Morten Veland

At the age of 14, Veland began saving to buy his first electric guitar.{{cite web|url=http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/sirenia-mortenvelandinterview.htm |title=Sirenia Interview |publisher=about.com |date= |accessdate=27 June 2014}} He would lock himself up and practice everyday and night. Veland was inspired by Guns N' Roses's Appetite For Destruction and Alice Cooper's Trash to make a career out of music and afterwards by The Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, and The Mission amongst others.

In 1992, Veland entered the music scene when he was just 15 years old.{{cite web |url=http://www.mortemia.no/ |title=Biography |publisher=mortemia.no |accessdate=20 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712084408/http://www.mortemia.no/ |archivedate=12 July 2013 }} He and bandmate Kenneth Olsson, who would later form Tristania, formed Uzi Suicide.{{cite web| title= Mortemia Interview- Morten Veland Interview- Interview with Morten Veland of Mortemia and Sirenia| url= http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/mortenvelandinterview.htm/| accessdate= 16 May 2013| url-status= dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130517004449/http://heavymetal.about.com/od/interviews/a/mortenvelandinterview.htm| archivedate= 17 May 2013}} They were described as a fusion of Rock and Metal. However, his interest grew more into the UK Gothic scene. It inspired his songwriting into a darker and gloomier musical feel. Fragments of Uzi Suicide turned into Tristania.

In 1995, he co-founded Tristania and at 19 signed his first record deal. Veland released 2 albums and couple EP's with the band. Tristania became one of the leading acts in the genre at the time. They toured throughout the American continent and also in Europe. The band performed in some of the biggest music festivals in Europe.

Whilst in Tristania, he was the main lyricist, songwriter and guitarist{{cite web |url=http://www.sirenia.no/index.htm |title=Sirenia homepage |publisher=Sirenia.no |date= |accessdate=20 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012091817/http://sirenia.no/index.htm |archive-date=12 October 2007 |url-status=dead }} as well as being responsible for the growling vocals, until he left Tristania after the first two full-length albums due to social and musical differences.{{cite web|url=http://www.gothmetal.net/article/articleview/302/1/33/ |title=gothmetal.net, tristania |publisher=Gothmetal.net |accessdate=20 August 2011 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723135857/http://www.gothmetal.net/article/articleview/302/1/33/ |archivedate=23 July 2011 }}

File:Sirenia at Global East Rock Festival 2010 (1).jpg

After Tristania, in 2001, Veland formed his own band Sirenia, composing the same genre of music, in which he contributes nearly all of the instruments as well as the growling vocals. The rest of the band (except female singer and choir members) are mostly used on live performances only.{{Citation needed|reason=Entire paragraph needs verifiable sources|date=May 2018}}

While taking Sirenia on a more melodic direction, Veland began writing other types of music. He ended up with many great ideas but it didn't really fit his current band's musical concept. He since decided to form Mortemia. The music has a similar style to that of Tristania's second album Beyond the Veil. The band signed a contract with Napalm Records on 6 July 2009.{{Cite news|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|date=6 July 2009|accessdate=7 July 2009|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123198|title=Sirenia mainman's Mortemia signs with Napalm Records|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113124712/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123198|archivedate=13 January 2010}} Mortemia is a studio project only, but he is considering doing a live lineup in the future. After 11 years of inactivity, Veland announced a brand new EP titled The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions on 11 May 2021. This EP is an entirely different concept which will feature many different female vocalists in each song.

{{cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/sirenia-tristania-founder-morten-veland-resurrects-mortemia-solo-project-announces-the-pandemic-pandemonium-sessions|title=SIRENIA / TRISTANIA FOUNDER MORTEN VELAND RESURRECTS MORTEMIA SOLO PROJECT, ANNOUNCES THE PANDEMIC PANDEMONIUM SESSIONS|publisher=bravewords.com|access-date=11 September 2021}}

He cites Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Leonard Cohen, The Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, The Mission, Tiamat, Nick Cave, and Paradise Lost as his chief influences.

Veland has his own recording studio called Audio Avenue (until 2010 named Stargoth Studios) in Tau village, Rogaland, where he lives regularly. He works as a producer and engineer. During his spare time he collects cognacs, red wines, and beers. He enjoys playing chess, fishing, and hiking.{{cite web|title= Sirenia- Old Is New Again|url=http://www.deadrhetoric.com/features/sirenia-old-is-new-again/|work=deadrhetoric|date=10 May 2015 |accessdate=}} He is married to Elaine, they have a couple of children together.

{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

• Tristania (EP, 1997)

• Widow's Weeds (1998)
• Beyond the Veil (1999)

• Angina (1999)

• Widow's Tour (1999)
• Widow's Tour/Angina (1999)

• Midwintertears / Angina (2001)
• Midwinter Tears (2005)

• Evenfall (1998)

• Sirenian Shores (EP, 2004)

• At Sixes and Sevens (2002)
• An Elixir For Existence (2004)
• Nine Destinies and a Downfall (2007)
• The 13th Floor (2009)
• The Enigma of Life (2011)
• Perils of the Deep Blue (2013)
• The Seventh Life Path (2015)
• Dim Days of Dolor (2016)
• Arcane Astral Aeons (2018)
• Riddles, Ruins & Revelations (2021)
• 1977 (2023)

• My Mind's Eye (2007)
• The Path to Decay (2009)
• The End of It All (2011)
• Seven Widows Weep (2013)
• Once My Light (2015)
• The 12th Hour (2016)
• Dim Days of Dolor (2016)
• Love Like Cyanide (2018)
• Into the Night (2018)
• Addiction No. 1 (2020)
• We Come to Ruins (2021)
• Voyage, voyage (2021, Desireless cover)

• My Mind's Eye (2007)
• The Other Side (2007)
• The Path to Decay (2009)
• The End of It All (2011)
• Seven Widows Weep (2013)
• Addiction No. 1 (2020)
• Voyage, voyage (2021, Desireless cover)

• Misere Mortem (2010)

• The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions (2021)
• The Covid Aftermath Sessions (2022–2023)

• The One I Once Was (2010)

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130303234628/http://www.mortenveland.com/sirenia/index.php?id=3 Sirenia' Official Website]
• [http://mortenveland.com/mortemia/?id=15 Mortemia' Official Website]

{{Morten Veland}}

{{Sirenia (band)}}

{{Tristania}}

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Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:Norwegian heavy metal guitarists

Category:Norwegian heavy metal singers

Category:Norwegian multi-instrumentalists

Category:Norwegian rock guitarists

Category:Norwegian rock singers

Category:Norwegian songwriters

Category:Musicians from Stavanger

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century Norwegian singers

Category:21st-century Norwegian guitarists

Category:21st-century Norwegian male singers