J of Bastards of Bohuslän

 Interview with J of Bastards of Bohuslän

Hail my friend, you are very welcome to Archangel’s Lantern. Introduce to the readers your awesome page Bastards of Bohuslän. When and how did you start it? What is the main goal of Bastards of Bohuslän? 

(I’m so thankful to you for sharing my interviews with my dear Swedish metal-bother, Carl-Gustav Karlsson)

J: All hail mighty Archangel’s Lantern!

Bastards of Bohuslän is a project me and a friend started in 2013 because we were bored and wanted to have something to do. Shortly my friend left to do his own adventures. The main goal for me is to promote and help my friends and other local musicians to spread their music. NO SELFGLORIFICATION!! I am a person who prefers to be in the background. It took years for some friends to realize that it was me who was behind the page. 

Yeah I don't have any problems sharing interviews with great people. Carl is an awesome drummer and a genuine nice person! 

How and when did you join Swedish underground movement? What was/were your very first stuff and which bands did you see for the first time? 

J: Hmm, I’m not sure I am a part of the underground…

I was born in 1981 so I think I am a bit too young to have been there in the beginning.

But as a young little fart I was at parties with older local musicians who are now my friends. I started out as many before me with listening to my older brothers vinyls. There were albums like Maiden's Number of the Beast, GnR’s Appetite for Destruction and the early Helloween albums. Those are still some of my favourites today. It was a great day when I saw Kai Hansen perform some Walls of Jericho tunes on Sweden Rock Festival many years ago. But in my brothers small collection there was a mixtape with a song on it that caught my ear. I listened to it over and over again but I didn’t know what it was. Later I found out that it was the song Terrion by Scanner. Their first album Hypertrace is an overlooked gem! I highly recommend it. Their other albums are shit! 

If anybody knows what the first singer Michael Knoblich does today please let me know.

My first record was Metallica - Master of Puppets on vinyl. It was the coolest thing ever to drop the needle on your first record bought with your own money. 

Hmm I don't know if I remember my first show exactly. I started to attend live-shows rather late. Me and a friend use to take the bus to Gothenburg to see bands like Dio, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Manowar and UDO. I really like the classics!

My Swedish is unfortunately very poor but with translating programs I’ve read a lot of interesting things on fuckingbastards.blogg.se. Temporary I could not check out your blog but would you be so kind to tell in brief its content? Will you plan to continue that amazing blog? 

J: The Facebook-page is mainly for pics. I don't want to just google pics of local records. I want to find them myself and take pictures of them. A treasure-hunt for my own amusement. 

The blog is a place were I publish my interviews. I have my ups and downs with activity on the blog. It contains mainly interviews and shorter stuff like musicians listing their favourite albums. Its not just local musicians. There are so many nice musicians that I have interviewed. Jeff Becerra of Possessed is a piece that I think turned out great. His tragic accident were he was shot and left paralyzed and his now rise to success again with Possessed. An overall nice person! 

I am also grateful that I have been able to talk to people from my favourite bands like Tankard and King Diamond. An interview with the King itself is my lifegoal!

My goal is to continue doing interviews and continue asking questions that musicians don't normally get.

Did you play back in the day or are you playing in any band(s)? If yes, tell us more about it.

J: No unfortunately not. It is one of my regrets in life not starting to play an instrument in my younger days. It’s one of the reasons I now write about music instead. My son now plays guitar and I do anything to support him. 

What are your most preferred hordes and albums/tracks of my dear Swedish metal brother Carl-Gustav Karlsson? 

J:The great Calle! 

Well, Mastema - Those Who Walk In Darkness is one of the greatest promos! Check it out! His work in Grief of Emerald, Author Of Pain, Sarcastic and of course Protector is awesome! I don't think he can be bad?!

In our private chats you mentioned Jonas Lindblood of Puteraeon. What is your opinion about Puteraeon and his past hordes? Do you have any favourites from his musician activity? 

J:He is a nice guy! I am not close friends with him but we use to meet once a year at an annual music-quiz. I really don't listen to Puteraeon. The reason we chatted a while ago was that i didn’t realize that he was the main brain behind an album me and a friend listened to very much in the late 90’s. The album is Taetre - The Art from 1997. It’s still a great album! Check it out!

Swedish underground scene is a very famous with a lot of brilliant hordes long time ago. How do you describe the entire Swedish movement in golden era and our days? Let’s talk about amazing movement in Bohuslän. What bands could you recommend us from early days and currently? What is the situation with live-shows in Bohuslän?

J: It would take a lifetime to talk about the entire Swedish metal-scene! But I think the Swedish scene alongside with Norway have made an impact on the entire metal-scene around the world. But of course we are much better than Norway, he he!

The movement in Bohuslän is another story. There are so many great bands from here. But I have to include the areas around Bohuslän too because they often have members from here. 

Local bands that I really like are:

Dissection for obvious reasons. One of the best bands ever. 

Swordmaster from Strömstad with Jon Nödtveidt's brother Emil is fucking awesome!!

Lord Belial from Hedekas is really underrated! Great band!

Decameron!!

Deathstars. Maybe a bit controversial here but a really like the first album.

Nifelheim with the evil twins. (Stop arguing and get the band together again!!!)

Sarcastic and Hathor from Strömstad is also worth checking out. 

Loud N’Nasty! Rob from LNN is a local sleaze hero and tattoo artist. He lives and breathes music. He have over the years put on many local shows and released many albums under the name Loud N’Nasty and more music with his solo-project N.A.S.T.Y.

Martin Hogebrandt is a friend of mine who has been apart of Suicide Winds. He has many current bands.

Legions of War. A war themed Black/Thrash band. 

Exhausted Cocks. A punk band who is getting better and better! 

GutGrippers. Maniac metal with people from Suicide Winds and Bestial Mockery. New video out. Check it out! 

Three active bands and he is still restless?! Settle down old bastard!! He he!

Suicidal Winds from Uddevalla is also great. Matte Johansson and Peter Haglund going at it since the early 90’s. Is Matte a mad genius?!

Rawhide. A filthy Rock n’ Roll band from Uddevalla. I got to know Rob from Rawhide in high school cos his cousin who also played in the band was in my class. I am a true supporter of Rawhide and have seen countless gigs with them. They have not been active for some time due to some line up problems. But now they seem to be back on track and nothing makes me happier! He is also in the band Warhawk. Just as filthy! 

Bestial Mockery. Bestial with Master Motorsåg in the frontline. Only one way to describe them. Pure. Fucking. Chaos!

Warfect. From a small band to one of the best Thrash bands in the world!! Watch them rise!

And speaking of the evil Nifelheim twins. They now each have their own bands. Tyrant with Crank. A more like Rock n’ Roll band. I’ve seen them live once at a local pizza-place and it was awesome!! What a great night. They didn’t have enough songs so the played their setlist two times! Ha ha! 

And Hellbutcher has Hellbutcher. Why change a great name? I think it sounds more in the same line of Nifelheim. I am looking forward to the full length album cos what I have heard so far sounds amazing. 

Perhaps you know that my humble blog is eternally dedicated to Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) amongst others. Did you see and meet him? What are your favourite bands, albums and tracks from His heritage? 

J:Hmm well of course his music has been a big part of my life and still is. I have never met him. I was too young then to hang out with the big boys. I really like all of his music but my favourites are the two first Dissection albums. Although I think Reinkaos is a great album and probably was the right next move for the band musically. But the first two for me are more raw and aggressive. And The Somberlain was one of the first more extreme metal-albums I have heard. So for me I like the classic Dissection more. Jon, Peter, Ole, John-John and Johan is the shit!

My favourite tracks are:

Dissection - Heaven’s Damnation

Dissection - Shadows over a Lost Kingdom

Dissection - Soulreaper

Dissection - Thorns of Crimson Death

The Black - The Book of Leviathan

The Black - Towards the Golden Dawn

Dissection - Starless Aeon

Dissection - Black Dragon

And of course Thunder - Dreams/Guilty of Love!

(©MrForbiddenLight/facebook.com/JNodtveidt.Biography)

I think its really sad that all people can talk about nowadays when his name is mentioned is the fucking shit that happened. Not unlike Pelle Dead who is also now reduced to a suicide-victim who ended up on a album cover. People should focus more on their music. 

Jon was probably One of the most talented musicians ever. And according to my friends who was close to him a funny nice guy. THAT is what he should be remembered by!!

I have a good metal brotherhood with Tobias Fongelius of Voodus/ex-Jormundgand since Winter, 2009. 

What do you think about Voodus and his past horde, Jormundgand? 

J: I don't personally know Tobias. But I have had some contact with him when I have done some interview with him. A super nice guy! Jormundgand is a good band but I really like Voodus more. It kind of has an dangerous eerie feeling to it. I think they carry on the legacy of the older bands. The old heroes would be proud!

I know it is a very hard question but what are your favourite albums of all time? (from Bohuslän to Worldwide)

J: This is a question that has been discussed on many parties. And we can agree that its impossible to answer. But I can answer what albums I often return to again and again. Worldwide it would go something like this:

King Diamond - Abigail (For me the best King album)

Thin Lizzy - Johnny the Fox (Phil is a true hero of mine)

Tankard - Zombie Attack (My German heroes)

Exodus - Bonded by Blood (Crush the posers! Paul Baloff rest in beer!)

Manowar. The first 7 or 8 albums are great! People who don't like Manowar can fuck off!

W.A.S.P. - Winged Assassins (Blackie still creates great music!)

Slayer - Show No Mercy (The best Slayer album!)

Helloween - Walls of Jericho (Kai Hansen's voice is so raw!)

From Bohuslän:

Dissection - The Somberlain (No explanation needed)

Rawhide - Deathpunk Playboys is a killer (and the rest too)

Legions of War - Towards Death

Warfect - Exoneration Denied

Swordmaster - Postmortem Tales

Loud N’Nasty - Teaser Teaser

Suicidal Winds - Victims in Blood

Bestial Mockery - Gospel of the Insane

Decameron - My Shadow

Unfortunately I never have been in Sweden so far. Share some thoughts about your beautiful land Bohuslän. What places are your recommendations to visit me? 

What local foods and drinks could you recommend me to taste? 

J:I hope you can visit some time. Well i recommend you to go to the ocean and just sit and watch it. I find it both calming and mesmerizing. A good place for that is Tjurpannan. A windy nature reserve where the cliffs and ocean have taken many lives. In the northern Bohuslän there are rock-carvings all over the place. Stuff your face with local seafood and beer. Maybe look up where some of the local music were made? If you travel outside Bohuslän to Gothenburg there are many metal locations of importance you can visit. 

There are many small villages along the coast who are worth a visit. Except for Fjällbacka. Stay away from there! Fucking wankers!

Tack så mycket, my friend, it was a pleasure to talk to you. To complete our conversation, send your message of Bastards of Bohuslän to the readers of Archangel’s Lantern, please.

J:Thanks for the talk and the opportunity to spread the word about my page! Your support means the world to me. Hate religion and keep support your local bands and keep buying their records.

”And I laugh as I burn down the pearly gates of light.

And forever ill be within the arms of abomination!”

Important link, Bastards of Bohuslän: 

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063706683904

Warhawk (Gothenburg) in  Körpehölafestivalen, (25.V.2024)

recorded by J: 

V'gandr (Helheim)

 Interview with V'gandr (Helheim)

Questions compiled by Andrey Tolkowiec and Georgius

Hail V'gandr, welcome to Archangel’s Lantern. What’s latest news around you? Did you start to work with new album? What should we know about it?

- Hello there. We’ve booked Solslottet with Iver as producer for our next album. We felt that we needed another approach this time as we’ve been working with Bjørnar E. Nilsen in Conclave since 2006. Bjørnar understood our decision and also felt it was about time we changed studio. We’ll enter the studio in the fall of this year. I don’t want to reveal too much about the album as of now as it’s a bit early to do so.

In my Hungarian review I’ve marked 10 your latest masterpiece called “WoduridaR”.  Tell us in detail about the creation of your latest album. What was the process of creating the songs and how long did it take?

- Thanks a lot for giving us a 10. That really warms my heart. It’s been a while since we wrote those songs, so a bit hard to remember exactly how it went down, but one thing is for sure and that is that we basically did it the same way as always: coming up with the songs at home and then putting the final touches and lead guitars in the rehearsal room. We started creating the songs basically at the end of the Rignir writing process. Some melodies stem back from 2014 or so. We always have some old riffs laying around that for some reason didn’t make it through to the initial album as it didn’t fit the atmosphere we wanted to create. 

We know that is a bit hard question but would you be so kind to tell us in short track by track about “WoduridaR”? As a bonus one, there is a cover-song of Hazard. Whose idea was to record it?

Vilje av stål- we wanted a really brutal opener but were the song kind of calms down a bit. It’s a song that has both the raw black metal style, but also the atmospheric clean voice parts. One of the first songs I wrote for the album.

Forrang for fiende- a short piece written by H’grimnir. We felt that a music video suited this song quite well. It’s not a very typical Helheim song as it is very short for being us.

WoduridaR- The chorus is the first I wrote for this album. I was visiting Australia at that time as I had an Australian girlfriend, and one morning I had a shower and started humming this melody. The rest of the song was created around this chorus line. As the title of the album were already set, we knew that the title track had to be grandiose. 

Åndsfilosofen- Another track by H’grimnir. A really cool song, but also what I consider “in the middle of the album” song.

Ni s solu sot- H’grimnir’s masterpiece on the album if you as me. A song that we often play live as it has the groove, the extremity, and the chilling atmosphere. One of my favourites.

Litil vis madr- The most extreme song on the album, I guess. I just wanted to write a very cool and down right BM song with no other intentions. 

Tankesmed- another one from H’grimnir. A pretty cool song that wraps up the whole album in many ways, before we end it with…

Det kommer i bølger- a Bathory inspired song where the whole intro part stems back to 2014. This was by far the hardest song to produce as it was hard to summon the right atmosphere. I don’t know if we succeeded, but it is what it is. I’m pretty satisfied with the first half at least.

Hazard- It was my idea to have this as a bonus track. All of us like the song a lot, and we wanted to do a very non-typical cover song. We draw inspiration from Sixteen horsepower to set the mood for the song that we foresaw. It was mixed in Solslottet, and we were so happy about the result that we there and then decided to record our next album there. 

Share with us your experiences about Helheim’s 30th anniversary show in Østre, Bergen, what happened on the 25th of November in 2022.

- That was a really nice celebration with loads of people. We played a song from every album we’ve done, and people seemed to enjoy it. Afterwards we had one hell of a party. The rest is history.

Helheim is very active with live concerts last; we saw a lot of awesome photos from Finland. How did you feel yourself in Suomi? 

- That was one hell of a nice festival. I love Finland and the Finnish people. The audience was awesome, and it seemed like they really had a good time watching us. I didn’t know that we had that many people that liked us in Finland. Still amazing after all these years. 

Most people know you better as session musician in Taake. This is probably due to the fact that Taake plays more live performances than Helheim. Tell about your collaboration with them and why you still haven’t become their regular musician?

- Taake is Hoest. That’s it. I’m a permanent live musician with Taake and have been so since 2007. I’ve known Hoest since 1993 or so, and we are close friends. Playing with Taake is always a cool experience as I enjoy being on stage. Helheim have decided to not tour anymore and only do weekend shows and festivals. Taake tours a lot and are of course a way bigger band than Helheim.

When did you start to play the bass and started to vocalize? Which musicians influenced you back in the day?

- I started to sing or make guttural sounds at the age of 12. Me and H’grimnir have known each other since we were 5 or 6 years old, and we always had a dream to form a band. I bought the bass at the age of 14 and started mocking around on it making awful music as I barely could play. I actually didn’t have any idols back then other than metal in general.

Name us your top 10 eternal favourite albums, please.

- Of course, this is an almost impossible question to answer as it may differ from month to month or year to year, but there are some albums that are still so goddamn vital and good to this day that I would consider them as eternal gems in my collection. In no particular order:

Mayhem- De Mysteriis…

Celtic Frost- To Mega Therion

The Cure- Disintegration

Bathory- Blood, Fire, Death

Dark throne- A Blaze in the…

W.A.S.P. – Inside the Electric Circus

King Diamond – Them

Mercyful fate – Don’t Break the Oath

Gorgoroth- Pentagram

16 horsepower – Sackcloth-N-Ashes

Do you have any favourite books and/or movies, especially from Norse mythology? 

- No.

I’ve never been in your beautiful land Norway so far, unfortunately. What interesting places do you recommend for me to visit in Bergen? Which Norwegian hordes are your recommendations from current scene? 

- Bergen as a whole is nice. It’s a small city, so you can easily see everything in one or two days. I would recommend visiting at least Fløyen and/or Ulriken. Two of our seven mountains. There’s one band in particular, though they’re not newcomers, that I would recommend and that is Inculter. It actually may be the best live band around, and their latest album is absolute killer!!!

Mange takk V'gandr, our best wishes to Helheim and for you as well. Please, send your message to the readers! 

- Thanks for the interview. It was a pleasure doing it. Well, keep your eyes and ears open for our new album when it comes out. Other than that; remember that heathendom is resistance!!!

Important links: 

facebook.com/helheimnorway

Tony Dolan (Venom Inc.), 27.IX.2017

 Interview with Tony Dolan (Venom Inc.)

Originally published in Kronos Mortus  

in English and Hungarian languages in 27.IX.2017

Ave Tony! Congratulations for the album Avé that was released on the 11th of August! Please tell us something about the recording process and share with us some details about the awesome cover.

Tony: Ah thankyou. Well the ideas we had spoken about but did not intend to do an album…but Jonny Z asked us to just do demos so in there end we conceded. Mantas focused on putting the riffs and compositions together so |I could focus on artwork and scripting for a video and logistic to shoot…as well as management stuff and live touring that was to follow..once the song shapes were there…the files were sent to Newcastle and Abaddon who recorded the drums….and sent the analogue files to Portugal where Mantas has his studio, then I flew to Portugal where we completed the bass recoding’s and vocals and we completed the lyrics….together…..The cover….was an idea form a year before and the painting is by a Serbian artist….it is full of symbolism and it makes a statement but it is up to the observer to what you see…..Adam and Eve in their embrace with the fruit form the tree of knowledge….the Temple of David…the sheep…one is a wolf in sheep's clothing…barren landscape….foreboding sky..is it the beginning or the end? Lucifer with his flute and bag of serpents…..the Light bringer walking towards you signaling light of knowledge…

Right now you are on a massive American tour… please tell us some memorable moments from the last few shows…

Tony: Too many to say right now and we still have many left…we sold out on the east coast and the west coast and show in between…Chicago and Canada…all amazing….I’ll let you know ate the end how it All was..lol BUT take it from me…NORTH America has been incredible so far…

You’ve been narrating on the clip of the Swedish Turbocharged: “Dark Era” (2015). How did this offer from Ronnie Ripper Olson come? What do you think about the cover track of Turbocharged: Witching Hour?

Tony: Ronnie is a great brother and I was honoured to be asked to perform for him on there….the band is one of the best in my opinion…as for their cover? One of the best I have heard…

You have also contributed to some outstanding things in the film industry (Judge Dredd (1995) – Wild Wild Web (1999) – Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) – Battlefield Britain (2004) – Dirty War (2004) – Rock Milestones: Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here (2005)). Please tell us a couple of thoughts about this.

Tony: Thankyou…I did so much…voice overs, commercials….etc etc,…I did around 30 DVD presentations of music…for Rock Classics series from Sabbath to the Beatles…Sex Pistols to Rush and all were great fun….I count myself as fortunate to have done all this and there are a couple of movies upcoming I am being offered so who knows what is next….but VENOM INC will continue whatever happens…But I never intend to do anything, I just focus and when I decide I’d like to do whatever. I do it…perhaps that is what everyone can do…follow your self and trust in you…not what others say or think you should do…

Atomkraft, M:pire of Evil… will you continue with these great bands besides Venom Inc.?

Tony: Yes, M:PIRE of EVIL will have the new album out next summer….called ‘UNLEASHED’ and as far as ATOMKRAFT…that is always ongoing for me…so expect something as soon as there is a gap….

Please tell us a couple of thoughts about the period you’ve spent on the older issues of Mantas and Venom? Which are your favorite tracks and why?

Tony: Favourites…too hard to say….doing Zero Tolerance with Mantas was so much fun….appearing in his deceiver video was such a laugh and as far as everything Venom we did….just all of it….he is my brother…we just work well together…..my favourite track? too many to say…sorry…right now…WAR from the new album…as we are playing it live…

You usually attend the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament… who’s your favorite player nowadays and who did you cheer for back in the days? Do you yourself play the “Queen of Sports”?

Tony: Ah hahahahaha…..I sometimes watch it on tv in summer just because it is relaxing to have on tv but I do not ‘follow’ the sport….however I was invited to centre court this year which was amazing…I never thought it could be so cool to BE there…Favourites? I love women and especially women of colour so…the Williams sisters rule…from back in the day? John McEnroe…because he was angry and outspoken and entertaining to watch as well as being a great player…

Which are your favorite books/movies nowadays? Please list your 10 all-time best records.

Tony: Movie? Still the Exorcist…but I loved Prometheous and also the Hateful Eight…books…Anything historical…Shelby Foote on the American civil War being and outstanding favourite of mine…also..Dee Brown’s Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.

All time best records for me?

1-The Incredible Shrinking Dickies- The Dickies

2- Motorhead – Motorhead

3- Overkill – Motorhead

4-Unleashed in The East – Judas Priest

5-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath – Black Sabbath

6-Reign In Blood – Slayer

7- Kill Em All – Metallica

8- Bonded By Blood – Exodus

9-To Mega Therion – Celtic Frost

10 – Blood, Fire, Death – Bathory

About Wallsend-On-Tyne… which places would you recommend for tourists, be it a museum, picture gallery, pub or local delicacy?

Tony: Oh hahaha…..cockles and mussels down by whitley bay sea front…

A trip to the Roman wall or Hadrian's wall as it was called….by the Empire..between England and Scotland..

TTrillians Rock Club in the city centre of Newcastle on a Saturday night…

If you have a favorite historical era, where would you live and why?

Tony: OMG….well all of that was kind of dirty and riddled with disease but I think the 1700’s America..war of independence, the Indian wars…the west being pioneered…would be an incredible thing to be there…as I studied American History…to see the characters who shaped the continent would be so incredible…from Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull. Cochise, Custer, Lincoln and of course George Washington and all in between..how cool.

Thanks a lot for your answers in the name of Kronos Mortus e-zine. If you have something to say for the Hungarian readers, now is the time.

Tony: Thankyou for such a diverse and interesting interview….truly great fun…thankyou to all fans and AVE to them and Hungry…and incredible country in culture and beauty…with stunning women and superb food…and warmth…see you soon and do not forget…politics should not matter in music..only the music matters…this is YOU band…this is YOUR music…enjoy because you want to…

Original source: 

kronosmortus.com/interjuk/venom-inc-interju/

Important links: 

facebook.com/VenomIncOfficial

facebook.com/mpireofevil

facebook.com/VenomInc.Ltd