Interview with legendary death metal band from Sweden - TOXAEMIA.
Translated Duzl, thank you!
Questions prepared Jakub Asphyx.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/15bWcusRsDaThBO9CRSSKO
Recenze/review - TOXAEMIA - Where Paths Divide (2020):
Ave TOXAEMIA! I must first write that I am very glad that you have returned. I used to read about you in a Polish underground zine, but it's maybe 25 years. I remember wanting a tape of yours, but in the end, I couldn't get anything. In the Czech Republic, this was almost impossible. How was the idea of the return and rebirth of TOXAEMIA reborn?
Hey there Deadly Storm Zine, to answer your question after we stopped playing in 1992. All three of us moved away from our home town Motala. It took until 2016 before we lived in the same town again. Once we were in the same location again it didn't take us very long to get back together jaming again. To begin with it was just for fun, drinking beer and playing some of the old tunes. But after a while it turned more serious, and we wanted to play some gigs and record new material.
Outside you have a fresh album "Where Paths Divide", which sounds like cuts from the nineties. It is said that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks and in your case it is only good. How did the board come about? To record the first full-length album after 30 years of existence, I call it underground! Wasn't it hard to meet and write new material after so many years?
Surprisingly it was fairly easy, the inspiration was there and our new members brought a lot of energy and experience in to the process.
The novelty was created by Dan Swano. I have to say that the sound really worked. Can you tell us how you felt about entering the studio? Did you have everything ready or did you fine-tune the details on the spot? The technique, the recording technology, has also changed a lot since your beginnings, how has it affected you?
Well the recording was done in three stages and also different locations. The Drums we recorded in Fagersta at Studio Cave where Pontus Ekwall (Kazjurol). After this we recorded all Guitars and Bass in our rehearshal room in Motala. All Stevos Backing Growls were recorded there too. We called it Studio Cervin since I did the Engineering. Finally Dennis recorded all of his Vocals in his rehearshal studio in Kalmar. We did all the fine tuning as we went throuhg the recording process. Once all tracks were recorded it was sent to Mr Swanö in Germany. And he delivered exactly the sound we wanted!
I don't have an original CD at home yet, can you tell us who is the author of the cover? I have to say that he really did it. I understand well that on it is Death itself, which stands at a crossroads between our world and the other?
The Cover was done by César Valladares, and man did he deliver exactly what we wanted. Such a great artist and a great guy. I can recommend any band who wants great cover art to contact him.
I like your interpretation, it is very close to the vision we had.
When I read the names of the songs, the lyrics are such a death metal classic. Who is to blame and what inspires them? Dennis wrote most of the lyrics but me (Pontus) and Stevo wrote a couple as well. Inspiration for the lyrics come from various places and subjects.
Everyone who started with death metal in the 1990s has Sweden fixed as the birthplace of ENTOMBED, NIHILIST, GRAVE, DISMEMBER, ENTRAILS. All your bands have the typical, rattle sound of guitars, but you're out of the question. I don't think you're typical. Influences such as PESTILENCE, MALEVOLENT CREATION and others can also be heard in your music. Who was your role model when you started? Can you please guide us through the history of the band?
So many influences it hard to account for them all. But yeah you are correct we did not and still do not want to sound like the traditional Swe-Death bands. We listened more to the american and brittish style of Death Metal for our inspiration. Now we are a swedish band so you can probably still hear that anyway.
What kind of musicians were your role models when you started? How and why did you actually start playing metal and how did you get into death metal?
The beginning of the band happened at a local rock festival in our home town, me ans Stevo went there and there was two Thrash bands on the bill. Local bands, from Motala if memory serves they were called Gravity and Curse or possibly Cursed. The latter played a Kreator inspired fast and furious variant of thrash and Gravity played Bay Area style thrash.
We hear these guys and thought lets start a band. So we did!
There remained only two people of original TOXAEMIA - Pontus and Stevo. How did you get together with the others? I know that Perra plays with NOMINON and DREADFUL FATE, for example, but I don't know much about Rasmus and Dennis. Was it difficult for newcomers to understand the spirit of the band? How does mutual chemistry work between you?
We are very fortunate to have found new members who fit right in to the band and make it even stronger. We are not from identical musical backgrounds, but that is what makes it stronger.
What about TOXAEMIA and concerts? I looked at your profile on Facebook and you play mostly only in Sweden. Wouldn't you be tempted when the covid plague passes, a bigger tour, when you already have a new album and are celebrating 30 years of existence?
There are plans in place to do something outside of Sweden but as you say Covid has come in the way and we do not now when or even if it will happen. But we sure want to come out of Sweden and do gigs.
Now I am listening "Where Paths Divide" all the time and I appreciate the old school death metal feeling the most. I don't think there's much to learn, musicians have to have it in them. How do you actually perceive death metal? What does it mean to you?
I think a good song is a good song you feel it in the gut. Death metal is from the gut, you do not just hear it you feel it.
Please tell us what TOXAEMIA is going to do in the future? Will you continue to function regularly and will we see another album soon? Do you compose, create new songs?
We are currently writing new material for what we hope will be our next album. Now that we are back in business we have no plans to stop any time soon.
Thank you so much for the interview. I'm really looking forward to playing the album from the original CD. Also on the t-shirt. I wish not only "Where Paths Divide" much success and may you prosper in your private lives! TOXAEMIA RULES!
Thanks for the interview and greetings to all the readers of Deadly Storm Zine!
Recenze/review - TOXAEMIA - Where Paths Divide (2020):
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