Metal Coven - Metal Interviews

Every once in a while a musical project or band comes along that just changes me and my outlook on things forever. A project that makes you think you are not alone in your feelings towards one thing or another. One of these bands is Hagalaz' Runedance. A Dark Folk band that was fronted by the extremely talented Andrea Haugen. This is the best Folk album ever made, in my opinion. I invite the Metal Coven readers to join me as I sit down and have a short chat with Andrea. Due to her being very busy at the moment, the interview must be kept short, but if that means more new Nebelhexe music soon, I'm all for it!

Britton: Welcome, Andrea! Let me start off by thanking you on behalf of all of us at Metal Coven for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview with me. I am a HUGE fan of your work, and quite honestly, this is the interview I have wanted to do the most since I started writing for the 'zine. First off, why don't you introduce yourself and any other members that are currently in Nebelhexe.

Andrea: Thank you! Well not sure how to introduce myself really... hehe, I am the person behind Hagalaz' Runedance, where I put out several albums in the style of experimental folk music, dedicated to the spirituality of northern paganism. I then felt the need to move on both musically, artistically, spiritually and personally and thus I created another album under the name of Nebelhexë, a name which I had previously used. With Nebelhexë I feel more free to create my own art and magic. I must point out that Nebelhexë is my artist name. There are no other members. Just as with Hagalaz' Runedance I create alone and individually, but I do have a lot of guest musicians and people that are working with me to finish my products.

Britton: I see that recently you have signed with Black Lotus Records out of Greece. They seem to be a great label and have signed a lot of good bands recently. What do you expect to come of this signing? Cruachan recently signed to them and Keith said they are more generous in terms of funding for recording than any other label they have been on.

Andrea: To be honest I am not up to date about who they sign these days. But anyway, I hope we will have a great cooperation.

Britton: Are you working on a new Nebelhexe album right now, and if so, what will this sound like compared to "Laguz - Within The Lake"?

Andrea: Yes I am working on the pre-production right now. I am not too sure how I can describe the new songs. There will be similarities to the songs from the 'Laguz' album for sure. But it is too early to describe the new songs and compare them to 'Laguz'. I can only say that I am still very satisfied with the 'Laguz' album and I really love my new songs as well.

Britton: Why do you think it is that you have so many fans in the Metal world? Some people know you have done work with Cradle Of Filth and Satyricon, but most people seemed to have come into Hagalaz' Runedance and Nebelhexe on their own. Do you think it has something to do with you being singed to Metal labels?

Andrea: Yes, I think it has a lot to do with that I knew so many metal musicians, label managers and journalists back then when I started. My music was known to them, and people really liked my music and concept. It was talked about in magazines, my ideas were highly acknowledged and thus while I became popular in the alternative music scene, I was also getting popular in the metal world. And thus the fact that I signed to a metal label helped of course that my music became known in the metal scene. Even though my music is not metal at all, my albums have something about them that seems to really appeal to metal fans.

Britton: A few years ago it was rumored that you would be joining Martin Walkyier when he started up The Clan Destined, but the band came around with you nowhere to be seen. Whatever happened to that? He's sworn off music completely, now it seems. Sadly given up on it. If he decided to start that band up again, would that be something you'd be interested in doing, even if only as a guest vocalist?

Andrea: Well, he contacted me back then and asked if I wanted to be part of The Clan Destined. So he came to Norway and we discussed his concepts and ideas and I said yes, this sounds very interesting. So he announced it publicly that I was an official member of his new project. But after a while he withdrew and decided to work with local musicians instead. And as far as I know the Clan Destined is no more. I never really knew what happened there to be honest...

Britton: Have you had any formal vocal training? I ask this because especially in Hagalaz' Runedance you just seem so full of vocal emotion. Your voice is truly one of the best I've ever heard. You seem so full of pride and determination, and when the music calls for it, pain as well. I still can't listen to "The Soul Of A Hound" since my Black Labrador died a few years back because of that emotion in those vocals.

Andrea: Yes I did have some vocal training. I started with it after my first Hagalaz' Runedance album 'the Winds...' in '98 though, that is why I sing so terrible on the first one and much improved on all the following albums, hehe. So I had the basic singing lessons. But my own way of singing I taught myself and the emotions in the songs come from within. I have very intense emotions and I think that is why I manage to bring them across so well. Art is about opening yourself and expressing true thoughts and feelings.

Britton: I see that you were recently tasked with translating The Satanic Bible from English to Norwegian, I believe. How'd this job come about?

Andrea: Well, I was informed by an associate of mine that two Norwegian guys were working on a translation of the Satanic Bible. Since I, once upon a time, associated with the Church of Satan and still very much enjoy the early writings of Anton LaVey (and that does not mean that I consider myself a Satanist, cause I don't, I am a Pagan of course), I wanted to proofread the translation to check if it was translated professionally and correctly. It turned out to be a quite accurate translation, so I was happy about that.

Britton: Is Hagalaz' Runedance a dead and buried project, or may you release a new Hagalaz' Runedance album in the future?

Andrea: No, I think I will continue all my future musical efforts under the name of Nebelhexe. This does not mean that I will not release any folk- or medieval inspired music anymore. If I feel like creating another song like that I will do so. That was the whole point of continuing under Nebelhexe. I just want to create freely.

Britton: Give a few of your thoughts on what nature means to you. I live in one of the seemingly few places left in the US that isn't completely raped and paved over by mankind. I adore nature and know we cannot live without it being there and remaining healthy for us. I love nothing more than taking a walk in the snow on a Winter's day and admiring each and every tree. If I remember correctly, you were an advocate against the Norwegian government's policies toward wolves as well?

Andrea: Nature in all her diverse forms is simply beautiful. I can see so much in so little everyday that makes me happy, the wind, the rain, the sun, birds singing... each season has its magic. There is divinity in every form of nature and her animals. And we have to remember that we are also a part of nature.. and not above it.

Britton: In the end, what do you want your longtime fans to take away with them when they hear Nebelhexe? In other words, what are you trying to do differently with this band than you were doing with Hagalaz' Runedance?

Andrea: Well I want people to see that I am a complex, obscure and artistic individual who has experienced many weird things in life. With Hagalaz' Runedance I felt I was put in a box that displayed a part of me, thus in a way creating a non realistic image of myself. I feel too much focus went to the 'religious part' that I represented. What I am is an artist. What I focus on now is to express me and myself as the person...

Britton: Well, we have come to the end of this much anticipated (by me anyway), albeit short, interview. Maybe in the future when you're all caught up and have more time we can do a Part Two to this interview. Thank you much for your time! I wish you luck in all your future endeavors. As with all my interviews, I leave the last word for you to add anything you wish.

Andrea: Well, thank you. There will be updates on the Websitewww.nebelhexe.com regarding the release of the new album. So, keep checking... :-)