Jonas Kjellgren (Nekrodawn)

 Interview with Jonas Kjellgren

(Nekrodawn, Ironmaster, Bourbon Boys,

Roadhouse Diet)

Johan Jansson – bass & backup vocals, Jonas Kjellgren - vocals & guitar

Mika Lagreen - guitar, Henrik Axelsson – Drums

(Band photo by Paula Hirseland)

Band logo by Nectrium Art

Hail Jonas welcome to my own hell, Archangel’s Lantern! Introduce Nekrodawn-line up first, please (we saw Henrik, Mika and Johan live in Košice/Slovakia on 16th October 2014 as with Castrum bass-player Victor we had a trip to see unforgettable for us Implode/Grave/Entombed A.D.-show 😊) 

JK: Hello Georgius, thanks for the invite, it's a real honor to do this interview with you. I bet that show with Entombed A.D., Grave and Implode was a killer one. About the band lineup I do the vocals and play guitar, I'm mostly a guitarist but I also can do some vocals and this is really the first time for me that I do proper Death metal vocals or whatever. It would have been nice to have another vocalist but I don't know of that many that are available so I figured I will just give a shot and it works kind of . And then we have the drummer, killer drummer Henrik Axelsson that you might know from the band Implode that you saw there on that concert and he also played drums for The Crown for quite a few years and then now he's drummer of Hypocrisy and also Nekrodawn as you might know.

my ticket, and plectrums from:

Victor Danling (Implode), Tobias Crstiansson (Grave) and Johan Jansson (Interment/Entombed A.D.-live -GF

And then on bass Johan Jansson also an old friend of mine we played  in many bands together over the years. We met in the early 90s we are from the same town Avesta. So he plays bass also he does some killer old school backing vocals. I really like his voice he is  like yeah really good. 

Victor of Castrum, Johan Jansson and me, Košice, 16.10.2014)

 Plectrums of Tobias Cristiansson (Grave) and Johan Jansson (Interment/

Entombed A.D.-live) + Ola Lindgren signature -GF

Victor, bass-player of Castrum and Ola

And then we have Mika Lagrén also an old friend I met him in the late 90s maybe since I recorded his old band Facebreaker. I think I did three albums with them or four and then we have stayed in contact over the years just as friends you know and then I figured we need another guitar player as well you can't just have one guitar player in our kind of music, especially for live work but also in studio much fuller sounding with two guitars, so he was our first pick and he wanted to be in this band because I think he also felt that it is basically just a band of brothers or whatever, so that's that.

Grave - Christi(ns)anity (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

How do you describe style of Nekrodawn? (Because your horde sounds a bit differently than old school SweDeath)

JK: Well about the style of Nekrodawn it's not supposed to be old school Swedish Death metal but since we are quite not young guys when we try to do something I think it will be kind of old school because of our influences and stuff like that but when starting to make 

this album it never crossed my mind that it should be old school or anything like that I mean basically it's like a mix between maybe Bolt Thrower and I don't know Death, Unleashed..  a bunch o bands.. Mortician is a favorite.. yeah Demilich from Finland I think they were like the spark for this band I wanted to have something a bit more in that way and also a bunch other Finnish bands but yeah so it doesn't sound like Entombed or stuff like that. They are great bands, of course I like old school Swedish Death metal but Nekrodawn is not sounding so much like that. But we don't sound like more than Death metal at all: it will not be possible, we are too old 😀

Grave - Deformed (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

I’m so thankful for your awesome promo-package you sent me, (I really enjoyed every track, every moment of that very massive, brutal debut) and of course I gave it a 10 in my Hungarian review. Tell me in short about songwriting and lyrical concept and some thought about album-cover.

Album cover by Nun Ehf

JK: huge thanks for that 10 out of 10 in the review it's quite insane it's very very nice, I'm so happy that you like the album and it's quite unreal I don't know it's for me for me nothing special it's .. but I'm happy you enjoy it, thank you so much. 

Let's see about the lyrics: well it's just basically regular Death metal lyrics you know it's about dark stuff  and I don't know if you read the lyrics I'm sure you can find your own interpretation of the meaning behind the lyrics. Yeah, something like that other than the songwriting process is just the regular you know: you do some riffs and you throw it together and if it sounds too nice you redo it: you should not to be circus music. But yeah I think that's it and about the album cover: I tried a few ones, there were okay but it did not fit the title perfect then I looked online and searched for some covers and I found the one we have now: it was made by a guy called Nun Ehf and he has a website with different covers that are already done you could just look at them and choose one and we show this one we have now. I think it's killer.

You unleashed two brilliant singles in January (‘Origin of Terror’) and in March (‘Sacred Termination’)  I must say both of them are killer releases! Share some thoughts about the creation of these singles. Do you plan to release a new one(s)? 

JK: Yes 'Origin of Terror' was the first single, it's a bit faster song so thought that could be a good introduction to the band but it's we do a mix of fast and the heavier songs, so the second single 'Sacred Termination' I think those two songs represent the band  quite well. And I don't think we will release any more singles from this album but we have already started  to work on our next album so we will probably release some singles from that album this Autumn hopefully. 

Nekrodawn: ‘Sculpted By Torture’ will be unleashed via Swedish label ‘Legions of Bane on 30th of May. How did happen your hellish alliance with them? 

JK: Yeah it sounds fancy as hell with the Legions Of Bane but it's just me: I have a registered music company that can release music  and it has been called Mojoholic Records I mostly released some Rock 'n Roll on that label but the first Ironmaster I released on Mojoholic Records also but I thought I needed a cooler name so I changed the name to Legions Of Bane so basically no one to sign us 😀 so we had to release it ourselves we see how it goes with the next album but I think it's quite fun also to release albums yourself: it's a lot of work of course but yeah I don't know it's okay. 

Do you have any plans for any live shows this year? 

JK: Yes we do have some plans for live shows this Autumn: we have one gig booked only so far but  hopefully there will be more: only in Sweden so far but it will be great to go around Europe and do some shows hopefully we can come and do a show nearby you sometime soon. 

Grave - Now and Forever (Live in Košice,, 16.10.2014)

 You are the owner of Black Lounge Studios where you recorded, mixed and mastered your debut. When did you start with your own studio? Name me some bands you worked with there.

JK: Yes, yes, I am. I have been doing it professionally or whatever, it has been my job since 1999 but I started recording other bands in 1994 and some bands I have worked with I don't know what to say about that: a lot of bands and they are all my favorites so I cannot choose like this is my favorite bands but some bigger names I mean it would be like Overkill, Immortal, Possessed, Discharged but that was just me mastering their albums, I did not mix them Peter Tägtgren did. But I produced albums with One man Army, cool band, I mixed I don't know you can look it up on the internet if you are very interested 😀

You are playing in another excellent Death metal horde, called Ironmaster. Enlighten your activity in that band as well, please.

JK: Yeah well, Ironmaster was just like the first metal I did in years I've had a break from metal and Death metal for maybe almost 10 years then I just felt like doing something different and I started writing some songs and I sent to Janne the drummer and Robert the vocalist and they agreed to join the band and now we have released two albums and we have a third one that's almost finished: we just need some vocals on it. just some vocals yeah, but it will be done at least this year, hopefully in a couple of months. 

You Swedes are the masters in Europe if I’m talking about your tons of bands where you are involved 😊 Let’s talk about Bourbon Boys, I liked a lot what I listened to from you today 😊 

JK: Well Bourbon Boys is actually Pär Hulkoff from Raubtier, it's basically his band  he started it all by himself along time before I joined and I joined in 2011 I think and then we recorded we recorded two albums that were both albums were released  at least in 2012 I think and we did some live shows and stuff like that. Yeah what kind of music is it: Sorry, it's a Country Rock  or something Outlaw Country, it's quite brutal for being Country he has a really great brutal voice, it's really special and we did a new album this year I think, yes, and we will do some shows with that it: it's quite fun, you should check it out! 

What should I know about Roadhouse Diet band? 

JK: Roadhouse Diet I started in 2013 maybe, like some ZZ Top Rock 'n' Roll band, it was me and Peter Tägtgren, we did one album together, and the we did two more albums with Kudden, another great drummer, and Kennet and Johan and the later it was Martin who played guitar but we have had break  since the Covid-shit cos then we just released an album and we were thinking we will go on tour and what not then that whole shit-show happened and then our bass-player quit and we haven't recovered ever since so it's on a hiatus but we will be back! 

Which LPs are your favorite ones so far this year? And which ones are you wait eagerly in 2024? 

-JK: Well I must say I really enjoy the new Vltimas album and also the new New Deicide and Necrophobic has just released a new album which, I think is killer. I have listen to a lot of new albums this year also but  I don't want to tell more than that  because they were not my favorites but these three were my favorites. 

a kind letter from Anders Strokirk of Necrophic 

I started my blog in 2013 by the inspiration of a Dear friend of mine, who gave me the bane and logo concept. At first, I dedicated to Eternal Memory of Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) and my Dear bride Kate (1987-2010 R.I.P.) but when I was informed about departure of Lars-Göran Petrov (R.I.P.) I dedicated to him as well. 

signature of Lars-Göran Petrov (R.I.P.) 

Entombed A.D. - I For An Eye  (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

Entombed A.D. - Living Dead, (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

Did you share stages with Dissection and Entombed with your past bands back in the day? 

Entombed A.D. - Eyemaster  (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

What are your most preferred tracks and albums from heritage of Jon and Lars-Göran? 

JK: L-G's death was a huge blow to the metal community I think. He was like the Lemmy of Death metal or I would say he was really nice guy I met him  a few times and I think we did not some shows but we played on the same festivals a lot of times and he was always super nice and real funny guy.

Lars-Göran (R.I.P.), Victor of Castrum and me 

after the Entombed A.D.-show

Lars-Göran (R.I.P.) and Victor of Castrum

Lars-Göran (R.I.P.)  and me

our humble gift to Lars-Göran 

source: facebook.com/EntombedAD

JK: I must say my favorite Entombed album I think it's they are all my favorite albums they all very good albums but I have to say the 'Left Hand Path' because it's such a milestone in the history of Death metal.

signature of Lars Göran (R.I.P.) and a kind letter of Tomas Skogsberg 

and my old tape -GF

Entombed A.D. - Wolverine Blues (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

Lars-Göran-G (R.I.P.)  in Košice, 16.10.2014

photo credit: Pavel Bondar' 

Entombed A.D. - Out Of Hand, (Live in Košice, 16.10.2014)

JK: Dissection: I have not shared stage with them. I have listen a little bit to Dissection, not that much I don't know it's more Black metal but I really like the 'Storm of the Light's Bane' and Jon was such a great musician and vocalist and lyric-writer and like I would say a total genius but I never met him so I don't know... it's really sorry such a loss also that he is gone I think he would have accomplished a lot more with his music and released many albums good ones so that sad. 

Cornelius of Castrum/Encomium, Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) and me.

Budapest A38-ship, 10.VI.2005.

I’ve never been in Sweden so far unfortunately. What interesting places could you recommend me to visit? 

JK: You better come to Sweden soon! It's one of the best countries is in the world I think cos I don't know what to see.. it depends I mean you can just go to Stockholm and visit the old town and the Royal Castle and stuff otherwise I think every part of Sweden have its special little nuggets you can go and look at go anywhere it would be my best bet. You will always see some cool stuff but yeah around where I live there's a lot of old copper mines and stuff like that: It could be cool to visit and I don't know maybe some train museum if you're into trains that could be cool 😀

What kind of food and local Swedish drinks would you recommend  or me to try ? 

JK: Typical Swedish foods SURSTRÖMMING: it's basically rotten fish you could  try that it's quite tasty  and Swedish drinks recommendations: PRIPPS BLÅ,  it's the best beer in the world !  PRIPPS BLÅ: it's a blue can it's classy as hell: 

And also if you drink some vodka maybe what is it called the one with a ship on Explorer that's a classic! 

Tack så mycket Jonas, I’m so honored to have had you in my humble blog, my best wishes to you and your activity in music. Send your message please to the readers of Archangel’s Lantern in the end.

JK: Thank you Georgius it was really nice interview to do and if I have a message for the readers of  Archangel's Lantern yeah please follow his blog and his other pages and stuff like that. If you have a time over in your busy schedule you can listen to some Nekrodawn.

Thank you, Goodbye, Cheers! 

Important links: 

facebook.com/Nekrodawn666 

facebook.com/ironmaster666

facebook.com/bourbonboys

facebook.com/roadhousediet

youtube.com/@Nekrodawn/videos

Bandcamp: /nekrodawn.bandcamp.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/nekrodawn/