Interview with Red Harvest
So how are you doing guys? Looking forward to the release of "Internal
Punishment Programs" I suppose? Satisfied with the outcome of the album?
Thomas: Hi there, we're fine thanks. Yeah i`m really looking forward to the release, it`s always a nice feeling to finally see the cd out in the record stores.
So i guess you can say that we're satisfied with the new product.
What can you tell the fans about the coming album? Can they expect any radical changes?
Thomas : Well there are no dramatic changes in the musical aspect. The Red Harvest sound is still there you know.
With samples and noise blended with heavy guitars, pounding drums and some programmed loops.
But i think the production on this album is the best we've ever had.
And that's the reason we went to studio Fredman in Gothenburg for the mixing part of the album. Fredrik Nordstrøm has a lot of experience producing/mixing
| Hybreed | 1996 |
| Newrage World Music | 1998 |
| Sick Transit Gloria Mundi | 2002 |
| Internal Punishment Programs | 2004.09.27 |
How do you proceed when you write your songs, considering the use of samples and so on. Is this something you add when you're in studio or have they been written in advance?
Thomas: We did most of the song writing in our rehearsal room. Just
jamming out the riffs.
Then we recorded all the songs live at rehearsal, and took it back to
Lars's home studio for further progress.
Adding more guitars and bass together with vocals.
The songs that has only got drum loops, was of course recorded at Lrz lair. It was a nice way of doing the pre-production.
The Keys/sample parts are usually the last thing we record in the studio.
So everything was written before we entered the studio.
What are the most significant reasons for you placing your material in the same musical alley for almost a decade?
Thomas : We create music that we truly believe in, and we have never followed any trends that`s has been around.
But it has been a long ride since our first album "Nomindsland" was released way back in 92.
There have been questions wether either of you have got any side project going on? In that case, what are they?
Thomas : Me and Jimmy are playing in a band called" Wacklevoren" together with Appolyon from Cadaver(Rip)/Aura Noir and a couple of other guys.
It's a mix of old thrash metal and hardcore/grind. Great fun. We're planning to record some songs this fall.
Tell me about Arctic Thunder and the transformation into Red Harvest. Are any of the original members from Arctic Thunder still in the band, and are they still around?
Thomas: I joined Arctic Thunder in jan/feb-87,teaming up with Jimmy and
Cato Bekkevold(Enslaved)
Back then we played a mixture of Helloween ,Metallica ,Metal Church.And
also Norwegian band called Artch(great Band).
Cato quit the band to go to music school, and we continued the band with 3 new members. But in may 89 Cato told us he wanted to play music with us again, and the time felt right to start something new and fresh.
So we split up Arctic Thunder and founded Red Harvest in the summer of 89. And yes, I and jimmy are still going strong.
How do you look upon the Norwegian metal scene considering the various styles within metal? You are particularly significant in the development of the newer black metal releases (especially thinging about the Thorns album).
Thomas: I think the Norwegian metal scene is growing stronger. Cause there are bands besides all the black metal bands starting to make a name for themselves. And that's a good thing.
I really like Thorns, but i see Thorns more of a black metal band moving away from the old formula And drawing influences from more industrial/machines elements. Red Harvest has done the opposite thing. We try to blend industrial/noise core into an ice cold metal cocktail. But we have never been, or will be a black metal band.
Well, this is about all we had. If you would like to say anything to those who read this, now's yer chance.
Thomas : Buy our new album of course, and join us in our search for total paranoia.