Sweden is a very proliferant country when talking to Metal bands and TOTAL INFERNO is not the exception to the rule.
Morbid Skull Records feels honoured to work with these guys and it is for sure a very promising band for the future, i was able to send some questions to them to find out a little bit more about the band and the vision they have:
1) How do you think TOTAL INFERNO fits in the current Swedish metal scene?
Johan:
To be honest that does not matter, we try to be true to our selves and create music from our hearts and that is the way for us. To answer the question i think we fit in pretty good, we have found our spot and we are growing stronger every day.
2) I noticed you come from Dals Långed the same town of NIFELHEIM, how is the scene on this town?
Johan:
There is a few minor young bands rehersing but thats pretty much it, at this point i would say there is Total Inferno thats active in Dals Långed, the others moved out. But there is something in this litte place that makes people create good quality metal, thats for sure.
3) How was the band formed and which is the story behind the consolidation of the current line-up?
Johan:
We started 2 years ago, me and Dan spoked on the phone about starting something together. We both have a history as metal musicians and we knew eachothers qualities. We both had some ideas of what we wanted to do and who we wanted in the band, good musicians with the right spirit. We contacted Jonny and Jimmy and both of them were interested. We made a couple of songs and got together for a rehearsal and it was obvious that we had something good going from the start.
4) You apppeared on the “Speed Metal Death” on Critical Mass Volume 2, how this happened and what results did you get?
Johan:
We contacted Dennis Jernberg and sent him a song. He was interrested so we participated. It was a really good start which probably helpt us with the comming releases and gigs.
5) In your opinion what Metal is NOT about?
Johan:
That is a question many asks but the way i see it and hear it, The most important in all genres is to do it because of love and dedication. If you love pop music then do pop music not metal. It should be performed the way it is and not to much producers etc, etc that tells you what to do. Overproduced with perfect hits and so on usually loses the soul and spirit wich i think is a shame. A good song performed with some flaws here and there is better in my opinion. There is often something pure and energetic in that which easely gets spoiled with overproduction. I hope this answers the question hehe.
6) I see you are currently booking shows in 2016 so it seems will be a busy year, what are your plans regarding shows for the coming months? Is there any intention for small tours in europe?
Johan:
Well ofcourse we would like to do a tour in europe, we are always open for things like that!!! but at this point we are pretty much fully booked in Sweden. Maybe in the second half of 2016 there is free space, until we enter the studio for the second full length record.
7) How has been the reaction in Sweden/Europe after your first full lenght?
Johan:
It has been really great, over all expectation to be honest. We all have earlier experiences from other bands but nothing is even close to the pace of Total Inferno. Fans everywhere.
8) If you could go on tour right now all included for free, which bands would you choose to tour with and which countries? Why?
Jimmy:
Judas Priest because it is the best band in the world. Imagine that you stand on the same stage with the Priest and see Halford on the same stage as you. England has always been a dream to play in. Also South America there are many fans there and it would been an honor to play there for them.
9) One of the things caught my attention was the versatility on the vocals going from growls to very high pitch screams, this is very impressive from Jimmy, how is he managed to do it? Is there any background about it you would like to share?
Jimmy: I like the NWOBHM scene and King Diamond so my whole life i have sung after those bands. Then i also found the great masters of death metal Morbid Angel, Death, Sepultura (Old) and sung after their songs. Then i realized that i could mix those genres together and there it is.
10) What are your favorite old bands? And which are your favorite bands of the new generations that you think are pushing it?
Jimmy: Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon yeah all good old metal. Then there is Death, Morbid Angel, and many more.
New bands i must say Ambush, Tyranex.. Don’t have that much information of new bands i’m afraid.
11) What influences you to write music and lyrics about?
Jimmy: All the shit that happens out there. The world is evil you know.
Heaven is hell on earth and God is laughting at us trying to repair the shit.
12) You will be putting out a Split 7″s vinyl with the salvadorian band DISORDER in the coming weeks called “Ina Etuti Asbu”, what encourage you to work with a Salvadorean band and label (Morbid Skull Records) for this project?
Johan:
First the labeldirector seems to be in this for the music and that is very important for us. He also seems to have similar plans and ideas as we do, and thats also a key to make it work, the fact that it is a really nice guy is does not make the cooperation any worse hehe.
Then we have the band Disorder (El salvador) we heard a song which had some of that ”magic” which is really rare these days and we really liked it.
These are the two main reasons.
13) What is the vision of the band for the near future?
Jimmy:
To make a new fullenght and to make more shows. We got much energy and are more active then ever.
14) Are you musicians that constantly like to practice to get better on your instruments?
Jimmy:
Yes we all practice all the time there is so much we can learn and master with our instruments. I think that you never can be fully learned.
15) When you hear Latin America what do you think about?
Jimmy:
Beautyfull weather and a lot of crazy bangers.
16) Did you knew something about El Salvador before (in general)?
Jimmy:
I’ve never heard anything good or bad about the country. Maby beautiful girls.
17) How and where do you record your music nowdays?
Johan:
We usually record our songs by our selves and take help with mixing and mastering from Anders Backlin, Armageddon recordings. Next release will probably be pre produced by ourselves and final recording somewhere else.
18) Who did the production for the first full lenght and how was the experience?
Johan:
We recorded it ourselves, it was fun but very time demanding and Dan did a great job and spent a lot of his life to make this happen.
19) In your opinion how would you describe the eras of Swedish Death Metal?
Johan:
Well, the best answer for this one is high quality, world leading and very, very nice to listen to from day one until now. Some of my favorites I must say is, the early ones as usually. Entombed, Edge of sanity, dismember and unleashed. Then came dissection (Best of all) with their sound and now we have Entrails, bloodbath and necrocurse and Nominon. As above, very high quality and I remembered the first time I heard left hand path as a young metal lover, it was really cool and then I explored more and found favorites for life. There is hundreds of really good bands from Sweden but the ones I mentioned above I really like.
20) Any last words you would like to share?
Johan:
Thanks for the interview and we really look forward to a longtime companionship with morbid skull records. We would also like to thank all of our fans in your part of the world and soon we might visit for some evil metal nights in the Americas!
Stay metal!!!
