Morten Veland (born 4 December 1977) is a Norwegian musician. He is one of the founding members of the

gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy met ...

band Tristania and the founding member of

Sirenia The Sirenia (), commonly referred to as sea-cows or sirenians, are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. The Sirenia currently comprise two distinct f ...

and

Mortemia Mortemia is a Norwegian gothic metal one-man band created in 2009 by Morten Veland, the founder of Tristania and Sirenia. History 2009 On 6 July 2009 the band announced it had signed with Napalm Records. 2010: ''Misere Mortem'' The band's ...

Background

At the age of 14, Veland began saving to buy his first electric guitar. He would lock himself up and practice everyday and night. Veland was inspired by Guns N' Roses's

Appetite For Destruction ''Appetite for Destruction'' is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. It was released on July 21, 1987, by Geffen Records. The album was released to little mainstream attention in 1987. It was not until the following ...

and

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

Trash Trash may refer to: Garbage * Garbage, unwanted or undesired waste material ** Litter, material discarded in inappropriate places ** Municipal solid waste, unwanted or undesired waste material generated in a municipal environment Arts, enter ...

to make a career out of music and afterwards by The Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, and The Mission amongst others.

Career

Early days

In 1992, Veland entered the music scene when he was just 15 years old. He and bandmate Kenneth Olsson, who would later form Tristania, formed Uzi Suicide. They were described as a fusion of Rock and Metal. However, his interest grew more into the UK Gothic scene. It inspired his songwriting into a darker and gloomier musical feel. Fragments of Uzi Suicide turned into Tristania.

1995–2001: Tristania

In 1995, he co-founded Tristania and at 19 signed his first record deal. Veland released 2 albums and couple EP's with the band. Tristania became one of the leading acts in the genre at the time. They toured throughout the American continent and also in Europe. The band performed in some of the biggest music festivals in Europe. Whilst in Tristania, he was the main lyricist, songwriter and guitarist as well as being responsible for the

growling vocals A death growl, or simply growl, is an extended vocal technique usually employed in extreme styles of music, particularly in death metal and other extreme subgenres of heavy metal music. Death growl vocals are sometimes criticized for their ...

, until he left Tristania after the first two full-length albums due to social and musical differences.

2001–present: Sirenia

Sirenia at Global East Rock Festival 2010 (1)

After Tristania, in 2001, Veland formed his own band

, composing the same genre of music, in which he contributes nearly all of the instruments as well as the growling vocals. The rest of the band (except female singer and choir members) are mostly used on live performances only.

Mortemia

While taking Sirenia on a more melodic direction, Veland began writing other types of music. He ended up with many great ideas but it didn't really fit his current band's musical concept. He since decided to form Mortemia. The music has a similar style to that of Tristania's second album '' Beyond the Veil''. The band signed a contract with

Napalm Records Napalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock. Originally, Napalm focused on black metal bands, such as Abigor and Summoning, and folk metal bands, such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg. The label later ...

on 6 July 2009. Mortemia is a studio project only, but he is considering doing a live lineup in the future. After 11 years of inactivity, Veland announced a brand new EP titled

The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions ''The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions'' are a digital download collection of singles by the Norwegian gothic metal one-man band Mortemia. The singles have been released through 2021 and 2022. Unlike Mortemia's first album, '' Misere Mortem'', these ...

on 11 May 2021. This EP is an entirely different concept which will feature many different female vocalists in each song.

Influence

He cites

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

The Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy is an English rock band, formed in 1980 in Leeds. After achieving early underground fame there, the band had their commercial breakthrough in the mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasin ...

Fields of the Nephilim Fields of the Nephilim are an English gothic rock band formed in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, in 1984. The band's name refers to a Biblical race of angel-human hybrids known as the Nephilim. Career Early years (1984–1991) Fields of the Nep ...

, The Mission,

Tiamat In Mesopotamian religion, Tiamat ( akk, or , grc, Θαλάττη, Thaláttē) is a primordial goddess of the sea, mating with Abzû, the god of the groundwater, to produce younger gods. She is the symbol of the chaos of primordial creati ...

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Ca ...

, and

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse (poetry), verse. A second edition fo ...

as his chief influences.

Personal life

Veland has his own recording studio called Audio Avenue (until 2010 named Stargoth Studios) in

Tau Tau (uppercase Τ, lowercase τ, or \boldsymbol\tau; el, ταυ ) is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiceless dental or alveolar plosive . In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 300. The name in English ...

village,

Rogaland Rogaland () is a Counties of Norway, county in Western Norway, bordering the North Sea to the west and the counties of Vestland to the north, Vestfold og Telemark to the east and Agder to the east and southeast. In 2020, it had a population of 47 ...

, where he lives regularly. He works as a producer and engineer. During his spare time he collects cognacs, red wines, and beers. He enjoys playing chess, fishing, and hiking. He is married to Elaine, they have a couple of children together. .

Discography

Tristania

Demos

*''Tristania'' ( EP, 1997)

Albums

*'' Widow's Weeds'' (1998) *'' Beyond the Veil'' (1999)

Singles

*''Angina'' (1999)

Live albums

*''Widow's Tour'' (1999) *''Widow's Tour/Angina'' (1999)

Compilation albums

*''Midwintertears / Angina'' (2001) *''Midwinter Tears'' (2005)

Music videos

*''Evenfall'' (1998)

Sirenia

Demos

*''

Sirenian Shores ''Sirenian Shores'' is an EP by the Norwegian gothic metal band Sirenia. It was released on 11 October 2004 by Napalm Records. It is the last work recorded with the female lead singer Henriette Bordvik, who left the band in November 2005. Back ...

'' ( EP, 2004)

Albums

*''

At Sixes and Sevens "At sixes and sevens" is an English idiom used to describe a condition of confusion or disarray. History Origin and early history It is not known for certain, but the most likely origin of the phrase is the dice game " hazard", a more complicat ...

'' (2002) *''

An Elixir For Existence ''An Elixir for Existence'' is the second studio album by the Norwegian gothic metal band Sirenia, released in 2004. The album follows in the same vein as the previous '' At Sixes and Sevens'', but includes a new female vocalist, Henriette Bordvi ...

'' (2004) *'' Nine Destinies and a Downfall'' (2007) *'' The 13th Floor'' (2009) *''

The Enigma of Life ''The Enigma of Life'' is the fifth studio album by the Norwegian gothic metal band ''Sirenia'' and their second with the Spanish vocalist Ailyn. It was released on 21 January 2011 through ''Nuclear Blast''.Blabbermouth.netSIRENIA: New Album Tra ...

'' (2011) *''

Perils of the Deep Blue ''Perils of the Deep Blue'' is the sixth studio album by the Norwegian gothic metal band Sirenia. It was released on June 28, 2013, in Europe, July 1 in the United Kingdom and July 9 in North America by Nuclear Blast. Produced by Morten Veland, i ...

'' (2013) *''

The Seventh Life Path ''The Seventh Life Path'' is the seventh studio album by Norwegian gothic metal band Sirenia. It was released on May 8 in Europe, May 11 in the United Kingdom and May 12, 2015 in North America through Napalm Records. This will be the first record ...

'' (2015) *''

Dim Days of Dolor ''Dim Days of Dolor'' is the eighth studio album by Norwegian gothic metal band Sirenia. It was released on November 11, 2016 through Napalm Records. It is their first album with French vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan following the departure of Ailyn. ...

'' (2016) *'' Arcane Astral Aeons'' (2018) *'' Riddles, Ruins & Revelations'' (2021)

Singles

* ''My Mind's Eye'' (2007) * ''The Path to Decay'' (2009) * ''The End of It All'' (2011) * ''Seven Widows Weep'' (2013) * ''Once My Light'' (2015) * ''The 12th Hour'' (2016) * ''Dim Days of Dolor'' (2016) * ''Love Like Cyanide'' (2018) * ''Into the Night'' (2018) * ''Addiction No. 1'' (2020) * ''We Come to Ruins'' (2021) * ''

Voyage, voyage "Voyage, voyage" () is a song by French singer Desireless, released as the first single from her debut studio album, ''François'' (1989). It was written by Jean-Michel Rivat and Dominique Dubois, and produced by the former. Sung entirely in Fr ...

'' (2021, Desireless cover)

Music videos

* ''My Mind's Eye'' (2007) * ''The Other Side'' (2007) * ''The Path to Decay'' (2009) * ''The End of It All'' (2011) * ''Seven Widows Weep'' (2013) * ''Addiction No. 1'' (2020) * ''

'' (2021, Desireless cover)

Mortemia

Albums

*''

Misere Mortem ''Misere Mortem'' is the debut studio album by the Norwegian gothic metal band Mortemia. The design was done by the agency angst-im-wald. Track listing Personnel * Morten Veland - vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, drum programming, producer A ...

'' (2010)

EPs

*''

'' (2021) *'' The Covid Aftermath Sessions'' (2022-2023)

Music videos

* ''The One I Once Was'' (2010)

References

External links

Sirenia' Official WebsiteMortemia' Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Veland, Morten 1977 births Living people Norwegian heavy metal guitarists Norwegian heavy metal singers Norwegian multi-instrumentalists Norwegian rock guitarists Norwegian rock singers Norwegian songwriters Musicians from Stavanger Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Norwegian singers 21st-century Norwegian guitarists 21st-century Norwegian male singers