Fortid - 1. Hello, first of all, please tell us who we are talking with and what does Fortid mean to you?
- Hello, this is Einar, AKA Eldur writing. Fortíð was to me originally a solo project created specifically to present the Icelandic Völuspá poems, but later developed into wider variety of subjects. The three witches of fate inspired me to dive not only into the past but the present and future as well. I never lose the pagan thread and symbolism though, as it is all a personal part of me. I even modernise a lot of that symbolism, which some people dislike, but to me this is always about the creative forces. Fortíð is my legacy.
2. You have already released 7 full-length albums, you’ve been playing together for 23 years, there were moves to Oslo and then back to Iceland again. Why?
- I moved to Oslo in 2008, when I felt I had come to the edge of what I could achieve in Iceland. It is an isolated country, but not as much today as it used to be. The variety of musicians in the metal scene was much less back then also, and none of them really fit into Fortíð. The other members today are much younger than me, another generation. But in Oslo, I managed to put together a 5 piece band in a matter of 2-3 months. I also got to start touring, which if naturally way easier on the mainland of Europe than on an island. I moved completely back to Iceland in 2017 after a rocky personal life, but essentially it was my family who made the heaviest pull back.
3. The latest album was released in 2023, and “Lifandi á Íslandi 2024” in 2025. When will a new full-length album be released?
- There are so many things going on in my life right now, so I have been keeping most writing process on ice. I am just about to release the Eldur debut album now in September, but that's just one of the projects that I needed to get out of my system before considering diving back into a new Fortíð album creation. Imagine a factory conveyor belt. I need to clear out all the unfinished things on the belt to be able to focus. There are some reissues of old music coming this year and I just finished an OST for a video game.
4. You have all played in many Scandinavian bands. Does that have an effect on your music today?
- For sure. I have never participated in any musical collaboration without taking some lessons and inspiration from it, whether good or bad.
5. What were (your), your beginnings with metal, why in your life (what happened) did you choose this path, this kind of music?
- I was around 8 when I started diving into all the family's vinyls. I quickly found that I was more drawn to the heavier style of music. The selection was limited, but I discovered mainstream metal bands at first, simply because in the 80's - 90's there was a very limited reach to music in Iceland. Whenever I got into a home with a big record collection, I would just soak myself in as many albums as I could. Metallica was the band that made me want to play guitar. Mayhem was the band that got me into Black Metal. This music spoke to something inside me, and still does.
6. What do your lyrics talk about in general? Do they differ on the following albums, or has it been one chosen path – one message – from the very beginning?
- I write about many different things. There should be no limits. But obviously I'm drawn to the darker side of things, so I guess that is the common denominator.
7. What are the differences between concerts in Norway and concerts in Iceland?
- Norway was always 10 years ahead of Iceland with pretty much everything, but I guess that gap is less today (on some levels at least). I don't see any specific difference today.
8. Thank you for your valuable time. Your last words to the fans, and I wish you even greater success and look forward to the new full-length album.
- Check out my Eldur debut album, entitled: Rituals of Death and Necromancy, coming out on September 19. Thanks for the interview. Keep the flame burning!
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the interview by:Seducer 2025y.