I first came in contact with this band through hearing two songs from their demo. All it took were those two songs to get me addicted. I was really impressed by their talent, at such a young age. An interview was a fact!
Done by email. Started it on the 11th of feb, ended on the 21st.


Hey Magnus. I was wondering, are you the only one who will be answering the questions, or will you have your band mates available for assistance?
And another thing. I try to never ask for bands biography �cause that�s the lamest question there is in an interview. But since you�re a quite unknown and fairly new band maybe it�s for the best to start off with at least a small presentation for the readers�
Hi Kristoffer.
I will answer the questions with some assistance from Johan, the lead guitarist in DEVIANT.
Damn, that really is a lame question, haha, but I'll try to answer it anyway.
We formed DEVIANT in mid 2002. Back then it was only me, Johan and EB.
A rehersaltape was recorded and we decided to go serious. Later that year we recruited Alex to do the vocals. In late 2002 and early 2003 we caused some death and destruction on stage, and in August 2003 we recorded the debut demo. The demo got some really cool response and it's selling out real quick! And just a few weeks ago (February 04) we recruited a bassplayer called Erik, and it's working out just fine with him. He was also our stand-in bassplayer for a few months before we decided to make him a full-time member.

Yeah, about the demo� It seems like you�ve gotten excellent response from both audience and labels. I know that you got at least a couple of offers from labels (we�ll get to that later on). Are you surprised about the great response? I, myself, was really amazed by the demo. Such a young band, young people, and still you�re creating some of the most brutal death metal around. And I know I�m not the only one that�s impressed.
I'm glad so many people like it! And as I said, they are selling out real quick. We�ve sold around 120 copies in like 2-3 months or something. That's fucking great if you ask me.
And yeah, I must say that we are a bit surprised to see that so many seem to like our shit. But on the other hand we got a really bad review from the pretty big Swedish "Sweden Rock Magazine" recently... but since the guy who reviewed our demo compared us to Cannibal Corpse I presume he isn't that much into Death Metal. I mean.. there are no striking similarities. But most of the reviews have been really great!

Hahaha. Yeah, comparing you to Cannibal Corpse might not be the brightest of things.
You�ve had the chance to do a gig together with Birdflesh and Sayyadina, two of Sweden�s most praised grind bands. I bet that must have been cool, right? And you will also do a gig with Stabwound, Obscene and Strangulation, three highly praised death metal bands. What response do you usually get from the audience after gigs?
Yeah, the Birdflesh/Sayyadina show was a ripper. It felt really big to play with them and Birdflesh was a blast, they're actually better live than on record. The show went well and we sold some CD's so we are happy! Also creds to Affe of UAHC (www.uahc.tk) for letting us play!
And this upcoming show with Stabwound & Obscene will be a killer (Strangulation cancelled a while ago). The Show is called 'Corpse Feast' and will also feature Septic Breed, 21 Lucifers, Degrade and Massgrav. We have played with 21 Lucifers and Septic Breed before. And especially Septic Breed rocks! Some of the bandmembers are even younger than us but they certainly do know how to deliver death on stage!
The audience loves us! If not, we'll kill 'em all! Period! ;)

Hehe, right on! Kill all who does not accept Deviant as their gods!
You recently announced the signing with the Italian label The Spew. That contract has been in the works for quite long now, hasn�t it? It was a while now since I first heard about it. Are you happy with the end result - the deal, so to say?
Yeah, we first got in touch with The Spew before we actually released the demo and we've been in touch more or less ever since. The deal was confirmed pretty long ago but we decided not to announce it before the demo had spread around a little more and the demo's almost sold out now so we made it official the other day. We're happy with the deal of course, we would have turned it down otherwise.

Is it a one-album deal or did Giorgio manage to sign you up for life? haha
Did any other labels announce their interest in you?
Nope, it's a one album deal! And, yes, we had some other labels showing some interest, nothing that interesting though. uhh. don't know what more there is to say.. next question! ;)

I see, hehe� Anyway. Have you started writing on the songs for the upcoming album? As I understand it your writing goes pretty slow. Who�s the main man behind the musical/lyrical writing? And while on the subject, what are your lyrics usually about? None to be found in the demo nor on your website.
Yeah we are currently working on new songs for the upcoming release. And, yes, we usually write songs in a pretty slow pace. But if we really concentrate on the songwriting the process can be quick. We wrote for example the demotrack 'Infernal' in just a few days.
Johan is the riffmachine in the band, while the songs are put together by the whole band.
Our lyrics are pretty meaningless I think. We had a guy called Adam Conrad who wrote the lyrics for the demo. We asked him to write the lyrics because none of the bandmembers felt the urge to write them. On the new songs we asked Uffe from Stabwound (www.stabwound.net) to compose some lyrics. They turned out fucking brilliant.

Why do you think you�ve managed to get relatively popular in such a short time? I mean, you get to play gigs with big names, record deals being served etc while some bands struggle for years without any luck. Are you young musical geniuses or are you just bloody lucky? Haha
Popular? I don't know where you get that from but I think I see your point... A band doesn't run on luck that's for sure. And we're not musical geniuses, we're more or less just a bunch of guys enjoying playing death metal haha. We try to spread our name as much as possible over the internet and among people we meet when we're out playing etc. I guess we've established a few contacts that have helped us but nothing would happen if we sucked either so... I don't know haha. As for record deals, some people must be enjoying our music, how strange that may sound. Tell everyone you don't like to check us out.

Observe that I said �relatively� popular, that could just as easily mean you suck, haha.
Well. You�re gonna play at a gig with Visceral Bleeding soon. Yet again a big name you get to do a gig with. Does it somehow feel surreal? Like Wayne and Garth would say, �we�re not worthy, we�re not worthy�, if you catch my drift?
Yeah, in a way it feels kind of surreal. Visceral Bleeding are fucking great and a lot bigger than us! But I'm not complaining you know! It's fucking cool that people want us to play at their shows! And it's also a perfect time for us to spread our music and establish some contacts! This time the thanks goes out to the Stabwound-guys and Carlos of Brutal GBG for letting us play! hehe, this interview is turning out to be a fucking thank-you-list. ahh, nevermind... :)

Speaking of interviews� Have you done many?
nope, this is my first.

You�re a young band, your time will come when even you grow tired of answering the same old questions over and over again. But never forget who discovered you ;)
What do you have planned for the future, what will Deviant be doing in, let�s say, two years?
We have no plans for the future, except for recording the debut-CD. Hopefully, in two years we have released another CD if things go our way. But it's hard to tell. This was a hard question, I guess we'll keep doing our thing until the day we don't want to play death metal anymore, If that day comes.

If you�d dream with me here for a moment� What would you�ve liked to happen during those two years?
That was a stupid question, hehe. Well, I don't know what to say... I hope we will have the opportunity to play outside sweden, that would be cool! on to next question :)

No, you�re stupid! Haha ;)
To be honest, I can�t come up with a new good question. So I�ll do this emergency-thingie�

Latest record you bought?
that must be the old Earache Compilation "Gods Of Grind", I found it real cheap and it's been out of print for a long time. Some cool old songs from Carcass, Entombed & Cathedral!
Latest record you listened to?
I recently listened to Genocrush Ferox - The Sepulchre Strangulation. First time I listened to it today, my brother bought it a few weeks ago but I gave it a try today. I was a good record, I will definitely put it on again soon.
Latest book you read?
I finished The trilogy about Arn by Jan Guillou yesterday. It was OK!
Latest show you went to?
It got to be Corpse Feast in Orsa, where we also played. Stabwound and Obscene were great live!
Crappiest record you�ve bought?
hmm, tough one! Havohej - Dethrone the Son Of God is kinda crappy, but great fun!

Hmm� so now a damn difficult one, I know. Favourite records, and why?
hmm, don't know really. 'Metallica - Kill 'em all' maybe. That's the record I grew up to, and I know that you'd get the same answer from Johan.

Sends shivers down my spine.
Ok, so another silly question, that I find strangely interesting to know the answers to. Human psyche interests me. If you were to commit suicide, how would you do it?
OK, you are now officially the master of stupid questions, hehe. This interview started up real fine.. and now this! haha. Well, to die on stage would be way to die! Maybe to break the neck while headbangning on stage! stupid question - stupid answer ;)

Oh well thank you. I�m flattered, haha.
Anyway. I just thought of a question I should have asked you a long time ago instead of now, like 10 questions too late� Do you guys have any side-projects, are you involved in any other bands?
You're welcome.
Alex and EB are playing in a hard rock band. Erik is playing in a band called Diemension X, they play some kind of techno/metal crossover. Pretty cool band actually, they are great live, hehe!. EB and Alex is involved in some other projects too, can't remember all of them now though. that's all I think!

Do the other bands interfere with the work of Deviant?
How come you chose the name Deviant? It�s not that all original, some other bands are called Deviant too.
Nope, Deviant is the main band for all of us. Erik is pretty serious with Diemension X though. But Deviant is the most important band for all of us. About the name... We thought Deviant sounded pretty good and we needed a name when we were about to do our first show. We were actually called Siege in the beginning, But we changed it to Deviant pretty quick. We didn't know of the other bands called Deviant at that point.

See� To be honest I can�t even come up with any good silly questions now. Ask me a question.
hehe, ok, how would you commit suicide?

Hahaha. Somehow I knew that was gonna be your question. I�m not really sure how I would commit suicide.
I think it�ll depend on how I feel at the moment. My guess is pills. I have a deep fear of suffocation and am in no way inspired to hanging, although that is a really interesting way to kill yourself. Prolonging the pain even more� And I�m not much for physical pain, so no cutting or carving. I�d like to end it quick� I know you weren�t really too serious when asking the question so I won�t get all psychological and deep when answering either :)

If you could give anyone a good smack in the face, who would it be? If you could erase any person without any repercussions, who would it be? If you could meet any person, dead or alive, who would you like it to be?
The person I would like to smack would be you, just for fun :), haha. Don't know who to erase. Don't fucking know who to meet either, hehe. Nah, I have a feeling that the questions just are getting more and more stupid, am I right? Haha

Yeah, you�re right. I�ve been trying to prolong the interview since you�re harassing me for more and more questions when I in fact have none to ask. Hahaha. But to be honest, that�s it, no more good or stupid questions :) Thanks for taking the time to do this interview; it�s been great fun. Anything you have to say? Your space next:
Yeah, I also enjoyed answering this interview! big thanks to you for taking the time and supporting DEVIANT. Make sure to catch us live somewhere and please spread the word! cheers!


Related links:
Deviant
The Spew Records
Penile Suffocation
Stabwound
Escalier