NOSTRADAMEUS INTERVIEW

This interview actually took place a couple of months ago, but we recently found it lying somewhere, so since the latest album ("Hellbound") of Swedish power metal band NOSTRADAMEUS kicked so much ass (see the review somewhere else on these pages), we hurried up to get it online ...

Interview by Lars F. Larsen

1. Hi, first off I just want to congratulate you on your new album. I believe it's a 4/5 review!

"Thanx a lot. We're really happy with the album. Everything feels great."

2. How has the media received "Hellbound" so far?

Actually I don't read so many magazines at the moment or check out the Internet. So I really don't know about that. But in every interview I've done so far I've got the impression that all journalists have thought it to be much better than the previous ones. That's really cool because we think that to. "

3. Where does your inspiration come from musically?

"Hard to say. For me it's a lot of death metal, Judas Priest perhaps a little bit slayer and stuff. I try not to listen to metal in an analysing way for my song writing but just to enjoy it and appreciate it"

4. Isn't it hard to have to follow the words of a prophet all the time, lyrically - being bound by the band name? Or don't you actually write that much about Nostradam(e)us? ....why the "e"???

"Actually we haven't written about Nostradamus prophecies on any record at all. The first one was made up own prophecies, the second a concept album, the third stuff related to the world today and finally the fourth same as on the third. It was just a cool band name. Maybe in the future we will do something about Nostradamus."

5. To my knowledge, Anders Theander produced the album. Are you pleased with the end result? Is there anything you would have done different, now that you have it out?

"Actually, for the first time No! We are super happy with the result. I mean it sounds so much more professional that before. And the musical genre is what we want to do."

6. Who has done the artwork? And how important do you feel it is to have a great cover?

"I don't know who has done the cover. But it's quite cool. Off course the album cover is very important. It will show in the record stores in advertising and so on. It needs to attract peoples interest as well as represent the music."

7. Do you have any touring plans?

"There are no touring plans at the moment. But we hope to do something in the spring."

8. How do you feel about the co-operation with AFM? Are you satisfied?

"Very much so. They have done a lot of stuff for us that they weren't bound by contract to do. It feels good."

9. The Internet is a very important source for many metal fans? How do you use the Internet and how important is it for you and other bands?

"We have a website but we haven't got the time to come up with some much stuff for it. For the new album there will be a new web page in some weeks. www.nostradameus.com."

10. What is your opinion about downloading of entire albums, file-sharing and CD copying?

"It really sucks. When the record companies don't sell so many records there are no money for the bands to record albums for. This will in the future result in worse recordings, bad sound and also a lot of groups which doesn't sell so much be dropped from the labels. Fewer bands no tour no albums. But hey, it's up to the metal fans to decide if they want this."

11. How do you see the Swedish metal scene at the moment? Both regarding new bands and the attendance at shows?

"There are many shows now but not so many new interesting bands."

12. Could you please make an all-time Top 5 - sort of the 5 most important albums in your opinion?

"Judas Priest - Painkiller
Dissection - Storm of the lights bane
Luciferion - demonication
Necrophagist - Stillborn
Judas Priest - Sad wings of destiny"

13. Please write the first thing that comes into mind, when you read these words:

McDonalds - "Good"
Emaj7 - "Not that musical theory intellectual"
Jihad - "no comment"
Night liner - "great memories"
Metallica - "good in the 80愀"
Snus - "ha ha. not for me"
Infinity - "thumbs up"
Porn - "is this a metal interview?"
Wacken Festival - "best of all"

14. Last, I need to know what your favourite beer is? ... and you don't HAVE to say Carlsberg, hehehe

"Kilkenny off course what other?"