Miasmal

Interview date

22 Avril 2014

Interviewer

Azagtoth

I N T E R V I E W

Interview Pontus (by mail)


Hello and thanks for giving some time for this interview.

Thanks to you as well! This is Pontus answering the questions.

Can you first tell us about the band and its history for those who don’t know you?

Back in 2007, myself, the other guitarist Magnus and our first drummer Micke started to work on the first song that eventually became our demo, which we recorded in early 2008 after the band's line-up became complete as Ruben joined the band on bass. We did an EP and a few festival shows and then started to work on our first full-length album, which was released in 2011 and followed by a US tour. Björn joined the band on drums, since Micke wasn't into the idea of doing long tours. We did a European tour and after a chaotic period, we started work on our second album "Cursed Redeemer" that is now out on Century Media.

I’ve known you since your first self-titled album in 2011. And I couldn’t help but notice quite a few changes in the music. To my ears it sounds a bit more “crusty” and has lost part of the blackened feel of the previous album. What did you have in mind when you started writing the songs ?

Since we've played a lot live since the first album, we wanted this album to have a bit more of a live feel. Songs that were even more direct and that would work well both live and on record. So I think this album is more energetic, intense and also has a little bit rock'n'roll sensibility in it. I think the blackened feel you mention on the first album might have to do with the production. The production on that one is kind of loose and reverb-y, while "Cursed Redeemer" is very loud and "in your face".

So far, what have the fans thought of the album ?

The response has been great, and most people seem to agree it is our best stuff so far!

The album was produced by the renowned Fredrik Nordström. How did you happen to work with him? Was the result close to what you expected ?

I've been working with him with both my other bands (Agrimonia and Martyrdöd), and I knew his studio (Studio Fredman) was great. Also he and his co-worker Henrik are super easy to work with, and they really know how to bring out the best in a band. So yes, the result was as I expected and we're really happy with it. They are very versatile, some people know only the more "commercial" stuff they've done and think Fredman = polished, I think "Cursed Redeemer" proves that's not true.

The type of artwork also changed a lot: from the dark minimalistic cover of the 2011 album to a more colourful one. It was made by Mattias “Flesh” Frisk, known for his work for bands such as Ghost and Vampire lately. Did you already know this guy, since he also plays in the band Vanhelgd ?

Yes, we knew Mattias from before, we've played a couple shows together with Vanhelgd. We knew he was a talented artist and also a fan of the band, so it made perfect sense to work with him. We knew we wanted something more "direct" visually this time, to reflect the music. I like the artwork on the first album too, but it really needs a LP size to look nice, it has become a bit muddled on a CD or a MP3 tag. Still it's very detailed this time too, lots of cool small details as well as awesome back cover artwork, perfect to lay your eyes on while you're listening to the music.

From Dark Descent to Century Media, that’s quite a change. How did that happen for you ?

Jerry from the now defunct label Detest Records, who released all our early stuff on vinyl and has worked with us since day one pretty much, started working for Century Media. So he kind of brought us aboard, and it felt like a natural move.

A lot of Swedish death bands today tend to have a more psychedelic and progressive approach to their music, as bands like Tribulation and Morbus Chron do. What do you think of this “trend” ?

I think it's really cool that those bands are taking Death Metal further and make the genre evolve. So it's all good.

Are you planning on touring for the next months? Where will you go? Who will you tour with ?

I can't give any exact answers yet on this one, since nothing is official yet and it's all still in planning mode. But we do plan to tour yes, both Europe and North America. It will most likely take place later in the year.

What’s next? Are you already working on new songs ?

Not yet, we always have a break from writing after recording. Time to work on other creative projects and refresh your mind, then you will have lots of new ideas when the writing process starts again. Our plan now is to play live and support the album.

One last word for our readers. Thanks again and we hope to see you soon on stage.

Many thanks for the interview ! Check out "Cursed Redeemer" and hope to see you soon in France !


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