MANEGARM – Interview with Jonas Almkvist

Hello! I am Andrew. How are you?

-I’m fine thank you!

Although this is your third official release you are not very familiar with the Greek metalheads. I would like you to tell me a few words about the history of the band.

-Well we started in the year 95 as a “blackmetall” band we went through a couple of member changes and started to weave in folk music in the concept. We got a recorddeal on our second demo and after the first album “nordstjärnans tidsålder” the singing part was taken over by our drummer and I guess this line-up is the most ultimate one. The first and second album “havets vargar” got very good rewievs and it looks like dödsfärd is getting even better remarks. Now well probably do a couple of gigs and then start working on the next record right away.

“Dodsfard” is the second album in a row which you recorded at Underground studio. Are you satisfied with the result? Would you like to change anything in it?

-Well the previous album was just half-made at underground and was more like a saving after we at the beginning of the recording had hired a local “talent” but thanks to Pelle Saether at underground the result turned out fine in the end. This time we were the whole time at underground and we are very satisfied with the result. I don’t think we want to change anything and we will always do the recording in this studio, thank you Pelle for the master production!

Your music style is not a common one neither a style that will attract many fans. So, I suppose you must play this kind of music because you like it whatever other people think about it. Would you ever change your music style in order to attract more fans?

-If we change our style its because we get older and slower in mind he he. But this is what we are and we play this music because we like to play it. In the future there will probably be some slight changes as you develop as a musician but hopefully well get better and better and not like metallica worser and worser and crap!

How important do you consider your lyrics to be and, what are the sources from which your lyrical concepts are drawn?

-To us the lyrics are very important as I see it lyrics are half of the record. As we are a band who tries to tell a story about are forefathers and all the beings who surrounds us in nature, the lyrics are for us supposed to set words on the music.

It is not usual to find a drummer who also is the main singer of the band but you are one of these bands! How easy is it to compose a song of yours? Do you follow any specific order when you compose your songs?

-In the beginning I wrote nearly all the music, after a while the drummer who also can play the guitar, bass, piano, sing and so forth started to write some music. So the drummer and I used to sit together and write all the music. Nowadays its more like I’m doing the riffs and the first rough material and then the drummer/singer doing the fine melodies and the finishing touch to it. Sometimes he (the drummer Erik) writes songs just himself as “ursjälens visdom” on the dösfärd record, on the next album he will probably write even more songs of his own…

Sweden has a great underground scene and this is good because new bands always come out. Would you prefer to be a great band in the underground scene or just an average one in the mainstream scene?

-we really just play for fun and because we like the music we are doing. If we end up in the underground or mainstream scene it really doesn’t bother us. But of course if they start playing us at MTV’s danceours its probably time to buy a rope and quite playing music.

Why should someone prefer to buy your album than any other release of our days?

-Well if you like our music or not I guess it's a matter of taste, but if people buy a månegarm record they will always now that were no “posers” this is what we are and always will be.

How easy is it to perform your music live? Do you prefer performing a live appearance or being in the studio?

-There is really no problem performing our music live. Of course playing this kind of music on the drums and at the sametime sing its not easy but Erik really makes it. The only real problem is the lack of a “frontman/singer” but this is something our bass player takes care of as he also do some singing and talks and present the songs in the breaks. Both being in the studio and playing live are very funny but for different reasons of course.

If you had the chance to play on the same stage with any band or artist you like, who would that be and why?

-Well Iron maiden, Twisted sister, or King diamond would be fun to play with but I guess I just have to dream on…

What kind of music do you like? Tell me some bands you like

-I mostly listen to good old hard rock, but right now I listen to a “Viking” band called “glittertind” and their new record “evige asatro” it's a “one man project” and musically its maybe not the best band in the world (he uses a drum machine and I hate that), but some of the songs has this pure honest feeling that just makes the hair on you’re arms curl.

Do you know any Greek metal band?

-Sorry I don’t but I seem to remember one, but I have unfortentually forgotten their name but I remember that they sounded really good.

How do you plan to promote your album? Have you arranged any live shows?

-We played this Saturday here in norrtelje (our hometown) and it went really great. A tour is also planned in Germany this winter and in Stockholm there is a metal club that are hoping to play at. But the rest of the promotion we leave to the record company…

No more questions my friend. Just thanks for your time and good luck for your future plans. Closing is yours…

-Thank you for the interwiev hopefully well be more known in Greece after this. Remember, be proud of you’re culture and who you are and never let the globalists erase the differences in the people of Europe. Thank you!