Getting to Know… Minneriket | Interview

In the 428^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from the Norwegian black metal one-man-band, Minneriket.

“Idon’t. Please, everyone, keep your socks on. I don’t like feet, ” Minneriket (Stein Akslen) responds when asked how he rocks the audience’s socks off.  After commencing the interview with his humorous response, the ‘one-man band’ adds, “Minneriket is unique because it’s a purely egotistical project… I am the driving force and have shaped this for 10 years now. I pour myself into it, make the decisions how I want them, and record and release what feels right to me.” Minneriket provides the inside scoop on his musical genesis, goals, influences, and current, and future musical endeavors. Notably, we first interviewed Minneriket in 2023. So, for a second time, let’s we’re Getting to Know… Minneriket: Interview No. 428!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Minneriket distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

I don’t. Please, everyone, keep your socks on. I don’t like feet.

With that out of the way… I think Minneriket is unique because it’s a purely egotistical project. It’s my one-man band where I am the driving force and have shaped this for 10 years now. I pour myself into it, make the decisions how I want them, and record and release what feels right to me. No amount of technical analysis will pinpoint exactly what makes it unique but seeing as I’m the only version of me in the world, and I am pretty unique, I guess the music is also unique.

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Minneriket begin, and what were some of your goals or visions early?

I started Minneriket in 2014, and it has changed a lot over the years. When I recorded the debut album, I approached it very much like a demo. I wanted it to have a live rehearsal feel, so I even recorded instrument feedback and cable sounds, haha. I had released “Monument” with my other band, Blodsgard, just a year before, and needed to do a revolt against the perfection of it all. And Minneriket became that revolt. Since then, both the sound and approach have changed drastically, and even though Minneriket is always revolting against something, it’s become less “anti” and more “pro”. It’s more important to me to speak up for something than against something. Do what I like, not oppose what I hate. That’s become the foundation of Minneriket.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

I hope so! Anything else would be really stale. I always want to challenge myself with the music, to be creative in a different way, or to approach the music with another perspective. I don’t really work with goals, but I of course wish to do the best I can while still maintaining a feeling of what is right to me. I need humanity in the music, not perfection. I need it to be bumps in the road, so I don’t work on autopilot. And most importantly: I need every Minneriket album to be different from the last.

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

I could name the simple minimalism of Burzum, the catchy riffs of Bad Religion, the atmosphere of Nick Cave, the compositions of Mozart, the vitality of Arch Enemy… None of these are blatantly obvious in Minneriket, but they are absolutely musical parts that have inspired me.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

Luckily nothing. Minneriket is a one-man band and does not play live.

To this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

It varies a little from day to day, but there are some songs that really mean a lot to me. Today I’d say my favorite is “Regnbuer i gråtoner”, tomorrow it might be another one.

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left-of-center we should know about Minneriket? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

I love obstacle course racing for fun, but I’ve done it less now for the last years and only attend about once a year now. If you ever see me in the course give me a hand!

What is Minneriket currently working on or promoting that you can share? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

On October 10^th I’m releasing a limited edition cassette tape called “A Decade of Darkness: 10 Years of Romantic Black Metal” to celebrate 10 years of Minneriket. The pre-orders are already available on Bandcamp and they’re going fast! Check out minneriket.com or @minneriket on social media for more info.

And of course… I’m currently in the studio these days recording a new full-length album. Most of it is done, there are mainly just 1/3 of the vocals remaining. Not much to say about it yet, other than it will be different from all previous albums, while still maintaining the obvious Minneriket feeling.

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

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Getting to Know… Minneriket: Interview No. 428 [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Minneriket; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Królestwo Nauki, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pete Linforth, Tumisu from Pixabay]