Joakim Sterner (Necrophobic) 2.X.2017

 Interview with Joakim Sterner (Necrophobic)

Originally published in Kronos Mortus  

in English and Hungarian languages,

2.X.2017

Hail Joakim! First of all, let me congratulate you guys for Necrophobic: “Pesta”, coming out on the 11th of August on limited edition 7” under Century Media. The 7” material contains two new tracks, the brand new Pesta and an earlier, 1990 demo track’s re-recorded version, titled “Slow Asphyxiation”. How did the work in the studio go? Why did you guys choose “Slow Asphyxiation”? Whose work is the cover?

Joakim: Hi. And thanks. Yes, “Pesta” is now out and it feels great to have something new to present after period of silence. It was a quick visit to the studio and the recording went easy.

When this idea of making this 7 inch vinyl came up, which actually was our new label’s idea, we quickly discussed what song we should do. At that time, no song had any title or lyrics, but we knew we had to make a video of it also (which is coming later), so it had to be a song that sounded very much Necrophobic instantly, with the the melody that is our trademark. So when that was agreed and decided, we talked about of what song could be on the B-side. We wanted this also to be very exclusive, something that just is going to be on this 7 inch. An old idea came up, that we should do a re-recording of the old demo song “Slow Asphyxiation”. The songs is a hidden treasure, even though it was released in 2009, on the “Satanic Blasphemies”, but on that album, it’s directly from the demo, so we agreed to do a re-recording of that song. It came out really good, I think.

The cover is made by me. When I don’t play with the band, my profession is graphic designer, so I take care of most of our designs and so on. And if I don’t do it, I am sort of very involved anyway, on how things shall look.

As there have been considerable line-up changes since “Womb of Lilithu” (basically it’s just you and bassist Alex Friberg from that line-up), please tell us your thoughts on the changes and the guys that have arrived in your horde.

Joakim: The changes was necessary. The singer slot had to be filled for obvious reasons and it landed on our old singer from our first album “The Nocturnal Silence, Anders Strokirk. It was great timing there, cause Alex met him in the pub and they spoke about what he was doing right now, and he said he had put down his band has he has been running since 1992. So Alex came back to me with that info and after some days, we asked him if he wanted to return to Necrophobic and he was thrilled to do so. I have more or less had him as close friend during all those years he wasn’t in the band, so even on the social level, he was the only one that could join, after all the mess and bad time we had have for some time, at that time.

(kind thoughts from Anders Strokirk for me -G//)

After some time with just Fredrik as a single guitarist, my thoughts of having two guitarist again became stronger and stronger. We couldn’t play all the songs we intended to do in our live set, just because we were one guitarist short. Necrophobic is built on two guitarists and I wanted to be able to put out our songs live with two guitarists and with all that, that comes with it, the power and the heavier sound and the stage performance that also is a big deal, very important, visually.

I must say that Fredrik is a great guitar player and a good friend, a cool person, but I had to let him go to be able to bring back Sebastian and Johan, of whom I had started to have contact with for some time back during this period. So, now we are complete again and can move on, both musically and on stage with our live performances. It’s a big difference nowadays. And the feedback form fans and organizers proves it! 

Where and when was your first concert with this line-up? The last time you guys stepped on stage was the 25th August on Kaltenbach Open Air, and judging by the pictures it must have been an awesome grind. What was it like from your point of view? You’ll be giving a show on the 15th and 16th of September in Saint Petersburg and Moscow, then in Romania in October. Have Necrophobic been there already before?

Joakim: The first show with this old, new, line-up was in Barcelona, Spain, on February 16th this year. That followed by tree more shows in Spain, so a mini tour was the best possible way of this “come back”.

Yes, Kaltenbach was awesome! We played Party San some week or so before, which also was killer, but we had a better spot on Kaltenbach, cause the sun was down and we were able to use fire on stage. The crowd was awesome and totally in it during the whole set. Fucking fantastic! You could touch the energy, more or less. Electric!

No, we will play in Russia and Romania for the first time in the Necro history. We look forward to it.

The band’s going to participate on 70000 Tons Of Metal from next February, where many famous groups have already stepped on stage: Possessed, Sodom, etc., and I bet it’s gonna be a great experience for you, too. How did you get yourself on Metal Cruise? Do you think there’s a chance for a set in Hungary or Slovakia?

Joakim: Yes, 70000 Tons of Metal will really be something out of the ordinary. None of us has been there before, but we have seen pictures and it looks crazy. We have played on the two boats here in Sweden a few times before, the Close-Up Magazine cruise and the Sweden Rock cruise, but this will be a new experience. A wild one, I guess…

We got an offer from them, through our Booking Agency District 19, so…

About Hungary and Slovakia, there is no offer from there as of yet, but we have played there before, so we hope to come back.

(Necrophobic-signatures from Hungary, have been taken to me by my old mate 

Cornelius of Castrum/Encomium)

It has been eleven years already around the 15th/16th August that Jon Andreas Nödveidt (Rest In Chaos) has left the earthly life… as Jon did the vocals on the “Nailing the Holy One” (1997) song, please let us know how the recordings went… and if you have a favorite Dissection album/song or anything else from Jon’s other bands that you like please share it with the readers of Kronos Mortus.

Joakim: I knew Jon from the very early years, since he had a fanzine where I guess he interviewed me, or if he did a review of our demos. However, we stayed in contact during all those early years and when it was time for us to record the album “Darkside”, in the autumn of 1996, I called him up and asked if he wanted to come up to Stockholm and record split vocals on “Nailing the Holy One”. He thought it was cool and I sent him the lyrics and a rehearsal recording of that song, so he could practice a bit. When in the studio, I think he nailed it (!!!) on just a few takes.

I like all the Dissection albums, but the debut is the one with greatest impact on me. It was released in a special time in our young career and time, when this style of music was very new. With “new”, I mean the style that Necrophobic and Dissection are some kind of pioneers of, as it is a black kind of death metal, with dark, grand and atmospheric melodies and not like Entombed and Dismember, that is plain, but fantastic, Death Metal.

I saw it in an August Facebook post that you are the proud owner of Mayhem’s “Deathcrush” (#761 / 1000), that you’ve bought in 1987, directly from Øystein Aarseth (aka Euronymous, R.I.P.). Please conjure up those times for us…

Joakim: I first got in contact with this new, very very underground kind of music, via a record store here in Stockholm, called Heavy Sound. They had a large variety of obscure metal albums. This was around 1986, or something, when I saw a strange looking “magazine” behind the desk. It was in black and white and me and my friends asked what that strange looking magazine was. “It’s a fanzine”, we were told. A fanzine is something that is made by hand from a normal person, a fan, that wants to do his own magazine, like a school paper, we were told. That particular “fanzine” was no less than “Slayer Magazine”, made by Jon “Metalion” Kristiansen.

Well, me and my friends bought it and a new world opened up for us. We learned about new bands that came from every corner of the world, but hadn’t really got themselves a record deal yet. They released demos, with covers and everything. This was very new and interesting for us. The band Mayhem was often part in Slayer mag and when they Mayhem released “Deathcrush”, I ordered it right away, from Øystein. We kept contact and later on, our demos and t-shirts of Necrophobic were for sale in his Helvete shop.

When are you planning a new full-length with the current, stable line-up? Do you have any exact plans?

Joakim: The plan is set, but I can not reveal it here and now.

Could you recommend us a couple of newer Swedish bands that would be worth keeping an eye on?

Joakim: Unfortunately, I don’t have time over to go to underground shows so often, but my guess is that the Swedish scene is alive and well.

As a great fan of the Stockholm Death Metal scene since the early 90s, and someone who’d really like to get to Stockholm one day to see your beautiful capital, what sights and food/drinks would you recommend?

Joakim: Wow, that was a question that I am not used to be asked. But I must recommend that you go here in the summer time. As a metal fan, I suggest that you pay a visit to Skogskyrkogården to see the big black cross that Entombed posed in front of on their “Left Hand Path” album. You should also maybe locate the grave of Quorthon, on a smaller part of Skogskyrkogården, as he is the father of Black Death Metal.

Food wise, I suggest that you eat something we call “husmanskost”, which in general are meals that are old traditional Swedish meals. My suggestion is to go to a railway restaurant that’s located at the subway station Tekniska Högskolan and the name of the restaurant is “Östra Station Järnvägsrestaurangen”. Order their Herring if you like fish or their Pork if you like meat. Have a swedish beer to that.

Tack så mycket/Thanks a lot for the answers, Joakim! Wish you and Necrophobic all the best, and I’m hoping to see you guys live soon! As a conclusion, please say something for the fans of Necrophobic!

Joakim: Nagyon köszönöm! Keep supporting Necrophobic and hopefully, we’ll come back to your country soon. Also, I want to mention that we finally, after so many years, have a official webshop, where you can buy our official merchandise. You find the shop at shop.necrophobic.net

Original source: 

kronosmortus.com/interjuk/necrophobic-interju-2/

Important links:

necrophobic.net/?fbclid=IwAR0ji3kMrh3AxtYJjUiw3wgksiert61MA7TqbTl-BKaqsoY9d2qKfNq3v6Y

Facebook: facebook.com/necrophobic.official

Sebastian Ramstedt (In Aphelion)

 Interview with Sebastian Ramstedt 

(In Aphelion)

Hail Sebastian! First of all my congratulations to you for the awesome  In Aphelion ”Luciferian Age” EP, I enjoyed every moment and Kreator cover namely “Pleasure to Kill” is absolutely brilliant and one of the best Kreator covers I listened to it ever. Would you be so kind to tell the readers all the important information about EP? (songwriting process, lyrics, cover artwork and videos “Draugr” and “Luciferian Age”)

Sebastian: I started this as a project during the first lock down in the pandemic. I felt that I had time to write something else than music for Necrophobic. The most important thing was that I was not really tried to shape this to fit in within a concept. I just followed the flow and let the music come to me. I had four of five songs when the words started to come. I don’t sit down and decide what the lyrics should be about. Usually a few lines that fit the music just pops up in my mind and I go from there. They are overall quite personal. I go from myths or religious believes, or rituals that I find fascinating. Then I try to put my own thoughts and even my own life in the perspective of the lyrics. For instance the song Sorrow, Fire and Hate that is about crossing the rivers to enter the kingdom of death is also about ageing. It’s about getting stuck without development. I wanna grow. I rather go through sorrow, fire and hate than being stuck doing the same thing over and over again. Put at the same time those are the names of the rivers you have to cross in the Greek mythology to enter the underworld. The cover art I did myself. I think I wanted to express myself on as many levels as possible: Songwriting, guitar-playing, vocals, lyrics and artwork. I wanted to reach through with my full vision. And I also did the videos. I am not a good director or editor but I am very determined. So I decided to give it a shot. I am actually a bit surprised that the result became as good as it did.

As I’ve mentioned in Necrophobic-interview, you are with Johan Bergebäck practically always going to play together to different hordes and it’s fantastic that you with your old friend created In Aphelion last year. What should we know about the beginnings of this excellent horde? How would you characterize the style of In Aphelion?  I like a lot your voice with guitar-playing as well. 

Sebastian: Johan was very supportive from the beginning. I let him listen to my ideas and he gave me feedback. At first I had no intentions of forming a band. This was only about the music. Not trying to be idols of any kind. Bands are really a strange thing. Not only do people want to have the experience of the music but they want to have the presence of the ones writing it to be able to enjoy the music. It’s really very strange. It’s like not being able to enjoy a meal at a restaurant if you don’t get the chef to stand next to the table. I wanted this to be a music only experience. No people behind it that distracts. But as the creation started to grow I changed my mind. And when Johan and Marco came into the picture for real I realized we already were a band no matter what my first intentions where. So I just went along with it. I do call this Black Metal. I think the core of it is Black Metal. But there are a lot of Heavy Metal and Thrash metal influences in this. The voice was something I wanted to try for years. I sing on various Necrophobic albums since 1997. But I never really took the lead. I wanted to try and see if the lyrics would come to life in a new way if I sung it myself instead of someone else. I think my voice is nothing but Black metal. I waved all the other styles in the music together. The guitar playing was a challenge for sure. So much more palm muting than I normally do and faster tempos, different harmonies. And we also tune in E standard which I normally do not do. So there were a lot of new directions to go and a lot of new stuff to try out. I think I got a lot of new tools to use in the future by altering my guitar playing this way. Johan also had to step up. He did the best guitar playing that he has ever done. And it was just perfect together with mine. 

Unfortunately I missed to order from you In Aphelion: Demo I. Is there any chance to re-release it later then? “Let the Beast Run Wild” was your first video, pure raw black metal track mixed with your harmonies. Share some thoughts about this lyric-video please.

Sebastian: The demo will be featured in the extremely limited special bundle pack sold by Edged Circle. It will have the Demo, an exclusive shirt, a poster and both the EP and LP on colored vinyl. Only 25 copies worldwide. So this will be the rarest of the rare. The track Let the Beast Run Wild was the first track that was finished as a demo. I thought it was a really good track to show to the audience. The demo version had that raw power that often gets lost with better productions. I actually kept the demo vocals on the album version. There was no way I was going to catch that early feeling again. Because of that the album version actually sounds a bit rougher than the other songs on the full length Moribund. The lyric video was shot out here in the woods were I take long walks in the weekends. I have more or less turned my back on the city. I never go to pubs anymore. I want to be in the woods. Life is too short to waste it being drunk talking about idiot things in a bar. I want to widen my perspective. Not diminish it. 

When do you plan to release In Aphelion LP called “Moribound”?

Sebastian: The album will be out early March. It was supposed to be released before Christmas but as we all know the vinyl plants have no material to work with. The production has stopped because of the shortage of vinyl. So we decided to release the EP first on CD and then wait until the vinyls can be delivered. It is a long wait for me as the songs were all ready by April 2021.

I know your very talented drummer Marco Prij is Dutch but it would be great to see you live then. What is your opinion doing live performances?

Sebastian: I am back and forth with that. Now we have started to play live with Necrophobic again and the schedule is quite full. In a way I would really like to try and see what In Aphelion could be like live. But on the other hand the music is very complex and it will be a next level task to sing and play at the same time. Also as you mentioned Marco is not only Dutch but he is also crazy busy with his band Cryptosis. So we have to wait and see what will come out of this. At least I want to release the full length before we make big plans to launch this band on the roads. 

What are your favourite releases this year so far? What do you think about Voodus/Domgård split material Ginnungagap / Ljungeld Över Människan?

Sebastian: Voodus is always great: One of Sweden’s finest band and old friends of mine. Also I think Netherbird made one hell of an album with Arete. I listened to it this morning actually. It is pure magic. And The new Maiden album was also a good one.

In our conversation last year you told us about that infernal cooperation with Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) on Damnation cover “Insulter of Jesus Christ” and you mentioned your favourite LPs were the first two Dissection-albums from Jon’s heritage. Is there possible in the future that In Aphelion would play an old Dissection cover from “The Somberlain” or “Storm of the Lights Bane”?

Sebastian: No there is no reason to do that. I think it would be impossible to capture the brilliance of those albums. Better leave that be.

 In Aphelion name sounds very unique for me. What is the deep meaning of In Aphelion for you? 

Sebastian: The world is in “aphelion” when it is furthest from the sun. I see it a bit as I am far from the mothership Necrophobic doing this. It also speaks of solitude and cold. A bit as I feel when I write the music. So to me it is a very fitting name for a Black metal band. Maybe it does not have the punch of “Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult” but not every band can be named that. Brilliant band by the way. I always try and catch them on the roads. 

I’ve seen Necrophobic will play very soon together with Trident in Sweden. Do you have any favourite releases/tracks from Trident? 

Sebastian: I really like their last album ‘North’. They were brilliant live. They had Jacob Björnfot from the band Kvaen on vocals and he killed it. Not only is he one of the best guitar-players I have heard but he is also a fantastic front man. We had a great time hanging out with Trident and Avslut on this mini tour. 

Swedish Heavy metal project Saints & Sinners  (Erika on vocals, you on guitar, Tobias Cristiansson on bass and Perra Karlsson on drums) recorded “Scream On Anger” a great Europe cover in memory of Marcel Jacob (R.I.P.) in December 2020. Tell us a bit more about this Unholy Alliance. Will you continue Saint & Sinners this year? 

Sebastian: Yes we are working on a little something right now … More news soon! 

Thank you very much Sebastian! I wish you all the best with your band(s) and your personal life as well! 

Sebastian: Thanks for the interview! Support the Underground! Hails!!

Important links: 

facebook.com/inaphelion 

facebook.com/edgedcircleproductions

Sebastian Ramstedt (Necrophobic)

 Interview with Sebastian Ramstedt (Necrophobic)

Hail Sebastian, you are very welcome to our small Inferno, Archangel’s Lantern! Our congratulations to you for the awesome new video called “Mirror Black” and we can’t wait to listen to whole newest album “Dawn of the Damned” soon. Would you be so kind to share some important info about this video and new album? (songwriting process of Necrophobic, recording/mixing with Fredrik Folkare and awesome cover art by Necrolord)

Sebastian: The video for "Mirror Black" was shot on two locations as we wanted a bright and a dark side. The lyrics are about going through the portal into the underworld. It is about the opening of the mirror. Magnus Götlund who has directed both "Blinded by Light", "Enlightened by Darkness" and "Revelation 666" shot this video. I wrote most of the songs and lyrics on this album myself. It is a very personal album, almost a Phoenix rising like story line. All of this came from year of depression and my own experiences of intense work with dark magic. Fredrik Folkare produced the album. He has done all our albums since Hrimthursum and is as important for Necrophobic as the other members. Necrolord did our cover once again. It is the last part in a trilogy starting with "Darkside" then "Mark of the Necrogram" and finally inside of the cathedral with this new album.  

Necrophobic gave to their fans Worldwide an excellent Live Stream Event from the Harry B James Club in Stockholm 21th of March this year. (with my closest friends we enjoyed a lot) How did you remember that unusual live set?

Sebastian: We had high hopes for this. Unfortunately the hard drive connected to the cameras crashed just minutes before the show. It was a great experience anyway. Unfortunately it is hard to organize things like this as people in the crew gets sick and it is hard to find new people. I am glad most people liked it anyway. Four of the songs are on the extra disc of the media book edition of our new album. The sound was captured in high quality and we decided to put that out as a bonus feature for the fans. 

“Slow Asphyxiation” demo has its 30th Anniversary this year and “Unholy Prophecies” will have same next year. Are you going to do something special, as re-mastering, special edition box, new T-shirts?

Sebastian: No, I don’t think we have time for that. We talked about doing a t-shirt but Joakim hates the cover. I think it is cult. 

How and when did you join extreme metal music-scene and decide to play the guitar? Where did you buy metal albums from? What bands/guitarists inspired you to be a musician?

Sebastian: I have been listening to Metal since 1983. I always liked the fast songs. I loved Accept and fast as a shark. From that I found bands like Kreator, Metallica, Destruction and so on. Then came Death Metal. I was in it for the first years but lost interest in the early 90’s. Soon after that I drifted more and more into Black Metal which I find much more interesting since it does not only build on brutality. I like the different atmosphere and use of eerie melodies that most Death Metal lacks. When I was young there were a lot of record stores in Stockholm. The best one was called Heavy Sound and they had all the obscure stuff. I could be in that store for hours deciding what to get. 

Tell us more about your first hordes Exhumed/ Morpheus and your Death/Black metal project called Phantasmagoria.  

Sebastian: Exhumed/Morpheus was the first bands I had with Johan Bergebäck. Also in the bands were Janne Björkenfjäll (Rudberg) David Brink and Markus Rüden. It was great times. We played live with At The Gates, Immolation, Massacre, Death and many more in the early 90’s. Phantasmagoria was just a demo I made in the mid 90’s that I never released. It was an experiment to see what I could come up with in a very short time. I think it took me 4 days or so.  

You are with Johan Bergebäck practically always going to play together to different hordes. When and how did you meet him back in the day? Share with the readers your past activity in Black Trip/V.O.J.D and Nifelheim please.

Sebastian: I met him at school. We have been friends since we were 16 and 17 years old. We play very well together. Black Trip/V.O.J.D was a fun project. It lasted for about 5 years. It was based on Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. I learned a lot from playing a different style of music. I think that shows on the albums past and present those years. Nifelheim is probably my favorite Black Metal band of all time. It was an honor to be a part of that for those 12 years. 

With Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) you shared guitar parts on the “Insulter of Jesus Christ” (Damnation cover).  Are there any memories about that hellish cooperation? What are your favourite bands/tracks from Jon’s heritage? 

Sebastian: I remember that he did not like to improvise. He wanted to write every note exactly before recording it. He was very serious about his guitar playing. It is very hard to choose any favourite track. The first two Dissection albums are my favourites. He was a fantastic songwriter and musician. 

If we are not mistaken, you played first time with Necrophobic on the album “Darkside” as a guest musician in 2 tracks “Spawned be Evil” and “Darkside”. How did you join them back in time? 

Sebastian: I was friends with the guys since the beginning.  When David left the band they started to search for a new guitar player. I was very close with Tobias and I had no own band at the moment. I tried out for Necrophobic in the summer of 1996. But for some reason they wanted to do the album “Darkside” as a three piece. I played two solos and I think David also did two. It was a transition thing.  

You are not only known as a guitarist but you created to different hordes just naming a few as Bajen Death Cult, Blackshine, Mykorrhyza, Unleashed, Tyranex, Firespawn  (and to Necrophobic as well)  artworks, covert arts, logos, designs, layouts. When did you start to deal with that and what is your latest work?

Sebastian: I have always been an illustrator. The last thing I did was the Firespawn logo. I just refined an idea they had so I did not come up with the whole thing. Nowadays I don’t have time anymore to do stuff like that but I sure think it is fun. But the music takes all my time. 

What are your favourite albums from current Swedish scene and your opinion about my old friend Tobias Fongelius’ Voodus?

Sebastian: I love Voodus. And Tobias is a really nice guy. I have known him for ages. I think they probably are the best act around together with Kvaen and Jacob Björnfot, an amazing guitar player from the North of Sweden. The debut album The Funeral Pyre is beyond amazing.

Tack så mycket/Thank you very much Sebastian, our best wishes to you and Necrophobic. Send your thoughts please to complete this interview.

Thank you very much! Hope you enjoy the new album! Hails!!!

Important links :

facebook.com/necrophobic.official/

youtube.com/user/Necrostar

(Questions compiled Andrey (Belarus), Paco (Spain) and Georgius)