01	Meridian						06:20
	02	Sister Nightfall						05:38
	03	On The Wane						06:37
	04	In A Manica						06:03
	05	At Sixes And Sevens						06:46
	06	Lethargica						05:30
	07	Manic Aeon						06:26
	08	A Shadow Of Your Own Self						05:58
	09	In Sumerian Haze						04:39

Hi Morten!

Here's my answers to your questions.
Take care and rock on!
Best regards
Morten


1- For those who don't know you, can you talk a little bit about your musical background?

Well, I started up with music in 1992, so I've been a musician for 10 years now. 2 first years of my career I spent most of the time rehearsing on my guitar. But I also formed a rock/metal band with gothic infuences Called "Uzi Suicide". We was around for a very few years, before I found out that I needed change, as well as I was getting more serious with my music. Formed Tristania in 1994, and worked with this band until the End of the year 2000. Then I started Sirenia, which I consider the highlight of my career. This is the band I will work with until I go down in flames.




2- I know that probably a lot of people have asked you this question but can you talk a bit about
why you decided to leave Tristania?

When it comes to the split with Tristania, there was a few people in that band who got more and more obssessed with making money instead of music. And as a direct consequence of this they decided to kick me out in order to take over my part-role as a songwriter in the band. Just another example of how certain people is willing to walk over dead bodies for money. I'm not judging the whole band on this, cause actually it only concerns 2 of the members. At first after the breakup I though it was hard to bear, cause I've always burned very deeply for that band, and it was pretty much everything for me at that time. But after a little while I actually realized that it was for the best this way, due to different personal reasons, but nowadays I'm just very focused on Sirenia. And I think it's really inspiring to work with new people, and I sort of feel that I have something to prove to myself, but also to all those who might have appreciated my work with Tristania.
3- You got a new band, Sirenia, and your new album, At Sixes and Sevens, is an amazing work
Morten. Can you explain the concept behind the album (lyrically and musically).

The musical concept is mainly a big mixture of a lot of different styles. A very varied concept that includes lots of different elements, influences, inputs, atmospheres and instruments. With one goal at eye; To make the album as varied and dynamic as possible. The lyrics are based on reflections on life, death, love, hate, and mental decline in general.

4- Please talk about the other musicians in Sirenia. Who are they and how come they ended up playing with you in Serenia? And please tell us more about the french female singer Fabienne Gondamin, she has an amazing voice!

For this very moment the lineup consists of me (vocals, guitars) and Kristian Gundersen (guitars, clean vocals) and Henriette Bordvik(female vocals). Our former keyboarder just retired, due to a personal lifechrisis, so we wish him all the best. This will however not affect our songcomposing since I have been composing all the keyboards myself until now. Furthermore we have Pete Johansen(violins) that will perform live with us as well. And at this very moment we're auditioning drummers.

When it comes to the female vocals on the album they were sung by the french singer Fabienne Gondamin. Since we didn't manage to find a steady singer for the band before we entered the studios in France, Fabienne had to step in as a session singer. We auditioned for singers while we were in the studios and Fabienne was one of the first ones we tried out, and we knew right away that she was the perfect choice for this album. She has a lovely voice that just fits perfectly into our music and musical concept.

5- Are you the one that wrote everything from the beginning to the end for Sirenia? How does the writing process work in Sirenia?

On "At sixes and sevens" I've been doing everything from the begining to the end myself. The way I compose songs is to at first make a lot of seperate riffs and ideas. Further on I find out which prts fit together and then I start to arrange and build up songs. Then I spend a lot of time working on sounds and details. The last thing I usually do is the vocalarrangements and then the lyrics as the last touch. I usually prefer to do it this way cause then I can hear the atmosphere and the feeling of the song, and I can try to write words that sort of reflects these emotions.

6- I see a lot of different musical styles in your songs like Gothic, Metal and even classical music. Please talk about your influences in music.

I'm pretty much inspired by everything from extreme black metal to the most calm classical stuff, so there's a lot of different stuff that inspires and influences me, I can assure. My heart is also planted really well in the gothic rock genre. And bands like The Sisters of Mercy and Fields of the Nephilim has played an important role in my relationship to music in general, especially in the very start. Of the more new bands I can say that I like Tiamat and Anathema a lot. But all in all I can say that most of the music I listen to myself is music from the 80's, so maybe this up-rocked expression of Sirenia is partly a result of that.

7- What are you listening to those days? What is the last CD you bought?

At the moment I'm listening a lot to the new Tiamat album, think they've just released a brilliant album, think that's the last cd I bought lately. Furthermore I'm also listening a lot to rock/metal from 80's and early 90's at the moment.

8- Are you satisfied with the result of your new album? And how's the reaction of the fans and media so far?

Yes, we're really satisfied with the end-result. We spent 5 intense weeks in France(Soundsuite studios) to finish the recordings, and I think the hard work has really paid off. So far we got great reviews and feedback from both media and fans, so we feel rather good right now.

9- How does it feel to have your album in our Top 20 as well as having a rate of 100% for the review of your new album here at The Darkest Hours?

Well that's rather amazing. It feels really good, I guess it's sort of our payment for working so hard the last year and a half.

10- Sirenia is signed on Napalm Records. Can you please talk a little bit about the relation between you and your label..How come you decided to stay with Napalm? I guess they are doing an amamzing job for you?

There's a great communication between us and Napalm and that's a main factor to make a cooperation work. Furthermore we get a high priority on the label so we can't complain, they'er doing an overall nice job.

11- We can feel melancholy, pain, sorrow and a big dark gothic feelings in your songs:.Your music is probably a way for you to express yourself but why are you talking only about dark stuff? Are you an happy person? :)

A lot of people ask me this...Well, I have my ups and downs like most people have. But the thing is that I'm only able to compose music when I'm down. It's at these times that I really feel like composing as well. So you can say that I have my good times as well, it's only that I don't reflect them through my music, I rather reflect them on a night in town.

12- For those who are in the Montreal area like me, can we expect to see you live here one day?

Right at this moment we're making plans for European gigs, but I really hope to play overseas before we're gonna do a new album, cause I really want to present "At sixes and sevens" live also in America. I really hope and pray this will be a reality either this year or in the beginning of next.

13- Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I hope that I still remain creative and productive within the music. And I'm sure I will, it burns so strong in me.

14- If you could change one thing in the world. What would it be and why?

If I could change one thing, well...Then all the alcohol in Norway would be for free!! And the reason is because it's fucking expensive over here, and simply because I love it...hehe.

15- This is the time to plug your stuff (website, anything special you wanna say to your fans, etc..)

Greetz to all the readers out there! Hope to see you on tour soon, take care. In the meantime you can visit us at: www.Sirenia.no