The year 2013 brought several intriguing albums in the avant-garde/progressive metal sphere, one of them being “The Tower” by Vulture Industries. The Norwegian band enjoyed considerable success at the time, which encouraged them to appear live more frequently and to release their following albums, “Stranger Times”, and “Ghosts from the Past”.
Some years later, more precisely on 12 September 2025, they revisited “The Tower” in its entirety at Quantic Club, Bucharest, Romania – and right before the show, I had the chance to sit down with them for an interview.
Vulture Industries performing at Quantic Club, 12 September 2025
© Ionuț Iancu [The Interwission | Sombres Nuits]
Bjørnar Nilsen: Hello! Thank you for being here and listening to us.
As for your question… the answer is: the people. The people, really – their warmth, the energy they bring to the shows, and the way they connect with the music. There’s a spirit here that’s hard to find anywhere else, and it makes every visit feel special.
Øyvind Madsen: The people, indeed. But also, the memories of our first gig in Romania.
Vulture Industries performing at Quantic Club, 12 September 2025
© Ionuț Iancu [The Interwission | Sombres Nuits]
Bjørnar Nilsen: Oh, the first time we were here, yeah, that was back in early 2010. We were basically seeing what gigs we could secure, as we were booking the shows ourselves. We’d study tour posters of similar bands we admired and see which clubs they were performing in.
One of the venues we found was Daos Club, in Timișoara.
I think the guy I was in contact with back then, who was booking for the venue, was called Marius. He knew the band and was interested in putting us on the bill.
The concert featured some heavy names, such as Sulphur, Taake, and Helheim, and suddenly, we joined them. Haha, just imagine how happy we were!
Fast forward, all the bands got together on a bus, and I remember driving into this run-down old factory area. The bus parked outside, and when we woke up in the morning and looked around, we thought, “Is there really a venue here?”
But then the doors opened, and inside was this incredible space, actually built into the factory.
We ended up playing there and had a fantastic experience. I think it was probably the show with the biggest audience we’d seen at that point – truly a highlight in terms of being welcomed and feeling appreciated. That’s what made us want to come back.
That concert was part of the European Dark Essence Tour, if I am not mistaken.
Bjørnar Nilsen: Yes, yes! And we were so impressed by the Romanian audience that we continued to search for more gigs there.
And where did the winds guide you next, after that unforgettable experience?
Bjørnar Nilsen: To Dark Bombastic Evening! That was Doru’s masterpiece of an event. We got in touch, and at some point he said that he wanted us to play at his festival.
Øyvind Madsen: And I think that was the first time anybody paid for our flights to do a show outside of Norway.
Bjørnar Nilsen: Yeah, it was a really nice experience in every way. Fantastic festival, fantastic crew, and organisers.
I remember the time schedule was a bit relaxed, so luckily for us we were playing quite early. Unluckily for the headliner, they were supposed to go on at around 1:00 a.m., but the band before them kept doing encore after encore… It was like, “Why are these guys still playing?”
In the end, it was 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. when the headliner finally went on. Half the audience was asleep in front of the stage, but they managed to wake them up.
Oh, that must have been something more to add to the box of memories. And you know what else you’ve just added to it? This anniversary. “The Tower”, the album released in 2013, has reached a true milestone. First of all, congratulations on that, and on the material in its entirety! Quite an intriguing work, if you ask me – so fascinating that we might need to dissect it a bit. Could you tell me more about the ideas behind it?
Eivind Huse: Thank you! It is quite an emotional moment for us.
Bjørnar Nilsen: The record is a critical perspective on the world we build and the constructions we make to support it. In “The Tower”, the economic system is a central theme – how money is connected to power. I mean, if we take the title track, “The Tower”, it really crystallises the themes we’ve been exploring – the systems we build, the power structures we sustain, and how individuals relate to them. It’s about the ways we construct our world, how economic forces and the pursuit of possessions define so much of our lives, and how these structures can dominate or even trap us.
Eivind Huse: For me, as well, it’s a critical reflection on ownership, power, and the social contracts we accept without always questioning them. Each rule, each framework we follow, shapes not only how we live but who we become. The track Bjørnar spoke of examines the tension between human ambition and the consequences of that ambition – how our creations grow beyond us, casting shadows over our lives, and how we are both the architects and the prisoners of these systems.
It’s a way of looking at the world and saying, “These are our constructions, these are the bonds we create, and they demand more from us than we often realise – but at the same time, they are a mirror of ourselves”.
And then there’s “The Hound”. I’m curious about the ideas behind that track.
Eivind Huse: “The Hound” is kind of thrown away – a discarded tool of power that is no longer useful and can be put aside. The song is an attempt to understand this tool and to go into its perspective.
You know, there’s another track that has really stayed with me while listening to the album – “The Pulse of Bliss”. Could you also share some insights about it – its meaning, the ideas behind it?
Bjørnar Nilsen: It ties into the same theme – the systems we build to construct and understand our world, the mechanisms we put in place to support it, and how the individual relates to these systems, even becoming trapped within them.
The story continues, somehow, in “Sleepwalkers”.
Indeed. There you have got the lyrics “Countless shapes lift my body from the floor/Drags me off in wonder/As to what I have in store/Will I soon be squandered?/Like a match burnt-out/Like a twisted nail/Like bad cloth torn asunder”.
Bjørnar Nilsen: It’s like being carried away by the mass, without knowing where you’re going. And the people dragging you along don’t really know either – they’re just part of the same system. Nobody has a truly conscious view of what’s happening.
Food for the thought. Oh, in just a few minutes you’ll be on stage here at Quantic Club – how are you feeling right now, moments before the performance?
Bjørnar Nilsen: Well, we had to get up early to catch a flight, so we were a bit tired, but now we’re close to ready to hit the stage. We feel really welcome here – really nice people. We’ve played Bucharest many times before. We played in Fabrica Club multiple times, and also in The Silver Church. The people here are always welcoming, and we’ve always felt a special connection with Romania.
Øyvind Madsen: It’s fantastic. You know, the audience is awesome, the energy is unmatched. We couldn’t be happier.
Eivind Huse: The venue is great, the stage is good, and technically everything works perfectly – but what really matters is the people. The audience, the organisers, the crew – that’s what makes a show memorable. It’s always a pleasure to play in Romania, and it feels like we’re coming home in some way.
Vulture Industries performing at Quantic Club, 12 September 2025
© Ionuț Iancu [The Interwission | Sombres Nuits]
And you will still be at home for now, because, if I’m not mistaken, you’re heading to Brașov tomorrow.
Bjørnar Nilsen: Right you are! Tomorrow we leave for Brașov. After that, we’ll head back to our part of the world – we have kids and work waiting – but we’ll stay an extra day in Brașov. I’ve never really experienced the city before, not to mention the county. I’d like to visit Bran Castle. A good friend of ours, Leo, from Hteththemeth, lives there and runs a hotel, so we’ll stay at his place.
That sounds wonderful. Looking ahead, what’s next for you as a band?
Bjørnar Nilsen: Oh, we will focus on creating new music – a new album, in fact. That’s the plan. Then more touring will follow. The best part of playing music, for me, is travelling and performing for people – seeing places in a way you never do as a tourist, and meeting people in a different, more personal way. That’s what keeps us going.
For example, I’m meeting you now, and although I’m sure I’ve seen you in the crowd before, this is the first time we get to have a proper conversation and share some thoughts. Especially since you already knew a lot about us, it makes the interview engaging rather than static or boring.
Vulture Industries performing at Quantic Club, 12 September 2025
© Ionuț Iancu [The Interwission | Sombres Nuits]
Oh, glad you like it – and speaking of sharing, can you give us even a small sneak peek into the new album, the themes, or the vibe you’re exploring?
Bjørnar Nilsen: Yes, yes! Of course, it’s still early, but the material we have so far follows the path we’ve been exploring recently. Some of it might look further back, perhaps a bit more intense, maybe even angrier. We’ll see – we’ll grow old, hopefully wiser, maybe even a little bitter.
Waiting for it. Until then, since time is short, do you have any message for your audience?
Bjørnar Nilsen: Sure! Thank you. We love you all. Be nice to each other, and we’ll be nice to you. We can’t wait to see everyone at the shows – it’s always a special connection here.
