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So the best would be to leave No Fashion? Are there
any other serious labels interested in Lobotomy?
For the moment; yes! I took them 6 months to release it, and they haven't
been in any good contact to us at all, I have to call them to make sure
things are moving, and to me that job should be vice versa, they should be on
the bands instead of me calling all the time. So far I don't know if there is
any other label interested, If there are which I hope since "Born in
Hell" is a fuckin' excellent album, I hope we can switch to a label that
supports us 100%. If No Fashion starts to be more focused on us and helps us
with better promotion and contacts maybe we could stay, but for the moment it
feels like we are trapped, and since House of Kicks owns the label and many
other Metal labels are distributed by them, I could cause a big problem for
us to get signed since the other labels might be scared of the influential
power that House of Kicks has. We are hoping to have the album licensed to
Japan and America and maybe from then we can make sure to move over...only
time, the label and the response for" Born in Hell" will tell.....
Lobotomy isn't exactly a band you see that often in 'zines today. Don't you
get many interviews and letters?
We receive letters everyday, it seems that we have a strong following in the
states, too bad that our album is only available through import there. But as
you know Death Metal has become the underground of the underground since
Black Metal become popular, but thats life, still there are allot of people
who are into good ól Death Metal. I think we answer an interview for a
magazine or a radio interview once a month, and it seems that this sort of
music style is coming back so who knows? Mabye there will be many more
features soon.
Yes, Death Metal seems to grow again. Do you think it ever will become as big
as it was back in early ‘90? Today it seems as most idiots are focusing on
all these soft "Black Metal" bands instead.
I don't think it will be the same thing, I think that if there is ever gonna
be a new Death Metal wave, I think that the bands will be much more better,
If you remembered back in 90-91 alot of bands of the Death Metal bandwagon
really sucked, and if it will be as popular I think that the Metal audience
know what they want since they are more familiar with the music style. Just
like the Black Metal thing there where alot of worthless corpse painted bands
that where just dog-shit, and then you had other bands that where really
great. I like both Black Metal and Death Metal and personally I just hope It
could be like it was back in the early 80's when there was nothing wrong to
like various bands such as: Voivod, Cro-Mags,Destruction and Helloween. Back
in those days no one cared as long as it was aggressive and brutal. But today
it's such a stupid scene, where you have Death in one corner, Black in
another, Speed in the third and Hardcore (And what the fuck has Hardcore to
do with Metal? - ed) in the forth, that is so wrong, who gives a fuck?, as
long as they manglar arsle!!! Thats why I think it's great with bands such
as: The Haunted, Arch Enemy and The Crown, bands who dares to blend different
kinds of styles into a melting pot of aggressive music!! That is what we try
to do as well, everything that is good should remain good, not what is
popular at the time.
How has the new album "Born In Hell" been received, what does the
reviews say about it?
I have only seen two reviews so far, since the album is not released yet, I
will be relased in early May I think. (I was given a copy in early Februari
so when I wrote this interview I asumed the album was already released. But
we all know that No Fashion is a bit slow. - ed) but the reviews have been
very good, I'm glad to see that they have listened to the album and not only
have an opinion before they listened to it and call it "ordinary Death
Metal bla bla.." It seems that the album has made a good impact on the
ones who has heard it, and personally I think it's one of the best Death
Metal albums ever!!! It's already a classic!!!
Judging from many 'zine reviews it seems as most of them think of Lobotomy as
a good band. Still there don't seem to have been any major recognition for
you in Europe. Do you have an explanation for this? How has the response been
on your two albums?
First of all, our record company don't give a shit about us, actually
sometimes I wonder why they signed us, mabye just to get rid of the Black
Metal label situation and have a more varied line-up in their catalogue. We have
asked them to help us with all kinds of stuff, but they totally ignore
us...why? Beats me... We did allot of press when our first album came out
back in 95, but it was hard because no one where interested in Death Metal
back then, it was only Black Metal or Machine Head-bands that where
interesting.. But the response for "Kill" has been very good we
received very good reviews for that album in some major magazines.
If my memory serves me right Lobotomy was formed in 89/90 or something. How
do you think these 10 years have been?
Lobotomy became the band Lobotomy in 1990, and looking back I don't think
there is ever a band with such bad luck as ours!! We have been thrown out of
various rehearsal places, line-up problems, we have been ripped off by a lots
of labels, we had lots of gigs cancelled, we have suffered through family
losses witch have made the band to take a break, and now many may think that
"why the hell do they do that shit" well let me tell you; We just
can't give up, we have such a strong relationship towards the band and the
members, It's just the Metal flow!! We can't quit, some, or may I say all the
members have been thinking to leave the band at one point, but we just can't,
we love this, even though it hard times, we don't care, as long as we can
produce Metal, the lava of it all. And since we are not that old we will
continue further on!!
What is the worst thing vs. the best thing that ever happened to you during
your long career?
The worst thing is of course the death of family members, after that is
probably the label thing, first we signed with a label and they ripped us of
then we signed to Chaos rec, to release our debut album, but then came the
Black Metal boom, and no one cared about us That is pretty hard after years
of demotapes then when we finally make it..no one cares..,Then we moved over
to "No fashion" and...nothing happened.. The best thing is probably
the "Against The Gods" demo which made us a household name in the
underground, the "Kill" album, that finally meant something for the
band, that album helped us to show everyone that we where not giving up. And
of course "Born in Hell" which is to me the first album that is a
real Lobotomy-record. This is us!! And even though it is not released yet,
the response have been awesome, it's like finally have the audience woke up
and noticed us, which is great!! Other great things are some really cool gigs
we have done, but there are too many stories to mention, wait for the Lobotomy-biography
book........
I think a problem with most new (and some old) DM bands are that they try to
imitate what Cannibal Corpse are doing. However, that's not the case with
Lobotomy. Do you agree with me?
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