V:28

Interview with Kristoffer Oustad and Eddie Risdal conducted by Jan F. Lindsø in 2009

All things need to come to an end, and what could be more natural than a band based upon this saying coming to an end itself? V:28 has given us a foray into the impending apocalypse, and by the end of 2008 they called it quits. This is the last interview they did before putting the last nail into the coffin.



Last things first; V:28 is history. What’s the reason you decided to quit?

EDDIE:
We had this possibility already right from the start, as the concept and the trilogy was set more or less from day one. V:28 was both a continuation of the previous band V:O:I:D, yet a fresh and new start. V:O:I:D had much of the same visual expression and also dealt much with the war theme, but it was a bit more unstructured. With V:28 we had strict "rules", in particular on the conceptual and lyrical side, so as the trilogy was getting to an end we had to make a decision whether to continue or not. There were several pros and cons to sum up, and we found out that it was for the best to quit whilst on top. Kristoffer, who more or less IS the band, and responsible for all lyrics and at least 95 % of the music, had a hard time getting together “VioLution”, the final chapter in the trilogy. His aim is of course to make every release better than the previous, and even if he (or we) also did that with “VioLution”, it would be close to impossible to top it with a fourth release. Another option we discussed was to do an "Ulver maneuver" and do a radical change in style, but we landed on putting the band to rest.

KRISTOFFER:
Even though we thought about maybe continue the band from time to time, it feels like a very correct decision towards the band to quit at the point we did. The whole concept is based upon things coming to an end, and what could be more natural than the band itself coming to an end?

We're sure many people wonder about your band name? What’s the story?

KRISTOFFER:
When V:O:I:D was disbanded, we wanted a name that stood out from everything else. When we checked up how many bands called themselves Void in one or another way of writing it, and I remember it being at least 20, so a name change would have been a good idea either way. The idea was to find a name that showed the industrial and technological side of the band, yet didn’t have any strong relations to anything specific. After some massive brain storming, digging in the past and multiplying it with the future, we ended up with the name V:28. Also the fact that the band concept had a very strong connection to war themes, the name V:28 struck us as a good and unique name for our outfit. There are also some connections between the V:28 name and the V:O:I:D name that we will let you figure out yourself. The key lies within the numbers, and numbers rule the universe…

Why did you make a trilogy? Was this the plan all from the start?

EDDIE:
I can't really recall WHY it became a three chapter story, it was maybe the urge to do something different, as the whole band was a sort of experiment. It was a test on "how much can you evolve, develop and experiment within strict frames". It is not an epic story from A to Z told over the three albums, rather touching different subjects comprised by the same theme. This is definitely something quite different from what most other bands are doing when dealing with a concept album or series of albums. It is also important to stress that we never take anyone's part in the story, neither is it seen from a religious or political point of view. The conflicts are brought to a global, individual and mental level. Raw and brutal, just like viewed on your TV in your living room.

Your video “Shut it down” looks pretty professional, and contains the mandatory death and devastation-theme, but what's the story in the video and the lyrics?

KRISTOFFER:
First of all I think it’s important to mention that this video was done by a group of students as part of their bachelor degree, and I must admit the result surpassed my expectations by far. The video used a lot of techniques never used in metal videos that I know of, and even though it’s not necessarily a groundbreaking video generally speaking, I think it is within the metal genre. It shows a production that doesn’t pay any attention to the trends, and by using the cartoonlike animations it gives the video a whole new dimension.

The video and lyrics pretty much sums up a lot of the whole V:28 concept. The main theme is things coming to an end and how we got there. The video is also a display of the role the industrialization has played for mankind. Today a lot of people lose their jobs due to robots and machines taking over because of being superior to human labor. A result of this is a huge difference in the standard of living, which results in a lot of tension, and as an utter consequence lead to terrorism, the biggest challenge the World has had to face thus far.

“NonAnthropogenic”, “SoulSaviour”, and “VioLution” are the three releases that constitute the V:28 trilogy. Why did you choose these titles, and what do they mean?

KRISTOFFER:
The album titles have a strong connection to the respective albums and represent cause, hope and solution. “NonAnthropogenic” means something like “not caused by humans”, however, that’s only half the truth of what we put into it. The title has a diversity of meanings and it’s a bit complex to explain. It has something to do with how and why the World and the whole Universe will collapse at some point, an event no human can prevent or affect in any way. However, how things have evolved the last century, we cannot blame humanity for not making a great effort in speeding things up.

At the point where “SoulSaviour” kicks in, there is absolutely no way back (if there ever was one?), and humanity is gradually getting well aware of it. The title represents the false hope people hold on to, and in desperate times they do whatever is necessary to save themselves, revealing the primal and egoistic instinct if the human kind, or any predator for that matter. Times like these also make fertile conditions for any hypocritical religious movements, and just looking at what has been going on the last years, you can clearly link it to real events. Never has the human race been closer to extinction than the last 50 years, and thus you see all these doomsday cults popping up. One man’s apprehension is another man’s wealth.

With the “VioLution” album we approach the problem on a more universal platform. It goes deeper into the nature of physics and how everything affects the human behavior in one way or another. End times, death and decay. These are phenomena humanity exercise and trigger with their own hands, but when having to deal with it on a universal time scale, we feel small and worthless. For what is a human life on the universal time axis?

Each album has a subtitle that in many ways give a meaning to the main album title. I have a great fascination for using contrasts and play with words, so there’s always room for interpretation. We don’t want to give away the whole meaning behind everything we do. To get a complete understanding or impression of any of the albums, or the whole concept for that matter, it requires the listener’s full attention. After all, the concept isn’t based upon some epic story, so it’s up to the listener to bring down the apocalypse to a personal level.

Why do you use programmed drums? Do you have problems finding a drummer, or is it a well-planned decision? In my opinion it adds something to the industrial, synthetic and robotic atmosphere.

EDDIE:
We can go more than ten years back on this subject. Both Kristoffer and I had our separate bands in the mid- to late nineties, but with quite different approaches to extreme metal. His band was a pretty basic death metal band, drums, bass, guitar, while mine was more of a studio project, making songs and recording them. We didn't have a drummer since there were no one around where we lived who were able to play black metal blast beats for several minutes. So the best option was to use programmed drums. I started with a tiny (and now when I look back on it, pretty crappy) shareware drum program called LeafDrums. Anyway, that way we could get together songs sounding like a "real" band. Some years later, when Kristoffer’s band was disbanded, he had a couple of songs he wanted me to help him record. I had an 8-track portable studio and during the last days of 2000 we had a creative session and ended up with 5 tracks, which resulted in the second demo under the V:O:I:D moniker, called "Galaxy B-28.Unreal". I programmed drums and played the bass, we split the keyboard duties while he did the guitar and vocals. So, already back then we might have planted the seed that would grow to become V:28. I also have to add that after that he have outdone me on the programming side, so when I'm still an amateur he's now one of the best, together with XY from Samael.

Even if we had a drummer playing more or less the same as the programmed drums I don't think it would be right for us. As you said, programmed drums fit the concept, which basically is about the “war” between mankind and machines, and the programmed drums strengthen the mechanical and industrial feeling. Since we've always been fans of bands like Samael, Limbonic Art and Aborym we saw that it was possible to get somewhere even without a drummer. Metal fans are usually very basic and afraid of changes, so we've more than once been confronted with this. I think it's more a visual thing on concerts, but when we've had the possibility we have used projectors and multimedia to give the audience something to watch if they're missing the drum kit on stage. That's also a good thing as this only enhances the performance and thus the concert experience for the audience.

You’ve been working with LRZ as a producer on each album. In what degree has he been playing a part in getting the sound and result you’ve been looking for?

KRISTOFFER:
LRZ has more or less been like a fourth member of V:28 throughout the existence of the band. We hooked up with him back in 2002, when we played a gig together with Red Harvest. I gave him a demo and asked if he was interested in producing our debut album. After he gave it a few listens he told us he was more than interested in doing the job, so in the summer of 2003 we went to Oslo to record our debut album. The job he did with the “NonAnthropogenic” album surpassed our expectations by far, and the fact that he was very easy to communicate with and shared a lot of our visions made it very easy for us. So, when we were to record our second album we had only one man on our list, and luckily LRZ was up for it. Once again he did an outstanding job, and the production fit the progression of the music as well as the concept very well. And for the third album we didn’t have to ask him, as he had become aware of the fact that he had become like a third officer on our voyage into deep space. I think the fact that we managed to hit it off on a social and visionary level made it a very productive and creative process, and with the effort of both parts, we managed to bring out the best in the band.

I have to say I'm quite surprised that V:28 still is a pretty unknown band. You have top notch videos, great visuals and everything about you is very thorough, including the music. Do you have any idea why you haven't had your big breakthrough? I mean, if anyone deserves it, it should be you?

EDDIE:
First and foremost I think we made it difficult for ourselves with the concept we had. Even if we stood out from the regulars we had this "uncomfortable" thing written all over the music, and the story we tell is very pessimistic and dark, while most people, even metal people, wants to be happy and think that everything will be ok. And even if the music isn't the fastest or most brutal, it hasn't the same commercial appeal as Dimmu Borgir or Satyricon, it simply isn't that easy to digest for the lot even if it's better than those, hehe! Another important factor is that we've never toured our asses off, and touring is probably the most important thing to gain popularity and recognition for most bands. You could say that we should have done the Europe tour after the first record, but the fact is that it was impossible back then, because we didn't know all those people who helped us organize it five years ago.

KRISTOFFER:
I also think that the listener has to do a much bigger effort to get into V:28 than most other metal bands, being it the visual concepts, the lyrics and the music itself. Most bands within the extreme metal genre always like to display their messages in a most clear and “shocking” way, using symbols and imagery, I’m sure only half of the band members know what stands for. That’s also why I think the people that take their time getting into the band are truly dedicated fans. And to us there is nothing more rewarding than getting feedback from people that have spends a lot of time and effort getting into your work!

You have a lot of special editions and box-sets, for example a really cool metal box. Are you fans of collector items? And how did you make the boxes?

EDDIE:
Personally I'm no big fan of several versions of each release. That's not the case with these releases though, which serves as "something extra" added to the regular formats. First it was the limited version of “SoulSaviour” that was only sold at the release gig for that album. We recorded a cover song of the American cult band Bleak when we nailed that album, and thought it was a good idea to make a strictly limited release of the song. We made only 28 CDRs with the song "One Last Breath", put it in a cardboard sleeve together with the album in a box made from old circuit boards. It was made from a massive, and almost two meter high, letter V which we only used at our first gig as V:O:I:D. The same cover track was later released on the remix album, “Total Reconstruction”.

Second out was the metal box. There was a relatively high demand for the old demos, so this box was an opportunity to give them what they didn't have plus some extra. We added a new t-shirt and some pictures to go along with it.

The final box was the wooden box, which was made to hold the whole trilogy plus the remix album. It was made by a local guy who makes all kinds of stuff out of wood. It is the most organic element we've dealt with, and a contrast to the highly inhuman design of the previous boxes.

All boxes are now sold out, but of course all albums can still be purchased separately.

You recently released the remix album “Total Reconstruction”, featuring a lot of high profiled artist from the industrial and dark ambient scene. What was the idea behind this release?

KRISTOFFER:
The idea behind the remix album was spawned at a very early stage in the band's career, even before we released the debut album, although we didn’t quite know how, when or even if it would ever happen. Over the years we’ve established a lot of relationships to other artist and bands, something you can see from the numerous guest contributions on the regular albums as well, so we thought it would be a good idea to ask a selection of them if they were interested in doing their interpretation of one of our songs. What amazed me with the result was that the V:28 atmosphere was still there even though the songs sounded far from the original versions. Most of the artist featured on the CD operates in a quite different genre than V:28, but we share a lot of the same atmospheric and conceptual ideas, and what we wanted to explore with this release was how other artist would put together the source material they were given. Every artist picked their own track to remix, and were given 100 % artistic freedom. I didn’t quite know what to expect from it, but I was very happy with how everything turned out in the end. Often I consider releases like these more of an interesting release than a good release, but that it definitely not the case with the “Total Reconstruction” album. The songs structures are were well arranged and there are a lot of treats for the fans or fans of alternative and dark music in general. In addition to the ten remixes we added two cover tracks, the mentioned track by Bleak and “All Lined Up” by Swans.

V:28 has also had a tradition on working with other artist on your regular albums. In what degree do these contributions affect the final result?

KRISTOFFER:
Guest contributions sometimes feel like a vitamin injection, both to the song, but also to me as a composer. Different people have different approaches to all sorts of things, and it often takes another man’s ears or eyes to find what you’ve been looking for.

Regarding the visuals. You have some really cool posters, merchandise and not to forget you logo. Are you doing the designs yourselves?

EDDIE:
Yes, Kristoffer made them all, Atle and I only approved them, hehe! Kris never seems to get out of new and untypical ideas on this matter. Many of the designs are very far from death metal, where the stereotype is unreadable band logos and blood and corpses all over the place. So why not do a t-shirt that looks like anything but a death metal band preaching of how the world comes to an end?

KRISTOFFER:
It’s all about the way you approach things. There’s so many ways of seeing things, and in a generally narrow minded music scene, I think it’s important to add your personal touch and don’t care about what’s expected. Sophistication and rebellion hand in hand, that’s the way of the Devil!



Before calling it quits, you did a small European tour. How was it, and how was the response from the audience? What was your greatest moment?

EDDIE:
As none of us had been on a tour like this before, it was very exciting. We had thought about every little Spinal Tap-thing that could go wrong, but to our surprise, everything went just perfect! There were no logistic problems worth a mention, no engine breakdowns, no robberies, no injuries or illness, nothing!

KRISTOFFER:
The World Wide Bombing Tour is something that we had been working with for a long time, and we always had a plan of doing it at some point. Not having a management or anything, we had to do everything ourselves, and believe me, it’s quite a job getting eight gigs in nine days without having to drive across the entire Europe between each gig. Anyway, as V:28 would come to an end in 2008, the timing was perfect. We have had a few years to spread the name, and we played for a mix of die hard fans and people that haven’t heard us before. The response was great, and in general way better than we could ever hope for. I guess we didn’t have too high expectations when we hit the road, so it was really rewarding getting the great feedback from the audience. It’s definitely among the best experiences I’ve ever had, both as an artist and private person.

You threw your last gig in your hometown Arendal, we're sure this was a quite special night for you? Can you tell us about it?

KRISTOFFER:
Yeah, it definitely was a special experience for us. As soon as we made the decision to call it quits, we started planning things and how to end it in the best way possible. The way I see things, the whole World Wide Bombing Tour was a sort of farewell tour, and it was to some degree a coincidence that we chose to end it in Arendal. However, we’ve always been loyal to our local fans, and it felt very right ending it here. The fact that the venue is among the best of those we’ve played at, makes it easier to do a spectacular show. We had a video backdrop especially made for this tour, but due to limitations on the other venues we played at, we only got the chance to show it in Arendal and at the Aurora Infernalis festival in The Netherlands.

We were organizing the show ourselves that night, which made it easier for us to plan the set and the concert as a whole. The concert lasted for about 75 minutes, and the tracks were played in a chronological order, to sort of go through the whole trilogy from the beginning to the end. The video was also edited to enhance the lyrical theme of each track, and we’re really happy with how things turned out. Playing live is definitely a very powerful experience and the music fits a live setting very well.

It’s also worth a mention that we were invited to play support for Enslaved in Oslo and Hamar on their Vertebrae European Tour. Those gigs stand out as two among the many highlights in the V:28 career, and it felt like there was some superior universal meaning to it, as we played our debut gig as support for Enslaved in Bergen back in 2002. The circle is closed!

What is left for you individuals now as your mission as V:28 is accomplished? Do you have any plans for the future, and will we see you in any other acts?

EDDIE:
There's no problem filling time with music even if V:28 is history. Atle and me have had the band Ancestral Legacy for more than a decade, so the main focus will be on that from now on. Things seems to have happened in slow motion for many years, but now we have a fresh record deal and a new album soon to be released, and thus there will be a bit promotion for it, interviews, concerts and spamming on Myspace of course. I also have a little cover band project if there is any free time left. And no plans of involving me in any new time consuming bands in the future...

KRISTOFFER:
One of the great things about finishing off things is the feeling of accomplishment, reaching the goal you set out to reach in the first place. And as for V:28, it turned into something much bigger and better than I ever hoped for from the beginning. For me the "finishing process" almost felt like a marathon, as it drained from all my energy, but still there's a huge reward finally reaching goal. So, the fist thing that comes to mind isn't running another lap. It's been great having two years off now, and I haven't even thought about, not had the inspiration to compose music over that period. I'm also involved in some other projects, sound wise quite far from V:28, that I will work with from now on. One if them is the industrial band Kristoffer Nystroms Orkester, which is a collaboration between two Swedes and I. We released an album back in 2006, so we might start working on a follow up to that. I'm also involved in a new project, but has just started up. We don't have a name yet, nor started to make music, so it will be interesting to sew how things will evolve. The only thing i know is that we have some things in common, even though we come from different backgrounds.