Could you tell me what songs on the album probably
have a deeper or more personal meaning to you that you could tell me
about?
Well we have "Structure Divine". Thatīs about
a man who is balancing between sanity and insanity and he just canīt
choose which side. And Iīm singing on the chorus "Yeah, I think Iīm
losing it, Iīm losing it right now, Iīm losing it". He thinks heīs
getting sane but on the other hand he is getting more insane actually. So
thatīs one of the songs that I could tell you about.
Perhaps one of my favorite tracks is "Shadow
Child" can you give me a brief rundown on that one?
Well, itīs about a youngster who, heīs like a guiding
star to his friends. Heīs actually leading them straight to hell. Heīs
a real psycho kid.
Ok, a couple questions now pertaining to the
recent changes in the band related to your keyboard position. I read on
your website that Sven Karlsson is announced as your new keyboard player.
I was wondering how heīs working out and where did you originally find
him?
Well we got in contact with Nick Hogenson of THE
FORSAKEN. You know FORSAKEN? [Right] He used to play with the guy Sven
in the band called EMBRACED and we knew he was a good keyboard player
and when Carlos jumped off the band we tried to find somebody, a good
musician and that was a great guy too. Heīs actually playing in
EVERGREY and a band called MITHOTYN too. We actually contacted him right
before the Japanese tour and asked him if he wanted to go with us there
just to play those two gigs in Japan and he said "hell yeah!"
So and then it worked out really well so we asked him if he wanted to be
a full time member. He said "yes". Of course he has a very
tough schedule with both EVERGREY and MITHOTYN but I think he will work
it out some way. Thatīs great. Heīs a really nice guy and a great
musician.
Cool. So besides those bands like what is his
musical background and where does he come from in terms of influences
and how do you think that might have an impact say on the SOILWORK sound
for the next album?
Well as I said he has played with the band EMBRACED.
Have you heard of EMBRACED?
Yeah, theyīre from Sweden, right?
Yeah, from Malmo. I donīt know much about his
background actually but he likes different types of Metal. Heīs
listening to all from Classical music to Black Metal. Heīs a good
songwriter too, so maybe he will do some good things for SOILWORK. Give
his personal touch to the band and give us a little more richer sound
maybe also.
Will you put the keyboards a little more in the
front maybe or are you happy to maintain the keyboard levels that were
on A PREDATOR'S PORTRAIT?
I think we will still keep them in the background. We
intend to let the keyboards make the sound more atmospheric and you know
dynamic.
So there wonīt be no big STRATOVARIUS like
keyboard solos? (laughs)
(laughs) No, I donīt think so.
Did you ever consider not replacing Carlos and
just going with the guitar sound only?
Well, we were discussing about using DAT live but we
were discussing it then and we came to the conclusion that it looks
better with a keyboard player live. Itīs more of a live feeling when
you have a full time keyboard player live too. So we decided to pick out
and find a good keyboard player so and then we found Sven, heīs really
good.
I was wondering if your departed keyboardist
Carlos will be contributing any artwork for future releases?
Heīs actually working on the new SOILWORK cover. Heīs
great in doing artwork I think [Yeah, definitely] and hopefully he will
do a great cover for the next album. Thereīs a big interest for Carlos
artworks actually. He has a pretty tough schedule you know because thereīs
very many labels that want his artwork.
Is that basically his career now - doing the
artwork?
Yeah, yeah it is so. I am glad for him.
Back to the early days I was wondering what, if
anything, do you feel that you owe to the band ARCH ENEMY for helping to
get your name out in the beginning?
Well, Mike helped us a lot in the beginning because
there were some labels interested both War Music and Listenable Records
but we called them for like 5 times a week "oh, do you want us to
sign?" or "whatīs happening?" and nothing happened. Then
Mike, he sent another demo with some words of recommendation to them and
then suddenly they wanted to sign us immediately. Laurent of Listenable
Records wanted to put out the album immediately so he was the first one
so we signed with Listenable.
They're from France right?
Yeah, so we are very grateful for what Mike (Amott) has
done for us of course.
I was wondering what your feelings are on the
often overused tag that people refer to as the "Gothenburg
sound". I was wondering how you feel about that tag, do you think
you fit in under it or that you define it or have you moved beyond that
sound?
Well, I think there used to be like a Gothenburg sound,
many of the bands sound similar but nowadays I think most of the bands
have developed their own sound I guess because DARK TRANQUILLITY have
their own sound now. IN FLAMES of course have their own sound and I
think SOILWORK has a personal sound too. I think there used to be a Gothenburg
sound but now itīs more varied among the bands.
So you wouldnīt say thereīs a band out there now
who you could point a finger at and say these guys have the Gothenburg
sound? You think most of them have progressed beyond that?
Not that much. There are still bands who are doing the
old stuff, the old Gothenburg style but I respect those bands but we
want to take it one step further.
I was hoping you could tell me a little bit about
another band youīre in, TERROR 2000, and how you would say it differs
from what you do with SOILWORK?
Well I think melody is the main part in SOILWORK. Thatīs
very important in SOILWORK and I wanted to do something very
straightforward and fast so I decided to call Claus from DARKANE up and
asked him if he wanted to do something really fast and straightforward,
not too technical just fast. Heīs a big fan of KREATOR and SODOM,
SLAYER so yeah, he said "hell yeah, why not!" Then I talked to
Henry about it and heīs also a big fan of Thrash. Then also a friend of
mine Nick joined the band on guitar too so we started to write some
material and we sent some tapes around to some labels. We found a label
who was interested. We wrote the whole album in 2 months and got into
the studio to record "Slaughterhouse Supremacy". Weīre also
working on new material for the next TERROR 2000 which is going to be
recorded in the beginning of September.
Is that going to be around the same time of
recording for the new SOILWORK because I read that recordings were
supposed to begin in the Fall sometime?
Weīre going to record the new SOILWORK in the middle of
October. Pretty close, huh? [Yeah] Tough schedule.
How much of the new SOILWORK is written?
Oh, about five or six songs.
Do you have any titles announced yet or any album
title?
Uh, not yet actually. We are working on it.
I also wanted to mention I read that you sang on
DARKANEīs demo. Was the plan only to sing on the demo or were you
originally going to do the album as well?
We were actually talking about doing the whole album but
I felt that DARKANEīs sound isnīt my type of thing really. Theyīre
great musicians but I like it a little bit more melodic actually, more
catchy. I decided to jump off the band and go for SOILWORK full time
instead, one hundred percent.
Lots of bands these days, including yourself, have
been using Frederik Nordstrom to produce and record at his Studio
Fredman. I was wondering what does Frederik offer or add to the sound of
SOILWORK?
Heīs a great producer he often can come up with some
cool ideas with the synthesizers sort of stuff like that. We feel very
comfortable working with him. Heīs a very nice guy, very professional
so I think he has the best guitar sound in Sweden actually. Itīs great
recording with him. Itīs big fun.
So I assume for the next album youīll also use
him?
Yeah.
You have about five to six new Soilwork songs
written...I just wanted to see if I could pry a little bit more
information out of you related to your next release [Ok] and what we can
expect maybe or changes?
A little bit more clean vocals maybe but still the
screamy vocals. The new material is, you know the song 'Needlefeast' in
the vein of a little bit of 'Needlefeast' and also 'The Analyst'. Itīs
pretty heavy. Itīs not as fast as the other albums but very intense
still because we realize you donīt have to play fast to have an intense
sound. Itīs very intense and still very melodic and very atmospheric so
I think it will be a great album.
Do you think SOILWORK would ever record a ballad
or a slow song with all clean vocals maybe not a "love ballad"
kind of thing?
I donīt think so. Well, not only clean vocals I think.
I donīt know, we have to see. Maybe, you never know. (both laugh)
I already mentioned to you about playing the
Milwaukee Metalfest. I also had heard that you were originally going to
be doing a tour starting off with the metalfest. I heard that also fell
through so Iīm wondering is there any other plans for any other dates
in North American this summer?
Well, not yet because after the Milwaukee Metalfest we
are working on new material. As I said we are going into the studio in
the middle of October and I guess we have to wait until Spring. I have
heard thereīs pretty big interest for SOILWORK in the US and also
Canada so hopefully we will do a full tour in the Spring. I hope so.
Yeah, so this will be your first time playing in
North America [Yeah] do you have any expectations of what kind of
reaction you think youīre going to get?
Well weīre very much looking forward to meet the fans.
Thereīs a lot of fans posting on the forum, SOILWORK website. So very
much looking forward to meet the American audience.
Yeah, Iīve seen your forum there earlier I was
just checking out your site and I also noticed you have something there
where you are letting a fan recommend a song title. [Yeah, exactly] How
long is that going to be running for and is that something we can let
people know about or are you going to pick the title soon?
I think I will let the fans know in two weeks or
something like that. [Right, cool] Iīm checking through all the song
titles, there is a A LOT of song titles (laughs).
Yeah, there is one guy posted like about 20 or
something! (laughs)
Yeah, thatīs fantastic!
So thereīs some pretty good ones there I assume?
Yeah I think I will find some cool stuff.
Thatīs pretty much everything I wanted to ask you
about. Is there any other news related to SOILWORK that you would like
me to let people know about?
I donīt think so...weīre pretty much focused on Wacken
Open Air in Germany right now.
Yeah, I gotta get to that some year, next summer
maybe.
And also of course the Milwaukee Metalfest. [Yeah, cool]
Are you going there?
Milwaukee? No, I went to the New Jersey Metalfest
actually which you were originally listed as for playing at and
then when you were pulled I was like "fuck!". (both laughing)
That happens a lot of times, bands get scheduled, especially in the US
it seems hard to get solid dates set in stone...but maybe next year.
Yeah, hopefully I think we will get to both the US and
Canada after the next release. I think so. There are a lot of promoters
who want to book us Iīve heard.
Well, good luck with the upcoming shows and with
the recording of your new album, Iīll be looking forward to it.
Thank you.
Transcription kindly provided by Skyklad from
Thanks to Nuclear
Blast for the interview opportunity!
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www.soilwork.com
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