Blistering.com: Would you say God’s Equation is your most pure metal album? It seems you guys are more concerned with just rocking out as opposed to be overly proggy and technical…
NKR:We could of course just end up like some over-technical super-progged band and just play “psycho-jazz-metal” if we wanted – that would be no problem if that was our goal, the technical skills are most certainly there. But why should we do that just in order to convince? We want to play a mix-up between the styles we love and give the listener “something to put the coat on” – anyway, the overall importance in PM is melodies. Music is melody, not just weird rhythm patterns, and without it I don’t get the point in music. Melody gives us something, and the listener something. We believe that’s a great recipe combining what we want to do and at the same time reach the listener.
This band is at times a mix-up of very different personalities, all with the gift of "creative overkill,” to be honest we ditched about 80% of the riffs and ideas before shaping and building the song structures on God’s Equation. There are powers within the band that are educated professionally in music, and that helps out a lot. I don't think there are a lot of bands using a blackboard on the rehearsal studio, ha ha! We build the song structures up piece by piece and very little is coincidental. That really is the only way to make this kind of music work properly and sound good at the same time. If we manage to create in this matter and pace, it would be great, but I also believe you always have to work and try harder to maintain a good band and not "losing.”
I don't fear that at all in this band because like I said, everybody has such good ideas all the time and with the internal high sense of criticism upon ourselves I think we will be able to ditch and sort out the worst "used-before" riffs and ideas till next time as well. Having said that, I have worked hard of course with the vocal lines and the lyrics, and in my opinion that is the only way to make things work out good. We're really an ambitious bunch of guys, and no one is of the opinion that things ever come for free. Hard work and aiming the right goals, "thinking like a winner" makes this band inspiring and fun to be part of.
Blistering.com: I notice some American metal influence like Nevermore and even Slipknot. Am I off base in these comparisons or are you fans of these bands?
NKR:You are not off base here, no. Many people think we sound more American than European and that’s maybe why we have a bigger potential in the US also. I love Nevermore, maybe not Slipknot that much, though, but I must admit that we have been inspired by them also on certain parts. They have really impressive and aggressive riffing for instance, and you just can’t look over that. All in all good music inspires you often in all ways, whether you like the band or not! So I would say we inspired by them and maybe also the American sound. I also think we sound more like Dream Theater than Helloween, if you know what I mean…
Blistering.com: Vocally, you have gotten more expressive and pronounced than ever. In what ways do you feel you have developed?
NKR: I feel that I have developed in every way with my voice. Every year it gets better in terms of what I can do with it and how I control it. Earlier, I got exhausted just doing one or two gigs in a row. I could never drink anything the day before. [I] guess I just have pumped my throat muscles up, everything is so much more controllable now than before, and there is no problem doing all stuff that I do on the records live either. It’s great fun when you feel that you are in control of things, but of course I have to take good care of my voice also, which I really do. I think also we put a little more effort into this album in ways of expression and melody lines, also using better recording equipment, which makes everything sound better. But all in all, I feel that I am a better vocalist now than I used to be.
Blistering.com: Outside of Communic, there are few melodic and/or progressive metal bands from Norway. Do you feel like outsiders in your country?
NKR:Well, someone is talking about ”The New Wave Of Norwegian Progressive Power Metal” which would be something like ”T.N.W.O.N.P.P.M” haha. Seriously, we have felt the feedback the last past two years more strongly than earlier in our career, and these days a lot of musicians from Norway are starting to play melodic/progressive/power metal because they have seen that we have gained success. Kind of starting up a new trend, which I think is good since Norway always have been known for black metal. Of course, there can always be more success and we are not “there” yet of course, there is still a long way, but things are certainly starting to get better.
We have received a lot more attention now than ever, which is good. Hitting the official charts on #15 here in Norway was good, and kind of historic also. Only Dimmu Borgir and Satyricon did that before us. I don’t believe the music is too difficult either…it’s just a helluva lot bands out there, or all are fighting for attention. With hard work (as we do ALL the time) we will reach our (sensible) goals.
Blistering.com: Conversely, do you think that being such an anomaly in Norway is one of the things that make Pagan’s Mind so unique?
NKR: We are pretty hot in Norway, as I was telling, we hit the official charts here which is a great thing. We play a lot around here and actually get pretty well paid also. I really don’t know, but at least back in Norway it seems that all ages has a thing for us. On the concerts there are people stretching from ages 8-80, funny. I believe some of the positive message and ”mysterious” atmosphere is what triggers people, and the overall melodic approach. We are not ”damned” like the black metallers if you know what I mean – we are more commercial in Norway, and have gotten tremendous TV and radio support. Also the press supports us really well here. It’s great to gain success out in the world, but it is of course a good thing to be ”local heroes” as well.
Blistering.com: In this style of music there is often a glass ceiling. Do you think Pagan’s Mind has reached that glass ceiling or does the band have more to offer than the typical progressive metal band?
NKR: I think definitely we’ll try hard to break that ceiling. And I think also we have more to offer in many ways - this band is totally democratic and no one has more to say than the other and all are equal in the song writing process, with everyone contributing with almost the same amount at creativeness. This band is at times a mix-up of very different personalities, all with the gift of "creative overkill,” and to be honest we ditched about 80% of the riffs and ideas before shaping and building the song structures on God’s Equation.
There are powers within the band that are educated professionally in music, and that helps out a lot. I don't think there are a lot of bands using a blackboard on the rehearsal studio, ha ha! We build the song structures up piece by piece and very little is coincidental. That really is the only way to make this kind of music work properly and sound good at the same time. If we manage to create in this matter and pace, it would be great, but I also believe you always have to work and try harder to maintain a good band and not "losing". I don't fear that at all in this band because like I said everybody has such good ideas all the time and with the internal high-sense of criticism upon ourselves I think we will be able to ditch and sort out the worst "used-before" riffs and ideas till next time as well.
Having said that, I have worked hard of course with the vocal lines and the lyrics, and in my opinion, that is the only way to make things work out good. We're really an ambitious bunch of guys, and no one is of the opinion that things ever come for free. Hard work and aiming the right goals, "thinking like a winner" makes this band inspiring and fun to be part of.
Blistering.com: Your vocal work on the last Eidolon (The Parallel Otherworld) was excellent. What did you gain from that experience?
NKR: That was of course an exciting experience and fun to do. Not that much unlike Pagan’s Mind so not that challenging, but maybe a little darker and I got to try out some of my King Diamond-ish approach to some of the songs, which were great. I also had full freedom to do whatever I wanted both musically and lyrically so it was a good and a great creative process. The Drovers (Shawn and Glenn – both currently in Megadeth – ed.) are also very good musicians and a privilege to work with. Being an all-time King Diamond and Mercyful Fate fan, doing the cover of ”The Oath” with original Mercyful Fate members Hank Sherman and Michael Denner doing solos on that one, was goose- bumping me haha. Also, there are a lot of other ”stars” guesting the album with solos like Cris Caffery (Savatage), Frank Aresti (ex Fates Warning) amongst others.
Blistering.com: Will there be any future collaboration between you and the Drover brothers?
NKR: I am the vocalist for Eidolon still, and intend to be that. But both Glen and Shawn are in Megadeth now and they are touring a lot and are 100% busy with Dave. So Eidolon is not a priority for them now, which is totally understandable. Hell, they are busy being rock stars in ´Deth which I always loved. I am really happy for them and they really deserve it, cause they are two great guys (and brothers) which has worked hard always getting there. They are most talented and totally deserve it. So Eidolon does not take up time for me at all. I guess we are doing more albums in time, but is would have to be in between Megadeth and Pagan’s Mind albums and stuff. Eidolon is a great band and I love the sound. But it is and I believe it will still remain a studio band. For now at least.
Blistering.com: Finally, what’s on tap for 2008?
NKR: First off, is our tour together with Brainstorm and Powerwolf in Germany and some other European countries, in March. So let’s hope the reception is good and that it gives us the opportunity to do a headlining tour during the year. We work hard on doing a tour in the US, and there are some summer festivals to be done also. Really, 2008 is the year we have to work harder than ever promoting the album and doing what is in our powers to get his band to the next level.
Of course, the touring and start to write new songs again is on the plan. Work hard as always on reaching even higher goals. We’re a bunch of hard-working guys so I’m sure things are going the right way – it has been like that for the last 7 years all the way – progression, if slow, is good anyhow!
