I N T E R V I E W

Interview Ronnie Bergerståhl

Hi and thanks for taking some time to talk with us, we are the French webzine Aux Portes du Metal.

Hi, Ronnie here! No problem, my pleasure.

Your new album "Endless Procession of Souls" will be released on August 27, 2012, what can you tell us about it? What is the meaning of this album?

It's a new Grave album, plain and simple, no deeper meaning behind it. We always try to write the best album we can and this was the best stuff we came up with when we started to write and rehearse.

What are your favorite songs on it?

My three absolute favorites right now are "Disembodied Steps", "Passion of the Weak" and "Plague of Nations", but it varies almost from day to day. All I can say is that there are no fillers on this album, every song rules!

Did you enjoy working in the studio?

Normally I don't like it much but this time the atmosphere and feeling around the whole process was so relaxed and we just went in with an open mind and played our hearts out. As this is the first album since "Back from the Grave" we actually rehearsed and wrote the songs all together in our studio, I felt more confident when I started to record the drums. We didn't even use any kind of metronome this time, I just clicked the sticks like eight times and then we rocked!

In 2010 Tobias Cristiansson has joined the band as your bass player, has your music changed since then?

Both Tobias and Mika Lagrén who joined us last year have had some impact but in the end we all know how Grave should sound like and we can't really change the whole sound. They've added their own touch to the playing though, which I find very refreshing for us. I mean, Mika is a fantastic guitar player and he really shines in his solos and Tobias actually plays the bass, not just only play the same notes as the guitars do so in a way we got a more live sound but the basic Grave sound is still intact.

Since 1994 you 've had to face several changes (a split up, new member…etc), is the band now like you want it to be? Are you fully satisfied of it?

I can say that the line-up we have at the moment is the strongest one since I've joined the band in 2006. I can't speak for Ola though who's the only one left from the beginning but I know that he's very happy with how the band functions on and off stage at this time. We have lots of fun when we're out playing, moreover our stage presence is much better and we sound better then ever playing wise.

Your band was formed in 1986, that is quite a long career, how do you consider it now?

We're touring more than ever and people seem to like our new stuff so we're stronger than we've ever been in my opinion. Hopefully there will be even more touring and shows further on this year and next year with all the summer festivals and such ahead.

Did you play any festival this summer?

We just played two smaller ones last weekend. Rock im Betonwerk in Chemnitz and the Into the Grave Festival in Holland. Both shows went down really well and we played some new stuff, which the audience rocked their socks off for.. hahaha...

Is there any tour planned?

There's a short European tour from Sept 5th to Sept 18th together with fellow Century Media mates Sonne Adam and then we go straight to the US to do a month long tour with Dark Funeral and Morbid Angel. That tour should rule as Morbid Angel haven't toured there in 6 years.

Are you already thinking about your next album?

Hell no!!! I really don't get bands that write albums right after they've released one. Must be very boring to work that way..

What can you tell us about you influences, what inspires you to write/ compose music?

Everything except for death metal! I don't listen to that much music while at home and especially not when we're writing new material.... If I listen to music and metal in general it's more heavy/power metal kinda stuff.

Will you come to France soon?

There's nothing planned at the moment. We didn't have time to play France on this short run in Sept but we'll try to get back there as soon as possible as we've had some of the best shows in France in our last couple of tours. Hellfest was amazing.

Is there any other new or any solo project from band members you want to talk about?

Ola's got his Grey Heavens thingy but I don't know the state of that project at the moment. I have some solo stuff going on but nothing is finished or so, so i'll get back to you about that when I have some news.

Do you have something to say to the people who download your music illegally?

I'm torn when it comes to downloading but please buy the album's if you like the music!!!

And finally, do you want to say something special to our readers?

Support real death metal and get our new album "Endless Procession of Souls" and hopefully we'll see ya on a stage in France real soon! Cheers!

Venez donc discuter de cette interview, sur notre forum !