"Dead Man Walkin'" from the album The Embodied
THE EMBODIED, a little known band hailing from Sweden, released their debut full length album 28 October 2011 on Pure Legends Records. The self-titled album features their version of NWOBHM-inspired, classic heavy metal with various other metal elements. THE EMBODIED are hard-working, blue collar musicians who have succeeded in producing a quality album. I was fortunate to get an opportunity to interview THE EMBODIED’s guitarist Jon Mortensen, and was able to grasp some of the band’s trials and tribulations in getting to where they are now. I look forward to the day where THE EMBODIED is able to tour the United States, and recommend picking up their self-titled debut.
ATG: I wanted to start out talking about the release of your first full-length album, THE EMBODIED. How excited are you guys for this long-awaited release after years of work?
JM: We are truly fulfilled by doing this. As you say, it has been a lot of hard years to reach this level. We're not naive and know that there are at least a couple of years more of the same work to make a name for ourselves out in the world. The album is a result from the shit places we've been in, the struggles as brothers and family, each one with their life's story and the problems that follow. It has bonded us closer and we want to share our experiences with our listeners and fans. I believe the things you go through make the rewards greater; THE EMBODIED debut is that reward. I even cried out of happiness the first time I heard the album when it was done - nothing I usually do, but it'll give you a picture of the hardships we've been through to reach this point…and it Fuckin' Rocks!!!
ATG: How long did it actually take to record THE EMBODIED? What were some of the challenges to getting the album complete and ready for release?
JM: It's a bit hard to say, as we never had the money to go straight in for a month or even a week. The short answer is, a total of about two weeks. The sessions were spread out over a couple of months. We recorded a single first, “Chapter one,” which we saw to be the beginning of the full-length album. We hoped someone would catch up with us before that and offer us some help. We did have a couple of offers, but one stood out from the rest. Pure Steel Records offered us a good deal, and it had the things you really care about. So we signed, spoke with them, and the thing got started. We ended up on their sub-label, Pure Legend Records.
JM: We were quite scared that the album would sound like ten different bands, as we were not feeling comfortable with writing things that are from a pre-made order. It actually turned out even better than we thought. There were also some differences between us and Pure Legend, specifically about our image, but they were really understanding in the importance for the image's tie, and did not try and fuck with it - we salute them for that. Because of the short time, we really didn't have the time to really fine tune all the things we would’ve like to, but that leaves a lot to improve on for the next album. This [The Embodied] is the introduction of us as a band. The next album will be even more important, as it will show the future of us. The next album will be to The Embodied as Terminator 2 was to its prequel.
ATG: How excited are you to be playing with Arch Enemy this week? Can you talk a bit on how Arch Enemy, along with other Swedish metal acts, has influenced The Embodied?
JM: It must be something in the water here in Scandinavia [laughing]…but seriously; we are inspired by bands all over the world. NWOBHM here in Europe and Thrash Metal from America are the foundations. All we have done is try to relate to our heritage here. Arch Enemy, At the Gates, In Flames, Soilwork, Grave, Dark Tranquility, The Haunted, Amon Amarth...we have so many great pioneers here to pave the way for others. They opened a door which made it possible for metal to be Swedish; something to really be proud of. We're not that many people here, so we get close to those who do the same thing [play heavy metal]. A couple of years back, we played together with Amon Amarth, who really taught us to be patient and do our thing without falling into things we didn't want to do. We're not like that - we want to bring the improvement of metal back to the roots. The bands here usually fall into a more radio-friendly sound of modern music. We want the reaction of metal back, so it’s always great to play with people who inspire you more in that direction. They are the masters…we're still their disciples.
ATG: THE EMBODIED has been around Europe and has guest appearances with several high profile bands. What is your most memorable moment on tour or during live performances?
JM: There's never been a moment that really stood out from the rest. Any stage is as important as the next. We believe the most fundamental aspect of touring is our fans - the people who listen to the message. Without them, we could not do what we want to do – and we will tour more next year. Right now, we're focusing on Sweden at first.
JM: Something small once happened [while on tour] - I once got a muscle cramp in my right hand on stage, dropped my pic, but continued to play, further damaging my hand. It looked like I cut my arm up really bad, but it was nothing really serious. Otherwise, it would be meeting with Johan Hegg from Amon Amarth - not a guy you would like to meet in a dark alley [laughs]. We will probably have a lot more stories in the future if we meet again [smiling].
ATG: Do you plan on touring in the United States?
JM: Yes, of course! The thing is, we need someone to help us with the bookings and the economy won't allow it right now. But in the future, there's no question about it. We're coming over sooner or later! The States is somewhat the place where it all began, and if we want to make a living out of this, we need to play for you guys so you can spread the word.
ATG: Can you talk a bit about the beginning of THE EMBODIED, how the band has transformed and matured, and what direction you are looking to in the future?
JM: There are probably five different stories about that. We're five guys forced into something we really didn't like, so we began expressing ourselves through music. We needed the outburst of our inner struggles, much of what THE EMBODIED still believes in. Chris and I are childhood friends, and we did everything together…everything. He's more of a brother than anyone ever will be. We had an idea of what we wanted to do but not the skill to express ourselves in the beginning. Agust we met at high-school, and we needed a bass player. He liked the shit we did so we just put a bass in his hands and told him to play [laughing]. Marcus comes from a more hardcore scene, but has always had his power metal influence - he's the nephew of Juha Sulasalmi of Nominon. We became brothers in upper secondary/college…our system is a bit different here, so it is hard to say exactly when. At first, we had a friend playing the drums who quit because of university, so the real first line-up of THE EMBODIED was when Emanuel Ericsson got in with the gang. Drumming like Simon Phillips, it was the technical skill we were looking for, but he didn't fit mentally. So we took a break. It hurt our inner as a knife through your gut, so Chris and I took up the band again. Axel joined us as he went to the same university as me. Now we really had a great line-up and we were all at the same mental state of where we wanted the music to go. Metal isn't just music, it is a culture and being of something outside the walls of comfort. We all had an idea of where to march and what we wanted to say. We grew as people and the music grew with us. Till this day, this is what defines us - what makes us and what binds us together. We will never be comfortable in changing to what the big pipe plays. We find inspiration in things around us and that'll lead the way for future endeavors. Where a lot of bands go forward to bind some of the new genres, we want to fill the blanks in history. We sound like a lot of old groups and nothing we do hasn't already been done, but we're ok with that. We just want to fill some gaps.
ATG: What new music have you guys been listening to? What new bands and/or upcoming releases are you looking forward to?
JM: Well, we're very fond of underground groups, or at least me. The guys in the band have overlapping taste in music…everything from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Burzum. Right now, it's interesting to hear some of our friends here in our native town, Hellspray, who just released their second album. [They are] old guys, but good guys. Our label friends, Intense, are also interesting as they have 20 years of experience and got great reviews for their new album, The Shape of Rage. But we're not waiting for anything in particular at the moment. There's so much work on ourselves needed to be done that you lose your peripheral vision [laughs].
ATG: That's all the questions I have. Anything else THE EMBODIED would like to add or tell the world (especially U.S. metal fans that have not been exposed to your music)?
JM: Well, if you like old In Flames, Metallica, Iron Maiden and the Scandinavian metal scene, we're absolutely the band for you. We want to salute all people of the world with our music. We know of the struggles you are in and tell you that you're not on your own. We stand by you, now and forever. Give us a try; it might be worth it and you could have a new favorite group. Last but not least…stay Metal and take care!
Interview conducted on 8 Oct 11 by Ryan Brassard for AxesToGrind
