DISSECTION
- MURDER WITH NO MUSIC -
"After Josef fell, Jon did not try to take the weapon away from NN or distance himself from the act in any way that was noticeable to NN. Instead, he helped NN come down to the victim with the weapon in his hand and silently stood there to cover his ears when another shot was fired into the head. Not least with regard to the second shot, Jon's own statements mean that he showed indifference to Josef's life. The fact that Josef was dead and could not be saved was not something that Jon could assume with certainty…
...Nödtveidt was 21 years old at the time of the crime. There are no special rules on limiting the penalty for him. The penalty scale for aiding and abetting is the same as for the completed crime, i.e. life or 10 years. With the assessment made by the district court above of each person's participation, the district court finds, however, that Jon participated in a lesser degree in relation to NN, which means that the penalty for him, with the application of Chapter 23, Section 5 of the Criminal Code, can be set lower than "what is stipulated for the crime. The District Court has found reason to determine the sentence to eight years."
With the above words, taken from the 51-page long verdict in case no. B 19859-97, confirmed in the Gothenburg District Court on July 6, 1998, against Jon Nödtveidt - singer, guitarist and undisputed leader of the Swedish death metal monster DISSECTION - the saga of one of the world's most respected death metal bands seemed to be over. Two full-length albums, 1993's "The Somberlain" (No Fashion, the title is according to Nödtveidt a self-invented pun meaning "lord of darkness") and "Storm of the Light's Bane" (1995, Nuclear Blast) and a few smaller releases seemed to be the only souvenirs the outside world would get.
SIGN OF LIFE
In the seventeenth issue (released in the summer of 2002) of the to say the least prestigious Norwegian magazine Slayer Mag, the first interview with Jon since he was imprisoned was published. In the interview, he clearly and distinctly declared that DISSECTION was by no means a closed chapter.
Two and a half years later, on October 29, 2004, Jon is sitting at the absurdly fashionable Clarion Hotel in Stockholm, holding a press conference together with what he calls a reborn DISSECTION. Representatives from the band's new management (whose website boasts zero musical assignments, but on the other hand a plethora of photo models, which made the editors doubt the authenticity of the press conference) lead me and photographer Johansson into a stately room with enormous panoramic windows. We are then asked to wait for our interviewee, who turns out to be in a brilliant mood upon his arrival. Jon laughs and smiles during almost the entire interview and there is no doubt that expectations for tomorrow's concert are at their peak.
- It feels absolutely wonderful. It's something I've been waiting for for a damn long time, it's been over seven years since the last time. It feels surreal to play again after all these years. With a completely new band. It's still DISSECTION - but with a completely new line-up (Set Teitan, known from ABORYM, among others, is the new guitarist, Thomas "Alzazmon" Asklund from DARK FUNERAL, INFERNAL and others, is on the drum stool and Brice Leclercq, formerly of NIGHTRAGE, plays bass). The right feeling is back.
We who witnessed the concert in question know that it began with an anticlimax that is hard to surpass in a death metal context. After the mighty "Ar the Fathomless Depths" intro has sounded out and the seven-year wait is about to be redeemed... drums? An experienced ear will recognize "Black Horizon", but where are the strings? Both guitars are missing completely and despite the guitarists cranking up the amplifiers, it takes two long minutes before everything is in place.
- We had some technical problems, but luckily they were solved just before the song started and it felt good in the end, Jon reports by phone from Austria a couple of days before this magazine goes to print. The tour has continued without any further mishaps and Jon is enormously enthusiastic
- It has really been a warm welcome and I don't want it to ever end. I think we have put together a really good package, he says and ends the status report by praising the Stockholm/Uppsala-based band WATAIN.
- They are sensible people and a damn good band.
With the above words, taken from the 51-page long verdict in case no. B 19859-97, confirmed in the Gothenburg District Court on July 6, 1998, against Jon Nödtveidt - singer, guitarist and undisputed leader of the Swedish death metal monster DISSECTION - the saga of one of the world's most respected death metal bands seemed to be over. Two full-length albums, 1993's "The Somberlain" (No Fashion, the title is according to Nödtveidt a self-invented pun meaning "lord of darkness") and "Storm of the Light's Bane" (1995, Nuclear Blast) and a few smaller releases seemed to be the only souvenirs the outside world would get.
SIGN OF LIFE
In the seventeenth issue (released in the summer of 2002) of the to say the least prestigious Norwegian magazine Slayer Mag, the first interview with Jon since he was imprisoned was published. In the interview, he clearly and distinctly declared that DISSECTION was by no means a closed chapter.
Two and a half years later, on October 29, 2004, Jon is sitting at the absurdly fashionable Clarion Hotel in Stockholm, holding a press conference together with what he calls a reborn DISSECTION. Representatives from the band's new management (whose website boasts zero musical assignments, but on the other hand a plethora of photo models, which made the editors doubt the authenticity of the press conference) lead me and photographer Johansson into a stately room with enormous panoramic windows. We are then asked to wait for our interviewee, who turns out to be in a brilliant mood upon his arrival. Jon laughs and smiles during almost the entire interview and there is no doubt that expectations for tomorrow's concert are at their peak.
- It feels absolutely wonderful. It's something I've been waiting for for a damn long time, it's been over seven years since the last time. It feels surreal to play again after all these years. With a completely new band. It's still DISSECTION - but with a completely new line-up (Set Teitan, known from ABORYM, among others, is the new guitarist, Thomas "Alzazmon" Asklund from DARK FUNERAL, INFERNAL and others, is on the drum stool and Brice Leclercq, formerly of NIGHTRAGE, plays bass). The right feeling is back.
We who witnessed the concert in question know that it began with an anticlimax that is hard to surpass in a death metal context. After the mighty "Ar the Fathomless Depths" intro has sounded out and the seven-year wait is about to be redeemed... drums? An experienced ear will recognize "Black Horizon", but where are the strings? Both guitars are missing completely and despite the guitarists cranking up the amplifiers, it takes two long minutes before everything is in place.
- We had some technical problems, but luckily they were solved just before the song started and it felt good in the end, Jon reports by phone from Austria a couple of days before this magazine goes to print. The tour has continued without any further mishaps and Jon is enormously enthusiastic
- It has really been a warm welcome and I don't want it to ever end. I think we have put together a really good package, he says and ends the status report by praising the Stockholm/Uppsala-based band WATAIN.
- They are sensible people and a damn good band.
ANTI-COMSIC ALLIES
All the old members, with the exception of Jon, are out of the picture and the new musicians have been selected with a focus on a pronounced satanic ideology. Bård Faust (previously drumming in the Norwegian EMPEROR, he also served a prison sentence for the murder of a homosexual man) was the drummer in the reborn DISSECTION for a while, but dropped out because he could not wholeheartedly stand behind the band's ideology. Considering that some other reasons for the departure are not even as much as those given by either Jon or Faust, we can therefore conclude that the ideological thinking behind the band has been taken to its extreme - The goal has always been that everyone should be able to stand behind the concept one hundred percent. After Faust left us, it has been a meditation. In the search for the right members, it has been very important for it to be authentic. It also has to work musically and on a personal level so it's been difficult, but I'm incredibly happy with the new line-up. This is The Rebirth of DISSECTION.
Given that every interview with Jon and also the band's official website (www.dissection.nu) has focused on the ideological aspect, there is a risk that the music will fall out of focus, but that fear was met with a verbal shrug.
- It would be if people didn't listen to our records, but I think the music speaks for itself. The concept and the music are one when it comes to DISSECTION. It's rather the opposite, the satanic concept is the creative flow in the band. It's the core of everything we've done before and what we do today, Nödtveidt asserts and is backed up by the remaining band members who joined the interview.
Although Jon is aware that most of the questions concern him, he is very keen for the other band members to have a say. Mr. Asklund clarifies and backs up the only original member on a couple of occasions during the interview, which is mostly conducted in Swedish. When we switch to English (Set is from Italy and Brice is originally from France), both string benders express immense pleasure at being in DISSECTION and explain that it is the perfect band for a Satanist.
When the members from the band's earlier period are brought up, Jon is extremely diplomatic and explains that they have all simply gone their separate ways in life. - They will always be part of what DISSECTION was, but it is something new today. For the first time we are a Satanic entity and it is something completely different. We want to take this as far as possible. We are all set to work on the music full-time. I have experienced both active and inactive phases in bands and seen differences in the personal commitment of the members, but now it is no longer the case that different people want different things.
All the old members, with the exception of Jon, are out of the picture and the new musicians have been selected with a focus on a pronounced satanic ideology. Bård Faust (previously drumming in the Norwegian EMPEROR, he also served a prison sentence for the murder of a homosexual man) was the drummer in the reborn DISSECTION for a while, but dropped out because he could not wholeheartedly stand behind the band's ideology. Considering that some other reasons for the departure are not even as much as those given by either Jon or Faust, we can therefore conclude that the ideological thinking behind the band has been taken to its extreme - The goal has always been that everyone should be able to stand behind the concept one hundred percent. After Faust left us, it has been a meditation. In the search for the right members, it has been very important for it to be authentic. It also has to work musically and on a personal level so it's been difficult, but I'm incredibly happy with the new line-up. This is The Rebirth of DISSECTION.
Given that every interview with Jon and also the band's official website (www.dissection.nu) has focused on the ideological aspect, there is a risk that the music will fall out of focus, but that fear was met with a verbal shrug.
- It would be if people didn't listen to our records, but I think the music speaks for itself. The concept and the music are one when it comes to DISSECTION. It's rather the opposite, the satanic concept is the creative flow in the band. It's the core of everything we've done before and what we do today, Nödtveidt asserts and is backed up by the remaining band members who joined the interview.
Although Jon is aware that most of the questions concern him, he is very keen for the other band members to have a say. Mr. Asklund clarifies and backs up the only original member on a couple of occasions during the interview, which is mostly conducted in Swedish. When we switch to English (Set is from Italy and Brice is originally from France), both string benders express immense pleasure at being in DISSECTION and explain that it is the perfect band for a Satanist.
When the members from the band's earlier period are brought up, Jon is extremely diplomatic and explains that they have all simply gone their separate ways in life. - They will always be part of what DISSECTION was, but it is something new today. For the first time we are a Satanic entity and it is something completely different. We want to take this as far as possible. We are all set to work on the music full-time. I have experienced both active and inactive phases in bands and seen differences in the personal commitment of the members, but now it is no longer the case that different people want different things.
FOCUS
That DISSECTION lives in the present is clear even when the band's old albums are mentioned. Among the many original lines the frontman spits out during the interview, the comments about the older works do not belong to them:
- Every release has its charm and represents where we were at the time. I am very satisfied with both the first and second albums, even though you can go in and analyze the details. But that is not how I evaluate albums. I go for a holistic feeling.
The fact that the author himself is still satisfied probably creates some pressure when it comes to songwriting. We hardly need to mention the pressure from the fans - few musical creations in the death and black metal scene are placed on such unattainable pedestals as DISSECTION's two full-length opuses, which became clear with all the desired clarity after the quartet's first new material premiered online. A 53-second clip from the single "Maha Kali" was presented for public download on dissection.nu and the reactions were immediate.
"... the guitars are reminiscent of old IN FLAMES" ... this doesn't sound like DISSECTION at all. I'm really disappointed, it sounds like an IN FLAMES copy...", "DEATHSTARS is more brutal than DISSECTION ... unfortunately, this sucks as hell.", "...R.I.P. DISSECTION...", reads an excerpt from the band's official forum. Ruthless, to put it mildly. It's also a bit surprising that the reactions often refer to a lack of brutality. In the author's ears, DISSECTION's music has always been about the mood it creates, which "Maha Kali" also succeeds in. The female vocal part is particularly infectious.
- What can you expect... it was just a taste, if even that. We're breaking off before the first verse has time to start. It was a conscious choice to release such a short thing just to show that the single is coming. "Maha Kali" started to be recorded at Hall where I had access to a music room together with another prisoner who had hard drive recording equipment. I started recording demos and pre-production for the album, so that's actually where the vocals and guitar for the single are taken from. Then the drums and bass were added in Thomas' Studio Monolith.
- We're going to record the song again for the album, so it was more fun to make this something unique, Thomas chimes in.
- It's a pretty cool thing to show that this started already in prison. From starting to record the song in a closed national prison and then when it is released to be free, Jon explains.
The second song on the single is a re-recording of "Unhallowed" from 1995's "Storm of the Light's Bane" ("to reconnect with the old", according to Jon). The cover was created by loyal art supplier Kristian "Necrolord" Wählin, who has actually been with the band since the demo days. The lyrics, in turn, were written by a "very good friend" whose name Nödtveidt does not want to reveal, but says that it will be included on the album.
-As a message, "Maha Kali" is about the great dissolution, which in Indian mythology is called Mahapralaya and can be compared to Rag- drug smoke or Armageddon. That's what DISSECTION is about - the great dissolution of order to re-establish the original chaos.
The single is released by the Stockholm-based label Escapi, who will also release a DVD that will contain the Stockholm concert, archive material and a documentary.
That DISSECTION lives in the present is clear even when the band's old albums are mentioned. Among the many original lines the frontman spits out during the interview, the comments about the older works do not belong to them:
- Every release has its charm and represents where we were at the time. I am very satisfied with both the first and second albums, even though you can go in and analyze the details. But that is not how I evaluate albums. I go for a holistic feeling.
The fact that the author himself is still satisfied probably creates some pressure when it comes to songwriting. We hardly need to mention the pressure from the fans - few musical creations in the death and black metal scene are placed on such unattainable pedestals as DISSECTION's two full-length opuses, which became clear with all the desired clarity after the quartet's first new material premiered online. A 53-second clip from the single "Maha Kali" was presented for public download on dissection.nu and the reactions were immediate.
"... the guitars are reminiscent of old IN FLAMES" ... this doesn't sound like DISSECTION at all. I'm really disappointed, it sounds like an IN FLAMES copy...", "DEATHSTARS is more brutal than DISSECTION ... unfortunately, this sucks as hell.", "...R.I.P. DISSECTION...", reads an excerpt from the band's official forum. Ruthless, to put it mildly. It's also a bit surprising that the reactions often refer to a lack of brutality. In the author's ears, DISSECTION's music has always been about the mood it creates, which "Maha Kali" also succeeds in. The female vocal part is particularly infectious.
- What can you expect... it was just a taste, if even that. We're breaking off before the first verse has time to start. It was a conscious choice to release such a short thing just to show that the single is coming. "Maha Kali" started to be recorded at Hall where I had access to a music room together with another prisoner who had hard drive recording equipment. I started recording demos and pre-production for the album, so that's actually where the vocals and guitar for the single are taken from. Then the drums and bass were added in Thomas' Studio Monolith.
- We're going to record the song again for the album, so it was more fun to make this something unique, Thomas chimes in.
- It's a pretty cool thing to show that this started already in prison. From starting to record the song in a closed national prison and then when it is released to be free, Jon explains.
The second song on the single is a re-recording of "Unhallowed" from 1995's "Storm of the Light's Bane" ("to reconnect with the old", according to Jon). The cover was created by loyal art supplier Kristian "Necrolord" Wählin, who has actually been with the band since the demo days. The lyrics, in turn, were written by a "very good friend" whose name Nödtveidt does not want to reveal, but says that it will be included on the album.
-As a message, "Maha Kali" is about the great dissolution, which in Indian mythology is called Mahapralaya and can be compared to Rag- drug smoke or Armageddon. That's what DISSECTION is about - the great dissolution of order to re-establish the original chaos.
The single is released by the Stockholm-based label Escapi, who will also release a DVD that will contain the Stockholm concert, archive material and a documentary.
11 TRACKS FOR COSMIC IMBALANCE
On the question of whether the rest of the next album's lyrics will deal with the same theme, Jo is at first brief, but it turns out that I'm opening a veritable snake pit.
- It is ritually structured, the lyrics are about different gods and goddesses within different mythologies and cultures. The dark sides, of course, adds Jon.
Wait here - ritually structured?
- The lyrics are written as spells, so-called Voces Magicae. Even the music itself has magical meaning, certain riffs are structured with very conscious structures to channel the forces we make. For us it becomes like holding a ritual through the music. On a ritual and religious level, we want to upset the cosmic order, and if it lies in the listener's psyche - we all carry a microcosm - and we can open new black holes in his or her consciousness, that is a goal we have achieved. It will affect everyone who listens to the music, even those who don't understand this, the songwriter concludes as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.
The album is supposed to consist of eleven songs - the number of tracks as it symbolizes chaos. And the only thing I get from Jon in terms of the music itself - without mixing in anti-cosmic thoughts - is the following: - It's heavier and straighter... It's hard to categorize. It's satanic metal, then people can put whatever label they want. - The drums are more metal than black metal, clarifies Thomas.
The band is not revealing any details regarding the record label and studio, but hopes to record in early 2005.
On the question of whether the rest of the next album's lyrics will deal with the same theme, Jo is at first brief, but it turns out that I'm opening a veritable snake pit.
- It is ritually structured, the lyrics are about different gods and goddesses within different mythologies and cultures. The dark sides, of course, adds Jon.
Wait here - ritually structured?
- The lyrics are written as spells, so-called Voces Magicae. Even the music itself has magical meaning, certain riffs are structured with very conscious structures to channel the forces we make. For us it becomes like holding a ritual through the music. On a ritual and religious level, we want to upset the cosmic order, and if it lies in the listener's psyche - we all carry a microcosm - and we can open new black holes in his or her consciousness, that is a goal we have achieved. It will affect everyone who listens to the music, even those who don't understand this, the songwriter concludes as if this were the most obvious thing in the world.
The album is supposed to consist of eleven songs - the number of tracks as it symbolizes chaos. And the only thing I get from Jon in terms of the music itself - without mixing in anti-cosmic thoughts - is the following: - It's heavier and straighter... It's hard to categorize. It's satanic metal, then people can put whatever label they want. - The drums are more metal than black metal, clarifies Thomas.
The band is not revealing any details regarding the record label and studio, but hopes to record in early 2005.
MEMENTO MORI
In an article with the headline "I'm not proud", published on the Expressen website on September 22 of this year, Jon explains that he does not want to discuss the murder of 37-year-old Algerian Josef Ben Meddour, dramatically described in the introduction. I get almost exactly the same answer that the singer gave to the evening newspaper when I start asking about what really happened on the night of July 23, 1997 in Keillers Park on Ramberget in Gothenburg.
Out of respect for both the victim's and my own relatives, I do not want to discuss the matter. I do not want to open up old wounds.
With this evasive maneuver, Jon has effectively avoided making any public apology, which has attracted some attention and resulted in some listeners and the media distancing themselves from DISSECTION's music.
My crime belongs to me and my history, I cannot change that. I accept the consequences of my actions and I have served my sentence. I am here today. I am free and must move on. With everything that happened and with the prison sentence in the baggage, people value life in a completely different way today.
- I'm certainly not an advocate of society as equivalent to freedom, but in contrast to sitting behind bars, you can still call it freedom. We all have our own time. One day it's over, Jon concludes bluntly.
Although both Jon and his MLO brother (more on that later) changed their stories a couple of times during the murder investigation about what happened on the night in question, both ultimately stuck to two stories that differed from each other. The court chose to believe our interviewee and convicted him of aiding and abetting.
There was no actual evidence regarding this particular part of the incident, but the court simply found Nödtveidt to be the more credible of the two.
Since the testimonies of the two defendants differed from each other, the district court could only establish with certainty the course of events up to and including before the three arrived at Ramberget. In short, the two perpetrators had been annoyed by Ben Meddour, who was persistent and had made unwelcome homosexual advances - "Jon's intention in going to Ramberget was to at least beat or threaten Josef," the verdict states. What happened next is only known by two people, Jon and the other perpetrator. There were no eyewitnesses in Keillers Park. Jon, his accomplice and Josef Ben Meddour were the only ones present.
In an article with the headline "I'm not proud", published on the Expressen website on September 22 of this year, Jon explains that he does not want to discuss the murder of 37-year-old Algerian Josef Ben Meddour, dramatically described in the introduction. I get almost exactly the same answer that the singer gave to the evening newspaper when I start asking about what really happened on the night of July 23, 1997 in Keillers Park on Ramberget in Gothenburg.
Out of respect for both the victim's and my own relatives, I do not want to discuss the matter. I do not want to open up old wounds.
With this evasive maneuver, Jon has effectively avoided making any public apology, which has attracted some attention and resulted in some listeners and the media distancing themselves from DISSECTION's music.
My crime belongs to me and my history, I cannot change that. I accept the consequences of my actions and I have served my sentence. I am here today. I am free and must move on. With everything that happened and with the prison sentence in the baggage, people value life in a completely different way today.
- I'm certainly not an advocate of society as equivalent to freedom, but in contrast to sitting behind bars, you can still call it freedom. We all have our own time. One day it's over, Jon concludes bluntly.
Although both Jon and his MLO brother (more on that later) changed their stories a couple of times during the murder investigation about what happened on the night in question, both ultimately stuck to two stories that differed from each other. The court chose to believe our interviewee and convicted him of aiding and abetting.
There was no actual evidence regarding this particular part of the incident, but the court simply found Nödtveidt to be the more credible of the two.
Since the testimonies of the two defendants differed from each other, the district court could only establish with certainty the course of events up to and including before the three arrived at Ramberget. In short, the two perpetrators had been annoyed by Ben Meddour, who was persistent and had made unwelcome homosexual advances - "Jon's intention in going to Ramberget was to at least beat or threaten Josef," the verdict states. What happened next is only known by two people, Jon and the other perpetrator. There were no eyewitnesses in Keillers Park. Jon, his accomplice and Josef Ben Meddour were the only ones present.
MISANTHROPIC LUCIFERIAN ORDER
Jon and the other perpetrator belong to the satanic organization Misanthropic Luciferian Order (MLO) and in the booklet of DISSECTION's "Live Legacy" album you can read that the band is MLO's "sound propaganda department" - the wording on the album literally reads "DISSECTION is the sonic propaganda unit of MLO".
On MLO's website (www.mlo-scandinavia. tk) you can read about the organization's ideals and thoughts. The general information states, among other things, that "... Therefore, elitist thinking and superhuman ideals are an essential part of MLO's philosophy, which also strongly colors the Order's esoteric work".
In the aforementioned evening newspaper article, it is alleged that Jon and his accomplice were under the influence of amphetamines on the night of the murder. When it is brought up in the Slayer Mag interview, Nödtveidt brushes it off, saying that it was something their lawyers advised them to say. When I raise the same question and point out that the use of drugs goes against the elitism that MLO advocates (the association's information sheet ends with the words "Drug addicts and mentally weak individuals should not contact the organization. MLO does not tolerate weakness!"), I am met with a different answer, however - You change a lot. I am a person who... I usually see it as things that can teach a lesson. Mistakes can also be a lesson, although in a boring way. I stand for all the mistakes I have made in my life, says Jon, having difficulty finding the right words.
A moment of silence follows and it is clear that this is a subject the interviewee does not feel comfortable with.
-I believe that you cannot speak about something you do not know about. And I can only say that I have enough knowledge to speak about this matter, Jon clarifies. At a later point he also points out that the part about the lawyer was also true. He was advised to mention it to mitigate the punishment and thinks that a chicken has been made of a feather of the whole thing.
Thomas speaks up and explains that no one in the band does drugs, or is particularly addicted to them for that matter. Jon has explained in previous interviews that he no longer drinks alcohol.
On October 30th of this year, DISSECTION had had enough of the rumors circulating about the band's alleged racist views (Josef Ben Meddour was Algerian and also homosexual). They therefore published an official statement in which it was explained that DISSECTION is a satanic band and has nothing to do with racism. Back to this elitism, thus:
- It's about taking advantage of your circumstances and utilizing your resources, whatever they are. A person with a physical disability, for example, must develop different skills than the rest of us. It's about having a strong will and character. We all have our weaknesses, but with a strong will you can overcome all obstacles, whatever they may be. It's about strengthening yourself on an individual level.
- There is a lot of so-called "pretend elitism" where there is a lot of talk about being better than someone else, and I don't give a damn about that. It's all about the inner strength you carry within yourself, Jon concludes and thanks for the interview. ■
By Thomas Väänänen for Sweden Rock Magazine
DEATH POETRY SET TO MUSIC
The events of the aforementioned night in Keillers Park inspired the blissfully sleepless Gothenburg band The Crowns Magnus Olsfelt to write a lyric for the band's "Deathrace King" album (Metal Blade, 2000). Obvious when you think about it, but for some reason it has eluded at least the author of the article previously. Compare the title with DISSECTIONS "Retribution -Storm of the Light Bane" and note the italicized passages.
Executioner...Slayer Of The Light
Jon and the other perpetrator belong to the satanic organization Misanthropic Luciferian Order (MLO) and in the booklet of DISSECTION's "Live Legacy" album you can read that the band is MLO's "sound propaganda department" - the wording on the album literally reads "DISSECTION is the sonic propaganda unit of MLO".
On MLO's website (www.mlo-scandinavia. tk) you can read about the organization's ideals and thoughts. The general information states, among other things, that "... Therefore, elitist thinking and superhuman ideals are an essential part of MLO's philosophy, which also strongly colors the Order's esoteric work".
In the aforementioned evening newspaper article, it is alleged that Jon and his accomplice were under the influence of amphetamines on the night of the murder. When it is brought up in the Slayer Mag interview, Nödtveidt brushes it off, saying that it was something their lawyers advised them to say. When I raise the same question and point out that the use of drugs goes against the elitism that MLO advocates (the association's information sheet ends with the words "Drug addicts and mentally weak individuals should not contact the organization. MLO does not tolerate weakness!"), I am met with a different answer, however - You change a lot. I am a person who... I usually see it as things that can teach a lesson. Mistakes can also be a lesson, although in a boring way. I stand for all the mistakes I have made in my life, says Jon, having difficulty finding the right words.
A moment of silence follows and it is clear that this is a subject the interviewee does not feel comfortable with.
-I believe that you cannot speak about something you do not know about. And I can only say that I have enough knowledge to speak about this matter, Jon clarifies. At a later point he also points out that the part about the lawyer was also true. He was advised to mention it to mitigate the punishment and thinks that a chicken has been made of a feather of the whole thing.
Thomas speaks up and explains that no one in the band does drugs, or is particularly addicted to them for that matter. Jon has explained in previous interviews that he no longer drinks alcohol.
On October 30th of this year, DISSECTION had had enough of the rumors circulating about the band's alleged racist views (Josef Ben Meddour was Algerian and also homosexual). They therefore published an official statement in which it was explained that DISSECTION is a satanic band and has nothing to do with racism. Back to this elitism, thus:
- It's about taking advantage of your circumstances and utilizing your resources, whatever they are. A person with a physical disability, for example, must develop different skills than the rest of us. It's about having a strong will and character. We all have our weaknesses, but with a strong will you can overcome all obstacles, whatever they may be. It's about strengthening yourself on an individual level.
- There is a lot of so-called "pretend elitism" where there is a lot of talk about being better than someone else, and I don't give a damn about that. It's all about the inner strength you carry within yourself, Jon concludes and thanks for the interview. ■
By Thomas Väänänen for Sweden Rock Magazine
DEATH POETRY SET TO MUSIC
The events of the aforementioned night in Keillers Park inspired the blissfully sleepless Gothenburg band The Crowns Magnus Olsfelt to write a lyric for the band's "Deathrace King" album (Metal Blade, 2000). Obvious when you think about it, but for some reason it has eluded at least the author of the article previously. Compare the title with DISSECTIONS "Retribution -Storm of the Light Bane" and note the italicized passages.
Executioner...Slayer Of The Light
There's no escape, as the darkness falls you can't resist, the Devil's call!
Misanthropic - Frozen soul blaze black and cold. Luciferian-Slave to the beast and marked for life. Order from Hell - To send souls to the other side. In Dark Devotion-Living for terror and destruction
Executioner executioner executioner slayer of the light! Desecrator volator devastator me senger of death!
Sworn to Satan - Morbid minds close horrid pacts. The Dagger Strikes - Blood is shed for the faceless one. Possessed with Murder - Angels of death amphetamine sped. At the Mountain - A body found in killer's park
Evil lives and death draws near Serve blind tha dreadful voice you hear. With violence, horror, pain and fear. To make them see the reaper clearly
Shot like a dog, emptied on blood. Life won't return, to the silent corpse! In the staring eyes of both the victim and the hillbilly. All light has now forever fled away the darkness fell to stay.
Electrified-Stunned, down, and sacrificed Two Shots for the Dark - Through the head and through the heart
Magnus Olsfelt - former bass player in THE CROWN and now active in STOLEN POLICE CAR - how come you wrote a text about this very thing?
- I think it's a bit ridiculous that bands have to come up with fantasy lyrics when there are real things to base their work on. There was a lot of writing about Euronymous and the Count around 1992-93 (BURZUM's Varg "The Count" Vikernes stabbed MAYHEMS' Euronymous to death in 1993, editor's note), but this was mostly written about in the mainstream media while the hard rock magazines kept quiet.
Have you heard any opinions from any of the people involved?
- No. It wasn't until a few years later that the general public began to understand what the lyrics were about. The lyrics are not a position statement, I neither praise nor distance myself from what happened.
Misanthropic - Frozen soul blaze black and cold. Luciferian-Slave to the beast and marked for life. Order from Hell - To send souls to the other side. In Dark Devotion-Living for terror and destruction
Executioner executioner executioner slayer of the light! Desecrator volator devastator me senger of death!
Sworn to Satan - Morbid minds close horrid pacts. The Dagger Strikes - Blood is shed for the faceless one. Possessed with Murder - Angels of death amphetamine sped. At the Mountain - A body found in killer's park
Evil lives and death draws near Serve blind tha dreadful voice you hear. With violence, horror, pain and fear. To make them see the reaper clearly
Shot like a dog, emptied on blood. Life won't return, to the silent corpse! In the staring eyes of both the victim and the hillbilly. All light has now forever fled away the darkness fell to stay.
Electrified-Stunned, down, and sacrificed Two Shots for the Dark - Through the head and through the heart
Magnus Olsfelt - former bass player in THE CROWN and now active in STOLEN POLICE CAR - how come you wrote a text about this very thing?
- I think it's a bit ridiculous that bands have to come up with fantasy lyrics when there are real things to base their work on. There was a lot of writing about Euronymous and the Count around 1992-93 (BURZUM's Varg "The Count" Vikernes stabbed MAYHEMS' Euronymous to death in 1993, editor's note), but this was mostly written about in the mainstream media while the hard rock magazines kept quiet.
Have you heard any opinions from any of the people involved?
- No. It wasn't until a few years later that the general public began to understand what the lyrics were about. The lyrics are not a position statement, I neither praise nor distance myself from what happened.