Raw Swedish Black Metal Band, The interview Was Conducted With The guitar player Joakim In Late 1999/early 2000.
1.) A brief synopsis of the projects history/contributing members/release history
CRAFT was formed in the winter of 1994/95 by Daniel and myself, the music back then was pretty primitive stuff (because we couldn't handle the instruments properly I guess, haha). Anyway, we brought in another guitarist/vocalist and a bassist and started to rehearse say three times a week for at least three hours each time, and we kept on like this for a couple of years. Our lives pretty much orbited around CRAFT then (we were called NOCTA then by the way, but who cares). We actually recorded some tracks that was supposed to become demos (four tracks in 1996 I think, and two in 1998), but we never released them because we didn't have enough money, and the whole band was sort of lazy and unorganized at that time. These recordings I speak of are still available through us if someone is cares of owning them. Between late 1997 and 99 all members lived at totally different places (the other guitarist even lived in Norway for a while) so there was not much rehearsing at all, mostly songwriting from my behalf. So then some members left the band because they didn't think anything was ever going to happen with CRAFT. However, in 1999 we (only two of us) got together and decided we wanted to release a demo seriously for once, so Daniel and I recorded two new tracks and released it as a demo along with the two tracks recorded in 98. We asked a friend of ours if he could do the vocals (Björn), and after he heard the songs he agreed to do it. The tape have received pretty good comments, except for a few where people either seemed to have a problem with Björn's original way of singing or with our synthesizer track (which was a one time thing only, we have used a synth in one single track out of forty or something, and we will never use it again). Anyway it doesn't matter because we are satisfied with the vocals ourselves except for that we had to rush the recording a bit so it probably could have been even better. We were never really split up or anything, just really, really inactive for some periods. I always write new CRAFT material so the band will not die for a very long time yet. We have also fought within the bands a few times, but we are all very close friends so you're bound to get tired of each other's behavior at some point. We always solve these problems after a while anyway. The current line up is John and myself (Joakim) on guitars and Daniel on drums. We don't have a permanent bassist or vocalist for now but we hope to solve this soon. For now I take care of the bass on recordings and friends helps us out with the vocals. Another important ex. member of the band (Erik) will also probably handle some guest vocals on the next release. We have released this demo tape "Total Eclipse" last year and also a newer rehearsal "demo" without a name (or maybe it's entitled "Rehearsal Demo Dec. 1999"). And then there is the one from 1996 which never was officially released. Some people got it anyway.
2.) Give some general thoughts on the inspiration behind the music.
I have written so much music now that it comes naturally for me. I don't have to think about writing a riff, it just comes out when I improvise. But I suppose deep down I am influenced by the bands I listen to the most - Black Sabbath, Darkthrone, Trelldom, Thorns and stuff like that. The others in the band doesn't write music for CRAFT except when we get together and rehearse, then they usually come up with suggestions but I always have complete songs done before we rehearse which we then just modify in case it's needed.
3.) Some specifics on your sound.
I always have a really hard time trying to explain our sound to people, and the demo... Well, you could probably explain about the demo, because you've heard it. I can tell you this, the new stuff is a thousand times better than the two tapes, because they are the best songs we have ever written so far since the start. We have about ten songs that we will record and release as an album later this year (through an English label probably, but I won't say too much about it as there's still time for something to fuck up), and these songs have been rewritten and rearranged to hell
(perfection). Speaking from my own point of view, this will be a very good album indeed. All riffs we didn't like we trashed and replaced. We might have selected between somewhere around twentyfive songs and ended up with these ten, which are newly assembled versions of all the best stuff in these twentyfive all together. I like every single riff in it, so for me these are great songs, and we're capable of playing them as well. But I can't speak for anyone other than myself. The demo is crap in comparison to the new stuff. The songs are shorter and more varied. The riffs are way more darker, and harder. Not as many slow (and annoying) parts as in the "Total Eclipse" demo, the drumming will not be the standard black metal shit either. No synthesizers ever again, we tried this on one track in 1998 and it was gay as I stated earlier. This is hard, I suppose these answers will have to do... I can't explain it any better.
4.) What is your opinion on the state of the underground situation?
Hmmm... The people I keep contact with are great people, I don't know about the rest. But there are some underground bands still and that is great although a large part of metal has become mainstream which I'm no fan of so to speak. To me it makes no difference really, because most idiots (I talk of the little girls and boys who idolizes people like Dani and such - these types of people) are not a part of the underground at all. I don't have any contact with those people, and I don't think of them as a part of any scene at all. They are retards and I don't even know why they think they are into death or black metal. But still the UNDERGROUND is a cool place for the devoted people I think, there are still demos to trade so...
5.) What is coming up for this project over the next 1-2 years?
There will be a supreme debut album. Or if thing fuck up - a supreme second CRAFT demo tape (I'm not counting the rehearsal here). We will try to find some permanent members who can handle the vocals and the bass. I will also try to get the other members to move down to Gothenburg where I live so we can get a real rehearsal place and rehearse as fuck. I don't really know about the future, but so far our music has gotten darker and better with every year, and I expect it continue...
6.) Also, please provide website information, if applicable...
Hail to MayheM666 (my old alias -editor) for supporting CRAFT. To get a copy of our demo tape "Total Eclipse" send $4 USD to:
Carnal Records
c/o Björn Pettersson
Fridhemsplan 2 D
S-792 30 Mora
SWEDEN
If you're interested in the rehearsal (send blank tape or CD-R and IRC) or just needs to get in contact with us for some reason, write to:
Craft
c/o Joakim Karlsson
Lönngården 28
S-424 39 Angered
SWEDEN
...or email at craft@antisocial.com
Official craft Page
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