1. How did the band ini/ally come together? Can you share a bit about your journey as a group?
The band was formed back in 2015 when S/g André Clason, Kristoffer Utby, and Hans Andreas Brandal met over good whiskey and a shared love of music.
We independently released our debut album, Transi’on, in 2017. It’s a concept album that tells the story of a family through several genera/ons, narrated from the perspec/ve of an anthropomorphic house… you know, just your standard prog rock stuff.
For our live shows, we were joined by Bård Thorstensen, and he’s refused to leave the band ever since, no maSer how hard we’ve tried to get rid of him.
Two years later, we followed up with our sophomore album, Alienism, which documents the pa/ents at the Gentmire Ins/tute for the Criminally Insane, as wriSen in the journal of the Commissioner of Lunacy. A much simpler concept to follow, of course.
To complete our lineup, Emil Olsen joined on bass aXer the release concert for Alienism, and that’s the short version of our story leading up to today and our current release, Black Science & White Lies.
2. What would you say sets your music apart from other rock bands in the industry?
To get into the weird universe of Infringement, you would have to listen to the album, listen to previous albums, read the booklet and watch the live show. As the bits and pieces connec/ng the story line is presented through different medias to connect as a whole.
I don’t know what it is, but whoever comes up with an idea for a song, aXer everyone in the band has worked on it, it always comes out as Infringement. We are star/ng to find a sound that I think is uniqueliy ours, without knowing the road we took to get there.
Bård has a lot of jazz influences, I grew up on a lot of punk, all these various influences I think blend into a nondiscrimita/v crea/ve process.
3. Could you describe the crea/ve process within the band? How do you typically approach songwri/ng and arranging?
As for the lyrics and vocal melody, as of which I can elaborate, I write a short story first. From this extrapolate what works beSer as lyrical themes within the melodies and what themes can best be visualized on stage.
Whatever holes are leX in the story is included as snippets inbetween the lyrics or expressed in other mys/cal ways.
In the band we oXen come to the rehearsal with an idea and try to make something of it. Some/mes the idea is just a riff and other /mes it could be half a song, but as we work on the ideas the music really comes to life.
4. Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
There is more of a storytelling in our songs then trying to reach people with our words. In the lyrics you got all the elements of a good book writer. A story, protagonist, ups, downs and everything in between. The genius behind the insane universe in our albums is our vocalist Hans Andreas and maybe we should be a liSle concerned of what’s happening inside his head…
5. How do you feel your sound has evolved since the band’s forma/on? Have there been any significant changes in your approach or style?
The sound of the band is really unique and I do belive we have captured our sound just as much in the last album as we did for our first. The only difference is the quality. During the years we have learned how to beSer capture our sound. The recording prosess for our last album was really easy compared to the first.
6. What has been the biggest challenge the band has faced so far, and how did you overcome it?
The band hasn’t really faced so many challenges yet and we hope we can just skip that part for the future to come. The only challenge we have faced is the fact that our personal life doesn’t always cooperate with our band life. We all have jobs, studies and families that also needs aSen/on. But with some careful planning is really hasn’t been a problem.
7. Are there any par/cular ar/sts or bands that have influenced your musical style or inspired you?
We have all been influenced by bands like King Crimson, Dream Theater, Porcupine Three, Haken, Genesis, Pain of Salva/on and twisted it into our playing style in some form. On the other hand I think we have created our own kind of style when we write.
8. Can you share a memorable or interes/ng experience from one of your live performances?
One of the best experiences we have had live must be when we played on “Night of the prog” in 2022. With the big stage and all the people watching. it’s a great feeling to play In front of so many people that love what you do and just as important to play with the people you love to play with
9. How do you engage with your audience during your live shows? What kind of experience do you strive to create for them?
If there is something we would say we are good at we would have to say our stage presence. Us in the band tries to stay connected to each other and showing our audience that we like being on stage. And again, Hans Andreas is really swea/ng blood and tears when he preforms and not just singing his parts but ac/ng them out. He puts on a show with costume changes, props and really just giving it his all to the people that comes to see our show. And he is lucky to have his brother Jonas with him backstage helping with all the costumes.
10. Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you’re excited about? Can you give us a sneak peek into what’s next for the band?
When it comes to new music we will do everything in our power to get started with the next album as fast as possible. So for now you will have to s/ck to Black Science and White Lies.
11. What do you enjoy most about being part of a band? Is there a specific aspect of the music- making process that you find par/cularly fulfilling?
Being part of Infringement is really something. We all have really fun at rehearsals and when recording. I think that everyone that has ever played in a band would say that they have had the /me of their lives. Being part of a band is really just like being part of a family and In Infringement it certainly feels like a family.
12. How do you handle cri/cism or nega/ve reviews of your work? Has it ever affected your crea/ve process or confidence as a band?
The nice thing about music is that it’s subjec/ve.
It is as you say. Music is subjec/ve and we know that not everyone would love our music. That’s just something you have to find a way to live with. Another take on the maSer is that we some/mes look at the review with an open mind and read it as construc/ve cri/cism. Maybe there is something we can learn from the haters;-)
13. Are there any rituals or rou/nes that you follow before going on stage or entering the recording studio?
Before we are ready to play we sit backstage and warm our hands up while singing some warmup exercises from YouTube. It’s a nice thing to do together so we all are in the same mindset when walking on stage. And then we go deliver the best we can for our audience.
15. What advice would you give to aspiring rock musicians who are just star/ng their journey?
There really isn’t any set way to do it when star/ng a band as long as the key ingredients are present. Find yourself a group of friends and just play the things you love. Original music isn’t mandatory when forming a band. If you are new to the instruments you should focus on learning your instrument as best as you can so you have something to bring to the group. How many people that plays in a band hasn’t been through covering some solid old Rock ́n`Roll
16. Are there any specific goals or milestones that the band hopes to achieve in the future?
We would be lying if we weren’t to say that living of our music would be truly amazing. It’s every musicians dream to play music and showing the world what you really burn for. If that isn’t the best job in the world, what is?
17. How do you maintain a balance between your personal lives and the demands of being in a rock band?
Some/mes we have to make sacrifices and other /mes it all works out. We are very different from each other when we’re not on stage together so it’s some/mes hard but we make it work because we love playing together
18. Is there a par/cular song from your discography that holds a special meaning for the band or carries a significant story behind it?
We wouldn’t say we have a song with any special meaning to us. All our songs are loved equally but that is maybe mostly because we haven’t wriSen any super hit.
19. Can you share a fun or interes/ng fact about each band member that fans might not be aware of?
Just as a precau/on. We aren’t that fun or interes/ng…
Emil – Actually studying guitar at the University in Agder while playing Bass in Infringement S/g André – Draws houses for a living
Hans Andreas – Master at brewing his own beer and wine
Bård – Plays piano for an improv theatre group
Kristoffer – Plays drums in a Jeff Beck cover band
21. What would you be doing if you weren’t a musician?
As of today the music isn’t actually puqng any food on our tables so we have jobs that pays for that. Even tho all that money goes to instruments and other fun music gadgets.
23. Is it possible to be on the road and not succumb to ea/ng junk food?
That may be, but we have to return to that ques/on some other /me. As of now we haven’t actually “been on the road” as much as travelling from one place to another. We have of course eaten our fair share of burgers and kebab
24. Are there any songs you have done you wish you hadn’t?
Of course not. We stand behind all our songs and of course things has happened from our first /ll our last album
