Doomed Confessionary: Leif, Torstein & Eirik (Bismarck)
Bergen, Norway based stoner/doom/post-metal band Bismarck just released their third album »Vourukasha« on May 3rd, 2024 via Dark Essence Records. It is a work born from curiosity, hard work, and sheer determination. Four years in the making, »Vourukasha« will take you on a metaphysical journey through space and time – from the darkest depths of the sea to the endless cosmic void.
Bismarck’s trademark sound is an uncompromising mix of sludgy riffs and psychedelic nuances, inspired by a wide array of genres and styles. The end result is an amp-melting form of stoner doom combined with atmospheric post-rock, with hints of Middle Eastern folk music and the Norwegian black metal they grew up listening to. With music that alternates between intense, fuzzed-out heaviness and clean, atmospheric drones, and with a lyrical content that explores Western esotericism, altered states of consciousness and a mystical apocalypse, Bismarck is now ready for »Vourukasha« to be unleashed upon the world.
Bismarck are Torstein Nørstegård Tveiten (vocals), Eirik Goksøyr (guitar), Leif Herland (guitar, backing vocals), Tomas Osland (bass) and Tore Lyngstad (drums).
Can you say a few words about your band?
We are Bismarck. We’re a five-piece hailing from Bergen, Norway and we make heavy music. We create music entirely on our own terms and based on what we like. We just released our third album “Vourukasha” which we are very proud of.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Leif: Some of the challenges we’ve had lately have been with our previous label, resulting in the release of »Vourukasha« being delayed quite a lot! We’ve also had three changes in our lineup the last couple of years. Other than that we’re facing many of the same challenges as other underground bands such as visibility, reach, being booked for shows and tours etc. Things were challenging pre 2020, but maybe even more challenging now?
Torstein: It’s also a big challenge juggling full time jobs, private life and at the same time trying to make the band grow. There’s no money in underground music, so you have to make hard decisions and prioritize in order to make it work.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Leif: We’re really proud of our music! We think we’ve found something that we can call our own! We already have three albums in our discography, and we’re ahead with writing our fourth one! Getting a sponsorship deal with Orange Amplifiers is also a big highlight! We made a live play through of »Oneiromancer« and they liked it enough to give us a nice deal! We also have some really dedicated fans that we appreciate!
What was your biggest regret?
Torstein: Not being able to make more of the time we had during the pandemic. However the pandemic was rough and we went through line-up changes and other obstacles.
I guess it also taught us that making the music we do, takes time. It needs time to marinate and we also had to “kill some darlings” because it just didn’t sound right. If someone asks me when our next album comes out; my answer would be: “It’s finished, when it’s finished!”
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Leif: There’s a lot of them! My personal favorites are our gigs at Soulcrusher, Summer Dying Loud and Høstsabbat!
Torstein: Yeah, totally agree. I think we speak on behalf of all the members when we say that those are the best shows/trips we’ve done.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Torstein: How much you must work as a band to promote yourself. I wish we could focus on writing and playing music; but that’s simply not how it works. You need to put a lot of effort into self- promotion; if you want to get anywhere. There is a lot of work involved in promoting the band and the music(the albums), arranging deals with venues and booking companies, etc. The myth of sex, drugs & rock’n’roll is dead to us 🙂
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Eirik: Thou, Bongripper, Sâver, Blood Incantation. And Vestindien, a superb band from Bergen.
Leif: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Amenra, Igorrr, Astrosaur and Sâver! The two last ones are prime acts from Oslo, Norway that you really need to check out!
Torstein: The last albums from Taake, Haust and Vestindien. All great Norwegian acts. I’ve also been listening a lot to the last Judas Priest album; Rob Halford sounding better than ever at 72 years of age.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Eirik: That is very often hard work and you can get tired of it once in a while, but it is worth it.
Torstein: Find your own voice. Especially as a vocalist it can be hard to find out what works well together with the music. Know your limitations and focus on your strengths. One of my strengths is screaming my guts out.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Eirik: My guilty pleasures are maybe the popular nu-metal bands in the late 90s and early 2000s, like Slipknot and Deftones. I still listen to some of these bands, but Nickelback and Creed are still crap.
Torstein: I got a soft spot for Dagny. Her debut album »Strangers/Lovers« got played a lot during the pandemic. Can’t really say I’m feeling very guilty; It’s a damn fine pop album!
Can you say something more about the music scene in Bergen?
Leif: It’s like a big melting pot of different genres and people! We got bands like Kryptograf, Gjenferd, Enslaved, Abbath, Slomosa, Shaman Elephant and Howlin’ Sun dominating the heavy scene. We live in Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, but it’s still a small city. There’s some good venues here, but I think for the most part the music we play is more enjoyed further down the continent. The music scene for heavy music here is not big, although we have a lot of world known bands hailing from Bergen.
Torstein: I think we have a good underground music scene in Bergen and Norway in general. A lot of up- and- coming bands, but it seems there is always a long time between each time a band makes some kind of commercial breakthrough. Our friends in Slomosa are riding a wave of success; so I’m excited for them. We have a rich and varied music scene but most people just want to listen to reggaeton beat – AI generated muzac- bullshit.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Leif: We just played at Valo Rock Festival in Vadsø the 9th of May and Desertfest Oslo the 10th of May. Great festivals and great audiences. We had good attendance at both gigs and the response from the crowd was amazing. We don’t have anything more planned actually, since booking is damn hard without an agency. We need to take Bismarck to Europe and the rest of the world!
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Leif: We plan to write our next album and continue our creative journey this year, and also maybe start recording and producing it. We would also love to play more shows abroad!
Eirik: We really want to play more around the world, especially Europe and USA, so we hope we can land a deal with a booking agency that can help us get around. So, if you’re reading this and you like what we’re doing, then give us a “call”.
How can people best support your band?
Leif: By listening to our music, spreading the word and by buying our music and merch! We really appreciate social media posts and people who reach out to us with questions or feedback!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Eirik: Listen and buy our records and merchandise and come to our concerts when we visit your town! We are nothing without our fans!
Torstein: Tell all your friends about us. And, that we are working on new music, and it’s sounding damn promising!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well