In this powerful interview, Völva delves into the intense themes and bold messages behind their upcoming album Desires Profane, embracing empowerment, rebellion, and self-liberation.
1. Your
upcoming album Desires Profane has been described as a powerful and vengeful
statement. What emotions and themes did you aim to convey through this album?
Völvas
existence is embodied satanic feminism -
both in a spiritual cosmic sense and trough our bodies and expressions. Völva
embraces our free will, body and lust as vessels to sin for a higher purpose,
expressed trough our music and our beings. This journey was started by Lilith
long time ago and as her descendants we take pride in manifesting it, brutally
doing our best to carve it in the world of today.
2. The
opening track, “The Tower,” sets a vivid scene for the album. Can you tell us
about the inspiration behind this track and what it represents in the context
of the album?
The Tower
plants the seed of the harvest yet to come within Desires Profane’s full bloom.
The lyrics provides the guidance of the path this song starts:
Creation
observed with this new view.
Erased is
shame, strength built anew.
The endless
struggle is nearly through.
The tower
crumbles, a new world is overdue.
3. The
band’s sound combines elements of punk and black metal. How do these genres
influence your songwriting and overall musical identity?
Skuld and
Hedonistica were raised in the punk scene, and that will always be a great part
of our heritage. With Desires Profane we take a decisive step away from this
musically, but we will always cherish this legacy in our attitude. For us,
black metal has a lot in common with punk - it is dirty, often misunderstood
and it rises from the urge to express your hatred against the society that is,
rather than focusing on clinical perfection in your soundscape. Likewise, we
like our black metal raw and fierce, regardless if it is in high or low tempo.
For the four of us, playing with Völva is like finding our way home musically.
Our music intensifies everything we seek to tell, and we surely want it to
speak for itself.
4. Your
lyrics tackle complex themes such as feminism, rage, and societal domination.
Can you elaborate on how these themes manifest in your music?
VITTRA: Most clearly this manifests, of course, through the lyrics, but of course the music will match the emotions and intentions of the piece. For example, "Never forgive" is slow and introverted in some aspects but filled with radiating rage in others. Another way to answer this is that our process of composition is very democratic for a lack of a better word, in the sense that the final stage of a song is something we arrive at together, after working it out together, rather than someone bringing a finished piece and just teaching it to the others.
5. The imagery and metaphors in your music, like “the worm of belief,” are quite striking. What is the significance of this imagery in your storytelling?
HEDONISTICA: I can only speak for
the lyrics written by me, but to me it is about exploring and expressing
satanism through my eyes. The songs I've written in the previous releases have
mostly portrayed this from the approach of hatred towards the oppression and
hypocrisy of christianity (or all organized religions really). That is still
there in the background, but in this album I've focused more on the worship of
satan and the celebration of your desires as a means to do this. Do what thou
will shall be the whole of the law, as long as your will and freedom does not
impose on anyone else.
6. Völva's music seems to channel a strong
sense of empowerment. How do you hope your listeners will react to your songs,
particularly in terms of social awareness and personal empowerment?
If it
wouldn’t it wouldn’t be what we seek to do - Völva empowers us just as we
empower Völva. How the reactions will be depends on the receiver - and we hope
they will react. Regardless if it is with anger, provocation, joy, admiration
or motivation - we surely hope it gets something risen within them. If we can
motivate anyone not to put another copy of themselves into this world - it
surely would mean that we somehow succeeded in spreading our awareness.
7. With
a name like Völva, there’s a connection to Norse mythology. How does mythology
influence your music and lyrical content?
In the
times where the gods in the Norse mythology were what people turned to, women
were not oppressed in the way and extent christianity forced us to become.
Expressing your lust was a given, as was seeking answers in what nature
provided you with and to turn to the spirits within you for guidance. That was
reflected in the gods and the mythology. We let our name bear witness to the
tragic actual witch hunt that came with the hypocrisy of christianity.
8. You’ve
mentioned in previous interviews the idea of tearing down societal norms. What
specific changes do you wish to see in the world, and how does your music
reflect that desire?
That we put
an end to this utter abuse we constantly expose our surroundings - nature and
ourselves - to. Making an end to this species known as the parasite of man. Or
as we put it in Salvation: “Smash the tools of mass destruction,cut the cords
of reproduction”
9. Collaboration
seems vital to your band dynamic, especially with your varied roles. How do you
approach songwriting as a collective, and what does each member bring to the
table?
Völva is a
unit, which we all blend into. It is a place where we can express what we
elsewhere cannot, and combined it forms the being of Völva. As it usually has
been, Vittra or Hedonistica brings a riff to our rehearsal space, and then we
carve it out together. We all play a role, and now when Ruin is with us, we are
all excited to embrace the influences he brings.
10. Your
sound is described as both addictive and magnificent. How do you achieve that
balance between chaos and melody in your compositions?
It is in
our rehearsal space where our inner chaos falls into harmony - but one or the
other could not exist on its own.
11. With
the album release on November 28th, what are your plans for promotion and
connecting with fans during this time?
We released
the first single The Tower 16th of October, premiered on NCS and we have an
upcoming single the 11th of November, also with a music video. The 28th we will
have a release show - giving everyone who wants to be part the chance to
experience Desires Profane also in blood and physical form.
12. Lastly,
what do you hope listeners take away from Desires Profane after experiencing it
in its entirety?
That they
feel intrigued and want to embark on Völvas journey together with us. The
support from our listeners means very much, and we hope this album will provide
them something in return.
Völva, Malmö, Sweden (@volva.bm) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
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