Pontus Norman and Brice Leclercq (CON)

 Interview with Pontus Norman 

and  Brice Leclercq (CON)

Hail Pontus and Brice! First of all, let me congratulate you on the release of your amazing one called “The Shrine Within”. What has the feedback from the underground scene been like so far?

Brice: So far so good! I think the feedback is very positive & we are very proud of what we achieved with this release! Some of the fans told me that it sounded awesome & very unique! It’s a very good compliment in my opinion!

Pontus: I have the same view as Brice on that. We’ve received very positive feedback, and I’m really happy that we actually went through the whole process of having Brice handle the bass and add quite a few lead guitar parts. We also remastered all of the songs.

For many years, people have been asking where they could find the old songs, so it was really fun to finally be able to release them the way they were originally meant to sound.

I know, it is always a hard question but would you be so kind to share some thoughts about the songs (track by track) in your own words? What was the band’s line-up on that release?

Pontus: I can’t really give my thoughts on each individual song, but rather on the album as a whole — and it’s incredible. This is a tribute to the old CON and a closing chapter. Now we’re entering the next phase, which will be much more musically developed, with an unparalleled sense of purpose and determination. It will be clear that a lot has changed over all these years, on every level.

The lineup on the album is:

Carl Nordblom – Vocals

Rhythm & Lead Guitars: Pontus Norman

Bass & Lead Guitars: Brice Leclercq

Drums: Jimmie Olausson (R.I.T.A.D.) — I programmed the drums on the remaining tracks.

In my humble opinion the magnificent cover art absolutely fits to the mood of the tracks. Who created that one for you?

Pontus: Nes Alvarez, who runs the label, handled all of the design. I’m extremely happy with the result and think it looks fucking great and fits perfectly.

He did an incredible job.

“The Shrine Within” was released through Deäth Postüre Records on the 12th of August this year. How did you make them that awesome alliance? Will you plan to work with them later again?

Brice: I don’t think we can tell with whom we are gonna work in the future since it’s too early to tell but we are very pleased with Deäth Postüre Records so far!

Pontus: Nes from the label contacted me several years ago about doing a release. I didn’t want to do it back then. To be completely honest, I had stepped away from music for personal reasons. But a little over six months ago, I thought, “Fuck it, Pontus, let’s do this.” So we went for it.

Thanks to that, we’re also up and running again, and I’ve never had this much fun or found it this rewarding to write music as I do now.

We’re really fucking happy with the collaboration so far, but as Brice says, it’s way too early to say what happens next.

Pontus you told me in our private conversation, that you are working with brand new songs. It will be a new full-length album? What can we know about the new release and line-up?

Pontus: Well, you’re not getting much out of me, haha!

The only thing I can say is that I’ve finished writing 11 songs. We’re currently expanding the lineup of CON, but I can’t reveal who’s involved just yet.

But I’m very happy with how things are shaping up, and the musical talent within the band has never been stronger than it is now.

I like so much your previous stuff “In Signo Draconis”. How was that EP received by underground press and fans? How can the Black metal fanatics get “In Signo Draconis?”

Pontus: I think it was very misunderstood, and it didn’t sound like the earlier CON material. It was never meant to sound like the old CON either — you write what you feel at the time, and that was what I was feeling and writing back then.

It’s not available anywhere, but one of the songs from it is featured on The Shrine Within.

Are you planning any live performances with the horde in the future?

Brice: Even if we are more of a studio band, you never know what the future could bring! If the circumstances & timing are right, why not!

Pontus: I agree with Brice here. We’re definitely a studio band, but I don’t see live shows as being impossible either. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Pontus, that is not a secret that I’m a big supporter of your brother, Johan’s guitar-playing since early 90’s. What are your favourite bands and songs from his works? Is it possible that he would be a guest one on your new material?

Pontus: Johan is a very talented guitarist and songwriter, and he has created a lot of great music. I’ve probably always leaned more towards black metal, while he’s more into death metal, so out of the bands he’s played in, Dissection is the one closest to my heart.

Brice, would you be so kind to tell the readers some information about your past activity in the bands as Ages and Nightrage?

Brice: Sure! Back in 2003, I played bass on Nightrage’s first album called “Sweet Vengeance” with a very interesting line up; Gus G (Ex Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind, King Diamond), Tomas Lindberg (At The Gates), Per Mölle Jensen (The Haunted) & of course Marios Iliopoulos, the main composer of the band! We recorded it in Studio Fredman & I remember Tompa had a cold the day he was supposed to record & he told us “I’ll try but I can’t guarantee anything…” But he did it in one day and that’s what you hear on the album! He was a great guy & had a tremendous amount of talent! You are very missed Tompa!… RIP

People may not know but after leaving Dissection, I studied sound engineering & got a license. One of my teachers was actually Daniel, one of the composers behind Ages! I met Andreas when doing the sound for a Death Metal band called Volturyon where he played guitars. That’s how it all came together.

Brice, I’ve listened to “Synchronicity” I and “Relentless” of your latest week and I must say, they are excellent melodic Black metal hymns. What should we know about From Kaos?

Brice: Well, I’ve been very busy since I played bass on the upcoming Kvaen album that should be released at the beginning of 2027!

I also joined the mighty Black metal band Dawn with my old friend, Tomas Asklund on drums! Unfortunately, I can’t give any release date yet since vocals are left to be recorded but I can easily tell you that this is for the best Dawn album to date! And I’ve been listening to Dawn since the 90’s!

Back to From Kaos, I’m finishing the new album “Synchronicity II” as we speak! It should be ready by the end of the year but I can’t give any release date yet since it will also depend on the label choice and so forth!…

On the other hand, I can proudly announce that Tobias Kjellgren is playing the drums on the album & I couldn’t be happier with the result honestly! He nailed it & we are definitely gonna do this again in the future!

I can’t wait to see how people are gonna react to it because I took my time this time & I spent a lot of energy on it.

One of my favourite live albums ever is Live in Stockholm 2004 from Dissection. Which songs by the band did you enjoy playing live? Are there any preferred tracks from “Reinkaos” LP?

Brice: Thank you very much! Well, I loved playing in Dissection honestly so it’s a tough question; I’d say Thorns of Crimson Death, Soulreaper & The Somberlain when it comes to Rebirth in Stockholm!

On Reinkaos, I have a special feeling for Black Dragon, Dark Mother Divine & the title track, Reinkaos!

Pontus and Brice, thank you very much for the interview, my best wishes to you both. Send some thoughts in the end to complete this conversation, please.

Brice: Thanks to all the past, present & future fans for supporting CON & you won’t be disappointed, I promise!

And we can’t wait to release the new album!

Pontus: Thank you, and thanks to everyone who supports CON. I can tell you that we’re working incredibly hard on a new album that we’re absolutely fucking thrilled to release. It’s going to be a complete transformation for CON.

Important links: 

instagram.com/consweden

youtube.com/@consweden

facebook.com/consweden

music.apple.com/se/artist/con/1484390330

open.spotify.com/artist/4T36dWsP5NlETod9JbsTvt

Schmerz/Ricardo Gelok

 Interview with Schmerz/Ricardo Gelok 

(Non Serviam Records, Winter Of Sin, 

Steel Shock, Embraced By Darkness)

Hail Schmerz, you are very welcome to my small inferno Archangel’s Lantern. Introduce your awesome label Non Serviam Records in short please. (Tell us about the beginnings and about releases as well)

- Hello, thank you. I have started the label in 2008 I think. It started as an online store, and quite soon I felt the urge to release music of bands i like as well. So i’ve contacted some bands I know, who might be interested in doing release at my label. The band Grief of Emerald was interested in working with me, and so I had a record label with a first release.

When Grief of Emerald “The Devils Deep” was released, other bands started to send promo’s and quite quick we did more releases. 

These days we have already released a lot of albums,  and since a few years we are working with Season of Mist for the distribution of all our releases in Europe and the norther part of America. Of course fans can buy also directly from our webshop. We have next to our own releases also a mailorder of other releases. (we ship Worldwide.)

I’m so thankful for the awesome Trident:’North’ digipack CD you sent me this year. I must say that it’s just a brilliant album and it was my favorite release of 2020. How did you meet Johan Norman and Trident? 

- I’m happy you like it. I am also really happy with this album. Trident is a great band, and they create really good music. So I was honored when Johan asked me if I wanted to release the album.

Me and Johan are friends for a long time, we did some shows together with Trident and my band (Embraced by Darkness). Due to this friendship we were already working together for Trident, me helping with their social media pages and with some live shows.

(Trident 'North' digipack CD, what sent me Ricardo of Non Serviam Records in January this year - GF)

Johan Norman is One of my favorite Swedish guitarists long time ago. What are your preferred albums/tracks of his past bands, namely Satanized, Decameron, Dissection, Soulreaper and last but not least Trident? 

- Yeah, Johan is a skilled musician and het knows how to write good music. One of my all time favorite albums he was involved in is “Dissection - Storm of the Light’s Bane” .

When you listen to Soulreaper, you can hear already the style of Trident. Actually, I have followed Johan his musical career from the early days.

As I told you earlier, Grief of Emerald was my first release, and it’s no coincident that Johnny Letho (singer Grief of Emerald) was also in Decameron.

The Swedish Black metal scene from the “90 of the Göteborg area were musicians that worked alongside each other and shared some band members. 

Decameron “My Shadow...” is also a hidden gem. We are thinking of doing a re-release of this album.

One of my favorite songs of the Trident - North album is “Summoning”. 

You are involved in two bands if I’m not mistaken: Winter of Sin since 2000 as a guitarist/vocalist and Steel Shock as a guitarist. Would you be so kind to talk about these bands? 

- Well I am involved in more bands. In 1998 i started Winter of Sin, we released several albums, and after the last album “Violence Reigns Supreme” the band was put on ice. But since last week were have resurrected the band again. We are working on a new album, I hope we can visit Sweden to record the album at Armageddon Recording studio. This is the studio of Anders Backelin (Bassist Trident and ex-Lord Belial).

Around 2014 some (ex)members of Winter of Sin started a new band called Embraced By Darkness. (Melodic Black Metal) We have recorded a 4 track promo that we will send out to several labels. 

Since 2020 I’m in a Heavy Metal band called Steel Shock. I started is the band as live guitarist, but now I am a full member. We are working on the 3rd album of the band. When all the songs are written for this new album we will enter the studio and then search for a label that want to release it.

Me and “Schrat” (the other guitarist of Winter of Sin/Embraced by Darkness) also have an Atmospheric Doom project called “Finsternis”. We both are huge fan of the Doom style, so back in 2008 we decided to start this project as well. We never recorded/released any of the songs...maybe we should do it hahaha.

(Winter of Sin during the "Violence Reigns Supreme" photoshoot 

with Henri and Michiel, of God Dethroned in the band.)

When and how did you enjoy underground? What was your very first live show you visited back in the day? Which releases (tapes/LPs) you bought at first?

- I think at the age of 12 I started to listen to metal music. And soon after I started my first band...I think it was called “Eternal Death” It was Death Metal with some melodic elements in it.

When we were young tape-trading was quite popular, when i got my allowance I started to buy stuff, like vinyls and cds. I also bought back then (end “80) my first guitar and amp. The first vinyl I bought was Death - Scream Bloody Gore, when i bough my new stereo-set with a CD play the first CD I bought was Death - Spiritual Healing.

Which guitarists and vocalists inspired you in the past? Do you have favorite ones nowadays? 

In the beginning I was inspired by the first wave of Death Metal, bands such as Morbid Angel, Death, Massacre, Brutality etc....the Florida Death Metal wave so to say. (I was never inspired by bands such as Slayer, Metallica etc.) 

Singers from that era I liked were: Dave Vincent, Scott Reigel, Chuck Schuldiner etc.

When early “90 the Scandinavian Black Metal wave came bands as Satyricon, Enslaved, Emperor, Lord Belial, Dissection and a lot more became a huge part of my life. The sound and songwriting were even more of my liking. And I still enjoy listening to those albums. 

I am so happy I was in the middle of it, when the Death Metal wave, and later the Black Metal wave conquering  the Earth. (the best of 2 worlds)

Enlighten us please about your past activity with bands as Gheestenland, Finsternis, Hagel, Krematorium IV and Windsmear.

- Gheestenland was a Black Metal band from my area where I played guitars. We released some albums and did quite some shows. I don’t think the band exists anymore. I left the band year ago.

Finsternis is as I said still active. I hope to do some releases with this project.

Hagal is a project of mine where I’m putting in ideas that are not suitable with the other bands. It’s not active, but also not dead...maybe I will release something of it, who knows hahaha.

Krematorium IV was an project of me and “Schrat” not sure if that’s alive anymore. “Schrat” had songs written...but it’s on ice so quite some time, so I think it’s dead.

Windsmear was a local bad with friends where I was playing on drums. I think the last time we were making music was 15 year ago. It was fun to do this, but since the bass player now lives in London I don’t think we will be rehearsing soon again hahaha. But when he wants to start playing again, I am ready. I have a rehearsal room at my house.

What is your opinion about Johan’s brother, Pontus’ Black metal horde CON? 

- I like the music of CON, it’s a pity the band is unknown. Well maybe if they release a new album I could be of any help...who knows. If you listen to the music you can hear the influences of Johan in it.

Apart from the music do you have any special hobbies? 

- Music consumes a lot of my time, the label and next to that the bands. But when I have spare time I like to hang out with friends and of course spending time with my family.  

I sometimes play games on the PlayStation, but I have to admit I haven’t touched it in a while hahaha.

I also like to collect CDs and merchandise....of and guitars as well. The collection is quite big, but there is always space for more haha.

I’ve noticed that through your label was released Temple:’Structures of Chaos’ (what is a brilliant Death metal LP for me) and you made the cover design and layout. What are your favorite tracks of that excellent album? 

- Yeah, I like to do stuff as that as well. I like to play with Photo-shop and try to create something nice (when needed of course)

My favorite track of that album is “Rituals of Marduk”...but the album has more great songs. But this is the first song that come in mind.

As far as I know you are from a very nice Dutch city Appingedam. What interesting places are your recommendations to visit me? What’s about local cuisine? 

- That’s correct, Appingedam is a small city in the northern part of the Netherlands.

It’s a medieval city center with canals through it, and there are some houses with so called “hanging kitchens” it is an extension of the house that is located on the outside of the house above the water of the canals.

The local cuisine is not that special, but the city has it own beer called “Floem” .

Of course we have several restaurants and pubs. So if you like an old city that’s near the sea you should visit Appingedam.

Dank je wel/thanks a lot Schmerz! Send your message to the readers in the end, please.

- Thank you for this interview!

A message to the metalheads out there:

Support the small/unknown bands as well...(every major band once started as local band). 

Also support bands and labels by buying physical music and merchandise. This is the way we can keep the scene alive.

Important links: 

facebook.com/nonserviamrecords 

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063590919547 

facebook.com/shockwaveofsteel 

facebook.com/Embraced-By-Darkness-596549793711355 

Defiler (Trident)

 Interview with Defiler (Trident)

Hail Defiler, welcome to my own helvete Archangel’s Lantern! At first I would congratulate to Trident for the brilliant album called “North”. (In my Hungarian review in Kronos Mortus I’ve written, that your new album is my favourite Blackened Death one this year). How do you satisfied with the result of “North”? Who has been the main song and lyric writer? Share us all the important things about your new LP.

- Greetings! And thank you, truly nice to hear that you enjoy the album. We are all very pleased with the results of the recordings and eager to start playing the songs live as well. 

I believe we are all equally represented in the writing process, but the general method in which a Trident song is conceived is through a base riff and sometimes also a complete concept idea written by Reaper. Thereafter the other members work their respective instruments and ideas around that core, usually starting with the percussions, then additional guitars and Bass. I write the lyrics to the songs during the musical writing process whilst listening to the rehearsals and early recordings.

Where do you get inspiration of your lyrics from?

- I’ve always been fascinated by spirituality in different forms, the struggle of good and evil, history, warfare and disease. So the themes that become part of the lyrics are usually directly derived from these subjects.

The music we create speaks to me in a very peculiar way, It’s almost like the lyrics write themselves and I let it guide me. I dream and think almost constantly, and the songs make order in a very chaotic part of me that I’ve chosen to name Defiler.

Trident made an awesome lyrical video to the “North” track. Do you plan to make another lyrical video and/or a clip in the near future? 

- We recently released another lyric video to the track “Death” from the upcoming “North” album, and we are also working on a music video to another song at the moment. So there is definitely more things on the way!

Juanjo Castellano created an awesome artwork for “North” which absolutely fits to Trident’s music in my opinion. How did you meet with that amazing Spanish artist?

- We needed an artist to make the album art, so Ricardo at Non Serviam Records contacted Juanjo Castellano and sent some words and parts of lyrics for inspiration. 

I can safely say that we were more than thrilled with the results. 

When and how did you sign to Dutch Non Serviam Records?

- We’ve been between labels since the release of our EP “Shadows” and since we already started writing music to the “North” album at that point, we needed representation. Ricardo at Non Serviam Records has been a friend and ally to the band for a long time now, and since he enjoys awesome music, it felt like the obvious decision when we inked a deal with them.

It is not a secret that I’m an old fan of Johan Norman (since early 90s) he is one of my favourite guitarists from Sverige. What are your favourite tracks/albums from Johan’s past hordes (Satanized, Decameron-demo, Dissection and Soulreaper)?

- To be completely honest I never listened enough to “Satanized”, “Decameron” or “Soulreaper” to have a good opinion. 

Although I absolutely love the “Storm of The Light’s Bane” album by “Dissection”, The track “Thorns of Crimson Death” is a pure masterpiece. I know it can be disappointing that it’s not some obscure recording no one has heard of… But that album is a huge milestone in my personal taste in music.

What are your favourite singers from underground nowadays? By the way, do you play any musical instruments? 

- The last couple of years I have had a hard time keeping up with the underground scene, can’t really tell why because I don’t know. Sometimes I have tons of new inspiring tunes and voices but for the moment I have nothing exciting to share about that.

Nothing to serious but I do play some guitar from time to time, wanting to take some time in a busy life to learn the piano and strings like Violin or the Cello because of my love for classical music. Besides that not enough I’m afraid.

Did you play (or will play in the future) some covers live with Trident?

- We have not played any covers yet (as far as I know) and neither have we planned on doing so in the future. But who knows?

What is your opinion about Central/Eastern European underground scene? 

- It pains me to tell that I am so bad at keeping track on music and its origins that I don’t think I’m qualified to answer that…

But with my unprofessional perception of the field it feels like there is a greater demand on extreme music throughout the continent than up here, and it seems like the sound is more preserved/untampered than some of the mutations of extreme metal we have up here in Scandinavia. 

Unfortunately I’ve never been in Scandinavia/Sweden yet but I hope one day I will have a trip to visit your nice lands. What places and museums could you recommend to me? 

- Sweden is my country of birth and it’s an absolutely marvelous place that Swedes generally can’t wait to escape for sunny beaches and expensive holidays elsewhere at least once a year. But many of the people I know have missed out on major parts of our home country (Including myself). When in Sweden I would recommend taking at least a small trip out into the woods and seize the opportunity that comes with right to public access. I’m personally most impressed with the vast forests and mountains above the halfway point of Sweden but most of our national parks and woods have their own character. 

I was born on the west coast of Sweden in the town of “Göteborg” (Gothenburg), and in fact both me and Johan live in the same neighborhood on the Island of “Hisingen” west of the Central City.  Gothenburg is a beautiful harbor town with a lot of small Museums and renowned Microbreweries, so it is definitely worth a visit. The Capitol of Sweden is “Stockholm” located further to the north on the east coast and has some impressive museums as well as the Royal Palace so this is also a must visit for anyone interested in Sweden and its history.

Tack så mycket/Kiitos, Defiler! Wish you and Trident all the best and I really hope to meet you live very soon! Send please some thoughts from the North to the readers to complete this conversation. 

- Nincs Mit, Varsågoda/Ole Hyvä!

Thank you for the awesome review, hopefully our paths will meet along the roads we travel. 

To the readers I would want to direct some strength through turbulent times. We are all survivors, even if some are more unaffected than others through the pandemic. But I’m convinced that we all miss the live shows and events we used to take for granted, and It’s my highest wish right now that we get through this and are able to deliver on a live tour next year. Until then, stay strong stay true.  //Defiler 

Important links: 

facebook.com/Trident666official/ 

youtube.com/channel/UCvrG4qEybGmeLhK9QIkKc4w

facebook.com/nonserviamrecords/?ref=br_rs

 

Pontus Norman of CON

Interview with Pontus Norman (CON)

Hail brother Pontus, you are very welcome to Archangel’s Lantern. Firstly tell the readers when and how did you connect with the underground movement? What were your very first tapes/vinyls/CDs? Which live show of a metal band you visited first time?

- What made me come in contact with the underground world was by my brother. At age of nine I got the Promo-CD of "Storm of the Light´s Bane" by Dissection. I really don’t remember my first live show really, haha! I think it was In Flames or some other band. 

What was your very first band? When did you start to play the drums and guitars? Which musicians and bands influenced you back in time and in our days?

- My first real band was named Excessum.
I started to play drums when i was 14. I bought a used drum set from a friend that was really good. My influences back then was Dissection, Morbid Angel, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and many more.

Tell us more about your past bands, like Blut, Excessum, Holocaustia, Human Death and The Bloodlust. Unfortunately I could listen to Excessum only, other bands I couldn’t find. Where can we find some music from these hordes?

- Excessum is the only one of those bands that are available online. 
Rest of them are on tape that I have.The time I was with Holocaustia never got recorded, but it was the best Black metal band I have ever played with. Its a shame that we never recorded something when I was a member.

When I’ve talked to Carl Gustav Karlsson of Protector (who played live with you), I’ve mentioned to him that as for me CON is a Dark Essence… Now let’s talk about the beginnings of Con. Share with us all the important information about this brilliant horde.

- Carl Gustav Karlson was asked to be playing drums if we were going to play live. I started CON by myself. I have written all the music and on the first demo I programmed the drums and the vocals were done by Carl Nordblom. On "In Signo Draconis", Jimmie Oloausson played the drums and Master of her Temple did the vocals.

When do you plan to release “In Signo Draconis”? I must say the teasers I’ve listened to so far are just amazing.

- It's so hard for me to take credit for my own work, and I’m amazed that so many though its not release yet are longing for it. Internal conflict has stand it the way, but I’m going to release it. When is still not decided yet. It´s a production that I’m really proud of, maybe the best production I have ever done.

After its release do you have some plan to play live in Sweden and perhaps in Europe?

- Right now I don’t think that there will be any live-shows. 
But of course if wish that it will be, but I’m a really busy right now with things around me, life in general and if there is gonna be a live show it should be spectacular or else it´s no idea. The estetic and the performance is hard to recreate with all the emotions that is contained in the songs. 

Would you be so kind to recommend us some small, unknown by us, Swedish hordes? How do you see and estimate the Swedish scene of the past and nowadays?

- The Swedish scene has many serious and good bands, but unfortunate there is no money, no support and that leads to that every band mostly has to manage everything  themselves for a gig. That’s an enormous project. More and more clubs and venues are closing down, so the live culture in Sweden are slowly dying out. Sadly. If you’re not a more famous band with a lot of money in your pocket.

Archangel’s Lantern is eternally dedicated to the memory of Jon Andreas Nödtveidt. Did you meet him ever and shared the stage with Dissection? What are your favorite tracks and albums from his heritage? (And not only from Dissection.)

-  I have met him two times at their final gigs.

He used to spend time at our house where I grew up together with my brother and everyone in the local metal scene there. He has always been a kind and thoughtful person from what I have heard and the impression I got when I´ve met him with extremely skills on whatever he plays. He was a person with the heart in the right place.

Alongside CON you are playing in another band, in another style. Please share some important thoughts about it.

- Right now I’m producing a EP together with a very talented singer, it's a mix of pop/electro/indie. That’s the music that feels right to play for me right now. Of course Black metal is something I will always will be devoted to. I mean CON is my lifework.

What kind of literature do you like to read? Name us some books and movies.

- No comment on that one.

What is your daily job? Which museums, concert-places are your recommendations from Göteborg? What kind of food and drinks would you recommend us to try?

- My daily job right now is Musicproduction on a high school here in Gothenburg.
If you like burgers, go to ”Butchers market” Best burgers in town! I recommend the drink Margarita on ”Lilla London” on Avenyn here in Gothenburg. Taste´s incredible good!

Tack så mycket brother Pontus! Wish you all the best in all your musical activities and in personal life as well. Send your message to the readers of Archangel’s Lantern from Leviathan’s Grave.

- Thank you so much for this interview!
I want to thank you all out there for the devotion to CON!
It means more than you ever could imagine.

BTW, Heineken is the greatest beer!

Contact: pontusnorman@icloud.com