the first night of the Black Path of America tour, how are you doing?
Hvall: Doing fine.
Sture: Good.
Hvall: It's been a long trip flying from New York and then the buss over here. But, we're ready to get this show on the road.

XM: You're doing 17 shows in 17 days...
Hvall: Hopefully. It looks sort of grim with this Irene hurricane, hitting in New York. So, we'll see what happens there.

XM: But, the question was, is this the way you all prefer to tour? I mean. Playing all the shows in a row with no downtime or days off?
Hvall: Yeah.
Sture: Yeah.
Hvall: Most of the time. I think its boring to have days off.
XM: Really?
Hvall: It's nice when you do a long tour to have just one day in the middle where you can check into a hotel. Get cleaned up and everything. But, besides that I prefer to do shows most of the time.
Sture: And, especially if you have to drive or something. Then, what the fuck are you going to do? You stay on the buss all day. Sleep.
XM: I'd think that even with shorter tours it would be tiring.
Hvall: Touring is quite relaxing for us, in a way.
Sture: The first day you get off is like a break from the good spell. If you're going 8 or 9 shows... Just keep going.
Strom: Usually if you have a day off you just get shit drunk.
*Laughs*

XM: And, how did this ticket give-away promotion come about for the tour?
Hvall: Its a thing we thought about it. A cool thing.. What can we do to get in touch with the fans. So they can get direct in touch with us and we can give something back to them. So, I checked out with the promoter if that's something actually possible to do. So, we actually control that our self on our Facebook site. I think that's a cool thing to do, to give something back to our fans.

XM: Now, when you were recording "V" this was the first time you guys did everything yourselves, right? How did that work out for you?
Hvall: It worked really well. For the last two albums, we did mostly of the things ourselfes. But this time, we did everything. That felt that we were in complete control and could spend the time we needed for the album.
Sture: I saw a natural progression from the other albums where we have done more and more ourselves.
Hvall: We are kind of band that likes to control most aspects of what we do. Everything, from merchandise to recording. We like to be in control of things. Then, we have no one else to blame when things fuck up.

XM: And a little bit about the writing process. Did you all contribute to the writing of V?
Hvall: As usual, I wrote most of the material. But, on this album I think the whole band was more involved than ever before. Everyone was working on thier parts and contributing to their aspect of it.

XM: How did you decide to name the album simply "V"? You're other albums have had... Fuller titles.
Hvall: We've become lazy. *Laughs* But really, I've been thinking about using it for some time. And, naturally we spare it for the fifth album. Then you've got that meaning of it. Its a title that has several meanings for me, and I've kind of... Yeah. Its a symbolic title. We haven't really revealed whats the meaning of it. I like to keep it open for the listener to give it their own meanings.
XM: So, you're not going to give away what it means.
Hvall: I've heard some strange interpretations. I think that's the good thing about song titles, and especially album titles, is when people can put something into it.
XM: So, we'll leave it at that then! And lyrically on the album, you've moved away from old WWII themes. What inspired you to focus more on other things?
Hvall: Not to get stuck in the same route doing the same things over and over again. Its still based on history, as things always have been with Vreid. But, we want to look at other things in history than just the second world war. Its a broader spectrum, and it makes it more interesting to write about.

XM: Each you can answer this one. What's your personal favorite track from the new album?
Sture: Well, that depends on whether you mean favorite track to listen to or favorite track to play live. Live, I would say the opening song Arche. I really enjoy playing it. But, listening, another song. The Others and The Look.
Steingrim: I would say... Wolverine Bastards.
Strom: For me, its The Others and The Look. It's always been, since day one.
Hvall: For me, its The Sound of the River.

XM: Oh yeah. You actually released a music video for that song. Did you pick that song to do the video for because it was your favorite track?
Hvall: Yep.
Sture: Well, we actually had some debate about it, what song to use for the video. But we landed on The Sound of the River. I think it was a wise choice, actually. Its a bit different song.
Hvall: Its different, it shows more varied sights in the band that we think you can see from all the albums. Also, the story to the song was something that I wanted to try to get on video.

XM: So, how did the actual recording of the video go?
Hvall: Really well. We went to Poland and worked with team called Group of 13. We'd seen some of thier previous work with Behemoth and stuff like that and was really impressed. We came over there and they were extremely professional. They were like twenty people working on it and we spent three days filming.
Sture: Really smooth.

XM: If you had to describe Vreid's music in three words they would be...
Hvall: Black and Roll
Sture: *Laughs*

XM: Each of you can answer this question as well. If you could have been involved in the writing, recording, or production of any album ever which would it be and why?
Sture: (Instantly) And Justice For All!
Strom: That came out quick. For me, I think it's Symbolic by Death.
Steingrim: Rust In Peace
Hvall: Killer. Alice Cooper.
XM: I wasn't expecting all of those answers, to be honest.
Sture: What would you expect? Have you thought about it before?
XM: I didn't give it a long thought. But, you always sort of have a guess. It depends on the band. For example, a more traditional black metal band like... 1349, you might expect them to answer some really cult classic Black Metal record. But, you could still be totally wrong.
Sture: That was a difficult question. There are many, many great albums.

XM: What are Vried planning for after this tour?
Sture: *Points to Strom* He's getting a kid.
Strom: *Laughs*
Hvall: Number seven in this band, so its kind of like a production. Kids all along the way.
Sture: We have a break then some more tour in Norway in November.
Hvall: We have another tour with Kampfar in Norway.
Sture: Then we're going to Russia also in December.

XM: That's actually. it! Thanks very much. Final words are up to you.
Sture: I LOVE CANADA! *Sings* Oh, Canada!
Hvall: Thank you for Maple Syrup.
Strom: We love it.
Sture: And Curling!