Tobias Fongelius (Jormundgand) 9.VI.2013

Interview with Tobias Fongelius 

of Jormundgand  

Sadistik Witchfukk (9.VI.2013)

Questions compiled by Georgius and Sorin Necrotrooper 

Hail Tobbe! Because this is the first interview with you, please give us a short bio regarding your band.

- Hail! Well, we are JORMUNDGAND from Sweden. We have been lurking in the underground since 2004. The first demo "Satanic Attack" was recorded between 2008/2009, and at that time Hellbutcher from the mighty NIFELHEIM helped us a lot! He was with us in the studio and he even put some vocals to the song "Satanic Attack". He painted the cover for the demo and t-shirts, took all our promo pictures with his camera and more. In 2010 we recorded our single "The Eleven Path". I (Tobbe F) started my own record label "Burning Eye Productions" and the plan was to release the single on a 7" vinyl through Burning... But the dream hasn´t been transformed to reality yet because of different reasons.... In 2012 we decided to record our first full length-album. It is now finally finished and ready to be unleashed upon the surface of the world, to spread the poison of the mighty Black Dragon of the abysmal ocean of Chaos!

How  did you get introduced into metal, and did you played in any bands before Jormundgand?

- It came quite natural to me, I guess. I was around 6 or 7 years old and I heard Guns'n'Roses on the radio! It was "Paradise City" and I felt like totally blown away by the music! Then on the very same radio show they played "Poison" with Alice Cooper, and then I was trapped forever! Very soon after that I started to listen to more hard music like Metallica and Iron Maiden. When I was at the age of 14 I started my first band. We named it "Confused" and we played some kind of Swedish straight edge hardcore! Haha, the music really sucked! hahaha! We played live one time and split-up shortly after that! When I was around 16 years old, I came in contact with Black Metal for the first time... And I can still remember the feeling of coming home, that I have finally found my musical way in life!

You are working on your first LP. Can you tell us all about it? (stuff such as recording process and so on). Did you signed with a label to promote it, or it is self-released?

- Yeah, this will be our first full length album! The thing is that it´s only two "new" songs on that recording! Those are "Malice Striker" and " Beyond the Bound". The rest of the songs were written between 2010 and 2012. I felt that we had too much un-recorded material to move on forward with the other new songs that will be on our next release. We have taped all our earlier material on a tape recorder. And everything has been recorded live in the studio. But this time we did a lot more time in the studio. We recorded all  the instruments in separated steps, beginning with the drums, then bass, then guitar...... It was more time-consuming than I could ever imagine! And money-eating! That's why it took us more than one year to record the album! All my money has been pumped in this record, so I can´t release it by my own label, through "Burning Eye Productions". Not just because of the money, but because of all the time it took away from the music and creation of music. To make Black metal you need a very strong connection with your inner self. If you don't find that state of mind, then you will loose all the true spirit of your creation, especially now when we play live as well.

Are there any guests on the album? ( Hellbutcher or other ones?)

- I had plans to invite Hellbutcher to the studio again, and to ask Oscar from RAM to put some heavy metal song to one of the tracks, but, it never felt like the right thing to do! So, no guests on this album!

You shared the stage with Necrocurse on 5th of April in Gothenburg. How was your concert?

- Ah! It was fucking great! We feel more hunger now than ever before! We did a gig in Trollhättan 4 weeks after the Gothenburg gig, and it was fucking awesome as well! Hail Satan!

(my awesome Swedish friend sent me Necrocurse-poster and dedicated by Hellbutcher digipack CD in 2016 -GF)

What is the situation regarding your new shows? have you decided to tour Europe, or it will be just in Sweden (or Scandinavia)?

- We will play as much as we can. I feel that we have a great potential to be a killer band on stage!

How are the things going with Burning Eye Productions?

- Well, I am a little bit unsure about the future of Burning Eye Productions, at least with the Jormundgand thing. But I will have the label active in one or another way. Maybe releasing other bands' material and organizing concerts and tours. Time will tell!

What is JORMUNDGAND's current line-up and if the members of the band take part in other projects?

- It's me Tobias Fongelius on bestial vomit and guitar! And Ingo on drums. Erik K on guitar. He is active in a few other bands as well, like Vornth, Autokrat and Xul. Tobbe P has been involved in everything we have done so far, all the recordings and our two first live shows, but not anymore. He wants to give his main band "RAM" all his focus, I believe. So it's a fucking shit situation right now to be honest. But I understand and respect his decision. All hails to the mighty masters of "Heavy Metal Tyranny" - RAM!

Your top 10 all-time favourite albums are?

- Shit! Haha, what a question! Ok.... Starting from 1.

Storm of the Light´s Bane

The Somberlain

Reinkaos

Servants of Darkness

Lawless Darkness

Blood Fire Death

Altars of Madness

De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

Morbid Visions

Again Shall Be

Well, I will probably change my mind tomorrow, but what the fuck: all this albums are fucking killer!

Do you know any bands from Hungary, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova?

- It's funny that you're asking me that, because when I was down to "Halmstad" in Sweden last month to bang my head to Nifelheim, Vulcano and The Stone, it was something unexpected that happened on the stage! As you maybe know, Tamás from the Hungarian band Tormentor is now a member in Nifelheim. And in the middle of the show, Hellbutcher went off from the stage and Attila Csihar came up instead and they started to play the intro to the "Anno Domini" record, and then they played "Tormentor" with Attila on vox! That was fucking legendary! But besides Tormentor, Domhring, Castrum and Chamos my knowledge about your bands is very thin I'm afraid.

What bands can you recommend us from Sweden (and also from the rest of the world)?

- Well, Vornth (Swedish speed metal), Xul (Swedish black metal), Necrocurse (Swedish Death Metal), Mordant (Swedish Black Metal), Trial (Swedish Heavy Metal), In Solitude ( Swedish Heavy Metal). And of course, RAM (Swedish Heavy Metal).

Now regarding your local cuisine: what foods, drinks, cigars, tobaccoes can you recommend?

- Hmm, Sweden is very famous for our great KebabPizza! So if you come to Sweden, just order Kebab! We have something called "Systembolaget" in Sweden. And that's the only store where you can buy your alcohol. It's forbidden to sell alcohol in food-shops etc. Quite shitty if you ask me, but it have one big +. Every "Systembolaget" store have like 100 different beers, and maybe 100 different whiskeys and like 1000 different wines! So we have a lot of different brands to pick from! Personally i like scotch whiskey and Irish dark stoutbeer!

I was very pleased to find out that Jon Nödtveidt (Rest and Reign in Chaos) is your hero as well as mine. From your letters I've got to know that you didn't know Jon personally, but what do you think of Him as a person and musician?

- Because I have a lot of friends that knew Jon personally, I know that he was a great person and musician! He was like a never ending source of musical energy and inspiration and the guitar riffs just sprayed out of his fingers into his guitar! He is, and will always remain, my greatest inspiration both musically and spiritually! Hail the Bloodline of fire! Hail Jon Nödtveidt! Might His legacy never be forgotten.

Tack så mycket, my old friend Tobbe! Hail to the Northern Dragon of Chaos! 

Your message to readers of Sadistik Witchfukk...

- Varsågod min vän! I hope to meet you in the mighty Carpathians soon! Hail Satan!

You can listen to the music here:  myspace.com/jormundgand666

Burning Eye Productions:  myspace.com/burningeyeproductions

Runemagick, Nicklas Terror Rudolfsson

English version of the Runemagick interview, done back in  31.I.2014. Interview with Nicklas Terror Rudolfsson, committed by Alister of Atmosfear. Originally published in Terroraiser magazine in Russian language, 2014.

Hello Nicklas! Runemagick's last studio album was released in 2007, and since then there's no information about your band. The official website states that Runemagick is currently in dormant mode. What is happening with Runemagick, and when can we expect the band's return with a new album? 

- The band is dormant because of many reasons. One of them was that we were extremely active with composing and recording during 2000-2006 and probably lost some inspiration after this. Then came many other things that obviously also affected. But right now it does not happen so much. There are some riffs and some early demos of songs but no more than that. Nor are there any concrete plans for rehearsals, recordings or live performances either. But we have not said that the final nail is put in the coffin yet.
We'll see what happens in the future. Maybe we should put a “low goal” first as a 7 "vinyl to make something happen.

Since 2005, Runemagick is not available for the concerts, just releasing studio albums. Why? Despite this fact, how often you get offers from promoters play a show? For example, at one time Grave, Asphyx and Obituary returned to the stage due to the constant interest of fans, as well as the offers to play concerts…

- We've never been particularly active in terms of live shows and as I recall it became some kind of decision that we record albums like projects, and then we will see what happens in the future. It became more of a project against the "end". It happens once a year we get requests to play live again. It would have been cool to do but right now it's hard to get it all together.

And still, why did you decided to turn the fulltime band into purely studio project?

- As I said earlier, it was just such a decision. It felt right then at that time.

Generally, if we follow the history of Runemagick, we can see that such a long breaks are common thing for you. Releasing the 1992 demo "Fullmoon Sodomy" about Runemagick nothing was heard until 1998, when was released debut album "The Supreme Force of  Eternity". What was the main reason for such a long break? Especially has given the follow intense discography.

- Runemagick was paused around 1993/94-1997, if I remember correctly. And the reason for this was the change in the lineup, moving, I jumped into the other bands in the meantime and so on.

There are demo recordings from 1993 and 1997, I am quite sure, anyway.

Did you felt more comfortable to work in a band, when Emma became your wife?

- We had already known each other for many years so there was nothing special about it in terms of playing together.

Which Runemagick album is your favorite and why?

- "Darkness, Death, Doom". I like the material and we had a really good time back then. Rehearsed and recorded with a good flow in the studio. According to me it felt like we were on top at that particular recording, and it was a good mix of heavy and mid-tempo. On later albums perhaps it was a little too much "jam" and heavy doom soundscapes hahaha.

Do not you think that after the music was written and recorded, it begins to live its own life? From this moment the music no longer belongs only to its creator. In this case, there is a completely new non-material dimension – parts of it are emotions, feelings, memories and associations. A musician from this viewpoint becomes a conductor of some kind of magic.

- It probably is. Any listener can experience different things and feelings out of control from the artist.

On the first albums Runemagick played a more traditional version of Swedish death metal. Of course, there was own atmosphere, but... But from album to album your music more slowed down, became more atmospheric and gloomy. Finally you come to a viscous sound at the intersection of death metal and doom. Describe the creative evolution of Runemagick.

- Somehow it became heavier and heavier. Why is hard to say. Maybe because you do not want to repeat too much. Some parts of the later music have its origins in jam and improvisation which then formed until more structural sections.

Unlike most death metal bands (already in the first albums) you chose a concept based on the mythology and the occult. Moreover, this concept can be traced both in lyrics and in sound – they are inextricably linked with each other. As for me, this theme is perfect for this kind of music. Nevertheless in Death metal it is not quite frequent phenomenon. Tell me why you decided to reveal in your works exactly this mood?

- Difficult to give a good answer but in short it was mostly meant to music and the lyrics together would fit together purely atmospheric. Then it's up to the listener to "see" their own world of it all.

Once you said the following: “I believe in supernatural dimensions and magick in the music of Runemagick”. So for you such a concept is exceptionally creative fiction, or is it somehow connected with your outlook and personal experiences, feelings?

- It's been awhile since I was inside the world of rune magic. But one can say that it is the combination of reality and unreality in the compositions. How you want to interpret this is as I said earlier up to the listener. Now that I think about it, maybe Runemagick was pretty "deep" after all. Now, the music lives on like dark shapes with different characters and play different forms of magic depending on what the listener paint. Fishy? haha

What is Death personally for you?

- Only death is real.

Years ago you was a drummer in Sacramentum. A great band, I must admit! But underrated, unfortunately. What was the main reason for the collapse of Sacramentum in the late 90s? I think you would be able to say much more...

- First I was asked to temporarily help with drums in Sacramentum. But after a while, I was asked to become a member and also began contributing music writing. If I remember correctly, I played drums for the last time with the band in 1999. Main reason was that I moved far from Gothenburg and was busy with other bands. Then I did a gig with Sacramentum in 2000 but then I played bass. The rest of the band continued a year after that. Then I do not know why the band stopped.

None of the band members had a desire to resurrect Sacramentum?

- Not that I know.

Through your participation in Runemagick and Sacramentum, as well as other projects in the early 90s you could touch the roots of death / black metal underground. Describe this very special time. What mood reigned in the underground in the early 90’s? Personally, I think it was one of the most unusual and creative periods in the history of metal.

- In the beginning there was tape trading, letters and flyers here and there. Trading demos and so on. Pretty big difference from now. Feels like it was magical, exciting and better at the time. Hard to say why. Not the same feeling now. 

In a short period of time Peter Palmdahl of Dissection played in Runemagick. As far as I know, this fact angered Jon Nödtveidt. Can you tell more about this conflict?

- He was only on a few rehearsals as I remember it, therefore a short period in the band. Not aware that there would have been conflict about it.

In Runemagick you are the main composer, guitarist and vocalist, in Sacramentum you was a drummer. Where and how you acquired such extensive musical skills?

- When I was a kid I was hooked quickly for groups like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and the like. Started with trying to imitate drums, getting the riff on an old guitar. I'm simply self-taught. Then I discovered harder and harder bands and began trying to play that kind of music. The first band I was in "Blöod" in the 80's was extremely off beat, out of tune and we could barely play but we had hard titles like "Boiled to Death" and so on… Then it just continued. You get better by playing alot. Sure, maybe I have some kind of talent, but I am certainly not as any true professional musicians. A mediocrity who like to make riffs maybe hahaha

How your child relates to your music? Is he proud of his father? 

- I have three children. A teenager who probably thinks, my music is crap. A younger daughter, who likes Bolt Thrower and children's music. Then I have a little guy who does not know what music is, or he likes "music boxes".

Describe your musical preferences today. How much they changed over the years?

- I rarely discover any new music. Do not know why but somehow I'm still stuck in enjoying the music I listened to for 20-30 year-ago. Many albums from that era are still high class. And that it still sounds brutal. Obviously there’s new albums which I also listens to, but the old is as I said still good!

In the interview for Global Domination website from February 15, 2008 you said that your drummer Daniel Moilanen is working with porn and all his other bands. Is that true about porn? Or was it just a joke?

- It's true. Though not as an actor (what I know). It was some kind of porn distribution of movies, huge toys and such.

Well, I am very pleased with this interview, but it's time to finish. With what words you could express the inner essence of Runemagick, and let these words complete this interview.

- Do not really know what to say ... But I actually hope that there's something new with Runemagick but it may not or will not stressed up. Darkness Death Doom!

Mvh / Best regards 

Niclas Rudolfsson

Tobias Fongelius (Voodus, ex-Jormundgand)

Interview with Tobias Fongelius 

(Voodus, ex-Jormundgand)

Hail my good old friend Tobbe! First of all tell to the readers  about the Hellish alliance between Jormundgand and German black metal label, Christhunt Productions regarding your debut, "Visions Of The Past” in 2013! (by the way I’m very pleased for  the mention my humble name on your thank-list!) What has been the reception of "Visions of the Past” amongst black metal fans, magazines?

- Hail!

Well, the response has been quite lame to be honest.. But I can understand why! The "Visions..." cd is not the best things we have done during the years... I don't want to go in to any details but I can tell you that I do NOT like it at all!! The lack of inspiration and dark atmosfear on that recording is quite obvious. We wanted too much and went astray on the way somewhere. We needed to take a step back to try to figure it all out, and it ended up with the death of Jormundgand and the rebirth and rising in the shape of Voodus! And I have to say that after we changed name/aim for our spiritual perception, the band has finally found the way back to the true depths again! The music and the atmosfear is better than ever before! We are strong for real now! Hard as iron and black like a shadow!

Jormundgand recorded in "The Burning Light of Daath" as a single for the "Critical Mass vol. II" LP in 2014. Would you be so kind to share some thoughts about it?

- There is not so much to say about that. Dennis who runs the label "Critical Mass" asked us if we wanted to participate on the hardest compilation LP in Sweden? Of course! We said, and recorded "The Burning Light of Daath", which is the first full song that me (Tobbe) and Erik did together. It is in fact a Voodus song and not a creation by Jormundgand, even if the back of the LP say so.....

Jormundgand played in August last year with an old Hungarian band, Omen and RAM in Sweden. How were satisfied Hungarian guys with that show? What are your experiences from this concert?

- Yeah! Omen was a pack of really great guys :) Thy did two shows in Sweden and we did one of the gigs along with them! I don't know how their second gig turned out, but in Kungälv where we played it was pretty good. Not so big audience thou.... But it use to be like that.... If there is more than 100 persons, you must be extremely satisfied! And RAM, it´s always a pleasure to do gigs with them! They are a really fucking great live-band. They are true to their Heavy metal heritage, and it makes them  rise above the most of other bands of the scene. I have far more respect for those guys than I feel for 99% of the Black metal scene of today. But I have to say that I feel some kind of dark and dangerous currents from the depths of the scene of today. There are some really great bands out there, like Mephorash, Thy Darkened Shade, Ascension, The Ruins of Beverast, Acrimonious,Nidsang, Valkyrja.......Voodus!

You’ve changed band name Jormundgand to Voodus this Summer.. 

Enlighten us about all the important details of this metamorphosis!

- Read the first question and answer!

Voodus has been the band of the week at SwedenMetal in September,2015. Congratulations, my friend, you are really deserved it! Tell us more about it!

- It´s not so much to say! It´s just one internet mag in the big ocean of mags out there that liked our music! Hahaha, but it´s always fun when our music reach out to people. And it is a good thing to have some magazines on your side, to write your words and propaganda when you want to conquer the world!!!!

Voodus  is a very active one with live shows this and last year. You’ve shared the stage with bands Ofermod, Mephoras under banner "The Holy Trinity Tour” in Sundsvall, Östersund and Stockholm, Sweden in September. How was that live performance?

- It was great times for us! And we thank Erik from the mighty Mephorash for the opportunity to be a part of this tour! It was a magical time! I mean, to play and to hang out with Black Metal Gods like Mika Belfagor from the mighty Ofermod and Jonas Nebiros from Malign/Mephorash! It was a true honour for us!!! The gigs went out well I think! Specially the gig in Stockholm! It was some kind of dark force in the atmosfear that night! With the Bloodmoon in the night sky to celebrate the end of the tour and all!

If I’m not mistaken, You’ve crushed the audience in Uddevalla on your birthday, 31th of October. Would you be so kind to say some thoughts about this massive show?

- Yeah! We did a gig along with Necrocurse in their hometown! It was a great show!

I’m very thankful to you for your awesome package  of this year (among other things you sent me a lot of posters, Jormundgand’s debut CD and last but not least  new Nifelheim vinyl with dedication of mighty Hellbutcher and latest Necrocurse CD (also with signature of Hellbutcher). As far as I know, Jormundgand helped  to Necrocurse with decoration in their video-clip, called „Devil’s Cobra”. What we should to know about that?

- No problem my friend! The thing is that we played before Necrocurse on that show and we left our scene-show on the scene because we didn't had the time to take it away. I´m not so sure if I think that it was such a great idea anymore..... I mean, I have put like 100 hours in the workshop and in the woods for inspiration to create all the things that we bring to the show, and now will people think that it is the scene of Necrocurse..... Hrm, well, well. But now you know that all the bone and skull-creations are ours! 

Voodus is very active not just with live shows in 2015 but You’ve recorded this Summer a four tracks’ material, called „NightQueen” and this EP has been released via Jawbreaker Records on tape and Heathen Tribes Records on CD digipack. Please, share with the readers all the important information about it! (I’ve listened all of your new tracks via soundcloud and I must to say, excellent job, my old friend!)

- The recording is just a demo, to be honest. We recorded it live in the studio with almost no money at all, just to have some new songs on print. Mostly for ourselves, you know to have a recording of the new material to listen to. But we was very satisfied with the result so we decided to release the material as a limited cassette through Jawbreaker Records, which is a underground label owned by a great guy (Gustav) from Gothenburg!!! The response for this first release by Voodus has been fucking great! And now the underground label Heathen Tribes Records will release a digipack-cd on the same material + The Burning Light Of Daath! 

As I’ve red on Voodus fb-page, You’ll record your second full-length.. if You want, say a few words about it, maybe about the structures of tracks and lyrical conception...

- The complete album will be a tribute to the dark force of Lilith. NightQueen is just a taste of what to come (also dedicated to Lilith). All the songs that you can hear on the NightQueen EP will be re-recorded for the album + 6 more songs. We have like 3 or 4 songs finished at this moment, so it is a little bit left before we can enter the studio. But we will record two new songs this summer for a single! I can't tell you any details about the label yet, but it will be a fucking killer-label with the roots deep down in the cradle of true, black, sinister and dark magic music! 

Tack så mycket, my old friend Tobbe! Hope to see You at live very soon near my area!  If there's anything you would like to add in the end of this conversation, please feel free to do it, Hail Voodus!

- Thank you! It´s always a pleasure to make interviews with you Georgius! Now, check out our Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Spotify, YouTube and/or Facebook-page for more music, merch and news! And don´t forget to order our EP,  NightQueen from Heathen Tribes Records!!!!

Hell the Dark Queen of the Nightside!

Hell Lilith!

Important links: 

 Facebook: facebook.com/Voodus-483829498431956/

Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/voodus

 Bandcamp: voodus.bandcamp.com/