The Project Hate MCMXCIX
Wywiad przeprowadził Wouter Roemers
Swedish industrial death metallers The Project Hate have been consistently been releasing quality albums over a number of different labels over the years. Now onto their sixth record The Project Hate is stronger and more diabolical sounding than ever. "The Lustrate Process" – the band's first record for Dutch label Vic Records – ups the ante considerably compared to past releases. Masterful Magazine was able to arrange a chat with Lord K (Kenth) Philipson (guitars, keyboards, programming) to talk about The Project Hate's latest album, "The Lustrate Process", an album of which Philipson is rightfully proud. 
Hello Lord K! Thanks for doing this interview with us! What are you and the rest of The Project Hate currently up to?
Hey, kid. The new album was released just a week ago today so we are currently just doing interviews and reading all the excellent reviews that are coming in. Feels great to finally have the album out on a label that actually understands what we are about and who try to work for us to make shit happen. We are not spoiled with that considering the fucken idiot labels we have been on in the past. Roel and Vic's been the best label so far, without the shadow of a doubt. We are seeing the album being available at all sorts of different media outlets in digital form and whatnot which is nice since this recording deserves ever bit of attention possible. That's how insanely fucken awesome it is.
Congratulations with your new record "The Lustrate Process" - this is definitely the best we have heard from The Project Hate to date. How have the reactions from the specialized press and fans been so far?
I touched this subject above but let me elaborate a little... The reviews we have seen so far have been fucken tremendous – and rightfully so. "TLP" is a monster of an album and it's unlike anything else released. No one's got going what we have going, and that's a fact. I think we have seen one so-so review so far and that one came from a guy who obviously listened to the album once and then decided it was not for him. All of his writing was proof of that. You can't do that with us, not with the type of music we create. Even with the first 10 listens you haven't discovered half of what we are about, and people into The Hate know about this. We have too many layers, too much atmosphere and too much diabolical entities incorporated into what we do, you won't understand it if not paying attention. And that's the whole idea. I agree that this is the best we have ever sounded, but this is how we always worked you know... We have improved with each and every album. Al bands say that, all of them are wrong coz listening to us proves we are actually good for those words. Cocky? Bet yer fucken ass, and we have the music to back us up on these statements. I expect nothing but continuous raving reviews coz this album deserves nothing less. It's a masterpiece in every way, shape and form.
By this time you seem to have developed a sense of routine in writing/producing new music with The Project Hate. Does the band constantly write material? You guys put out new material in a very consistent manner, about every two years.
We have no time frame as for when to release albums. I write all the time and when the time is right the album is recorded. It's a wonder we manage to release albums every second year most of the time considering the amount of time we spend writing for TPH is something most bands never even comes close to. To be able to get across all the details and the atmosphere that this band is about – you cannot create an album in a month or 2. We spend so much time composing you'd probably think we are insane if you knew about it. But all this leads up to what we are; a unique entity.
On the album there are guest appearances by Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth), Martin van Drunen (Asphyx, Hail Of Bullets), Mike Wead (King Diamond, Bibleblack), Lars Göran Petrov (Entombed), Robban Eriksson and Christian Älvestam (ex-Scar Symmetry). How did you get in touch with them and what is it in their vocals/solos that you decide to have them on your album?
All of these guys are either friends or personal heroes or both. All It takes to get them on the album is to ask them. They all provide something unique to an already completely unique formula and the reason they are there is because they are fantastic in their respective areas. I couldn't be happier about having them with us on this album. And I can't thank them enough. They are a huge part of what has become "The Lustrate Process".
Unfortunately my promo didn't come with any lyrics, so I would like you to tell us a few words about the themes you treat in "The Lustrate Process".
I'll make this short and you can get the lyrics one day... We always were and always will be about the destruction of Christianity and all that is holy. Nothing has changed in this department except the passion for the very same destruction is greater than ever.
The cover artwork by Statik Majik is amazingly beautiful. Has he done a lot of work for other bands that we should be aware of?
Unfortunately not. This guy is so talented it's not even funny. He's been working with us for many years now and created his first work for us back in 2003, I think. I try to get his name out there the best I can since I believe he deserves a hella lot more recognition and clients as he's one fantastic artist and friend. He recently did the new Pestilence cover ["Resurrection Macabre"], which is a good thing and will prolly render him some coverage since it's yet another great piece of work. I still hold the new TPH album's artwork as his best work ever and it's one of my fave covers for an album of all time. Check out Statik Majik's work over at www.leiskuva.net and spread the word about him. He deserves it.
Throughout your decade long career Lord K (Kenth) Philipson (guitars, keyboards, programming) and Jörgen Sandström (vocals, ex-Grave) have been The Project Hate's creative backbone and only constant in the line-up. Has the way of writing music changed over the years with the growing experience in producing, recording, etc?
Absolutely nothing has changed. I still do most of the composing. What's different today is that I write music with guitarist Anders Bertilsson instead of being all by myself or with Petter Freed (who quit the band some years ago). But I do the massive work myself. Me and Anders do structures of songs that I eventually turn into real songs as I go along by adding the programmings and keyboards and all. The lyrics are shared between me, Jörgen and Jonna. There is no reason to change this formula since it's been working ace since day one.
Since 2002 vocalist Jonna Enckell has replaced original singer Mia Ståhl. What were the reasons you parted ways with Ståhl? What does Jonna bring to the band's sound that Mia couldn't?
Jonna brings diversity and a whole other level of ideas. Mia's strongest parts were a very emotional and "safe" voice. I love her voice, don't get me wrong, but I prefer Jonna's voice and her ideas. She's not afraid to try wicked things that go hand in hand with ideas that I want to incorporate into TPH. I had to fire Mia becoz I couldn't stand her at the time. We are not enemies or anything, it just wasn't meant for her to sing in my band. I wish her the best, she's a great gal – just not in my band.
The band's first couple of albums are notably hard to find. Has this situation improved with the last few albums and the last couple of labels you've worked with? How's the deal with Dutch label Vic Records working out – they seem to give the record quite a push in the promotion department?
We are surprised as for how supportive Vic's been so far. I never expected it and can easily say I am very happy we signed with Roel and Vic Records. If they stop doing any more promotion this very day it doesn't matter becoz they already did more the last month than all of our previous labels did in a combined effort. I love Roel for his beliefs in what we do... All I care at this point in time is that he gets his money back from us that he's invested. The rest is just a bonus to me.
How do you perceive the advances of technology and the internet changing the music industry in the future? Will the CD as a product become a fanatic's item like the LP is nowadays? Will record labels become redundant? What effect will it have on festivals and tours?
Since we are not a touring band I couldn't give a shit about that part. There's absolutely a chance that labels will be redundant. Just look at the situation today. Bands sell less and less albums becoz everyone downloads it. It hurts bands like us becoz we don't sell thousands and thousands of copies which will eventually lead to labels not being willing to invest in bands like us – no matter how awesome we are. Of course this is not only playing down to us but millions of other bands. Labels will just do things safe and sign multi-million selling artists which in the end means the death of all music not in that criteria if those bands aren't supposed to record and release everything for free. There's nothing I can do about it so fuck it all, I'll create music for as long as I possibly can. With some luck there will always be a label wanting you guys to be able to hear it as well – no matter the poor sales thanx to illegal downloading.
Lord K, you are also the founder of GlobalDomination.se – a webzine that I myself read multiple times a week – that coined the genius tag line "if your band sucks, we are the first to say it" and that keeps the memory of Nasum vocalist/guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk alive. What led you to starting Global Domination? The style of humour, sarcasm and wit is quite similar to Teufel's Tomb and Bill Zebub's quasi legendary The Grimoire Of Exalted Deeds. Were they any inspiration?
I actually got a mail from Teufel's Tomb last week and that's the first time I ever hear about that site. He handed over some nice compliments and I decided to go there and check his work out. It took me a second to see why he likes what we do coz I liked his stuff in a second as well, haha... We have a similar approach to things and look upon everything with the same sarcastic eye. That's how I want my shit to be run. The other guys you are mentioning up there is nothing I ever heard of. My reason for starting GD was simple – I love writing about music. I always did this, I mean – I started my first fanzine back in 88 or something... There was no site that inspired me or anything. I just got all the help I needed from TPH artist Statik Majik with the design and then I was rolling. Nowadays it has grown quite a bit and with a few thousand unique visitors every day I think it's safe to say people appreciate what we do. It's not a humor site in any way, it's a very honest site and if it makes you laugh – fucken awesome. I rather see reviews with emotions in it than a fucken incredible vocabulary. We rule the fucken internet with what we do, and that's why we are called Global Domination. I thank all the people on staff for being awesome and helping out to run this shit.
Do you have long-term plans of world domination for The Project Hate or are you taking it one thing at a time?
This started already back in 1999 but it seems to take little longer than expected to conquer the world, haha... I am very satisfied with where we are today though I think we deserve more recognition for what we do, simply becoz we are unique and we are fucken outstanding. There is no denying that. We have been doing this for so long so failure isn't an option.
Last question: six albums into your career, having achieved quite a lot for a band in the underground, what remains the biggest driving force in this band?
My love for the music. That's all there is to it. As long as I feel the urge to create – I will create. People deserve to hear something like us in the midst of all the fucken bullshit that is released nowadays and in the past. I am very blessed to be able to have so many friends with me in this band, friends helping me to fulfil my musical vision and go beyond it. I would be nothing without them. Actually, I would – but it would probably mean more hard work, haha... Seriously, the guys in the band are the best.
Thanks for the interview! Good luck with all your future endeavours. I would like to extend my praise for your killer and disturbing sixth album. The last words are yours.
Thanx for a cool interview and for calling our work "disturbing". I like that.
Info: www.theprojecthate.net
Label: www.vicrecords.com
