Mjolne Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording of the new album?

Through Veils of Time was recorded during 2024 and I released it digitally February 15th 2025. Since the release I’ve been contacted by several who wanted to be a part in making this a physical release. So I did spend some time considering my options with this. I ended up signing a deal with ATMF for the release of the album on cd, and the collaboration with them has been great. I have also been doing some promotion and interviews about my musical project and the album.

Musically, I have also started writing some new material for the project MJOLNE, so I hope to release a second album within a year or two.  Gaut (guitarist of Mactätus) and I also have an ongoing project, so we have been writing and recording some songs lately. We don’t know what will become of this in the end, but we are having fun doing it so we will see.

2.So far you have recorded a full length with this project ,can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Actually, when I started making the music that ended up on the album, I had no intention of turning this into a project or even releasing the music. It all started during covid. I needed something to do besides work, and I took out my old guitar and started playing cover songs, and eventually write my own music. As I found this rewarding and the music got more and more twisted into form, I invested in some more gear to be able to record full productions. Then I started to make songs that suited each other in terms of musical genre, and suddenly I had enough songs to fill an album.

With that in mind, I didn’t have a certain musical style in mind when I wrote the music, but I just made music that felt natural to me. But I have always been attracted to the 90’s black metal and the feeling this music gives me, so this probably explains why the music of MJOLNE has strong connections to the 90’s black metal.

3.Previously you where a part of 'Mactatus', how does your solo material differ from the stuff you have done with that band and are there some new things you where able to do solo that you where not able to do with your previous group?

Of course, me playing in Mactätus have probably also influenced the way I write and think about music.  The musical style of MJOLNE is not too different from the Mactätus material, especially around the Provenence... area. The MJOLNE project do have more acoustic elements than what we used in Mactätus, and are maybe a little more dynamic. The orchestration is probably also somewhat more prominent, but in the end the music in Mactätus and MJOLNE doesn’t differ too much, I think.

The advantage of a solo project is that you make all the decisions yourself, and there is no compromise. In this way I can try out all my ideas in different ways how I feel right, and I have control of the whole process. But don’t get me wrong, the process of compromising in a band can also make the result better in the end. The project with Gaut and I is an example of this, where we both contribute with guitar riffs and the structures of the songs. We have different styles of playing but when we put it all together it sounds good.  It’s quite brutal yet melodic in my opinion, without the use of keys.

5.How would you describe your progress as a songwriter with the new album?

As mentioned, the process of writing the material was not done with the intention of making an album or even starting the MJOLNE project. It was just me playing and creating music again after a long break from the Mactätus period.  

In the beginning I started to write music in the doom metal genre since I’ve also been a fan of this genre through the years. I guess it was easier to start slow since I hadn’t play instruments for a while. But the music quickly developed into the style of what you hear on the album. This is the genre that is closest to me, at least in terms of creating own music.

Of course, as time went by making music I also developed as a songwriter. I didn’t have too much experience writing whole compositions by myself , even though I contributed to the songwriting in Mactätus. So I developed as a songwriter, but also in terms of recording, mixing and producing the material.  An example of this is that the first songs I made, had to go through a makeover to keep up with how I developed as a songwriter, and I had to restructure and re-record the first songs I made.

6.Some of your lyrics and the band name comes from Norse Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

The Norse Mythology is an interesting topic, and of course it’s also a part of my country’s old heritage. It’s just something with the way our forefathers lived their lives, and what they believed in that’s interesting and something that should be remembered as a part of our heritage. The MJOLE name for this project is just me using my alias from Mactätus. This is an alias that my bandmates in Mactätus gave me in the early 90’s. I think this suited well for this project since the music is somewhat connected, and all the things I have been doing musically since the mid 90’s, have been done as Mjolne. So when I grew into this project, I felt that this was me continuing my musically journey as Mjolne.

Even though some of the lyrics originate from Norse mythology, the content is also related to existing themes. For instance, this is the case for the Helheim-triology. Let me try to explain:

In many aspects of life, we humans face various challenges or difficulties. This could be of physical or mental character, sickness and health, troubles we face at home with the people we care about, workwise and more. When we face these challenges, we as individuals handle them differently depending on the nature of each and every one of us as individuals, and what state we’re in. Sometimes the burden can be too heavy to bear, and slowly but surely it breaks us down. We’re digging ourselves into a dark hole that’s not good for you. This is what pt. I is about. Reisen (the journey) is when we meet these challenges that we can’t cope with, and you’re digging yourself into this hole. This is the metaphorical journey to Helheim.  

Pt. II is where this concept breaks with the Norse mythology. Helheim was a place of no return. If you got to Helheim, you were stuck there for eternity. Pt. II Forvandlingen (the transformation) is about the struggle you need to go through, to get out of this state of mind. Some people go through these struggles by themselves, and some do it with the help of others. But some people never manage to rise again and are stuck in “Helheim forever”. Pt. III Gjenreiselsen (the restoration/resurrection) is about the journey back from Helheim, when you rise again as a individual, maybe even stronger than before.

I guess the concept is that you will meet different challenges through life, and how you choose to deal with these challenges is important regarding to how you will handle it and grow as an individual. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

Originally, on the digital release, the cover was a picture I took in the forest at night. I had made a fire and took a picture form the fireplace facing upwards to the sky, which made this red reflection in the trees.  

When I signed with ATMF, we of course wanted to make a professional artwork for the cd release. The new artwork is made by Francesco Gemelli. He is an amazing artist who does artwork and layouts for ATMF and other record labels. I guess he made the artwork based on how he felt the music and what suited the musical expression. He was given free reins to create artwork and the result I think is amazing and suits the music good.   

8.With this project you record everything by yourself, do you prefer working solo to being in a full band?

For this project I preferred to work solo. As mentioned earlier, when you work solo you have the opportunity to try out different approaches and create the music you want for yourself without compromise. This just felt as the right thing to do for me regarding how this project evolved through time and turned out in the end. Working together with others I still do in the project with Gaut.

One thing that differs a lot these days as an old man pushing 50, compared to when we were young and played in Mactätus, is time.  We have several times over the past decade, talked about a reunion of Mactätus, but time seems to be one factor that makes this difficult. We all have moved on with our lives since the time when we could rehearse 3 times a week in some sweaty basement, and we have other commitments now. But as a solo project, I can do what I want whenever I have the time to do it, so this is a great part of being a solo project. But of course, I sometimes miss the “band-feeling”, and I look back at the Mactätus years with much appreciation and great memories.  

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when I first released the album digitally. It was 23 years since the last Mactätus release and time has changed since then.

It was actually my wife who convinced me to get my music out there. She thought it was meaningless to spend so much time writing and recording music, if nobody else should be able to listen to it. So I decided to make the album as a digital release, and this is how the MJOLNE project was established. The response has been over my expectations to say the least, and I am very grateful for the response that people worldwide have given me. I’ve been contacted by people from across the world showing their interest in my project, especially from South America, The US, Europe and Scandinavia.

I also realized that there still are some loyal Mactätus fans out there who have reached out to me, and I am grateful for that. We are currently working on some Mactätus re-release of old material later this year, so stay tuned for that. More info will come about this later.

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I have started writing new material for the next MJOLNE album. Musically this should be in the same vein as the first album, but I’m still early in this process, so it can develop through time. Since MJOLNE is a solo project, I will write the kind of music that feels natural to me. That is the privilege of a solo project.

I will also continue the project with Gaut and write and record more songs with him, and we will see what will become of this in the future.

There are no plans of taking the MJOLNE project to stage at this point.  

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles you are listening to nowadays?

Nowadays, there are so much music being released so it’s hard to keep track of it all. I guess I’m contributing to that releasing my music as well haha. So when I’m listening to music I often go back to the good old releases from the 90’s, at least when it comes to black metal.  An album that has stuck with me since the release in 1994 is Dødheimsgard “Kronet til konge”. I still frequently listen to this album. Dissection, early Covenant, Emperor, Borknagar, Gehenna, old Satyricon, Dimmu Brogir and Ulver are also frequently listened to. Newer black metal releases that have caught my attention are Dold Vorde Ens Navn with “Mørkere” and Gràb with “Kremess”. These releases are exceptional.

Of course I don’t only listen to black metal, so the old King Diamond releases throughout the 80’s are frequently played. Also bands like Archspire, Ereb Altor, Iotuun, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Funeral, Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Nevermore and Septicflesh are examples of music that have been played lately.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

First of all, I want to thank all the people who have reached out to me regarding my MJOLNE project but also regarding Mactätus. It’s much appreciated. And I also want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about my project here in your zine.

The cd version of MJOLNE Through Veils of Time will be released on cd at August 29th by ATMF. Also beware of more info to come regarding the re-release of some old Mactätus material. 

https://metalodyssey.8merch.com/product/mjolne-through-veils-of-time-cd-pre-order/