Angstskríg is about to take the world by storm with their debut album ‘Skyggespil’, which will be released in late May via Despotz Records. The Danish duo had a secret mentor whose name they don’t reveal and have some impressive guest appearances on the album, such as Attila Vörös (Satyricon, Sanctuary, Tyr and Nevermore), among others. They are a duo of hooded men that gives off a well-distilled Black Metal with rock and roll overtones, an explosive mix that will be well liked by fans of classic Black Metal and bands such as Satyricon or fans of heavy metal with rock and roll vibes such as Motörhead.Metal Imperium was impressed by the debut and decided to caught up with the duo behind the sound...
M.I. - Though life separated the two of you and took you down diverging paths, you never lost touch. So, after gaining invaluable experiences, it was time to create what would become Angstskríg. When did this become a “need” for you and why?
We had been on separate adventures for several years. But as these adventures slowly came to an end, the talk of joining forces once more became more and more frequent. So, in August 2019 the time was ripe, and we began writing the songs that would turn into ‘Skyggespil’.
M.I. - From a young age, you were taken under the wing of a mentor, under who’s guidance you were taught how to play, how to perform, how to create and this marked the beginning of your musical journey. Who was your mentor? What valuable lessons have you learnt from him?
We can’t disclose, who exactly our mentor was. However, it was a person, who still is close to us. Probably the most important thing we learned was to think creatively and have ambitions that reached further and wider than the suburban world, we grew up in.
M.I. - The band is composed of two permanent members, who remain anonymous... why have you opted for anonymity? For how long do you intend to stay anonymous?
Angstskríg is about the music. And the music decides how we embody it. In other words, this is how we think our music looks. So, if our next album is a pop album, we will most likely look differently.
M.I. - Why is «Skyggespil» (Danish for “shadow play”) the best title for your debut album?
Because modernity and the modern way of thinking is somewhat of a giant shadow play. Modernity has surely given rise to a lot of great ideas, innovations and technologies. However, this modern way of thinking is also out of touch with, for instance, the planet we inhabit. And has therefore brought us into the ongoing Anthropocene Extinction. Alongside thinkers like Bruno Latour, Hannah Arendt, Gilles Deleuze, William James and Gabriel Tarde we plead for a new and not-modern way of thinking to, consequently, save our own species from extinction.
M.I. - In the latter part of 2019, Angstskríg recorded “Skyggespil”, which was captured at Hikikomori Studio with producer Frederik Brandt Jakobsen at the helm. How did the recording go? Did you do many last-minute changes?
The recording went fairly smooth. Frederik is a talented producer with a bright future ahead of him, and he is a pleasure to work with. The hard part was the mixing phase, as we had to slowly work towards, what we wanted. Again, Frederik had the great ability to transform our words into a well-sounding production. There were no last-minute changes, although Frederik wanted to try to do another. But he soon realized that he had made it perfect the first time around.
M.I. - ‘Skyggespil’ is both the title track and the album opener, so there’s a lot of pressure on this precious melody. Do you think the title track should stand out?
Not necessarily. But traditionally the title track has to have some quality to it, since it carries the load of the whole album in its title.
M.I. - The album’s title track, features guitarist Attila Vörös ripping solo and lead work, which definitely adds a special flair to the mix. How are people reacting to it?
Yeah, Attila really took the song to another level with his magnificent solo. He’s a fantastic guitar player and even better person. In general, people are being very positive and supportive about Angstskríg – let’s hope that it stays that way.
M.I. - “Lucifer Kalder” was the first single to be released. The band has said that “Musically ‘Lucifer Kalder’ is the most upbeat and festive song on Skyggespil with a magnifique solo by Fred Leclercq and since it’s about the Dark Lord, the lyrical theme is pretty festive too.” Why “festive”?
Don’t you feel like dancing, when you hear ‘Lucifer’? We do! And the topic of religion is pretty amusing too. So, all in all, a festive song.
M.I. - “Skyggespil” includes a variety of guest appearances from members of Soilwork, Finntroll, Kreator, Hypocrisy, DragonForce, and joining on the title track is Attila Vörös, (Satyricon, Sanctuary, Tyr, Nevermore). Why have you invited these musicians in particular?
The short answer is that we can’t play solos ourselves, although we made songs with solo parts. Therefore, we called on our friends in the business to help out - and they did. We owe them all huge gratitude!
M.I. - According to Decibel, “On their debut album, “Skyggespil”, the band uses an infectious blend of second-wave black metal (especially Immortal and Nemesis Devina-era Satyricon) and classic heavy metal that punches hard but still maintains a cold, enveloping atmosphere.” Do you agree with the style description or would you put it any other way?
The style of Angstskríg is very much eclectic but has black metal as a reference point throughout the album. So yes, Decibel’s description sounds about right.
M.I. - The album reviews have been grandiose. How are you dealing with it? Were you expecting to be so well-received?We’re Danish, so we don’t expect much. But, so far, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive for which we, of course, are very grateful.
M.I. - “Skyggespil” will be released on May 28 via Despotz Records. How did this deal come up?
We sent Despotz a promotional package and they picked up on it. Great timing, we guess.
M.I. - Being this your debut, releasing it during a pandemic can affect you somehow due to the lack of concerts and all?
Indeed. Yet, we have made the most of the lockdown time and written material for the next album, which we, if all goes well, will release early next year. Hopefully around the same time, we can start touring internationally again.
M.I. - What are the plans to promote the album? Live streaming? Live concerts?
We are currently planning a small tour in Denmark in autumn to support ‘Skyggespil’. Then hopefully we can go on international tours sometime in 2022.
M.I. - How’s the Danish metal scene currently?
The Danish scene’s booming and blooming. There are a lot of quality bands coming out these years like Konvent, Baest, MØL, Iotunn, Livløs and many more.
M.I. - Apart from music, do you have any other interests? How did you keep your sanity with all the lockdowns and limitations due to covid?
Walking. For us, this past year and a half have been all about music and wandering.
M.I. - Please share a final message with Metal Imperium’s readers.
Thank you all for reading this and listening to our creations. We will hopefully see you sooner rather than later. And thank you for your questions, Sónia.
For Portuguese version, click here
Questions by Sónia Fonseca
