photos / KRISTY BENJAMIN
story / ARIANA TIBI
Copenhagen’s post-punk band Ice Age have released their fourth album, Beyondless, tipping the hat to their past with a mature, enlightened growth. The record was produced by the band with Nis Bysted, and recorded all-analog by Mattias Glavå in Göteborg, Sweden. All tracks were played entirely by Iceage with additional performances by a horn section, including Nils Gröndhal on violin.
Sounds of emotional discord interlaced with masterful songwriting surround lead singer Elias’s poetic lyrics. A rebellious fervor is splattered throughout, with horns played by Kasper Tranberg (trumpet), Lars Greve (saxophones) and Morten Jessen (trombone) that make this record a party. Visual animations accompany tracks Catch It and Painkiller, towing the line between playful and comfortably gory.
The Swedish boy band is comprised of Elias Bender Rønnenfelt (vocals, lyrics), Jakob Tvilling Pless (bass), Dan Kjær Nielsen (drums), Johan Wieth (guitar). They’ve been friends since they were kids, so I asked them what storybook characters they would be and what lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Read their thoughts and musings below, and keep up with the guys on Instagram.
How is this album different from previous?
It’s a different head of the totem, another landmark the lives that we lead that reflects the things that we’ve lived through in the time of writing it. Sonically it’s a leap into new territory with one foot planted in our past. Right now I’m mostly absorbed with writing on the next chapter.
What does the album art mean?
A girl in Copenhagen kindly let us look through her dead grandfather’s marbling archives and we found what became the album cover. It’s not so much that there is a direct meaning to it, more so that I think it looks like how the album sounds.
When we’re the 10 tracks written? What was the process like?
The composition happens over time, in bursts ideas get formed until you begin to see a blurry vision of something that may look like an album. I usually seclude myself close before we record and write the lyrics in one fixed period of time so to, if not create a narrative, make sure that there’s a frame of mind that weaves throughout the songs. In the studio we will typically book slightly less time than we think we need, so to create and urgency where dwelling in unnecessary things such and sleep is simply not an option.
What is one thing you need to have close by when writing lyrics?
Notebooks from throughout the year will usually end up as jumping points for the beginning of a lyric. Different memories and impressions merge and juxtapose and suddenly your left with new meanings.
What gives you confidence? Any pre show rituals?
Alcohol and such can be used to drown the sorrows of having had a failed show, but nothing really helps other than getting up on another stage and getting it right the next time. I’m confident in our intent, and often those bad feelings can be channeled into a form of power.
As children, what fantasy story would you guys be a part of? What movie? Characters in a story book? (ex. X Men, Power Rangers, house in Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, etc.)
Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman
What is one lesson you never expected to learn from being in a band with friends?
I never expected to be a musician in the first place, more so I stumbled straight into it and along the way discovered that writing and performing is what seems to be my purpose here on earth. Nothing is more interesting to me. I’ve been doing it with my best friends and brothers for a while now and I love them as much as ever, the bond have only strengthened. So has our love for doing the music.
CONNECT WITH ICEAGE:
ON TOUR:
Sat, SEP 21
BAM Festival
Barcelona, Spain
