Miasmal Interview with Pontus Redig guitarist and vocals for the Swedish Death Metal band. In this interview we talk Cursed Redeemer album, art work and music collections.
Miasmal Interview
– What’s new in the world of Miasmal?
A couple weeks ago we got back from a European tour with Exhumed, Origin and Aborted, which was great! The plan now is to get back into the rehearsal room and start working on our next album. Our current plan is to go into the studio late summer/early autumn.
– How was it recording the album Cursed Redeemer from a studio point of view?
It was a quite painless and quick process. We spent 7 days in the studio, except I had to return to the studio afterwards to lay down some more vocals, since I got some throat problems after the first vocal sessions. But all in all it went smooth. We also managed to write the last track for the album, ”2013”, in the studio.
– Where did the concept behind the art work come from?
Mattias Frisk who did the artwork had some ideas. This combined with the imagery of some of the lyrics made up the concept. I’d say that it depicts the unborn cursed redeemer, who is a representation of humanity’s relation to technology. Which is both a curse and a blessing.
– During a year how many shows do you do on average and I am sure you’ve met interesting fans and have good stories to tell. What’s the most interesting thing that’s happened on tour?
It depends if we’re touring or not. In 2013 we didn’t do many shows since we were busy working on new material, this year we did 35+ shows. I’d say one of the more interesting things that happened was when we toured the US a few years ago. We were playing a venue in this really run-down area of LA. You could hear gunshots in the distance at one point actually. Then the same night we ended up staying at this guy’s mansion up in Beverly Hills. Turned out he worked as a camera man for Hollywood movies, and was quite successful and rich. He lived down the street from Brad Pitt and the likes, haha. So that was a pretty strange night.
– Could you describe some of your earliest influences in life and in music?
At age 10, I borrowed the 3 first Metallica LP’s from my older brother. I was instantly hooked and listening to nothing but Metallica for over a year. I think it’s safe to say that that really made a mark on me.
– How important is it for a musician in this generation to spend time on social media?
Quite important. If you want to let people know about your plans, live dates or just your band in general social media is a must. Sure, there’s still magazines and message boards, but I think most people are more into the convenience of having all information in one spot, for better or worse.
– How important are music videos in the industry today? How do they compare to videos from 20 years ago?
Videos from underground bands today will probably not have the same impact as videos had 20 years ago. I think people back then were more engaged, following Headbangers Ball, taping their favorite videos and such. Today, we live in a constant flow of information and there’s millions of videos just a click away. People are still watching videos of course, myself included so there’s definitely a place for it. I just think it follows a similar pattern to other things whose existence has been changed by the internet, music, movies etc.
– What could we find interesting in your music collection at home?
Lately I’ve been on a huge Killing Joke trip, re-discovering a lot of their later era albums. Other all time favorites are Dinosaur Jr, Sisters of Mercy, PJ Harvey and Ladytron. I really like the new Imperial State Electric album. When it comes to metal I usually go for Bolt Thrower, Entombed, Bathory, stuff like that.
– Could you describe what goes on in a day in your life as a musician on tour?
Sleep too long, get up, get something to eat, go for a walk, soundcheck, struggling with shitty wi-fi connections, guitar noodling, eat again, beer, play, beer, sleep again.
– Where do you see music in general going in 100 years from now?
Wow. That’s an interesting question, but it’s hard to imagine what it will sound like. Shorter songs due to a shorter attention span. Music combined with visual and electrical impulses from a microchip in your brain, haha. The physical format is probably long gone. The idea of making 40 minute albums might also dissolve. The only thing that won’t change too much I guess is live shows, which people still seem just as into as they were 60-70 years ago.
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