As I wrote in the review of your album, listening to your new disc is a bit like taking a step 18 years back in time to a time when Entombed more or less defined the new sound of death metal. Has it been a conscious move to capture the sound of those days - or are you just taking up the tread from where you left off when you parted ways in 1993?
Thomas: Of course in a way we wanted the old sound because we are old sound... Still, hehehe :) ! Now the old sound becomes the new sound. Yes, we hook on exactly were we once parted it’s all natural. I mean, we tried all kinds of other music
projects and I think we now once and for all can say- this is it man, this is what we only can produce and only together. I even went as far for some years and still some times do some flashback visits at Gothenburg’s muthafuckin heavy/progressive/loud/psytrance parties. Some years I was totally into deep dark trance, mainly German/Swedish music of course. Gave me a lot as a person.
I never in my wildest dreams thought that Evocation would start up again, it was a closed book for all of us. I mean even playing in a band was a closed book for some of us. Why the scene died or vanished so fast I never really understood, even
though I know "new" metal took most of it and Black Metal as well (that I really don’t understand how the fuck that happened, but I guess in the end the new music industry sucks as well). I guess it’s all natural, right? I don’t think maybe it’s right to blame new metal either. I mean it’s because of them the really aggressive music got attention. Now everybody is bored because everything sounds the same.
Same with Death Metal once I guess, but only a few good band survived it all. New era, people put it to the max and kills it. Same story same shit, but this time it’s different. Complex music does not reach the biggest audience, simple rock n roll always get’s the biggest shit. So, I guess it’s time to kick some ass, right... mua ha aha ha :)
Do you think there is room for the old-school sound in this day and age? I.e. are there enough old farts like your self and me to justify a release like this? :}
Thomas: Oh man, there is always plenty of room for anything as long as there is devoted people into it. Not jealous bastards trying to pull shit on one another. We on the other hand within the band call our music "raw & brutal". Raw and brutal is
the finest word for it. Some call it Death Metal, some call it old school. Death metal (easy word) is for me today the most rock n roll thing ever, it has everything. Simple heavy tunes, fuckin’ high tech riffing as well, honest audience, nice happy people, and more than any other metal it is fuckin’ sexy. Have you ever had really good sex with a wonderful woman and a wonderful death metal album? A really good mix of anything and a cool record, your Scandinavian steel turns to German, ha ha ha. No matter if there is room or not, we still have a really good time don’t we? Back in the late 80s, early 90s there were no room either was it. But it grew big because of good and enthusiastic people with a hunger. Sadly to say we
put it to the max to fast back then.
And by the way I still can fuckin’ make a woman go soaking wet even of the stage, even though I dont wear my sword, my spikes, my blood, my skull, my bones, my chains........ etc . etc. Here you can be your self right? Ok, maybe some lyrics I
do, maybe some I’m not really sure ;) ahh.... I’m not really, really my self ok but that’s a completely different story ehhhhhhh!! :) But I think at least we take the stories for what they are don’t we. "Fuck my cranium, kill my wife, eat my dog
and take your life" la la la la alalala ala ala.... :)
You’ve used Dan Seagrave artwork for the cover. Did he make the artwork especially for you?
Thomas: No he did not, we got in contact with him and asked if he would be interested. He was and is very busy with other projects, but after he listened to the album he took overtime and worked his ass of for a month. So yeah, maybe in a
way I don’t know. Maybe he found him self in a situation whether to do a comeback
with a comeback band or continue on gently almost quiet. I really don’t know. All of us in the band are more than pleased of course. But of course we had to pay. You buy a record, sit down put it on and I can assure you. The record will be finished several times before you’ve seen it all. All the stuff he drew on the cover. So much details, so much time to find a special spot on the cover for that particular song. It’s amazing!!
Most of the band is involved in other ‘serious’ bands. How are the priorities within the band? Is Evocation they main priority now?
Thomas: Evocation goes before everything right now, almost before our private lives as well. Same as before, we work as hell, we have a fuckin’ good time, we respect each other (more nowadays), we enjoy being with each other and we have one goal.
Spend more time with each other. And we are not in any other projects right now.
I understand that you’ve signed a multi album deal with Cyclone Empire - which is to say that we can expect more brutal death metal from Evocation. Are you working on new material already, and if yes; what direction is this material taking?
Thomas: You can and will expect Evocation music for hopefully many years to come. We have all the time in the world right now. It took us 15 years to regroup, no hurry ok ;) Even though we already have 9 new songs for the next album almost 100%
finished. And the release party for "Tales from the tomb" are on Friday the 11th of may. The record was released 27 the of April and today it’s the 8th of May :)
As mentioned already, you parted ways in 1993 after having been hailed as one of the most promising death metal bands after the release of your two demos (1992). The reason for splitting was allegedly the infamous ‘musical differences’.
Everyone in the band has now been converted back into old-school style death metal and the chemistry is good?
Thomas: We parted for many reasons. Mainly because of disagreements on what direction to go. Slow, fast, harder, softer bla bla bla. We were worn out for nothing. We are back in the music we like most... And in the band we loved most, the chemistry is awesome dude :)
What would the billing look like on your dream tour?
Thomas: I would love to do a tour with Bolt Thrower again, not only for the music the band creates but also for the cool people involved. Everyone in B.T. are well organized before and after the gig, no rock star attitude. Everybody carries the
shit out and in the bus before and after show. They have a very honest staff and all are totally devoted. First work, then party. Really cool people, and live.. they crush anything, anywhere and any time. Good mix, I say.
Immolation would also be really cool. Aggressive and well structured like no other American band. Totally different. Yeah, dream would be: Bolt Thrower, Immolation and Evocation.
Give me your shot at the five albums you’d rip for your iPod if you were to be sent to the space station on the moon tonight.
Thomas: Motley Crue: Shout of the devil (good childhood memories), Slayer: Reign in blood (new era of my childhood), Iggy Pop: A million in prices the anthology (this is 1st class rock), Spirit Zone: comp vol. 4 cd 2 ambient disc (best record for
travelling a la weed and hammock style ;) and last but not least... I bring with me, Terrorizer: World downfall... Please can I bring Van Halen´s first record in case some CD get’s broken??
Of course you can :] Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions! Any last rants for the readers?
Thomas: Support your pornoshop, support your local dope dealer and muthafucker...never stop playing(you grow old!) Don´t let the fools guide u blind. See you some day I hope...
Thomas/the Evocation tribe 2007
