1. Greetings Jens. As we can see, Sweden was definitely not idle in the recent year and there were produced some very promising records. Just for starters, which of them did hold your interest?

I’m not very interested in checking out new releases. I think about 90% of all swedish releases is pretty mediocre and I simply don’t have all the energy to sort out the good 10% that’s left. Although, if I’d pick one album, I’d choose Thyrfing „Farsotstider“. It’s a good album with the right kind of atmosphere and ambitions. I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch of great albums, and that’s of course too bad… but with Profundi, I’m writing the music I want to hear, and that’s basicly all I need. My inspiration comes from within and Profundi is my ‚tool‘ to visualize these tunes out from my mind.

2. You released your debut immediately in the year of founding Profundi. I´m sure, that scores of fans grieved at your leaving Naglfar, but you apparently managed to return strong, very strong. I suppose, that you already have had some ideas of forming Profundi earlier...

Well, I’ve been working on the Profundi album for quite some time actually. But I decided not to announce the album, or Profundi for that matter, until the whole album was finished and ready for release. I guess that’s part of the reason why things appears to have been done quickly.
I did this with purpose, because I didn’t want to rush things to finish the album. For once, I really wanted to produce an album in my own pace, according to my own conditions and demands. I didn’t want to get all these e-mail questions like „when will the album be released?“ and such things, so instead I didn’t spread the name of the project or anything until the moment was right to do it.
All this has given result in what I believe to be the strongest material I’ve ever written. I hate deadlines when my creativity or quality comes in second priority. So, to avoid all these kind of situations, I simply took my time that I felt was necessary before I even announced Profundi as a project of mine.

3. Your debut is called „The Omega Rising“, which sounds a little bit obscure – it´s hard to imagine some deeper basis of the album. The name of album, of the songs, they remind me of some decadence of society or something like this... putridity of the world. Well, I suppose, I don´t have to explain, what would interest me as answer to question...

„The Omega Rising“ is, to put it simple, kind of „the end of the world is rising“ but in different words, of course.
The title sets the overall theme for the entire album, and for the atmosphere that Profundi stands for, which basicly is a tribute to the powers of hell, the demons of the underworld and the downfall of mankind.

4. What was your source of inspiration? How long did it take you to compose and record songs? Is there anyone, who helped you vitally with preparation of the album?

I don’t know exactly how much time I spent on each song, because I sort of created and recorded most of the songs at the same period of time. Since I’ve handled all the recordings myself, I’ve been able to work in a pace that suits good to me, if I got stuck in the middle of one song, I just moved on to another for the time being. So, I guess I spent quite a lot of time all in all, and as a result of this everything turned out as good as I was aiming for. I don’t have any specific sources of inspiration. I think I have reached this point where all my ideas comes from within, from my own mind. And not from any other band’s music. I simply produce the music that I want to hear and from that I create the tunes and visions I have in my mind.


5. You manage all instruments just by yourself (only drums are automatic?), so you can handle even more than just vocals. Do you practise playing the guitar for long time? I would like to hear some details about the place, where you recorded „The Omega Rising“.

Yes, I handle all instruments myself, except for the drums which are programmed (which in a way is an artform of itself, I think).
I’ve been playing guitar and bass guitar on my own for quite some time you know, so this wasn’t any new experience for me actually. But, I haven’t been playing lead guitars in my past. So, for this album I simply had to practise lead guitar techniques over and over until I got good enough to pull off the leads the way I wanted to… and that’s how they sound on the album.
As already mentioned, I recorded the entire album myself in my own home studio. I’ve been interested in sound recording techniques for some time and I’ve bought all necessary equipment and so on. This way, I could spend all the time I needed to make every song as good as possible, which sometime is impossible in a regular studio because there is a time- or budget limit. So for the first time, I’ve been able to really focus on all details within each song, and to get everything perfect, from the first note to the last second throughout the entire album. I know what kind of sound I’m looking for, so it’s far more conveniant for me to have the control over the whole production instead of letting some fuckin‘ studio engineer have the control, that might not understand what kind of guitar sound I’m aiming for.

6. There could be seen certain resemblance to Naglfar on the result of your recording (even if you´re probably not very keen on listening to this), it obviously refers to the singing, bud also to variable, catching and attractive melodics and Profundi could be even compared with the older stuff from Setherial (if I should seek among your countrymen). Are you not afraid of obstinate Naglfar fans, who could condemn you for plagiarism, which they will be definitely able to find in your music? To do harm is quite popular in these times...

First, I don’t give a fuck about any kind of bullship talking or gossip behaviour in any way, this kind of teenage-girl bullshit usually belongs to incompetent people who simply can’t create good music or lyrics on their own, and instead complaining about other peoples work. And if people think Profundi reminds of the sound of Naglfar… well, I don’t give a fuck about that either. I was a member in that band for over 10 years, I was one of the forming members and I’ve been an important piece in how Naglfar got their sound they have today. So, if anyone think it’s strange if Profundi might have some resemblance with the sound of Naglfar, then think again for fuck’s sake.
I believe there are some vast differences between Profundi and every band or project I’ve been involved with. Both in the music, but mainly in the entire atmosphere concerning Profundi… like this whole do-it-yourself strategies for example.

7. What do you think of the public acceptance of your record then?

Well, the reviews I’ve seen so far has been pretty good far, so that’s cool I guess. The thing is, for me it doesn’t really matter what people think about the album. For me, it’s not that important with reviews or album sales numbers… I’m doing this shit for myself! I do the music I want to hear and that’s the main thing I care about. Sure, if I get a great fuckin‘ review, I‘ll appreciate it of course. The same goes for interviews too, I appreciate that a magazine or fanzine thinks highly of my work and in respect for that I definitely answer all interviews I get and so on. But let’s say that the situation was the opposite, that the album only got low rates, I still wouldn’t mind it. Reviews is basicly just the opinion of one tiny motherfucker, no more. And in my mind is „The Omega Rising“ the album of the year, no matter whether other people like it or hate it.

8. So you started to play solo... Don´t you consider cooperating with anyone else? If so, do you already have any choise in advance?

I will continue to run Profundi as a one man project. I work best alone, and involving other persons would only make things worse. I mean, I can handle all instruments myself, I can manage all artwork, lyrics, website, photos, recording, mixing etc etc myself, there’s no need at all for me to search for another member.


9. Question closely related to the previous one: do you consider making any live performances?

No, I have no plans at all to do any live performances. As said, I don’t want to involve other members or so, and searching for some kind of session members feels more like a waste of time.
I’ve already done all the gigs and festival shows I’ve wanted to do. I look for new goals to accomplish now, goals that doesn’t have anything to do with touring or live performances.

10. Profound Lore Records took care of the release of your album, was it easy to find some label? Well, if you don´t have something in common with them... ;-)

Profound Lore Records did the US release of „The Omega Rising“, here in Europe it has just been released by the german label Viva Hate Records.
Finding a label wasn’t totally easy actually. Several labels were really into the album, but was unable to release it for various reasons… and then there were some labels that I had to turn down too, because they simply couldn’t offer me the kind of cooperation I’m looking for. This whole label thing has been a bit complicated, because I have quite special demands of every label I choose to cooperate with. For starter, the label must be able to give me a deal I’m satisfied with, but it’s more to it than that as well. With Profundi I sort of want to take a step back more into the underground scene, in a way go back to my roots and to the reasons why I got into the metal scene.
I want the label to feel and work as genuine as Profundi is, and there’s not that many labels that I think qualifies into that category. I consider all labels that I cooperate with now is running their business in a way I’m comortable with, I have much freedom to pretty much be able to do whatever I want and still they are very supportive.
So, even though I’d get an offer from a one of the bigger labels, I’m pretty sure that I would turn them down, because most bigger labels works in a way I hardly can accept, a kind of business that doesn’t feel genuine… no, more like the contrary… like that profit and sales number is more important than the quality of the music.

11. „The Omega Rising“ was published even in Japan, which is quite interesting. You must be very pleased to see Profundi „spreading“ all over the world so fast... and probably a little bit impatient as well... ;-)

Yeah, actually „The Omega Rising“ was released in Japan first. Yes, it’s feels good to get the album out in different areas like this, although there are still a couple of continents I still haven’t been able to find a deal for yet. My vision is to get the album out in areas like south america and oceania too, so I’m still working to get a deal for those locations. Also, what I’m trying to do as well is to make every version of the album a bit different compared to the versions of other areas, like different artwork inside the booklet for example. So that every version is unique. Previously I’ve only worked with european labels who runs all these license deals for other continents, and this is something I haven’t been very satisfied with. So, this time I took the opportunity and contacted all these labels around the world myself. This way I have more control over how every release is doing and it also makes it possible for me to do such things as replacing some of the artwork and stuff like that. And so far, I’m very satisfied with my decision to do it this way.

12. Each person has different approach to song composing. Do you create lyrics before music? Conception of album? Or do you just put the finishing touches to it in the course of creating, composing?

I always write the music before the lyrics. Because, I find it very important to get a good rhythm in the vocal lines, and that’s almost impossible to accomplish when writing lyrics apart from the music.
But as for the songwriting process I’ve worked in a slightly different way this time. I always have this vision of how I want the song to turn out and since I’ve written and recorded the songs at the same time, I’ve been able to hear everything in the song in detail and as a whole unit, which has been great because then it’s been very easy to discover the weak parts in every song, and of course I’ve been able to replace these weak parts over and over until the song reflects the quality in my vision.
This way, in combination with the fact that I’ve been able to take time and really work hard with every single detail in the recording throughout the whole album, has given result. I consider this album to be the best material I’ve ever written and recorded so far.


13. I can´t resist to ask about you previous band Naglfar (though it must be already quite tiresome). Why did you decide to leave the band? Do you watch their development even now? Are you still in touch with them?

I decided to concentrate on my studies, which I by the way did in a different part of Sweden. So I left the band mainly because of this.
However, I think they’re doing great without me.

14. When you acted in Naglfar, you cooperated with Peter Tägtren. You used to play in the studio Abyss, you know Peter in person, you are friends, what is he like?

No, I don’t know Peter in person. I’ve been in Abyss studio once in 1995 so I haven’t met him for a very long time. But he’s a cool dude and a very skilled studio producer.

15. I´d like to ask you, what is your opinion on current events in the world, what´s the main idea of your philosophy of life, what is your world-view? Does it appear even on Profundi creation?

First, I don’t mix my personal opinions, or politics or whatever with Profundi. If I would want to change the world, then I should choose to be a musician, right? But anyway, my philosophy for life right now is pretty much selfishness. I’ve been ripped off by people I used to trust far too many times. I simply can’t trust humans anymore and for that reason I have to think in a selfish way.

16. The last question will be about the other project of yours, which is idle for some time – Dead Silent Slumber. Don´t you consider to continue?

Right now I’m much more into the atmosphere and the sound of Profundi, and that’s where I want to keep my focus at the moment. But, if I wake up someday with great ideas for a new Dead Silent Slumber album, I’d definitely go for it you know.

17. Thank you, in conclusion, Jens, for this pleasant interview, I believe, that Profundi will find its place in the world...

Thanks for the support! Check out www.profundi.com for all latest news, merchandise and stuff like that. Keep supporting the underground scene!