Communic Having just launched their new album "The Bottom Deep" this July, vocalist and guitarest Oddleif Stensland talks about the experience
How did the band form? I have had several bands up during the years before it all turned into
into it a bit deeper. It is a much darker theme than I have ever done before, and everything is as personal as I could allow myself to be. It is actually more
Communic. At one point, back in the days I was a vocalist in another local
personal that I actually wanted to be, but I had to let this happen. Writing this
band called Scariot, and did not play guitar that much at that time. After we
album has been like going to a "shrink", it has been more like therapy session
released an album ("Strange to Numbers") and started to work on new songs, for me, something that I just had to do, no matter what people would think of it in the end. I hope I don't have to do another album like this ever again, even I got more into playing guitar again, and I tried to get a few songs that I had
though I love these songs, and the outcome of the album is for me close to
written approved to be used in Scariot, but they did not like it that much. So I
perfect - it will be a statement in my life forever, and I am proud of my
asked Tor Atle, that also was in that band at that time if he wanted to jam out
courage to actually go through with this. Those who cares to read the lyrics
a few songs - just for fun - and it resulted in a sideproject that I called
and put themselves into the situation will get an even deeper album, even
Communic, we recorded a 3-track demo that eventually got us signed to
though the songs will work great on their own as well for those who just like to
Nuclear Blast - so then it was GOODBYE SCARIOT, and Tor Atle and I quit
listen so some interesting metal tunes...
that band to focus on Communic as the one and only band, and here we are, 8 years later.
How does it differ from previous material? It's sometimes difficult to see your own differences in the stuff you do, and
How was the recording of "The Bottom Deep"?
maybe people on the outside has a different view on it, but this is a more
This time I decided to self-produce the album, unlike previous albums which “human” album. It is based on personal happenings and feelings and is more were recorded and mixed by our long-time production collaborator, Jacob
earthly connected. Musically it is darker, heavier, maybe straighter, even
Hansen. Because of the underlying personal frame that this material had,
dough it is quite progressive at times, it's more down tuned and more
I decided that, I could not leave this in someone else hands, I had to trust
dramatic in the mood if I should try to explain it. And yes, the keyboards are
myself. It doesn't mean that we recorded this cheap to save money, it has
stripped down to almost nothing.
actually been our most expensive album so far. We booked the most pro studio in our area, got a deal that we could use the studio 24/7 for 21 days,
What can we expect from you in 201 2?
and we could use the studio tech guy during his working hour to to the “tech” We will be going on a European tour together with Rage in april/march, then stuff. It went smooth, but also quite hectic. The album was in the end
some festivals as well. We also have plans of making a video for one of the
mastered by Dan Swano. More or less, the same procedure as earlier, but a
tracks on the new album, so hopefully we can get that out there as well.
different studio and sound.
If your music were to be adapted into film, what story would it tell? What's the concept behind it? It is based on personal happenings and feelings that was in my mind and
Oh, that would have been cool. I think all our albums could have worked on the screen. I guess I would have choosen “Waves of Visual Decay” and how
focus during this whole writing process. This is a concept album, based on
we as humans are controlled by the media, who is the media, and who is
one specific incident in my life, that also forced me to take a step back from
deciding what we should see through the news and the media. Could have
everything. That is also the main reason for the big waiting gap between the
been a futuristic thriller...
last two albums that we was talking about earlier. It is all dealing with a personal close encounter by death that suddenly came all to close, when
Would you like to come to Portugal?
someone really close to me passed away way too soon. This incident left so
Yes, that would have been awesome. Don't you have a huge festival down
many unanswered questions about life and death behind and twisted my
there that would book us?
mind, and all these thoughts and feelings came back to me in form of the words and songs on this album.
Design & Interview: Rick
It is not easy to talk or describe to a detailed point, but expressing myself
Words by: Oddleif Stensland
through music is easier for me, and it is all written between the lines, so the
Photos courtesy of Communic
deeper meaning of the album, can be explored by those who feel for diving
"The Bottom Deep" is now available for purchase at: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCommunic It is also available for free streaming on GrooveShark.