In Vain is one of the best kept secrets of the Norwegian metal scene. Their latest record, entitled Aenigma, is their strongest to date. Ghost Cult caught up with guitarist Johnar Håland. He was more than happy to share his thoughts on every In Vain, pulling double duty as Solefald’s backing band and the upcoming tour with Vreid.
According to your biography Aenigma is the strongest In Vain record to date. What makes this album your most convincing release in your own words?
Honestly, I do not like comparing albums. It is not like sports, where you with 100% certainty can determine who is the best and crosses the finishing line first. However, I can point to some aspects which may make Ænigma our strongest album. First, the production is taken to a higher level and really does justice the music. Secondly, I believe the songwriting is more focused this time around. We have tried to cut unnecessary riffs and make the songs as slim as possible. That has resulted in shorter, but also more effective tracks, which I hope our fans will appreciate.
What I really like about Aenigma is that the material is way more cohesive compared to the last In Vain record. I still like the previous album a lot, but it feels a little disjointed at times. How do you see things?
Here you touch upon what I am describing in the previous question. We have tried to cut riffs that we felt where not really needed, even though we liked the riffs. The main reason for this is that we were able to do a preproduction this time around, which we never had the chance to do prior to our previous recordings. This resulted in rearranging the songs, making several versions of each song, and also some songs being split into two songs. So I agree with your opinion that the material is more cohesive. When it comes to the music, we will always have songs with different tempos, moods and styles. We could have made an entire album with songs like ‘Captivating Soliture’ and ‘Hymne til Havet’, however I think that could have been a bit static. We like variety hence you will find big individual differences between the tracks on all In Vain albums. Finally, we have many strong voices in the band and because we utilize all of them, this has a strong effect on the songs on the album.
Can you share some light on the themes and subjects explored on the album?
When it comes to lyrics we do not have a specific topic. We do not carry any religious/anti-religious or political message, and contrary to many bands in the metal scene we try to have a more positive approach to our lyrics. I never saw the point of why so many metal bands have such a negative life philosophy in general. Topics we touch upon are everyday life experiences, philosophy, nature and our view of where the world is heading.
What do you remember most vividly of the writing and recording sessions for the new album?
I think the best and most fun part was doing the pre-productions. It was very refreshing hearing the tracks come to life for the first time and that is also what I enjoy the most of being a part of a band. I write all the music in the band, hence the songwriting process can be quite tough and unsocial. One specific example is the ending riff of the track ‘Times of Yore’. Originally we planned to have some vocals there, but the various solutions we tried just did not give me the right gut feeling. In the end I just put on some e-bow and I think it turned out great and really took that ending riff to another level.
Lars Nedland and Cornelius Jakhelln of Solefald fame made some guest contributions. How did you manage to get them aboard and what did they add to the album according to you?
We are friends of both of them and In Vain is the live band for Solefald. Additionally, Lazare is the older brother of Sindre who sings in In Vain. I think both made great contributions. On both our previous albums we have had guests such as Kjetil Nordhus (Tristania) and Jan K. Transeth (ex. In the Woods) adding great clean vocals. We wanted a guest clean vocalist this time as well, as we have enough screamers in the band as it is. However, we wanted someone who had not been on the previous albums. Lazare was an easy pick and he did a really good job! When it came to Cornelius we wanted to add his spoken words vocals more as an element/instrument on atmospheric parts. Turned out excellent in my opinion.
Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Paradise Lost) produced the album. How was it like working with him? What input did he have on the overall result of Aenigma?
Jens did a really good job! He is nice to work with, but prefers things his way. Luckily we agree with him on most things, so it was a smooth and comfortable process. Way more relaxed and easy than our previous recordings. I also want to give credit to Marius Strand for an excellent job during the recording. As mentioned previously I think the production on Ænigma is way better than we have had on our previous albums. We wanted a heavy, yet crystal clear sound, and Jens delivered according to our standards.
In Vain is going to tour with Vreid and Solefald, where members of In Vain will pull double shift in support of Solefald. What are your expectations of that tour?
We think it will be a lot of fun. We did a tour with Vreid back in 2007 and it was a great ride. We have done several shows with them since then and we always get along really well. I think In Vain, Solefald and Vreid is a very strong and versatile tour package. Vreid has received very good reviews on their album so far, Solefald is touring again for the first time in 13 year and In Vain has a very strong album coming out in March!
Norway has always been at the forefront of high quality rock and (extreme) metal, but this year the surge of high quality albums is really staggering. What is your take on this?
I agree with you that there is a high quality among the metal bands in Norway. The bar is already set high, so you need to constantly evolve and create something new. However, I am not really sure if this year is different, and to be honest I am not following the scene that close.
2013 is shaping up to be a great year in metal. What are the releases you’ve enjoyed so far and to which ones are you looking forward to hearing?
The album I am looking forward to hearing the most is definitely the new album of Extol! They are one of my favourite bands, together with In the Woods, Opeth and Emperor. Ole Børud is back in the band and in my opinion he is one of the most talented songwriter in the whole metal scene! Additionally, the band has said they are going for death metal this time around, which is music in my ears. Solefald will also release a new album this year and I am curious to hear what Cornelius and Lazare will come up with.
Finally, besides touring, what is next for In Vain in terms of side projects and other involvements?
In terms of side projects, Kristian (bass) and I have a hardcore band called From Strength to Strength (check us out on Facebook!) and we will release our debut album On the Verge of Collapse in 2013. Besides the plan for 2013 is to play as many shows as possible with In Vain in order to promote Ænigma, and then we will see how we take it from there. I encourage the readers to check out our new album Ænigma! In Vain will play a lot of shows during 2013 and do a European tour with Solefald and Vreid in April. Please check our Facebook page for all tour dates! Thanks for your time and support!
Raymond Westland