1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
Oscenrad was founded as a solo project in the winter of 2017 falling under the spectrum of what most would classify as being Epic/Viking/Pagan Metal. Personally, I prefer to place Oscenrad into its own category of Anglo-Saxon Heathen Metal - I think it’s a lot more fitting for Oscenrad as a whole.
2. Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
I never really went for one style in particular - I was focussed more on crafting my own, original sound off the back of my musical influences and inspirations. When approaching the music for Beyond the Fells, I wanted to create a huge, immersive and awe-inspiring sound. I wanted the album to flow as one cohesive piece, to carry the listener from beginning to end whilst leaving a lasting impression. I wanted it to inspire the same feelings I once felt when I first listened to Bathory or Moonsorrow.
Production wise, I had a very specific goal in mind for the mix once I had all the songs written and ready to be tracked and I’m quite pleased with how the album turned out overall! It doesn’t sound too polished or over-produced; it’s got character and grit - a rawness to it that a lot of metal is sadly lacking these days.
3. You worked on the new album for 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about the process you went through to achieve the sound that was presented on the recording?
The process was a long one and back when I first started writing music, I always said to myself that I’d only ever release anything I felt to be truly original and authentic, otherwise, what’s the point? I had to develop my own sound and character as a musician before I was willing to go forward and release anything. This was something that took years to build and now, I feel I can finally push forward and unleash my vision!
In terms of the actual song writing process for Beyond the Fells, it was really a mix of things. Sometimes, it would be a case of piecing together different parts or ideas I had written previously in order to come up with one, solid track, as was the case for the title track Beyond the Fells or Runes Ye Shall Find. Other times it was a case of having one or two riffs or melodies that would naturally expand and grow into its own thing, like for Seeress or Across the Waves and then, like with Of Wolf and Blood, it was purely a case of “chasing” a particular atmosphere or concept and building upon that to ultimately create a fully fleshed out piece of music.
All in all, though, I tried to create an interesting, layered soundscape with lots of dynamics and moving parts. Every riff, melody, beat and vocal line has its place. During the writing process, I would scrutinise every individual component to make sure that they all met the high standards I had set for myself and for Beyond the Fells. I firmly believe that if you’re going to unleash your music upon the world, especially for the first time, you’d better make sure that you put your very heart and soul into it!
4. A lot of your lyrics cover Norse and Anglo Saxon Paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this path?
This is something I’ve always been interested in and is a topic very close to my heart. Ever since I saw the famous Sutton Hoo Helmet as a child and all the various artefacts found amongst the ship burial at Sutton Hoo, I’ve been deeply interested in the world of the Anglo-Saxons and everything to do with them. There are so many fascinating parts to the Anglo-Saxon world; the folklore and mythology, the language and poetry, the artwork and aesthetics, the epic poem Beowulf, the Old Gods such as Woden and Thunor as well as the runes and so much more.
When it comes to Norse Paganism and mythology in particular, I see it as more of a portal or a tool in helping to understand more about the Anglo-Saxon worldview, seeing as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse both shared a common origin and heritage.
Anglo-Saxon and Norse history/mythology share a commonality and cross over with each other in several areas, so its quite natural to be interested in these subjects, both from a historical and spiritual point of view.
5. On one of your songs you also made a reference to Druids, do you also have an interest in Druidism?
If you’re referring to the line “Of dragons and druids” from “Across the Waves” then I think that ties in nicely with the above question. Druids were obviously highly important figures in ancient Britain and are still, thousands of years later, a source of mystery and wonder. For me, the Druids were just one of the many aspects of Paganism in ancient Britain, so yes, naturally, I’m interested in them.
6. Some of your other lyrics cover history, poetry and philosophy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
From a young age I’ve always been interested history. Visiting different castles and ruins across Britain, seeing all the various ancient landmarks and going to museums and exhibitions all struck a chord with me from a young age, so history has always been a keen interest of mine. Living in England, with such a rich and complex history, how could you not be interested?!
When it comes to poetry, my interest lies mostly in Old English and Norse poetry, as well as the Sagas, which all serve as huge sources of inspiration for me - look at Beowulf, the Hávamál or some of the lesser known Old English poems such as The Ruin or The Wanderer, to name a few, and tell me you’re not inspired? Poetry was a big part of Anglo-Saxon and Norse culture, so I’ve always been interested in it as it serves as means of understanding how our ancestors saw the world.
I’ve had an interest in philosophy since I was a teenager. I read through some of the various writings by the usual suspects (Nietzsche in particular, which has become a bit of a cliche at this point in the metal world, haha!) and found some insightful viewpoints which helped me to develop my own worldview. Lately, I’ve been looking into Stoicism (mostly Epictetus and Aurelius) and its basic principals. There’s some really enduring wisdom that can be found in their works which can still be applied to many different aspects of life today in the modern age, even though their writings are two thousand years old!
7. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Oscenrad'?
Oscenrad is the combination of three of the Anglo-Saxon runes, known as the Futhorc.
Os - God(s)/Woden/mouth
Cen - Torch/fire
Rad - Ride/journey
I wanted something that would convey the message behind Oscenrad, with the “cen” being the torch that’s carried through the darkness, the “rad” being the journey through that darkness and the “os” being the Gods and heritage to which that journey is directed towards.
8. On the album cover you also used some artwork from 'Sidney Richard Percy', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his paintings?
When I came up with name for the album, Beyond the Fells, the idea for the album cover came naturally - I needed mountains! British mountains! I combed through various pieces by British artists from the Victorian era and came across the one that ended up being used for the album cover. I would definitely recommend checking out Sidney Richard Percy’s work for anyone who’s into Victorian/19th century British landscape painters!
9. With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
That depends! Half the point of Oscenrad is that it’s a solo project - it’s my vision, my expression but that doesn’t mean that I’m opposed to collaborating with or featuring other musicians in the future. Only time will tell!
10. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk, viking, pagan, black and death metal?
So far the reaction has been outstanding! Far better than I had anticipated! I never expected to have gotten such a positive reception this early on, so I’m really grateful to everyone who’s shown their support!
11. Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
As I mentioned earlier, now that I feel I have found my own sound and character as a musician, I’m ready to march on and unleash more music! There’s plenty cooking already in the Oscenrad Oven™! At the moment, I have most of the music and lyrics written for an EP which will be released in the near future (this is going to be more of a concept release - more on that later!).
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Without a doubt, the two major bands that influenced me are Bathory and Moonsorrow. The fire inside that was set when I first listened to those two bands is still burning and has acted as a major creative force for me throughout.
As far as what I’ve been listening to lately, I’ve been getting back into Mercyful Fate! Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath are fantastic albums! I’m currently listening to The Shadowthrone by Satyricon as I’m writing this (alongside Dark Medieval Times, these two albums have been major influences on my music). I’ve also been listening to Primordial, Taake, Iron Maiden, Marduk and Dissection over the last couple of weeks. Oh, and Darkthrone’s latest album has quickly become one of my favourites! I love that raw sound they’ managed to achieve!
(Shoutout incoming!) I’ve also been listening to an up-and-coming band hailing, too, from Suffolk, called Heathen Kings! If you’re a fan of NWOBHM/Epic Metal then give them a listen! Top lads and stellar musicians! In the Hall of the Kings is a particular favourite of mine!
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s supported Oscenrad so far! I am deeply grateful and humbled by all of the support! I’d also like to say thank you for providing me with the opportunity to take part in this interview!
Check out Oscenrad on bandcamp and all the socials! Let’s spread Beyond the Fells far and wide!
Keep the ancient fire burning!
Hails!
Hæðenwulf
Website: oscenrad.com
Bandcamp: https://oscenrad.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ oscenrad
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/ UCyagK0s53BG7cG84CdDc6Jg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ artist/001G1BJcqW125huqZJVK6H? si=6h2AbqbeTFysnqzDozcPOA&dl_ branch=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ oscenrad/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oscenrad
VK: https://vk.com/oscenrad
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