Sonderriket Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Well, since the release of Samlade Hemligheter and the making of the four videos for the album, I’ve mostly worked on another, non-metal project on mine, but there’s also been talk of a split album with another band, for which I’ve recorded one track so far, named Peripheria. It’s more intense than anything on the last album. The other track is still in the making, but there’s going to be a little different vibe on that one, sort of a meditative ambient black metal piece. However, they will both be similar in concept and feeling to what I did on Samlade Hemligheter.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous recordings?
This album is kind of a ritualistic one. It’s equal parts dark ambient and black metal, and the differences in sound from track to track is meant to create this lasting vibe that’s supposed to be the musical equivalent of the smell of an old attic, the feeling of loss when considering those who were here before us and those yet to come, and the idea that all things are hollow. Since all Sönderriket albums sound quite unlike each other it’s hard to pinpoint how it differs from each and every one of them, but I would say that it is the natural progression of this project, and the start of a new musical vibe I want to maintain for now in my nearest future endeavors.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The foundation of the lyrical content of Sönderriket is existentialism. That means I touch upon such subjects as what it means to be human, longing for a higher purpose, remembrance of those passed and so on. But there’s also lots of purely personal thoughts regarding my own life thrown in there. Most of the lyrics aren’t written to be used in a musical context to begin with, and therefore they don’t really have the form of song lyrics. It’s one of the reasons why almost all of the lyrics are spoken. On the latest album the lyrics play a smaller roll than previously. It is a choice I made to allow the music to evolve, and to be able to focus more on atmosphere than previously.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Sönderriket translates to something like broken reich, but is not grammatically correct in swedish. Peter Henricson, the drummer on Den Slutgiltiga Anpassningen (2011) came up with the name. Since then I’ve used it for most of my artistic projects, both musical and otherwise.

5. Has the band been able to play out live yet or is this strictly a studio project?
Sönderriket is strictly a studio project and will remain so. Much of the musical content is improvised, and could not be adequatly recreated live. I see my albums somewhat like paintings, or at least for me personally, my documented past, so I don’t really see how I could add value to that by trying to adapt them in to a live format.

6. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?
I did contact one label a long time ago, but they were not interested, and I didn’t really care that much, so I haven’t been looking since then. There was talk of a cassette release of one album at one point also, but it never happened. Can’t recall why really. I think that any label that cared about what I do would fit the music.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal and experimental music?
There’s mostly been positive feedback. I’ve seen some russian torrents of my albums and I get quite a lot of traffic on the bandcamp page, but to be honest I’m not really sure how much the project has spread. Guess I’m still rather kvlt, so to speak. Heh.

8. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?
I’ve been working on a darkjazz album for some time now, It’s got sort of a Badalamenti influenced sound, but more organic. It’s something along the line of a soundtrack for a nonexistent film noir without any real plot, set on the street where I live. 

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Well, as I mentioned previously I kind of want to maintain and explore the sound I had going on Samlade Hemligheter and let it evolve into something that’s both terrifying and beautiful, that can alter states of mind with it’s hypnotizing ritualistic soundscapes.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
In Sönderriket there’s influences from tons of genres, but the main ones are traditional black metal, blackgaze (or whatever you want to call it), neofolk and dark ambient. Some important artists for the evolution of the sound of Sönderriket has been Current 93, Svarti Loghin, Burzum, Peace Love & Pitbulls and Tim Hecker. Lately I’ve been really into Black Sabbath, King Dude and The Caretaker. Also since it’s summer I start most days by listening to Isengard’s Høstmørke.

11. How would you describe your views on Occultism?
Occultism is a source of inspiration for me in many ways. It’s primarly been an aesthetic one, in the sense of reading The Book of the Law because it’s a beautiful piece of literature, and not so much in a spiritual way. But it’s also been a field of interest in the search for a purpose. Furthermore it has inspired me in my work with Sönderriket although that lies mostly in my own perception of my music, the meditative qualities and transcendental vibes that I have tried to incorporate in several of the albums. The magick, if you will. Heh.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
I read and write a lot. Also I watch a fair share of movies. 

13.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
You found a clue as to how I moved the galaxy
You heard a bird fuel the flames of the sun
Projecting human seed into animal earth
You were as I was
One

https://sonderriket.bandcamp.com/