After a long long time the debut album by Tritonus is finally out! It’s indeed a dream come true for the band members and for the music lovers! We had the chance to chat with the band’s mastermind, songwriter & guitarist Carl August Tidemann about the “old days” of the band, its future, the new album and so on. Read below for more…
Hi Carl. After a long time “Prison of Light” is a dream come true! The album is exceptional and very lyrical! We’ve added it to our “Gem” category! Kudos!
C: Thanks a lot, it is for sure a dream come true for us as well… (laughs…)
You started recording the album in 2000 and everything was finalized in 2006. Why did it take you so long?
C: Well, we started recording the album at a period in our lives where most of us where starting to establish a family, building houses etc. so there was a lot going on in everybody’s life that made it difficult to proceed at the tempo we wanted.
There was (I do not know if I’m wrong) a “copy” of the album which seems to have been on the web in 2007 and had also been characterized as the debut album. I guess that copy was unmastered and unmixed. Are you aware of that? How did that album copy found its way to the Internet?
C: I have just heard about this recently, and did not know the album had leaked out at that time. Basically, some label worker must have leaked it, as it was just sent to very few selected labels. Anyway, that’s the way things work today I guess… (i.n.: That’s so bad & unprofessional behavior! Label workers must be more cautious in general!)
OK, what happened and from 2006 till 2013 the album never saw the light of day? What were those incidents that kept you way from releasing it?
C: Again, timing issues and everybody being to busy to work properly with promoting it and getting a deal done. In addition the record industry started to suffer a lot from the new download trends, and they where not interested in putting sufficient funds on the table for a decent release. In the end we decided to do it ourselves. I have to give a lot of credit for this release to my co-guitarist and good friend Thor Axel Eriksen. He’s the guy that put the necessary “vitamins” back in the band, and to get this release going.
What is the “Prison of Light”? What does the album’s title signify?
C: Honestly, I was never much into writing lyrics. I believe it has something to do with “Black Holes”. Wish I could answer better to this one, but it is in fact our drummer Ole who has been responsible for most of the lyrics. Hence, I will pass on attempting to tell you the story behind each track… (laughs) (i.n.: OK, that’s fair enough!)
You preferred to keep the old recordings, which is why the album has that “early 00s” loose/sweet sound. Were the mixing and the mastering done the previous couple of years? Do you think that this production can stand compared to today’s standards? It is very good and a bit “nostalgic” in my eyes.
C: No the mixing and mastering was done years ago, but we decided to keep the sound as it was. In my opinion, way to many bands in this genre today has the exact same sound in their production, and to me it sounds a bit boring to hear the same sound replaced drums and edited guitars on every prog metal album. There is little (if any) editing on “Prison of Light”. The way it sounds is the way it was played.
There are also some guest contributions by Lasse Finbråten (Circus Maximus, Wig Wam, Mindtech) on keys, Øystein Moe (Winds, ex-Ulver) on bass, Mathis Dikkanen (Among Gods, Tog) on bass and Erik Devold on additional guitars on the album. Was all that part of the 6-year recordings and the band’s several line-up changes?
C: That is correct, all these guys has at some point been a member of the band. Lasse was in Tritonus prior to joining Circus Maximus. Øystein was the original bass player, and is now back in the band. He worked with me also on Winds “Prominence and Demise”. He is a fantastic bass player and musician. Mathis was in fact his bass student and took his place for some years when Solemn decided he wanted to do other stuff. Erik is Ole’s brother, and stepped in when Thor Axel wanted a break from the band.
Did you have in mind to form a music label or it just occurred in the meantime while looking for labels to release your albums with both Tritonus and Mindtech?
C: It occurred over time, when we realized how difficult it had become to get a decent deal. Again, it was Thor Axel who pushed forward with this idea, and made it happen.
There’s already a video for “Demons” out & lyric video for the homonymous track “Prison of Light” out. Do you plan to release any official video in the near future? A video for “To Travel Without Motion” would be great, in my opinion.
C: There is currently no video planned, but if we get the opportunity to do so (read: get the necessary funds) we will.
So, now that your greatly desired debut album is out, what’s next for Tritonus?
C: We are talking about starting the writing process for a new album, but we need to sit down to plan a reasonable schedule, as we are all involved in other bands/projects as well. I hope we can get started early next year.
You recently played in Prog Power Oslo. How was the show? Have you booked any other live shows as yet?
C: It was a great kick for us, as we had not been together on stage for MANY years. We are currently approaching some festivals, and are open to support some of our friends on their headliner gigs.
By the way how did you come up with the name Tritonus back in the day?
C: I was into studying music theory and found this term to suit the kind of music I was writing. Tritonus describes a musical interval, which is a raised 4 from the tonic, and was in old church music called the devils interval (lat. diabolus in musica).
I almost forget. What’s going on with Winds? Is the band on hold or what? Why did you suddenly stop releasing albums?
C: We have started the recording of a new album, but both Andy and myself have been very busy with our day jobs, and other projects.
Norway is a country that has a long tradition in metal music. Do you think that the Black Metal side of Norway wasn’t the apt example of what Norwegian metal is all about? Was it Black Metal that started everything?
C: Well, I was never into Black Metal at all, and did not really understand the hype and the attention it received abroad. To me, there was always other metal from Norway, that I regarded a lot higher quality (in my opinion that is) than most black metal bands. I do not remember when black metal started getting big, but hey… it was not before TNT already had huge success abroad, so I do not believe they “started” it all, but they sure did get a lot of attention. But then again, they did some serious marketing to... pretty sure all those churches burning down goes into the history book as one of the more expensive marketing campaigns in the history of Norwegian metal…
C: Thanks a lot, it is for sure a dream come true for us as well… (laughs…)
You started recording the album in 2000 and everything was finalized in 2006. Why did it take you so long?
C: Well, we started recording the album at a period in our lives where most of us where starting to establish a family, building houses etc. so there was a lot going on in everybody’s life that made it difficult to proceed at the tempo we wanted.
There was (I do not know if I’m wrong) a “copy” of the album which seems to have been on the web in 2007 and had also been characterized as the debut album. I guess that copy was unmastered and unmixed. Are you aware of that? How did that album copy found its way to the Internet?
C: I have just heard about this recently, and did not know the album had leaked out at that time. Basically, some label worker must have leaked it, as it was just sent to very few selected labels. Anyway, that’s the way things work today I guess… (i.n.: That’s so bad & unprofessional behavior! Label workers must be more cautious in general!)
OK, what happened and from 2006 till 2013 the album never saw the light of day? What were those incidents that kept you way from releasing it?
C: Again, timing issues and everybody being to busy to work properly with promoting it and getting a deal done. In addition the record industry started to suffer a lot from the new download trends, and they where not interested in putting sufficient funds on the table for a decent release. In the end we decided to do it ourselves. I have to give a lot of credit for this release to my co-guitarist and good friend Thor Axel Eriksen. He’s the guy that put the necessary “vitamins” back in the band, and to get this release going.
What is the “Prison of Light”? What does the album’s title signify?
C: Honestly, I was never much into writing lyrics. I believe it has something to do with “Black Holes”. Wish I could answer better to this one, but it is in fact our drummer Ole who has been responsible for most of the lyrics. Hence, I will pass on attempting to tell you the story behind each track… (laughs) (i.n.: OK, that’s fair enough!)
You preferred to keep the old recordings, which is why the album has that “early 00s” loose/sweet sound. Were the mixing and the mastering done the previous couple of years? Do you think that this production can stand compared to today’s standards? It is very good and a bit “nostalgic” in my eyes.
C: No the mixing and mastering was done years ago, but we decided to keep the sound as it was. In my opinion, way to many bands in this genre today has the exact same sound in their production, and to me it sounds a bit boring to hear the same sound replaced drums and edited guitars on every prog metal album. There is little (if any) editing on “Prison of Light”. The way it sounds is the way it was played.
There are also some guest contributions by Lasse Finbråten (Circus Maximus, Wig Wam, Mindtech) on keys, Øystein Moe (Winds, ex-Ulver) on bass, Mathis Dikkanen (Among Gods, Tog) on bass and Erik Devold on additional guitars on the album. Was all that part of the 6-year recordings and the band’s several line-up changes?
C: That is correct, all these guys has at some point been a member of the band. Lasse was in Tritonus prior to joining Circus Maximus. Øystein was the original bass player, and is now back in the band. He worked with me also on Winds “Prominence and Demise”. He is a fantastic bass player and musician. Mathis was in fact his bass student and took his place for some years when Solemn decided he wanted to do other stuff. Erik is Ole’s brother, and stepped in when Thor Axel wanted a break from the band.
Did you have in mind to form a music label or it just occurred in the meantime while looking for labels to release your albums with both Tritonus and Mindtech?
C: It occurred over time, when we realized how difficult it had become to get a decent deal. Again, it was Thor Axel who pushed forward with this idea, and made it happen.
There’s already a video for “Demons” out & lyric video for the homonymous track “Prison of Light” out. Do you plan to release any official video in the near future? A video for “To Travel Without Motion” would be great, in my opinion.
C: There is currently no video planned, but if we get the opportunity to do so (read: get the necessary funds) we will.
So, now that your greatly desired debut album is out, what’s next for Tritonus?
C: We are talking about starting the writing process for a new album, but we need to sit down to plan a reasonable schedule, as we are all involved in other bands/projects as well. I hope we can get started early next year.
You recently played in Prog Power Oslo. How was the show? Have you booked any other live shows as yet?
C: It was a great kick for us, as we had not been together on stage for MANY years. We are currently approaching some festivals, and are open to support some of our friends on their headliner gigs.
By the way how did you come up with the name Tritonus back in the day?
C: I was into studying music theory and found this term to suit the kind of music I was writing. Tritonus describes a musical interval, which is a raised 4 from the tonic, and was in old church music called the devils interval (lat. diabolus in musica).
I almost forget. What’s going on with Winds? Is the band on hold or what? Why did you suddenly stop releasing albums?
C: We have started the recording of a new album, but both Andy and myself have been very busy with our day jobs, and other projects.
Norway is a country that has a long tradition in metal music. Do you think that the Black Metal side of Norway wasn’t the apt example of what Norwegian metal is all about? Was it Black Metal that started everything?
C: Well, I was never into Black Metal at all, and did not really understand the hype and the attention it received abroad. To me, there was always other metal from Norway, that I regarded a lot higher quality (in my opinion that is) than most black metal bands. I do not remember when black metal started getting big, but hey… it was not before TNT already had huge success abroad, so I do not believe they “started” it all, but they sure did get a lot of attention. But then again, they did some serious marketing to... pretty sure all those churches burning down goes into the history book as one of the more expensive marketing campaigns in the history of Norwegian metal…
I think it’s time for our weird Questions!!! 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?
C: I do believe it threatens the artist, as it is way more difficult to make a living doing music now than 10-15 years back. However, metal is a very dedicated genre, both on the band and the fan side, and most bands in this genre was never making much money anyway… (laughs). Seriously speaking, I believe the record industry was sleeping during class, they should have been reacting differently than with law suits and hustle actions, and instead tried to find good and efficient way to sell their music online at reasonable prices (both for fans and artists). If they had done so, I am sure things have been a bit different now. Apple understood this (as they do understand a lot of things that has to do with user comfort), and Itunes is a massive success for them.
Do you believe that all those incidents in the early 90s… in the Norwegian black metal scene have caused any kind of problems or helped the scene become more known all over the world?
C: I think most people understand that this was an act of a few frustrated kids, and do not think it is common for Norwegian metal musicians to burn churches or kill people. It did get a lot of attention, and, I am pretty sure it caused some “mysitique” around Norwegian black metal abroad.
What is missing from today’s music industry? What are albums missing? Is it that quality they used to have back in the 70s and 80s?
C: There are still a lot of great bands out there, and some are still innovative. As a former guitar teacher, I saw an increase in technical skills with the students that approached me, but unfortunately, I also saw a decrease in creativity. I believe the reason being, that it is a lot easier now a days to learn a song by a different artist just by checking YouTube. This will make you a better player, but no necessary boost your creativity. Also the new technologies have changed the production methods a lot. Today, you track a riff, and cut and paste it, or you edit drums to grid. Sometimes these methods can help you create a better result, but often, it also “flattens” the sound and makes the production less lively.
Who is the most overrated artist/band today?
C: Wow… not sure. I tend to think most people have worked hard to get where they are, even thou they do stuff I do not understand or like. I recently discovered that some super-technical death metal bands are actually cheating with midi files for their crazy chops. If so they are definitely overrated even if they just sold one album! (in.: Hehehe!)
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music evolution, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
C: Impossible, but I would probably go for “Images and Words” by Dream Theater or “Passion and Warfare” by Steve Vai. Very progressive and musical albums both of them
Which is the strangest thing you’ve ever done?
C: Trying to practice during sleep to save time. Did not work as intended.
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react? J
C: I do not have a album collection anymore, so she would have to sell my MacBook… laughs… and I would just buy a new one, and set it right back up the same way from time machine…
I think we’re over Carl! Thx for talking to Grande Rock dude. Wish you the best for the future… if there’s anything you would like to add then just do it…
C: Just want to thank you for supporting us, and taking the time to do an album review and interview. Highly appreciated.
C: I do believe it threatens the artist, as it is way more difficult to make a living doing music now than 10-15 years back. However, metal is a very dedicated genre, both on the band and the fan side, and most bands in this genre was never making much money anyway… (laughs). Seriously speaking, I believe the record industry was sleeping during class, they should have been reacting differently than with law suits and hustle actions, and instead tried to find good and efficient way to sell their music online at reasonable prices (both for fans and artists). If they had done so, I am sure things have been a bit different now. Apple understood this (as they do understand a lot of things that has to do with user comfort), and Itunes is a massive success for them.
Do you believe that all those incidents in the early 90s… in the Norwegian black metal scene have caused any kind of problems or helped the scene become more known all over the world?
C: I think most people understand that this was an act of a few frustrated kids, and do not think it is common for Norwegian metal musicians to burn churches or kill people. It did get a lot of attention, and, I am pretty sure it caused some “mysitique” around Norwegian black metal abroad.
What is missing from today’s music industry? What are albums missing? Is it that quality they used to have back in the 70s and 80s?
C: There are still a lot of great bands out there, and some are still innovative. As a former guitar teacher, I saw an increase in technical skills with the students that approached me, but unfortunately, I also saw a decrease in creativity. I believe the reason being, that it is a lot easier now a days to learn a song by a different artist just by checking YouTube. This will make you a better player, but no necessary boost your creativity. Also the new technologies have changed the production methods a lot. Today, you track a riff, and cut and paste it, or you edit drums to grid. Sometimes these methods can help you create a better result, but often, it also “flattens” the sound and makes the production less lively.
Who is the most overrated artist/band today?
C: Wow… not sure. I tend to think most people have worked hard to get where they are, even thou they do stuff I do not understand or like. I recently discovered that some super-technical death metal bands are actually cheating with midi files for their crazy chops. If so they are definitely overrated even if they just sold one album! (in.: Hehehe!)
Were you obliged to give just one album to extraterrestrials that would represent the whole human music evolution, which album would it be and from which band/artist?
C: Impossible, but I would probably go for “Images and Words” by Dream Theater or “Passion and Warfare” by Steve Vai. Very progressive and musical albums both of them
Which is the strangest thing you’ve ever done?
C: Trying to practice during sleep to save time. Did not work as intended.
Imagine that your girlfriend/wife is selling your whole album-collection just to buy an expensive ring for herself. How would you react? J
C: I do not have a album collection anymore, so she would have to sell my MacBook… laughs… and I would just buy a new one, and set it right back up the same way from time machine…
I think we’re over Carl! Thx for talking to Grande Rock dude. Wish you the best for the future… if there’s anything you would like to add then just do it…
C: Just want to thank you for supporting us, and taking the time to do an album review and interview. Highly appreciated.