| w/JOHAN HEGG |
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| Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: When writing for your newest release Fate of Norns, I’m curious as to why the band chose the concept of fate as the albums theme because you have been quoted as saying that personally you don’t believe in this? Johan Hegg: Well, it’s not really that strange. The Vikings happen to be fateless. The old mythology is built around fate in many ways. It’s one of the aspects that I wanted to bring forward in mythology that really interests me. Personally, I happen believe that you create your own fate. Of course fate can be so many things. I don’t think there’s any predestined fate for all of us. I do however think that for every choice we make or for every action there’s a reaction. So with a choice that you make you will have a certain fate that will bring something. But it’s not really like you don’t have a choice. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: How do you feel about Fate of Norns compared to the last record and was there any pressure felt to follow up to the well-received Versus the World? Johan Hegg: Versus the World was very well received and it is a very good album. In a way we felt we had to live up to the expectations. Personally I felt more pressure for Versus the World than I did for this album. Because of the fact that Versus the World was so successful, it really sort of gave us some breathing space. We knew that we had a successful album in the back and if this album was not really going to top that it wouldn’t be a problem. But still you always want to be better at everything you do. But there was a bit of pressure. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: When recording for the new release did the band approach this process differently than with Versus the World because I noticed, as with the songs themselves, the sound seems to have matured. Johan Hegg: I would say that we approached the production part of it differently. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: In what way? Johan Hegg: The actual writing of the songs. The style we write music is still pretty much the same but we did try to make an effort to develop our sound a bit further and I think we did that in a pretty good way, maybe even to good actually. We had really good sound from the beginning which we changed. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: It came out great! Sound wise, it’s full and plus like I said, it seems to have matured from Versus the World. You can tell the difference in the production. Although Versus the World was a great album. Johan Hegg: Thank you. Versus the World was a big step for us sound wise and changing studios and all. For this album, we really took the time and put a lot of effort into creating the sound that we wanted to have and whether we’ve succeeded or not, is more for other people to judge if it’s good or not. I think we’ve got really good sound out of this production. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Are the songs all new or were some left over from previous albums? Johan Hegg: Everything on this album is brand new stuff. Of course some of the riffs have been with us for a while but we haven’t really been able to do anything with them until now. We still use all the material that we feel are possible songs. Material that we feel “alright, this is going to be good on the album”, we’ll use that for the album. That’s how we always work. We don’t write a lot of excess songs or anything. We just write material for the next album and make the songs that we have as good as possible. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: When speaking of past albums, you have told me that Olavi wrote 90% of the riffs while you maintained all the lyrics. Johan Hegg: Sort of. Actually, Olavi wrote 99% of the riffs. But the general concept is true. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Oh, ok! (Laughs) Did you follow this same process when arranging for Fate of Norns or was it more of an equal effort within the band because you can definitely hear many influences then with previous albums? Johan Hegg: Lyrically it’s me writing the lyrics even though I’ve had a lot of ideas coming from different people. Such as Beheading of the King which is a lyrical idea that Olavi came up with. So yeah, there has been more contributions from other members in the lyrical dept. as well. Musically, it’s been more divided between the members. Especially since Johan Soderberg the other guitar player, he wrote new songs. He wrote the music for two songs completely, Where Death Seems to Dwell and Valkyries Ride. In many aspects we brought a lot of new influences, new angles and new ideas into our music that way. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Are you surprised at the bands success and what do you think keeps Amon Amarth victorious? Johan Hegg: It’s not that I’m surprised really. We’ve been working very hard for this and to get where we are today and we still want to go further of course. We’ve been very determined. We’ve been doing a lot of touring to get ourselves out there and to be seen and to be noticed in the scene. We’ve been on tour a lot and making sure that we’re out there for the fans and writing good albums which is also very important. We also had a backing of a very good label who believed in us and supported us which is also helpful. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Along with the new album comes a bonus DVD of 45 minutes of footage shot at a show in Iceland. Being that you’ve added this to your release, do you foresee maybe releasing a band DVD for the fans in the near future? You definitely have more than enough material and the road experience would make for some great behind the scenes footage. Johan Hegg: We’re actually working on collecting material. We’ve had an unfortunate set back which there’s not much we can do about. We had our old video camera stolen and some tapes. It was stuff from the first tour. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: That’s the stuff the fans really want to see. Johan Hegg: Exactly. It’s really sad but there’s not much we can do about it. We’ll just have to gather new material and try to make sure that we have enough interesting stuff for people to watch. When this DVD comes out we’re going to do a special live show that’s going to be surrounding this DVD. I’m not sure when this DVD will come out. It’s still in the planning phase. There are no dates set. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I know the band just came back from a mini-tour in Europe not to long ago. Will you tour extensively in support of Fate of Norns as you did in support of Versus the World and when can the fans anticipate a US tour? Johan Hegg: I definitely hope so. But a US tour, I’m not really sure as of yet. It all comes down to the point where we need to have the right offer for us. It’s really difficult for us to tour in the US since we’re not at the level of where we’ll be actually making any money at this point. We’re not able to headline in the US. So we really need to feel that the tour that we’re going on is giving justice to us as a band and so the fans also get something out of it. It’s a matter of finding the right concert. We have people working on it so hopefully the beginning of next year. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Why do you think it is that you haven’t headlined yet? You guys are good! Johan Hegg: It comes down to one thing and one thing only and it’s record sales. We don’t sell enough in the US as of yet. Hopefully with more touring the sales figures will go up and we’ll be able to come over and headline. It’s like that wherever you go. You need to start somewhere and normally you need to start by being the support act. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You really don’t sell as much in the US as you do overseas? I’m surprised. Johan Hegg: No. We sell more over here in Europe. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Speaking of touring, last time we spoke you shared some pretty comical tour stories as well as the best and worst to have shared the stage with. With that said, this past year the band had an impressive tour schedule sharing the road with some of the best so I must ask if you have any more fun stories to share and if you came across any bands that acted like “rock stars” because in past conversations you’ve verbalized on how much you love and look forward to this while on tour? (Laughs) It’s a joke Johan because you were saying last time how you hate the bands that act like “rock stars”. Johan Hegg: (Laughs) We have had some stuff happen to us but it’s really not that funny. We played somewhere in Massachusetts and were driving down to New York and we were in a mini-van so we had to stop at a motel somewhere. But all the motels we found were booked full or too expensive. We kept driving, driving and driving and then we had to stop. We found this motel with one king size bed and this heart shaped tub and we had to spend the night there. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: All five guys huh? (Laughs) Johan Hegg: It was cheap! (Laughs) We did a tour on the East side in March. Somewhere in Texas we stopped at a hotel and when we came to our room the door to the room next door was open and there was a woman lying on the bed with a pillow over her face. We were like “ok”. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You didn’t go in and investigate. (Laughs) Johan Hegg: No, we called the manager and he said “yeah, I know her. It’s no problem. Close the door and we’ll give you another room.” The day after our tour manager asked “what happened and did you call the police?” and he said “no, I saw her today. She was out walking”. It’s like why didn’t you call the police? She could have been fucking dying in there. Then we realized we saw a lot of hookers coming in and out of the elevator. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Maybe she was fond of not breathing. Maybe it was one of their fetishes. (Laughs) Leave it to the US, right. Johan Hegg: (Laughs) I have no idea but there was probably a lot of drugs going on in that hotel. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: What are you listening to when not in Amon Amarth mode? Johan Hegg: Actually I don’t really sit down and listen a lot to music and if I do, I’m mostly into 80’s stuff, Motorhead, Slayer and even bands such as Motley Crue. They were around when I was growing up. It’s cool stuff to listen to. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Wait back to the last question because you didn’t answer it. So did you run into any rock stars? (Laughs) Johan Hegg: No, not lately, except for ourselves. The last tour we did with Impious and Disillusion over here in Europe I really felt like a rock star because we were headlining and doing hour and half set every night. Keeping with my voice I really couldn’t hang out and party with the guys so every night I went to bed early, really boring. I was really boring. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Johan I’m making a joke because last time we spoke you had said that you weren’t going to name names but you hate bands that act like rock stars. That’s what I’m making the inference to. (Laughs) Johan Hegg: Well yeah. I don’t remember that. I say so much stupid shit. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: But that’s what I meant and then you’re like “well, I kind of felt like one”. So now you’ve turned into what you dislike! (Laughs) I’m only kidding. Johan Hegg: Well, no it’s not like I acted like one. I really had to take care of my voice. (Laughs) I was really boring and everyone’s having fun but me. I’m going to ask for one day off between every show from now on. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Well, don’t act like a rock star to much. I don’t want to see you with a cape and a crown next time. (Laughs) Johan Hegg: (Laughs) No worries there. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You guy’s have out done yourselves again with the release of Fate of Norns and am looking forward to catching the set live. I had better see the t-shirt I gave you and Olavi while on tour, their not cheap ya know. (Laughs) Johan, it’s always a pleasure. With that said, do you have any final words for The Metal Web!? Johan Hegg: I’ve got the t-shirt some where. To the fans and to the people reading, check out the new album and hopefully we’ll see you guy’s on tour. Beware of Bud Light it really gives you the runs. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Ok, that’s a good note to end with. I’m sure a lot of people would like to know that. (Laughs) Johan Hegg: (Laughs) I’m sure probably most of the people in the US know that already. They don’t call it butt wiper for nothing. OFFICIAL SITE "AMON AMARTH": http://www.amonamarth.com HOME |
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