Vicious Art pour l'album "Pick Up This Sick Child"

Hi Jörgen ! Could you briefly introduce Vicious Art to our readers ?

Hi there. Vicious Art is a death metal band from Stockholm that started back in 2002. We have recorded 2 full length cd´s and 1 ep uptil now. Our music is death metal with influences of all other spectras of metal. Our lyrics differs alot from regular death metal bands. Also we take pride in trying to create some interesting photos and artwork for the band.

What is the meaning behind the title "Pick Up This Sick Child" ?

It can mean alot of things. To start with it is a songtitle of the one
song that we recorded for the album, but never made it on the album. It will eventually be released as a bonus song somewhere. Second, the whole album has a red line that is sickness in various forms. And finally, it is an direct order from us to buy the album, haha..

What is your role in the writing progress and the lyrics ?

I have nothing to do with the lyrics. Jocke and Robert takes care of them. The music on the other hand I am just as involved in as the other members are. We all contribute with riffs, ideas, arrangements etc etc. Everybody in this band works hard to make the best that we can do at the time.

How does this process go ?

We meet up in our rehersal room and someone has an idea and shows it for the rest of us and then we start jamming. Based on that first feeling we create a song. It can be done in an hour or take weeks to finish up a song, but that is the fun thing about it as well. And just because a song have been written and done for months doesnt mean it cant be changed. Example is "Our Family Flesh".. It was a completely different song uptil the week before we would enter the studio and we had become fed up with it and thought it could be re-arranged for the better. So we just teared it to pieces and the day before we went to the studio we had re-arranged it to what you now can hear on the record. I cant even remember how it sounded before, haha..

Do you know the norvegian band Cadaver ? Necrosis and Pick Up This Sick Child are quite complementary, I think.

I know the band but I dont think I have heard their record. But if it sounds like Pich up this sick child then it must be great!!

Why did you leave Threeman Recordings in aid of Mighty
Music ?

Threeman records turned from being a great idea and record label to a record label with no idea of what they were doing. They just didnt give a fuck about the bands after they released the album and now everyone is pissed at them and they dont understand why..

Let's come to your other bands. Could you remind us of the
reason of your departure from Grave and Entombed ?

In both cases actually, I got tired of being in a band where there was no communication. It is quite boring going on tour with
a bunch of people and there is no fun involved anymore. Just being on tour for the case of being on tour so to say.. That and alot of personal issues with other band members made me quit first Grave and then Entombed.

Are you well with the members of those bands ?

With some of them yes. It is not like I actually hate any of them so much that I dont wanna see them, it is just that we have nothing in common anymore so there is no reason to hang out.

Aren't you a bit frustrated that your band Grave didn't have the same sucess than your friends of Dismember, Unleashed and Entombed ?

Not at all.

If you had to make a end result of all of those years in
Grave and Entombed, what would it be ?

I loved it!!

What did you think of the line-up of The Master Of Death
Tour (Entombed, Dismember, Grave, Unleashed) ?

10 years to late, haha..

How happened your guest vocals with Death Breath on Stink It Up The Night ?

Nicke called me and asked if I would like to do some songs and I had a listen to it and loved the stuff so I agreed to do some songs on the album. I think it came out really good and I hope they ask me to do more stuff in the future!!

I have listened to Torture Division and it kicks ass ! Do you think to release a full-length and to do tours ?

We have agreed within the band that before we even think of releasing an album we will at least release 3 demo tapes. Then we´ll see if we are ready to make a killer album. There is so many crap albums that gets released and we dont wanna be one of them. We also wanna create a name based on our music not on who which we used to play with. We got offered a record deal even before we had made one single song, haha.. that is ridicilous. The guy said, I know who you guys are and know what you are capable of, this cant go wrong, so I wanna sign you to my label. We said no of course.

Lord K and you, do you have blood relationship with ogres ?

We are much more than that. We are cronys!

Why so much "come-backs" towards "old-school" ? An answer for neo/melo death and other fashion bands with "core" ?

No, I dont care to much about them anyway. At least not that much to make me create "old school" stuff to show them how it "should" sound.. I dont think Torture Division or Vicious Art is "old school". Old school to me is Death, Autopsy, Pestilence, Master etc etc.. Death Breath play old school death metal. TD and VA just play death metal the way we like it, then if it sounds old to you maybe it is because we are old, haha

If you had to recommend one album of The Project Hate, which one would it be ?

The next one.

What do you think of the band Bloodbath ?

It´s ok, nothing special. I like some of the songs. I got asked
to do vocals for them on the next record but said no thanx.

How happened your first meeting with Dan Swanö ?

I think it was when I did some vocals on the first TPH demotape.
Dan is a nice guy but I dont really know him that well. But he is weird, he like Marillion...

Your musical bulimia reminds me Dan Swanö, are you a producer too ?

No, i am not into the technical bits.

How do you manage all your bands with your private and
professional life ?

Planning and relaxing. I am slowly learning how to say no to things which helps alot. Before I would accept doing anything with the bands but nowadays I just have to say no to things.. Which is good.

What is your play-list at this moment ?

I am listening to alot of music during the days at work as I drive a van all day long. So my playlist would stretch out forever here. But check out In Battle Kingdom of fear, it is great.

The last movie you have seen ?

Superbad.

The last video game you
have played ?

Space Invaders.

What do you think of France ?

Some places I love, some places I dont like that much. I am not a big fan of Paris. I like the country side and smaller towns better.

Will we have the chance to see soon one of your bands in France ?

Not likely as nobody has ever asked us to come before, haha..

Last words for your French fans are yours!

Pick up the sick child!!! Join us at our forums at www.globaldomination.se. We are there answering questions and act stupid all the time!

Thanx for the support!!!
Death Metal!!!