VREID comments:
"In 2020 we were invited by the Norwegian Nobel Peace Center and the Inferno Festival to choose and perform a cover song as a part of the “Songs that change the world” series. Unfortunately, this event was swiped off the earth by the plague that have pestered the world the last years. Nevertheless, we decided to continue this creative path started and recorded the song.
"When the song was recorded, we made video for it. We used our wizard brothers Håvard Nesbø and Kim Holm to create a homage to the crazy world of rock n´ roll. Håvard who produced our Wild North West movie produced the music video and Kim who did the artwork for our Solverv and Welcome Farewell albums did the art. The song we decided to interpret in our Vreid universe is the rock anthem Paint it Black by the The Rolling Stones. This one of the most important pioneer songs for rock n´ roll, and a blueprint from where this tree of heavy music culture has grown into a many headed beast for 7 decades now.
"This song and video are a celebration of the fantastic creativity that started in the 1960ies and have been developed by so many great artists and bands ever since. We have incorporated our humble respect to many of our leading stars in this video, and it was fascinating to see how naturally this song transformed into our own universe. Remember, It´s Only Rock n´ Roll."
In April 2020, VREID were invited by the Norwegian Nobel Peace Center and the Inferno Festival to perform a cover song of their choosing as a part of the “Songs that change the world” series. Unfortunately, this illustrious event was swiped off the earth by the plague that has pestered the world the last years. Nevertheless, being true rock soldiers, VREID decided to continue this creative path and recorded the song, which has never been released.
Now, the band is finally sharing their The song the band decided to interpret is the rock anthem "Paint it Black" by the The Rolling Stones as the band regards this track among one of the most important pioneer songs for rock n´ roll, and a blueprint from where this tree of heavy music culture has grown into a many headed beast for 7 decades now.
This song and video are a celebration of the fantastic creativity that started in the 1960s and have been developed by so many great artists and bands ever since. VREID has incorporated their humble respect to many of rock 'n' roll's greatest musicians.
Pre-save "Paint it Black" on DSPs HERE.
VREID is supporting the release of 2021's critically acclaimed 'Wild North West,' a concept album that developed alongside an entire movie. Inspired by both true events and pure imagination, the listener is taken on a whirlwind of a journey, diving deep into themes of war, fear, betrayal, loss, anxiety, and madness with thought-provoking lyrics that embody human nature. It captures the Nordic heart at the core of their sound, taking cues from Norway’s rugged landscape as it ricochets between eternal darkness and the solace of bracing light.
Moreover, VREID has been inducted into Norway's National Museum of Popular Music Rockheim in 2021! The band is featured as a part of Rockheim's Millennium exhibition and are also included in Norwegian music history.
Last year, VREID also revealed exciting and unique partnership with the Sogndal Football Club! The club has for many years been known for developing and cultivating extraordinary talent, as the men's team currently plays in first division, the second tier of the Norwegian football league system. Now, Sogndal Football Club is paying tribute to the band that has brought Sognametal to the whole world, by putting the logo of metal veterans and forefathers VREID on the chest of player’s uniforms for last year's season.
ICYMI: VREID has recently appeared on Norway's TV2, the biggest commercial news station in the country! The clip spotlighted the band's 'Into the Mountains of Sognametal' livestream, which attracted over 140,000 fans from all over the world when it premiered in June of 2020, as well as the band's ambitious upcoming album and film. The TV2 news item can be seen HERE.
'Wild North West' is out now! The album is available to be streaming, downloaded, or purchased at THIS LOCATION.
From its tumultuous inception, the Norwegian metal scene has always been about pioneering. While embracing the illustrious black metal history as part of their musical heritage, the many iconic bands have now evolved in various directions. Leading the black ‘n roll movement in Norway, VREID are the perfect example of that. The band arose in 2004 from the ashes of WINDIR after the tragic perishing of Terje ‘Valfar’ Bakken. The Sognametal legends declared the mission of exploring new musical paths, which they have pushed to even greater heights on their new record ‘Wild North West’.
The ninth record is not just a collection of songs, but a concept album that developed alongside an entire movie. Throughout eight chapters you will be taken on a journey deep into the mountains, to a dark place where the borders between reality and fantasy fade and where death is only one step behind you: The Wild North West. Not just in sheer size of the project but also in terms of music videography, creativity, and determination, VREID have done something truly unique and lifted their art to a new dimension.
On the concept, founder and bass player Jarle Hváll Kvåle states: "Wild North West is a concept story about life itself and its eternal shadow: death. It is built around the world of our fictional character E, but it is surely inspired by my own life, my band’s life, historical events and many tales that have inspired me over the years. Is it a true story or fictional? I would have to say both, and sometimes is hard tell the difference.”
‘Wild North West’ features the most extreme and intense work of the band to date, as well as heavy and melodic rock songs. These influences have always been a part of VREID’s DNA, and it is this combination that makes up the spirit of Sognametal. A remarkable homage to that same musical spirit is the song “Into the Mountains”. The ideas for that track were written in 2002 by Jarle ‘Hváll’ Kvåle and Terje ‘Valfar’ Bakken (WINDIR). Inspired by these ideas, Hváll wrote the song and included the original demo keyboard tracks from 2002, recorded back then by Valfar.
VREID have always chosen a course of constant evolution that is marked by thematically denoted phases regarding their often historically inspired lyrics. This became particularly clear with albums ‘I Krig’ (2007) and ‘Milorg’ (2009), which both revolved around concepts dealing with resistance and liberation of Norway during World War II. With their following three records, the pitch black brigade returned to their Norse roots on ‘Sólverv’ which received high critical acclaim in 2015.
In 2018, the Norwegians teamed up with Season of Mist for their previous full-length ‘Lifehunger’, a record that successfully blended elements of 70’s rock, 80’s classic metal, and Norwegian black metal and which featured a remarkable guest contribution from SÓLSTAFIR’s vocalist Addi Tryggvason on the track “Hello Darkness”.
VREID have hammered out their success partly by being a heavily touring band. The four-piece performed more than 500 shows in 25 countries so far. Their everlasting march to conquer new territories has led the Norwegians to headline tours in Europe, North America, Japan, and India.
The band’s onward march did not come to a halt in 2020, a year that will go down as devastating for the international music scene. VREID launched their own beer, which turned out to be the biggest success of the Balder Brewery as the first batches were sold out immediately. Instead of waiting to be able to tour again, the Norwegians invited the fans to their home region and hosted a massive streaming concert among the beautiful mountainous surroundings of the Sognefjord. The concert, ‘Into the Mountains of Sognametal’ took place in June 2020 was viewed by over 140.000 people from more than 40 countries.
In 2021, VREID will once more invite the fans to their dark, cold, and wild universe but tread carefully as from these haunted mountains, no man can descend.
Welcome to the Wild North West.
Style: Norwegian Black 'n Roll
Links:
https://www.vreid.no/
https://www.facebook.com/vreidofficial
https://www.instagram.com/vreidofficial/
Cover artwork: Remi Juliebø (Deformat Design)
Photography: Nesbø & Talle, animated pictures by Remi Juliebø (Deformat Design)
Videography: Håvard Nesbø
Recording studio: Studio 1184 & Nabolaget Studio
Producer / sound engineer: Jarle Hváll Kvåle / Anders Nordengen
Mixing studio and engineer: Jarle Hváll Kvåle / Helge Bentsen
Mastering studio and engineer: Fascination Street by Tony Lindgren
Recording line-up:
Jarle Hváll Kvåle: Bass, keys, additional vocal and guitars
Sture Dingsøyr: Vocals & Guitars
Jørn Holen: Drums
Stian Bakketeig: Guitars
Guest musicians:
Terje ‘Valfar’ Bakken - Keys on “Into the Mountains”
Espen Bakketeig - Additional keys on “Wolves at Sea”, “Dazed & Reduced”, “Shadowland”
Eli, Helena, Anna - backing vocals on “Into the Mountains”
Pre-sales: https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/vreid-wnw
