Hail to thee. Could you please let us know what kind of historical background SIEBENBURGEN has?

- Well, SIEBENBURGEN was started by me (Marcus), and Anders Rosdahl (drums) in the middle of '94. A couple of months later Fredrik Brockert (bass) joined the band. We recorded our first demo in February '96, and our second in October the same year with our new guitarist Linus Ekström. The second demo ("Ungentum Phareils") gave us a contract with Napalm Records in January '97, which followed with our debut album LOREIA. In '98 we recorded GRIMJAUR, an album which I am not pleased with. The bad sound destroyed that album I think. And in '99 we recorded "Delictum".

What does "Delictum" stand for?

- Delictum means "Sin" or "Crime". I thought it would fit fine to this album because of the lyrics nature. Every lyric is dealing with a sin or a crime in one way or another.

Do you consider a title in Latin a good choice for the Swedish band? There are some Northern acts that simply despise everything that is pertinent to the Southern European civilizations...

- Latin has always been a mystical and magical language. It's connected to religious and divine / undivine matters. I can't see why it should be wrong to use it just because you come from the North. Almost all of the European countries has used it at one time or
another.

What would you like to tell our readers, when it comes to "Delictum's" musical canvas?

- It's the first album that I'm really pleased with. This time we had plenty of time, and really could concentrate on doing our best. It's our first album with English lyrics, and I think that it was a good idea.

"Loreia" was the CD you've made your debut with back in 1997, right...?

- Yes, it's true that "Loreia" was recorded '97. It contains 6 tracks from our two demos, and 4 "new"-written. We signed the contract with Napalm in January, and recorded "Loreia" in April I think.

... however, "Delictum" doesn't appear as the followup to "Loreia", since there was also that "Grimjaur" CD...

- We recorded "Grimjaur" in '98. An album I'm not pleased with. The
sound-quality really destroyed that album. I can't even listen to it today, it's a shame, because the material is more than OK.

What about the label you're signed to? What's your relationship with Napalm Records alike?

- Napalm has always treated us with respect, and given us the right backup. So I haven't anything to complain on. They where a small label in '97 when we joined them, but now they only grow bigger and bigger.
 
That demo work you mentioned, "Ungentum Pharelis", was recorded on October the 31st, which obviously makes me curious if it was done on purpose.

- When I booked the studio, I hadn't thought about it. It came to my mind when we started to record. So it was not planned, but it was cool that it happened this day.
 
Is Swedish folklore and anything it might concern, of interest to you?

- Not really, it was, but no longer.

Your moniker stands for the way people used to call Transylvania in the early days; Transylvania, definitely a kind of land possessing a mystic yet fascinating aura of vampirism... Do you agree with those who consider SIEBENBURGEN a "vampiric black metal" act? What's your view on the phenomena of vampirism? 

- I don't consider SIEBENBURGEN as a hardcore vampire-band, we have some vampiric lyrics but not in that matter that you could call us vampiric band. My views on Vampires? Too much to write it down here, but if you mean that if I believe in vampires; yes I do. And I don't see myself as a vampire, I'm still mortal...
 
It was Bram Stoker, mostly thanks to whom we associate Transylvania with vampires, wasn't he? What is your attitude to this individual?

- Not my favorite author.

We're preparing a special article regarding Vlad Tepes at the moment, hence, if I broached this subject, let me wonder if you're familiar with this name and what was called a "Forest of the impaled"?

- Yes, I know who Vlad was (how laconic we are... :( - ED).
 
Both "Loreia" and "Grimjaur" come with the lyrical canvas composed solely in Swedish, however it's a bit different with "Delictum". Nevertheless, do you consider singing (and composing verses) in your native language easier or not?

- I don't know if it's easier to sing in English than Swedish, but the English language has a bigger vocabulary, so it makes it easier to express yourself. And English has better rhythm for singing. But why I decided to stop write in Swedish was because that when I begun the lyric work for "Delictum" my inspiration was equal to zero, so I had to try something new.

What's the current lineup for SIEBENBURGEN?

- Me, Marcus Ehlin - vocals, main man, boss, top dog
A. Rosdahl - drums
F. Brockert - bass
L. Ekström - lead guitar
K. Höijertz - female vocals

And our newcomer; Richard Bryngelsson - replacing me on guitar.

I decided to concentrate on vocals only, I felt that under live-conditions it was 50% guitar and 50% vocals, and I wanted to make it 100%. So I chose vocals. We tried out many guitarists before Richard, but they didn't fit in the band, like Richard does. He is a good guitar player, and a great person.

Let's talk about other subjects for a while, ok? Sweden is known for being a nation with high immigration level. What's your opinion on immigration? Do you consider it to be a positive or negative factor for Swedish society?
 
- It's not a problem as long as they can behave. The last years Sweden has imported to much criminal elements that should have been deported at the border. So it's not positive for me, the negative factors are to high for me to scream out in joy...
 
A couple of Swedish death metal bands, such as UNLEASHED, DIVISION S and TRISKELON, stand strictly against immigration considering themselves to be nationalistic enough. What's your opinion on this point of view?
 
- I think that you should sing or write what you feel like, it's not up to others to judge what can or can't be done. But for me I don't think that metal and politics is a good combination. Metal is metal, and politics is politics.
 
Well, I know that christianity arrived to your country from Germany, however the Judeo-Christianity's imposition appeared as very violent in Sweden. Lotsa people were killed and tortured because of their pagan creed. How do you feel yourself alike recalling those times, and what about the contemporary Swedish Church?

- The present Swedish church? Does it exist? Christianity has killed itself many years ago, it cut its own wrists when not practicing what it preached. Christianity today is only a name, an empty shell. And what I think of what happened to pagans hundreds of years ago: I couldn't care less...
 
I have noticed that being an antichristian, pagan or whoever else, in
opposition to the christian Church is very common in Sweden; is this true?
 
- What can I say; trends come, and trends go...

Thanx for your time, Markus! I have one more question, though. "Delictum" comes with a doubtlessly tremendous coverart, thus making me to ask you who was the painter...

- Thank you! It was meant to have a cover which I had made, but Napalm Records wasn't satisfied with it, and I lost the will and interest to remake it. So after some discussions between Napalm and us, we came to the conclusion that we should hire a third part to do the artwork. Napalm recommended Tor Soereide (TRISTANIA, TSOTB, etc), and we gave it a try. I don't know if it was a good decision or not, but we wanted to release the album as soon as possible. It's nothing that I regret anyway.