Vomitory is one of the frontrunners in the new wave of Death Metal bands, which have re-vitalised this scene. Their two albums are brilliant and Vomitory deserves a lot of credit for their tireless work for the true Death Metal scene. We got in touch with the band and Tobias Gustafsson (drums) answered our questions.
When and where was Vomitory started ? By whom ??
Urban Gustafsson (guitar) and Ronnie Olson (bass & vocals) started the band in Forshaga in October 1989.
2. Who are currently involved in Vomitory ?
Jussi Linna - vocals
Urban Gustafsson - guitar
Ulf Dalegren - guitar
Erik Rundqvist - bass and me
Tobias Gustafsson - drums.
3. Please tell us more about your demos and '7/EP.
Our first, self-titled demo tape was released in spring 1992 and contained three songs; Moribund, Undivulged and Untouchable challenge. I think it was sold in about 500 copies. The 7" single, which was entitled "Moribund" (B-side was "Dark grey epoch"), was released in early summer 1993 by Witchhunt records and was sold in 1600 - 2000 copies during the first period of two months. The first 1000 copies had a misprinted cover and can be considered as a rarity for the true Vomitory fan. In summer 1993 we recorded a five-track promotion tape in hope to get some record labels attention, but as you might know, nothing further came out of that. In March 1994 we recorded three songs for the demo tape "Through sepulchral shadows". It was sold in 1000 copies.
4. Your debut album "Raped In Their Own Blood" was a sensational release. Please tell us more about this release.
"Raped in their own blood" is the first Vomitory album, and was recorded in April 1996 in an eight-track studio. It was released in November the same year. It contains both old demo songs and song written only for the album. We thought that the older songs were so good so we wanted to include them on the album. So it was not because we had lack of material that we included the demo songs. "Raped…" was released by Fadeless records and has sold about 5000 copies so far, I think. Almost since the release date of "Raped…" we have almost only received very good reviews of it. People liked that we still played old-school death metal, which was totally out of date at that time. Now when we have released "Redemption" people knows it's definite - Vomitory will never compromise! Only old-school is real!
5. Your new album "Redemption" has just been released. Please tell us more about this album. For example the recording, the writing process and the featured tracks.
It was recorded and mixed during two weeks in July 1998 in Berno Studio in Malmo, Sweden, and Henrik Larsson produced it. It contains eight tracks and it has the best and most powerful sound that there ever was on a Vomitory recording. I also think that the whole album has a better structure than "Raped…", and that's because all the songs are written in a shorter period of time than the ones on "Raped…". My personal favourites on "Redemption" are "The Voyage", "Redemption" and "Heaps of blood".
6. Please tell us more about the lyrics.
The lyrics deals mostly with the usual - death, destruction and war. It is Erik, Ulf and Jussi who writes our lyrics.
7. Vomitory is a strange band in the Swedish scene, with the strong leanings toward the American Death Metal sound instead of your native Swedish Death Metal sound. Please tell us more about your sound.
Our sound is nothing we have chosen intentionally. It just turn out this way when we write songs, 'cause it's simply the way we think that death metal should sound. Personally I think we sound much more Swedish than American.
8. Who are your inspirations ?
We're influenced by everything we listen to, but some bands that means a little more to us when we write songs are Bolt thrower, Slayer, Vader, Napalm death and early Entombed and Grave. Drummers that really inspire me are Nicko McBrain (Iron maiden), Doc (Vader), Dave Lombardo, Ian Paice (Deep purple) and Neil Peart (Rush).
9. Are any members of Vomitory involved in other bands/projects ???
Some years ago most of the members had other bands, Ulf and Thomas played in the doom-metal band Nezgaroth, Ronnie played in Gehennah and I played in both Eureka, Timothy Griffiths' Psychedelic sunrise and a band that played Kiss songs, not in all bands at the same time though. Nowadays it's only Erik and Jussi that have other bands beside Vomitory. Erik plays in a band called Obscure and they play melodic heavy metal and Jussi plays in the grindcore band Grisgrinder, but they don't rehearse very often so I don't really know whether they exist or not.
10. To wrap the whole thing up; what is your plans for the rest of 1999 and next year ??
The next thing is to release the ten year anniversary 10" picture mini-LP in October. It will be released by Fadeless records and contains five songs - "The art of war" (new song), "Undivulged" (re-recorded demo song), "Dead cold" (old song, previously unreleased and unrecorded), "Extremity retained" (Napalm death) and "Christ passion" (Sodom). It will be very limited so the true death metal freak shall really keep their eyes open for it. In November we will go on tour in UK (London, Brighton & Derby), The Netherlands (Tilburg, Nijmegen, Hengelo & Rotterdam), Germany and maybe Belgium. The bands that will join us are Deranged (once again!), Dawn of decay and Mangled, and everybody is welcome to get their asses there and bang their heads off. We plan to record our next album in March/April next year. We will probably use Berno studio once again 'cause it's a damn good studio, and it's very easy to work there.
11. Where can Vomitory be contacted ?
vomitory@hotmail.com
12. Anything you want to add to this interview ?
All headbangers should really come and see us on tour in November! Thanx for the interview. Cheerz.