Masterful Magazine - Death Metal and Black Metal Magazine

Runemagick

Wywiad przeprowadził - Bart Donarski

NO CRY OVER SPILT MILK

After departed from Century Media there was a lot at stake for Swedish RUNEMAGICK. However CM wasn't like a captivity for them the band decided to leave the label with an aim to search for some more appreciation and underground comprehension. Amongst some worth considering proposals most suitable appeared Norwegian Aftermath Music located in a town called Trondheim. (Guess why Poles recognize the place that much, unless you're not keen on sky jumping.) Nevertheless Haavard - owner of the label - thinks their jumpers suck all along the line! Moreover, the new album entitled "Requiem of the Apocalypse" will be also released in Poland via Empire Records as a bonus to Thrash'em All magazine. Alright, let's glance at what guitarist/vocalist Nicklas Rudolfsson has to say on recent issues at RUNEMAGICK's camp. As you put the long-term collaboration with Century Media to an end, firstly I must ask you of the recent deal you signed no to Norwegian Aftermath Music. I read there were some other proposals in terms of further releases of yours. Then reveal how the whole thing looked like after leaving CM. And what the "cool deal" with Aftermath actually means?

Nicklas Rudolfsson: "Yes we departed from CM in 2001 and released a 7" EP with old demo material on AFTERMATH MUSIC and a limited live LP called "Dark Live Magick" on BLOODSTONE ENTERTAINMENT. Then we started to look for a new label that was interested to release our 4th studio album. We wanted a small label that enjoyed our music in the first place and wanted to do stuff like vinyl, shirts etc. We got some offers from labels like a sub label to Wonder drug, Rages of Achilles and so on but AFTERMATH MUSIC was the best one for us. The best thing with AFTERMATH is that we have the control on everything like layout, recording etc. They are good in arranging cool things like vinyl/cd/cassette

licenses, shirts, special editions... so far it fits us very well! We'll see what happens with our next album."

Haven't you ever considered taking the publishing responsibility on your own?

"Probably it would be the best way to do, but I don't have the time or resources to arrange that. I think it's a very heavy work to build up good distribution and promotion. But it would of course be very cool to have total control on everything..."

I'm not sure, but has the newest album a limited circulation?

"If you think of distribution, it's not on major distributors list for sure. For the release, AFTERMATH MUSIC released a CD in dark yellow/green layout mainly for Europe, a red slipcase version will soon be released too. MESTER PRODUCTIONS (nor) will soon release a gatefold LP version and Pic-LP both with bonustrack. EMPIRE RECORDS (pol) will soon release the CD on license in Poland with red layout and a bonustrack. A Russian label will release it in Russia with blue/purple layout. DARK ANGEL RECORDS will release it on cassette in Thailand, red layout + bonustrack! There is no license deal in US at the moment so it will available from some distros over there. So I hope it will not be too hard to get our release. People can always visit www.runemagickonline.com to find info where to get it!"

As you said, "Requiem of the Apocalypse" would be also released in Poland as an attachment to Thrash'em All magazine. How do you look upon it? Think its ok for the fans.

"I think it's great, many people will get the release and hopefully some will enjoy it too! Its good promotion for RUNEMAGICK in Poland I think."

To be candid, "Requiem..." rules in its ancient form! Don't you think there's a lack of bands playing this kind of monumental, epic and down-tuned death metal nowadays?

"Many people have said to us after our new release that we are quite original with this style nowadays, they even say that it sounds "RUNEMAGICK" and that is great for us. We don't want to sound like hundreds of other bands. Many bands might follow what's cool to play at the moment and tries to hang on the trend in the scene and that is boring. We create the music that we like and don't think so much on what other people will say about it. If someone likes it then it's very cool! I don't know if it's a lack of bands in our style, it's just good for us we don't sound like others."

I've always wanted to ask you the question. Is the "magick" in your band name connected to Aleister Crowley's magic, which is actually spelled "magick" as well?

"Not really, we used his words in one lyric "Thou what..." but that's all. We added the "k" to the band name in 1997 because it looked better and where a symbol for the resurrection of the band. So in the early years it was spelled "RUNEMAGIC"."

Is the magick an important issue in your lives in any shape and form?

"We don't practice any magick in that word but I think that our magick is the music of RUNEMAGICK!"

There're two materials published between "Resurrection in Blood" and "Requiem...". Could you say a few words of them, as I had no opportunity to listen to them?

"AFTERMATH MUSIC released a 7"EP called "Ancient Incantations" with old demo material. It's limited to 500 copies and sold out from label. We still have a few copies available from our website. BLOODSTONE ENTERTAINMENT released a LP called "Dark Live Magick" in 300 copies and I believe it sold out too. It was recorded during a small gig at a party here in Sweden. They sound was ok so I asked BLOODSTONE if they wanted to release it, and so he did. It also has 2 old demo tracks as bonus!"

What was the most spectacular success of RUNEMAGICK so far by your personal judgement?

"The new album is the best thing so far! But I hope that our coming material will be better. The most important for us is that we like our own material."

In biography you wrote as if "Requiem..." was a come back to the underground race again. I'm not trying to find fault with it, but don't you think it might be comprehend as a return of the so-called wasteful son? Like - "Ok, we're at the majors, now it's done so we could appreciate underground." Yes, find this provoking. Ha!

"When RUNEMAGICK was looking for a label the situation was like this, I was signed to Century Media with another band called SACRAMENTUM which I played drums in at that time. So to not break the contract I had to check with Century Media in the first place if they where interested in us, and so they where. We signed a contract with them and released 3 albums before we separated. I think it was best for both parts to do so because we are a small band and they are a big label. Of course the best thing for us would have been to sign with a label like AFTERMATH in the first place. I think that it happens more with RUNEMAGICK now on AFTERMATH than on Century Media. I don't want to complain on CM but they don't fit for us."

Is the Magick Sound Studio your own one? And why the drums were recorded at Los Angered?

"Yes Magick Sound Studio is my own studio. At the time when we recorded the drums I had all my equipment at home so there where no space for drums. Los Angered is a cool studio and Andy is a great person so we decided to do the drums with him and then the rest at my studio. Now I have moved the studio so we will probably record everything there next time. We will record some new material in May/June but I don't know what will happen with that, maybe just an unofficial demo..."

I guess that even though your minds live in antique times you also take an interest in all the more contemporary assignments like the multimedia bonus of "Requiem..." or your website. How can you cope with the mental contradictions? Magic in new technologies can be found merely when you play some sort of video games. But is the magic a real one? I'd not say so...

"I enjoy designing websites, layouts, multi-media productions and so on and I don't find any conflicts to use it together with the band as long as it's done the right way. But I understand if some people have problems with it."

Will the release of your newest album be supported by any tour in Europe?

"We have nothing planned at the moment. Just some gigs in Sweden. We'll see what happens."

Spread some magick before you're gone.

"Thanks for the interview! Check out our new album "Requiem Of The Apocalypse", Dark Death Metal!!! A big toast for the metal of death!"

Runemagick

Wywiad przeprowadził - Bart Donarski

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