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"1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the solo project since the recording of the new album?"
All the things you can imagine go into preparation for a self-release, so arranging artwork, CD production, merch, digital distribution, self-promotion, etc. As much as I can feasibly do around my other commitments.
"2.You have a new album coming out in May, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?"
Musically I’d call it a considerable evolution from the old material. Less use of synths for its own sake and a desire to sound more gritty and ‘earthy’ than grandiose or ‘epic’, but at the same time, bigger background vocal harmonies and more progressive flourish. It’s also got real drums and real amps this time, which was really worth it and created a different ‘colour’ musically.
"3.Thi is also your first album since 2013, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?"
If you mean why it’s been such a while since the last album - and it certainly has been - it was a combination of things, mainly perfectionism (both songwriting and recording), covid lockdowns, personal circumstances affecting both myself and others involved, and of course accumulating the finances needed for both the required studio time and an independent release. I couldn’t track vocals at home this time, so that was more studio time and travel than anticipated.
"4.The lyrics on the new album are inspired by the writing of Paul Kingsnorth and James Wilde, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in their work?"
The specific Paul Kingsnorth book was The Wake, which is about a man grappling with the post-1066 reality in England and forming a resistance movement. Kingsnorth used a made-up hybrid of Old and Modern English, which took some mental effort to get my head around but gives it a great atmosphere on top of a general sense of foreboding. James Wilde’s Hereward series is similarly themed but spread over a series of books so obviously more substantial and more to bite into. Not enough bands sing about that specific period of time and these works both had a sense of the general upheaval that helped inspire The Free Man’s emotional landscape.
"5.Over the years you have also covered a lot of folklore themes, which aspects of this topic have you brought into your songwriting?"
On the specifically folkloric side, on the last album, Woven Fate took inspiration from The Way of Wyrd by Brian Bates but was combined with my own introspection relating to the concepts, albeit in a slightly clumsy way. Wayland was a simplified re-telling of the legend of Wayland the Smith, who actually surfaces as a recurring apparition of sorts in The Wake, which was kind of convenient as it made for a good song piece (The Forger) and gives a subtle ‘nod’ to the last album. I use folkloric influences sparingly though, as I need to leave room for exploring the more emotional/introspective side, especially if there’s a loose theme of a real-world protagonist, and therefore one that needs a depth of character.
"6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Fyrdsman'?"
In Anglo-Saxon times, a ‘fyrdsman’ or ‘fyrdman’ was a freeman called to serve in a local militia, so a bit like a conscript but at a more local level than the state-drafted soldier of modern times. I liked that name for a band as it felt like the path of least resistance, creatively speaking, to start a project with that broad theme. Also, at the time, there were few bands in the UK doing the same. I also like the humble connotations, because as of when I started writing The Free Man, I’ve wanted to explore the harsh, human aspect of being in those kinds of shoes, rather than just romanticised gung-ho heroics from a specific period of time. And with that, some potential wiggle room to branch out conceptually in future.
"7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?"
It took inspiration from a slightly fanciful suggestion by Paul Kingsnorth (with little evidence by his own admission) that the presence of the foliate head / green man motif in Norman churches were perhaps not so much to evoke nature/rebirth etc as might be conventionally understood, but the English stonemasons' way of slyly paying homage to the resistance, these 'men of the woods', or 'green men', as they might have been referred. That inspired not just the opening track but the idea of taking that motif and adding a more militant touch to it. It’s a very ‘Albionic’ symbol as well, though not exclusively. I went to Dan Capp again to bring this idea to life, as he was fantastic to work with last time.
"8.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience working with other musicians, do you prefer to work solo?"
It wasn’t all me this time. Ian Finley (Nemorous/Vacivus/ex-Wodensthrone) played drums. It was my first time involving another musician. As for preference, from my limited experience, it definitely depends on who I’m working with. Having a real drummer and Ian specifically were both great decisions. There was a learning curve for me in terms of concise communication in a time-sensitive studio session, but the challenge was worth it and I thank Ian for his patience. In general, I like to write or at least flesh out the bones of a song solo, then if I involve others, we can tweak their parts together so they’re at least playable. And when it’s your own project, there’s fewer clashes because it’s your own ready-written material and they’ve agreed to get onboard. But that’s just my experience. I’m open to new ones.
"9.Besides black metal you also have experience playing death and folk metal, do you feel working with other metal genres played any role in your growth as a musician?"
Not from working with other genres, no, nor in how I approach Fyrdsman. Growth did come from playing in other bands in general, and at different ‘levels’; the casual first band exposing you to band musicianship and playing to audiences, then in a ‘pro’ band experiencing life out on the road and the demands of professional studio environments. That’s where I grew both as a musician and as a person, even during the bad times. I felt rather out of my element playing those styles, at least in their ‘comedic’ form, so the genre-related growth came from learning that going forward, I should stick to what I enjoy and feel suited to, and keep that at the forefront, should I branch out again.
"10.The new album is going to be self released while you have experience working with a label in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future?"
Yes, if we can properly align, so to speak. That can be tricky if you’re not a full band who are semi-frequently out on the road, making it more of a gamble on a promotional front for labels. Self-releasing just made the most sense this time, after much consideration. That said, one advantage is it forces you to be very organised, especially if you’ve put a lot into creating the record, which can put you in a good position when working with others in future, in whatever capacity.
"11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?"
There wasn’t enough traction previously to properly gauge it. As you know, black metal scenes are rather fractured, with a vast disparate range of attitudes. That said, while I rarely have time to scour every corner of the internet, I’ve had kind words from some of my more ‘difficult’ acquaintances, and from people who wouldn’t normally go for my particular style. To borrow an expression from Vemod, Fyrdsman is more an ‘abstraction’ of black metal than textbook example, so I set my expectations in terms of reaction accordingly. One of the things I think epitomises black metal is that there’s no being “all things to all men” so just do what you do without apology. There was a recurrent criticism of the production aspect of the last album, which was completely fair, and only motivated me to do better.
"12.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?"
While the current state of the world and economy threaten the viability of such pursuits outside the home, I’ll always be laying ideas down, always picking up a guitar within arm’s reach. I contributed a few guitar solos to a friend’s project recently; the beauty of that kind of thing being you can branch out without having to wear a silly costume.
Personal commitments and finances permitting, Fyrdsman live shows are still an aspiration, if I can assemble the right people. In terms of future personal creative output on any front, you never know how life or world events, new influences, changing tastes, new friendships and changing social dynamics will impact or inspire you, and with that in mind, I’m leaving Fyrdsman very open as to what direction it goes.
"13.What are some of the bands or musical styles you are currently listening to nowadays?"
Metal wise, I’m picky. I don’t listen to metal for metal’s sake, I’ll listen to what I actually like. I liked recent works by Gràb, Helheim, Blood Incantation and Winterfylleth especially. I’ve also been checking out bands like Nite, Tower and Spell, whose own cool old school approaches have been enjoyable. The Free Man has had a few Amebix comparisons, which is interesting because I’d not heard them at all until very recently, possibly due to preconceptions I had about crust punk, so I checked them out and I’m actually really enjoying them. They’re more ‘metal’ than I imagined.
Dungeon synth such as Old Sorcery, Gelure, Vindkaldr can help me through the winter. Outside of that, the recent pattern has been an assortment of prog, folk, ambient and classical. I had the privilege of a diverse musical upbringing so I do enjoy all sorts, but y’know, maybe I’ll avoid mentioning the more incongruent genres this time round so as to avoid “breaking character” too much! One thing I find though, is that the older I get, the more ‘seasonal’ I am with my listening habits, and listening to suit my mood rather than constantly exploring new bands just I can name-drop them later for ‘cred’. I discovered ‘Albion’ by Harp recently, and I’ve never heard such a perfectly autumnal record in my life. The guy behind it is American, but absolutely nails that wistful English gloominess, melding Mike Oldfield style proggy 70s folk with 80s post-punk atmospherics, and a touch of Radiohead.
"14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?"
I’m glad the album has finally landed and I look forward to how everything unfolds. And of course, I appreciate the support from zines like yours, so many thanks.
Bandcamp: https://fyrdsman.bandcamp.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fyrdsman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fyrdsmanband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Oor6B0UPsAr8DQFBUxCcL?si=wrckF6BrRfmZ_y8TojBxGw
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