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Hi Kjelle! How are nowadays? What's up with the band? I hope everything all right. After the departure of Peter and Kalle ther were a time when I was in doubt about the future of Maze of Torment. With a new record deal with Black Lodge, I and Erik dicided to search for new members. The band are a five piece army today. As I as know this is the first interview for an Hungarian fanzine, isn’t it? Or did you already give some interviews for Hungarian fanzines? Are you in touch with Hungarian maniacs? I don't know if this is the first interview for an Hungarian fanzine because Peter use to do all the interviews, Erik does them today and this one is an exception for me to do one.
How was at that time the metal scene? In your opinion why did thrash metal go out of fashion at the late ’80-s/early ’90-s and why did death metal become more popular? In Sweden are/were always a lot of cool thrash and death metal scene, your scene is very strong, do you agree with me? Death metal was something new and more extreme. There are a new thrash metal era growing today and it´s realy good. Sweden have alvays had a strong metal scene. Why and when did you change your name from HARMONY to MAZE OF TORMENT? Did you restart your career? By whom was the band established? What was your goal with the band? We felt that the band needed a new name, Pher had joined, the band felt new and the name HARMONY is not a good name on a metal band, yeah you could call it a restart. We canged the name to TORMENT in the beginning of –95 and we traveled to Unisound an recorded a three track promo wich gave us our firs record deal with CORROSION records. When we sould release our firs record The Force there were an old band from Germany who shold sue us if we released our record under the name TORMENT, so we had to change our name agan and this time we added Maze of. As far as the name of the band you seem to be great MORBID ANGEL fans ha-ha! Whose idea was to choose this name? Yeah I realy liked the "Alters Of Madness" album one of my favourite albums, I think it was Peter who came up with the idea to use the name Maze of Torment. Tell us please a few words about your early rehearsals, about your rehearse room? How often did you rehearse? Did you take the rehearses serious or was it a fun for you? Drunken jammings, girls, beer and thrash metal ha-ha! Our first rehearse room was in the basement on an old mental hospital. In the beginning we rehearse three times a week and we were taken it very serious and it was fun. We had some party’s there one to mention was wen we got our first record deal and the boss of the label came to visit us, Beseech and another band that I don’t remember the name of. Our rehearsal room was a mess.
Because you are the only one former bandmember I would ask you to speak detailed about the MAZE OF TORMENT albums. I mean, by whom were the music and the lyrics written, what are all it about the lyrics? How do you like the songs, the cover? Are you satisfied with the sound? Where, in which studio, with whom were the albums recorded? What was the actual line up? On what would you change as far as the album? Let we begin with „The force” (1997). Most of the music on the Force are written by me and Peter, the lyrics were written by Pher and Peter. The Force are recorded in Unisound between the 4th and 11th of may 1996 with Dan Swanö. I’m satisfied withe the songs, there are allways things we could have done better. The sound is ok, I dont like the sound on the snare. The record are re-releast today and it sounds better now with a remastered sound. The line up were me – drums, Peter Guitars and Pehr Vocals and bass As I as know the record should have to release in 1996. Why did slip a year the releasing of the album? The fucking Corrosion did fuck everything up, they coulden afford to pay the studio coast, it was a mess. Now are our first record The Force re-released with a remastered sound and a better looking cover and finaly we have had some royalties for it. The title of the album is the same like the second one of Britain ONSLAUGHT. Why did you steal the album title? Ha-ha! Do you know this great band? Did you already hear about their reunion?
Faster Disaster are recorded in Sunlight studio between 16-25 feb 1998 with Tomas Skogsberg and Jocke Pettersson, not so good studio in my opinion. The record sounds better to day but no I dont like the sound. Most of the music are written by me and Peter and the lyrics by Peter/Pehr, I wrote Five Inch. Five Inch are about crucifixion. The line up were me - drums, Peter Guitars, Pehr Vocals and Peter Jansson bass. I think that the sound should have been better if Jocke Pettersson had mixed it. Guest vocals apperance on Bite the dust by Erik Sahlström who took over the singing before the next record… How do you remember about that time? In my opinion at the late ’90-s thrash metal has returned, it has started a retro-thrash movement and such bands have appeared, like INFERNÖ, DODHEIMSGARD, NOCTURNAL BREED, AURA NOIR, MAZE OF TORMENT, WITCHERY, SUICIDAL WINDS etc. Do you consider MAZE OF TORMENT a retro thrash band? No Maze of Torment are not a retro thrash metal band. I have alvays been into band as early Metallica, Slayer, Testament, Sadus and so on. I´m still listen to the old school bands and are not interested in the retro-thrash shit. Two years later has „Death strikes” (2000) came out.
In 2003 you have released a 7” „Maze bloody maze”. Is this material still obtainable? Are you vinyl freaks? Do you collect vinyl? Is vinyl in your opinion the classic, underground sound medium? Yes I’m a fucking vinyl freak and I do collect them. The vinyl are more fun to own, it sounds better, the covers are better... Death Strikes are released as a picture LP and our first promo are released as a 7” called Brave the Blizzard. The title of the 7” is very similar to „Sabbath bloody sabbath” ha-ha! What do you think about it? Well, we are playing a Black Sabbath medly on it. In this year will be released your new album „Hammers of mayhem”. When did you start writing the new material? How were born the new songs? Do you enter the studio, when all of the songs are yet ready or do you still jam in the studio? Black lodge have now released “Hammers of Mayhem”. We starts writing new material as fast as we are done with a record. The songs were born as all M.O.T. songs are made, Peter did most of the riffs and then we put them togheter in the rehearsal room with drums and bass… We do not have any time to jam in the studio when most of our records are recorded in ten days.
Hammers of Mayhem was recorded and mixed during two weeks in August 2003 in The Abyss by Tommy Tätgren. Music by me, Peter and Kalle. Lyrics by Erik/kalle. The sound is not so good this time. The line up were me – drums, Peter - Guitars, Erik - Vocals and Kalle – bass. This is the last recording with Peter and Kalle. All songs are ready before we enter the studio and we only changes small things in them. Everyone was in a good mood during this recording. What would you say about the new album compared to the previous ones? Are there similarities and differences between the new record and the previous ones? There are always things we could have done or played better, the sound is not the best all the time but we have newer been into the studio more than about 10 days. The album will be released by Black Lodge Records. In my opinion they are the supporters of the Swedish underground scene, aren’t they? They have a lot of great bands. Black Lodge are the greatest, they are realy easy to work with. Are there in Sweden good underground labels? Which ones would you mention? I don't know of so many underground labels I can only mention Iron Fist.
I’m very pleased with Black Lodge and their work that they are doing for the band. All labels want’s to earn a lot of money. Do you have to work in regular jobs or do you earn enough money with the band? What’s your job? What do the other guys do beside the band? Do you have a permanent workplace? I don't think I’m going to be any rockstar so I have to work. I dont earn any money with the band(not much any way) so I have to work in a regular job and yes I do have a permanet workplace. The others also have regular jobs. During the career of MAZE OF TORMENT you have had several line up changes. In your opinion, did the line up changes hinder the developement of the band? Is the current line up permanent? It is hard to find the suitable members?
How would you define thrash metal? What’s the essence of thrash? What does mean thrash metal for you? Speed and Aggression, screaming vocals metal to the bone. In the last two years have a lot of great thrash bands returned, like NASTY SAVAGE, DEATH ANGEL, EXODUS, HEATHEN, NUCLEAR ASSAULT or still earlier DESTRUCTION, MERCILESS, HOLY MOSES, ASSASSIN, NECRODEATH etc. the list goes on. What do you think about it? What kind of motivation are behind the returns of these bands? Did you already listen to their comeback albums? Did you like them? I think it’s cool that the old thrash metal bands are playing again. I liked the Destruction and Merciless albums. What’s your opinion about such „modern” thrash bands, like THE HAUNTED, CORPORATION 187, SCENTERIA? Do you prefer the new school thrash or rather the old school one? In your opinion is thrash metal popular nowadays? I perfer the old school, that is wath I grow up with. The metalscene are growing stronger again and that is good as hell
I don't read any fanzines today unfortunately. The fanzines has alvays played an important role for the underground. If you can not be seen, you doesn't exist. The fanzines are supporting the bands by giving them some space, if people can read about them they get interested and hopfuly they will buy their record. Do you also like webzines? In your opinion, are there similarities and differences between fanzines and webzines? I do read some webzines, the webzines are of course more reachable and for free. The kids today have grown up with computers, it's easier today to reach more people with an webzine than an fanzine I think. You have a very good and cool website. Who did it? How often is it updated? How often do the fans visit your website? Are you satisfied with your own website? The webside are created by a friend of mine and it is not updated as often as it could be. It has had quite many wisitors so far and yes we are werry satisfied with it. What are the disadvantages and advantages of the internet? What do you think about the downloading of music? How often do you use the internet? Do you like writing e-mails or doing e-mail interviews? It is easy to get in touch with people and to get information and it is very possitive but I dont like the downloading of music, buy the records and support the bands instead. I´m not so good in awnsering e-mails or interviews, Peter have done this so its new for me. This is the first interview that I’m awnsering in about 10 years What does it mean for you underground respectively to be underground? What do you think about trends and riding the trends? It is important to be original or to play original music?
Kjelle, thanks a lot for your answers, I hope my questions weren't boring. I wish you all the best and good luck my friend, MAZE OF TORMENT rules! Please, tell your closing words! Thanks for your patiance and support. To all metalheads out there, buy our records so we perhaps can go on tour som day and visit Hungary, visit www.mazeoftorment.com Stay dark - Kee Contact: Peter Karlsson Björkvägen 6C 645 40 Strängnäs Sweden mazeoftorment@hotmail.com Interview: David Laszlo |
