Interview with Invisus – (BLODHEMN)

Satania:  Tell me about your early days as a musician. Is it really that easy to create Black Metal in Norway? 🙂

Invisus: Well, I started out as a drummer acctually. When I grew up I lived on a small island called „Fedje“ of the west coast of Norway with no no more than approx. 500 inhabitants. Needless to say, there was not many musicians around, and even fewer who had the interest of doing extreme metal! So eventually I started up experimenting with recording and playing all of the instruments myself. And here we are, almost twenty years later!

To create black metal just for the sake of creating black metal is not that hard, but creating something that has an unique sound and isn’t just a „fifth wheel on the black metal wagon“ is very hard! I do not know if I succed in doing so, but that is at least what I strive to do!

Satania: One man band, is that more of a challenge or more freedom of choice? How do you cope with concert appearances? Who are the musicians that you can trust when you have to go on stage?

Invisus: As mentioned above, origanlly I guess it was more of a challange. Nowadays it’s the freedom a one man band offers that makes me still doing it in such ways. Extremely hard and tiring, but pulling through and getting another album released is very rewarding.

For live shows I involve a live line-up consisting of: Aanneland – Lead guitar, Xarim – Rythm guitar, Dan – Drums and Hauk – Bass.

Satania: ‘Invisus’ is Latin for hateful, how do you find yourself almost 20 years later? Are you more balanced and friendly towards the world, or the exact opposite, filled with even greater misanthropy?

Invisus: I think my artist name „Invisus“ and the band name „Blodhemn“ (meaning „vengance in blood“) still are valid and has not becomed outdated concerning the natural evolvment of the band. I mean, back in 2004 and a couple of years following that, Blodhemn was more of an thrash metal band than anything black metal but I always wanted a violent, wild and agressive approch nevertheless. That has always been concistant and the core of Blodhemn.

I’m not entierly sure how my world veiw and misanthropy has evolved through the years, but what I do know is that I try to use less energy simply hating. That will only wear yourself down in the long run. There will always be enough stuff and people to hate anyways. Plenty to go around, so to speak.

Satania: What has changed for Blodhemn over these years? As a worldview, concept and creative visions?

Invisus: Some of the concepts as been the same for a very long time. And as mentioned above the some visions and themes has remained since the start. When it comes to the creative process I think I have started to take bigger chances and risks in what I will include in an album or song. To do things „the safe way“ are not always satisfying.

Satania: You have shared a stage with MAYHEM, tell me more about that experience.

Invisus: Yeah. We did a European tour with Mayhem back in 2014. That was ofcourse a special experience for us. Such a legendary band. And both me and the guys in the live line-up are huge Mayhem-fans. So we learned a lot from them and had a fucking blast partying every night after the shows!

Satania: Recently you signed with Dark Essence Records. What does this step mean for you and what is next for you as a musician?

Invisus: For Blodhemn signing with Dark Essence Records means that I have stability in working with a solid and serious label. That is not something I take for granted and it offers me more time to focus on the stuff I need to focus on rather than the more administrative parts of releasing, promoting and distributing albums.

The next step for me as a creative musician is to do something different than Blodhemn and extreme metal. I won’t release any more details about that for now, but there won’t be any next Blodhemn album anytime soon, maybe never. We’ll just have to see.

With that being said, we won’t slow down any of the playing live with Blodhemn! It’s just the writing of new material that is put on hold.

Satania: Your fourth album ‘Sverger hemn’ is on the way. There is a point in the press release where it mentions „experimentation“. What can the fans, which are already used to your ruthless style, expect? Is there room for concern that something drastic will change in your music? 🙂

Invisus: No, I don’t really think it’s room for concern. If you like the previous Blodhemn albums you will most likely get into „Sverger Hemn“ also. But! There is a couple elements that I have included in the album that I was not useually found in a Blodhemn album. I guess you’ll just have to give it a listen and find it out for yourself!

Satania: A bit of a cliché question, but what are your inspirations that made you want to start writing music, and who are the musicians that keep you create it?

Invisus: Oh, hard question! But I guess I can safely mention James Hetfield of Metallica and Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth as inspirators of my riffing style! As for my drumming I think nobody has influenced me more than Mr. Lars Ulrich! Most people don’t understand what a innovative and clever drummer that guy was back in the day!

Satania: It is clear that thematically you have also gone in a different direction with this album. Tell us more about the theme of ‘Sverger hemn’.

Invisus: Well, not really. There are a couple of reaccuring themes on every album throughout the whole Blodhemn catalog; some tracks that revolve around the mystical island of Holmengraa and/or struggeling to not be taken by the wild seas that surrounds it. There is also a couple of more thrash metal-oriented tracks with more of a violent theme. „Sverger Hemn“ is no different. What „Sverger Hemn“ has that may differ a bit from earlier albums is the track „Tid“ wich has a kind of melancolic, nostalgic and claustropbic theme.

The album title „Sverger Hemn“ (meaning „sworn to avenge“) is inspired by the magnificent Judas Priest track „The Sentinel“.

Satania: Do you still dream of your own tour and are you already working towards it? I am assuming that ‘Sverger hemn’ deserves a honorable showcase.

Invisus: I guess a own tour would be great! There is no such plans at this point. Only festivals and single shows are planned. Let’s see what happens when „Sverger Hemn“ is released and we know how it will be reccived!

Satania: Place for your message and personal promo. Thank you for the interview!

Invisus: Thanks for all the support I and we have gotten from our fans through the years! And welcome aboard to new fans!

„Sverger Hemn“ will be out 07.10.2022. Check it out and please tells us what you think of it through our social media platforms! Thanks again. Skaal!

Pre-orders are available here:

https://blodhemn.bigcartel.com

https://darkessencerecords.no/kar242-blodhemn-sverger-hemn/

https://blodhemn.bandcamp.com/album/sverger-hemn