Interview with

THY PRIMORDIAL / INDUNGEON

January 26, 1999.

Really, it's not necessary such introductions to THY PRIMORDIAL. They are one of the best and most well known Black Metal acts from the cold Sweden. And if you're into Black Metal, you obviously know them. If not, kill yourself. This interview was made with Mikael Andersson who is a part of the great Black/death/thrash band INDUNGEON as well.

1) Greetings, Mikael. How are you and the THY PRIMORDIAL horde these days?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Things has gone back to the normal now, we had a break from the rehearsals for five weeks. But now we have started to work again.We're looking forward to the release of the new album in the end of January or beginning of February.

2) How long ago are you into metal and when THY PRIMORDIAL was formed?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: I have been listening to "metal" since I was kid. I have been in several bands since 89, with more or less resously un members, until we found this current line up. THY PRIMORDIAL was formed in the end of 94,but all the members was in the old band we got 93-94, except for N. Nilsson. So we have been playing together as a band since 93.

3) What means "THY PRIMORDIAL"? How could you explain the band's name?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: We were called Primordial on our first demo, but when we foundout about the irish band with the same name we decided to do something about ours. But a complete would been a desaster promosion wise as we just signed to Gothic then. So we just put in the thy word. The band name can be translated to "the ancient" or "the primitive". It kind of fit to us, as we sounds a bit primitive, compared to other acts within the scene.

4) The "Under Iskall Trollmåne" album was just released, but years after been recorded. What's the reasons behind the delay? And how do you see this album today?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Yes, "Under Iskall Trollmåne", were almost three years delayed, when we heard that Gothic records had plans to release it last summer, we couldn´t belive what we heard, we thought the label was dead.Why the album was delayed for three years?. I really don't know my contact with Gothic aren't really the best nowadays, they didn't show a single sign of life, during those years and they have put a bad reputation on the band name, which had to work hard to get of. Anyway I heard alot of rumours according the boss on Gothic, but I don´t know if they´re true, so I don´t like to share them! They sent us our part of the CD's, so they didn't actually rip us off in that way. I think the album is rather primitive, the recording of the whole album was done before the lunch break the first day we were in the studio, everything except the vocals is recorded live no overdubs except one accustic guitar I think. After all I think the album is pretty cool, but abit to slow for my taste.

5) And about the new release? What could you tell us about it?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: "At The World Of Untrodden Wonder", is the title of the new release. The new album will include 10 new songs which we recorded in Sunlight studio97 (late summer). I think it is a normal following up album to "Where Only..." even if this one is much more brutal and faster, and one step closer to the perfect album (even if that is a step further). Basically, the new album is much better in every way better production, better artwork and most important much better songs then ever before. A pre taste of the new stuff can be found on Full Moon's comp. CD "Tribute To Hell" as well as the SOD mag. comp. in the issue 12 which shall be out now.

6) How were the recordings for the new album? Where it was recorded and in how many days?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: It was a hard but also a nice experience to record an album in such good studio as Sunlight. We were there for two weeks, Fred Estby from Dismember was our producer partwise. But most of our recording was made by our self, as both Tomas and Fred had dubble booked. They checked in once in a while, and they also fixed all the sound on the recording. But the actuall recording was mostly done without them. It worked out great,they trusted us, so they gaved us they key to the studio, so we could record whenever we liked. I think it was great, and we will use Sunlight again for sure.

7) Were there any problems with the drummer, no?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: No, Morth was living in Mjölby when we recorded the new album. He moved up to Stockholm a month after the recording. So we are out of drummer on the practise now, but we have solve it with a drummashineduring the rehearsals. Morth will still be in the band and he will still play the drums on the forthcoming album, the only problem is that the recording will take abit more time then it has done in the past as we have to rehearse abit in the studio. But it shall not be any bigger problems.

8) Who is behind the fantastic cover artwork of the new album?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: The artist behind the cover to "At The World Of Untrodden Wonder", is Per Jonsson. He is also the singer of the band SATARIEL, which is also signed to Pulverised records. He has also done some other upcomming covers to other Pulverised band such as: Imperial Domain, Satariel, etc...

9) What's your inspiration sources for compose music?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Our main goal is to be as un-influenced as possible when it comes to song writing in THY PRIMORDIAL. We listen to other bands in the genre, of course. But we try to not take influences from other bands. The inspiration can come from other elements then music aswell, like a bad mood or so.

10) "Where Only The Seasons Mark The Paths Of Time" CD was recorded with "20 bit" technology. How emerged the opportunity to record the album by this way?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: "Where Only The Seasons Mark The Paths Of Time", wasn´t RECORDED with 20 bit. It's not a type of recording, it's a way to master the final result you got when the actuall recording. We recorded the album in a normal studio here in Sweden, and Pulverised mastered it with 20 bit mastering down in Singapore. The 20 bit is the sampler freqenze, the normal freqenze is 16 bit. I haven't heard the Seasons album on 16 bit, so I really don't know the difference, but the guys on Pulverised told me that everything is supposed to be sharper and cleaner with the 20 bit mastering.

11) OK, now about INDUNGEON... What's this band and what's the current line-up?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: The line up is the same as always, which means Me, and Albrektsson from THY PRIMORDIAL. Stefan and Beckman from MITHOTYN. The only difference from the last album is that, Stefan and Albrektsson changed their instruments and nowadays play what they play in their main band. So the line up is:
Mikael: Guitar
Stefan: Guitar
Albrektsson: Bass
Beckman: Drums/Vocals
We had another drumplayer for a while so Beckman could concentrate on the vocals, but it didn't workout the way we wanted so we kicked him out.

12) Is there a new INDUNGEON album coming soon, right? What about it?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Yes, we have just finished the recording of the new CD. It will be titled "The Misanthropocalypse", and shall be out on INVASION records in april or so. We were supposed to release the album on Full Moon, but we broke the contract with them just a week ago (when I write this) and signed to the German Invasion records insted. Anyway, the new album includes 8 new songs in same direction as the old CD, but still much more brutal then the old stuff, and more worked out as well. It´s recorded in the same studio the old one, but the sound is alot better now. Well, keep your eyes opened around April it will blow you away.

13) Could one day INDUNGEON become your main band?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Yes, if THY PRIMORDIAL split up in the future it may be so. NOTE we are not a hobby band anymore, everything is done seriously nowadays. We rehearse on regular basis, at least one time a week. I think we have the future in front of us.

14) As a guitarrist, are there another musicians you admire?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: There are some musicians which I think is great maybe not because they playing their instruments as a god but for creating great music for example Kai Hansen in Gamma Ray, he has played the same shit for almost 20 years in both Helloween and Gamma Ray, and still comes up with great stuff. His creation skill seems to be eternal. Chuck of Death is also a great musician in my oppinion. There are alot of other guys aswell, I can´t mention them all.

15) And do you praise any special bands?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Well, not really maybe, Iron Maiden or Kiss if I had to make a choice.

16) What's your point of view about Black Metal bands that include in their music massive "alien" elements like orchestral keyboards, violins and/or sopranos? It's possible into an extreme style as the Black Metal?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: That depends on how it's performed, there is alot of bands which includes keyboards and stuff, and it only makes the music weak and soft. But when you perfom such things like Emperor or Gehenna does, it rules. We don´t use such instruments because we don't have any member of the band which is capable to play key's decent, and our music would only sound more poor then brutal with such instruments. When it comes to normal vocals, we have add some normal male vocals which we think added alot to the production of the new album.

17) And it's possible the Black Metal be "romantic" like several bands claim to be nowadays?

MIKAEL ANDERSSON: Pepole can call their music what ever they like, such as "cold northern forest satanic pop", or "vempire country funk jazz black metal" how cares? Anyway, as I see it, it's all black metal and we don't like to call it such names, for us is our music simply, black metal. I know that Pulverised had ridiculess name for our music on an add in Terrorizer, where they called us "trail blazing black metal" or something like that. But we had nothing to with it.

Contact THY PRIMORDIAL / INDUNGEON:

Snail Mail:

E-Mail:

thyprimordial@telia.com

thyprimordial@hotmail.com

The Official THY PRIMORDIAL Homepage:

http://come.to/thyprim

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