Plain and simple a fucking awesome thrash metal act! I was absolutely mesmerized by their debut album, and I felt it was my duty to interview 'em!
It was done by email between the 6th and 14th of November.


Hey there Robert. I hope everything�s fine with you.
Let us get started with a small presentation of the band. Not a biography, but just a small notice of who�ll be answering the questions, and what other members the band consists of.
Well... I'm Robert, vocals and guitars, then there's Robin on Guitars, Simon on Bass and Brian on drums.

The band was formed back in �97, where you also did a recording session that was never released. In �98 you did yet another recording, which yet again never saw daylight. And your first CD wasn�t released until late 2004� How come you cancelled the two earlier recordings?
The main reason is that we re-wrote many of the songs right after we recorded them. And since I had the studio set up at our rehearsal place we could pretty much record anything and everything. So it was more that just those two had more effort on them and got released as demos.

And during the first years you also had some line-up issues as a couple of members quit the band. What effect did that have on the band? Did it cause you some delays in your development?
Well.... changing members is always a pain in the ass but at the same time it works as a sort of an influence injection. We all inspire each other along with new bands and the things that one usually listen to.

When you recorded the mr. Jakker Daw album you entered the studio in late 2002, but you didn�t finish the recording until 2004! The first thing that comes to mind here is that you must be quite the perfectionist�s. What was the reason for it taking so long?
Wow..... well... We wrote a couple of songs in the studio and I had a few recordings with other bands in between.
Then I moved the studio into a house and the band followed. In addition to personal issues. It was a really tough time for me. We also chose to record the songs in groups of three.

Where you satisfied with the sound on the album? Are you still satisfied, or do you wish you�d spent even more time in the studio? Hehe
haha. I'm satisfied, especially regarding the equipment I used to record it with.
I spent hundreds of hours making the sound organic and less digital sounding.

You, Robert, also did the recording in your own studio. How does it work recording your own band? Does it help, as you know exactly what you want? Or maybe it causes some problems for you, as it�s difficult to be objective about some stuff that you might have needed an outside opinion on?
I know pretty much from the start what mics and amps to use to get the sounds I want for a special feel for a certain song. It's incredibly hard to record your own band. Anyone who's played in a band can relate to the arguments that can arise. And to try and balance it out when I am on "the other side"... haha... We have a lot on film and it's hilarious to watch now.
Regarding the outside views. Our manager helped out a bit and we had a listening party for close friends the day before we mastered it. They all got to say what they thought about the mix and I changed it, slept for three hours and then dashed out to Copenhagen on the coldest damn day ever!
We mastered it at Tocano with Jan Eliason and it turned out great. A good feeling that day.

What has the response to the album been like so far? Are both fans and critics satisfied?
Yes.. It has been incredible actually, critics love it, fans love it and still we have a hard time getting good distros. How about that huh?

You�ve done quite the number of gigs in and around your hometown Malm�, but you�ve only had a couple of gigs not concentrated in that area. Have you just not had the opportunity to gig somewhere else, or are you concentrating on promoting yourself on home grounds?
It's really hard to get gigs. The clubs that used to turn us down because we hadn't released an album still will not book us. We are "not a big enough name". But the clubs that do book us always want us to come back. Hopefully the word will go around that we are a pretty solid live-act and things will sort themselves out.

When can we expect your next album to be out? Will it take just as long this time, so we have to wait for a number of years still? Have you started working on new material?
We're currently working on new material and have 6 songs done. We want to solve the distribution issue before we set a date to record or to release.

Will R.A.H.W. Productions still handle any upcoming release? As you, Robert, you�re also involved with the label if I�ve been informed correctly�
Yes that is correct.
We don�t know yet... it depends on what the future holds for the band I guess. The label will release other bands.
It's a really exciting time for us.

I was using DC++ a couple of days ago, and while looking through a guys file list I noticed that he had Origin Blood � mr. Jakker Daw available for download. What are your feelings about something like that? Do you get pissed off that people rip your music and download it from the internet instead of buying the album? Or do you get flattered, that people actually bother sharing your music that way? Could it be an opportunity to get the word out, spread your name?
You know what.... It's both I guess. I think that the people that download our stuff wouldn't have bought it anyway but might come to a show. And if they dig it might buy it to support us.... I think the whole industry is at an all time low right now and both consumers and the labels must sort out how to meet half-way. Or else it will die.

You�re also the vocalist of The Gladiator, right? A band that will soon release its debut album, so I suppose you�re fairly busy with that band too, at the same time as you�re trying to promote Origin Blood�s album� How do you organize time between the two bands, can it sometimes be bothersome having the two acts colliding?
Any other bands and projects of the OB guys that I�ve missed?
Yupp... it's hard work but if one band attracts attention it will also help the other band. Since we will release it on RAHW we have a policy that everyone helps everyone to spread the word around. Robin plays bass in VANITY DIES HARD, also debut album coming through RAHW and Brian plays drums in AZTEK SUN.

Hmm� I�m not sure I really have any questions left to ask. So it�s time for some not-so-serious stuff for you to answer�
Latest record you bought?
Laleh
Latest record you listened to?
Nevermore "Politics of extacy"
Latest book you read?
Stings biography
Latest show you went to?
VADER
Crappiest record you�ve bought?
Disturbed's new

And if you ever committed suicide, how would you do it?
I have tried to slit my wrists and it didn't work cuz of the pain.... so I'll have to go with jumping of a tall-ass building... you faint on the way down to a sure death.

So this is it. I�m out of questions � anything I should�ve asked that I�ve missed?
Thanks a lot for taking the time to answers these questions. I wish you all the best in the future, and I hope to see Origin Blood on the shelves of the local record store and on stage in the local rock club�
naaa... I think we covered the basics
Thanx for the interview... I hope that we will fill the need and get the record out there and to play at all your favourite local clubs.
Cheers and stay metal!




Related links:
Origin Blood
Aztek Sun
The Gladiator
Vanity Dies Hard
R.A.H.W. Productions
Flat Pig Studio

Photos by Jessica A Klein

For a closer look at Origin Blood's discography please click here