1. If I intentionally pass over your latest creation I’ll get to a recording entitled “Heralding – The Fireblade” which is now almost 6 years old. After the release of that album FALKENBACH seemed to be gone. Why did you decide to take such a long break?

It sometimes just needs its time. I do not try to force songs to come to my mind, if there´s a long period of silence, it´s just the way it is. I did not plan to take such a long break, it just happend.

2. How did you spend those 5 years?

With a rather usual life, I guess.

3. “Tiurida” does not radically differ from its predecessors, yet not a single one of your albums sounds same. Which aspects of the new album you consider to be new, different?

Musically I think everyone has to make up his own mind, it doesn´t make sense to explain music with words to people how did not listen to it. However, the aspect that can be described as new with Tiurida, must be the fact that this time much more real instruments were used, that formerly had to be recorded with samples.

4. How did you approach compositions? Was everything spontaneous and straight from your inner self or did you come up with a conception first and optimized the composing process according to that concept?

There is no concept or plan in advance, it all happens, as you said, in a rather spontaneous way. Sometimes there´re no new ideas for a long time, and there´s nothing to do about it. On the other hand, sometimes song are just there, and it doesn´t need much "work" to put them together.


5. I suppose that FALKENBACH are there mainly for yourself but still… Do you think that with your new album (which I find really similar to a 13-teen years old “…Magni Blandinn Ok Megentiri…”) you fill the hole on the music market?

Honestly, I do not care about the music market and the business. I care about Falkenbach, about what it stands for, anything else is up to Napalm Records. It´s their job to care about business, not mine. To take a 6-years-break wasn´t a clever idea if you ask for business aspects, to never have played live wasn´t a clever business thing as well. Business is just not what I care about, it´s Falkenbach and all it stands for, nothing else.

6. My colleague told me that during the last song of “Tiurida” he hears a clearly familiar melody. But for god’s sake he cannot recall why is it familiar. Were you inspired somehow when composing “Sunnavend”? Or did his senses trick him?

If you refer to Sunnavend, for the first time Hagalaz added on of the riffs to a Falkenbach song. This riff is based on a pretty old song of him called "Asatyr", but I don´t think it´s been released in some way, as far as I know.

7. On the album “Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty” you for the first and the last time tried to have a full line-up, when trio of Bolthorn, Hagalaz and Tyrann joined your ranks. Tell me, were they somehow involved in composing or did they only help you with a recording?

Those people were also part of the studio line-up on "Heralding - The Fireblade", so they are with me for the last 3 albums now. As mentioned already, for the first time they also added some parts, Hagalaz one of the riffs for one song, and Tyrann one of the lyrics. Boltthorn does most of the arrangements for the drums anyway.

8. Why did you decide to play solo again?

I didn´t, they were part of the line-up again.

9. It is known that you move between Germany and Island. Even though you live in Germany for many years now, you as far as I know lived in Island as a kid. Am I right?

It is "known", and it is wrong, like most of the well "known" things about me.


10. FALKENBACH is active for a very long time. How did you get in touch with folk metal?

I think the first time I got in touch with the combination of Folk and Metal was when Falkenbach itself combined those things in the early 90s.

11. Are there any bands that have influenced you?

I don´t think so. I do not use to listen to music in general alot, except for Falkenbach and some classical music like Wagner, Grothe or Grieg. And I honestly don´t think such classical masterpieces can be described as an "influence".

12. In the end I would like to know how do you envision FALKENBACH’s future? Are you thinking about another long pause or would you like to work hard again?

I really don´t know what will happen. So far, quite some new material is done already, much faster than previously. Maybe a new album will come much faster then usually, but I simply never know. Beside that the contract with Napalm Records expired with the new album, I it seems I´ve to care about this first.

13. Thank you very much for an interview and the last words are yours.

Thanx for your support!
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