First tell us about your new release 'Deathraider' . What are some
of the
differences between this and your previous 'Postmortem Tales'?
I guess it's easier to get a grip on the new MCD. "Postmortem Tales"
is really dark and has tougher sound picture then "DEATHRAIDER". But
the
main difference is probably that we've recorded a couple of tracks
that
we'll never play live, songs which are named as bonus tracks on the
album. One is called "Iron Corpse" and is a primitive old school pure
gut-ripping death metal song. "Whiskey Driver is a track that only will
be released on the limited LP-version, and is a live rock 'n 'roll
song
with more "normal" vocals. And then there's a cover song too - "Stand
for the Fire Demon" by Roky Erickson and the Aliens. A band which I
been
a fan of since I was a kid, so it was really nice to record something
to
tribute Roky. The difference is that "DEATHRAIDER" offers more musical
styles than "Postmortem Tales".
Your style and imagery have certainly changed a lot since the
beginning. Could you explain the motivation behind these changes?
We've just done what we felt like. It's really as simple as that. A
thing that you last but not least notice on the new MCD. The
motivation
has always been the challenge of it all; taking on new inspirations
and
making something different from what we've done before. The next
album,
which is going to be recorded Jan/Feb 1999 is going to be much
rougher,
yet a bit different from "Postmortem Tales". But we've only made three
new songs for that album, so basically only time will tell what it will
sound like, but it's for sure going to be a ride on burning highways!!
To someone who had never heard Swordmaster, how would you describe
the
music?
As the Devil's fist in your face! Death metal to the max with
influences from thrash as well as heavy metal.
A lot of bands that debuted wearing 'corpse paint' have stripped it
off
forever, including Swordmaster. This is motivated by various reasons,
one being that it seemed to become a trend. What was your reason? What is your
opinion now on corpse paint?
Corpse paint is cool! But we had our differences already in the
beginning if we were going to use it or not, but we stripped it off
pretty soon after our first recording. But you can find us in "corpse
paint" on the "Postmortem-album" as well, and I can't promise that
there
won't be something like that in the future. The thing is that that is
not something we make a big deal of - we can use it, but it's nothing
that makes a big difference to us. Basically we don't use corpse paint,
but if we unlikely would feel like it sometime - we'd use it.
Tell us about some of the lyrics of your new release and what some
of the
topics you deal with are.
The track "Death Rider 2000" is a song that I wrote about my fucking
nightmares and how I would like to control 'em to use in the physical
world. The two other original Swordmaster-tracks - "Firefall of the
Fireball" and "Necronaut Psychout" - are about the pathetic devotion
to
the word "soul". While "Firefall..." talks about the strength of
flesh
"Necronaut Psychout" is using the same rules as the belief in a soul,
but talks about the weakness of that mind and are using those weak
spots
to attack it and wipe it from the face of the earth.
How has your touring situation been? Could you tell us about some
of the places you've toured and with whom? What are your plans to tour in
the
future?
We've only been on one tour so far, "The World Domination Tour",
with
"Dark Tranquillity", "Enslaved", "Bewitched", "Dellamorte" and
"Demoniac". We went almost all over Europe and it was fucking great!
Hopefully we'll go on tour again in '99 with the release of the next
full-length album. It was some economic problems with the tour though,
which affected Osmose's future tour plans. But we'll return next year,
I promise.
What sort of good and bad experiences have you had on your tours?
The bad experiences is always when you don't get what you are
supposed to get at the time when you're supposed to get it, but things
usually turn up after a while. Good experiences is all the cool fans
which bang their heads and raise their fists in the name of metal! The
people that come to the shows are always the best so we give 110%
every
night, just for the fun of it.
How is the metal scene in Sweden these days? Are you well received
there
by the metal scene? How about worldwide?
Yes, with the "DEATHRAIDER" album things have really started to
move.
We've had a lot of extreme good response and that makes us feel
totally
motivated to make a bonecrushing super-action full-length album.
What can we expect for the future releases of Swordmaster? Any
goals you'd like to reach?
We, like any other band, would like to make records that fucking
kick
ass. Records that means something for the listener. 'Cause in these
times with all the bands that are releasing records, you got to play
really great music to reach out. All the circus around the physical
image
feels so dead that it really is pathetic, you can wear a twenty
thousand
spikes on your penis, but can you make 2000 heads bang to a song that
you've written? That's where I wanna reach!
What did you do before Swordmaster, were you in any bands? Are
you working on any side-projects now?
I played in a couple of different death metal bands, but we never
recorded more than demo-tapes. But right now I'm in the middle of
starting a band (not project!) with Ole "Bone" Öhman (Ex. Dissection,
Ophthalamia), Peter Palmdahl (Ex. Dissection), Emil "Nightmare"
Nödtveidt (Swordmaster), Niclas "Terror" Rudolfsson (Swordmaster,
Sacramentum). We've been rehearsing a couple of times and are soon to
record our first demo-tape. The band is called LOADEAD. Remember that
name 'cause I can promise you that it's going to be a cool record in
the
future. We're only hoping for a good record deal.
How have your experiences with record labels been?
Osmose has been great. FMP wasn't so great.
Do you have a favorite song you've done? How about a least
favorite? If there was one song you could play to represent Swordmaster, which one
would
it be?
Too tough question to ask me. When I come to think of it I can't
really mention one particular song which would be more representative
than
another, but - to be contradictious - the two first tracks on
"DEATHRAIDER" are fast, tough yet melodical, and I guess that wraps
it
up pretty much when it comes to a Swordmaster song.
Such things as religion seem to be deeply entrenched in the scene
from
the very beginning. What are your thoughts on religion in general?
I despise religion. It's the thing that you want to kill to free
the
power of man, but - just as everything else in the world - it's very
hard to escape the yin & yang effect. I mean, there's nothing more I
would like then a life without religion, yet of course there's no
utopia. To try to convince myself of this privat eldorado I would
think
in a religious form of way, and that is something that I never will
do.
Conflicts is something man must have to keep the balance. To believe
in
something that is perfect forever is like biting yourself in the tail.
Yet we must fight Christianity!
What are your thoughts on the world and its future? Will it get
better
or
worse in the coming days?
Worse.
What do you like to do in your spare time outside of music?
Just hang around with my friends, drinking booze and having a great
time.
Explain some of the things that inspire you when writing music for
Swordmaster...
It's mostly thoughts on different things. On "Postmortem Tales" it
was
more like many different strange fantasies, yet with a symbolic tune
in
it. But what inspires me the most is if I listen to a new Swordmaster
song, then it itches in my fingers and I park myself just to write new
lyrics.
Alas, to the final question. If you could sum up Swordmaster in a
word, what would it be?
Five guys with a mission to rock' n' roll their whole lives! Burn
speakers and raising Cain. Party around and just be death's answer to
hell!
Closing comments ?
Thanks for the interview, and good luck in the future. 'Til next
time... Bang your fucking heads!!
