Interview with Per 'Hellbutcher' Gustavsson
(Hellbutcher, Friends Of Hell,
Necrocurse,
Dead Kosmonaut, ex-Nifelheim)
Interview with Hellbutcher
Originally published in Kronos Mortus
in English and Hungarian languages (22.V.2024)
Hail Hellbutcher this is Georgius from Hungarian Kronos Mortus, I’m so happy to talk to such a legend as you!
- Thanks!
Would you be so kind to tell us about your awesome album? (In short about music and about lyrical themes)
- Yes. Well, the song. That’s the first song of the album, which is now released as the first kind of single for the album.
It’s called Sword of Wrath and it’s… I was thinking that this song could fit as opening for the album as it is. Yeah, it is a kind of epic intro and then it goes into some more, you know, Classic Speed, Thrash, Black metal style. And I thought it was a good introduction to the album, you know, for people that haven’t really listened to the music before. Obviously as it is a new band. And yeah, well, it showcases kind of this style that we are about more or less, you know. And about the lyrics of this one is it’s, yeah, kind of classic black metal lyrics. But I had some idea that I would have kind of some metaphors to like that we are continuing in the same path as you know the way that I’ve been doing my stuff before, you know. So, a non-stopping force. Heh, kind of.
Would you be so kind as to introduce your bandmates?
- Yes, bandmates are… The drummer is… this is actually the old drummer of Nifelheim, my previous band Devastator, he was playing in Nifelheim from 1999 till 2005. So he was in the band for six years and it was during the era of Servants of Darkness that album that we did back in… 24 years ago now. And yeah, so me and him, we were talking about doing some, you know, real, a real proper metal, playing some real metal, proper metal, you know.
And so we decided we should start up and do a band. And at the same time, simultaneously more or less, I was talking to another guy that I’ve known for many, many years called… Well that’s the guy called Necrophiliac in the Hellbutcher band.
And he was, he’s been playing in some other bands, but they haven’t really, you know, like been like… they haven’t, you know, done that much, you know, like tours and stuff like that. So, he was a little bit, you know, like frustrated about the situation. And then at the same time… so he asked me that, do you, don’t you know any fucking band that, you know, needs a guitarist? And I was like, “Yeah, well, I need a guitarist!”. And I know him since many, many years. So yeah, I knew, I knew already that he was a great, great guitarist and great songwriter because we have been like jamming before and previously for some stuff that never was released. But you know… So we three were the first line up you can say, but we tried to figure out who was going to do the bass guitar and the second guitar.
So, I reached out to a friend from Norway called Eld in the band. He’s a Norwegian guy that I know and he’s been playing in some black metal bands over there. He’s in Aeternus if you know that band from Norway and some other bands. I actually chose to contact him, even if he lives in another country, because he’s a big fan of Iron Maiden just as I am and I know he plays bass guitar with his fingers, you know, and really tries to do the kind of Steve Harris, Steve Harris-style playing, you know, which is absolutely needed in my opinion. So, I thought he might be interested in. Yeah, he was obviously also interested in joining the band. So, he’s there and then the 2nd guitarist is the guy friend of mine, also the guitarist actually from Unleashed.
Frederik?
- Yes, Frederik, yes, he’s absolutely an amazing guitarist. So, and I know him also from different projects we have been playing in and stuff like that. So, I asked him, he was immediately on it, you know. So yeah, well that’s the that’s the band more or less.
Yes. You did everything yourself there was no external producer. I think it makes the evil spirit of your music even better and stronger. What is your opinion?
- Yeah, well my opinion is that you know, it’s very hard to explain to some external person what your vision and your, you know, actual what you’re trying to achieve really. So, if it’s possible, you know you should do everything yourself because then it’s going to turn out exactly how you want. It’s not going to be some person that have some idea about ”Well we need this blah blah blah” bullshit stuff. You know, if you used to things your own way. And luckily enough we are kind of all… We have been in the metal scene for a long time. We have done a lot of stuff so we don’t need any help from any producer or so.
So Hellbutcher is a new band but you have a lot of experiences more than four decades or more…
- Yeah.
…of hellish music behind you. How would you describe the difference between Hellbutcher and your past band Nifelheim?
- Yeah well, the difference is it’s a different line up which is the biggest difference probably. I was thinking when I started this band that it would… In one way, I wanted to make the same kind of music more or less like Nifelheim, because Nifelheim just fell apart. It wasn’t really, you know, I had no plans of, you know, quitting, playing this kind of music or whatever, you know. So, I was just thinking that I’m just going to continue more or less like I’ve always done.
But if there is any difference, of course this band, I would say we… I, I don’t have any like special borders or limits that I’m thinking you should hold your music inside some kind of form or shape. It’s… I would do a little bit more far out things in this band probably, but it’s not going to be like, well, when I say things like that, maybe people think that I’m going to start playing some weird kind of music, you know? But that won’t happen. It will, it will be kind of the same as this album, more or less.
Yes, I understand. I see.
- But maybe some people have told me that there is some more heavy metal kind of influences, which is, yeah, probably true in some sense. I listen very much to, you know, the classic metal stuff, you know, so I’m obviously kind of inspirited by that.
Your debut album will be released via the Metal Blade records in the end of May. I think for an old school band like yours, it’s a great choice because Metal Blade has its own roster like Mercyful Fate, King Diamond. How did it happen, your alliance with Metal Blade?
- Well, it was actually, you know, I had some different views about, from in the Nifelheim days. I had the idea that, you know, like I wanted to have like a label that could push the music forward a bit, you know, like Metal Blade is doing. But the other guys or some of the other members, they were very, you know, into that.
Now it’s going to be, you know, underground La La La La. So, I’ve always wanted to try to get you know like well bigger label you know to that can actually get you know like you push the music a little bit further than what I’ve been doing before. So I was really trying to get a really good… some good record label and I was I was getting help from some a kind of friendly… a friend from Germany who is working with this kind of stuff. So, we have I don’t know how long time it took months to get you know together some record deal. But now, in the end, I’m very, very happy about that. It it was worth the wait really because Metal Blade seems to be a perfect, perfect label for this band at least.
Yes, yes, yes. I really liked a lot that your awesome video single and do you plan on doing any new single before release or after release?
- Yeah, it’s all that kind of stuff is up to Metal Blade, but I know that there will be some more stuff coming before the album as well as to promote the album. So, I don’t know what they want me to tell you. I think they want to have it like a kind of thing that they introduced. So, I’ll just say that there will be more stuff coming.
(I talked to Pelle Hellbutcher on the 29th of April and They released a new single
on the 14th of May called Hordes Of The Horned God -GF/)
Yes! My friend Andrew/Andrey was on your three shows. I saw some live footages from Stockholm and Dark Easter meeting in the Germany, Munich, if I’m not mistaken.
- Yes, yes.
Pelle Hellbutcher and Andrey Misanthrope,
Dark Easter Metal Meeting Festival, München (31.03.2024)
I like a lot everything what I watched on YouTube and I noted that on the show your line up at live has been a little bit different.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s been a very weird situation sometimes the on the first album, or on the first gig I mean the bass player the Norwegian guy he got injured pretty bad so we had to get a session bass guitarist he had to learn all the songs in just one week you know because it was very you know like chaotic.
So that’s why we had a different bass player at the first album and the and then there was something going on with the drummer so we had to have a session drummer for that. So actually, we haven’t played a live concert with the actual line up yet. I don’t know. It’s the thing is that I am, you know, not going to… and we are all, we agree all of it in the band that it’s, you know if there is trouble like that we’re not going to like cancel any gigs or so. We will just continue because I mean it’s important to start somewhere and get out on the roads and stuff like that. So at the moment we have this guy Perra, the drummer from..well Deströyer 666
Yes, from Perracide! I listened to your Satanic vocals on Nifelheim covers, it’s awesome!
-Yeah, yeah 😊
Perra Karlsson of Perracide and Andrey Misanthrope
Dark Easter Metal Meeting Festival, München (31.03.2024)
- So, well he’s going to do some gigs with us now until things have been sorted out with the Devastator. And well, I heard also now that the session bass player, the first, the one we had at the first gig, he also got injured. You know, they are all in traffic accidents. So now he has crashed with a bus with his car, you know, it’s like not good to be a bass player in this band.
We are metal brothers with Tobias Fongelius of ex-Jormundgand/Voodus since 2009 when I ordered from him Jormundgand demo Satanic Attack. Oh, I have it because he sent me.
- Yeah. Yeah, this one. Yeah.
And it was you to help them with cover art because I have that shirt, Jormundgand T-shirt and you did on Satanic Attack track awesome backing vocals or similar like that. How do you remember those times?
- Well, I was, I’m friends with the guy Tobias, Tobbe, and yeah, well it was nothing special. He just asked me if I could do some guest vocals for the demo tape. They were totally unknown back at the time. So, I thought like, well, yes, we, you know, we are friends. I can always do some vocals for his demo tape. Nothing special. I was thinking you know.
And what your opinion about Voodus band?
- Yeah, well they have, since that demo tape they have developed a lot, I must say. They sound like, yeah they are way… they are like really, I would say better now, you know, in my opinion.
From your personal collection Tobbe sent me dedicated Nifelheim vinyl, It’s your dedication:
- Oh nice!
And Necrocurse, what about I wrote my Hungarian review. It’s your dedication. I don’t know if you see it. Your dedication.
- Yeah, maybe. Yeah. They I can see some something there in the middle. Yeah.
So, I’m. I’m so honoured for that! And a question: Is there any chances to continue Necrocurse. I don’t know a little bit later?
- Yeah. The funny thing is that I’m, I’m in contact with all of the members of Necrocurse still. And the thing with Necrocurse just vanished without… no one knows why actually. It was just like, yeah, yeah, we were rehearsing kind of once a week and then it was like “Uh, I cannot come next week.”. And then it was a month and then it was two months and then suddenly we didn’t even play anymore. So, there is an absolutely a chance that we could make something more because we have like an album already finished with new material. So, it is like we have plenty of songs and I was thinking… I was talking to the drummer Nicklas Rudolfsson and the guitarist Mörda just a few weeks ago and we said we could do something like that. Doesn’t take too much time like EP or mini album or something like four or five songs. Just to not waste all the effort we did back in the days writing the songs and stuff like that. And they seem to be totally honest. I’m not sure when it’s going to happen, but it’s absolutely a chance that we will do something more with the Necrocurse as well.
Yes! I am an old fan of Nifelheim, of course since early 90s and Dissection.
- Yes!
A question: What are your favorite albums and tracks of Jon Nödtveidt’s heritage?
(Jon Andreas Nödtveidt (R.I.C.) and me 10th of June, 2005, Budapest, A 38)
- Yeah, well, that’s a big, that’s a really tough question. I like all of it actually, you know? But yeah, it’s yeah, you know I am because the old stuff, you know, I listened to it since it was… I listened to Dissection since like they released their first EP, you know when. That’s a long time ago. So, I get kind of nostalgic when I hear this stuff, but I think that the ‘Reinkaos’ album is also totally, you know, amazing. So yeah, yeah, it’s almost impossible to pick one song. Yeah, I must… I will tell you that we in the Hellbutcher, the band, we actually, before we played the first gig, we rehearsed ‘Frozen’ from Dissection.
(from left to right: me, Jon (R.I.C.) and Cornelius of Castrum/Encomium,
10.VI.2005, Budapest. A38)
- Yeah, so it’s maybe we’ll play it live sometime, you know. Yes. So, I like that song for example. But I also like yeah, the instrumental song 'Reinkaos' is one of my favourites as well.
It’s brilliant as the entire album.
- Yes, yes, I like it.
(from left to right: me, Victor of Castrum and Jon (R.I.C.)
10.VI.2005, Budapest, A38)
Well, a little bit about Hungary: as far as I know you never played with Nifelheim in Hungary, if I’m not mistaken, but have you been ever in Hungary?
- Yes, I’ve been in Hungary.
On Iron Maiden? :)
- Yes. And we had, you know the guitarist from Tormentor, Tamás.
Buday Tamás
- Yes, yes, yes. So, when he lived in Hungary, I was at his place visiting him sometime or if it was his wife or whatever it was. I was in a in a flat somewhere in in Budapest anyway. And yeah, I’ve been there occasionally, a few times for Maiden and a few times just for you know like something else. I don’t even remember, but I’ve been there plenty of times. Anyway.
What are your favorite Hungarian bands?
- Well, I must say that my favorite there is a.. You know, I actually listened to quite a few of them. It’s a lot but I mean from the Thrash and the Black metal style, I must say like Tormentor is probably that’s the best.
(Cornelius of Castrum/Encomium, Attila Csihar and me,
10.VI.2005, Budapest, A38)
I saw some live videos with you and Attila Csihar in Sweden it was awesome!
- I would say Tormentor is probably the best of the Hungarian thrash black metal style. I listen to all these old bands there is you know actually when I was young there was a Swedish guy called Natt/Sår, he had a Heavy metal or a Black metal fanzine in in the early 80s. He wrote a band, he wrote about a band called, I don’t know if you know them, it’s called Fantom from Hungary. This band, I got some rehearsals from this band, it’s kind of old stuff. And then I have, yeah, I listen to, you know, like they had all those bands that they had… Detonator and stuff like that. Kind of good stuff, yeah.
(Victor of Castrum, Attila Csihar and me
10.VI.2005, Budapest, A38
Pokolgép?
- And yeah, I listen to Heavy Metal, I listen to Pokolgép, you know, the old Ossian stuff, of course. And even I like some albums of P. Mobil. Yeah. Well, I listened to what, what… Fucking hell. I can’t remember all the records of… yeah Rotor.
Yeah I got a few albums of them and then yeah, well there is there is there are so many you know, now my brain stops thinking but obviously Pokolgép and yeah all that stuff. Very, very good. I like it very much. I think the Hungarian this… the metal scene in Hungary must have been really good too. If you look at it compared to other Eastern block countries, some of them almost have no old bands that made records and stuff. But in Hungary it seemed to be a really good metal scene.
(Victor of Castrum, Attila Csihar and me,
10.VI.2005 Budapest, A38)
I really enjoyed your awesome vocals on Bombarder III. You are an old friend with Nešo Nenad Kovačević of Bombarder.
Share some thoughts about recording process because I watched the video Bombarder III.
- Yeah. Well, it was very much the thing is I don’t have so much contact because he’s… he doesn’t speak really much English and I don’t speak the language…
…the same language. So, we mostly contact through the record label. Grom Records, I think.
Serbian Grom, yes.
- Yeah so well they, he asked if I could do the vocals for the some verse for the EP. And of course, I want to do that as I think Bombarder is one of my favourites, you know. So yeah, so I just had to do it. And so I was actually doing it at here at my…I have a recording vocal recordings stuff at, yeah, my rehearsal studio here in where I live in Halmstad, Sweden. So I used to did that and send it over and then they mixed the vocals and then they wanted to do the video stuff as well. So yeah, well, I just, I just filmed it, you know, here as well. So I never went down there or anything. It was all done from Sweden. But still I’m very happy. I’m very pleased to be on the EP and the album because yeah, well, it’s a kind of… What can you say, it’s… it’s to me very, very cool to be on a Bombarder album. It’s a dream for me.
You’re also a friend with Luiz of Vulcano. Did you listen to their latest album?
- Yeah, I always, I always listen to the Vulcano stuff. They are also one of my favorite bands. So yeah. So yeah, I think they just… they’re just great.
All of… all of the albums they did, you know. Well, the old ones have their this special place of course like Bloody Vengeance and stuff like that. But except for that I think they’re… all the new stuff is very very good all over. So yeah.
Thank you very much. Oh, I just took a look, we have less than a minute ☹ I had a ton of questions maybe next time again…
- Yeah, you can always you can always get in.
Can I ask you through Tobbe/Tobias Fongelius, because we are friends on Facebook and I have a small web blog Archangel’s Lantern and maybe next time...
- Yes, sure. Yeah, sure. Just talk to Tobbe, if you have contact with him and you and he will. We can get some more stuff going, absolutely, absolutely.
Yes! So, Hellbutcher I am so honoured for the awesome talking. Tack så mycket!
- Yeah, tack så mycket! Thank you!
Wish you an awesome day, all the best with Hellbutcher and I hope we will see you live and you will dedicate me a lot of stuff!
- Yes, yes, absolutely. And I hope to come to Hungary and have some gigs there sooner or later, you know. All right.
Thank you very much.
- Thank you. Cheers, cheers, bye!
Important links:
Original source:
my Hungarian translation:
my Hungarian reviews about hordes of Pelle Hellbutcher:
