Lars Broddesson from Hild: "Keep living, keep fighting"
Well, it started as a simple idea when we were working on ”Thrash på Svenska”. If making a 100% conceptually Swedish record, why not make our own version of the national anthem? There really wasn´t more to it than that initially, just a cool idea. Our label at the time, Black Lion Records, refused to release it because it was a collab with another artist, Ida Redig. So we saved it for later. Only when we decided to release it, we ended up writing yet another version! And actually, both got released. The first one by Ida, the new one by us. Now, Sweden has in modern days had a complicated relation to its own culture and history, in many cases,not least media related and official ones, it has been frowned upon to honor your own roots and heritage etc. Which is just weird. These days it´s not so blatant anymore. And of course you should recognize your history and what has made you into what you are, no matter where you are from. And we happen to be Swedish, so its pretty simple haha! But still, this release is 0% political or ideological, that´s worth pointing out. The statement we want to make is that of love for the actual landscape and nature and its unseen forces of past millennia. THAT is Sweden to us and we want to showcase its beauty and the sadness of how our modern ways of life just blindly destroys it.
How did the collaboration with Ida Redig come together, and what dynamic did she add to the track?
It´s quite simple. When I started working on our version, for once I couldn´t find the proper inspiration I´m used to. So I ripped Ida´s version into Pro Tools as a starting point. And ended up with this remix/mashup. We figured ”why not” and I reached out to her management. And here we are!
Dynamics? That obviously depends which version we are talking about. Although both feature the exact same vocal tracks, the songs sound different enough to be from separate planets. The first one builds on her version from 2016, which is electro infused, up-beat pop. We made a roller-coaster of it by adding some nice harmonic content and martial drums to her parts. Then verses 2 and 4 are ALL HILD, classic style. The last verse has nothing to do with the original at all actually, except for the lyrics. Which have also been changed slightly to add more aggression and war-like feel. So Ida brings the nice sweetness, we bring the war, aggression and ”fuck off”.
Version two, our release ”Du gamla du fria 2025” only features Ida´s voice singing the classic melody of the anthem. The rest is HILD original music. And here we made something completely different. We skipped all the classic, bombastic harmonic arrangements and built a new one. A repetetive piano figure entirely in minor key! This completely alters the feel of the vocals and the melody. Suddenly, all the concealed Swedish melancholy and the sadness of the folk soul, ”det svenska vemodet” lies naked in the open for everyone to see. In this setting, she brings a brittle, emotional and deeply beautiful feminine flare, a side that´s easy to miss in the more classic arrangements of the song.
“Så rider jag mig” carries an evocative title—what story or feeling does it aim to convey?
”Så rider jag mig” actually IS a story. The lyrics are not ours but an old medieval ballad variation of the theme ”Death of the beloved”. It is commonly held that this guy, Richard Dybeck, wrote two verses of his own to the melody. This, opposed to his own will, later became ”Du gamla, du Fria”, our national anthem. So it all connects. Anyway, the story goes: A strapping young lad rides home through the vast forest and finds different people in different stages of burial preparations. Ultimately. It turns out it is his own girl that has died. Absolutely heartbreaking! She was the best girl lever apparently. Although there are theories that these kind of songs were sung as amusement it is still filled with emotion and grief and also the blunt fact of life going on regardless, unceremoniously. I guess we wanna capture that if anything. The longing for your soulmate who´s gone forever. What ýa gonna do? Keep living, keep fighting. Something found in the more aggressive parts of the song I guess. Our version is far from a traditional interpretation. You want one of those I recommend listening to Swåp´s version. It sparked the idea of us doing one.
In what ways does this single mark an evolution in HILD’s sound or lyrical direction?
Hmmm…. It´s more diverse and melodic for sure. More room for emotional expression, not least in the vocals, that mix screaming and singing. The lyrics are not ours, they belong to the folksongs. It´s not impossible that we will bring some of these elements in future work. But after all, we actually view this as a side step rather than evolution. Coming stuff will most likely be more back to basics and simpler, more direct. But you never know what comes out when we drink from Odrörir and the endless well of divine inspiration!
The title “Jag vill leva, jag vill dö i Norden” echoes national sentiment—was this meant as affirmation, irony, or something else entirely?
It is indeed a national sentiment. And literally a salute to all of the North. So we intend it that way. Affirmation, definitely. Irony, absolutely not, although I can understand the question given our lamentation of the destruction of our soil. But no, it is just the final iconic words of the anthem and it´s also a statement meaning exactly what it says. I love the North and I want to live here, I want to die here
Were there specific events or cultural shifts that sparked the themes explored in this release?
No. Like everything we do, we do it out of our own interest and will. We turned it into a package of two different songs with common ground when our dear friend Walter Hultman reminded me of Swåp´s ”Så rider jag mig” on Messenger. Just the circumstances of life basically. It could have been just the last song on ”Thrash på Svenska” but fate had it done differently.
The contrast between harsh thrash elements and melodic vocals stands out—how intentional was that blend?
Semi-intentional! From the get-go I knew I wanted at least the part when our hero reaches his dead beloved to be soft and melodic. Then, there were some drafts of the song which had way more melodic singing. But it just didn´t sit right until we went full aggression in key places. So it´s both a product of the natural work-flow and inspiration and analysis and re-takes. We have received a LOT of positive responses in regards to the shifting vocals in this one. I didn´t expect that to be honest. But we´re super happy for it, no doubt!
How does HILD define Nordic identity in 2025, and how is that reflected in the music?
We don´t define it. We´re just us, doing us. HILD is sprung through the landscape and the powers of the Gods and Old that imbue it when you open up for it. That is what we channel, therein lies our loyalty and what we fight for. It is my personal world view and faith and HILD is in many ways a vessel for it. I write and sing about things that matter to me. So it ends up in the music. The listener is free to catch on or just listen to high energy, empowering fucking Thrash/Black/Punk whatchamacallit. But I´ll say this much:
It is clearly more common to adhere to the old Nordic ways and beliefs these days, that´s real nice to see. And it´s on a serious and genuine level. Haven´t seen that before. It seems Forn Sidhr and our Gods are gaining ground again and it seems to work quite well in the multi-cultural society that the North in many ways are today. Asatru is no longer low status or looked upon with ridicule. And that brings joy and pride to me. Sure, I´d still belive what I belive and do what I do if the whole world laughed at me haha! But it´s nice we´re returning to strength and getting to grow the glory of the Old North with heads held high!
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