Live-Metal.Net - Interviews: Hearse

Once upon a time, there used to be this singer for the Swedish metal band Arch Enemy named Johan Liiva. Well, of course, any fan of Arch Enemy knows how all that went down, with Liiva leaving the band in favor of Angela Gassow. Shortly after, he got together with his longtime friend and former bandmate in Furbowl and Devourment, drummer Max Thornell. They then recruited guitarist Mattias "Evil Mattias" Ljung. Well, to make a long story short, a new band was formed called Hearse and they have now released four full-length albums and two EPs. Their latest album, In These Veins, just received stateside distribution and is getting strong reviews, especially here at Live-Metal.net, where writer Ryan Mavity says the album is as "relentless as a bear attack and just as brutal. The album grabs hold of the listener by the balls and doesn’t let go for 38 headbanging minutes."

In These Veins is a lethal combination of extreme metal, hardcore, punk and good ol' rock n' roll. Live-Metal.net recently talked with Max Thornell about the band's raw sound, their current relationship with Arch Enemy and, of course, the new album.

Max Thornell: Things are pretty cool over here! Just preparing for the recording of Hearse's fifth album. Think I've got most stuff together now!

I once read a review with the words “A rock´n roll adventure in death metal land!” I think that's a pretty cool description. I'd even go for “a punk rock adventure in death metal land.” Some reviewer thought that we played ordinary death metal that sounds like any band and another one thought that we had a style of our own and don't sound like any other band, so ... Well, I find it pretty hard to describe music and I guess it should be heard instead. But if I'd try, I guess we're a mix of punk, hardcore, death metal and pure rock 'n roll. We listen to a variety of different music and I guess a lot of it somehow gets stuck in our music.

I can't point at a certain band and say that it's an influence. That was easier to do like 20 years ago. Nowadays I listen to so much different music and I never think like, “Hmmm ... now I wanna sound like that or that band!” But a wild guess would be that we somehow got influenced (whether we wanted it or not) by bands like Poison Idea, The Cult, Motörhead, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Carcass, Radiohead, Discharge, Venom, etc.

To me it feels pretty old now, he he! Anyway, we recorded it here in Stockholm during 10 days in the same studio we've used for all our albums. The new thing this time was that we had Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, etc.) to mix the whole thing. That felt just great. Mixing a record is pretty boring after a couple of hours. Then it seems like it aways turns out much better if I'm not there to make any bad decisions, he he! So we pretty much let Dan follow his own mind when it came to the mixing. The only directives he had was that we wanted a natural, organic, rough and heavy production. We were not aiming for this, in my eyes (ears?), terrible modern, sterile, polished sound that so many metal bands plus all the disco, dance and other MTV artists use. I just don't get why even extreme black metal bands wanna sound so slick and polished nowadays. Then I actually even prefer the old Venom productions to this modern sound!

Anyway, I think Dan did a great job! It turned out pretty much the way we wanted. Then of course some reviewers think that it's not crispy enough, and I just go, “Begin reviewing Britney Spears or whatever and you'll have your crispiness!”

Yup, think it turned out pretty cool! As usual, I already hate all the songs, but that's the same thing with every record. I always think that everything sux after some time. Anyway, this is the one I'm most satisfied with so far, which actually pushes me forward to do another album soon. Think we're turning better with every album (know that many people think that we turn worse, but what the heck!) and that kinda keeps me going!

None, actually! What we'd need is a good booking company that could set up some gigs for us. That was a good thing with our former label, Karmageddon Media. They actually offered us a couple of small tours. Anyway, hopefully we'll do some more touring with our next album!

I have read things of course regarding Johan's split with Arch Enemy, but for clarification, what was the story?

Sorry, but it's 2007 now and I can't really see what Arch Enemy has to do with this band any longer. Johan got kicked out from that band seven years ago and that's history now.

Are you still in contact with Michael Amott or have things been sour since the split?

Me and Michael have some e-mail contact now and then. Actually heard from him yesterday last time. Michael is a nice dude and I have nothing whatsoever bad to say about him. I know that Johan and Michael also are in contact now and then. So there's no hard feelings there.

Has Hearse been working on a new record, given that In These Veins has been out for a while now?

I've got like 15 new songs finished, so we're pretty much ready for a new studio session. Just waiting for a good opportunity.

It feels really good. Think that we have a bunch of strong songs put together. We've done a couple of demo recordings in the legendary Swedish Studio Gubbsjuk and it sounds cool.

Have you guys tried to keep your sound similar from album to album or do you like to try to change things up?

The thing is that we never really plan anything when we make music. This is pretty much what comes out natural when we make music together. The thing is that most of the riffs popped up in my head while walkin my dog. Yup, that's actually the truth. When it comes the sound (the production) as I said I'm not that keen on this modern polished sound that seem to be “the metal sound” nowadays. I just don't get it. Why does an extreme metal band wanna sound like Britney Spears or whatever. Well, I guess the audience seem to like it that way too. I want it rough and organic.

I don't really know if there are more extreme metal bands here than in any other country. The thing I guess is that bands here were pretty early and that kinda put Sweden on the map when it comes to extreme metal. We had a bunch of good bands in the beginning like Bathory, Entombed, Grave, Dismember, Carnage, etc. And I guess that inspired more bands to start up activities.

Who lives will see. Hopefully we'll do a couple of more albums, do some more touring and have a real good time before it's time to begin playing golf instead.

Hearse discography:
Dominion Reptilian (2003)
Armageddon, Mon Amour (2004)
The Last Ordeal (2005)
In These Veins (2006)