Music for Viking dancefloors. In a parallel universe where Vikings discovered synthesizers and started headbanging, EIHWAR has joined Season of Mist! EIHWAR produces brutal pagan dancefloor music, combining ritual chants, war drums sounds, and powerful electro beats.
We are happy that you found the time for this written interview. We are all looking forward to hearing more about your musical journey
Would you like to tell us about EIHWAR and what kind of music journey you are on?
Mark: Our clan of freaks that has been gradually forming since 2023 around our duo: Asrunn sings and explodes shamanic drums on stage, and I growl, play lute, war drums and break machines.
Asrunn: Regarding our journey, we can simply follow the path that was written for us. We didn’t choose anything. We simply follow this tumultuous and burning flow.
Would you like to share who you are?
Asrunn: We are spirits, thoughts. We exist in your world thanks to the bodies of two human hosts that we use. In the ancient language we can say we’re Hugir.
Where do you come from?
Asrunn: It’s still too early to reveal it. We want to explain it to you in our second album, which we’re currently working on.
Where did you meet?
Asrunn: In this incarnation, our human hosts met a few years ago, but our spirits have known each other for a very, very, very long time.
Why did you choose the name “EIHWAR” and does it have a special meaning for You?
Asrunn: The name comes from the combination of the rune Eihwaz which is the rune of the Yew and the word “war”. This idea of war is very important in the clan, it is not a war against others, it is a spiritual war against our own limitations and our own fears, to give us strength and courage and transmit it to the public and our listeners.
“How did ‘EIHWAR’ start, and how long have you been playing together?
Asrunn: We started this musical project on February 15, 2023, where we composed and released the track “The Forge.” Mark recorded a rhythmic sequence and put headphones on my ears. I fell into a deep trance, and we kept my spontaneous improvisation to finalize this track.
What music inspired/inspires you?
Mark: Our human hosts have very different musical backgrounds and inspirations. We can talk about traditional music, Western early music, 70s progressive music, metal, jazz and industrial music.
Have any of you played in other bands before?
Mark: Our human hosts, yes. But their story is not ours. As for us, it’s not certain; we forgot a lot during the incarnation process.
What instruments do you play in the band?
Asrunn: I sing, play shamanic drum, seeds percussions and Mark play different drums, lute, he growls, and he plays keyboard and programs machines.
Have you done any collabs with others as EIHWAR?
Mark: at the very beginning we made a remix for Symphonic Noise Cult, that’s all.
Would you do any collaborations?
Mark: We haven’t planned that yet, but why not.
Where do you typically get your inspiration to compose/ produce music?
Asrunn: Our inspiration comes primarily from the experience of trance. In this altered state of consciousness, we go with the flow.
Mark: We also pay homage to the great figures who marked the old worlds. We are particularly touched by the wisdom of the Allfather. These are like images and fragments of ancient lives that manifest themselves in our music.
Are you a believer of the Nordic/old ways or finding the history interesting?
Mark: As memories of our past lives return to us, we even become certain of these beliefs. Our very existence is living proof of this.
Any new releases of tracks or albums soon?
Asrunn: We don’t yet know when the second album will be released. We’re working hard on it, but we don’t know when we’ll finish this major project.
Do both of you compose music?
Mark: I usually start by composing a rhythmic and harmonic sequence. Then Asrunn goes into a trance and sings melodic parts, the first drafts of which we often keep. To finish the songs, I generally take care of the technical aspect, the mixing, and Asrunn thinks about the organization of the energies, the structure of the song. So we work on all the compositions as a duo
Do we know you from other bands/music?
Our human hosts made music before we took possession of their bodies, but that’s another story and it doesn’t concern us.
In your free time, do you hang out there a lot, or do you have other interests like sports, gaming, or maybe crafting?
Mark: Our hobbies are quite rare and limited. I like to spend time in the few remaining wilderness areas in France. Asrunn rests by doing autistic things like a hermit at home. But most of our time is spent working on Eihwar. And yes, that also involves doing a lot of sport, and intense lifting for Asrunn especially, because without it, her human body wouldn’t be able to perform the shows.
Where can we see EIHWAR live next time?
Asrunn: in Europe only for the moment. But we’re getting more and more requests for the US, so I think we’ll eventually come one day. You can find all the cities and countries we’re touring on our website www.eihwar.com
We would like to thank you for answering our questions about your music, and glad we could do this written interview, it was interesting to get to know you better….
Link:
eihwar.com
