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July 20, 2008 |
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Johan Hegg
September 22, 2004
By Tony Antunovich
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AMON AMARTH are continuing their reign in the metal world. The mighty Vikings have made their return with their brand new studio album, "Fate Of Norns", and if the recent rankings on the German charts are any indication of what lies ahead, the album could very well be one of the top sellers in the band's career thus far. Yesterday, I spoke with the band's lead vocalist, Johan Hegg. During the interview, we discussed several topics including the new album, working in the studio with Berno Paulsson and the meanings of the songs on "Fate Of Norns".
So, "Fate Of Norns" is finally upon us and from what I have heard from the new album, it's the best-sounding material the band has ever produced.
Thank you very much. That's sort of what were aiming for, so that sounds great that you feel that way.
I haven't had the chance to hear the whole album yet, but I received a sampler from Metal Blade and from the three songs that I have heard, it's very evident that the band have become stronger since the last album. "Versus The World" was awesome. It's definitely traditional AMON AMARTH, but the songs are that much more sophisticated and have a lot more depth to them.
Yeah. I would say that too. I mean, that's one of the efforts that we were trying to put into it - make the songs more mature maybe.... more as you say - put more depth into them and different angles to them, use more melodies and harmonies to make them wider and deeper.
How was the recording process?
It went very smoothly. We put a lot of effort into the whole sound of course, maybe more so in the actual recording process than the actual songs themselves. But it went very smooth. Working with Berno (Paulsson) is very good. He is very good at what he does, and he is very good at bringing the best out of you in the production, which I really feel that he managed to do with this album.
How does working from Berno (Paulsson) differ from working with Peter (Tägtgren)?
Well, they are sort of different types of people. Peter is more laid back. He's more like a friend when he's working with you. You know what I'm saying? He's very much into the music and really relies on his experience of the music, whereas Berno is perhaps not that involved in the scene with death metal, even though he records a lot of death metal bands. He brings different angles into the music and puts a lot more pressure on you as a musician. He really makes an effort to bring the best out of you in every moment, if you know what I'm saying.
Did that challenge you more?
Yeah, definitely! I mean, it's tough sometimes. You have to do a retake and you have to do this and this and have to redo everything. It's tough, but he does it for a reason. He believes that you can do it better and he believes it then we have to believe it as well.
What was the reason you chose to switch studios?
Well actually the main reason was that Peter decided not to produce any more bands. He had a couple of bands that he did because they were friends, but most other bands - he just said he didn't have time. I mean, he had HYPOCRISY and he had PAIN going on, so that took up a lot of his time, of course - both touring-wise and also writing material, then recording. So I guess it was difficult for him to keep up with that.
Yeah. He seems like a very busy man.
Yes he is (laughs). He's very busy.
He has done phenomenal work with your band and other bands, of course, in the past.
Yeah. I mean, Peter has done very much for us and we're very grateful to him for the time we've been able to work with him. I mean, he's a great guy and a very good friend so.... it's fantastic!
The main songwriter in the band is Olavi Mikkonen, but Johan Söderberg was also involved much more in the songwriting this time thatn before. What was your role in the songwriting process, Johan?
Well, my role is to write the lyrics, basically. That's what I do.
I didn't know that. So you wrote all the lyrics?
Yeah.
Would you be able to possibly go through the songs and briefly describe the meaning of some of them?
"Ancient Sign Of Coming Storm" is sort of a story about a battle at sea - where Viking ships meet at sea. It's not describing the actual battle - it's more describing what's building up to the battle, and the battle itself is more described in the end riffing - the intensity that builds up to it and the final release where it's very heavy and aggressive.
"Where Death Seems To Dwell" is kind of a dark story looking to a part of Viking mythology that not really is often is described. It's a man who is fighting himself in a very dark and desolate place. It's very scary and he doesn't really know where he is or why he ended up there. But he feels compelled to keep walking into this strange landscape, and the further he walks into the landscape he comes to realize that he's actually dead and he is on his way to the realm of death, which is called Niflhel in Scandinavian mythology.
What about "The Fate Of Norns"?
Oh sorry! (laughs) I forgot about that. "The Fate Of Norns" is quite a sad story actually. Lyrically it's about a man who loses his youngest son and how he deals with that grief and how he comes to accept the fate that Norns have set out for him and his son. To describe what "The Fate Of Norns" is I would first have to describe what the Norns are - they are three goddesses of fate weaving the fate of every man, in Scandinavian mythology. "The Fate Of Norns", of course, is the fate that we all know that awaits us all, which is essentially death. That's the fate we all know we share.
"Pursuit Of Vikings" is perhaps a bit more optimistic song. It's about going out there, though you don't really know what's awaiting you, but still you want to head out there and explore the world, see the world. No matter what danger faces you, you still want to go out there and do it and whatever fate awaits you, let it be so. "We still have to go." - you know what I'm saying. It's a bit more optimistic feel to it.
"Valkyries Ride" - the riders of Odin who are sent into battle to bring home the ones who died - to Valhalla - and the lyrics are describing a battle and how the Valkyries are sent out t bring the dead warriors home to Valhalla basically.
"The Beheading Of A King" is actually a pure historical song. The lyrics are about a battle that actually took place in Sweden around 1100 B.C. or something like that, and how the attacking king was captured by the defenders. But he was released for ransom. When he was sent back home his people took his head.
Then we have the two last songs, which are actually connected. We have "Arson", which is, of course, a story about arson. It's a group of people that get burned inside a building and one of them makes it out and in "Once Sealed In Blood", he comes back to claim revenge.
It sounds like you really put a lot of thought into all the songs.
Yes we do. We've always tried to work lyrics and music together - to make them go hand-in-hand and to make them more believable to the listener and for the audience. The music and the lyrics should bring sort of thinking in movie terms almost, when it comes to the music and the lyrics. It makes the story more vibrant.
When I listen to your music, that is the kind of feeling I get. Each song sounds like a movie to me - like an ancient story. That is the perception that I get.
That's sort of the thought behind it.
I read about a week ago that the new album entered the German Media Control Top 100 chart at #31 and then in Austria at #56. This is also the highest chart entry in Germany ever for your label Metal Blade Records. This is very good news!
It's awesome news! I was really, really surprised and, of course, happy that we managed to get that recognition. But still it's almost unbelievable in many ways.
Well, I think it is much deserved recognition because the band has been around for a long time now and you guys have worked really hard to get to the status you are at now and I think it's excellent! Your work is definitely commendable.
Why, thank you very much!
AMON AMARTH is known for its deep roots and interest in Viking and Norse mythology. Was this an interest the band members have always had since earlier on in life, or was it adopted when the band started?
Well, it's an interest that I've had since a very early age - like nine or ten years old when I started reading about it in school basically. I guess me bringing it into the band for the lyrical themes, it sort of grew on the other members, even though I think Ted (Lundström) was very much into the whole theme of Viking mythology also before the band, but maybe it got more intensified when we brought in that theme of the band.
You released your Metal Blade debut, "Once Sent From The Golden Hall", in 1998. How has the working relationship with Metal Blade been throughout the years, Johan?
Terrific! We've really had their support from day one and they really show that they believe in the band and they believe in the potential of the band. They've really done a lot for us through the years. So, we've had a great relationship with them.
The band formed back in 1992 but you originally met Olavi while on vacation in Kos, Greece, and he and your friend asked you to join their band SCUM, which later became AMON AMARTH. Did the early days of the band sound like the AMON AMARTH we know now?
Well, the basics were there, but I guess by the time I came into the band we started to change into bringing more melodies and harmonies into the whole song structures and all that - experimenting more with that. It took us a couple of years to really get the hang of it but I feel we had something going that was pretty different from a lot of other bands in Sweden at that time.
I have to ask this - how did you come up with the name AMON AMARTH and what exactly does it mean?
(Laughs) That must be the F.A.Q. of AMON AMARTH (laughs). It's taken from Tolkien actually, but not actually "The Lord Of The Rings" books. It's taken from the book called "World Of The Rings" where the world is described. I think it's some kind of Elfish for "Mount Doom" really. That's what it means. The reason we took it was Ted was reading the book and he thought it was a cool name, cool meaning and it sounded cool, and yeah - we sort of agreed. It definitely suited more than SCUM anyways, for the musical direction that we were taking.
It's a very original name. I had to ask (laughs).
(Laughs) Well, of course.
I did try to find out myself, but I was unsuccessful.
Nah.... Don't worry about it! (laughs)
It must be really difficult finding any extra time for yourself being in a band, having a job and your other commitments - family and whatnot. Do you still get time to keep up with all the other hobbies you enjoy, like watching football etc.?
Well, you know, you have to take the time when you get it, and of course, we miss a lot of games. Me and Ted are the soccer idiots, really. We go to a lot of games all the time, and not only soccer.... hockey and stuff like that as well. Of course, you miss a lot of games, but still we've been able to combine the whole thing. The worst part, actually, is that I don't think I've had a regular vacation for like ten years or something (laughs). So that's more difficult, you know. You go from touring to working, back to touring to recording, so there is really not much time off for anything else - just relaxing!
Well, you need to relax.
Yeah, I know, but you know.... touring and recording in itself - it's something different. Something different happens and that can be reviving in itself.
Do you find it really difficult to schedule your touring because of your job?
So far there hasn't really been a problem. When I took this job, I had to tell them what was going on and so I went clean and said "Alright, here's the deal! I'm in a band and I need time off for touring, but I know I'm good at this job and I want to do it and I want to do a good job for you - and they bought it. I have been doing a good job and I've been having a good run at this job, and that of course makes it easier for me to take time off as well.
For sure! But obviously, the ideal situation would be for you to do AMON AMARTH full-time.
Of course, and I hope that we'll be able to do that someday. I mean, we're slowly getting there, but it still is tough, you know, and you have to have a pretty steady income and all that. I still think and hope that we'll be able to get there someday, at least so that we can take some odd jobs when we get home and then go back to our touring when the time comes.
I understand how difficult it is. I have a regular job as well, but I'm fortunate enough that I have time throughout the day to update the website and do an interview like this.
Exactly, and that's something we have to realize that we are very fortunate - all of us - because all of us have day jobs and we get to take time off for touring. So I guess we are in a pretty unique situation.
What are your thoughts on the future of metal in Europe and across the globe?
I see a definite trend that metal is getting more and more popular over here in Europe as well as in the United States. I think that the future looks quite bright. It looks like metal is coming back strong again.
I agree with you. I really hope so.
Yeah, me too! (laughs)
I know that Europe is just huge - there's no problem for metal. But in the United States and Canada, it's definitely not as big as it should be.
Well, it's different in the United States and Canada because it's a big country and it's what's on T.V. really that matters over there, in many ways because the fans are really spread out over the country and it's kind of difficult to get things together like that. You figure like if you attract more than 1500 people to a metal show, but it's just the way it is today - how things are going and that more fans are coming into the scene.
Can you tell me about the touring plans? Will you be touring North America as well?
Well, at the moment there are no definite plans but we are working on getting over there, hopefully sometime around next year. But we'll see what happens. We have had some offers but for different reasons, they haven't worked out. But we're still working on it.
What can the fans expect from AMON AMARTH in the future?
Well, hopefully a lot of touring and we're also working on putting together a DVD release with some live material, live shows, and also some studio material, tour material, backstage material and all that stuff. We'll do something special. Hopefully it will be out sometime during next year.
Johan, do you have anything you would like to say to our readers?
Well, check out the new album and we'll see you guys on the road!
Awesome! Okay Johan, thanks a lot for taking the time to speak with METALEATER.COM today. We support you and the band and we wish you the best of luck with the new album and the tour.
Alright! Thank you very much! We really appreciate it. [FIN]
» Official AMON AMARTH Website
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