Hails John! How's everything going? How did the decision come about to resurrect the corpse of DETEST and record new material? What happened to the old members? Was it difficult to find a suitable line-up?
It goes well even though the body is old, but the head is still 16 years old. Back in 2014, we were encouraged to play some gigs, but then the others dropped out one by one (Ole and Bonne started arguing just like in the old days, then Bonne went out. Ole kept getting angry and made it more than it is so we threw him out, Peter stayed a few more years. But then he got tired of Death Metal and wanted to try something else). I could not get enough of Detest, but felt like much more and would not stop again, so I tried with some young people and it has been a bit of a struggle to find the right ones. But now Simon and Danni are with me, and they give me a lot of strength to write or correct all the songs I have made in the last 25 years.
Let's talk a bit about the new Detest album called "We Will Get What We Deserve," which is also the band's first new album since 1994's "Dorval". What can you tell us about the whole recording and writing process? Are you content with the final outcome? Was it challenging to achieve the type of sound you want?
As I have mentioned, I have been writing music all my life, so they are old songs that have been given a new life and can finally come out and get some air. Nowadays you can almost record/make everything at home, so drums are recorded at a friend who has a small studio (Anvil Pro.) and the rest we have recorded at Simon's home (Terror Studios). And then it was produced and mixed by Marco Angioni (Angioni Studios), he is super good and understood exactly what we wanted and how we got there, so it was not a problem to reach the goal of our ideas. So I'm very happy with this new Detest album.
You are the only remaining member of the old line-up. How does it feel to be making music again under the DETEST banner? Are you satisfied with how the new album came out? How would you describe the band's progress since the "A Moment of Love" EP?
It feels just exactly as it should and then I should not start from scratch as I have tried with others bands, and I love everything about the new album (that there are some people who believe in me) and keeps the fire going so it burns with even greater flames, so a huge thank you to Mr. Andersen (Emanzipation). We went back to what Detest is simple music, without so many modern tricks/techniques.
As far as I know, things went downhill sometime after the release of "Dorval". How do you reflect on that period and what were the main factors that led to the breakup of DETEST in the 90s?
I can well resent that we could not score that goal now that the ball was right where it was supposed to be. But we were young and wanted it too much and we all wanted to decide where we were going, so it went completely wrong when you also took a lot of drugs. Ole wanted it to be more and more technical and that was where I could no longer and said stop, as I could not play my/our songs anymore without rehearsing from morning to night. And we was sure Sex, Drugs, Rock'n'Roll was right thing and took it way too seriously, but I found out that it's just a saying, so now I'm finally myself again and have been for many years.
In my opinion, "Dorval" is a classic and somewhat overlooked gem in the pantheon of 90s death metal. It is also one of the first albums I would recommend to anyone unfamiliar with death metal from Denmark. How was the feedback for "Dorval" back in the day? And what can you tell us about the artwork and theme of "Dorval"? Who was the artist?
We got a lot of good publicity and all said that they become something, but as you know it did not happen. But better late than never so now it happens (ha ha) and regarding the story of Dorval it was Peter who was responsible for everything, and got all his ideas from a cartoon called ''Laihla''.
I also had a listen to your Industrial Death Metal band from the '90s called CYBORG. Again, this is killer stuff! Can you tell us a little bit more about this project and what its main vision was and the type of sound you were going for?
That was after I left Detest, and it was supposed to sound like it was played by robots (and that it became simple again). And as it was with Dorval, it was the singer Jesper who had an idea with his lyrics.
So what can you tell us about the lyrics and theme pertaining to the new album?
First of all, there is no theme and they are about everything I see, hear, think about this and that and feel (and then mixed with a lot of Lucifer that I think all Metal lyrics should have). Such as that the world is full of shit and a lot of shit people (those with the power our so called leaders), also that you are the strongest/biggest who will/can manage everything, there is one that is about Star Wars (my love for The Dark Side), and also about that I should probably get hold of you one day just wait and see, another is about I have always know I was possessed by the devil. Can only say grab our new album and read them yourself 666%.
Do you think that mankind's true nature is self-destructive and that we are a doomed race? Are we any better than animals in your opinion?
The way we behave with the fact that we have to have new things all the time and can not live with the fact that we do not have the same as him right next to us, so it will probably go completely wrong one day. NO we are not better than animals, they are better than us because they are not greedy and can settle with what they have (I think). BUT we should be wiser than them, as we have compassion/empathy and a knowledge of how things are and will be.
Have you ever considered a career as a musician in other genres or is that a transgression from your point of view? How passionate are you about playing this kind of music?
Around the year 2000, I was the football coach for my son's team and got to know a lot of new people, and we talked about music. There I then joined a rock band, but as time went on I began to feel that it was not hard enough. So I started playing Metal again because that's what I grew up with and feel most for and the guitar was tuned down again to the dark tones, and formed S.D.I.D. We were out playing gigs but it never turned into more.
What's some of your favorite bands that you currently like to listen to? Do you check out new bands at all, or are you mostly stuck in the past? Furthermore, what's some of the best Danish metal bands in your opinion?
I have to admit that I have it best with all the old bands, and there I listen to Heavy Metal, Thrash and Death Metal, I have also started listening to 70's rock (it's new to me). Since I play with some who are younger than me, they say you should check this out so I meet new bands through them. That's for sure Mercyful fate (their first two) and Maltese Falcon, Illdisposed and I'm also like Withering Surface.
What are some of your biggest influences as a guitar player and how would you describe your playing style?
There are many right from Jimi Hendrix to Alexi Laiho and all those in between like Dave Murray, Wolf Hoffmann, Scott Ian, Trey Azagthoth and so on. I would say it is simple without so much technique, but after 30 years I have finally learned to play the guitar. Like I now know some scales and have become musically much wiser, and know how I can achieve what I want with all my ideas, now that I have become completely clear in my head without anything disturbing my thinking.
What are 10 albums you can't live without?
10 is not many for such an old man as me, for there are at least 100 I would say. But I'm trying : The Sweet - Sweet F.A., The Jam - Sound Affects, Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath, Def Leppard - Pyromania, Judas Priest - Defenders of the Faith, Overkill - Taking Over, Metallica - Ride the Lightning, Deicide - Deicide, Entombed - Clandestine, In Flames - Soundtrack To Your Escape, Holy shit it was 10 and it was only the tip of the iceberg.
What's next for Detest? Thanks for your time!
It's me who says THANK YOU and we're going out to play a lot of concerts (so I hope to see you one day), and have also embarked on getting ready for the next album. There are a lot of songs that want out and they can not wait for what they have been doing for way too long. And not forget the most important of all to have fun while it happens and we fucking enjoy it, suddenly everything is running as it should and it's forward without looking back.
