RavenzCraft Arts Interview Project: December 2019

RavenzCraft Arts Interview with Marten Ytell/Daudr

First I just want to thank you for taking the time to talk with us, and let us all know a bit more about you both, I have been following you and your artwork for a year or two now and I really like your style and the way you incorporate runes and magical symbols into your art work.

1. For those of us who don't already know, can you tell us a bit about yourself and a little about your past and where you grew up,?

Thank you. I am a member of the heathen art project Bloodreligion which started about a year ago, where I work mainly with bones and skulls. I also paint and photograph, often mixing the two.

I was born in the late 70's and grew up in Helsingland, Northern Sweden in a rural working class setting. During my teens in the 90's I was very much into the Nordic Metal scene, and

experienced the rise of bands such as Dissection, Satyricon and Entombed, to name a few.

I was in bands myself at times, some of them Black Metal with Norse heathen lyrics, but also folk music. I still participate in musical projects from time to time and it's something I truly enjoy doing.

2.If its ok to ask, obviously upon studying your work you have a interest in norse history and

folklore, can you share with us your families traditional practices? and your own personal

spiritual belief or following?

Yes, I've been interested in Norse/Germanic mythology and symbolism since my youth. With the Norwegian church burnings and a rising neo-Nazi culture in the 90's, it was not very ”kosher” to exhibit such an interest openly during this time in Sweden.

For example, one could not wear a Mjölnir pendant without being reprimanded and dubbed a Nazi Skin Head in school. Of course, this had an opposite effect on me because I found it ignorant and contra-productive.

I have recently been trying to evolve my ability to sense the ”other side” or Underworld, a part of me which I have kept tucked away since my childhood.

My mother actually took me to see a”cunning woman” when I was about five years old, who supposedly blocked my contact with my dead grandfather on account on me being too young to handle it. The ancestral cult is what is most important in my spirituality. I do believe that the ones of my blood that has walked this
earth before me now walks beside me, aiding me, if I choose to listen.

3.What area of norse history interest you most? for example the gods or deities you prefer or

are attracted to? like for example the Rokkr or underworld gods and goddesses such as Hella

and Gullvieg do you have interest or study any of these topics?

It is all about Odin for me. He is a personal rolemodel of mine because he is everything he

wants to be, a great shaman with no concern of norm or dogma. I also would like to mention

Fenrir as a symbol for breaking your chains and doing what you were conceived to do without

remorse.

4.There are many ways to use the runes, How do you use the Runes? strictly for art purposes?

or do you actually create galdrastafir or magical symbols for use? such as to create a spell or

runic formula, I personally have been studying and researching runic magic such as galdrastafir

and visual spells using runes, do you practice any kind of magick or ritual practice?

Well, I personally don't think that there is any discrepancy between doing runes/staves for art or magical purposes. They are one and the same; every time I make art of any form, for myself or a customer, and it brings some sort of meaning and emotion I have made magic.

I work alot with ”automatic scribbling” where I just let my mind and hand go, and the bindrune will appear through intuition.

Besides my own personal ritual work I am in what we Swedes call
a Blotlag, which is a group of likeminded people that get together and do rituals. We try to conduct a blot atleast four times a year, like the solstices and the ancestral blot.

The Blotlag,
which is called Helsinge Ulvhednar, are working on becoming more than just a ritual group though, as we are working towards creating a tribe of people looking for a alternative to the
modern world.

5.So back to your art, which is awesome by the way, do you have a certain way of creating?

like playing loud music as you do it, or light candles or any kind of special set up to get yourself into the "mood" that is needed for the Image or creation?

I am very non-original in this sense.

There will be incense. There will be candles. If you are really lucky there will be classical music (Brandenburg concerto no. 2 preferably), loud.
And non-alcoholic beer.

6.Do you have a specific set or style of runes you prefer to use and create art with?

Yes, I prefer the elder futhark of purely aesthetical reasons.

7.Do you have any favorite music? or any artists you like to study and inspire you?

I really do listen to every kind of music. A good song is a good song etc. but I do prefer music on the heavier side. Mostly the same 90's Death and Black Metal band I would listen to back in the day.

I also indulge in country and folk music at times. Wovenhand, Deicide, Storm and Sigrblot are some of my favorite bands.

8.I notice you have a beautiful home and land in your pictures,Do you enjoy hiking or use nature to inspire your work and art?

Thank you. It is absolute key for my art. We do live in an amazingly beautiful part of the world,

but that is not all.

The landscape is absolutely teeming with folklore and myths, for example one can stumble upon a large rock in the forest and there is going to exist some tale of a giant throwing that very rock there in a failed attempt to destroy a church.
My family has lived on this
soil since at least the 1500's and I truly feel connected to it. As for my home me and my wife are very interested in home decor, specifically antiques and such. Some people may find it creepy or weird, but that's fine

10.If possible in the near future are you open to collaborating with other artists or musicians to create short video presentations of your art or making content for a short music video?

Yes. Collaborations can be very inspiring and gets one out of one's creative comfort zones, so I welcome that.

11.So just to get us all to know what you offer better, If someone was to want it, do you provide and create custom art?

or do you just create what you are inspired to and set for someone to be drawn or attracted to?

I have done some custom art and it has worked out well, but I mainly do my own thing.

I always strive to evolve and find new artistic outlets, right now I'm concentrating on my digital art in which I mix photography and drawings.

I am not the most disciplined of artists so I really have to

go where my intuition takes me. I have some exhibitions coming up this year, and that will push me into areas I normally wouldn't go. Keep your fingers crossed.

12.So this last question is open for you to say or add anything you want, mention any work or

any message you want to say to us readers?

any parting words?

Thank you for featuring me, and thank you for all the work you are doing for the global heathencommunity! Skål!

Special Thank You to Marten and Maia Ytell, your artwork and crafts are truly awesome and have a very unique, inspiring style.

I encourage you both to continue to create, we look forward to seeing more and wish you all the best Thank You!

Check out this new promotional video for Bloodreligion featuring music from Danheim click here to view now

BloodReligion music video

Follow and Support BloodReligion here at these links

http://bloodreligion.bigcartel.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bloodreligionart/

https://www.instagram.com/bloodreligion/?hl=en

Subscribe to our youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC95bFF-xNLMcxAzRO7rFiCQ

RavenzCraft Arts Interview project

Artist Spotlight Series 2019

First off we just want to welcome and thank you for taking the time to talk with us... it is an honor to meet and help promote upcoming artists and help to bring more awareness to your talents and music

Níundi: Hello, It’s a pleasure to be here.

Thanks to you as well. We appreciate the work you do supporting artists and heathenry in general.

1.So for those of us who are not familiar with your work, can you please give us a brief introduction , your name,s where you are from, etc..

Níundi: We are Níundi, an ambient folk band based out of Sweden.

2. So upon listening to your new project "Niundi" i can tell this is quite a different and unique project..i really like it by the way...can you explain a little bit about what this project is aimed to express?

Níundi: Thank you, it’s always a pleasure to hear that it resonates with people. The music is a by-product of our occult practice. I practice Norse sorcery using various techniques that I learned under the tutelage of the great Lars Magnar Enoksen.

Most of our stuff is written using Necromancy( sometimes in the form of Utíseta).

Heathens only have so much info available through our Eddas and Sagas. The heathen voices of the past are at a dead end unless we find a way to let them speak again.

Our aim is to allow those whose voices were quashed a thousand+ years ago a conduit in which to continue to tell their story.

I receive so many messages from people who meditate to it, who tell me they feel it on a visceral level. And that is such a great thing for a musician to hear!

So you could say is the aim of our music is: connection.

3.So lets back up a bit here and talk about your history with music when you were younger...

What type of music did you grow up listening to?

Níundi: Well, thanks to my elder cousin, I developed a taste for older occult based rock. But I also love Metal, Classical, Jazz, and folk.

4.Was there any specific band or artist that really sparked your interest and started you on your path and interest in the type of music style and genre you are in today?

Níundi: oh yesss, growing up I loved Coven, Dio, Motörhead, Hawkwind. Sacred Reich, Slayer... old school stuff. I remember camping out in the middle of nowhere, laying there staring at the Milky Way while listening to Sabbath... and suddenly astral projecting across the cosmos. Wonderful and profound moment; Music should be able to do that, don’t you agree?

4.Your music definitely is very good for relaxing and getting into a different state of mind, i can tell there are many layers to the music ..can you tell us about the creation process and how you put it all together?

Níundi: As stated earlier, the music writes itself during ritual. The process is quite easy. Typically, in between projects, We will start receiving synchronicities that tell me “who” wants to speak, and that is how we determine the direction of the next project.

These synchronicities must occur to both of us, and unbeknown to either of us at the same time. (~ that is: both of us, anonymous from each other, receiving the same synchronicities, is a check and balance that I require when doing any occult based work with a partner. It gives me an anchor to thresh out ‘Signal vs Noise’).

Once those mutual synchronicities come to light I then will do a ritual to flesh out what I’m going to be receiving. Then once that’s done, Im able to decide whether to perform necromancy or invocation... or both.

We use the heathen Domarring, Gravhög, and Runestones in Sweden to perform utíseta and work necromancy. Because the info I received is typically in Old Norse, I will invoke; i have synesthesia, and I find I am able to better parse the threads of info if i use my synesthesia, rather than simply try to understand everything that is ‘spoken’ in an ancient language. While still invoked I’ll speak the lyrics, recording as I go, they come out in a messy form of O.N.

Lately I’ve been translating some of them to English, so that people can understand them. But I find that’s not necessary for some listeners, mainly those who meditate deeply on it just seem to ‘get it’. After the lyrics are recorded it’s time to for my amazing partner to do his magick. And once he is finished we will do a joint ritual to consecrate the track and honour our Gods and ancestors.

5.What are your goals for your music?

For example, would you like to see your music in videos, or used for traditional or ritual performance purposes?

Níundi: My ultimate goal is for a continued revival of the elder ways, a way for people to connect. Simple as that. If pushing that agenda forward includes video or ritual performance then yea that’d be a great honour, not to mention FUN!

6.So obviously the old ways and spirituality are a big part in your music..can you tell us more about your personal following and path,?

And how it plays a part in your music?

Níundi: Yes, heathenry is a way of life, and as I already mentioned, I have been blessed to be mentored by one of the greatest. To know my path is to know his, and greater detail of this (if one is interested) can be found throughout his books, music and art.

7. I believe music is like the universal language and one of the few things that held people and traditions together and alive in the past and still to this day ..music is a very important part of our history..it gives us a universal connection despite all of our "differences"..

What is your opinion about this statement?

Níundi: Absolutely wonderful statement, music is a universal and timeless connection. It’s a form of vibration in the threads of Wyrd that we all can feel on some quantum level. Even listening to music from other cultures, such as Ancient Egyptian chanting, or Tibetan, one can feel that reverberation soul deep! Ukrainian or Bulgarian chanting is ethereal bliss. Buuuut, the feeling one gets when listening to Scandinavian folk is akin to waking up from a coma, every fiber of your being is ALIVE, your present in the NOW and the PAST~at the same time. Your very being is enflamed and primal.

Magical indeed!

8.What inspired you to create these powerful musical projects?

Is this your own personal way of doing your part to keep tradition alive?

Níundi: Well, the ritual is something I’ve been doing for several years. But my partner, who works in other projects, asked me to record some vocal stuff for him. Even though he is a musical genius I thought he must be crazy, as I consider my voice utterly ridiculous sounding, lol. But I eventually agreed and to my surprise it came out sounding amazing... which can be attributed to his mixing talents! And it has just grown from there. And every time someone enjoys it, I have to pinch myself and ask is this really real? It’s been so amazing and humbling and empowering and fun!

I hope that in a thousand years someone hears our work and feels connected to the Magick that lives inside each of us, and to the energy of the Gods, and a connection to deep ancestors thru the threads of necromancy I’ve intentionally left weaved within the music.

9.I suggest you reach out and collaborate with another vocal artist or video creator in the future to create a short film or music video project ...would you be open to some sort of collab project like that in the future?

Níundi: Yes, thank you, sure, I’d like that too. I’m in the process of collaboration with a couple of bands as we speak. But I’m always open to more! I think it’s really interesting to collaborate...

10.So on the topic of collaboration ..do you have any favorite or new artists or musicians you are personally following and or listening to these days?

Níundi: Oh, yes! Lindy-Fays new song, Tilarids. Her voice is just so otherworldly! Let’s see... who else do I listen to? There’s so many, Leidungr(obviously 😅), Enthroned! Love them, their Cold Black Suns is amazing ... Corona Bathori, Svartsinn, Aeternus, Ghaals Wyrd, Cthonia, love her stuff. NightBringer(et al) Heilung! BlòtHeathen, Black Mara records has been putting out some interesting stuff, Swallow the Sun, Mephorash and looking forward to the new one from Ofermod.

11.I have to say i am a bigger fan of your work today after listening and taking a deeper look into what you guys are doing..you have some really cool things going on..do you have any updates or plans to continue with more content from the Níundi project in the near future?

Níundi: Awww thanks, that’s so nice to hear! Yes, we have many future projects planned with Níundi. We just recently released the Gullveig album, and I need to take a break during Jul and just relax a bit then we’ll get to work on a new project.

12.This last question is open for you to say or add in anything you want ..

Any closing statements or things you would like to say to all the fans and followers? any advice for fellow artists like yourself out there trying to be "heard" ?

Níundi: Through religious oppression we’ve gone away from practicing magick. Imho, one of the worse things that can happen is when people turn their backs on their own culture. Magick had a place in Norse heathenry, we see it time and again in the Eddas and Sagas. Nowadays, many claim magick is fake, dismiss the process as ‘just UPG’ or even silly New Age mumbo-jumbo.

I believe this bias against magick is conditioned. It’s caused by a 1000 years of suppression of the heathen view of the natural world, and subsequent division between nature and magick.

In the last few decades there is an influx of academic based research that shows certain practices are not only possible but actually provable.

Fortunately, great bands such as Wardruna, Heilung (among others) have really stoked the flames of heathenry and thinned the line between heathen spirituality and magick these last several years. They are truly incredible and It’s a wonderful time to be alive to witness this ‘honouring of the past’.

13.I just want to personally thank you both and all of the people that make your projects possible ...

All the time and energy put into your projects well worth it ..

I encourage you to keep creating and thinking of amazing and beautiful ways of keeping or history and traditions alive ...

RavenzCraft Arts will always help support and promote what you do...

Níundi: Thank you so much! This has been great sharing with you.

Happy coming Solstice and God Jul to everyone.

“Threads are woven, nornir mumbling. Far afield, seeking is The witch of Folkvangr. Let Odin have His swordwarriors, only vǫlur

for Her hall; Sessrúmnir, seat room, high seat, chant and drum.

Feather garmet. Falcon sends and swans scour. Gather, gather, Freyas flock! Flagrant is Her power yet hidden is Her intent....sorcerer, witch, Galdr seeking, Seidr receptive"