Interview with DRAUGÛL

I interviewed the founder of DRAUGÛL. This interview deals with "Winterspell" album coming out during January 2017.

01. Hi Hellcommander Vargblod ! First of all, why that artist name ?

Hail! Thanks for the interview opportunity in the first place. The name started way back in 1998 when I was with my first black metal band.. 

I chose that name and it remained so ever since.

02. How have you got the idea to found this one-man band, DRAUGÛL ?

The idea came when I started composing music that did not fit my band anymore and thus I decided to start this solo project which later ended up as my main band!

03. DRAUGÛL was born in 2009 but the first record was released in 2013. Why did it take so long ?

As I said…at first I started out as a solo side project…so I never gave it full importance until I was contacted by a German record label and they wanted to sign me for a full length album .. then I started taking it seriously! 

04. The artwork for “Chronicles Untold” album was the very first one designed by our mutual friend, Wappenschmied. How things happened between you two ? How did you think that designer would be The one for that record ?

Actually it started by himself sending me a logo he made for Draugul on his own accord. I immediately liked it and opted to change my logo to this new one that he came up with. I also saw his artwork later on and his style quite fit what I was searching for.  Usually I do all the artwork myself, but lately my life has been quite full and busy so had to at the end of the day give up some work to someone else and ease it up for me! and I am quite happy that I have chosen his artwork on Chronicles.  The Upcoming album is also designed in collaboration with Wappenschmied. 

05. I think that you were satisfied with the result since that he also designed the artwork for the new album coming out next year. Can you explain us both artworks ? And what say the Runes on the new album’s cover ?

The new album cover revolves around the magic of winter. It portrays a Mountain Troll, playing his rune drum and he is doing this kind of “ritual” and he is summoning the winter spirits. This theme is also “explained” in two of the new songs in the coming album “Trollsbane” and the title track “Winterspell”. The runes behind the Troll are part of the chorus of the song “Trollsbane”. 

06 So, your next full length is entitled “Winterspell”, coming out by winter… Is it a concept album ?

Yes  I wanted it to be released really at the heart of winter (As Immortal say hehe), thus I decided the first week of January! Luckily this date was also ok with the record label as well! It is kind of a concept album in a way that it deals a lot with pagan and folk beliefs but it also has a couple of Tolkien based songs, after a lot of requests from the fans to make more songs about the Tolkien world!!

07.   Can you shortly tell us story for each song of the new record ?

Firstly there is Fjällstorm… and it is a song written in Swedish and it deals with the power of the force of the mountain storms. Secondly there is Hagalaz which is also a tribute to Mother Nature… dealing with its power and spirit. The title track follows and it follows cue… describing the beauty of Winter up here in the Northlands.  Fourth song is Chant of the Ravencult, and it is an extract from an old Norse poem about Huginn and Muninn and it is all acoustic. Fifth song is Trollsbane and the lyrics deal with a troll as depicted in the Norse Folklore and tells the story about how he was banished to the mountains by the new invaders (christians) as he was seen as a devil and describes his hatred towards the christians. Sixth song is Wytches which is a cover version of the 80s pagan band Inkubus Sukkubus. 7^th track is Byssan Lull which is a folk lullaby from the Swedish lands. Number eight is The Fall of Gondolin which tells the tale of the siege of this Mighty Elven City as recounted in the Tolkien sagas. Ninth song is Smoke Rises From the Mountain of Doom and it is about the rise of Sauron in the third age of Middle Earth. Lastly there is Lake of Unnumbered Tears which is also Tolkien based and is an instrumental outro to the album.

08 Any special guest for “Winterspell” album, as Mathias Gyllengahm (UTMARKEN, NORRSINNT) appeared as guest on your previous album "Chronicles Untold" ? 

No on this album it is only me who plays/sings and just my wife who sings some parts in a couple of songs in the album! 

09. What are your next plans ?

Hmmm who knows! I admit at the moment I am also busy with my other band Khaospath, we are also releasing an album at the end of November and we are planning some gigs! So 2017 is going to be quite full. But I am sure that I will be planning new material for Draugul next year as wel!

10. Do you plan to figure out the way to be able making shows in the future ?

No … for now Draugul is not set to be a live band… and unless band members crop up who are of the same ideals, it will remain so! 

11. Will “Winterspell” be available for pre-order around december ?

Yes one can start pre ordering Winterspell  at the beginning of December! 

Thank you for the interview!