INTERVIEW: Sahg frontman Olav Iversen talks about festivals, Delusions of Grandeur and a "little white lie" he told in Belfast

FROM the mists of the burgeoning rock and metal scene in Bergen there emerged four hard rockin' beasts, who combined their fire and fury into the force that is SAHG - a band that has evolved and become ever more 'special' in this world of 'vanilla' rock.


We caught up with vocalist and guitarist, Olav Iversen ahead of the band's March appearance at Hammerfest VII. And first of we wanted to know that when the band formed in 2005 did they expect to still be playing and recording.


"We had no idea," said Olav. "We didn't even think beyond the first album. We were so obsessed with shaping our first creation in our own perfect fashion, that was all we could think of.


"I remember how completely absorbing this band was from day one. It was all about making it sound exactly right, at any cost. And ever since it's always been one album, one step at a time.


"At the level we are on, you never know what's gonna happen next. You just keep going, keep working, and before you know it, ten years have passed. It's been terrifying and completely exhilarating, and we are dying to live the next ten!"Delusions of Grandeur [Our review is here] seemed to us to be a more focussed record with a lot of prog elements. We put to Olav that this seemed a deliberate plan...
"It totally was," he explained. "After three albums we felt that we needed to revitalize the sound and seek some new inspiration.


"It’s not like 'Sahg III' was an artistic 'deficit project' in any way, but after we had toured that album and started to plan the next one, we saw that the well was running dry and we needed to dig a new one.


"Also, we had become more and more inspired by the new wave of prog metal that was rising, and we wanted to mix some of that into our vintage metal-based sound. So instead of falling into the trap of dwelling in the comfort zone, 'proceeding as usual' and trying to squeeze more out of the old lemon, we decided to make the effort it took to find a new approach on our sound.


"It demanded a lot of time and hard work, but when 'Delusions Of Grandeur' came out on the other end, it was all worth it. Now we feel we have the perfect platform and tons of ideas and inspiration to make a fantastic next album, and we intend to put it out before the end of the year."


Good news for all SAHG fans - but we also wanted to challenge Olav about a conversation we had when they played Belfast with Audrey Horne a couple of years back.

 They included a section of Thin Lizzy’s Emerald in your opener. Afterwards Olav and bandmates insisted that this was not just because they were in Ireland. But was it...
"That was a little white lie, I’m sorry!" said Olav. "We have adopted the solo section of Emerald into our own song The Executioner Undead on many occasions, and we probably will again.


"But it was extra special to play it in Thin Lizzy’s homelands. We are big fans and have a lot of respect for what Phil Lynott and his boys have contributed to the legacy of rock’n’roll, so that was a special and memorable experience, indeed."

 With Delusions of Grandeur being something of an immersive experience for the listener we wanted to know whether one day they will produce something that will be too impenetrable?



"We don’t have that focus," insisted Olav. "Our aim is always to challenge ourselves and to excite our fans. And in order to do that, I think we need to constantly push the limits of what is expected of us. If you give people exactly what they expect, it’s never going to be impressive.


"We rather want to challenge our fans’ ability of musical interpretation, because we believe that is the way to impress and stay interesting. It may mean we will lose some fans, but I am sure we will win even more.


And Olav is sure that they know their own boundaries.


"...we trust our own limits of how 'impenetrable' we will allow our music to be, so I’m not worried that we will get completely carried away into the artistic wilderness.


"Looking at the material we have got cooking for the next album, I am confident it is going to hit the spot with our fans and blow away quite a few people.

 With Hammerfest just around the corner we asked just how important are festivals for bands like SAHG.
"We dig festivals!" said Olav. "Both playing them and just hanging out. I mean, lots of beer, lots of good music, and lots of good people. What else would you want?


"Playing festivals is a high priority for SAHG. We love the festival vibe, which is more laid back and open-minded than at most regular club gigs, and our show has always fit well in the festival format. Probably because we enjoy the concept of festivals so much.


"And we are excited about playing Hammerfest this year, we have heard a lot of good words about it, and I am sure it will be great. We played its 'twin festival', Hard Rock Hell, a few years ago, and judging from that, it’s going to be one hell of a good time.

 Finally - we wanted some tips for first-time festival goers how to survive the mayhem.
"I could say 'make sure you get enough sleep' and 'look after your money and credit card at all times'. But screw that, that’s not what makes a good festival experience.


"Just chill out, have a brew, and make sure you don’t miss out on your favorite bands. Don’t stress and just let it flow, that’s the key to a good time at a festival."


Sahg play Hammerfest VII, which is at Hafan Y Môr Holiday Park, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales, from March 12th to 15th.


Interview by Jonny

No delusions at SAHG's grandeur with album number four

WHEN SAHG played in front of a thin crowd in Belfast earlier in 2013 there was no doubt about their pedigree as performers, and now with their fourth album, Delusions of Grandeur they have reinforced their credentials as an increasingly impressive act.

While not an immediately accessible album, it is, however, one with impressive depth in song structure, delivery and intensity; all the tricks in the classic metal bag are teased out to construct an album worthy of the title 'classic'.

From opener Slip Off The Edge of The Universe to the epic closer Sleeper's Gate to The Galaxy there is a sense of the monumental about this release.

However, part of the secret lies in the two-and-a-half minute instrumental, Odium Delerium. Here, the riffs and guitar work are a seamless blend of the best of 70s heavy music á la Sabbath and Zep, and more modern work like that of Mastodon. It's not just because this is what the band claim in the release blurb; it is evident to any listener that this is a Norwegian act that is both knowledgeable about the past, but able to put their own spin on it.

While Sleeper's Gate may have echoes of Opeth and Zep III, it also twists this into a spaced out conclusion to the album's concept.

Concept album? Don't run away in fear! Each song stands on its own merits. The stomp of Firechild, the full on Blizzardzone or Then Wakens the Beast could fit into a set list and not seem out of place.

The concept is one best explained by front man Olav Iversen:

“We came up with the story about a person, whose delusions of grandeur escalate to the level where they consume him completely,” he said.

“From becoming increasingly psychopathic and dominant, he loses touch with everyone around him, and isolates into his own imaginary, psychotic world, where he becomes the almighty ruler of the universe.

"As he stands on the highest peak of his domain and beholds all that he has conquered, he suddenly slips off the edge and floats away, weightless. Helpless and stripped of all power, he drifts further into the open space, until he disappears into the darkness.

"It’s an album about how desire for power and property can distort and destroy who we are.”

Got that? Yes, it might seem to have a little bit of Floyd's Wall about the rise and decline, without the pretentiousness of fans regard for that. Instead, one must take this to reflect what it must be like to be in the creative furnace of Bergen and watch lesser bands rise to the front pages of magazines with mediocre albums and overblown egos. Very few last the course.

SAHG on the other hand are based on solid musicianship, a background of its member's experience in playing everything to classic hard rock to death/black metal. That experience has been used to produce a musical journey in Delusions of Grandeur that is as complete a space opera as any sci-fi film produced since Alien.

From within the realm of science fiction one can explore themes and metaphors that in straight forward lyrics would appear clumsy. Politicians and demagogues, as well as musos would do well to pay heed to he essential message: rise to the top and often there is nothing there of worth.

But set aside everything else, and what SAHG have delivered is an impressive, classic album. The twin guitars of Olav and Thomas Tofthagen are a dexterous melange of wondrousness, while Tony Vetaas and
Thomas Lønnheim nail the complexity down with a precision that does not intrude, but instead complements the vision of each song and the album overall.

What really makes Delusions of Grandeur stand apart from the herd of schtick produced by the wannabes is that even after a few listens you know this is an album you will come back to a month down the line, a year down the line, or five years down the line and it will still feel as fresh and as impressive.

SAHG release Delusions of Grandeur on October 28th on Indie Recordings.

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