Dawn pour l'album "The Fourfold Furnace"

Ave Henke, how will you define your band Dawn?

Well, a good mix of Death metal with some Black Metal influences...
A few years back i would probably have said Black Metal with a touch of Death, but that's not entirely true.
we never used Black Metal lyrics. we're a slow working band but when we put of a new record it will hopefully have been worth the wait.

What did you make changing your style (brutal death towards black/death)?

We progressed along with the scene. Not that it was a deliberate choice. it just happened.
we listened to alot of black metal and Dawn's music evolved that way. It's still kinda brutal death metal, but not in that Vomitory-sounding way.

How does the writing go for Dawn?

Fredrik makes all of the music. He's something of a prodigy i guess.
He can sit with his guitar and polish ONE riff until it sounds JUST the way he want it. Not leaving anything to chance.

How does the meeting with Swanö and Tägtgren go?

It went good. they are both very nice guys and recording with either of them was a pleasure.

What do you think of their current work?

I Haven't got a clue actually.. what have they been doing all these years?
I used to like some of their earlier stuff like Hypocrisy and Edge Of Sanity though..

Where do that darkness and hatred come from in your lyrics (Dawn and Niden Div.187)?

Living in crappy sweden brings on a lot of topics for depressing lyrics. during winter it's dark almost all the time and it's not too hard to grab a pen and write some terrible lyrics.
ofcourse i write about other stuff aswell, but it gives you an idea...

How do you create and work your voice (Dawn)?

i dont know actually. i just started screaming and there it was. hopefully someone thinks it's brutal and aggressive.
i sometimes wish it wasn't as HIGH pitched as it is.. but hey, thats just the way I sound i suppose...

1998 then nothing (except the re-release of Slaughtersun in 2004), what happened?

Fredrik moved to Stockholm and Dawn was put on ice for a few years. Then Fredrik met Thomas Asklund and started rehearsing again.
And when Tomas joined Dissection dawn was put on hold again, but since the death of Jon we're up and running, working on the new album.

Besides how do you feel about Jon Nödtveidt's suicide?

i don't feel anything at all about it. sure, sweden lost a great song writer, but i never cared much for the last Dissection album. it was too slow.
i did however love the old Dissection albums, The Somberlain being one of my favourites.


What do you do to earn a living?

I work with disabled people, as a caretaker (i have no idea what it's ACTUALLY called in english, but that sums it up).
i've been doing that for about 5 years. it's really laid back and pays ok.

It's not frustrating to have ideas and compositions ready without being able to unveil them (Dawn and Niden Div.187)?

Sure it is. i dont know what you mean with Niden having stuff ready though. i know there have been rumours going around that Niden was supposed to have a 2:nd album recorded but never released, but that is not a fact. we only recorded one mcd and one CD, and thats it. As for the Dawn stuff, well... the tracks that will EVENTUALLY be released are as old as about 8 years or something. but they're still really, REALLY, great. i dont think people can tell they're that old at all... they sound fresh.

What do we have to expect from The Fourfold Furnace?

It will sound like Dawn. no compromises or changing of styles (like Dissection or Satyricon). a natural progression since Slaughtersun... i would say!
Hopefully no one will be dissapointed.

Do you realize that Dawn is a cult band?

No.. Are we really? Why?

Why so few shows with Dawn?

I have no idea. but in comparison to my other band Retaliation, Dawn have been hard for organize to do shows.
We've cancelled a few shows and tours, but that will change. Hopefully we'll end up on a label that wants us to tour and are willing to pay for it!

Supposing a reunion, will you come to France?

Reunion? what are you talking about? We're alive and kicking ass...
Dawn was never dead.

Are you in contact with the webmaster of Dawn's website? When's the come-back?

No not personally... but the site is up again! HAIL Daniel!
The site was spammed to hell, thats why it went down.

We are in 1994, how did you record Subterranean?

A mutual friend of ours, Per (Wrong Again recs) told them about me when their old vocalist left the band.
They called me up and we arranged for me to go down to Gothenburg.
on two occacions we recorded 4 tracks that ended up as the Subterranean ep. It's all good, and their best material yet.

Are you still in contact with Jesper, Glenn or Daniel?

No, i wish i were though. they owe me money for for the sales of Subterranean and the re-releases of it.

What do you think of In Flame's evolution?

They're doing their thing. It's not my cup o tea, but it's ok i guess...

Your grind band Retaliation is going to play in Maryland Deathfest, where does this opportunity come from?

They asked us to play last year with only a month or two to rehearse, so we declined their offer.
but they didn't give up on us and booked us as one of the first 5 bands to the festival. So, instead of just playing one show, we decided to record a new album to go along with it. the result is The Cost Of Redemption. 29 tracks of menacing grindcore...

No too stressed to play live with all those famous extreme band?

Nope. Who cares about Brutal Truth or Cynic? They should be stressed out to be playing with us. hehehe.
I'm thrilled about playing with Vomitory, Rotten Sound and Regurgitate though... awesome.

Necropolis is no more, do you think to re-release Dawn and Niden Div.187's albums (almost nowhere to be found)?

They have both been re-released. not by Necropolis but by other labels.
Dawn's stuff was released through Century Media and Niden was released on CD by Barbaric and the LP by some other label.

Do you have some metal projects in your mind?

No. I have enough as it is, thank you!

What is your end result for 2006 (albums of the year, discoveries and disappointments)?

A somewhat crappy year with not enough cool records coming out.
Sweden had a new government which blows and fucking shit up.
I met my girlfriend which was awesome.

...i dont know. Lets look forward in time, instead of back.

Your playlist at that time?

From Ashes Rise, Sayyadina, Cyness, Victims, Non Phixion, Enter The Hunt, Isis, Jedi Mind Tricks, Cult Of Luna, Switchblade etc etc...

If you could organise your own metal festival, whose bands would be invited?

First off i wouldn't put on a pure metal festival. but if i did a show i would most likely book Sayyadina, Victims, From Ashes Rise (rip), His Hero Is Gone (rip), Vomitory, Antaeus, Jedi Mind Tricks, Non Phixion, Repulsion and a shit-load of bands i love and admire. Mix it up, y'know...

Your video game at that time?

in 2006 I guess Gears Of War to the xbox360 was by far the coolest game.

The last movie you have seen?

me and my girlfriend saw The Prestige last night. it was awesome. Check it out.


Last words for the French fans are yours!

Sorry for the dull answers. Hope no one forgets about Dawn, no matter how long it'll take for us to get the new album out.
Please check out Retaliation's new album The Cost Of Redemption when it's released sometime this spring.
Thank you for the interview,
take care.