Sweden is here with Dissection. Their debut album "The Somberlain" is very good. Jon answered my questions. What is your current line-up, and what are your releases so far? - Our current line-up has been steady for almost 3 years now and it is: Jon Nødtveidt (vocals/guitars), John Zwetsloot (guitars), Peter Palmdahl (bass), Ole Øhman (drums). We had a lot of problems with the line-up when me and Peter started out the band in 1989, and it was hard to find the right people. Our releases so far: "The Grief Prophecy" demo#1 1990, "Into Infinite Obscurity" 7 EP 1991, "The Somberlain" demo#2 1992 and our debut album entitled "The Somberlain" will be out when this magazine is released I guess... Shouldn´t "The Somberlain" have been out for quite a while now, and are you pleased with the result? - Yes, it was scheduled for release the 13th of august at first, but has been delayed due to different annoying reasons. We´re fucking pissed off! Still, we´re really pleased with the result of everything else, like the production and the cover art work... One has heard about Tomas´ financial problems. Has this affected you? How are your experiences with No Fashion Rec.? - Yeah, there seems to be financial problems...but the reason why the album was delayed is that House of Kicks is the company that´s gonna print up the first edition and they seem to be more interested in licking Earache´s asses and more eager to promote already big bands like Carcass and Entombed over here...That´s wimp-attitude and we don´t want to deal with them in the future. How is the financial deal with No Fashion? How many albums have Dissection signed for? - We have only signed for one album and we get about 10.000 Swedish crowns for each 1000 copies sold...That´s okay. No Fashion also paid the studio and stuff like that. How has the band developed since "Into Infinite Decay" and till now? - It´s called "Into Infinite Obscurity" (hmm, I wonder what went through my mind when I wrote that - ed) and yes, we have certainly developed since 1991! In what way would you categorize the music Dissection is playing, and what is your aim as a band? - We play the metal of death! Our aims are to continue playing destructive and evil music with lots of atmosphere and satanic lyrics...To expand and progress in all ways... What does inspire Dissection musically and why do you play the musicstyle you do? - Why we play like we do? Basically because it feels right for us, and we want to spread as much darkness and death as possible. We´re inspired by melancholy, grief, death, hate and evil! Also by poser bands like: Possessed, Kreator, Mayhem, Bathory, Slaughter Lord, Mefisto, Morbid Angel, Tormentor, Poison, Necrovore, Witchfinder General, Mercyful Fate, Sadistik Exekution and stuff like that. A swedish Helvete... - Not of this earth anymore... You were supposed to play in Oslo together with Emperor and Marduk but sadly things made this concert impossible. But I am informed about new plans for this gig. Do you know something more? - Not really. but it would definitely be great to play there. Recent years Black Metal has grown big. Do you see this as an advantage or an disadvantage for the bands? - It´s of course well for the bands if they sell a lot of albums...but there is popping up too many new amateurish wimp bands! Out of the new Black Metal scene I enjoy Emperor and Nifelheim a lot! Really excellent bands... Your view on Church of Satan and its followers! - I think they blaspheme the concept of satanism...They must care a lot for other people as they want everyone to be their own gods etc...Stupid! I´m my own master, but nothing compared to evil itself...I´m just a part of it. Please compare the swedish scene with the norwegian one. Are there any new bands one should look out for? - Look out for Nifelheim (excellent) and Necuratul (Satanic industrial beat synth music)!!! I´m not really interested in comparing the scenes...it´s the music that counts. How do you see Bathory, Hellhammer etc. compared with the scene of the 90´s? - Without them it would not be the same today, I think. Bathory is one of my all time fave bands, also their new stuff! Do you have a future vision? - Death. Damnation. Perdition. Hell. |