Finnish folk/black metal legends Finntroll return with their fifth full-length record, Nifelvind, on March 9. While the first video, “Solsagan,” is already out, Metal Insider and Century Media give you the premiere of another song from the album, “Under Bergets Rot.” An interview with vocalist Vreth follows, in which he holds forth on the Pagan Metal scene, the making of “Solsagan,” and what “Under Bergets Rot” is about, for those of you that can’t understand Swedish.
This is your second album with Finntroll. How has your role on Nifelvind changed from the last album?
I have gotten to know the band much better and I tend to speak up more than in the beginning. I had more input on this album than the one before and was more involved in the recording, mixing, producing, and writing-process this time. When I joined the band in 2006, over half of the songs were already written. Now I was there from the beginning and had lots more time to arrange my vocals. Also after being a member of Finntroll for four years now has taught me what kind of vocals fits what part.
Your keyboardist, Virta, just became a full-time member of the band. What made you promote him?
He has been around for longer than me as a session member. He was there all the time during the recording of Nifelvind and knew lots of the parts already, so it was an easy decision to bring him in and play on the album. We have also been thinking to make him an official member for quite a while now and what’s better than introducing him with a new album!?
Talk to me about the making of the “Solsagan” video. It’s a pretty intense looking video. Was it hard to make?
The actual process of getting it on tape was quite hard for all in the band, being covered in crap, cold, hungry and wet all the time. I was laying there for even a couple of hours more because of my soloshots of the singing parts. Not pleasant, but hey… It’s over now!
Listen to “Under Bergets Rot” from Finntroll’s new album, Nifelvind:
We’re not CNN or anything, but you’d have to be completely oblivious or willfully ignorant to have not heard about the devastating earthquake in Haiti last Tuesday. Well over 100,000 are reported to have perished in Haiti’s capital Port au Prince alone, and rescue and recovery efforts are still underway.
While some may have donated to relief efforts already, Sargent House and Rodriguez-Lopez Productions are giving incentive to those who haven’t yet by offering up their recent digital sampler for download with all proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders. The 18-track sampler has music by The Mars Volta’s Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Sargent House artists including Red Fang, These Arms are Snakes, and Red Sparowes, among many others. It’s available in all digital formats as an instant download for whatever anyone wants to donate. While we’ve all got our own financial problems, an unprecedented amount of help and relief for this catastrophe is required, and you can get new music and help at the same time. Don’t be a d-bag – pick this up.
Two-piece husband and wife band Lullabye Arkestra are unleashing their Vice debut, Threats/Worship one week from today. Here’s a look at them playing and discussing “Fog Machine,” a song from said album. We think that Justin Small and Kat Taylor-Small are one of the noisiest two-piece bands since Big Business.
You’ve already gotten to hear “A Looking In View,” from the long-awaited Alice In Chains album, Black Gives Way To Blue. Here’s the first proper single, “Check My Brain.” Sure, AIC is arguably more grunge than metal, but this song has one of the most evil riffs the band has ever written. After having heard the album a few weeks back, this was definitely one of the most immediate songs. The woozy riff, trademark vocal harmonies, and catchy-as-hell chorus had us hooked right away. Give a listen and let us know what you think.
Are you familiar with the bands Shadows Balls and Dill Pino? That’s likely because they don’t exist – or rather exist mainly in the twisted mind of producer Jason Suecof. Our buddies at Noisecreep recently interviewed the knob-turner, who has albums by Trivium, Bury Your Dead and Chimaira, among others, under his belt. The aformentioned band names are the titles of joke songs written in the style of Shadows Fall and Ill Nino, respectively, and were recorded five years ago before his career shot into the stratosphere.
“I wasn’t really working back then. I had no work, so I’d sit around and make joke metal songs. When you’re working so much, like I am now, you don’t want to go into the studio and make joke records. I need a few months off, and then maybe I could make some music. I haven’t had an actual vacation, where I left my house and went somewhere, since 2006.”
While he has no plans to actually release a full album of the parodies, he was kind enough to post his “tribute” to Shadows Fall at Noisecreep. Check it out here.
Five Finger Death Punch’s The Way Of The Fist was metal’s biggest sleeper hit in 2007. Coming out of nowhere, featuring former members of bands with questionable credibility like Motograter and WASP and a goofy, possibly self-aware tough-guy image, 5FDP’s potential was unclear at best. But the band continued turning heads on 2008’s Mayhem tour as they dominated metal radio and sold over 300,000 copies of The Way Of The Fist, an unheard of feat for a brand new metal band.
Today, Metal Insider is exclusively bringing you “Burn It Down”, the first new cut from 5FDP’s upcoming War Is The Answer. Featuring a grittier, heavier style than anything on The Way Of The Fist, this should win over at least a couple of you old curmudgeons. Let us know what you think in the comments!
Friendly reminder: check back here at the Insider this coming Monday, June 22 at 10 AM EDT for an exclusive stream of the first new song from Five Finger Death Punch’s upcoming album, War Is The Answer!
We’ll have a neat little widget that you’ll be able to plug in to your Facey-spaceys and your Tweetey pages.
The Haunted will release a new live DVD/CD called Road Kill on June 8 via Century Media Records.
Rush- The Documentary, a new documentary focusing on Rush, will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on April 24.
The Dillinger Escape Plan has added more dates to their Spring tour with Darkest Hour, Iwrestledabearonce and Animals As Leaders.
GWAR, Andrew W.K., Billy Bragg and more will perform at the Mess With Texas (MWTX) Party 4. The two day festival will be held in Austin, Texas on March 19-20.
Bullet For My Valentine’s video for the song “The Last Fight” has been posted online.
Finnish folk/black metal legends Finntroll return with their fifth full-length record, Nifelvind, on March 9. While the first video, “Solsagan,” is already out, Metal Insider and Century Media give you the premiere of another song from the album, “Under Bergets Rot.” An interview with vocalist Vreth follows, in which he holds forth on the Pagan Metal scene, the making of “Solsagan,” and what “Under Bergets Rot” is about, for those of you that can’t understand Swedish.
Are you familiar with the bands Shadows Balls and Dill Pino? That’s likely because they don’t exist – or rather exist mainly in the twisted mind of producer Jason Suecof. Our buddies at 
Five Finger Death Punch’s The Way Of The Fist was metal’s biggest sleeper hit in 2007. Coming out of nowhere, featuring former members of bands with questionable credibility like Motograter and WASP and a goofy, possibly self-aware tough-guy image, 5FDP’s potential was unclear at best. But the band continued turning heads on 2008’s Mayhem tour as they dominated metal radio and sold over 300,000 copies of The Way Of The Fist, an unheard of feat for a brand new metal band. 
Posted by Bram Teitelman on Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 11:36 am
Interviews, New Music