1. Greets! Three years ago you released your last album...there were many fans, who worried about it...Today, things are changed, new album is out, so how do you feel?

Yes, the new album is out! First in a digipak edition of 3500 units with bonus track and later the standard jewel-case version. Since the last opus, "Endtime Divine",a couple of Line-up changes occured(as always). Zathanel and Wrath departed and were replaced by Infaustus – vocals and Funestus on bass. Zathanel left due to lack of interest in the scene and some personal issues and Wrath decided to work fulltime with his main act Naglfar. With this new line-up I think that we have become even more professional than before. We can rehearse with a full line-up every week which in the past was impossible due to the fact that Wrath lives almost 400 kilometers north from our town; Sundsvall. We worked really hard with the musical arrangements as well as the vocal arrangements which I think can be heard quite clearly on the new album. Every aspect, from the music to the layout and even pressrelated issues is handled more professional nowadays. We are currently planning upcoming tours and since the last tour took place 9 years ago we are more than excited to get on the road again. This may sound like a standard cliché but We are really taking Setherial to whole new level now which you will notice if you see us on stage this summer.

2. You certainly get many reactions to the album, positive or negative. How do you receive negative critique? And what kinds of reactions have Death Triumphant recorded to this day according to you?

I have not read too many reviews, but I think most of press appreciates it; in general the reaction has been positive. Many fans, even those who has been with us since the early days get in touch and say it’s our strongest release so far in terms of songs and production. One thing that bothers me; If we get negative critique, it sometimes turns out that the reviewer seems to have a negative approach to the music in the first place. I really respects when you can tell by the review that the author has really listened to the album, and makes deeper comments on the musical content. May it be positive or negative response, I don’t matter as long it is a serious review.

3. It’s impossible to forget ask you about your satisfaction...Did you feel stress during the creation or you worked how you need? What can you tell about Death Triumphant after some more time?

We have no stress when writing new material. The process takes as long time as it needs basically. Material has been worked for the better part of three years, but most of the material that actually made it to the album where written more recently. Basically we didn’t settle for songs that felt merely decent, but rather we wanted to wait until we had something substantial to record before making the new album. There is little point in releasing a new album if there is nothing new to be added to the sound, if the new songs don’t stand out from the songs on the previous albums.


4. Has the title of the album deeper and connected meaning? Maybe some visions about the end of the world or mirror of these days...?

It is a celebration of the dead and non-existing and a declaration of war towards the living and existing. In the end, death shall always triumph! The lyrics all deal with dark topics as is always the case with the lyrics of Setherial, and you will be able to recognise the mood and textures that have defined the band lyrically through the years this time as well. But as for the idea of the album following a concept, I would say that the concept being followed is the concept of the band as such. The lyrics is very important because they shall represent and strengthen the musical experience. Black metal vocals are in general quite unmelodic so it is important to have great vocal-lines also. Sometimes the rhytm of the vocals is just as important as the message but I think that we combined excellent vocal-lines with really interesting and wellwritten lyrics.

5. Who writes the lyrics? Only singer or other people? In the previous albums, there were often word Satan, not yet. Do you think, that lyrics about Satan are cliché?

Since our music is violent and grim it deserves dito lyrics. Our lyrics are very personal since they are a reflection of our musical visions. They are our innermost thoughts printed into words. On “Death triumphant” the lyrics was mostly written by me and Infaustus, but also Kraath and Choronzon contributed with a track of their own. “Satan” is used only on the track “Hellstorms over the empyrean”. I don’t its cliché, it’s a powerful word for us and we use it if the track demands it. Concerning earlier, our 3rd album “Hell Eternal” is a satanic celebration of hell and therefore it’s obvious that “Satan” appears more often in that album.

6. First time I wanted to tell you, that you have fixed line-up, but when I see last years, the changes in line-up are not overlook...But since 2003 all have stayed at rest, do you think, that this helps the band?

When the line-up is stable, as in the current situation, the evolution of the band as musicians accelerates as we play the songs tighter and tighter. We also become a better a better entity in term of live-band. I have in fact not felt as positive about the line-up as now. Infaustus and Funestus was exactly the kind of injection that Setherial needed to evolve further.

7. When I heard new album for the first time, I occurred, that you add technical at the expense of brutality, do you agree? I would say, you have almost deathmetal sound and all is professional and dynamic...Did you want to create reversal album in the history of Setherial?

Our intention was to record our best sounding and professional album so far and I think we succeded in that. We managed to create an album that has its roots deep in the swedish black metal soil but with some new elements that will appeal to even more people than before. "Death Triumphant" is an highly martial product which we are more than pleased with. The sound is more polished and distinct, which could probably be the result of mixing in another studio than before. In Nekromorbus studio we worked hard to make a sound image where every instrument had its certain place. It doesn’t sound necro in comparison with other BM albums, but the album sound exactly as it was meant to sound. It wouldn’t fit with another type of sound. It have a more dynamic and atmospheric sound than the previous albums.


8. You left Napalm records and now you release by Regain records – they released you two albums yet – for how long time will you cooperate with them? Are you satisfied with this label?

As for Regain Records I have a lot of confidence in them, they are utterly professional and handle their responsibilities really well.

9. When we look at your way in Setherial, we find out, that you changed guitar for drums...it is unusual...Why did you do it, what was it for you and what was better for you?

I started to play drums after “Nord” was released for a short while, just for fun and no intitial purpose actually. Then I begun more serious again after “Lords of the nightrealm” was released, we had lost our current drummer Moloch, and I was tired of how hard it was to find a descent drummer. I decided I would play the drums myself on the next albums. I motivated myself and learned quite fast how to handle the drums, although my technique wasn’t very good, and I wasn’t too tight, I managed however to play on Hell eternal (with a more will than technique; probably…). Now days, I play in more professional manner after a click-track when recording drums; in order to be as tight as possible, and I’m more comfortable in my technique.

10. Do you have as drummer any dodges? But only, if it isn´s your secret :-) What mark of percussion do you use and why you started with drumming?

Taking over the drums is something I definitely not regret. It is more of a challenge and physical strain, and I get a more outflow of energy from drums than guitar, especially in black metal. I really like to play dynamic, aggressive and fast. I use a Pearl drumkit, Axis double-pedal and Sabian HHX cymbals.

11. I argue with my colleague about the best album...it´s between “Nord” and “Lords of the Nightrealm”. What about your favorite album?

With no doubt, I’m most proud of the latest opus “Death triumphant”. The music is composed the same way today as it was back in the days. The only difference is that we have evolved a lot as musicians. Progression within black metal is not always something bad but I think that you can loose credibility if you change your sound too much. I know that there are a lot of fans that would kill for a "Nord" part II but that is not going to happen. If you play in a band on a serious level you want to try out new things. Writing the same book twice is not so very rewarding for an artist. This does not mean that we have changed our trademark style but we have incorporated some new aspects to our music that makes this record to our strongest.


12. There are many quality and new photos on your pages...who took it? Some professional photographer, or talented friend?

We got in contact with a photo-student in our local town. It was in fact Regain records who contacted him in the first place and gave him a job to take press photos of us. It is with no doubt the best photos we’ve done so far. Very professional result indeed.

13. About another thing...do you watch football? The World Championship is running, Swedish team is out now, but...

No, sorry. I’m not interested at all…

14. Do you visit gigs, have you time and mood for it? Are you going to prepare tour with Setherial for support new album?

Yes, hopefully we will tour with the new album. There is some plans to tour in the autumn with another famous band on Regain rec. Check out our wesite for further news…

15. Are you going to film videoclip to any song? It´s only idle wish...

Nothing is planned for certain, but maybe in the future…

16. Do you prefer chaos to rule?

I would like the world to be mirrored as in the front cover of “Death triumphant”!

17. It´s all from me...thanks for goodwill and many spun heads during the listening to Death Triumphant!

Thanks Fastred for your support. Check out our new piece of supreme black metal art "Death Triumphant" and come and bleed with us when we come to Germany in August. 9 years has passed since we last toured so we are really hungry to unleash some pure black energy on you on stage. Prepare for extinction, death shall triumph!