Johan Jansson

 Johan Jansson

In Memoriam Lars-Göran Petrov

(17.II.1972-7.III.2021 R.I.P.)

When and how did you meet Lars-Göran the very first time?

- I don’t remember exactly but it was in the late 80’s or early 90’s probably at some gig. We were often at killer gigs in Stockholm at Fryshuset and also in Fagersta at Rockborgen and Bergslagsrocken.

Morbid was (and still is) a cult horde among the underground fans and Lars-Göran as Drutten made a killer job on drums. Did you see them live back in the day? Have you any preferred tracks from Morbid-heritage?

- I didn’t get the chance to see them live unfortunately but I heard of them at that time. Yeah, it’s definitively a cult band and he was a great drummer! John in Interment had the demo tape that we listened to many times.

Nihilist demos and Entombed: ‘Left Hand Path’ are both milestones not only in Swedish Death metal scene but globally as well. When did you see them at their shows first? Which songs are your favorite ones from Nihilist-era and ‘Left Hand Path’? 

- Like with Morbid I unfortunately didn’t see Nihilist either, think it was because we didn’t know about all the small gigs in Stockholm in the beginning. We live in a small city but sometimes you saw and got flyers for that kind of gigs. The Death Metal scene and the underground gigs were growing fast and were now more announced in fanzines and flyers and posters everywhere.

- I would say that all of the songs are my favorites! The Left Hand Path album really blew me away when I heard it. Same with the Carnage album that came afterwards. The old Nihilist demo tapes are so evil and raw, destroys everything! Unbelievable that they could do such killer songs so young! Some of my favorite songs are definitively: Abnormally Deceased, Face of Evil, Severe Burns, Supposed to Rot, Drowned, But Life’s Goes On… as I said, all of them!

Lars-Göran was the vocalist of Swedish Comecon for a short time (in ‘91/92) and their debut LP is just an excellent one in my humble opinion. What are your thoughts on ‘Megatrends in Brutality’?

- Yeah, that’s right. I think it was a great band with the guys from Krixhjälters (later Omnitron) with LG on vocals. Really like it and I have the debut on vinyl of course.

 However, Entombed changed its style from ‘Wolverine Blues’ but I must say I never had any problems with that and I like a lot all of their later albums. Do you have any favorite LPs/EPs/songs from their Death’n’Roll period?

- I think all of their albums are great! The “Same Different” album was odd but still a killer album, it still sounded Entombed. Today I will say that the last album they did, “Serpent Saints…” is the weakest album. I heard that they were not so satisfied with that album, with the sound and the songs. As I said earlier, I like them all.

Johan, you joined the forces of Entombed A.D. as a guitarist on their live shows in 2014. Would you be so kind to tell the readers how that awesome alliance happened?

- Well, I actually thought that they were on the edge to put the band on ice because it was a bit quiet from them. They separated with Alex Hellid and then he and LG was messing around about the rights of the name of Entombed etc. But anyway it was Victor who called me in the summer 2014 and asked if I wanted to play guitar for them. I actually said no first because it felt strange to play with one of your favorite bands with only LG as an original member and take over after Alex because I’m not an excellent lead guitarist etc. But Victor persuaded me to give it a try at least. So I went down for rehearsal and we tried like 8 songs, both old and new, that worked out very well. I choose some of my favorite songs of course! They said that I was 100 times better that Alex but I didn’t agree, of course I was flattered… Well so after that rehearsal I was in.

For me it was an awesome experience to see Entombed A.D. live with you and to talk a bit with Lars-Göran after that unforgettable show in Kosice/Slovakia on the 16th of October, 2014. What would you say were the most successful performances of “Back to the Front European Tour”? Are there any interesting or funny stories?

- Well, I think all of the gigs on that tour were awesome! Of course some of them were better and worse but overall it was a killer tour with Grave and Repuked. (Implode on the second half) Too many crazy and funny stories that would be a book if you ask me haha…

What is your opinion on Entombed A.D. and Firespawn albums?

- I really like both bands and all their albums. Firespawn is brutal as hell and with LG’s vocals it kills! Sadly it wouldn’t come any more albums now…

Lars-Göran was a huge fan of Swedish Mefisto and he was asked to put his infernal vocals on the track “Let Go of Life” in 2017. In my opinion it’s just a brilliant song, what do you think about it?

- I totally agree. When LG sings it’s always brilliant. I prefer the old demo tapes with Mefisto but the new stuff is great too.

Your band Interment played with Entombed A.D. in your hometown Avesta on 13th of March, 2020. How do you remember that concert?

- It was a really fun and awesome gig at a really small venue here in Avesta. The venue was packed and it was total support. This was their second last show because the pandemic restrictions. Their last show ever was in Uppsala the day after. Sad but true. I’m grateful that I met LG that evening without any knowledge that he was in bad shape and sick.

Johan I’m so thankful for this special interview. And to complete our conversation, could you share a joke or funny thoughts from Lars-Göran as He was a very cheerful One? He will be in our hearts always, R.I.P.

- Thanx Georgius for the interview. I hope to meet you someday so we can drink some beers and vodka. Well, as you say LG was very cheerful and was joking all the time. Many jokes were so bad that you couldn’t resist laughing anyway. Another thing that is well known is that he always asked for cigarettes. - Do you have a smoke? Another thing is that when foreign bands, big as small, played in Stockholm he was always on their guest lists. Well, he will live forever in our hearts and never forgotten, He was one of a kind and with his personality and amazing voice! But life’s goes on…

facebook.com/johanjanssonofficial 

Johan Jansson

Interview with Johan Jansson 
(Interment, Dreadful Fate, Asocial, Parasit, Moondark)

Hail Deathking, Johan! You are very welcome to my small blog again! First of all, I’d congratulate for your awesome Interment album, called “Scent of the Buried”, brilliant old school job and it is definitely one of my fave releases of the last year.

- Thank you very much and I’m glad to hear that you like our latest album!

Tell us some important info about the circumstances of this Death Metal pearl. How went your last live shows with Interment?

- Well, we’re quite satisfied with the latest album and the reviews and the support have been awesome! The last shows with Interment went very well! 

I have a huge respect to legendary Swedish producer, Master Tomas Skogsberg, since the early 90s, would you be so kind to tell us about your co-operations with him? When and how you met him first?

- We actually haven’t been working with him since we recorded our first demo “Where Death Will Increase” in February 1991 until Summer 2015. So it’s was great to work with him again after so many years. He is a great guy and the recording went very smooth and relaxed in his studio on the countryside.

I’ve listened through YouTube to Dreadful Fate’s “The Sin of Sodom” demo, it’s an excellent work, I must say. Let’s talk about it, Mr. Death Ripper! 

- Thanks a lot! Yeah this is a brand new band that play old school Thrash Metal in the veins of old Sodom, Sadus, Kreator, Destruction etc... Just simple and aggressive fast stuff that will make you headbang! Songs for a full length is in the works and will be recorded in January 2018. Expect pure hate!

Dreadful Fate 

Share with us some thoughts about your other band, Asocial. I’ve listened to a few great ones from Asocial, all of them just awesomeness. Tell us please about your upcoming shows.

- Well, Asocial is an old punk-band since the early 80’s that I played drums with, in the 90’s. We decided to make a reunion last autumn and did our first gig since 1997 in February this year and after that we have continued... We just released an LP with ten songs and have some upcoming shows in Norway, Sweden, Greece, Belgium and Czech...

Asocial

I’d ask you about Die Hard. Tell the readers more about your drumming and about up-coming shows as well.

- I’m not a member of Die Hard I just did two shows with them in Paris and at No Compromise Festival in Belgium. So we’ll see if they need me on drums in the future again...

What is the current situation with your other bands, like Dellamorte and Moondark?

- Dellamorte is still on ice but with Moondark we hopefully can start to rehearse the songs for the upcoming album soon!

Moondark

I’ve listened to the latest Parasit album, just amazing one again. Tell us more about it!

- Thanx a lot! Well, we will also start to rehearse new songs for our third album that we will record during the winter I hope. Which label that will release it we don’t know yet.

Parasit

You are a multitalented one. Share with us briefly some important stuff about your past hordes, as Gluttony, Fulmination, Hatred, Regurgitate, Uncanny, Beyond, etc. (I hope I’m not mistaken with the bands.)

- Well, Beyond was pre Interment and did only a porta demo tape. In Gluttony I was doing the vocals on the first demo and EP. In Fulmination I played guitar the last year they existed and recorded ten songs that was released on a demography album. In Regurgitate I played bass two years before we put the band on ice. We did one recording that became three 7” EP’s that was released. In Uncanny I played guitar some years ago and we released a 7”inch. Hatred was my first “real” band that played Thrash Metal in the late 80’s. I released two demo tapes and an unreleased tape with them before we quit. Then I have played with a couple more bands as well... 

Interment

A bit sad question right now… My blog, Archangel’s Lantern is eternally dedicated to  to my bride Kate’s memory (She was a huge fan of your bands);  and I additionally put a dedication to my Polish metal sister, Kasia Grobelska, who died last year. She was at the Entombed A.D.-show in Gdańsk/Poland in 2014...

- I’m sorry to hear about your bride and also now Kasia! It’s an honour to support your blog in the name of the passed away, loved and missed ones... RIP.

What do you think about the heritage of Dissection or other bands of Jon? Did you meet him ever?

- I’m actually not a Dissection fan at all and I never met him. I saw them live once anyway... I was on a tour with Dellamorte with his brother in Swordmaster back in the days.

How was the Entombed A.D., Grave and Implode show in Gdańsk back in 2014? Any experiences?

- I remember that all three shows in Poland were very intense! Grave have a huge fan base there so they ruled the shows there!

You've visited and played on an awesome show of Svensk Dödsmetall legends last year. Tell us more about that amazing performance.

- You mean the Close-Up boat I guess? Well, it was a killer trip with great bands and people from all over the world! It was really awesome and you surely missed something! Missed bands that should have been played were Dismember, Afflicted, Crematory, Carbonized and old Therion!

What are your current fave hordes and LP-s?

- Right now I listen to Spectral Voice,  Alterrage, Disfuneral, Coughdust and Torture Rack etc...

Tack så mycket, Johan! It was a pleasure again to talk with you. Please send a message to the readers of Archangel’s Lantern…

- Thank u very much for the interview Georgius! Please support my bands and of course the whole  Death Metal underground scene!

Cheers from Sweden!

/Johan

Important facebook links: 

Johan Jansson Artist-page: facebook.com/johanjanssonofficial/

Interment: facebook.com/interment/

Dreadful Fate: facebook.com/DreadfulFate/

Asocial: facebook.com/AsocialAttack/

Parasit: facebook.com/parasit666/

Moondark: facebook.com/moondark666/

Johan Jansson

Interview with Johan Jansson 
(Interment, Moondark, Dellamorte, Parasit)

Hail Johan, welcome to my little blog, Archangel's Lantern! How and when did you get introduced to underground metal music? What was your very first stuff (cassettes/vinyl)? Which band did you see live for the first time?

- Hey and thanks for inviting me to make an interview with Archangel’s Lantern! Well, I don’t remember but it was maybe in the late 70’s the first time. I had a friend that had KISS on cassettes that was the beginning I think. Then in the early 80’s my cousin listened a lot to early UK punk like, Sex Pistols, Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Clash etc. He also listened to early Motörhead, Metallica, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Black Sabbath etc. and since then it’s just rolled on… I think my very first vinyl was the KISS – Rock And Roll Over album from 1976. My first Metal live experience was actually Europe 1986 on their “Final Countdown” tour. Same year I also was on “Monsters of Rock” in Stockholm with Scorpions, Def Leppard, Ozzy Osbourne. In September I saw the last show with Cliff Burton (RIP) on Metallica’s Master of Puppets tour.

When did you start to play the guitars/bass and the drums? Which guitarists and drummers influenced you in the beginning?

- I started to play guitar in the mid 80’s with my first crappy guitar I got from my uncle. I started to play drums after a while when I got the chance to play on real drums. I think John Norum (Europe) was my first idol/influence as a guitarist. Later on it changed to Gary Holt, Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Drummers that were great at that time were Dave Lombardo, Charlie Benante, Gene Hogland etc.

Interment is a pretty old horde since 1988. How was the Swedish Death metal scene, in your opinion, back in the day? How do you hit it off with the Swedish underground nowadays? Would you be so kind as to recommend a few small underground hordes from Sverige?

- It was special to grow up when the Swedish Death Metal scene started. That’s why we and hundred other bands began when Entombed, Dismember, Grave and Unleashed released their first demo tapes. We were on Death Metal shows almost every weekend everywhere, bought and trading demos, merch and drinking beers. It’s of course not the same feeling nowadays but I think it have come back more and more. Many young awesome bands are growing up in the scene and keep the true Death Metal spirit alive!

Oh, they are many, but check out: Temisto, Bastard Grave, Gorgosaur, Engrave, Gorgonaut, Lik, Bastard Priest, Miasmal, Tormented etc…

Interment's official video called "Praise the Death" from 2014 is an excellent job and my favorite one from that year. Share some thoughts please about the circumstances of that material.

- Oh, thank you so much! The video was made by a friend of us, Susan Wicher, which is a photographer. She made that video with only a lot of live photos and some graveyard photos. Turned out really cool I think! The song is from the recording we did with Peter Bjärgö in March 2013. We recorded five songs that were released on three different split EP’s with Brutally Deceased, Tormented and Anatomia. Recently all five songs were released on cassette by Bifrost Records called “Among the Dead”.

Interment "Into the Crypts of Blasphemy” has been released on limited tapes this year via Valour music. Tell us please all the important information about this.

- Well, it’s nothing special about it except that it’s cool to release everything on cassette. He will also release the new album “Scent of the Buried” soon. Other guy will release the demography “Where Death Will Increase 1991-1994” on cassette as well soon. Only vinyl and cassette is real…

Interment completed "Gods of the Underground Tour 2015" with Australian thrashers Hobbs Angel Of Death last month. What are your experiences from that tour? You will start to desecrate with a new one, from February next year, called "PESTILENTIAL WINDS OVER EUROPE" TOUR 2016 together with Funebrarum and Putrisect ( both hordes from United States ), might it be possible to see your band, live, in Hungary or Slovakia ( maybe Ukraine ) later in 2016?

- The tour with Hobbs Angel Of Death was a great tour. Killer shows and great support! Peter Hobbs is a legend that I’m glad to finally have got to know and played with. He’s Metal to the bone and is supporting the underground scene to 100%. Hopefully our ways will be crossed once again in the near future!

I’m afraid to say that we don’t will play in Hungary, Slovakia or Ukraine this time. Because this tour is too short, only 8 gigs, it would have be too long distances to come over in the east Europe. But I really hope that we can do a tour only in the east Europe very soon! Want to play in Romania, Hungary, Czech, Slovakia, Bulgaria and all the other great countries down there! Next time!

What are the future plans of Interment besides the live performances? What is the situation with your other bands, as Dellamorte, Moondark, etc. nowadays?

- Well, I don’t know, except to play live as much as we can around the world we maybe can record some new stuff next year, we’ll see what happens. Moondark will record a new full length hopefully this spring. We signed with Cyclone Empire last year so we looking forward to finally release our first real album. My crustband Parasit will release the second album on Cyclone Empire soon. Dellamorte I don’t know, we’ll see when time is right we will do some new stuff and hopefully to play live as well.

I was lucky to meet you, live, with Entombed A.D. guys during the tour with Grave and Implode in Kosice/Slovakia in 2014. It was an excellent show, many thanks to all of you. Any memories from that one you would like to share with us? (I hope Ukrainian beer Lvivske tasted good to you after the show  :)

Thanks a lot! It was a great show I remember, Slovakia delivered! Well, I remember you and your friends because you were from Ukraine! And the beer tasted really good hehe…

Entombed A.D. in Colosseum Club, Kosice/Slovakia, 16.X.2014

(Victor (bass-player of Ukrainian Castrum), Johan Jansson and me in Kosice/Slovakia, 16.X.2014)

Johan and me, Kosice/Slovakia, 16.X.2014

I know, it's a very hard question but I would like to ask what is your favorite Centinex and Demonical album/track from those times, when you were the Vocalist there?

- Well, with Centinex I like the “Hellbrigade” and the last “World Declension” album most. Favorite tracks “Bloodhunt”, “Towards Devastation” and “Wretched Cut” to mention three of them. My favorite Demonical album is “Death Infernal” and my favorite tracks are many but “Return in Flesh” and “Bow to the Monolith” are great.

Which foods, drinks, and tobaccos do you recommend to us from your area?

- Well, I don’t know, we eat typical Swedish food I think. I like meat with potato gratin and a nice mushroom sauce, spaghetti carbonara, homemade pizza etc… Mostly drink beers and a smoky single malt whisky like Laphroaigh, Ardbeg or a Caol Ila. About tobaccos I don’t know what to say, I smoke regular cigarettes…

Do you have any special hobbies besides music? What are your favorite albums, books, movies?

- Not really, I don’t have the time for anything else except of music and my son that are 3,5 years old. Favorite albums are too many to mention but I can recommend the debut album with Swedish Temisto and the upcoming debut album with Chthe’ilist from Canada, check them out! I don’t read books so much, I wish I could read more books but I don’t have the time. I try to watch new movies as much as I can but I also watch a lot of TV series. I highly recommend “Fargo”, “Narcos” and “True Detective” to mention a few. I’m also following Walking Dead of course…

Tack så mycket for the interview, Johan! Send us some thoughts from Interment.

- Thank you, you’re welcome! The new Interment album “Scent of the Buried” will be out on April 1st. Please check it out if you like old school Swedish Death Metal, you will like it! We would love to play in Ukraine! It would be awesome if someone can book us there! Keep yourself updated on our websites and always support the underground! Buy merch, records and come to shows! Only death is real…

/Johan

INTERMENT

www.interment.se

facebook.com/interment

interment666.bandcamp.com

Artist page of Johan on facebook: facebook.com/johanjanssonofficial/