Eld Varg are a heavy metal trio from Scotland, channeling raw energy and sharp songwriting into their sound. First emerging as a solo project with One Man Army in 2021, the band has since grown into a full force based in Glasgow, now pushing forward with their latest release Destroyer. In this interview with TheNwothm, they discuss their journey, influences, and what’s next as they take their music from the studio to the stage.

Interview

TheNwothm: Hey guys! Can you introduce the band and where you are from?

Eld Varg: Hello! We are Eld Varg, a 3 piece heavy metal band from Scotland. In the band we have myself, Ollie Noakes, on Guitars and Vocals, Micah Snow on Bass Guitar, and Andy Hedges on Drums. 

TheNwothm: What was the spark that turned Eld Varg from a solo studio project into a full band in 2023?

Eld Varg: It was always something that I had considered from the start of writing music for the band. But as happens a lot, life got in the way and it just never came to be in the early days. It was after the release of the first “demo” version of the first album, One Man Army, and the response that it got that told me that forming a live band was the right move, and so far, I think it was the right call! 

TheNwothm: Eld Varg translates to “Fire Wolf” in Swedish. What drew you to that name, and how does it reflect the band’s identity?

Eld Varg: Around the time that I started writing music for Eld Varg, it seemed that every band I was listening to was Swedish. Sabaton, Grand Magus, Amon Amarth, Ghost, Wolf, the list goes on. So it seemed fitting to pay homage to the bands that inspired me to start writing for Eld Varg through the name. I thought that Fire Wolf sounded good in English, so translating that to Swedish landed on Eld Varg, and so it continues! 

TheNwothm: You’re based in Glasgow. What’s the most “Glaswegian” thing about Eld Varg?

Eld Varg: Not very much in truth! Although we’re based in Glasgow and all live here, none of us are actually from Glasgow. I’m from the far north east, Micah from North America and Andy from Edinburgh way. But perhaps that is a Glaswegian trait? Glasgow seems to attract all manner of people from all over the world.

TheNwothm: Growing up, who were the artists or bands that made you want to pick up an instrument?

Eld Varg: For me there’s a very clear path that got me to where I am. Kiss is the reason that I picked up a guitar in the first place. Seeing Ace with smoke billowing out of his guitar and fireworks blasting out is enough to make any kid want to pick up the instrument! From there I moved to Metallica and the 80s metal scene, and then finding Swedish heavy metal, and especially Grand Magus, really solidified my style. 

TheNwothm: How has Glasgow’s music scene shaped your sound or approach?

Eld Varg: The scene here is very good, and very strong. There are so many bands covering so many styles, and playing very well, that just vicariously, we have all upped our game. Through all of the bands we’ve encountered, I believe we’ve got a pretty unique style within the Scottish metal scene, so anybody looking for downtuned “Viking metal”, there’s only one place to really go!

TheNwothm: What’s your take on the Scottish heavy metal scene right now? Any local acts you rate?

Eld Varg: I think it’s a very strong scene, that it’s only real negative is being so far north. We have bands of all style and levels playing, so whatever metal you’re into, you’ll find it here. I think my favourite band at the moment is Crusaders. They’re also from Glasgow and have just released their first album, which is absolutely worth a listen to. 

TheNwothm: Do Norse themes resonate differently when filtered through Scottish culture?

Eld Varg: I think they maybe do, I guess we maybe view them through foreigners goggles. Although I think from a song writing perspective, none of our songs are directly about Norse or Viking stories, but there’s a strong influence there, from a lyrical standpoint and a musical one. I find it a lot of fun to take it in all sorts of directions. 

TheNwothm: If Eld Varg were a mythical creature (besides a fire wolf), what would it be?

Eld Varg: If you’ve taken a fire wolf off the table, as a Scot, I’ll have to answer Unicorn! It is out national creature after all! 

TheNwothm: Let’s go back to “One Man Army” in 2021. What was the mission behind that debut?

Eld Varg: I think my main driving force behind it was to prove to myself that I could do it. I’d always written music, and never really got to a point of finishing anything, and certainly not to the point of release. I really believed in the music I was writing at the time, so set about choosing the best albums worth of material with the intention of releasing an album. Although I ended up doing a newer, stronger version, I’ll still forever be proud of that album.