Dance To The Music
Prog|Issue 142
Norway’s self-proclaimed “retro-prog” trio are back with an album inspired by an abstract dance performance! Ring Van Möbius reveal why they jumped at the chance to move away from their comfort zone with the project that led to Commissioned Works Pt II – Six Drops Of Poison, and their plans for future releases – which could even include a recording of the soundtrack to the horror flick Suspiria.
Dom Lawson 
Dance To The Music

Progressive rock can take musicians to all kinds of unexpected places, but it rarely requires them to put on their dancing shoes. Back in 2021, Ring Van Möbius were contentedly beavering away in the studio in their native Norway, working on the follow-up to The 3rd Majesty, the band’s second full-length that was released the previous year. Then, from nowhere, opportunity knocked.

“After we finished the last album, we figured we’d just continue with new material, which is always refreshing to do,” explains vocalist/keyboard maestro Thor Erik Helgesen. “You can start all over again and get creative, throwing the ideas out there. We were nearly finished with the sketches for the next album, when this guy Harald Beharie approached us, and he asked if we could make some music for his next abstract dance performance. We had absolutely no clue whatsoever about that world, so of course we said yes immediately! [Laughs]”

A respected dance maverick in Norway, Harald Beharie confessed to having little prior knowledge of progressive rock, and that he had discovered Ring Van Möbius via a simple Google search. Helgesen and his comrades, Håvard Rasmussen and Dag Olav Husås, were too thrilled by his offer to care.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM PROGView all
JAKKO M JAKSZYK
Prog

JAKKO M JAKSZYK

King Crimson's vocalist and guitarist shares anecdotes from his revealing new autobiography, discusses his lost career as a footballer and reveals what he said when he met the former king of pop.

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue 154
A Part & Yet Apart
Prog

A Part & Yet Apart

Sheffield-based 80s proggers Haze have returned with a new studio album, The Water's Edge - their third since their 2013 comeback record, The Last Battle. Prog catches up with threequarters of the band to discuss Haze's DIY ethos, the curse of prog and playing to Cumbrian sheep farmers.

time-read
5 mins  |
Issue 154
CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
Prog

CONTROLLED AIRSPACE

He's about to embark on Dream Theater's 40th Anniversary Tour, but keyboard maestro Jordan Rudess has taken time out to discuss his soaring new solo album, Permission To Fly.

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue 154
On The Wing
Prog

On The Wing

Birds, break-ups, big choruses and the Charlie Chaplin effect can all be found on In Murmuration, the ninth album from Finland's Von Hertzen Brothers. But as they embrace their power pop influences, have the Finns cast off their prog wizard cloaks once and for all? Mikko von Hertzen talks about the Seattle influence, songwriting secrets and sax solos.

time-read
7 mins  |
Issue 154
Fourth Dimension
Prog

Fourth Dimension

The stock of melodic Northumberland-based proggers Stuckfish has been rising since they formed six years ago. Their fourth studio album, Stuckfish IV, represents an important watershed in the band's musical evolution. Co-founders Adrian Fisher and Phil Stuckey tell Prog about the diverse influences that have helped to shape it.

time-read
5 mins  |
Issue 154
Symphly The Best
Prog

Symphly The Best

In the 70s, Barclay James Harvest almost bankrupted themselves by performing with an orchestra, but, several decades on, they’re celebrating last year’s performance with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic, captured on their latest live record, Philharmonic! The Orchestral Concert. John Lees reminisces over the band’s ambitious early years and bassist Craig Fletcher fills Prog in on JLBJH’s upcoming “progtastic” double album.

time-read
7 mins  |
Issue 154
We've Not Been Expecting You
Prog

We've Not Been Expecting You

The unpredictable Frost* are back with Life In The Wires, a bold double concept album that revisits the mood of Milliontown. Bandleader Jem Godfrey tells Prog why he rolled out the solos on a record he describes as the most fun since their dazzling debut.

time-read
7 mins  |
Issue 154
FAR HORIZONS AND PANORAMIC AMBITIONS
Prog

FAR HORIZONS AND PANORAMIC AMBITIONS

Dutch five-piece Lesoir have been steadily gathering momentum over the last 15 years, and they hope to build on that with their latest release, Push Back The Horizon. Vocalist/ instrumentalist Maartje Meessen and guitarist Ingo Dassen discuss the creation of their sixth album, working with Muse's production team, and their dream of bringing their intricate music to new audiences.

time-read
5 mins  |
Issue 154
'I mean, what is classical nowadays?'
Prog

'I mean, what is classical nowadays?'

Tony Banks reflects on his role as a 21st-century classical composer.

time-read
8 mins  |
Issue 154
There Can Be Only One!
Prog

There Can Be Only One!

Never meet your heroes, or so the saying goes, but Opeth have had a blast working with Ian Anderson on their latest, The Last Will And Testament. Bandleader Mikael Åkerfeldt and guitarist Fredrik Åkesson discuss the band's proggiest album to date, the return of the growl and why blood isn't always thicker than water.

time-read
5 mins  |
Issue 154