My name is Ragnar, and I come from Iceland, a pretty small island in the middle of the north Atlantic ocean.
I am the drummer for tech-death band OPHIDIAN I (Season of Mist records), and I am the songwriter and drummer/vocalist for the black/death metal studio project HELFRÓ (Season of Mist records). I also play live drums for ABYSSAL (UK).
I´ve played with many different bands throughout the years, including SVARTIDAUÐI, VALKYRJA (SWE), BENEATH, and many more.
SDM: How old were you when you started playing?
Ragnar: I started playing in 2001 at 11 years old. A family friend was moving to another country for a couple of years and needed somewhere to store his drumkit while living abroad. The kit ended up in the living room at my house, and naturally, it had a magnetic attraction to a young kid. My dad showed me how to play my very first beat, and I´ve been playing ever since. I spent 6 years at FÍH music school studying jazz and rock drumming.
SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Ragnar: I never did play drums in a school band, but I played the trombone in my school band from around age 8 until age 15. That´s where I first learned to read music, and I have also benefited enormously as a drummer by having a background on a melodic instrument. I think every drummer should try a melodic instrument, and every other instrumentalist should definitely, at some point, try to play a few drums. The cohesion and interplay between band members are way stronger if they can understand each other’s way of thinking in terms of music.
SDM: Who are your top 5 metal influences?
Ragnar: Derek Roddy, Nick Barker, Dennis Röndum, Hannes Grossman and Tony Laureano.
To me, these guys blend 3 elements; furious speed, addicting groove, and immeasurable discipline. I strive to one day reach their level. There are plenty of super fast drummers, but something about the personal character that all of these above-mentioned drummers add to their music has made them immortalized.
SDM: Who are some of your other favorites?
Ragnar: I really enjoy the drumming of Morten Lowe Sorensen, who also has great and interesting ideas to go along with his speed and technicality. My favorite Icelandic drummer is Kristján Einar Guðmundsson, who is criminally under-exposed to his works, especially with his band Momentum.
SDM: Let us know 5 bands in your current personal rotation.
Ragnar: Ominous Ruin, Spawn of Possession, Limbonic Art, Malevolent Creation, Profundi
SDM: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Ragnar: I find it best to put some headphones on and listen to really fast music. I find a cushion or a padded chair and drum on those along with the songs. I try to push past my speed/stamina threshold, then take a little break and do it again and again until I am properly warmed up. It’s harder to warm up the feet, but I do try to raise my feet up onto the ball of my foot rapidly and then do calf stretches in between.
SDM: Do you read music? Regardless of answering yes or no, please tell us how it might have affected your playing.
Ragnar: Yes, I do. I don’t use it much, honestly, but when I´m learning a difficult song or an intricate fill, I sometimes write it in a drummer’s format of sheet music so that I get a better picture of what I’m trying to learn.
I also read guitar tabs which I use very much. I write out all the tabs for my band Helfró, as I´m the main songwriter.
SDM: Can you tell us about the gear you use?
Ragnar: I am endorsed by Zildjian and Vic Firth. I use Axis pedals with the E-Kit triggers, and they have both been super reliable. I am still using the same E-Kit box and hammers since 2007, and they’ve never broken down! I have brought them to at least 18 countries.
My current home studio setup:
Drums: Pearl Export Select
Toms: 10″, 13″, 14″
Floors: 16″, 18″
Bassdrums: 2 x 22″
Pedals: Axis A Longboards
Sticks: Vic Firth Extreme 5BN
Roland TM-2 trigger module
Axis E-Kit bass drum triggers
19″ A Ultra Hammered China
17″ K Custom Dark China
21″ A Zildjian Mega Bell Ride
15″ K Session Dark Hi-hats
08″ A Custom Splash
10″ A Custom Splash
15″ A Custom Fast Crash
18″ K Custom Dark Thin Crash
19″ K Custom Dark Crash
14″ K Custom Dark Hats
14″ Steve Gadd K custom Session hats
SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to younger drummers, it would be…
Ragnar: Mindset is everything. I see too many drummers go, “I’m quitting drums,” anytime they see someone else pull off a spectacular performance. I have never thought like that. Since I started playing, whenever I saw someone doing great things on the kit, I always thought, “if he/she can do that, so can I!”
It’s important to constantly push your boundaries, be it by pushing the threshold of your speed or breaking the limit of your technicality and musicality. Try to play with band members that excel at their instrument and let them pull you up to their level. Never be afraid to listen to criticism, and don´t take it negatively. Being open to suggestions has accelerated my learning.
SDM: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Ragnar: Kristján Einar Guðmundsson back in 2006 when he was playing with Momentum.
SDM: Aside from drumming, what else do you like to do?
Ragnar: I am a car guy. I own a Ford Focus RS and a Citroen AX Sport rally car. I like to watch formula 1. I enjoy hiking and snowmobiling. I am really into geography, and I like reading about the extremes of human nature, be it heroism or villainy.
Thanks, everyone for reading and for your interest in and support of extreme music!
Ragnar’s Links:
