“Our soundscapes are often very atmospheric and cinematic” – Interview with Múr

Múr is the latest descendant of Iceland’s volcanic underground. This rising quintet is ushering in a new era of dark, atmospheric, and boundary-breaking metal. The band released their self-titled debut album on November 22nd. Chaoszine caught up with the band’s vocalist, Kári Haraldsson, on the eve of the album release to learn more about what Múr is all about.

Greetings, Múr! Who will be answering our questions and how has your autumn been?

Kári Haraldsson: Hi! Kári here, the frontman of the band. This autumn has been really busy with this first release of ours, but also very exciting.

Let’s start with the basics: How and when was Múr formed? Did you have a clear musical vision how you wanted the band to sound like and has there been any other bands that have inspired you to become what you are today?

Kári: Múr took a few years to take form, slowly morphing from a teenage garage band into what it is today. The guitarists (Hilmir and Jón) and I met in high school, played cover songs in my mom’s garage until we started studying jazz music at the same music school. There we met Ívar, the bassist, and Árni, who would eventually become the drummer. At first there was no clear musical vision, only a drive to write music of our own, but with those first songs, the musical identity started taking shape quite quickly. I have written most of the music so far, but my first foray into composition was scoring short films and playing around with synthesizers. This definitely affected the sort of soundscapes we ended up crafting for Múr, with them often being very atmospheric and cinematic.

You are just about to release your self-titled debut album. What can listeners expect from the album?

Kári: A thorough exploration into our sound, moving from melodic atmospheres to violently explosive passages. The lyrics deal with issues of the self, inner turmoil and coming to terms with yourself through letting go of what is holding you back.

How did the writing and recording processes go and how long did it take to finish the album?

Kári: The writing took place over the first couple of years when we were moving from being just a hobby/garage band to something more. Most of the recordings were done over the course of half a year, just as the pandemic was finishing, but the final masters were not ready until a year later. So the whole process would have been just over three years. We were not in any hurry to finish it, as during the process we were also fleshing out our identity and sound.

What is the album about? Is it a concept album or are the songs separate stories?

Kári: The songs explore similar themes from different angles. There is no clear linear narrative from one song to the other, but together they lead up to a common resolution or revelation.

The music video for “Heimsslit” has a strong folk horror vibe to it. What inspired the video? Where do you get inspiration in general, when it comes to Múr?

Kári: The music video is inspired by Icelandic folklore around Jónsmessa (Midsummer Night), but then the huldufólk (hidden people, elves) come out. They will try to seduce you with many gifts, but if you accept and go with them, you will lose your mind. In general, we get a lot of inspiration from the forces of nature, film scores and various forms of electronic music.

You’re about to head on tour with Wheel. What are you expecting most from the tour?

Kári: It is an amazing opportunity to meet and play in front of so many new people. We expect it’s going to be a lot of fun, but also tons of work.

What do you enjoy the most when performing live? Do you have a favorite song to play?

Kári: Getting to step out of your own personality and becoming something bigger. My favourite song to play has changed a few times, but right now it’s probably “Vitrun”.

It feels like there’s often something unique about the bands that come from Iceland. What do you think is the reason for it?

Kári: Maybe it’s our closeness to nature, or maybe it’s even influence from the hidden people? In all seriousness it’s hard to tell from the inside. There being some unique, tangible quality to the music from Iceland might be attributed to the fact that there aren’t that many of us and therefore we might share some similar characteristics, but who knows?

What does the future hold for Múr? Do you have any plans or goals you can share with us?

Kári: We’re going straight into finishing writing and recording our next album after the tour with Wheel, so that’s the biggest thing happening in the near future!

Thank you for your time! Would you like to add anything to Chaoszine’s readers?

Kári: Thank you for having me!