Vredensdal (USA)

Interview with Mikael Vredensdal
https://vredensdal.bandcamp.com/

Hailing from the frozen expanses of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Vredensdal has been a formidable force in reshaping the landscapes of American black metal. Founded in 2018 by the enigmatic multi-instrumentalist known as The Goblin Reaper, the project has consistently rejected complacent genre formulas in favor of a raw, thrashing, and grooving madness. Following the massive success of 2023’s Sonic Devotion to Darkness, the band went quiet, leaving fans wondering what lay ahead. Now, breaking nearly three years of silence, Vredensdal returns under a completely independent banner with their highly anticipated fifth studio album, Mystery & Power. We sat down with The Goblin Reaper to discuss taking the independent route, defying black metal gatekeepers, and the sonic evolution behind the new record.

Metal Revolution: Hell-o Mikael. How are you doing? Thanks for taking some time to chat with us!

Vredensdal: Hello! Thank you as well. I am honored to be speaking with you.

MR: Would you be kind to introduce your band/project to the readers of this webzine still unfamiliar with your music?

Vredensdal: Vredensdal is and has been the sole essence of black metal from Green Bay Wisconsin since 2018. Which has released records with labels in Germany, Norway and lastly the legendary Soulseller Records before I took a big break to reconnect with myself and the music. But I’m back now, resurrecting old “new” music. People might recognize a quirky goblin masked entity who likes powerful riffs and sinister grooves, that’s me. (Laughing) Moving forward, Goblin mask TBD.

MR: Mikael, you’re the only core member of the band. Why is that? The best way to channel your own ideas without compromising?

Vredensdal: The band is and was my idea from the beginning, my creation and my art. There would be no music if it was not for my desire to make it. It really has nothing to do with other people in that sense, so it cannot be compromised. I have the assistance of a drummer but he does what I ask and nothing more and nothing less. So while I do not play the drums you can assume that it is my creative force behind its direction and therefore encapsulates my essence as well. Vredensdal, long story short, is me.

MR: After what you call ‘three long years’, Vredensdal has returned with your fifth new album Mystery & Power. Where and under what conditions were you recording the most recent album? Who oversaw sound, production and mastering?

Vredensdal: I have my own personal studio in my home that I have recorded all Vredensdal music with since the beginning, called The Underlit Studio. So just like any other album it was me and myself writing riffs, and connecting to the sound. The only thing to really note as far as production on this album specifically is that I returned to a bare bones approach and heavily simplified things.

I felt deeply like certain things were getting in the way of my headspace when it came to recording and mixing. So I decided to start from scratch and rebuild from the ground up using cheap no-name gear on purpose to remove distractions and status.

MR: How has the band’s sound evolved since your formation in 2018, and what new elements can we expect to hear on your upcoming album Mystery & Power?

Vredensdal: I have always taken measures to be progressive with the music, to me evolution is a necessary part of self respect for any honest artist. Vredensdal originated in black metal and that is where its roots will always lie, but I have made a big decision to do the opposite of what most black metallers would do and be more open with my influences in the music because I feel strongly that in order to exemplify myself within it and share my vision, there must be more to the music than just what is expected out of “desired genre name”. For me in particular that comes in the form of NWOBHM, original thrash and 60s and 70s prog rock. I believe that black metal was born out of these things. They are inherent in all of the pioneers’ music despite what has been said so often. So for me, I feel like it’s a natural connection and should be maintained.

MR: How many copies of Mystery & Power will be released and which medium will be used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?

Vredensdal: There will be 100 copies each of both CD & vinyl. They are very limited as this is an independent release with my own label, Anti-Saint Records. Digital as well on Bandcamp. I’m working on getting distribution in Europe and I have a long time friend from Germany who was a part of previous Vredensdal releases who I believe will be able to help me out with that and I’m very excited about it!

MR: In 2023 Metal Revolution did a review of Sonic Devotion To Darkness. What would you say is the biggest difference between Sonic Devotion To Darkness and Mystery & Power?

Vredensdal: Easily the mix and master is the biggest thing. I took a lot of time to learn more about mixing and frequency values etc. I put a lot of time into studying how music is to be recorded, what sound I am after and how things are heard and or listened to. I’m not going to say “supposed to” because it’s my interpretation. This mix I made is much more organic and open. It has a natural vibe to it and I think that’s why the approach to each song is fresh. I would also say as a whole it is much more immersive. This year I had the awesome guy Jack Control from Enormous Door (who did some Darkthrone albums) master it for me so it’s ten times better now.

MR: Your music has a distinct swagger that you don’t usually find in traditional, cold black metal. How do you balance the ‘fun’ and groove of raw rock ‘n’ roll with the dark, serious themes of black metal?

Vredensdal: It comes natural to me and I don’t have to try. It’s the attitude, the rebelliousness of it all that comes out without thinking. Groove for me is a much more an integral part of a meditative experience in music than it is intended for fun. Vredensdal cannot exist without groove! And I really think that the overly serious act some of these black metal goons put on is an unnecessary gimmick that leads to self deception.

MR: Which song from Mystery & Power resonates with you personally the most and why?

Vredensdal: This album is actually quite personal to me. Though it may seem like the lyrics have a narrative aspect, they all feature a very deep feeling and experience I have had. With each song, the more you listen and analyze the more you will find. If I had to pick just one song, I would have to say “Consortium Of Fools” because it’s sort of the anthem of the album. Its premise is that despite what people say or how they make you feel, it’s your duty to maintain yourself and stand for your beliefs as an individual.

MR: Bands like Motörhead and Venom proved that extreme music could still have a massive rock groove. How much do those classic, dirty rock and punk traditions influence the way you write your rhythm sections?

Vredensdal: As I said earlier I think that rock n roll in the classic sense is much more part of the heritage of the music than most people realize. I think there are a lot of darker aspects of rock n roll that are untapped or just looked over. After all, it is the grandfather of metal and the son of the blues. There are so many rock-like riffs in a lot of pioneering bands’ music as well as the entire scope of the scene. However I feel most modern bands take their riffs and make them into this “black metal style” just to be accepted so to speak. However MY approach is to play certain riffs as rock ‘n’ roll or heavy metal style but IN a black metal context. It is much more intuitive and this is what creates a dynamic that is most unique to Vredensdal and why you won’t hear it anywhere else.

MR: When you are writing a new song, does it usually start with a raw rock riff, or does it start with a dark, melodic atmosphere? What is your creative process?

Vredensdal: My creative process is fairly simple. I have a desire to create something on the guitar, I sit with the desire and the guitar and I play. Sometimes I’m searching for a feeling and other times the feeling finds me. No matter the direction, when it is right I know it, and I attune to that very specific thing until something is carved out mentally and sonically. Once that part is solidified, I then build upon it. I “listen” for what is to come next. I do not tell it what to do. And the song becomes what it is. There is much less thinking involved than one might think.

MR: Black metal is known for being fiercely serious, while rock ‘n’ roll is about rebellion and attitude. Do you feel your music brings a sense of dangerous, old-school rebellion back into the modern metal scene?

Vredensdal: That is exactly what I want it to do because in a way I think that they are one in the same. I am very serious about the music I make but I feel that after a certain point it becomes forced and unnatural to the flow of creativity. Anyone who isn’t having fun making music most likely does not have anything worth listening to. And you can very plainly see out there in the world that there is a lot of black metal music that is only getting more drab, bland, and lifeless. It has come to the point now where I recognize that at one one time in the early 90s young Norwegian teenagers were rebelling from the mainstream death metal scene because they felt it inauthentic and lacking, and now I, as no one particularly important, recognizes the SAME importance in decisively rebelling against the modern black metal scene for its blatant lack of authentic quality and spirit. It has become a circle jerk of mental fatigue, furious copy cats and blind faith much like the christians they are purported to be against! I am not impressed or entertained one bit.

MR: How do you craft a melody that feels triumphant and catchy, like classic 80s heavy metal, without losing the evil, icy atmosphere of black metal?

Vredensdal: Good songwriting that connects with you on a deep level is not only having good riffs, it’s about understanding music and how it flows. Evil riffs on evil riffs with endless blastbeats tell me nothing about your musical intelligence, only that you’re attempting to impress some imaginary cult lord called insecurity. Just sucking up to an idea. The reality of music is that in order to understand it you have to experience it in its many forms and voices. And by doing so nothing is off limits because you become one with the understanding. I am not an authority in any way when it comes to what does or does not fit in this scene or that scene. But what I do know is how to spot a faker from a mile away. Therefore in order to create something cohesive that has strongly contrasting elements it starts with being real with yourself, your abilities, and your desires. Once you become honest with yourself in that way, the music basically writes itself.

MR: What message do you hope listeners take away from Mystery & Power and your music as a whole?

Vredensdal: I hope that this album will fuck with people’s heads in a way that after listening to it they question everything about themselves and their musical tastes. I want to challenge listeners to find better music because they want a more fulfilling experience and not just because it “checks all the boxes”. I hope that they GET A LIFE and really just let themselves chill out and enjoy badass music, stop encompassing their existence in shallow ideals that do nothing but limit their consciousness… That or just buy my vinyls because it’s damn expensive to self release an album! (Laughing)

MR: What are some other hobbies and passions you guys have, regardless of music?

Vredensdal: I am a busy person with a full time job, who spends most of my time with my wife and two kids because they are my focus. Outside of making and collecting music I have a culinary degree and a strong love of cooking. I spend a lot of time (and money) painting Warhammer 40k. I am occasionally gaming on the PS5 and listen to audiobooks almost every day. I am deeply infatuated with science and how nature works. And absolutely fascinated by evolutionary biology, astronomy, physics and philosophy. I spend a lot of time outside and on trails studying insects, birds and all kinds of living things and listening to the trees. Taking my telescope out to the night sky etc.

MR: How can people reach your band & music?

Vredensdal: @vredensdalofficial for Instagram vredensdal.bandcamp.com and vredensdal666@gmail.com. And I just made a Facebook page that has no followers on it so go there! (Laughing) 

MR: Finally, what’s next for Vredensdal after the release of Mystery & Power? Any new projects in the pipeline that you can share with us?

Vredensdal: I actually have A LOT of plans. Firstly, I am writing for the follow up album to this one. It’ll be the first fresh and new music since 2023, it will be an official comeback album! Second, I’m hoping there is a cool label out there who will want to produce my next full-length album because something I really want to do with my own label is reissue some Vredensdal music from the early days. I am thinking of repressing some early albums and even possibly doing a double album from some ancient and forgotten stuff out of the vault, pre-Vredensdal era!

MR: I’d like to thank you for your time. Is there anything more you’d like to leave our readers with?

Vredensdal: Thanks again so much for having me, I really appreciate it! The last thing ill say is: Real metal music should make you want to LIVE HARDER (not the other way around), if it does not do that – discard and keep moving forward.