Dutch dark folk project Thurnin are set to release their third album entitled Harmr on March 14th. Thurnin’s mastermind Jurre Timmer spoke with Metal Express Radio about the upcoming album, his unique live show, and more. Check out the chat below!
Metal Express Radio: Your band, Thurnin are set to release their third album entitled Harmr on March 14th, what can you tell everyone about the upcoming release?
Timmer: Harmr is a one song concept album about dealing with my very personal grief, it’s an album I didn’t plan on doing but writing and creating is the best way for me to deal with such things. It is my goodbye song for two very dear friends, as well as a celebration of their lives
MER: How was the writing and recording process having this being your third album?
Timmer: The writing process for this was definitely different, It was the first time tackling a one song album, while also being the fastest I’ve ever written an album to keep it as genuine as possible. Recording and especially mixing gets a bit easier every album, so the experience of previous albums helps with that. Still, i’m always glad when it’s over and i can step away from hearing the songs for a while.
MER: How would you compare Harmr to your previous two releases?
Timmer: I think every album has its own unique vibe and goal I set out in writing. I’d say it’s somewhere between the first two albums in terms of atmosphere, where Menhir focused more on mood, and Utiseta was very melody focused.
MER: You’ve released two songs from the album so far, do you feel like those two songs represent the album well?
Timmer: Yes and no, I think “Gefera” sets the tone for the album while “Arcturus” is the “odd one out”.
MER: What do you see as far as plans to promote the album after its release?
Timmer: The honest question is that I do not know, I think music should be heard and I think this release deserves to be heard but I’m mostly just looking forward from this album. There was talk of doing a small tour of playing the entire album, but the last tour was a huge financial setback and it’s logistically very difficult to set it up considering none of my live members are from around here.
MER: How would you describe your live performance to someone who has yet to experience it?
Timmer: It’s usually a very intimate and tranquil show, Besides festivals we mostly did smaller shows for anywhere between 15-70 people usually so it had a pretty laid back and relaxed atmosphere. I think it’s something that people talked about after the tour since not many people in the genre do live shows.
MER: Do you feel like your music has something that will open the door for fans of Heavy Metal to explore?
Timmer: Definitely, I come from a metal background writing wise and often I’ve heard people say that Thurnin sounds like “What if we just did metal interludes for an entire album.”
MER: Having such a unique sound, who would you see yourself touring with and why?
Timmer: Musk ox is the obvious one cause I played with Nathanael Larochette a lot and we have a very natural chemistry, otherwise someone like Jonathan Hulten probably. I think there’s some overlap there.
MER: Is there anywhere that’s been your favorite to play live and why?
Timmer: Madrid for sure, the crowd was amazing and I got to meet a lot of people that I previously only spoke to online. Was incredible to see so many people show up to hear my music.
MER: Is there anywhere you hope to play live that you haven’t yet and why?
Timmer: Most places really, We’ve only done the one tour and would love to do one going more towards Germany, Poland and Scandinavia. It just really depends on the demand for it. Always wanted to do more traveling and being able to combine it with playing live shows would be ideal.
MER: Out of your band’s three albums, what is one you would recommend to a new fan and why?
Timmer: That’s difficult cause I’m very biased, I think Utiseta is “better” but requires more attention and repeat listens, while Menhir does a lot more for people on a first listen. Even considering the new album, I’d recommend just starting at Menhir. I often find a new artist I like through their latest album and find it very difficult to go back to their older works.
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