1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
Nils: Covid happened. And James split. Which led us to Bernt taking over the microphone. We had already recorded lots of the songs, and Bernt got "thrown into it". We received vocals pretty quickly, and we were amazed. It was like In The Woods… became more ITW than ever before. And thats where we are at.
2.You have a new album coming out in November, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Nils: Good question. ITW have always progressed, not "stopped" in one type of style etc… But you know, making music it should be about making what you like, not about what you think others will like. And thats what we do, and have in the past.
3.The band was broken up for 14 years, what was the cause of the split and the decision to reform?
Nils: I was not in the band when they split, but Anders had an injury where he thought he never could perform again. And then he found out he could. He then had an "awakening", where he got a clear vision that he had to start up ITW again in honour of Oddvar AM. I also knew Oddvar, and i know he would have wanted ITW to continue.
Kåre: Well, I joined the band in 2015, but these stories have come up a few times over the years in conversations with both Anders Kobro and former members. I think the easiest way to explain the split back in the early 2000s was that each character of the band was floating their own way, wanting to explore other things in life, while the opportunity still was there.
4.After the release of the first full length in the 90's you stopped using the black metal screams and harsh vocals but they have returned on your current releases, what was the decision behind bringing back this vocal approach?
Nils: What suits the songs should be used vocally i think. Bernt can do all sorts of things, and so he use it where it fits in. He probably have the best answer to it.
I scream and growl myself, and being in a metalband, it is a cool thing to add. Personally i listen to bands that use both clean/growl and shrieks. I love stuff that is more than "one style", both musically and vocally.
Kåre: As Nils stated above, its about what suits the songs and not what we need or should use. With the former vocalist James Fogarty and current vocalist Bernt Fjellestad, the screams and harsh vocals comes more naturally than the original singer. Also they can do it without hurting their throat.
5.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?
Bernt Fjellestad: Most of the topics are totally random. They cover everything from the political wiev to more....carnal desires. I was given full freedom over the lyrics and what to sing so I experimented a lot with different styles. Personally I (Bernt Fjellestad) were not that involved in the songwriting due to most of the songs were completed when I joined. We are already writing together new material as we speak by the way.
6.A lot of your lyrics over the years have also covered Paganism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about what this path means to you?
Anders: Back in the days we where hugely influenced by nature, philosophy and norse culture/mythology. So obviously we where in a realm of paganism. We called our music in early days Pagan Metal.
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork tha tis presented on the new album cover? Kåre: Max Winter did the artwork, he also did Pure and Cease the Day. Max likes to read the lyrics for the album and sit down and start with a sketch. This one turned out very different from previous ones, and is done in a different type of style compared to the two earlier ones. It is up to each one of us to say what it means and gives, but you can see that all hope is out, but if you try to focus on the smaller things and leave the big picture out of things for a while, somewhere in the vast, there is hope.
8.In the 90's when you first came out you where very different from the rest of the Norwegian scene and there seemed to be mixed reviews back then, do you feel you where ahead of your time and also influenced the newer bands that started stretching the black and pagan metal genres into different musical territories?
Kåre: Well as a music fan I must say that HEart of The Ages was ahead of time, the structure in the songs and the brilliant mystique that lies all over the record. They way vocals where switched between very harsh screaming and then to the soft beautiful voice. You can see this in In The Woods… today and many other bands. I think In The Woods… have influenced other bands to go a little more out of those typical border lines you find in metal genres, which can get to a point where it gets boring. Some bands do it very very well, and all honor to them. For us its again, to make a song we want to make.
9.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Nils: Our two recent ones actually (Cosmic Void London and Summer dying loud in Poland). We have fun. We like what we do. And we function in our dysfunction haha.
Kåre: Well thats a hard question for me to answer, because all the shows I’ve played with this band has had their own little things that I want to remember. Some crowds are wild, some are quiet, but never boring. The two last one we had where phenomenal and ranks up there with the absolute best ones. I always say that I really want to go back to Greece to play. On stage we try to have fun, and try to mend our energy and adrenalin with the crowds energy and adrenalin.
10.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Nils: European tour in March/April i think/hope. We hope to play as much as we can. We are back on Redback promotion, and are eager to play…
11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by your long time fans?
Nils: Only positive reaction i guess. There will always be the ones that wants the old stuff, but you cant bring back the past like that, and we as a band want to progress, not copy what has been…
12.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Nils: Kåre is writing new music for his solo moniker KAS, and me and Anders have an album with My solo moniker Drivdal.
We all have the love for music, we breathe it, and cant simply stop making it.
Kåre: Yes I’m working on the follow up to my first album under the alias KAS. Other than that, its about time to sit down and write some new In The Woods… songs for the next album.
13.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Nils: We evolve together, so its hard to say really. But we progress, and we play ball musically, and so we try to mold the songs together to make it better.
14.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?
Nils: I listen a lot to Wormwood, Tribulation and Witchery. Also i listen to Edge of Sanity, as always. Fucking brilliant. I think Bernt actually worked with Dan on some musical project of his.
Kåre: On repeat the last weeks has been Guy Clark and I just discovered a brilliant band when we played in London.. Make A Change… Kill Yourself. Brilliant band!
Bernt: Nowadays I listen to a lot of synthwave and folk music, but I always come back to good ol’ Edge Of Sanity, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Amorphis and, of course, Judas Priest.
15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Nils: Just want to Thank you so much for showing interest in us, it means a great deal to us…
Kåre: Cheers for your time! Album pre-orders are available at the links below:
World (physical): https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com
Americas (physical): http://soulsellerrecords.aisamerch.com
Digital: https://orcd.co/diversum
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