INTERVIEW RUNEMAGICK

Fans had to wait eleven years for the new Album (release date July 20, 2018) of Swedens death /doom underground cult act RUNEMAGICK. But let me say first, the new album was worth the wait. Guitarrist and vocalist Nicklas Rudolfsson answered my questions.

First of all I have to say that the new album is really great, but I didn’t expect anything else.What can you tell us about the process of creating  this album and writing the songs ? When did you start with writing new songs and why did it take 11 years for the new album ? How would you describe the new album in your own words , maybe in relation to the prior Runemagick releases as well ?

Always nice to hear that there are people who like our music. Especially now that it was many years ago we released something new. Most of the material, both riff arrangements and lyrics, are written in 2017 and early 2018. Possibly there is some older riff here and there too.

If I describe the material from my point of view, I can probably say that it is quite straightforward arrangements and songs. As for tempo, it is often heavy mid-tempo riffing and drumming the “Runemagick style” mixed with some heavier doom parts and some more up-tempo stuff.

I do not know for sure, but I imagine that if you like any of our previous albums, you should recognize the new material as well. It may not be so obscure material as on "Envenom" rather more about "Enter The Realm Of Death" and "Darkness Death Doom" I suppose.

11 years… time flies. Yes we decided to start up again in 2017. Before that we can say we had a long break. However, no quiet break, it has been full of other bands, projects and other activities in life. Then it has probably also been that inspiration from our side during that period has been partly gone so to speak. Then you can say that there was some lack of inspiration too. 

Please introduce the current line up to the readers including other bands and projects of the band members.

It’s the same lineup as all albums since “Darkness Death Doom” recording in 2002. It’s me on guitars and vocals, Emma on bass and Daniel on drums.

Both me and Daniel have both been in many bands and projects over the years and are still relatively active. Daniel play drums in Katatonia, Heavydeath and other various projects from time to time. I also play in Heavydeath with Daniel. Then I have other projects and collaborations like Necrocurse, Saltas, Nirucon and so on. For more information about my music visit nirucon.se

Emma is currently only involved in Runemagick.

Maybe you want to give a short comment to each single Runemagick-album individually ? In general, the Runemagick-sound developed always more in an darker and  more doomy direction. Did this happen as a natural process or was this your intention ?

Our music has certainly been influenced by several line-up changes, especially in the early years, but also inspiration and development, I think. In the early years it was unstructured and very back and forth between different wills and "styles". The first “real” album to me is "Enter The Realm Of Death". But I feel it was on "Darkness Death Doom" that we started getting some kind of own identity or what you can call it for the band and its music.

A few words on all full albums then,

The Supreme Force of Eternity (1998)

The first album. It was recorded with many mistakes according to me, like wrong tempos and some stupid ideas like re-recording some very old songs instead of newer ones that already were written that later turned up on the 2nd album… But I know that a lot of fans like it so that’s ok. But I can’t listen to it haha.

Enter the Realm of Death (1999)

This should, as I said earlier, be the debut album according to me. I still like most of the songs.

Resurrection in Blood (2000)

Not listened to this album for many years. I remember that I was not as satisfied with this album as the previous one. But I think most of the material was okay. Know that we got a stupid idea to put on too much keyboards here and there but what the fuck. We played some of the songs live several times.

Dark Live Magick (live album 2001)

Don’t remember how it sounds at all right now. Sounds probably like crap, haha.

Requiem of the Apocalypse (2002)

First album recording with Emma and Daniel in the lineup. I know we rehearsed and enjoyed that time a lot. Some problems with Fredrik (guitar) that often drank too much beer and booze before recordings and gigs. Long ago I listened to this album too, but I think there were some good material here and there. We recorded most of the album in our home/rehearsal place as I remember it.

Moon of the Chaos Eclipse (2002)

This album is a bit special, everything is recorded in 1-2 days. From the start, we just planned to record some songs (that were written) for an EP or something like, as I remember it. But we wrote more songs during the recording session and just drove on. We were exhausted afterwards but besides the weak thin sound I think some songs turned out very good. Also recorded in our rehearsal place. Fredrik left the band after this session.

Darkness Death Doom (2002/2003)

One of the best recordings and material with the band. We rehearsed a lot so everything was recorded quickly. The drums were recorded (at Los Angered Recording) in a long damn take, Daniel is a maniac! Then the rest were recorded at home/rehearsal place. Some small mistakes here and there but on the whole, I really like this album!

And the bonus CD, The Pentagram. Fucked up improvisations and kind of stupid thing I guess. Why? well, don’t know.

On Funeral Wings (2004)

I like most of the songs. The sound may not be so good as it is recorded with low budget equipment in the rehearsal room. Otherwise, I think the material was a good continuation of the "Darkness Death Doom" album.

I think it was after this recording that we basically stopped rehearsing. Do not really remember the details why. But we might have driven the band too hard. New things came into our lives. But I still wrote lots of riffs and music, and more recordings were made …

Envenom (2005)

In my opinion this became a shady, dark and odd album. Most of the material was arranged and jammed together during the same days we recorded. So no traditional rehearsing. The sound became obscure and much worse than we had hoped for. But at some point, that sound gave the album its “charm”. We barely did anything in the mix. Most effects were recorded at the takes. I see the album and songs like musical trips or adventures. No radio hits so to speak.

Invocation of Magick (2006)

Another album we met to record without rehearsing. We arranged and recorded for a few days, then it was done. Have no direct opinion about it, I like some of the riffs. We were very much into heavy and slow riffing and tempos at that time. However, I have difficulty listening to it because I had huge recording problems with a worn out guitar that was difficult to get working and be playable and lot’s of intonation problems. Poor musician, haha.

Dawn of the End (2007)

The final album before the long sleep.

Had to listen to it now and there are actually a lot of interesting song parts. It is a continued journey and development in the dark and slowness. Heavy and lots of riffs!

The same shitty guitar with even more worn out frets but it sounds ok. The last recording with that old Ibanez Artist. Still got it somewhere and still needs to be refretted!

Runemagick exist now for 28 years, please tell us about the ups and downs in bandhistory.

Downs = lot’s of lineup changes/problems until 2002 and a few breaks here and there. Perhaps a bit too much low budget and stressed recordings.

Ups = I’m proud of many of the songs and what we created together. Now that I think back on it, it's been a pretty big part of my life. Then I and Emma became a couple in the meantime too, I have to say that is an "up" also, haha.

What was the reason that Runemagick did not stay at Century Media after the first three albums ?

Do not remember everything so directly, but I think we were too small for that company. Runemagick has always felt like a obscure underground band to me. But it may not the case, what do I know. As I said, did not exactly remember what happened but maybe they were interested in a new contract. Maybe we were not either.

I have the impression, on the one hand Runemagick are very underrated in comparison with other bands, but on the other hand you have some very loyal fans. Do you agree ? What could be the reason for this ?

Hard to say. We may be bad at growing out of the deep underground. At the same time, perhaps, as you say we have loyal but few fans.

Are there future plans to play live, maybe even in Germany ? A little tour maybe or some festival appearances ? In general I think, RUNEMAGICK didn’t play a lot of gigs, why ? Don’t you like it or had there been other problems ?

We have decided that we will try to play a few gigs this and next year. Then we'll see what's happens. We therefore accept gig requests, but it must feel right and fit with our calendars, so to speak. This year we will at least play at Killtown Deathfest in Denmark and a gig in New York. So far.

And yes we will play in Germany next year if everything goes according to plan.

I'm more a creator of music than performer. But of course it's fun to play live sometimes too. And it is true that we have not done so many gigs in the past. Much due to lineup problems. Some of the old gigs were totally horribly bad according to me. But hope it's getting better now, it will!

In the end, please answer these two questions that have nothing to do with Runemagick: How does it feel to be one of the creators of SACRAMENTUMS „Far away from the sun“ ? Are you proud of it ? I think a lot of people discovered this record in the years after its release, and now a lot of people consider this album as a genre classic and mention it together with DISSECTIONS first two albums or NAGLFARS debut album for example. I think, until today it sells some copies, Century Media did a re-release. Your thoughts and emotions concerning this ?

Sacramentum, to be honest, that album was not really my style, so to say, not as I felt back then. But I contributed with material to it sure. Morbid guys in the band and we had total chaos and fun at the same time. I have not listened to it for many years until last year and I must say it sounded better than I thought, brings lots of memories. So, sure I'm proud of it, because I know many people like it.

From the beginning I thought I would only play drums temporarily with that band. But it became more than that. I have many memories of crazy tours and other stuff.

The next question concerns the VASSAGO / ANTICHRIST-split LP, do you know it ? I think your brother played in VASSAGO (pre-LORD BELIAL) ? I think the ANTICHRIST-side is not something very special, I only ask because the band was from the area I’m living in (Cologne,Germany) and I saw a concert with them and met them a couple of times, of course in todays scene no one longer knows this band…

I remember that split. “Pepa” gave me a few copies back then. None of my brothers played with Vassago, I’m 100% sure. But I know another guy who did.

The last words are yours….

Thank you very much for the interview!

Follow the latest Runemagick news at runemagick.se and my other projects as well at nirucon.se