Interview: Catching Up with Ohmwork

Ohmwork, the Tromsø based heavy metal/hard rock power trio, have had a busy few years. So in this interview, we catch up with vocalist/guitarist, Anders L. Rasmussen, and find out what they’ve been up to since we last spoke.

1. Hello! Welcome back. It’s been a little while, so first things first, how are you and have there been any significant changes since we last spoke?

With a new drummer onboard has helped. It brought a renewed energy to write new material. We’ve also been touring more over the last couple of years, which has been great for us. Playing live, meeting people and spending time together as a band has definitely had an impact on where we are now.

2. So, what’s new? What’s keeping you busy this time around? A new album/EP/single release? A new video? Playing live, or planning ahead?

We have a new album out, Ex Nihilo, which was preceded by the release of all seven tracks as digital singles. A couple of the songs also came with music videos. We’ve been playing quite a few shows around the release, and we’re looking ahead to more live shows and hopefully more touring.

3. Describe what fans/listeners can expect.

It’s more direct, heavier and doomier, but there’s still plenty of melody and hooks. We are what we are. It’s in our DNA to be a “generic” hard rock band, if you want to call it that. We make the kind of songs we like ourselves. At the same time, we always try to explore new territories musically and push the band a little further.

4. Tell me about the work that has gone into making it a reality and what it means to you to see it come to fruition?

Personally, I wasn’t really up for making new material in the beginning. I had to more or less force myself to start writing. After a while, though, something loosened up, and the music started getting better. Eventually, those ideas turned into the seven tracks on the album.

It got fun again, and that’s probably the most important thing for me. I need to be in a good place mentally to write music. It simply doesn’t happen when I’m down. When I’m in that state, I’m just not mentally there at all. The guitars can go to hell…

So seeing the album finished and released means quite a lot. It’s not just another album for us. It’s proof that we found our way back to creating music together.

5. Sum up what this latest development says about you and where you find yourself at this moment in time?

As a band, we feel somewhat re-ignited. A new album is a testament to that. As I said, there won’t be any new music if there’s no motivation and inspiration. It has to be fun. Period.

We’re playing more live than we have in years, and it’s always great to be on the road, meeting new people and reconnecting with old fans. All of that is fuel. It keeps the band running and gives us something to build on.

6. Has the time since we last spoke been a mostly positive period and has there been any one thing that stands out as being good?

The last album, and especially the recording and mixing of it, was a dark time for us. For me, at least. There was no real camaraderie, no “us against the world” mentality. We were three individuals mostly thinking about ourselves, rather than functioning as a band. Eventually, the drummer had to go.

The good thing is that we have a new album out. That’s obviously a positive thing, but I think we still have a way to go before we’re completely healed. Again, I’m speaking for myself here. I feel there’s still some distance to go. Whether we’ll have the motivation to make another album further down the line, I honestly don’t know.

Things are definitely better, though. And that in itself means a lot.

7. How about something that has challenged you since we last spoke? Has there been any particular thing that tested you, and if so, how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge has been finding our way back to the fun of it. To remember why we started doing this in the first place.

I think we’re getting somewhere. Playing live, writing new music and spending time together as a band have all helped. It’s not something you fix overnight, but we’re moving in the right direction.

8. What is a realistic goal you’d like to achieve over the next 12 months?

To do the new album justice. Play shows, get out on the road and reach as many listeners as possible. We also want to become tighter as a band, both musically and as people.

And, most importantly, keep the name of Ohmwork relevant and in the eyes and ears of music listeners. We want to keep moving forward, but without forcing anything. If the motivation and inspiration are there, the rest tends to follow.

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube