Greetings to you Erik... a couple of years run away from our last encounter on NUCLEAR STORM and the same since you released CONSTRUCDEAD's album, but one by one...
I´m good. It has been a couple of hectic year so far. I will try to answer your questions as good as I can!!
How are you, what are you doing now? What about erection- does it work? Do you have your account full? Do you still like Swedish steaks? Are you married? Do you have children or are you still child? Do you have Playstation 2 or do you prefer PC games? Are your parents annoying you or supporting you and can your dog finally jump through burning tire? ha ha...
I´m fine, and everything is running smouthly. I´m not married yet but I live with my girl friend and 2 cats, I still drink to much beer and play way to much Playstation, but I think that I eat more healthier than before.
You play in CONSTRUCDEAD, FACE DOWN and appear in GENERAL SURGERY, shit, how can you manage it all? All right? Do you work or do you take music as a job?
I play in 3 bands CONSTRUCDEAD, FACE DOWN and TERROR 2000. It´s hard to put everything together it´s about 3 or 4 rehearsal a week, and I don´t have music as my job, I work with a guy who has a fysical handicap.
Tell me, what's new in CONSTRUCDEAD? I guess it's the right time for new album. And what about GENERAL SURGERY? Do you prepare something? I must admit, that I heard their album long time ago, it is several years... and it was total massacre at that time, you can tell...
I am not a member of GENERAL SURGERY, I played on CARCASS tribute album. As of CONSTRUCDEAD, we are currently recording our third album and after we are finnished with that we have a tough job a head preparing for things I´m not able to tell.
What's new in FACE DOWN? Bengt Dahlberg sent me your promotional release with 3 songs. I was totally killed by it. I like this style. I need to know, how will sound whole material and until when we can hear it? Who will release it?
FACE DOWN will record a full lenght in the beginning of July. We have a couple of festivals this summer but otherwise we are writing songs for the album. Glad you liked the songs we will probably make songs that sounds like the demo, it´s just a taste of the evil that the world will see throught FACE DOWN.
Write us short FACE DOWN's bio, though it is well- known group, but on the other side not too much... you could in the top and you had fair position and name on the scene, but at once there wasn't possible to hear something about you, why? Isn't it pity? I know that you didn't found FACE DOWN, but for sure you know about it. Could you tell us something about it?
In 1995 through word of mouth, the demo was picked up by SOUNDFRONT MUSIC. After a gig in Stockholm in spring 1995 the band signed a contract with ROADRUNNER RECORDS (through SOUNDFRONT MUSIC.)That was also the last gig with Ekstrand, who didn't seem as eager to work as hard as the rest of the band, who in turn doubled their efforts in order to make a great debut album. The album "Mindfield" was recorded in summer 1995 at Soundfront Studio, with acclaimed producer Daniel Bergstrand. Shortly afterwards, Bång left the band.He was soon replaced by drummer Peter Stjärnvind (UNANIMATED, MERCILESS) and FACE DOWN was ready for action. After the release of "Mindfield" in January 96, the band went on an European tour supporting NAPALM DEATH and CROWBAR. Around this time the "Kill The Pain" video was shown several times on MTV's Headbangers Ball and the band also appeared in a live interview on the show. This tour also included a couple of gigs with the legendary AT THE GATES. The European tour was shortly followed by a co-headline tour in the UK with London thrashers Above All and culminated with a magic gig at London Astoria (METAL HAMMER's 4-play Night), supporting CATHEDRAL. Back home in Sweden, FACE DOWN attended the awesome HULTSFRED FESTIVAL and completely devastated the crowd. After lots of problems with SOUNDFRONT RECORDS the band stood without a record deal, but was quickly signed on to NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS. After the release of "The Twisted Rule The Wicked" in late 1997, Peter Stjärnvind left the band to join ENTOMBED. Håkan Ericsson (from local act Godblender) was quickly brought in to replace him.Tough times lay ahead. The departure of Peter and even more problems with NUCLEAR BLAST made the morale of the band low. The band played some local shows, got promised a couple of tours but nothing ever materialized.The band decided to set up their own tour in the territory where they were best known, the UK, along with HC band SOULQUAKE SYSTEM from Kristinehamn. After completing the UK tour in early 1998 with SOULQUAKE SYSTEM, the band took a break for a few months. Work was resumed during autumn '98, and the band recorded a three track demo-tape at Sunlight Studio. In early 1999, Marco decided to leave the band as THE HAUNTED had made him an offer he could not refuse. FACE DOWN was at its lowest point ever. Facing a bleak future with no record label or lead vocalist, Joakim, Håkan and Joacim tried to hold on a couple of weeks but it was pointless. FACE DOWN was dead... The remaining members went their separate ways in spring of 1999. Over five years later Joakim (Harju) Hedestedt (now bassist in CONSTRUCDEAD) felt that it was time to reunite the band. He'd heard about Marco Aro's departure from THE HAUNTED and started making some phone calls to his old band mates. The reaction was very positive. To take on the heavy burden of drummer, Joakim asked his good friend Erik Thyselius (CONSTRUCDEAD, TERROR 2000). gladly accepted the task and the new FACE DOWN was created.Shortly after the band was signed on to BLACK LODGE RECORDS (same as CONSTRUCDEAD). FACE DOWN is back and their purpose is to once again put Stockholm back on the metal map...so just sit back and enjoy!
You must continue from the beginning now, spreading promos and dig for thrash metal listeners, persuade about your qualities, hmm... even as I know you, you will not be disordered, am I right?
Well as you said before FACE DOWN is not a "new" band, and we have had much good respons. We will not be disorderd. So we will write our material and hope that people like it. We give a rat ass if the record sells or not, we play cause it´s fun that´s it!!
I remember, you and the rest of CONSTRUCDEAD was totally all right on NUCLEAR STORM, even there was pouring like near the end of the world... You all have a good time while the others cursed the weather, ha ha... Was it your first performance in the Czech republic and what next? Did you have some concerts, tours? And did you play outside Sweden with new FACE DOWN's line-up?
We had a blast at NUCLEAR STORM and we hope to come back one day!! FACE DOWN played for the first time in 8 years last weekend and we will not plan tours. We will play a couple of gigs here and there and play gigs that we feel right.
It's the truth, that in that time was thrash metal out, but it become in at present. What do you think about it? I can't help myself, Sweden is always a base of high quality groups. Like you wouldn't need the rest of the Europe. You have great bands in death metal, grind but mostly in thrash... When I compare it with whole Scandinavia, Sweden rules... moreover you have great hockey team, cars, blades, saw slices to name a few. I would like to ask you, if you have something in which you didn’t succeed, more like what you aren’t proud of, haha
Thanks for the kind words about Sweden. What I dislike....... well I quess that´s all the people that try to live on social wellfare just because they don´t want to work, that makes me puke!!
We have in the town where I live „Swedish wall“, which served like defence against invaders from the north, so Swedes, which occupided Europe… but their asses was just kicked, hehe Are you interested in history? Is it possible to see anything in Sweden to understand your culture, history and everything what brings fame to Sweden, If I would arrive overthere?
I´m very interested in history, my mother has p.a.d in Swedish History. We have a lot of historical monuments in Stockholm. If you visit Stockholm you have to visit the medevil muséum it´s very cool! And we have a place called "old town" and all the houses are from like the 1500th century.
You look like horde of killers which prepare for conquer whole Europe, when I look at your band photo! I am serious… It just seems the greates butcher is guitarist Joacim Carlsson. Is he the main composer of your music and the rest only second or are you at the same level? Doesn´t he have any problems with making music for GENERAL SURGERY and FACE DOWN? I know, that each group sounds absolutely diffferent… but I have on my mind problems with time or adjustment. Is he serious about FACE DOWN? Does he really want to get started this nearly forgotten legend? When we are talking about Joacim… band AFFLICTED finished after release of their first album, why?
Well Joacim doesn´t write all the material, he writes most of the material but we all contributes with riffs and that kind of stuff. HE IS SERIOUS. GENERAL SURGERY rehears only once every other month so we have a lot of time to write. I don´t know why AFFLICTED split up, you´ll have to ask them.
I remembered, you are the only one with long hair. How long will you have long hair? Don’t you plan any extreme change? Nowadays is modern punk style? What do you think about it? There are your hands on the promo cover, am I right?
I´m planing to have long hair until I´m an old man sitting in a rocking chair and siping on a wiskey and smoking a cigarr. It´s Marco hand on the cover of the demo.
Which instrument did play Marco Aro in THE HAUNTED? Why did he leave? Could you tell me something about his second group THUG? By the way, I like his vocal. He make lyrics in FACE DOWN. What are they about?
Marco sang in THE HAUNTED. His lysics are mostely about hate towards things and people he dislike!! THUG..... well that´s his sideproject where he sings.
Joakim Hedestedt is well- known from CONSTRUCDEAD. What about him? Is he OK? How is his daughter growing?
He is doing great. His daughter Nova grows alot and is healty. He´s married and lives a great life!!
Well, I have something else... TERROR 2000 is thrash metal act as well, even a little bit different. But I like FACE DOWN much more! I don't know anything about TERROR 2000, I own only their first album, could you tell me something new?
Yeah. TERROR2000 is my and my Terror-mates side-project. We have played 3 time in Japan that´s all. It´s all about drinking to much and playing fast! We are recording a third album and it will be released in the fall.
What a pity, I would like to hear older FACE DOWN's albums, but I own only this promo. I am curious how does it sound and I would like to find out differences among them. Are these jewels still available?
I think that the old FACE DOWN RECORDS are all sold out. Visit www.facedown.nu and download some songs!
Could you tell us something about label BLACK LODGE?
BLACK LODGE is a old label they were called HOUSE OF KICKS before and are home to some of the best Swedish acts! www.blacklodge.se
Tell us what you want at the end, maybe what did you forget? What can you offer to us? …etc… thanx for your time!
Look out for the new TERROR2000 and CONSTRUCDEAD album and make sure to drink much Gambrinus or Staropramen. Support Liverpool and your local act!!!!! Cheers and see you out there!!!!!!