1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit abotu the band?
Raven Banner is a Swedish melodeath metal band whose storytelling is centered around old-Norse mythology and the viking culture. We strive to deliver relentlessly energetic, yet catchy and easily accessible. Music that allows us to convey those stories to all the metal-folks out there. If you can listen to our stuff and not feel the need to bang your head, shake your fist, and raid a village or two, then clearly we’ve done something wrong - or you’re deaf.
2.You have a new album coming out in September, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
RISE UP CLAN is our debut album, and writing for a band’s first album always presents both pros and cons. On the one hand there’s no legacy, or any expectations, that needs to be taken into account and you have absolute creative freedom. On the other hand it also means that there isn’t any prior work to lean on and there’s an increased pressure to write something that _really_ hits home and grabs people’s attention.
When we first decided to start writing for RAVEN BANNER the three of us sat down and had a discussion about what we wanted to accomplish with the band, both short and long term. We used the result of that discussion to frame the music writing process so that we never lost track of the direction that we’re striving for. We ended up with a style that’s similar in fashion to “traditional” Swedish melodeath and also incorporates some of the things we love in genres ranging from black metal to jazz and pop. The result is a live-performance friendly style of metal that’s powerful and energetic, with strong melodies, catchy choruses, and a unique sound that sets RAVEN BANNER apart from the rest of the crowd. The album is heavy. Seriously so. Yet, at the same time, we’re staying true to our musical heritage and we’ve written an album rich in melodies, texture, and harmonies, without any compromise when it comes to the heavy part of metal.
3.A lot of your lyrics cover Viking Mythology and History, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Growing up in Sweden you’re exposed to Norse mythology from a very early age and it’s inevitably something that you carry with you whether you’re aware of it or not. We’re fortunate that as musicians we have a way of expressing that heritage and draw inspiration from it. There’s fascination with the people coming from our little corner of the globe and their influence on so much of the modern world and that coupled with a colorful mythology, that is both life and death-serious and hilarious, makes for a very interesting topic.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Raven banner'?
The Raven Banner was a flag that some viking warlords used in battle or as their symbol. Not only did we think it was a name that fit us and that had a nice mouthfeel, but it also serves well as a symbol for us and our fans to gather under.
5,Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
For us, graphic artwork and music goes hand in hand. They’re just different sides of the same coin, and working in tandem they can really amplify the message and intent of the art as a whole. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the wickedly talented graphics artist Mikhail Kozhevnikov who helped us realize our vision of an album cover that’s just as fiery, furious, and intense as the stories that’s told through the music and the lyrics.
6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We started working on material for RAVEN BANNER during the pandemic and early on we made the unusual decision not to do any live shows before the release of the album. We instead chose to focus solely on perfecting the album and the release as a whole. This approach has allowed us to create a kick-ass debut album with accompanying art that we’re convinced will stand the test of time, as well as setting up the structure for self-release, PR, and distribution of RISE UP CLAN that will serve us well for our coming releases too. With that in place, we’re now busy prepping for live shows and we’re hoping to be able to announce some exciting festival dates for summer 2024 soon.
7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Nothing official at the moment. The best way for you to help us bring the RAVEN BANNER experience to a stage near you is to contact your local venues and festivals and request that they book us. Keep an eye out on our webpage (https://www.ravenbanner.se) or our Instagram page (@ravenbannerband) for updates.
8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We’ve seen some interest but in the end we felt that we had both the resources and the time to allow for a serious self-release approach. As mentioned earlier we’ve now got an incorporated label-equivalent framework in place for future releases, including graphics, video, PR, and distribution. While the prospect of “getting signed” is alluring, we're quite happy where we’re at, but we’re always open to options that would help us reach a larger audience.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans oi viking and death metaL?
It’s been overwhelmingly positive! There’s of course been the mandatory comparison to Amon Amarth, but if you’re a melodeath metal band from Sweden you can’t even dip your toes in old-Norse mythology without that comparison showing up. Getting compared to them is something we see as a positive thing though and we’re honored to see fan comments like “Good Amon Amarth Vibe!”. To us, it means we’re on the right track and it encourages us to continue on the same track.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Great question! There’s the ole cliché that you really don’t know where a band is heading until the third album, but with the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve got on RISE UP CLAN chances are we’ll continue along the same track and write even more energetic and fierce, old-Norse themed, melodic metal.
11.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?
While there’s a lot of overlap in the type of music we listen to, we all have different backgrounds and influences so we’re going to answer this individually.
Gustaf: Since I started listening to metal, I’ve been drawn more to the black metal side, but also, early on, found a few bands who mixed Nordic folk music with metal and that has affected me deeply. Bands like Vintersorg and Otyg, Skyclad, Finntroll, Mithotyn, Thyrfing and many others are great influences of mine, but folk musicians like Sofia Karlsson, Frifot, Garmarna and Triakel, Hedningarna, BÄSK have all made marks on my life and what I do as a musician.
Hannes: My childhood heroes were Metallica and a Swedish folky punkband called Dia Psalma. Later I discovered HammerFall, Dimmu Borgir and In Flames. All different, but all melodic and with their own sound. The first folky metal I heard was Ensiferum and they opened the door to a new world of bands like Thyrfing, Mithotyn, Finntroll, Moonsorrow, and later bands like Wilderun and Duskmourn. You can find everything from modern core metal to punk and electronic music in my playlists.
Benny: I was practically breastfed traditional Swedish folk music and grew up on folk and classical before I started listening to metal as a teenager. I was, and still is, big on bands such as Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, and Dissection, but I also loved melody-heavy bands, e.g. Helloween, Gamma Ray, Yngwie, and Stratovarius. Nowadays, my On Repeat-playlist on Spotify contains equal shares french jazz, opera, ska, black/death/melodic metal, and Swedish folk music - especially Sofia Karlsson. Along the way, artists such as Alan Menken, Celiné Dion, and Randy Newman - just to mention a few - have had a profound impact on me. The connecting thread is the emphasis on strong melodies. Anyhow, you can easily find traces of all of that in RAVEN BANNER’s music.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or tohughts?
Thank you for reading! Please reach out to your local venues and request they book us, and make sure to get in touch on social media and join the Raven Clan as we conquer the metal scene and let the raven’s fly across the world again. Also, if you want to support us then make sure to check out our merch shop for some awe-inspiring viking metal merch. Cheers!
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