Unleashed - Interview Anno 1993

During the winter 1989, the Swedish Death Metal act NIHILIST pioneers,  

waste away of the end of prestigious years of glory, devouring,breaking  

carcass, strip the franges of the mind on a large incalculable numbers of  

concerts as many video bootlegs  proves it well. Inflexible a failure, an  

impetuous excitement broke the rock in two parts  with the nucleus of  the

band forming the great ENTOMBED and on the other side of the cosmic tree,

the viking warrior aka Johnny Hedlund spawned to mighty UNLEASHED.

Animated by an uncontrollable rage,they recorded two cult demos ' The Utter

Dark ' and '...Revenge ',3000 copies got sold  within  6 months.In admiration

for the bold work of NIHILIST,I was  determinated to get the first one because

my friend Yann from Necrobestiality zine had already interviewed Johnny

right after that.Being a humble person in respect,he took care to order 10

copies seing the huge sucess it had to his radio show and also since the

publication of his interview.Obviously Johnny has commited to do it in a brief

delay,I would even say he was more faster than Speedy Gonzales,fire in the

ass!!!.It is certain that another  motherfucker should have been inspired by

him....Watching the beautiful prey on some mailorder-list,I stole some money

to my dear parents to buy the two 7's but in hindsight, I have no remorse... 

So,it should be noted that their discography is very eclectic over time while

remaining TRUE!!!Well after having interviewed TIAMAT,  David with

always accompanied of Franck  Interiewed intelligent Johnny for

a long relaxation time, talking and dealing with various social issue, very

interesting for ignorants...

David - How did you find audience tonight?
 

I think they were amazing.I really enjoyed it,yes,finally,absolutely.

Franck : Do you always play ' Countess Bathory ' from Venom?
 

Sometime yes and sometime no,it depends.Sometime we taste to do it   

so and so and then we do it .So it does not happen at all concerts,l say   

we play it in 75% of cases.

David : Do not you think that the concert was too short? 

Ya!We could have played a little longer,maybe,I guess.But again,I don't   

know,maybe could we play one or two songs from the latest release but   

I don't know since how much time the 3rd album is out,then we calculated

that it was to keep this set a little shorter,and maybe around April or May   

the next year when we will  do a new tour including the France,Germany   

and all these countries.That is why we do this concert shorter now.

David : If you come back for a next tour,with which bands will you play?
 

I think that we will headline next time .That's what we usually do.The

reason why we play in second position on this bill is because MORGOTH   

is a bit bigger in Germany.And that is why it's like that.Then,we go in the   

States  around January and after that we will see if we can do another

european tour...who should go over from France too. 

Franck : Your favourites Death Metal bands?
 

I would say MORBID ANGEL,NECROPHOBIC,i don't know if you count   

them as Death Metal but TIAMAT is really good,although this is not really   

a Death Metal band. I don't know ,there a lot of pretty good bands.

OBITUARY,you know,I could tell you tons...PARADISE LOST are GREAT!!!! 

Franck : You seemto be intesrested in Nordic Mythology.Can you tell us
about it?

Well,to begin with, it's because we come from Scandinavia.And in   

Scandinavia,the viking religion was very important a thousand   

years ago.You know,they are our ancestors,this is the place where we

come from.And for us,it's very interesting.Writting lyrics based on history   

and a religion which was so strong  a long time ago is really important for   

us.We didn’t want to be involved with any religion.We do not believe in

physical gods or something like that but we believe in symbols.The   

symbols are supposed to stay,even thousand years later.But the symbols   

like for example this one,Hammer of Thor (he shows us the necklace),it

still means many things for us.This for example meanfor me power and   

strength. It mean that I am a man of promise,I stand at what  say and I will   

fight if someone attacks me,and i dont lie to people,it means that I am a

right person,you see.And you always can trust symbols today,even if we   

are in 1993.And there are thousand years old, back then the people had the   

same kind of convictions. But of course, at this time,the people wasn't

also intelligent.The people are a bit more distinguished now,obviously   

but you know,the symbols are always here. 

Franck : Can you say that it is a search for identity?

Absoluty,yes...It's an identity,look at this,you see (He show us his I.D.)

 

David : You feel like a Viking?

Yes,of course,i come from Sweden.I think that for all the people,no matter

whether you are in France, Turkey, Germany,Sweden or England,it is

important to save his beliefs.And hold,because if you know where you

come from,it is easier to understand the others instead of telling them   

they are stupid because they act a certain way.But if you have strongly

faith in you ,it does not need to be into a religion,it must simply be an idea

convinced of its belief,if you have a belief and a strong identity,it is

more easy to my opinion to deal to people who actually understand.You

see,if you talk for example of something that comes from France,it wil

be more fun and more interesting to exchange our ideas.When I come  

to France,I want to see the French architecture ,so I could talk about MY  

history.I think that it is important.

Franck : The “Mc Donald” society version  does not suit you?

I....Mac Donald doesn't nothing mean anything for me,it's just a piece

of shit.

Franck : It’s the symbol of the American way of life.

Well,it does not always say something for me.I think  that the  

american way of life comes by looking at the indians and that's all.

Franck : If I understand you, you mean the true american?

Correct!So I dont really pay a lot of attention to Mac Donald,and even  

not at all.Its just a piece of shit,really.Sometimes I’ve tried but it's not

food.It's something to put in your stomach so you’re no longer hungry,  

but there was no taste.It's just my opinion.I am not saying that people  

are stupid if they will eat there.I say it’s no real culture,there

is no special feelings.

David : But you do not like the taste of hamburgers?

No i am vegetarian.I eat vegetarian burgers.My fave food, that I also   

cook at home,one that is made by myself,that’s the taste,with much   

vitamin and stuff.So you see,chips and hamburgers mean nothing to

 me.When you are on tour,you must eat sometimes because u don't have   

much time and because the place where the bus stops is the place where   

you eat.Then from time and time you must eat ,but it is not at all

something i'm looking for. 

Franck : UNLEASHED has a inverted cross in the logo.So inverted

crosses seem to be a satanic symbol.As far I know Satan is one part

of the Christianimagination.If you are not Christian,such a symbol no

longer has its purposebecause there is no reason one believes it’s real.

I understand what you say.The only one reason we have this inverted

cross is because of that : The only other way means Jesus Christ and

mean that you have a master.If you put this cross upside down,that

means : no leader.I don't need a master because  I am a free person.

And now the cross means anti-christ,yes,it would mean anti-god,

anti-master.I do not really care whether it comes from Jesus or Allah 

or any other fuckin" god,it simply means that I have anyone above   

me,I'm free.I don't need someone to tell me what I have to do.I have

the freedom to decide for myself.This is what the cross means,because

we turn this upside down command.

Franck : It is not satanic worship.

Well...NO.You see,if you have the satanic bible,you need to know

that Satan is the god of nature,everything human natural attitude

are Satan.But I am not a satanist,no I am a swedish viking.I don't

need to be a demon or anything.I do not care about that,i want to

be a man.

Franck : In our area,some people claim their attachment to Celtic
belief.You understand them?

Definitely.YES!Of course they should be proud and should find out

what happened in their history.I think that its really important.It

means that you have pride,you come from somewhere,you have

a strong identity.And then,it will be more easier to understand

others by sharing ideas,talking about different things...it's interesting. 

Franck : Identity means of existence?

Absolutely!!!

Franck : The future therefore proceeds to the past?

Exact! We feel the same way. 

David : To return to the vegetarian food,is it because of the disgust

of seeing animals killed?

No.This is not an argument.I would find it natural to kill animals if I

knew they were not tortured.You understand what I say?.It's normal

a natural to kill animals,man have eaten animals since the dawn of

time,there is nothing wrong in that.But I think it's wrong to grow

chickens that has a size no bigger than a magazine and put things

that they grow in simply intention to get more meat and more money.

I think its negative,that is why i don't eat animals.But if I know the farm,

cows pigs and everything you’d want to live a life of cow before death

so you don't see a problems eating them.For instance : at Christmas,  

in Sweden,we eat ham and there was ten years,this ham had a ham  

taste.It was good and and it was a lot of taste.But today,if you eat of

ham,it doesn’t really taste good.And why?Yes because of the fact that   

these animals have a much shorter life now because the only one thing   

who interest the people is to grow the pigs,to make them grow very

large,kill them and put them in shops.You know,I don't think that we are  

supposed to hurt the animals in this way,I just don't think it's human.  

There are imperative that.I we cannot treat animals well,how we will

treat us properly?But there is nothing wrong eating meat,I think that  

ethics is not as bad.Otherwise,treat animals like commodities,as objects  

that’s the only things against I protest. 

Franck : Talk about something else.How do you see UNLEASHED future? 

It’s very good! However,its the first time we play in France.So I hope that  

we can go back more often because when we play in Germany or the States,  

it's a bit different.We are of course bigger down there because its the first

time that we come in France.Soon we will start our third american tour and   

after we will proprably do another european tour.And after we will record   

our fourth album.And I would say that the future looks so welcoming

because everywhere we go people seem to be really getting in our music,

audience reactions are great everywhere and i am very pleased about it.

And more importantly,  we are starting to make money on the tour so when

we’re back at home,we can pay our appartment,our phone bills and all that.

Franck : And you can live of your music?
 

YES!Now we can,yes.It wasn't possible before but now we have a good  

manager.It's the same management as MORBID ANGEL,he does an   

important job and efficient for us.So it’s better now.

Franck : You need a job?
 

NO! 

David : are you still friends with ENTOMBED?
 

Ya!

David : Your opinion on ' Wolverine blues ' ?

Hum..I prefer the older albums.I don't know why they don’t do that that   

much.Maybe they couldn't take the competition,maybe they try to be in

a different path,I don't know.I have not asked about it but each one must   

decide which way to go.UNLEASHED for example is a Death Metal band   

with a wide variety and we will stay that way. 

David : You prefer the first ENTOMBED or the first UNLEASHED?

Well,of course,I prefer my album AH AH!

 

David : Me too.

Thank you!!!

Franck : ENTOMBED is more Hardcore than back then....

Well,its strange,you see,because during the last european and

american tours,we had twice as many people than ENTOMBED to

each concerts.So when we are there,in France,they say to me 'Oh "!

If you want to be as big than ENTOMBED,well...They may be bigger

here,I don't know,but in the rest of Europe and the states,we have

twice more people to concerts,so it's really funny.Maybe due to the

fact we played in Paris two years ago and the only thing we have never

made in France.

Franck : There were many people in Paris?
 

In this concert?we play now?

Franck : Hum...Yes.
 

Ah hum....I don't know,Maybe 500,I am not sure.

 

David : And two years ago,How much were there?
 

I think that we played two concerts during  two nights in Paris

and I think there was 600 to each concert.So it's really good,

but it was two years ago.That is why we wanted to do this french  

tour now and play in 5 or 6 cities.

David : Do you like bus tours ?
 

The bus that we use here are not the best.Usually we have fun,I   

really enjoy the tours.I did not have much time for me,but it's  

worth it because you can meet with the crowd everydays and see

their reactions,that is why we play.That is why we have fun that

much.Indeed I hate these big barriers, I want to have a closer

contact with the audience,but the security point of view,it is true

that one can't remove them.But difinitely,I love going on tour!

David : And slam,pogo and mosh?
 

I don't think it belongs to Death Metal,to be honest.I think that Death

Metal is made of wild headbanging and it's my point of view.I think the

slam...you mean ' Stage Diving '?.I think it belongs more to Hardcore,you

see,ANTHRAX,PANTERA and all what you want. But if people feel good in   

slamming ,they can do it as long as they do not hit the microphone,

because if I take in the face,my teeth will fall HA HA HA! 

Franck : Do you think it is difficult to have a family life when you're on

tour?Do you have a wife and children?

No it is not difficult.I have a little girlfriend.But...being on tour is like

being very wild.It's nice to have something to do cos when you go back

home  you’re looking for for something a little more quiet,a quiet life.But

at this time,I drink more.I cannot drink too much on tour because I want

to keep my lyrics,you see,i want to remember everything.So,I drink more

when I am at my home and I try to be more clean when I'm on tour.I

reserve for the time I go on stage,at that time I put on the maximum.

I try to.

David : Its is true that alcohol is expensive in Sweden?

Beers?Sweden?YES!it's a bit more expensive than here.

Franck : In fact did you play in another band before UNLEASHED?
 

David : ENTOMBED?
 

NO! that was the same members but I played in band called NIHILIST.  

But I have never been in ENTOMBED.NIHILIST was pre ENTOMBED.  

So with NIHILIST.YES! 

David : Is there a kind of music that you hate?
 

No,we made some demos and I love them forever.YEAH!!!

David : Hey!this is not i wanted to know, I  mean my question was : Is

there a style of music that you don't like?

Ha!Yes of course,but we must make a clear distinction.I don't hate  

the people who listen to this music but for example,I don't listen Rap

music,I don't like also Disco music,I don't like all this kind of...What's   

it called,Rave bullshit,I live nothing in this style and I am not so much

into Jazz and....you see? But when it's rock'n'roll,it's really amazing!!!

Franck : Would you like to have keyboards or piano in your songs?
 

Definitely not.UNLEASHED is a band with two guitars, bass, drums

and a vocalist,that’s all,nothing more.

Franck :And what do you think of Doom bands like PARADISE LOST?
 

Well,for them,that's ok!TIAMAT has synth and it sounds good for their

music but we play raw Death Metal and I don’t think that this sort of   

instruments belong to us.Some bands use them really well,it suits

them but it's just that we wouldn't like that  into our stuff.But yes!

PARADISE LOST are great,i love their music,good band,definitely.

 

David : Which bands do you like on stage?

SAMAEL are really good,BOLT THROWER : good stage performance,

OBITUARY,CANNIBAL CORPSE.There are many bands of Heavy Metal

that I like to see on stage,AC/DC and bands like that.

David :Old Thrash Metal bands like SLAYER,EXODUS,METALLICA too?
 

I like them very much.I love the first album of EXODUS.But SLAYER

are excellent,they are obviously one of our greatest influence,of

course.METALLICA too.Their last release?I think that it's ok!I don't

like it but it's ok!I was expecting some development of their part .

Because they are into scene for so long and I think they just wanted

to get closer to Heavy Metal bands and put Thrash Metal on hold for a

moment.But you know,I can't really get used to it,that's good but I

prefer ' Ride The Lightning ',' Master Of Puppets ' and ' Kill 'Em All '.

These ones were my favourite albums.

Franck : do you consider yourself to be influenced by seventies bands   

like AC/DC,MC5,JIMMI HENDRIX or MOTORHEAD?

For AC/DC and MOTORHEAD yes but not for the riffing,for structures

and things like that,definitely.I am not at all attracted by JIMMY

HENDRIX’s music personally but our guitarist like him a lot,so I don't

know,each his own.It's very different from one person to another.

David : Do you always reply  to letters from fanzines?
 

I do it but it takes time.The problem is that I am on tour

five months a year and we record albums all year and

there is so much to do.If people send I.R.Cs,I reply but I can't

say that I would answer to them in the next two months,  

I don’t know ,it can take 6 months,but I reply each time. 

Franck : Where can we find your merchandising?  

Our only Merchandising available right now is what we bring   

on tour.The record company has also a lot of stuff but the one   

we love to sale is the one on tour. I don't know,maybe some shops 

have some...

Franck : Do you win a bit of money on merchandising?
 

Yes we get money on what we sell on tour.If you can buy

UNLEASHED tee-shirts in a shop,the record reaches the largest

percentage on the price.That is why we try to bring this on tour

because that is with that that we live.You know,we have to pay

invoices when they arrive at home HA HA!

Franck & David : Alright,I think that's it.
 

OK!Thanks you very much.Nice talking to you!!!

             Interview Done By David & Franck Appeared For Mystifier Zine(R.I.P)

                                  Thanks So Much Bloodbrothers.U rules!!!

                                  Preface Have Been Modified By Kanz-Noz.  

                             Two Picrures From This Gig Taken By Kanz-Noz.