The Crown pour l'album "Crowned Unholy"

I – About The Crown:


« Crowned Unholy » will be out on the 6th of August through Metalblade. Shall we consider it as the last album ever made by The Crown, or is there still a hope that you may reunite the band one day?

You should definately consider this as the final chapter in The Crown history.
But then again, I don`t think we ever actually killed that priest so we might come back and finish the job some day, hehe.


Since the break up of The Crown, are you involved in a new musical project? And what about the others band members? I’ve heard that Marcus and Janne had formed a new band...

No, It`s me and Marcus that has formed a band together. Magnus has also a new band and Marko is going solo.
Janne has been sort of a studiodrummer lately. He`s been helping out a Canadian band in the studio. Don`t remember their name though.



You’ve been singing Lindberg’s parts for this re-recording, was it difficult to adapt your voice to these songs?

No, not really. I did my thing as I`ve always done.I mean, the reason for this recording was to put MY voice on it and not trying to copy the original. There are a lot of new vocalparts that were never there before.


After 15 years of playing in a high-energy band like The Crown, how does it feel to quit? What kind of knowledge have you got from this time, and do you have any advices for young bands about the music business?

The music business sucks.That`s the way it is. There are a lot of money involved in this business but assfucking the small bands seems to have the highest priority. You need to fight your way up. Listen to your label. Don`t do things you can`t handle. Besides all that bullshit I`ve had a blast over the years. Of course it`s been tough sometimes but mostly fun.
The most annoying thing for me is that I came back 2002 with a lot more energy and lust than before and then suddenly we quit. That was definately not what I wanted, but then again, all 5 must have the same attitude towards the future or the band will crash.


What is the best memory you’ll kept from this time? The highlight of The Crown’s carrier? And the lowpoint?

The highlights must be playing on the big festivals such as Wacken and Summerbreeze. A lot of audience and a great response. That`s why you play in a band. To be able to feel that magic for one hour. Not many people do.
The lowpoints must be when you rehearse for a big tour and comes real prepared just to find out that the booking agency/Promotor doesn`t give a shit. No promotion what so ever and you play in front of 30 people just cause nobody knows you`re there that night. I`ve been there a couple of times. Then you feel like killing somebody.


We shall now go back on The Crown’s discography: please tell me what is your opinion about each of the Crown’s albums:

- Démo « Forever heaven gone » (1993):

Well, There were a lot of Florida vibes in the band during this period.
A raw demo that started the ride.

- Démo « Forget the Light » (1994)

More straightforward songs. This demo gave us our first record contract and all of the songs ended up on the first album The Burning.

- The Burning (1995):

Very cool indeed. Now when i listen to it it feels like an amateur album wich it also is but I`m very proud of it. It`s a naughty little thing.We had very high expectations on sales and all cause we really thought we were going to hit the lists with this, hehe,but as this was the first album we had to be pleased anyway it went. We felt like kings.

- Eternal Death (1997):

Extremely aggressive. Now all the demo songs were used so we had to write new ones and as we were older and better at our instruments we kinda wrote more mature and natural. Very extreme. By the way the most hard album of all Crown albums to sing on. It was a nightmare.

- Hell is Here (1998):

This was the easiest album to sing on. We had a flow throughout the whole recording session.
The first album on the much bigger label Metal Blade. We got the contract after I kicked out a beer in the face of a Metal Blade dude during a gig in France, hehe. That`s an advice to all the young and new bands out there.

- Deathrace King (2000):

By many people concidered as the best album, and I`m willing to agree.

- Crowned in Terror (2002):

I leave the band early 2001 and Thomas Lindberg joins. They`re doing a very intense album but they have a lot of difficulties to mix and master it. The result is a very good album in my opinion but with a sound that even scares off Glen Benton.

- Possessed 13 (2003):

We decided to tune down the guitars a bit more this time. The songs needed that extra heavyness as they were a lot more simple and straight on compared to the previous ones.
99% of all bands change their style and gets more "mature". We`re just going back 10 years in evolution and doing a kickass album that could have been written early 90s.


What would be for you the best song from the whole The Crown’s discography? And the worst one?

The best one is "Dead Mans song" and the worst one must be "World below". It`s not a bad song but very boring in my opinion.


And last but not least, what do you think of yourself being called “the Elvis of Death metal”, according to the “look” you had on the last tour of the Crown? ;)

Well, hehe. I love Elvis. That`s simply why I had that look.
He`s the greatest entertainer of all times so it`s just flattering to hear those words, but I doubt that`s what they mean, haha.


II – The metal scene and some more personnal questions:


Do you follow the metal scene, all those new bands coming out every year?

No, not at all to be very honest. I ain`t got time.


What’s your opinion about those Swedish melodic death metal bands (In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Arch Enemy...) ? Do you think The Crown was a part of this scene?

We were never a part of that scene wich I think sucks by the way.
Very good on their instruments, very popular and at the same time very boring.



Could you explain me briefly how you came to metal? Which band got you into it?

Kiss was the first "metal" band i listened to and still do. It was the early 80s and then in school about ten years later I hooked up with Magnus and janne and we began playing. Breaking the Law and Holy Diver was the 2 first songs we rehearsed but then without me cause nobody could play a shit so i had to wait a few months before we could play as a group.


What is the last cd you bought?

Hmm, I think it was the latest Slayer album "God hates us all".


What are you listening to these times?

As i said before. Elvis,Springsteen but also heavy shit like Slayer and Morbid Angel. The latest Motorhead album kicks ass by the way.


Do you surf often on the Internet? Any good adresses to share?

All the time. No, I can`t recomend any cause I`m constantly writing on this script to our forthcoming DVD. It takes a lot of time.


Do you have a last word for all the Crown’s fans all over the world?

Thanks for your time during these 14 years and i hope I`ll see you sometime on the road.
Remember to check out Crowned Unholy and the forthcoming trippel DVD next year.
Cheers!!


Thanks for the interview Johan!

Thanks yourself.