The Sonic Devastation of the Mighty KVAEN

The Sonic Devastation of the Mighty KVAEN

When black and speed metal explosively collide, you are entering the dark and burning world of the mighty KVAEN.  J. Björnfot is the mastermind behind scorching reveries KVAEN has to offer this vast and dying planet.  The Funeral Pyre is the latest slab of sonic devastation presented by KVAEN and unleashed through the Black Lion Records compound.  Featured within auditory flames of The Funeral Pyre are guest appearances by members of legendary bands such as NECROPHOBIC and IN AETERNUM.  At press time, it was announced that KVAEN will be opening for the one and only NAGLFAR! Highwire Daze dispatched an email inquiry to J. Björnfot to find out more about KVAEN and the unveiling of The Funeral Pyre.  Read on…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in KVAEN, and how long the band has been together.
I’m Jacob and I am the brain behind the band KVAEN. I do everything except play drums. I also write all the songs and lyrics. The band released it’s first single in early 2018.

Where are you based out of and what is the local music scene like there?
I live in a small town called Kalix. The local music scene is dead today, unfortunetly. We had a good scene in the north back in the 90’s but now it’s pretty much history.

How did you wind up signing with Black Lion Records?
Oliver offered me a great deal. He told me what he could offer and that was it, basically. And damn, the record has been selling like butter.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the The Funeral Pyre CD title?
Yes there is but, I don’t want to spoil the party. 😉

Select two songs from The Funeral Pyre and what inspired the lyrics.
Bestial Winter and Yee Naaldlooshii
Bestial Winter is about the isolation alot of people face here in the north and what the paranoia can drive you into. Total madness.
Yee Naaldlooshii: ”In Navajo culture, a skin-walker (Navajo: Yee naaldlooshii) is a type of harmful witch who has the ability to turn into, possess, or disguise themselves as an animal.”

Who did the cover art for The Funeral Pyre and how much input did you have on it?
Vhan Artwork & Printing. He already had the album ready for sale so we did a few final details on it and that was it.

How did Sebastian Ramstedt from Necrophobic become involved with KVAEN?
I have always been a fan of Necrophobic so I just asked him and he said Yes. Very simple! : – D

Perra Karlsson from In Aeternum was also involved with the making of The Funeral Pyre. How did that come about and what was it like working with him?
Perra is one of greatest guys I know! Very funny and totally dedicated to his art. I asked him around 2018 if he’d be down to play on two tracks on the album. He told me to send the songs and he’ll let me know. Well, the rest is history! Those two songs became magic!! Very easy to work with.

Has KVAEN ever played live or plan to do so in future days?
We do have a few gigs booked! The first gig will be with NAGLFAR, 1 May, in Gävle.

What was it like playing in The Duskfall and do you still keep in touch with Mikael Sandorf of any of the other members?
It was a good experience and I do not regret it. It came with alot of good things to have in the backpack! I do not talk often to the guys but there’s no bad blood (as far as I know)

Are you currently involved with any other bands outside of KVAEN?
Yes, I play live with a band called Ghost Ship Octavius from the US and then with a band called Devil’s Force from Sweden. Other than that, I do alot of session stuff for other bands.

What’s up next for KVAEN?
Live-gigs, enjoy the sales that are doing great and keep on writing songs.

Any final words of wisdom?
”Bow string and steel will prevail!”

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!
Thanks for showing your interest.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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