Hail, Mattias! I know that your new promo tape consisting of five tracks is ready... Please, tell me about your present musical direction and what roused you to search for «a better deal» as it stated in your homepage?

- Greetings Kai! Yes, some weeks ago we rushed into the studio again to promo record some new songs. The promo is named «Inside You», and it will be sent out in January. Musically it's more powermetal & deathmetal. So alot of the blackmetal screamings are gone, because we never wanted to be called a blackmetal band at all. Our new songs are more progressive and intelligent. All the variations you could hear on «Dreams Left Behind» are still there, so in general there's no big difference at all. The idea with the whole thing is to get a new deal with a label that can support us to 100%. When we signed with Invasion Records for 2 CD’s back in 1996, we thought that they were a good label and that they would really push our music. But now after releasing our second CD «Dreams Left Behind» we have learnt that they are afraid to push our new style. Everyone who have heard our new CD have told us how great it is.  Invasion couldn't have put any money in the marketing of our release. It just doesn't make any sense. We know our music is unique. So what we now need is a label that are really into this type of music we play nowdays, and are willing to back us up at 100 %.

Is there anything interesting you can tell me of your first steps on the musical field...? Of bands, which preceded EMBRACING?

- I began playing drums back in ‘92, and before EMBRACING we just played in separate school bands. But it didn't last for long, a few months later BEYOND (EMBRACING nowdays) was formed. As I said earlier, about that we never wanted to be called a blackmetal band is now to be explained. When we started BEYOND we all were into bands like MY DYING BRIDE, MASSACRE, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH, GRAVE, HYPOCRISY, MERCILESS, UNLEASHED & DISMEMBER.  So we started to make songs in the vein of those mentioned. And the more we played the more we wanted to play like DEATH, because they were the greatest musicians for us. So our music growed to be technical. Then after a while our vocalist changed vocalstyle and then suddenly everyone was calling us blackmetal. For me blackmetal is the same as bad soundquality and sometimes also lack of musicianship. I know there are some exceptions, but not many though. Those bands want it that way, I understand that. But I can't understand how people can call EMBRACING a blackmetal band (I can - ED).

EMBRACING is still a quite young band, although «Winterburn» demo and  «Dreams Left Behind» CD appear as very different recordings, if we would compare them to each other. Your previous material is more «deathish», while now your band looks like the one, influenced by power / speed metal school very much... Isn’t there a risk of turning EMBRACING into BLIND GUARDIAN / HELLOWEEN-clone? And what about your former fans - do they support you now, since your music changed and became less brutal and aggressive?

- EMBRACING will never turn into a total «something» (speed or powermetal) band. Because deathmetal means alot to us. The new songs we make tend to have alot of  powermetal riffs and there are alot of DREAM THEATER influences in the music. But we're very satisfied with all the arrangements in the songs. There are grinds / agression parts, there are atmospheric and sad parts. There is everything in our music. About our fans: I think most of our past fans also like what we do nowdays, it's just like a progress to something far more beautiful than it was in the beginning. We're like a growing tree. It's all about believing in what you're doing.

I’ve read all your lyrics, however despite this, I’m eager to know what do YOU think of them and what meaning you put into them? In my view, they strongly contrast with EMBRACING’s music - your songs appear as melodic and beautiful ones with some sort of romantic atmosphere, consequently I expected lyrics to be written in the same vein (something like MOONSPELL, you know), but it turned out as absolutely different...

- The lyrics to the songs are like a hand in a glow. Maybe it's magic... who knows. Some of the lyrics are written about my own feelings, thoughts & dreams / experiences.  So there are alot of "real" meaning in some of them. I'm pleased with most of them and think that they got a very good touch. When you hear the music and read the lyrics you can really feel the words inside you. It's supposed to tell something, a lesson in nature or something. «... Morningdew slowly dries away and so the feelings for a lost friend. But you know they will comeback tonight, as soon as your head is resting on your pillow...» Alot of people say they could kill someone. But can they live with it?

How would you describe your music? Does such definition as «black / power metal» satisfies you, or you have your personal opinion, when it comes to defining EMBRACING’s music?

- Call our music progressive /death / power / gothic / dark / heavymetal / sad or maybe just HeroMetal. Our friends have called our music HeroMetal since they first heard our demo «Winterburn», because they thought that the music and lyrics together as one sounded that way.

Do you consider yourself and EMBRACING as a part of black metal? What do you think about events, which took place in Norway (murders, churchburnings, arsons, etc.) and in Germany / Austria (radical nazi manifestations)? What is your opinion of such bands as WERWOLF, BELPHEGOR, BURZUM, LUCIFER, VON...? Do they have right to mess their music (which is excellent) with politics? All these guys who try to make a brainwash among fans through their music strike as violators of black metal to me...

- As I said we don't have much for blackmetal and we don't care about churchburnings. It's just stupidity. If one is so evil, why don't he / she kill himself? And nazism is the sickest thing of all. In my eye their ideology tells: Kill everything that is defect from what is prefect. Sounds like «...In the end there can be only one». Mere one cloned person. Slighest defect and it has to be viped away. This is so sick. Sorry, but no one of us listen to the bands you mentioned. Many bands use their music to spread politics and I don't see anything wrong with that. If that is what they want, let them do that. Because if there were limits of what you was allowed to write, lyrics wouldn't be so interesting anymore. But I don't like music & lyrics that is connected with politics. It's so fucking boring.

Whom would you name as bands, close to EMBRACING musically? I heard some individuals, reckoning you in «progressive» black metal with such projects as OPETH and WINDWALKER... Are they right or you would disagree with these comparisons? Can we talk about the birth of a new style in BM, the one, whose representatives I mentioned above...?

- I've heard the OPETH CD’s and I like their ideas and music, but I've never  heard of WINDWALKER (purchase their «The Dance Of The Elves», and do it now! - ED). And if you would like to compare us with OPETH I couldn't say that it's wrong, they also have alot of variation in their songs. The only thing they do wrong sometimes is that they repeat a riff too many times. Anyway, I like what they do very much.
 
It’s interesting to hear you telling me about EMBRACING’s live shows... How can you handle singing, playing drums and keyboards in the same time???

- Well I use my toes as drumstick while I play keyboards with my nose and sing with my bellybutton. No, but I've made a CD-mix with only the drums from the CD «Dreams Left Behind», so that we have the CD as playback and I do all the vocals live. I know it's wierd to be a metal band with playback, but there is no other solution right now. I think it's hard to get a great vocalist that would fit in. Isn't it better that we play live like this, than not play live at all... What do you think? (I think you’re right - ED) But we've thought about to take in a singer that can do real great death vocals, then I could play drums and make as much normal vocals as I could behind the drumkit.

Wolf... Creature, whose image is often used by some BM bands... Is the magical aura, attached to this mighty, mysterious and almost extirpated by mankind animal, really exists? What attracts so many people to this «phantom der nacht»? And what is lycanthropy in your understanding? Does this phenomena exist, or it’s ordinary human myth?

- The human beast has existed in ages. Long back in time people frightened their children with stories of the werewolf. I think the origin of the whole thing comes from the human mind, about fear and all that. A lycanthrop is supposed to be half beast and half human. The phenomena (lycanthropy) itself probably doesn't exist, but is a fair good thing to write interesting stories / lyrics about. I don't see all this as more than a fairytale if that was what you wanted to know.

Energy and Spirit. Simple, and in the same time equivocal words. What is hidden in their meaning, can you tell me?

- Energy is a power that possesses many things, and can change into many things. We need energy to live. I don't think we ever can imagine how many forms it has. And a spirit is a thing that doesn't change into different shapes, it's shapeless, it's not of this plane. The spirit is totally superior the human mind. But I think it's also a  part of the human mind. I think the spirit lives on after our bodies dies.

Human emotions... Some say that they are worth nothing and perfect man must be emotionless, others assert that everything is quite the contrary...

- There has not to be a perfect man or woman. It's great that humans have different emotions. If we were emotionless there would be no real persons present, only empty shells walking the earth. Nothing new to discover, knowledge / evolution would stop because there are no need to improve if we don't care. Respect another and be respected.

Do you believe in magical destination of your name? «Mattias», what does it mean? (it’s my second name also, so I’m interested to know if it has any special meaning (f.ex. like «Glen» - «shining»)

- I don't believe in any magical destination of my name.  Because there were normal mortals who named me, not any gods. Mattias means: Gods' gift.

Recently newspapers all over the world exaggerated the «cloning» theme, which caused fear among narrow-minded persons and furious discussions among scientists and biologists... Are you familiar with this topic? What do you think of it? Does it really hold that big danger, as some say?

- I'm familiar with this. I've not read that much about it, but I can understand that people worry about future superhumans or something like that. My personal opinion about all this is: we shouldn't mix so much with mother nature. In the end we will be hurt twice as much as we gained.

What does your ICQ alias («Starfall») mean?

- It's the name I use in my other band STENCH OF PASSION, where I make all the music. The person «Starfall», is a king who died and became a star upon the sky. Read my STENCH OF PASSION lyrics at the Internet homepage for more info.

What are your views upon Internet and new technologies? In my view, it has some good sides, of course (like email, a perfect way for doing interviews - you don’t need to send a letter to the band and wait for their answer for many months), but... such things as ICQ and different chats, don’t they deaden our mind and bereave our yearnings towards meeting people in a real life, not through computer’s monitor...? The man comes at home after work, he’s tired and there’s no one who would wait him there. So he turns on his Pentium and has a virtual sex, instead of looking for a girl on the streets or parties... Or he just logs in regular chat and talks about everything he wants without any kind of limits... Time passes and he just forgets what it is - to associate with people face to face... Do you agree with me?

- Yes, it can change people very much. I mean, before I had Internet when I didn't  have anything to do. I sat down, lit a candle and wrote something. But now, most of the time, I just kick the computer on the switch and log in to Internet, then I chat with people and answer / send mails. But on the weekends, if there ain't no party, we go to a local pub or something. So my contact with people hasn't changed. But I've heard and read about people that has this so called Internet-sickness, when the surfing and chatting have become something like a drug. I hate phones (so do I - ED) so if I want to talk with someone I perfer to do it face to face.

I’ve heard that you also appear as some games’ programmer...

- In the past I programmed alot, and our bassist Mikael Widlof is also a hacker :) We know languages like C++, assembler and Turbo Pascal quite well. But nowdays there is almost no time over for it, and the music is so much more enjoying.

For last couple of years, I could behold kinda weird thing - it seems that you, Swedes, and the Finnish nation have something against each other... I heard a lot of statements like «Finland is a worthless country... Finns are pathetic...» from your countrymates and the same assertions from Finnish guys, regarding your nativeland... Could you please enlighten me a bit on this topic?

- I don't have anything against Finns, I've grown up with friends from Finland. And some of us have relatives over there. But there are people who dislike Finns and viceversa, but I don't know why.

How do you spend your free time? Any books and movies you would recommend us to read? Why people, involved in black metal scene, look like die-hard horror films fans, how do you think?

- We spend most of the time writing music and drinking beers. Andre studies at the Umea university and Mikael will also start doing that soon. Ola is working and will also soon be reading something on the university. I spend a few days of the week in the Port of Umea, loading ships with wood'n stuff. You know, one have to make money to buy music equipment. But most of my time is spent to make riffs, playing drums and vocal practise. (But at this moment I have a bad cold  so my vocal cord doesn't work correctly.)  I also improve my piano skill by playing and analyzing music from ENYA and others.

Deathmetal is horror, they are hand in hand. So then people look at those movies for inspiration 'n stuff. I used to read alot of books, but as I said there's not much time over for that nowdays. You should look for books written by Raymond E. Feist,  Robert Jordan & Frank Herbert. They are killers. Very good writers. And of course J. R. R. Tolkien is also one of the favourites. We like all sorts of movies, not any particular area. The absolute fave is «Braveheart» for all of us. Now you can draw a parallell with the scream ‘Freedom’ in the beginning of the song  «Only Greedy Gods» with William Wallace death-cry in the movie. :0) 

What do you know about Russia? Have you ever heard any Russian metal bands? Would you come in my country to perform a couple of live shows, if you’ll have such a possibility?

- We don't know anything about Russian metal bands. And if we sometime get the possibility to come and do 'couple shows in your country we would do so.

Ok, back to the music. What can you tell me of other EMBRACING’s members? There’re three main views on how perfect metal band must look like. First - it has to be one-man band in order to escape discords in discussions how this band’s music must sound alike; second - the person, which considers itself as main force behind the band, must replace other musicians from album to album in order to get new people with new ideas; third and last one - all bandmembers have to be one family, with common problems and joys, all of them must participate in creative process, etc., etc... What point of view is more close to Mattias Holmgren?

- In EMBRACING we make the music together. I know by self experiance that it can get trouble if you push the other persons in a band too much. I learnt that when I played in NAGLFAR. But then I also had my other main band to think about, so I quit them. So it's like you say, people in a band must have at least some common ideas and directions to reach somewhere. If not, there's impossible to work together. Still if you are in a band you have to give something, appear on the rehearsals and contribute with ideas.

«Dreams Left Behind» was recorded at XL-Studio... I have never heard about this one; can you tell me and VAE SOLIS readers some facts, regarding it? I mean equipment, sound engineer, bands who’ve already recorded their CD’s there, etc...

- XL-studio is the same studio as we recorded our demo «Winterburn» in, but it has moved to a new place and has got better equipment and a bigger drumroom. :0) They have two Alesis-ADATs, which means 16 channels. And we used a separate sync-box linked between the ADAT and a keyboard to save some channels. I played on a drumkit borrowed from my cousin Ulf (NOCTURNAL RITES), because they had recorded their new CD before we was entering the studio. And we used our own Marshall amplifiers and Ibanez guitars. The engineering was mostly made by EMBRACING 'cause the techniqans was running around somewhere else... that was kind of shitty. There are no other bands worth to mention that have recorded something in XL except for NOCTURNAL RITES, CRANIAL DUST, BEWITCHED and M.A.D (great DREAM THEATER metal).

Both your CD’s have brilliant covers and lay-outs... Who did that perfect paintings and who was the layout designer?

- Yes, the graphics on our CD’s are absolutely of highest level. It's Maja, the manager of Invasion Records who painted the covers and layouts, but I've made the logo. And the dragon in the middle of the inlaycard, on our second CD is also painted by me. The dragon also appears on our limited edition t-shirt. Go to our homepage if you want to see how the t-shirt print looks.

Are there any BM bands, you’re in contact with?

- A few, mostly with a one-man-band called AZURE. I will play drums,  do some choir vocals & maybe play some piano, and Andre will play guitar solos for him on his CD that will be recorded at the XL-studio in January.

The following bands seem as the best ones on Swedish BM scene to me, therefore I’m itching to know your opinion about them... - OPETH, NECROMICON, ABLAZE MY SORROW, THORNIUM, BEWITCHED, KATATONIA, HYPOCRISY,  WINDWALKER, TRISTITIA, DECAMERON, THE EQUINOX OV THE GODS and MORK GRYNING.

- We've done a gig with NECROMICON, and they like our music so we exchange e-mail with them. They're great. OPETH & KATATONIA make great music, but we have no contact with them. HYPOCRISY is an all time favourite... Peter Tagtgren's deathmetal music and vocals kills everything.  I know all the people in BEWITCHED, but I dislike their music. Can't believe there are so many people into what they make. It must be because their label spend alot of money to market their name. The other bands you mention I haven't heard, but maybe they have something to tell the music scene (heh heh, definitely... - ED).

You, guys, seem to be great THERION fans... Am I right? I consider this band as one of the mightiest metal bands of our time, although Christopher Johnsson and co. don’t  appear as well-respected people in Swedish BM community... Can you explain me the reason why 99% of Swedish black metallers hate them so much?
 
- We like THERION’s music, though the latest release «A'rab Zaraq, Lucid Dreaming» isn't our taste. But they are one of the mightiest bands indeed. I think blackmetal people hate Christopher because he makes much better music than themselves :0)

Please, compare Norway to Sweden, both - countries and black metal scenes...

- Norway and Sweden are alike in many ways. The nature in both countries is very beautiful. But Norway has mountains and fishing places that beats everything. Regarding the BM scene, Norway seems to be alot more into «the bad sound quality trend» than us. At least if you go back 3 years in time.

What is your opinion of traditional metal clothes and attitude? Do we really need to shock the narrow-minded ones and raise hate among them, hate, geared towards us?

- The attitude is a selling thing, like DARK FUNERAL, what would they have been today without their satanic statements and tv-appearances...not as big as they are today. And CRADLE OF FILTH with their vampyric touch. I think both bands are great musicians, and that they have an image that sells isn't bad at all. The music scene needs bands like those to survive... even though there are people who don't like it. I wear black clothes and leather-jackets because I like it. It feels most comfortable and it also tells other people what kind of person I am. It's not the clothing that makes us hated, it's some peoples stupid statements. And people tend to connect us "normal" metal people with satanists 'cause we wear black.

Can you slightly raise the veil, hiding your future plans...?

- The only thing we currently are looking for is a label that we can discuss the future with. And soon we will try to put together all the ideas for an upcoming CD. Maybe we will make a new t-shirt also... we'll have to see what happens.

Well, I believe we’ve come to an end of this rather long interview... Thank you, Mattias, would you like to say something to your Russian fans?

- Thanx for your interest in EMBRACING. Always a pleasure to answer a differing interview. We would like to greet everyone in Russia and the rest of the world. To all you out there, buy our latest CD «Dreams Left Behind» if you want to hear some real magic coming out from your speakers, and if you don't like magic, you might consider doing it to support us :0)
 

EMBRACING contact -
Email: starfall@hem2.passagen.se