It may have taken them 5 years to return to music but it was worth waiting! This Norwegian duo seems to be very focused and conscientious at what they do. Their space, power, melodic metal music approach is once again quite awe-inspiring. We caught up with Keldian’s masterminds, Christer Andresen (lead vocals, guitars, bass) & Arild Aardalen (synthesizers, vocals) and had a very interesting chat about the bands, the music and so on…
Welcome back Christer & Arild after a 5 year hiatus! Why did it take you so long? What happened in the meantime?
C: Thank you for welcoming us back, Thanos! It’s great to be back and see the positive response to the new album! We didn’t mean for it to take so long, but the universe is unpredictable. The short version is simple – we had to reorganize our entire operation. We split from our record label and waited for the rights to our albums to revert back to us, so that we would be in a position to set up Keldian under our own umbrella and trade our music directly with our fans, no middle-men.
A: We also had to build a studio! I quit my job in the Oslo recording studio where we recorded most of the first two albums, which meant that we no longer had regular access to recording facilities. So I built a studio under a staircase in my house! All of these things took time, but now we’re all set, the operation is rolling like a battle tank, and “Outbound” is finally out there!
When did the work for the new – third album – start?
C: We have this funny thing, when we release an album we always get an itch to write new material. It’s like we’ve lived with the same songs for so long that we really feel the urge to create something new. So the first writing sessions for “Outbound” were actually done not too long after the release of “Journey of Souls”.
A: We did some sessions in late 2008, which included the songs “Burn the Sky”, “Never Existed”, and “Run for Your Life”. But we wanted to make sure we didn’t rush into the third album, so we always planned on doing writing sessions spread out over a bit of time. Some of the material we did during those initial sessions didn’t survive.
Did you have in mind to use new technologies and services like Indiegogo or it just came along the way?
C: In early 2013 our operation was up and running, but we knew we would need funds to complete certain parts of the production, like drum recordings and mastering sessions. We simply don’t make much money from Keldian music, and what we make we put right back into the band. That’s when we hit on the idea of fan funding! So we asked our fans to contribute to the production of “Outbound” at that point.
It’s really great that your fans are that loyal to the band. You see almost everyone uses new services like Indiegogo etc. but only the most popular and those who have a strong & steady fan-base manage to reach their goal. Were you surprised or you expected to reach your goal without any problems?
A: We had no idea what to expect. It was a complete experiment! It was a great moment in Keldian history when the campaign got off to a flying start and hit the goal in a very short time. It was a great feeling for us to get the confirmation that there are people out there who really care about our music, people that really feel that another Keldian album would make a difference for them. “Outbound” exists now because of the people who supported that Indiegogo campaign. Fantastic fans!
Didn’t it cross your mind to search out for a contract with a label at any point?
C: No, we had decided we wanted to do this ourselves. The biggest reason is the fact that record labels want a percentage of your digital downloads and streams. This makes no sense, because we can set those things up on our own and deal directly with the fans. There’s no reason why a middle-man should cut into that transaction.
A: And since no record company has ever offered us to pay for our productions, we don’t see why we should give them percentages of sales in return for nothing. The only downside is the fact that we are not able to offer physical CDs unless a distributor agrees to do so without getting any digital rights. We’re open to that! (i.n.: I wish you find a solution to that, but it’s hard to accomplish such a thing nowadays)
OK, back to the new album. Why did you name it “Outbound”?
C: The first songs we wrote were a little heavier and more aggressive, and the lyrics seemed to deal with escaping this or that, or racing to get somewhere first. “Outbound” came up as a title idea quite early in the process, which was helpful because it gave some direction to the writing of the lyrics.
How is the sun pic we see on the cover artwork related to the album title?
A: The energy of a star is most definitely outbound, isn’t it? At least until it goes nova and turns into a black hole or a neutron star. We wanted an image that was clearly Keldian-ish, that people would see and go “yeah, that’s gotta be a Keldian album all right!”, but we also wanted some hotter tones than the previous two album covers, which were both dominated by blue and grey tones.
Which is the concept idea behind the lyrics of “Outbound”?
C: It’s not a concept album, but we tend to gravitate towards a central theme when we write lyrics for an album. We think of albums as a whole, a musical novel in a way, and we can’t really help but tie our lyrics in to a visual and thematic concept. This time it was the idea of space exploration as a double-edged sword, whether humans head out there to explore or to destroy and dominate. And also heading out to a new kind of consciousness and encountering alien intelligence.
When will the physical CDs be available? I know that the number will be limited but will anyone who hasn’t taken part in the Indiegogo campaign get the chance to get it as well?
A: There are no plans for physical CDs beyond the limited contributor’s edition. Without the contributors this album would not exist, so that’s our thank you to everyone who actually made this possible. We hope to mail the CDs to contributors before the end of November. For everyone else, the album is available in lossless CD quality downloads from our Keldian Album Store on keldian.com!
The album was produced by you two, it was mixed and recorded by Arild Aardalen and it was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. Are you satisfied by the final outcome? I think it is very powerful & full.
C: Thank you! We are happy with it. It sounds like Keldian for sure, but it’s clearly a heavier album than the previous two. Our best production so far, in my opinion.
Since Keldian is all about you two, Christer & Arild, how do you choose the artists you work with?
A: That all comes down to what the material needs and who is available to join us for sessions in the studio. This time we didn’t need as many different things as on the previous record, so there are less people involved.
Once again you preferred to cooperate with the well-known Vreid drummer, Jorn Holen. Is he like a “third member of the band” or what?
C: You could say that! It’s great for us to be able to rely on Jørn. We know we’re gonna get kick-ass drum tracks every time, and we really think this is the best job he has done on a Keldian record so far. There’s a great feel to everything, and great variation in the vibe of the different songs.
Tell us about the other guest appearances on the album. Thommie Myhrvold, Helene Hande Midje & Kjell Vidar Merkesdal.
A: Friends and family that we use and abuse!
How would you define Keldian’s sound in general?
C: I don’t think I would want to do that. We create that sound. It should be up to other people to define what they hear. I’m inside that sound, not outside it.
What are your expectations from “Outbound”?
C: Multi-million sales! What else?!
A: Universe-wide fame would be nice!
You seem not to care about sales, labels, tours etc., you just do your thing and have fun with it. Can all this be over when the fun is gone or what? Is there a certain plan that you have in mind for Keldian?
C: We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t enjoy it, but it’s about much more than fun. Both of us have a strong urge to create music, to express ideas and emotions through music and lyrics, and that urge will never go away. It’s just who we are. We’ve found our own voice with Keldian, and we will never compromise that for anything or anyone.
A: Our only plan is to create music, and to communicate with our fans in an open and honest and direct way. This journey takes us wherever it takes us.
C: Thank you for welcoming us back, Thanos! It’s great to be back and see the positive response to the new album! We didn’t mean for it to take so long, but the universe is unpredictable. The short version is simple – we had to reorganize our entire operation. We split from our record label and waited for the rights to our albums to revert back to us, so that we would be in a position to set up Keldian under our own umbrella and trade our music directly with our fans, no middle-men.
A: We also had to build a studio! I quit my job in the Oslo recording studio where we recorded most of the first two albums, which meant that we no longer had regular access to recording facilities. So I built a studio under a staircase in my house! All of these things took time, but now we’re all set, the operation is rolling like a battle tank, and “Outbound” is finally out there!
When did the work for the new – third album – start?
C: We have this funny thing, when we release an album we always get an itch to write new material. It’s like we’ve lived with the same songs for so long that we really feel the urge to create something new. So the first writing sessions for “Outbound” were actually done not too long after the release of “Journey of Souls”.
A: We did some sessions in late 2008, which included the songs “Burn the Sky”, “Never Existed”, and “Run for Your Life”. But we wanted to make sure we didn’t rush into the third album, so we always planned on doing writing sessions spread out over a bit of time. Some of the material we did during those initial sessions didn’t survive.
Did you have in mind to use new technologies and services like Indiegogo or it just came along the way?
C: In early 2013 our operation was up and running, but we knew we would need funds to complete certain parts of the production, like drum recordings and mastering sessions. We simply don’t make much money from Keldian music, and what we make we put right back into the band. That’s when we hit on the idea of fan funding! So we asked our fans to contribute to the production of “Outbound” at that point.
It’s really great that your fans are that loyal to the band. You see almost everyone uses new services like Indiegogo etc. but only the most popular and those who have a strong & steady fan-base manage to reach their goal. Were you surprised or you expected to reach your goal without any problems?
A: We had no idea what to expect. It was a complete experiment! It was a great moment in Keldian history when the campaign got off to a flying start and hit the goal in a very short time. It was a great feeling for us to get the confirmation that there are people out there who really care about our music, people that really feel that another Keldian album would make a difference for them. “Outbound” exists now because of the people who supported that Indiegogo campaign. Fantastic fans!
Didn’t it cross your mind to search out for a contract with a label at any point?
C: No, we had decided we wanted to do this ourselves. The biggest reason is the fact that record labels want a percentage of your digital downloads and streams. This makes no sense, because we can set those things up on our own and deal directly with the fans. There’s no reason why a middle-man should cut into that transaction.
A: And since no record company has ever offered us to pay for our productions, we don’t see why we should give them percentages of sales in return for nothing. The only downside is the fact that we are not able to offer physical CDs unless a distributor agrees to do so without getting any digital rights. We’re open to that! (i.n.: I wish you find a solution to that, but it’s hard to accomplish such a thing nowadays)
OK, back to the new album. Why did you name it “Outbound”?
C: The first songs we wrote were a little heavier and more aggressive, and the lyrics seemed to deal with escaping this or that, or racing to get somewhere first. “Outbound” came up as a title idea quite early in the process, which was helpful because it gave some direction to the writing of the lyrics.
How is the sun pic we see on the cover artwork related to the album title?
A: The energy of a star is most definitely outbound, isn’t it? At least until it goes nova and turns into a black hole or a neutron star. We wanted an image that was clearly Keldian-ish, that people would see and go “yeah, that’s gotta be a Keldian album all right!”, but we also wanted some hotter tones than the previous two album covers, which were both dominated by blue and grey tones.
Which is the concept idea behind the lyrics of “Outbound”?
C: It’s not a concept album, but we tend to gravitate towards a central theme when we write lyrics for an album. We think of albums as a whole, a musical novel in a way, and we can’t really help but tie our lyrics in to a visual and thematic concept. This time it was the idea of space exploration as a double-edged sword, whether humans head out there to explore or to destroy and dominate. And also heading out to a new kind of consciousness and encountering alien intelligence.
When will the physical CDs be available? I know that the number will be limited but will anyone who hasn’t taken part in the Indiegogo campaign get the chance to get it as well?
A: There are no plans for physical CDs beyond the limited contributor’s edition. Without the contributors this album would not exist, so that’s our thank you to everyone who actually made this possible. We hope to mail the CDs to contributors before the end of November. For everyone else, the album is available in lossless CD quality downloads from our Keldian Album Store on keldian.com!
The album was produced by you two, it was mixed and recorded by Arild Aardalen and it was mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. Are you satisfied by the final outcome? I think it is very powerful & full.
C: Thank you! We are happy with it. It sounds like Keldian for sure, but it’s clearly a heavier album than the previous two. Our best production so far, in my opinion.
Since Keldian is all about you two, Christer & Arild, how do you choose the artists you work with?
A: That all comes down to what the material needs and who is available to join us for sessions in the studio. This time we didn’t need as many different things as on the previous record, so there are less people involved.
Once again you preferred to cooperate with the well-known Vreid drummer, Jorn Holen. Is he like a “third member of the band” or what?
C: You could say that! It’s great for us to be able to rely on Jørn. We know we’re gonna get kick-ass drum tracks every time, and we really think this is the best job he has done on a Keldian record so far. There’s a great feel to everything, and great variation in the vibe of the different songs.
Tell us about the other guest appearances on the album. Thommie Myhrvold, Helene Hande Midje & Kjell Vidar Merkesdal.
A: Friends and family that we use and abuse!
How would you define Keldian’s sound in general?
C: I don’t think I would want to do that. We create that sound. It should be up to other people to define what they hear. I’m inside that sound, not outside it.
What are your expectations from “Outbound”?
C: Multi-million sales! What else?!
A: Universe-wide fame would be nice!
You seem not to care about sales, labels, tours etc., you just do your thing and have fun with it. Can all this be over when the fun is gone or what? Is there a certain plan that you have in mind for Keldian?
C: We wouldn’t do this if we didn’t enjoy it, but it’s about much more than fun. Both of us have a strong urge to create music, to express ideas and emotions through music and lyrics, and that urge will never go away. It’s just who we are. We’ve found our own voice with Keldian, and we will never compromise that for anything or anyone.
A: Our only plan is to create music, and to communicate with our fans in an open and honest and direct way. This journey takes us wherever it takes us.
Have you ever considered giving a live show? If yes, under which circumstances could that happen?
C: The thing is, we don’t make much money from Keldian, and live shows would require a significant investment and risk, as well as a huge effort in assembling and rehearsing a band and a show. Unless promoters were willing to pay for such an undertaking, we don’t have the funds to do it ourselves.
A: Keldian was started as a studio project, not a live band. That’s the nature of the beast. Never say never, but right now we’re focused on putting whatever money that comes in from “Outbound right back into the writing and production of more music.
How do you see this new MP3-digital-free-dowloading culture of the 21st century? Does it actually threaten the bands/artists that much or not? What can be done in order to change and see people buying the physical thing (CDs, vinyl etc.) like the old days?
A: The old days will never return. You can’t get back to the way it was, you can only go with the flow and influence things in positive ways. The only threat to us is the fact that a lot of people now don’t want to pay for music at all. This is a crappy attitude that actually hurts the artists. In our case, we sell music directly to the people with no middle-men involved, so if you download Keldian from pirate sites you are only hurting us, making it harder for us to release new music. You are not fighting an evil record company corporation or anything like that. Keldian music is available legally and for a reasonable price through all significant internet outlets!
And some weird Questions now!!! How did you come up with the name Keldian?
C: Is that a weird question…? We originally came up with the name Keld, but it was already taken by some Swedish band. So we turned it into a sort of description, one who comes from the source, a Keldian.
What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
A: Hmmm, I don’t know... What I do like is the fact that today most people can record their own music and have it spread all over the world without much trouble. You gotta love these technological advances.
Put together the best metal band (vocals, guitars, bass, keys, drums)
C: Drums: Jørn Holen. Bass: Jason Newsted. Guitars: Adrian Smith and Richie Sambora. Keys: Arild Aardalen. Vocals: Bruce Dickinson.
A: Okay, an imaginary Keldian live line-up. Nice. Fist we go fetch Jørn “General Grid” Holen to play the drums. Then we travel to Finland and make bass player Marko Hietala an offer he can’t refuse. Then we travel back in time, and bring back the late 80’s version of Lita Ford and Ronni Le Tekrø to play the guitars. Keys: I’ll take care of that myself. And of course Chris on vocals. (Chris would also play a little guitars when he’s not too busy singing.) Yeah, that seems about right.
If you had the chance to travel in time… where would you choose to go? To the past or the future and why?
C: Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963. Should be obvious why.
A: My home town, June 25th year 2980. That would be an interesting sight.
Which is the most overrated band today?
C: We don’t say bad things about other bands. Live and let live!
Which is the strangest thing you’ve ever done?
A: Start an 80’s-inspired sci-fi metal band with a childhood friend. Well, maybe not so strange after all...
You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?
C: I’m too old for those what-ifs! How about having a beer with the celebrity of my choice? The problem is coming up with anyone you’d be interested in spending time with at all. A few pints with Maggie Gyllenhaal could be fun. And I’m sure a magnum bottle of red wine with Johnny Depp could be interesting and weird.
A: No comment. I’m married and wish to keep it that way. (i.n.: Hehehe…)
Best pick-up line that has worked for you several times in the past?
C: I wore Alice Cooper make-up to a costume party where I met my wife years ago. Luckily, she was a fan! Didn’t need a pick-up line with those looks, did I? (i.n.: Hell no!)
A: “You don’t need to see my identification. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for”…
Imagine that your wife/girlfriend is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react? J
A: I actually did sell all my CDs couple of years back! They took up so much space it was ridiculous. And it was such a hassle changing CDs all the time. Now I got all my music on my HTPC (ripped in lossless of course), hooked up to my kick-ass stereo via a nice Abrahamsen DAC.
Thank you very much for this very interesting interview guys … Keep up the good work! Please leave a note to Grande Rock readers… Take care!
C: Hey, Grande Rock readers! Thank you for showing interest in Keldian. We hope you want to check out “Outbound” and join us on the journey to the stars. Be safe, keep an open mind, and enjoy metal!
C: The thing is, we don’t make much money from Keldian, and live shows would require a significant investment and risk, as well as a huge effort in assembling and rehearsing a band and a show. Unless promoters were willing to pay for such an undertaking, we don’t have the funds to do it ourselves.
A: Keldian was started as a studio project, not a live band. That’s the nature of the beast. Never say never, but right now we’re focused on putting whatever money that comes in from “Outbound right back into the writing and production of more music.
How do you see this new MP3-digital-free-dowloading culture of the 21st century? Does it actually threaten the bands/artists that much or not? What can be done in order to change and see people buying the physical thing (CDs, vinyl etc.) like the old days?
A: The old days will never return. You can’t get back to the way it was, you can only go with the flow and influence things in positive ways. The only threat to us is the fact that a lot of people now don’t want to pay for music at all. This is a crappy attitude that actually hurts the artists. In our case, we sell music directly to the people with no middle-men involved, so if you download Keldian from pirate sites you are only hurting us, making it harder for us to release new music. You are not fighting an evil record company corporation or anything like that. Keldian music is available legally and for a reasonable price through all significant internet outlets!
And some weird Questions now!!! How did you come up with the name Keldian?
C: Is that a weird question…? We originally came up with the name Keld, but it was already taken by some Swedish band. So we turned it into a sort of description, one who comes from the source, a Keldian.
What are those things that you do not like in the music industry nowadays?
A: Hmmm, I don’t know... What I do like is the fact that today most people can record their own music and have it spread all over the world without much trouble. You gotta love these technological advances.
Put together the best metal band (vocals, guitars, bass, keys, drums)
C: Drums: Jørn Holen. Bass: Jason Newsted. Guitars: Adrian Smith and Richie Sambora. Keys: Arild Aardalen. Vocals: Bruce Dickinson.
A: Okay, an imaginary Keldian live line-up. Nice. Fist we go fetch Jørn “General Grid” Holen to play the drums. Then we travel to Finland and make bass player Marko Hietala an offer he can’t refuse. Then we travel back in time, and bring back the late 80’s version of Lita Ford and Ronni Le Tekrø to play the guitars. Keys: I’ll take care of that myself. And of course Chris on vocals. (Chris would also play a little guitars when he’s not too busy singing.) Yeah, that seems about right.
If you had the chance to travel in time… where would you choose to go? To the past or the future and why?
C: Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963. Should be obvious why.
A: My home town, June 25th year 2980. That would be an interesting sight.
Which is the most overrated band today?
C: We don’t say bad things about other bands. Live and let live!
Which is the strangest thing you’ve ever done?
A: Start an 80’s-inspired sci-fi metal band with a childhood friend. Well, maybe not so strange after all...
You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?
C: I’m too old for those what-ifs! How about having a beer with the celebrity of my choice? The problem is coming up with anyone you’d be interested in spending time with at all. A few pints with Maggie Gyllenhaal could be fun. And I’m sure a magnum bottle of red wine with Johnny Depp could be interesting and weird.
A: No comment. I’m married and wish to keep it that way. (i.n.: Hehehe…)
Best pick-up line that has worked for you several times in the past?
C: I wore Alice Cooper make-up to a costume party where I met my wife years ago. Luckily, she was a fan! Didn’t need a pick-up line with those looks, did I? (i.n.: Hell no!)
A: “You don’t need to see my identification. These aren’t the droids you’re looking for”…
Imagine that your wife/girlfriend is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react? J
A: I actually did sell all my CDs couple of years back! They took up so much space it was ridiculous. And it was such a hassle changing CDs all the time. Now I got all my music on my HTPC (ripped in lossless of course), hooked up to my kick-ass stereo via a nice Abrahamsen DAC.
Thank you very much for this very interesting interview guys … Keep up the good work! Please leave a note to Grande Rock readers… Take care!
C: Hey, Grande Rock readers! Thank you for showing interest in Keldian. We hope you want to check out “Outbound” and join us on the journey to the stars. Be safe, keep an open mind, and enjoy metal!