V▲LH▲LL

Swedish based V▲LH▲LL has been storming the witch house scene since 2012, utilizing their unique blend of Viking aesthetics with the mysticism and occultism often involved in the genre. Always keeping to the shadows, the duo has never remarked as to who they might be, but that hasn't stopped the from creating one musical genius after the next. And, just recently, they've released Leaning on Shadows, their latest album. And we've gotten an interview with them discussing the album and their signing to Artoffact Records.

Hello, and welcome back to Brutal Resonance! It's only been about six months since we last interviewed you folks, but, a lot of new things have happened since then. But, for starters, tell us, how has V▲LH▲LL been?

V▲LH▲LL - "We've been very busy since last time, finishing our album Leaning on Shadows, out on gigs and working hard at promoting ourselves. We're noticing that mysticism, occultism and witchy stuff is in the loop - at least in Sweden - right now which is great for our motivation and inspiration."

Before anything, I'd like to discuss what I consider to be the teaser single for your upcoming album, WOODS. You took a real haunting but entertaining take on "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" with that. Tell me, what gave you the idea to play with that song?

V▲LH▲LL - "One weekend we stayed in a cabin in the woods with relatives and as the rain poured and thunder crashed outside we sat in the dark listening to a man singing this song - dark voice with a Scottish accent singing the song over and over again. It was incredibly eerie and left us both with goosebumps, as soon as we got back to the studio WOODS was created."

Anyway, after that you guys got signed with Artoffact Records. Or was it before? When and how did you get signed to Artoffact records?

V▲LH▲LL - "It was before. We have been communicating with Artoffact since early 2013 and met up with them for the first time before our gig at Kuudes Aisti festival in Finland last year.

And its own your new label home that you'll be releasing your next album, "Leaning On Shadows". Tell us a little about "Leaning on Shadows", and where you got the idea for the album.

V▲LH▲LL - "We really admire our fellow bands on the witchhouse-scene, the genre has produced tons of inspiration. Shadows is a nudge toward the artists who haunt us day and night with amazing music - being our muses. It's partly thanks to the hospitality in the creating and sharing of music that the album was produced. Other inspiration is the beautiful country we're lucky to live in, the nature that surrounds us plays a big role in ideas for songs and music.

I saw that "Down in the Woods" will be making a return on the album. Are the rest of the songs original compositions that haven't appeared anywhere else?

V▲LH▲LL - "There are a few hyped up remakes, but most of the songs are new originals. Down in the woods also appears in a different costume."

And, with the album itself, was there any type of theme that you were looking to strive for? Be it musically or not?

V▲LH▲LL - "Wet, cold, eerie, sticky witch."

The cover art for the album is also very interesting in itself. It looks as if it were hand-sketched, but also that of a person from another era. What was the idea when crafting the cover art?

V▲LH▲LL - "The idea was to channel the music through a picture. Wet, cold, eerie, sticky witch."

Now, along with just the standard digital downloads and CDs that can be bought, there's also a bundle available with the CD itself, a cassette simply titled "Shadows", and a patch. Is the bundle more or less something for your fans to look forward to?

V▲LH▲LL - "More or less. Everyone getting their hands on one is definitely in for a treat."

With the cassette, "Shadows", it's listed as having two tracks on it; side A having "SHADOWS I" and side B having "SHADOWS II". Are these tracks an extension for "Leaning on Shadows"? Or do they sound musically different from the main album?

V▲LH▲LL - "Extension and completely different. Shadows is a tribute to witchhouse, occultism, history, life and death. It's a shadow of the album but a distorted, masked one covered in ritual blood."

And it's at this time I'd like to thank you once more for coming onto our site and speaking with us, Feel free to leave any final messages.

V▲LH▲LL - "Keep off the road baby sunshine, shadows are closing in."