The greatest hope of Sweden said about Eternal Lies biggest Swedish Magazine Close-Up. Why? Because they play a typical swedish death metal but it is faster and more
intensive than music of your countrymen and in fact their debut is awesome! Check their music, but before then read this interview with drummer Conny Pettersson.
Hi Conny. How do you feel as a successor of the great ones of swedish scene? What is it like to be described as "the greatest hope of Sweden"?
Hi. It feels pretty good, we have been described as many things, like Best death metal band in Sweden and World champions of melodic death metal. Feels nice. We are getting great reviews everywhere, not only in Sweden.
You are praised by all swedish media, and in the mean time you`ve signed a contract with a small label Arctic Music. Could you tell me something more about this label and the contract?
Its a deal to make four albums for Arctic, and yes, they are small but they seem to be serious. They are easy to work with and so far they have kept what they have promised.
Do you think that a contract with Arctic will promote Eternal Lies to a position it really deserves? Isn`t Arctic too small label for that?
To be honest I must say that Arctic feels to small for us. But bigger labels dont very often sign a completely new band. They seem to take bands that are moving up from their former label. So I guess this is the way we have to go. Hopefully Arctic will be quite big in a few years, and then can give us what we deserve.
Before we talk about your debut album, could you tell me something about history of Eternal Lies? Who and when founded the band and what is the present line-up?
Björn and I founded Eternal lies in 1998. Our current line up is:
Conny Pettersson (drums), Björn Johansson (guitar), Markus Wesslen (Bass), Erik Månsson (guitar), Tommy Grönberg (Vocals).
As far as I know you have recorded a demo at the end of 2000. What was on it and what was the response of the fans and media to a music of Eternal Lies?
The demo contains three songs wich also are on Spiritual deception. The songs are: Leaving only me, By the hands of the architect, and Poems. The demo got great reviews in magazines and we got many fans, sold maybe 200 demos. And in Swedens biggest metal magazine Close-up we got labeled Best in Sweden in one issue, and Leaving only me ended up on the sound check CD wich is distributed all over Scandinavia. The demo can only be ordered of me. Check our website for info.
Ok, let`s talk about your debut album "Spiritual Deception". I`m listening to it and I compeletely don`t know why poeple compare Eternal Lies to Eucharist. The only song of Eucharist which reminds me your songs is "Bloodred Stars". Aren`t you angry because of such comparisons?
Yes, we are completely furious!!! No, we are not angry, we know one of the guys in Eucharist and he came over one day and listened to Spiritual deception and did not think it was similar at all. But people have the right to think whatever they want to. Its been very different so far what people think we sound like.
You play a typical swedish death metal but it is faster and more intensive than music of your countrymen. From where do you take so much energy?
I dont know about the other members, maybe Erik is angry because he is a redhead, But since I was born Ive had an tremendous overdose of energy. I never was still for a second growing up and hardly now either. It must be good genes or something
That and the Corn flakes we devotedly and loyally eat every day.
Your instrument has a great influence on your music. It seems that you like to play fast, but as I`ve read in your biography you played a symphonic rockbefore. What do you listen to at home?
You mean my drumming has a big influence right? Yes, I think its quite obvious that I like to play fast very much; I think thats the whole idea of being in a death metal band, and it suites our music. But I have only played death metal for about four years. The other six years Ive been drumming I have played plenty of Heavy and Trash metal, and much Symphony rock.
I practise every kind of rock, fusion and even pop. Hope my fans forgive me for that, but Im a big fan of all music. At home I dont really listen to death metal, because I would go nuts. Its enough to play like a lunatic in three bands. I like bands like Katatonia and Opeth. And I listen a lot to metal from 1980-1990.
The music is written by you and Björn, how does your work look like?
Basically, he did every guitar riff, and almost every bass riff for Spiritual deception. And I have a very big influence arranging the songs, contributing with ideas and create decent drum parts wich make half the music. And together we make it sound the way it does.
Although "Spiritual Deception" was recorded in the same studio in which Anata recorded "Dreams of death and dismay" you sound compeletely different and I haveto admit that Anata sounds better. I don`t mean that the sound sucks, because the album sounds quite good, but...The guitars sound a little too weak and they just disappear drowned by rhythm section. The guitars on "Dreams..." have indescribable power. Could you tell me what do you think about results of the session?
Well, I can agree that Dreams of death and dismay sounds better, it is a very powerful album, but the guitars is not really weak on Spiritual deception, they are just mixed a little low. And due to the fact that Anata had three times more recording time than we had, it should sound better.
.This question sooner or later must have been asked. Who writes the lyrics in Eternal Lies and what are they about? The titles of your lyrics show that theseare not just stories taken from cheap horrors.
Our big and brutal singer writes the lyrics, and they are not stories from horror movies or books. The lyrics are written like poems about life, death and reincarnation. But its mostly about death and different ways to die.
After recording "Spiritual Deception" the band was abandoned by Martin Karlsson. Why was it so? I really enjoyed his bass parts on the album.
Yeah, so do we. He is a great bassplayer and him leaving had nothing to do with his personality or musical talent. He just didnt want to stand in the way for Eternal lies now when things are going so great. He has a family and couldnt offer the time it takes to be in Eternal lies.
You have already found a replacement for him?
Yes, It was Markus Wesslen who was the lucky one, a young and talented bassplayer. It only took him about two seconds to say yes to our proposal. He has worked as a bass guitar teacher in a school, and we knew from have seen him in his other band, Aggressive Serpent that he was very talented on his six string bass guitar. He is also a very nice person.
To end this chatter about your album What are the oppinions about "SpiritualDeception"?
The general oppinion is that everone loves the album, and for those who really like melodic death metal think that we are among the best bands they ever heard. And that makes it all worthwhile.
. How does your concert life look like? How many gigs have you played? Are you going to play a tour ? If so, where would it be?
We did one gig 1999 with the old line up, and one with the new line up a few weeks ago also here in Sweden, and thats it. We are playing some festivals I think this year, nothing is really 100% decided yet. And at the end of January 2003 we are going to be an opening act for Arch Enemy here in Sweden as they start their European tour. And we will do a few other shows here in Sweden later on.
We would really like to go on tour and we are trying to get in contact with some booking agencies to make this happen. If any tour manager read this please contact us.
Have you already started working on your new album? When would it be done? Any stylistic changes planned?
Yes, we have almost 7 songs done this far, but its still a lot of work left to do. Its going to be more variations among the riffs, and its going to be more technical on all instruments and more guitar solos. But the speed and heavy shit will not disappear. Our energy will remain.
So, as we discussed everything about Eternal Lies I would like to ask you about other bands in which you play or played. As far as I know you play in Anata and RotInjected. What with the rest of guys, where do they play?
Björn does also write the music in RotInjected together with me the same way we do in Eternal lies. Erik and Markus play in (to describe it) a Slipknot/Meshuggah band called Aggressive Serpent.
How do the works on new Anata`s album go? When would it be done? Are You satisfied with signing a contract with Earache?
Its going very exellent. We are beginning the recording of the new album the first Februari. Its only three weeks left. It will be ten songs on the album. And for you who like technical American death metal, check it out. We are very happy about signing with Earache, we are now label mates with both Deicide and Morbid angel. It feels great.
Could You tell me more about RotInjected? Because as far as I know it is a project from which we can expect a lot. Do you have any propositions from the labels? Are you going to play any concerts?
RotInjected is a very brutal and aggressive American styled death metal band. And sooner or later we will record an album as well. We have had some labels that have been interested but as things are looking know for Eternal lies and Anata we decided to put RotInjected on hold for a while. But RotInjected is actually the band we have done most gigs with. A couple of months ago we played at the Hultsfred rookie festival, a festival for unsigned bands. 614 demos were sent; only 30 bands got the chance. Mostly pop bands and us. But it was great and the whole area was full of people when we performed.
What is your oppinion about todays swedish scene? Which of young bands would you recommend to someone who is so crazy about Sweden as I am?
As always, Sweden is full of talented bands. Some of my favourite Swedish bands are, Katatonia, Beseech and Wolverine. But if youre looking for more aggressive music check out By Night, a new young brutal Swedish metal act.
Thank you very much for the interview, the last word belongs to you!
Thanks. Please visit our website www.eternallies.cjb.net and check out the reviews, soundsamples and buy our album Spiritual deception If you want to order our demo please send a mail to pedalconny@hotmail.com or b.grajnder@tiscali.se
Cheerz!!!!!!
intensive than music of your countrymen and in fact their debut is awesome! Check their music, but before then read this interview with drummer Conny Pettersson.
Hi Conny. How do you feel as a successor of the great ones of swedish scene? What is it like to be described as "the greatest hope of Sweden"?
Hi. It feels pretty good, we have been described as many things, like Best death metal band in Sweden and World champions of melodic death metal. Feels nice. We are getting great reviews everywhere, not only in Sweden.
You are praised by all swedish media, and in the mean time you`ve signed a contract with a small label Arctic Music. Could you tell me something more about this label and the contract?
Its a deal to make four albums for Arctic, and yes, they are small but they seem to be serious. They are easy to work with and so far they have kept what they have promised.
Do you think that a contract with Arctic will promote Eternal Lies to a position it really deserves? Isn`t Arctic too small label for that?
To be honest I must say that Arctic feels to small for us. But bigger labels dont very often sign a completely new band. They seem to take bands that are moving up from their former label. So I guess this is the way we have to go. Hopefully Arctic will be quite big in a few years, and then can give us what we deserve.
Before we talk about your debut album, could you tell me something about history of Eternal Lies? Who and when founded the band and what is the present line-up?
Björn and I founded Eternal lies in 1998. Our current line up is:
Conny Pettersson (drums), Björn Johansson (guitar), Markus Wesslen (Bass), Erik Månsson (guitar), Tommy Grönberg (Vocals).
As far as I know you have recorded a demo at the end of 2000. What was on it and what was the response of the fans and media to a music of Eternal Lies?
The demo contains three songs wich also are on Spiritual deception. The songs are: Leaving only me, By the hands of the architect, and Poems. The demo got great reviews in magazines and we got many fans, sold maybe 200 demos. And in Swedens biggest metal magazine Close-up we got labeled Best in Sweden in one issue, and Leaving only me ended up on the sound check CD wich is distributed all over Scandinavia. The demo can only be ordered of me. Check our website for info.
Ok, let`s talk about your debut album "Spiritual Deception". I`m listening to it and I compeletely don`t know why poeple compare Eternal Lies to Eucharist. The only song of Eucharist which reminds me your songs is "Bloodred Stars". Aren`t you angry because of such comparisons?
Yes, we are completely furious!!! No, we are not angry, we know one of the guys in Eucharist and he came over one day and listened to Spiritual deception and did not think it was similar at all. But people have the right to think whatever they want to. Its been very different so far what people think we sound like.
You play a typical swedish death metal but it is faster and more intensive than music of your countrymen. From where do you take so much energy?
I dont know about the other members, maybe Erik is angry because he is a redhead, But since I was born Ive had an tremendous overdose of energy. I never was still for a second growing up and hardly now either. It must be good genes or something
That and the Corn flakes we devotedly and loyally eat every day.Your instrument has a great influence on your music. It seems that you like to play fast, but as I`ve read in your biography you played a symphonic rockbefore. What do you listen to at home?
You mean my drumming has a big influence right? Yes, I think its quite obvious that I like to play fast very much; I think thats the whole idea of being in a death metal band, and it suites our music. But I have only played death metal for about four years. The other six years Ive been drumming I have played plenty of Heavy and Trash metal, and much Symphony rock.
I practise every kind of rock, fusion and even pop. Hope my fans forgive me for that, but Im a big fan of all music. At home I dont really listen to death metal, because I would go nuts. Its enough to play like a lunatic in three bands. I like bands like Katatonia and Opeth. And I listen a lot to metal from 1980-1990.
The music is written by you and Björn, how does your work look like?
Basically, he did every guitar riff, and almost every bass riff for Spiritual deception. And I have a very big influence arranging the songs, contributing with ideas and create decent drum parts wich make half the music. And together we make it sound the way it does.
Although "Spiritual Deception" was recorded in the same studio in which Anata recorded "Dreams of death and dismay" you sound compeletely different and I haveto admit that Anata sounds better. I don`t mean that the sound sucks, because the album sounds quite good, but...The guitars sound a little too weak and they just disappear drowned by rhythm section. The guitars on "Dreams..." have indescribable power. Could you tell me what do you think about results of the session?
Well, I can agree that Dreams of death and dismay sounds better, it is a very powerful album, but the guitars is not really weak on Spiritual deception, they are just mixed a little low. And due to the fact that Anata had three times more recording time than we had, it should sound better.
.This question sooner or later must have been asked. Who writes the lyrics in Eternal Lies and what are they about? The titles of your lyrics show that theseare not just stories taken from cheap horrors.
Our big and brutal singer writes the lyrics, and they are not stories from horror movies or books. The lyrics are written like poems about life, death and reincarnation. But its mostly about death and different ways to die.
After recording "Spiritual Deception" the band was abandoned by Martin Karlsson. Why was it so? I really enjoyed his bass parts on the album.
Yeah, so do we. He is a great bassplayer and him leaving had nothing to do with his personality or musical talent. He just didnt want to stand in the way for Eternal lies now when things are going so great. He has a family and couldnt offer the time it takes to be in Eternal lies.
You have already found a replacement for him?
Yes, It was Markus Wesslen who was the lucky one, a young and talented bassplayer. It only took him about two seconds to say yes to our proposal. He has worked as a bass guitar teacher in a school, and we knew from have seen him in his other band, Aggressive Serpent that he was very talented on his six string bass guitar. He is also a very nice person.
To end this chatter about your album What are the oppinions about "SpiritualDeception"?
The general oppinion is that everone loves the album, and for those who really like melodic death metal think that we are among the best bands they ever heard. And that makes it all worthwhile.
. How does your concert life look like? How many gigs have you played? Are you going to play a tour ? If so, where would it be?
We did one gig 1999 with the old line up, and one with the new line up a few weeks ago also here in Sweden, and thats it. We are playing some festivals I think this year, nothing is really 100% decided yet. And at the end of January 2003 we are going to be an opening act for Arch Enemy here in Sweden as they start their European tour. And we will do a few other shows here in Sweden later on.
We would really like to go on tour and we are trying to get in contact with some booking agencies to make this happen. If any tour manager read this please contact us.
Have you already started working on your new album? When would it be done? Any stylistic changes planned?
Yes, we have almost 7 songs done this far, but its still a lot of work left to do. Its going to be more variations among the riffs, and its going to be more technical on all instruments and more guitar solos. But the speed and heavy shit will not disappear. Our energy will remain.
So, as we discussed everything about Eternal Lies I would like to ask you about other bands in which you play or played. As far as I know you play in Anata and RotInjected. What with the rest of guys, where do they play?
Björn does also write the music in RotInjected together with me the same way we do in Eternal lies. Erik and Markus play in (to describe it) a Slipknot/Meshuggah band called Aggressive Serpent.
How do the works on new Anata`s album go? When would it be done? Are You satisfied with signing a contract with Earache?
Its going very exellent. We are beginning the recording of the new album the first Februari. Its only three weeks left. It will be ten songs on the album. And for you who like technical American death metal, check it out. We are very happy about signing with Earache, we are now label mates with both Deicide and Morbid angel. It feels great.
Could You tell me more about RotInjected? Because as far as I know it is a project from which we can expect a lot. Do you have any propositions from the labels? Are you going to play any concerts?
RotInjected is a very brutal and aggressive American styled death metal band. And sooner or later we will record an album as well. We have had some labels that have been interested but as things are looking know for Eternal lies and Anata we decided to put RotInjected on hold for a while. But RotInjected is actually the band we have done most gigs with. A couple of months ago we played at the Hultsfred rookie festival, a festival for unsigned bands. 614 demos were sent; only 30 bands got the chance. Mostly pop bands and us. But it was great and the whole area was full of people when we performed.
What is your oppinion about todays swedish scene? Which of young bands would you recommend to someone who is so crazy about Sweden as I am?
As always, Sweden is full of talented bands. Some of my favourite Swedish bands are, Katatonia, Beseech and Wolverine. But if youre looking for more aggressive music check out By Night, a new young brutal Swedish metal act.
Thank you very much for the interview, the last word belongs to you!
Thanks. Please visit our website www.eternallies.cjb.net and check out the reviews, soundsamples and buy our album Spiritual deception If you want to order our demo please send a mail to pedalconny@hotmail.com or b.grajnder@tiscali.se
Cheerz!!!!!!
