INTERMENT (Eng)

Veteran Swedish death metallers INTERMENT were formed two decades ago, even though hasn’t been since this 2010 when they have released their very first full-length album, «Into the Crypts of Blasphemy», their first discographic work after 16 years, since they were on a long hiatus due to both lack of inspiration, not having a record deal, time (all the band members have played and are still playing in other famous bands) and line-up changes. Despite all this, INTERMENT are back on track with full power with an album that has left no one indifferent, not to speak about the old school Death Metal followers at the Swedish vein.
The responsible of talking with us about this record and with whom we do a review of the band’s history is the group’s founder, guitar player and singer: Johan Jansson.

– Hi Johan. First of all, thanks for taking the time. What are you currently up to?
Hola Tania! Well, right now I’m in the studio with Demonical and recording the third album. We will also begin to rehearsal with Interment for the upcoming tour in Nov/Dec with Urn and Diabolical and also answer on some interviews, so I’m quite busy as usual…

– Before getting into your album, I would like to start from the beginning. The band started first down the name of BEYOND; why, when and how did you start BEYOND?
Well, we were a couple of friends 1988 that listened to metal, were on gigs and drank a lot of beers that got the idea to start to play Deathmetal at the local youth center. I played in a Thrashmetal band called Hatred at that time but wanted to play Deathmetal instead. We had some different band names before we decided to the name Beyond.

– Did you have any musical activity when you still were working under that name?
Yes, in the beginning we mostly played covers of Bathory, Celtic Frost, Death, Slayer etc…but after a while we did some own songs and two of them were recorded for the crappy portademo “Birth of the Dead” that we recorded by ourselves 1990. We did some live shows with friends and bands like Merciless, Afflicted Convulsion, Dismember and Hasty Death etc.

– Was BEYOND, during that time, a serious band?
Well, maybe not so much in the beginning. We were just an underground band that played covers for fun and drank beers in the rehearsal room. I think when we changed name to Interment we became more serious…

– The competition back then in Sweden was quite huge, with bands such as CARNAGE, NIHILIST or MECILESS (just to name a few) starting their strong careers. Do you think you could ever (during that period of time), if took it in a more serious way, could been as big as them?
Maybe, but I think we were little too late with that and was just one band of hundreds in Sweden at that time. Then it also was really hard to get a label deal to release an album as well. We tried everywhere but they already had enough bands. But if we have got the opportunity to release an album then, I think we had been a bigger band today…

– And, the obvious question; why did you change your name to INTERMENT?
We had some lineup changes during 1990 and after that we decided to change the name to Interment. There was already a band called Beyond from the US that had released an album. After a while we heard that it was a Finnish Interment as well but then we didn’t give a fuck about it! I have their 7”inch of course!

– How did you came up with the name and what does it mean?
I think it was our guitarist John who came up with the name; it’s another word for funeral or burial.

– You were formed back in the 80’s and this 2010 you have released your first full-length album. So I’m just wondering why you thought it was now the right time to do it…
It just went that way. We could probably have released a full-length earlier if we have been more active and had a bunch of songs. We have always striving to release something but it has been a matter of timing and at the same time we had our other bands to think about.

– This same year and before releasing this «Into the Crypts of Blasphemy» you did a compilation containing all your demos in just one CD. Who came up with this idea and why did you decide it to do so now? I mean, just a few months before your album.
That album could have been out already 2006 if I was faster to collect and gather all the material for the album but it took four years to make it complete…So it was just a coincidence that it was released earlier this year. It was Daryl from Funebrarum/Disma who came up with the idea to release the old stuff together with Roy at Necroharmonic and I’m satisfied with the result, finally!

– After your split-up in 1994 you also did a split album with FUNEBRARUM, how was that? And specially, how were after all those years without releasing anything new with INTERMENT?
Yeah, it only took 12 years to the next recording session hehe…but it was a real kick when we got the offer to do the split with Funebrarum. It felt that we were back for real and it also felt great to release something at last!

– And, of course, what prompted you to disband and what prompted you, a few years ago, to come back? Is it a serious reunion?
The reason why Interment was laid to rest 1994 was mainly lack of inspiration and interest at that time. We were also busy with other bands and have new projects on the way. Michael and I played in Uncurbed then and the inspiration for Interment was gone, so it was a natural step to put Interment on ice for a while… Same year I joined Fulmination on guitar and I also began to make songs for my new band Dellamorte with Kennet and Mattias Norrman.
The reason why I started Interment again already 2002 was to re-record all the three demos with the same sound and try to get a label that wanted to release it. But some of us didn’t want to do that and were more into make new songs like I also wanted to do. We were the same lineup and did a couple of songs that we never recorded. Then Michael left the band after some years and we continued without him…but it went very slow and very few rehearsals until before we recorded the songs for the split with Funebrarum 2006. Of course it is a serious reunion but we’ll see how long we will remain…

– «Into the Crypts of Blasphemy» is, as I said, your first full-length album, were you excited about it while creating it? And now that you can hold it in your hands?
Yeah, of course! It’s very special because it’s Interment’s first full-length album. So I was very excited and happy to finally release this after all these years. Of course it was fun to release the split and the demography albums as well!

– And how has been its feedback? Both from fans and press.
We have received a great response both from fans and the press. Awesome reviews, better than I expected so that’s really great to hear!!

– The album is a pure old school Death Metal album in the Swedish way; are you happy with that? How easy is it to keep alive this old school spirit in 2010? I mean in the production as well.
Yeah, I’m quite satisfied with the album but I’m already tired of all the songs. Well, it’s hard to find the old spirit in the inspiration nowadays. It was easier back in the days, and you easily created great riffs all the time…

– I found specially interesting the guitars, both with their great solos and with the catchy/fast/heavy riffs with an interesting tremolo. I could consider this album is quite guitar driven…
I haven’t thought about that, but maybe you’re right… So you think it is great solos, then I have to say thank you, because I sucks at solos haha…

– I also found kind of interesting, as well as it plays an important role, the whole dark atmosphere, something that had a lot of presence in the «Swedeath» Metal albums from the late 80’s/early 90’s but it seems to be lost
nowadays…
Well, I don’t know but many of the reviewers have compare our album with Entombed’s – Left hand path, Carnage – Dark recollections for an example. I mean with the sound and the dark atmosphere&he
llip;so that’s cool!

– This record was released a bit after the date planned at first; what happened?
I think it was meant to be released in April first, before some gigs we had in Germany and Netherlands with Tormented. But unfortunately we had to cancel the gigs and the release-date was moved forward to May. And at that time we took the chance to re-mix and re-mastering the album. When we were finished with that, it was up to Pulverised to release it. I think it was some problems with the artwork as well but finally it was official released in Europe/USA in August.

– We can find two demo tracks in the album (two tracks that have been already previously published), why did you decide to include them? Are maybe your favorites?
Yeah, I wanted to have at least two old demo songs on our first full-length because it’s two classics that we like by ourselves and wanted to share with others. We have always played them live and it was fun to re-record the songs again.

– I would like to know how has been the composing process after all those years, if you write first the music and then the lyrics, etc. And, are all the songs completely new?
No, it’s only seven new songs on the album, and then the re-recorded demo songs; “Morbid Death” and “Where Death Will Increase”. The composing process has gone very slow during the years because of lack of inspiration and rehearsals. We maybe had two or three songs ready before we booked the studio. The rest were mostly written during the end of 2009. We rehearsed intensive just before we entered the studio and the lyrics were written in the last minute in the studio before we recorded the vocals…

– The album has been released by Pulverised Records, while Cyclone Empire (the DEMONICAL’s currently label) handles the vinyl edition. Have Cyclone Empire shown any interest in handling everything from INTERMENT?
We haven’t talked about that but we’ll see what’s happens in the future. They maybe will release the split with Funebrarum on LP when the album work is ready, but nothing is confirmed yet. The deal on Pulverised is just one album so we’ll see if we sign a new deal with them or with another label…time shall tell!

– How did you hook up with Pulverised? I imagine there were some others labels interested in the band…
We got contacted by them spring 2008 and signed a deal in June the same year. Then it took two years to get the fingers out of our asses to book a studio and record the album hehe… Yeah, there were some other labels as well that were interested but we were too lazy to make something happened.

– Most of the band members have been and are still involved in different musical projects; could you explain us the musical background and bands of all the band members?
Well, that will be a long list hehe… but here you have a list of the member’s ex and current bands/projects:

John Forsberg – guitar (88- ) Astma, Morgue, My Ugly Wife and Panzerfaust.
Johan Jansson – vocals/guitar (88- ) Hatred, Uncurbed, Fulmination, Pyosisfied, Moondark, Dellamorte, Asocial, Sideburners, Fleshrevels, Panzerfaust, Centinex, Demonical and Regurgitate.
Kennet Englund – drums (91- ) Uncanny, Die Fuck, Pyosisfied, Moondark, Dellamorte, Centinex, Subdive and Dread.
Martin Schulman – bass (07- ) Visions, Black Orbit, Centinex and Demonical.

– You, for example, are now playing in DEMONICAL, UNCURBED and REGURGITATE as well. Is it easy to deal with the activity from all these bands?
Yeah, because of none of my bands don’t rehearsal regularly so it’s not such a big deal. Sometimes it could be messed up, with gigs that collide etc…

– What are your aims to achieve both with INTERMENT and «Into the Crypts of Blasphemy»?
I hope the album goes well and that we could do more gigs/tours because we haven’t been out playing so much before. The album has got really great reviews that are really surprising, better than I thought…

– I read at your website you’ll do a mini-European tour next November. Are the dates already confirmed? Will we see you guys in Spain? Are you headlining such tour?
Yeah, the tour is confirmed and the dates are revealed. We’re not headlining the tour, it’s URN from Finland who’s headlining and then our mates from DIABOLICAL (swe) are on the bill. The tour is not including Spain unfortunately but we’re booked for three shows in Spain in February next year so that will be awesome I hope!

– What do you expect from this tour?
Well, because it’s our first tour ever I don’t expect so much but I hope some Interment fans will show up on the gigs and join us in front of the stage! We will do our best and hope we fulfill people expectations!

– There are a lot of bands coming out from Sweden trying to «revive» old school DM but, unfortunately, a lot of them fall into a «clone» thing or will be forgotten in a few years from now. Could you recommend any of these new bands? I think they are popping-up interesting ones such as DEATH BREATH or TORMENTED (featuring known members into the scene though)…
Yeah, many bands have grown up from the graves and except of the bands you mentioned I can recommend Morbus Chron, Bombs of Hades, Tribulation, Maim, Bastard Priest and of course Tyrant just to mention a few…

– Maybe they ones I mentioned have gotten a bigger attention due to their (famous) names; do you think that has been an advantage for you too?

Well, not for us I believe… but for the bands like Death Breath and Bloodbath I can understand!

– And how’s the scene nowadays like in Sweden? What has changed on it since the 80’s?
The scene is quite good again I think but not as well like in the 80’/90’s. It’s both smaller club gigs at youth-centers, pubs etc. and bigger ones at larger clubs and arenas. And as we talked about earlier, with the revival of new and old Deathmetal bands in the scene it feels a bit like in the 90’s again. So I get little nostalgic hehe… I don’t know what to say more.

– I know this interview’s about INTERMENT, but I guess some people would like to know what’s now going on with the rest of your bands; new album plans, etc.
Alright, Demonical are in the studio right now to finish the third album that will be out in April 2011. It will be followed up by a European tour in April/May. My other band Uncurbed just released our 10th album “Turmoil” and Regurgitate have begun to rehearse again at last and we’re confirmed for Maryland Deathfest 2011. We hopefully will record a full-length next year that will follow up 2006 “Sickening Bliss”. Otherwise we have some gigs/festivals on the way with all of the bands.

– And, at last, what are your near-future plans for INTERMENT?
We will start with the European tour in Nov/Dec together with Urn and Diabolical. You find the tour-dates on our websites. Hope you want to come and drink with us! Then we have some festivals confirmed next year and I looking forward to the gigs in Spain in February 2011!!
I’m really looking forward to the tour with Interment because we have never been on a tour before and have only played outside Sweden twice, both in Germany, so it will be really exciting to spread some rotten Death in Europe!! I also want to make new stuff as soon as possible so we keep the fire burning. Maybe do a 7”inch or a min
i LP next year. So I hope this time it shouldn’t take 16 years again hehe…

– That’s all, Johan, thank you once more for dedicating us some of your time and our best wishes. If you want to add any last words, last lines are yours.
Thanks a lot for this interview Tania and good luck with Queens of Steel!! Hope all crazy Deathmetal fans like our new album and buy our stuff. Hopefully we will see you on the upcoming tour or on the gigs in Spain!! Check out our websites for updates and get in touch if you want us to play and drinking Vodka!

Anno Satana!!
/Johan & INTERMENT

www.interment.se
www.myspace.com/intermenthorde
www.facebook.com/interment

Booking:
www.dreamtidemusic.com