Runemagick has been around for a long period of time. What do you attribute its longevity to?
Nicklas: Yes, the years go by, but death and doom remains, so to speak. I think it is mainly due to inspiration, currents and lust in the creative process. And dedication, of course. Then I have to be honest and say that we are not active all the time, there is more or less activity in periods. But of course the creation process itself can go on in the background for longer periods of time.
In reality, I can say that we work more like a project than a traditional rehearsing band. At least as far as the last few years with the band are concerned. We almost never rehearse. It only happens in connection with recording sessions.
Then we also had and have had a good personal chemistry in the band for many years. Although it's rare that we get together with the whole band these days.
We are all involved in other projects and bands too so it's not just Runemagick that applies to us. It may also be a key to longevity.
For example, I am currently also involved in the projects/bands: Unformulas (we call it “epic death metal”) with the debut album “Post Mortem Visionary” released late 2022. The Funeral Orchestra (kind of “minimalistic funeral death doom” which Emma is also involved in), Duofunera (obscure death music) as well as a small dark ambient death project. As I said, Emma is also in The Funeral Orchestra but also in an old-school death band called Ceremonial Death where Jonas Blom is also in, he was the one who started it. In addition to that, Jonas is involved in Death Reich and a few other projects. Daniel has his Katatonia which is his main band and he probably does some other session stuff from time to time.
Your newest release, "Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind" was released not too long ago. Where do you hope this album resides among the discography the band has accumulated?
Nicklas: For me, it is one of our best creations. Sure, that's what all musicians say when they've released something new, but I really think so.
If I were to name our five best albums at the time of writing, in no particular order: Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind, Darkness Death Doom, Enter the Realm of Death, On Funeral Wings, Into Desolate Realms. These are the ones I feel most satisfied and proud of purely in terms of song material.
"Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind" has excellent artwork. What do you look for in artwork to represent your music?
Nicklas: We were looking for something a little abstract that doesn't look like many other bands' cover artworks. But at the same time, it would reflect the album's music. Which I think the artist succeeded with. It fits the songs and the sound of the album.
I am also a huge fan of Katatonia and Daniel Moilanen is your current drummer. How did you begin working with him?
Nicklas: If I remember correctly, we got in touch over the internet around the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000. At that time I lived a year far up north in Sweden. He liked Runemagick and I listened to a bit of what he had recorded before, so I asked him if he wanted to join. Unfortunately we didn't meet and rehearse before the album "Resurrection in Blood" but it was close that he would play on that album. But I borrowed his drum kit and recorded the drums myself with it. He officially joined the band soon after that. He's a hell of a drummer, no doubt about it.
Runemagick creates excellent death/doom metal which has been my favorite genre of metal since I discovered it as a teenager many years ago. Where do your motivations come from in your creative process?
Nicklas: It's always hard to say. But the creative currents come and go in periods so somehow there is more or less always a source of inspiration flowing. I pretty much always write music in some way for the bands and projects I'm involved with.
I have always felt good about being creative and creating, mainly in music. I prioritize it over many other things that I consider less important such as watching movies, series or getting drunk. Creative creation is important to me.
I have purchased your Heavydeath discography on Bandcamp which I enjoy. What were you hoping to accomplish with this creative outlet as opposed to Runemagick?
Nicklas: It was a project that came about almost by accident. In any case, there was no serious plan behind it. It started with me writing some simple songs and making quick primitive recordings during my lunch break at my work back then. Johan Bäckman jumped on early in this "lunch project" as well. He started playing bass and made simple raw mixes of the demos. Got in touch with Caligari Records who wanted to release most of the demos on cassette. Then it just rolled on by itself. Of course, in retrospect, I can think that many of the demos and maybe some of the albums were a little hastily made to be released officially, but now it is as it is.
But I'm still proud of the material on the album "Sarcophagus In The Sky" as well as the last song "The Newborn" that was recorded before we decided to close the project in 2019.
Almost completely forgot to mention, Daniel Moilanen also joined the project and plays drums on all albums and a few demos. So we were actually 2/4 of Runemagick in Heavydeath. But during some of those years Runemagick wasn't active either except maybe I wrote some occasional riffs that I thought might fit into any future songs.
But to answer the question, Heavydeath was a little more primitive than Runemagick, more stripped down and a slightly different atmosphere and mood overall.
In the modern times of over the top fast and technical metal what do you believe doom metal offers in contrast to it? What draws you to this genre?
Nicklas: There is some difference in terms of feeling and certainly also mood when listening and composing. I guess I've always had a penchant for heavy riffs, epic and atmospheric metal. But I like fast music too. I'm not that fond of over-technical metal, but I liked bands like Blood Incantation right away when I heard the debut material. It's a mix of atmospheric, fast and more “normal” level of tech-riffing.
What have you noticed about the changes in Swedish metal since the 1990's?
Nicklas: There are always changes going on. Trends come and go. Technology and musicians develop. But purely nostalgically, I can sometimes miss the scene from the past with cassette demos, trading, fanzines and small local gigs.
Where do you believe Runemagick's place is among so many other talented Swedish bands?
Nicklas: Do not really know. Difficult for me to answer. But we are and have always been pretty much in our own compartment down in the underground. We do what we want and don't care much about what's happening around us or trends. We are absolutely not a famous or big band in the scene, but it doesn't matter to me that it is so. The important thing is that I myself like and stand for what I create. Then if others and fans like it, that's just a bonus and it's of course encouraging to hear positive reviews about what you create. But as I said, I'm not doing this for any career or commercial success.
Any younger and current bands that stand out for you in doom metal?
Nicklas: Don't know if they can be called younger or new but some kind of/or partly doom bands that I listen to and enjoy (besides the old classics) are: Fuoco Fatuo and Spectral Voice.
Thanks for the interview!
Nicklas: Yes, the years go by, but death and doom remains, so to speak. I think it is mainly due to inspiration, currents and lust in the creative process. And dedication, of course. Then I have to be honest and say that we are not active all the time, there is more or less activity in periods. But of course the creation process itself can go on in the background for longer periods of time.
In reality, I can say that we work more like a project than a traditional rehearsing band. At least as far as the last few years with the band are concerned. We almost never rehearse. It only happens in connection with recording sessions.
Then we also had and have had a good personal chemistry in the band for many years. Although it's rare that we get together with the whole band these days.
We are all involved in other projects and bands too so it's not just Runemagick that applies to us. It may also be a key to longevity.
For example, I am currently also involved in the projects/bands: Unformulas (we call it “epic death metal”) with the debut album “Post Mortem Visionary” released late 2022. The Funeral Orchestra (kind of “minimalistic funeral death doom” which Emma is also involved in), Duofunera (obscure death music) as well as a small dark ambient death project. As I said, Emma is also in The Funeral Orchestra but also in an old-school death band called Ceremonial Death where Jonas Blom is also in, he was the one who started it. In addition to that, Jonas is involved in Death Reich and a few other projects. Daniel has his Katatonia which is his main band and he probably does some other session stuff from time to time.
Your newest release, "Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind" was released not too long ago. Where do you hope this album resides among the discography the band has accumulated?
Nicklas: For me, it is one of our best creations. Sure, that's what all musicians say when they've released something new, but I really think so.
If I were to name our five best albums at the time of writing, in no particular order: Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind, Darkness Death Doom, Enter the Realm of Death, On Funeral Wings, Into Desolate Realms. These are the ones I feel most satisfied and proud of purely in terms of song material.
"Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind" has excellent artwork. What do you look for in artwork to represent your music?
Nicklas: We were looking for something a little abstract that doesn't look like many other bands' cover artworks. But at the same time, it would reflect the album's music. Which I think the artist succeeded with. It fits the songs and the sound of the album.
I am also a huge fan of Katatonia and Daniel Moilanen is your current drummer. How did you begin working with him?
Nicklas: If I remember correctly, we got in touch over the internet around the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000. At that time I lived a year far up north in Sweden. He liked Runemagick and I listened to a bit of what he had recorded before, so I asked him if he wanted to join. Unfortunately we didn't meet and rehearse before the album "Resurrection in Blood" but it was close that he would play on that album. But I borrowed his drum kit and recorded the drums myself with it. He officially joined the band soon after that. He's a hell of a drummer, no doubt about it.
Runemagick creates excellent death/doom metal which has been my favorite genre of metal since I discovered it as a teenager many years ago. Where do your motivations come from in your creative process?
Nicklas: It's always hard to say. But the creative currents come and go in periods so somehow there is more or less always a source of inspiration flowing. I pretty much always write music in some way for the bands and projects I'm involved with.
I have always felt good about being creative and creating, mainly in music. I prioritize it over many other things that I consider less important such as watching movies, series or getting drunk. Creative creation is important to me.
I have purchased your Heavydeath discography on Bandcamp which I enjoy. What were you hoping to accomplish with this creative outlet as opposed to Runemagick?
Nicklas: It was a project that came about almost by accident. In any case, there was no serious plan behind it. It started with me writing some simple songs and making quick primitive recordings during my lunch break at my work back then. Johan Bäckman jumped on early in this "lunch project" as well. He started playing bass and made simple raw mixes of the demos. Got in touch with Caligari Records who wanted to release most of the demos on cassette. Then it just rolled on by itself. Of course, in retrospect, I can think that many of the demos and maybe some of the albums were a little hastily made to be released officially, but now it is as it is.
But I'm still proud of the material on the album "Sarcophagus In The Sky" as well as the last song "The Newborn" that was recorded before we decided to close the project in 2019.
Almost completely forgot to mention, Daniel Moilanen also joined the project and plays drums on all albums and a few demos. So we were actually 2/4 of Runemagick in Heavydeath. But during some of those years Runemagick wasn't active either except maybe I wrote some occasional riffs that I thought might fit into any future songs.
But to answer the question, Heavydeath was a little more primitive than Runemagick, more stripped down and a slightly different atmosphere and mood overall.
In the modern times of over the top fast and technical metal what do you believe doom metal offers in contrast to it? What draws you to this genre?
Nicklas: There is some difference in terms of feeling and certainly also mood when listening and composing. I guess I've always had a penchant for heavy riffs, epic and atmospheric metal. But I like fast music too. I'm not that fond of over-technical metal, but I liked bands like Blood Incantation right away when I heard the debut material. It's a mix of atmospheric, fast and more “normal” level of tech-riffing.
What have you noticed about the changes in Swedish metal since the 1990's?
Nicklas: There are always changes going on. Trends come and go. Technology and musicians develop. But purely nostalgically, I can sometimes miss the scene from the past with cassette demos, trading, fanzines and small local gigs.
Where do you believe Runemagick's place is among so many other talented Swedish bands?
Nicklas: Do not really know. Difficult for me to answer. But we are and have always been pretty much in our own compartment down in the underground. We do what we want and don't care much about what's happening around us or trends. We are absolutely not a famous or big band in the scene, but it doesn't matter to me that it is so. The important thing is that I myself like and stand for what I create. Then if others and fans like it, that's just a bonus and it's of course encouraging to hear positive reviews about what you create. But as I said, I'm not doing this for any career or commercial success.
Any younger and current bands that stand out for you in doom metal?
Nicklas: Don't know if they can be called younger or new but some kind of/or partly doom bands that I listen to and enjoy (besides the old classics) are: Fuoco Fatuo and Spectral Voice.
Thanks for the interview!