BEGRAVNINGSENTREPRENÖRERNA
– Hello and first of all, thanks for taking the time. How is everything going right now with Begravningsentreprenörerna? What are you currently up to?
Hi!! We are currently working on our first album but we aren’t doing it with 100% effort due to also working on new stuff with Vorum that for the moment is the #1 priority with an upcoming tour in march and so on. But regardless the process is on more or less and to be fully executed sometime next year.
– I knew about you just a few months ago, when I heard about your EP, which is your first opus, so I assume you are a new band. If you don’t mind, could you please make some history of the band?
Beg.ent has existed for about two years now. It wasn’t meant to be anything serious in the first place. It was one those things that come up when drinking together and joking about stuff like having a band singing about total nonsense in swedish. But then it actually happened and as it got further, the more serious it became. When the first riff was written we felt that this has to be serious.
– For non-Swedish speakers the band’s name might look simply impossible, but if I’m not mistaken it can be translated are «undertaker» somehow. How does this name fit with the band?
Yes The Undertakers or The Funeral Directors would be the correct translation. The lyrical themes and the general attitude of the band members makes Begravningsentreprenörerna a fitting name we think.
– Most of you are also playing in Vorum, a band with a really different style to Begravningsentreprenörerna so, wen you started this band, did you have in your mind a clear image of the kind of music you wanted to pratice? What prompted starting a new project with such a singular sound?
Yes, at least I had. I think death metal is and should be restricted stylish and clean. Because of that it gets very limited if only pursuing that path. We want to get out our hybrid visions that are a blend of many influences but that also are very stylish and traditional in many ways when it comes to the classic rock/heavy metal approach.
– I could compare (to a certain extent) its eclecticism to Obnoxious Youth for instance, where some of your are also playing in, apart from Tinner. All of them really different bands between then. Could you say you are mixing in Begravningsentreprenörerna all this background and also throwing in some new elements?
No I don’t think so. We keep all of our other bands as separate units. They have nothing to to with Beg.ent musically whatsoever other than featuring members from them.
– Due to this I would like to know what does Begravningsentreprenörerna provide you and what is it to you. Maybe a way to channel all your creativity without limits?
As I mentioned in the question before the last one, it is a way of bringing to life all of our ideas and the way we want to exercise guitar abuse inspired by what got us into playing music in the first place.
– This being said, does Begravningsentreprenörerna have any musical limits?
Well obviously we wouldn’t start rapping or dubsteppin’ all of a sudden so I guess we have in that sense.
– In your music I found elements from Rock to Post Punk, even Punk and some Blues, always with a sound that takes us back to the 80’s and backwards. I guess your musical influences may be quite diverse, but what could you say have been some of the most inspiring bands for your sound?
The list would go on and on. But to mention a few, atleast that have inspired me personally would be Jimi Hendrix, Pekka Lerhe, old Iron Maiden, Randy Hansen, Thin Lizzy, Rude Kostry, Samson, Sex Pistols, old Metallica, Juha Björninen, Hellacopters, Judas Priest, Svullo, MC5, The Stooges, Iggy Pop, Funkadelic, Isaac
Hayes, BB Korhonen…
– All your lyrics are in Swedish, so I personally don’t understand a word, but I got some help and, in general terms, they deal with pessimism, or are all written from a pessimistic perspective. For all those that can’t understand Swedish either, would you mind to give some insight on what do some of the lyrics on the EP deal with and what does inspire them?
Quite right. They are not exactly written by a muntergök. Alot have to do with solitude and using alcohol as a sedative to all agitating things in life. There is alot of bitterness and not wanting to accept the world the way it is. One could go on and write about the fun part of being shitfaced a so on. But really what is the fun in that, that is the bullshit heard on the radio every son of a bitching day by these stupid singing choreographers. Seriousness lasts forever. at least longer.
– I think the overall mood in the lyrics fit with your melancholic melodies, almost quite atmospheric. Could you say, or do you strive to transport your lyrics and their mood through your sound and melodies?
Yes for now until I learn to fucking sing properly hahaa!!
– Anyway there are also songs with a more upbeat and energic sound, such as «Du Skulle Se Mig Nu Din Fan», quite rock n’ roller. What’s the story behind this song?
This track is the first song written and the foundation for the band. The song itself is all built around the main opening riff. I thought it was great when I accidentally and fortunately captured it on the guitar and got big Sex Pistols vibes from the cocky melody with a certain aggressiveness and threatening drive. The lyrical theme is about death/suicide and addiction in any form caused by being fed up with this world and it’s idiot inhabitants that in majority populate it. It is about deceitful women and betrayal. You know, that feeling when you just can’t take it no more and rather drink yourself away while giving ém the finger.
– In fact all three tracks in this release are a world on their own so, could you comment a little bit on the other 2 tunes?
Anden I Flaskan is basically about solitude, being physically in the present but living in the past and memories of the good old days and using alcohol as a cure for the longing sadness. It’s about trying to find relief in a life never imagined of always gettin’ dragged back to hell when close to salvation. Snaran & Stålet wanders on empty streets with ghostly pale skin avoiding hidden dangers in the dark corners of the city that try to keep one from finding a way out that eventually is death.
– «Snaran och Stalet» is 8 plus minutes of dynamism, with a great structure. How did you approach this composition? How did you built a structure like this?
It’s a pseudo Hendrix style influenced riff in the begining that I also luckily captured by random wich I then pieced out with parts I had came up with earlier. It felt like everything merged together naturally. At first i had in mind exploding leads for the solo parts, but that would maybe have taken the shit out of the overall feeling of the song.
– Anyway if all songs have something in common is the classic sound, as I said earlier, going from the 80’s backwards so, where could you say the roots of the bands lay in? What’s your musical basis or how could you define briefly your sound?
It is rooted in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s era for sure. The purity and solidness of the vintage sound is remarkable. I’ve never been keen on the overpolished sounds of the present. It’s synthetics like everything else.
– Is really impressive on the release the contrast between fun and catchy moments, with the overall melancholic mood and raw sound. Is it important for you to get some contrast and equilibriu at the same time? I really think it helps the EP to have a bigger impact.
It’s great to hear that, thank you! It wasn’t a thing I had in my mind while making the songs or could have noticed on my own. It is an important detail to be featured but can be hard to seize.
– The overall sound is really raw and organic, giving all parts space to breath and also with a certain live vibe. How did you record this opus?
It was recorded live. We added the solos and vocals separately.
– And all this about the EP being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Screaming, guitar, action
– I recently saw you were one of Fenriz’s «Band of the Week», something that can suppose a certain kind of boost for some bands. Has this been the case for Begravningsentreprenörerna too?
Yes! we’re very happy about that he somehow got his hands on the EP and actually listened to it and there was a slight increase of people sending mail about wanting to buy the EP wich is great!
– For all those who might be interested in getting their hands into this release, where and in which formats is it available?
It’s only available on the 10″ vinyl. You can get it via Ektro Records or Döda Barn Musik & Förlag. Possible on distros somwhere else I haven’t heard of. Maybe on eBay. Google it and you most certainly find it somehow.
– And what can we expect from you after this opus? Do you have any other material already written?
Yes we have! And we are currently working on an album. This is planned to be completed sometime next year I hope! I’m very excited about this.
– On the other hand, what about the live situation? Have you played any gigs or do you have any shows coming up? I haven’t found anything about that.
No. Not yet.
– And finally, what are your near-future plans? Also with some of your other bands.
With Vorum we are working on new stuff to be recorded and released sometime I don’t know and as mentioned earlier we are doing an european tour in march 2015. As for Beg.ent we will be working on the album and hopefully play live soon! För helvete!!
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Thank you very muchos and take care!
