Interview: Skald In Veum

Confession: I was late to the Skald In Veum party. My first introduction to their music was their Stridslysten release – an album released several years after the band officially formed. As the saying goes, better late than never.

As someone who is often more drawn to atmospheric black metal, I was pleasantly surprised by my enjoyment of their brand of raw black metal. They’re far from atmospheric in contrast with Woods of Desolation or Vials of Wrath, but they definitely have a melodic approach that is incredibly appealing. I found myself listening to the record on repeat, thoroughly impressed with their technical skill and energy.

Sweden and black metal go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it’s no surprise that Skald In Veum brings a natural, organic approach to their music. It’s also worth mentioning that the band’s logo is quite awesome, as well. The wizard or sage or whatever the heck is situated in the logo was a nice addition.

Blacforje had the pleasure of connecting with Skald In Veum about their music, what’s in store for the future, and what drives them as a band.

Hey guys! Thanks for joining Blacforje for an interview! I’ve been listening to you for a while now, and dang, you guys are fantastic. Setting all the gushing aside, you guys are based in Sweden, correct?

Yes, that’s correct. We are a Swedish band.

As a band, you have released two albums: 1260 Days (2015) and Stridslysten (2019). Do you have any plans on releasing new music anytime soon?

We are currently working on new material, as well. Hopefully this will lead to new releases in a not-too-long time.

What can fans expect from the new music?

If you love what we have released this far, our new material certainly won’t disappoint you. We are constantly trying to develop our sound, but at the same time we will also dig deeper into the roots and the origins of the genre this time.

Origin stories of band names can be very interesting, depending upon the band. What is the origin of Skald In Veum? How did that come about?

We started over in 2013 under the name Skald In Veum (with the recording of 1260 Days) with the the addition of Heth. Before that, we have worked together in different projects since the 1990s, not all of us at the same time, and not all of it has seen the light of day. If you Google us, you can read that we formed in 2013, but there are a few who know better.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe you guys are Christians. If that’s accurate, how does your faith inspire your music, the lyrics, and the ethos of Skald In Veum?

Skald is a Christian project. That is correct. The Christian faith inspired all of Western civilization, art, literature, philosophy - everything. Even every anti-Christian movement owes a dept to Christianity. You see it in the name “anti-Christian". They are defined by Christianity.

Skald though are inspired both directly from the source and by the mark of Christianity on all we see and hear around us.

What bands and artists have inspired you as a band?

Marduk, Mayhem, Antestor (Gamla), Bathory, and Watain.

Outside of music, who are you guys? What are you willing to share with fans about your “regular” lives?

We are very private persons and should remain so. Some things just have to be obscure. Don’t dig too deep into the unknown or you might find what you were not ready for or could not handle.

Last question: If you had to pick just one Swedish food item that you’d say, “This is the best edible thing we have to offer as a country”, what would it be?

Sweden has a very international cuisine nowadays. We have a lot of immigration, which means that we have almost all foods here now. It’s hard to pick one. If one assumes we mostly have “Swedish meatballs” or “fermented herring” (that most Swedes actually hate or have never tried), he or she might be up for a big surprise here. Me personally (Zhajiin) likes barbeque or Asian food a lot, but also pizza can be great.

You can follow Skald In Veum on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.

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