A few weeks ago, we introduced you to the Norwegian metallers Efreeti and their single “Its Inner Pain”. Well, the band is now back with a new album, titled “Man of Sand”, officially out since March 8th. On the occasion, we took a few minutes to interview frontman Kristian Wangberg, and here's what he had to say!
Picture: Anne Siri Gregersen
Hello, Efreeti! Thanks for your time! Would you mind introducing your band to our readers?Efreeti is a Norwegian metal band focused on extreme but melodic sound. Currently it's mostly a one-man show with me (Kristian "Creep" Wangberg). And studio/session members Eetu Pesu and Krisztián Kovác helping out with drums and bass.The themes in our songs range from slightly political to mythical. The Efreet is a mythological creature afterall, but sometimes I just want to rant.Every song is made differently, with different things in mind. I usually dont focus on fast and technical playing, I would rather give a soothing or powerful experience. I don't want a listener to be impressed by our skills, but be able to feel a story, or emotion.How would you describe the metal scene in Norway, overall?There are several amazing bands putting in a lot of work at the moment. From my point of view, the bigger bands are slacking. And there are new underground bands putting in the extra work to become the new Norwegian cornerstones. We have become a more and more diverse country in terms of metal. And I hope to see the diversity expand even more in the future, as I'm definetly a lover of unique sounds!You recently released your new album, “Man of Sand”, on March 8th. What kind of songs can we expect on this album?Expect a mixture of accordion, heavy riffs, slow headbanging, and tremolo guitars! I think we got a pretty distinct sound throughout the songs on the album. So if you enjoyed "Its inner pain", you will probably enjoy the rest of the album!What do you hope your fans will take from this new release?There are songs for different tastes. If you want to groove out and bang your head, theres songs for that. Or, if you want a long story based song, we got you covered. In the end, we tried to make a clear and easy to listen to album. There are still lots of details hidden, but the main riffs and feel is generally easy to pick up on.If you had to pick one song off of your new album, which one would you pick and why?I really enjoy “Smile of Death”. Its a long epic song with some cool riffs, a guest apperance, lots of layers of synths, guitars, intense vocals. Definetly an intense musical journey!How would you describe the writing process within Efreeti?It usually starts with an idea, weather that means a theme or a guitar riff, and I build on top of that untill I have a sound I enjoy. Once I have my main theme, I see where the song takes me. Whether that means a simple 3-4 part song, or an epic journey. Once the demo is ready, I send it to Eetu Pesu for some quality drums, and lastly Krisztian for bass. When all the demo tracks are in place, we can finally start recording the songs!The last words are for you. If you have a message to convey, here’s your chance!If you came this far, thanks for reading! I spent a lot of time and effort on these songs, and really hope some people out there will enjoy a few of them. Check out Man of Sand and get in touch if you're interested in anything regarding the music. I'm happy to talk to anyone!Thanks for your time!
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