This Ending
Arcana Noctis: Hi there! What's up now that your new album called "Dead Harvest" has just been realised under Metal Blade's banner?
Mårten: Everything is good, we're working hard and trying to be as creative as possible. It's feels very good to have our second album finally out!
Arcana Noctis: Could you please present us band members and a short history of your past from the very begining back in 2005?
Mårten: This Ending is me, Mårten Hansen on vocals, Leo Pignong and Linus Nirbrant, our guitar virtuosos, Jesper Löfgren on bass and Fredrik Andersson on drums. This Ending was an ideas that actually was born already in 2004. We had all been playing together for several years during the 90s and we all felt that we hadn't accomplished all we could musically together. So me Fredrik and Linus checked if everyone was into the idea of creating a new band together and from then on we've been writing music and have released 3 outings if you count the promo "Let The World Burn" and the 2 albums "Inside The Machine" and now "Dead Harvest". When we released the promo it was though under the name of The Plague which we before signing with Metal blade changed to This Ending since there was another band going to be signed to Metal Blade that also had the word plague in their name. As it turned out in the end both This Ending and the other band changed name.
Arcana Noctis: Tell us why did you split up your previous combo the well known A Canorous Quintet, and in what purpose you founded this new one called This Ending? And what will be the major differences between the old one and This Ending?
Mårten: The major reason for splitting up A Canorous Quintet was that we were starting to think differently about how we wanted our music to sound. We all didn't want to take the music in the same direction. To top that off we also had problems with getting tour support to promote the band further. 6 years later we all had been doing different things in various bands, got more experience and felt that the time was right to try to do something new together again. We had been talking about this from time to time during the years and finally the time was right and thus This Ending was born with the ambition to create music that we would like to hear and buy as fans too. Taking our old experiences and moulding them into something new has always been our intention and This Ending will for sure continue to develop during the years. The major difference between This Ending and A Canorous Quintet is that This Ending is even more in your face, sometimes more brutal and sometimes heavier and groovier. We try to stretch the limits of our songwriting much more nowadays with our accumulated experience. We had a feeling that our sound would not be exactly the same as it was with A Canorous Quintet so it was never an option to reform under the old banner.
Arcana Noctis: You have signed a deal with Metal Blade thanks to your demo called "Let The World Burn", and very soon after that you started the recording sessions for your first full length album called "Inside The Machine"! Could you please introduce us these 2 materials, especially the second one, and don't forget to tell us a few words about the feedback that you've received until now concerning "Inside The Machine"? Also tell us why did you changed band's name into This Ending if you have allready choose one, I mean Curriculum Mortis!
Mårten: We start with the last one, This Ending was never Curriculum Mortis, this was Leo and Fredrik that played together for a while so the name This Ending had before would have been The Plague. The demo "Let The World Burn" got very positive attention from the fans, it has been described as a demo dangerous to listen to while driving... you drive way to fast when doing this. Our debut album "Inside The Machine" got a lot of good criticism and we could not have expected the reception from the fans towards the album to have been better. The only thing we would have wanted to do differently was to promote "Inside The Machine" with more live shows. I think one of the best remarks according to me was that "Inside The Machine" represents how Metal should sound. All our recordings have so far been done in Offbeat Studio and we have put in a lot of hard work into composing and recording each effort.
Arcana Noctis: If I'm not wrong almost 3 years have passed between "Inside The Machine" and your brand new "Dead Harvest"! Should we take it as a huge delay, or as a natural step in band's career? Because we know that you are involved in some other bands, especially Fredrik who plays drums in Amon Amarth!
Mårten: The only one involved in another band today is Fredrik. "Inside The Machine" came out in December 2006 and "Dead Harvest" early February 2009 so it was a bit more than 2 years between the albums. However "Dead Harvest" was supposed to have been released in October and all recorded material was finished during the summer. We wanted "Dead Harvest" to be our best effort so far and we weren't fully pleased with the first mix of the album. Because of this we had to postpone the release, remix and remaster to be able to give you the quality album you now hold in your hands. We're already working on new material so hopefully the next one will be released within a closer time perspective.
Arcana Noctis: This time was Linus the one responsible for the recording and the production sessions of this album! That means a lot of pression to manage both things I've mentioned above. What do you think of that?
Mårten: Sure it's a lot of pressure on Linus but then again he is educated to work in a studio and usually Linus' vision of how he wants us to sound works very well for us. But for sure Linus has to put in a vast amount of work to make everything turn out as good as it does. Linus has actually been responsible for all our recordings so far.
Arcana Noctis: So "Dead Harvest" is band's second effort until now! Could you please introduce us in its atmosphere by telling us the necessary technical details about it, and to tell us a few words about the story of each track? How do you see the new album compared to the previous material "Inside The Machine"?
Mårten: "Dead Harvest" is in my opinion the natural continuation of what we started on "Inside The Machine". The sound is still cold and harsh yet still even more brutality and grooves are woven in inside each song which probably makes "Dead Harvest" a bit less easy accessible the first listens. It's an album that's supposed to grow with each time you listen to it, with lots of small details for the listener to discover on the journey of "Dead Harvest".
I will mention a few words about each song and take them in the order they appear on the album. First off is "Trace Of Sin", one of the last tracks to be finalized for "Dead Harvest", a brutal Metal assault filled with fury and hate. Then you have the video track "Parasites", a heavy groove monster about our sick society and the parasites that are part of it. "Machinery" is probably the most technical number This Ending ever have tried to do, it's fierce in it's machinelike groove and blasts. "Instigator Of Dead Flesh" is a Thrash anthem that takes you into the insanity of war and what it does to the human psyche. "Delussionists" is another heavy Thrash bash dealing out strikes to the ones who can't stand by their actions and words. "Army Of The Dying Sun" is probably one of the most different tracks on the album, delivering an epic feel of impending doom. Then we have the title track "Dead Harvest" a heavy melody infused doomsday tune about where the world might be going. "Tools Of Demise" is a smash in your face and bang your head off song dealing with what happens to us as humans when no place on Earth feels safe. "Deathtrade" is one of my personal favourites with a haunting melody and enough aggression to blast you back to hell. The last song of the album is also a very different number that takes you far into "The Asylum" of the human mind, a very heavy and doomy song, an excellent end to the album. We also recorded 2 bonus tracks for the limited European version of the album. One song is a real Thrash number that didn't really fit into the groove of the rest of the album called "Redeemer". We also recorded a song that we have rearranged during the years even before "Inside The Machine" and finally we think we have done a version that brings the song justice. The song is called "First Blood". These are 2 tracks we are very proud of but didn't find fitting to the "Dead Harvest" concept eventhough "Redeemer" lyrically connects to "Tools Of Demise". Compared to "Inside The Machine", "Dead Harvest" is more complex and offers more challenges to us as musicians and hopefully to you the listener also. It's an album to enjoy and discover many times.
Arcana Noctis: The first mix and mastering were unsatisfactory for your taste, so you chose to go back and re-mix and re-master the album. What the fuck happened out there? Is this the real reason of the delay?
Mårten: It is for sure the real reason for the delay. When we heard the first mix after the mastering we all came to the conclusion that we have a great album recorded that sounds very dissapointing. We had no other option than to go back to the studio and re-mix. To get things right this time we mixed one day a week for 6-7 weeks and after that we all were satisfied and what you have listened to is our vision of how we wanted "Dead Harvest" to sound. You should be happy that we made this decision otherwise you would have a very flat production playing in your stereo. "Dead Harvest" was supposed to be released in October but we were to displeased with the sound so it was just not possible.
Arcana Noctis: I know that you have realised a video clip of a song called "Parasites"! The video was shot in two different locations over two days, but I will let you tell us more things about it. Also tell us about the reviews that you received until now concerning this album you called "Dead Harvest"!
Mårten: We got in touch with a guy named Marcus C.F. Tinnerholm and we presented the idea we had for the video we wanted to do for "Parasites". We then put him to work to scout for locations and he came up with a really cool location for the first day of shooting. He had in some way got access to Swedens first nuclear reactor. So we went down deep underground and shot for about 12 hours down there in the control room. A really cool and overwhelming experience and I think it looks really good in the video. Second day he had booked a studio where we could do greenscreen shots for the digitally enhanced parts of the video. After this Marcus and his coworkers put in tremendous ammounts of work to realise our vision of the video. I think it turned out great. So far most reviews and reactions we've had towards "Dead Harvest" been overwhelmingly positive. We hope it continues in this way.
Arcana Noctis: The visual identity of your band via its logo seems to be changed with this album. What's the ideea exactly? Do you think that the artwork, band's music and the lyrical concept represents your ideeas as its best?
Mårten: I think the visual identity is pretty intact so far only that it's a bit rawer this time, more real maybe. With the imagery we want to enhance the feel of the songs and the concept we have in our music and lyrics. There is darkness to be found if you wish to see it. There are always things you could do differently and better but overall I think the visual side of This Ending so far represents our sound and ideas pretty well.
Arcana Noctis: What could you tell us about your relations with Metal Blade considering that you have very known mates such as Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under, Amon Amarth and a few others? I mean they are focused on you at the same intensity with the other combos?
Mårten: I think we have a good relation with Metal Blade, they do what they think is best for us and them at this time. They for sure don't put as much focus on This Ending as the very well known label mates you mention so far. But that's not so strange to me, the biggest names on the labels are always the ones that gets most attention from everyone for obvious reasons. As a band grows the more attention media, fans and labels give to them. But like I said Metal Blade has so far helped us to the best of their abilities and have not declined any of our wishes.
Arcana Noctis: Considering that one month have passed since you launched your new album, could you tell us a few words about band's live activity? How are you going to manage this chapter if you are involved in other bands?
Mårten: Even before the release of "Dead Harvest" we played with Black Dahlia Murder in Sweden to promote "Dead Harvest". We have a few more shows planned but so far only in Sweden. We hope to be able to visit as many countries as possible to promote This Ending and "Dead Harvest" however. To manage the live shows is not a big issue, the only one involved in another band is Fredrik. We are currently exploring possibilities to do shows no matter if he's available or not so this issue should be resolved shortly.
Arcana Noctis: Because we are closing to the end, could you tell us what are your future plans concerning This Ending? And tell us if do you have something in your mind for the next album? Are you going to play in the same way as you do now, or some changes are going to be done?
Mårten: The future plans is to try to promote "Dead Harvest" as much as possible. We are also already working on new material and so far it seems that the next album might hold a few surprises, but it's too early to tell since we haven't finalised any songs so far. But I think you can expect a few surprises as usual we don't want to repeat ourselves if we can avoid it.
Arcana Noctis: Thanks a lot man! What do you have to add in the end to conclude this interview?
Mårten: Thanks for the interview and your interest in This Ending. Make sure to listen to This Ending and "Dead Harvest" many times and do it loud. If you enjoy what we do support us in any way possible. Hope to see you all at a show soon... Reap the Dead Harvest!
Mårten: Everything is good, we're working hard and trying to be as creative as possible. It's feels very good to have our second album finally out!
Arcana Noctis: Could you please present us band members and a short history of your past from the very begining back in 2005?
Mårten: This Ending is me, Mårten Hansen on vocals, Leo Pignong and Linus Nirbrant, our guitar virtuosos, Jesper Löfgren on bass and Fredrik Andersson on drums. This Ending was an ideas that actually was born already in 2004. We had all been playing together for several years during the 90s and we all felt that we hadn't accomplished all we could musically together. So me Fredrik and Linus checked if everyone was into the idea of creating a new band together and from then on we've been writing music and have released 3 outings if you count the promo "Let The World Burn" and the 2 albums "Inside The Machine" and now "Dead Harvest". When we released the promo it was though under the name of The Plague which we before signing with Metal blade changed to This Ending since there was another band going to be signed to Metal Blade that also had the word plague in their name. As it turned out in the end both This Ending and the other band changed name.Arcana Noctis: Tell us why did you split up your previous combo the well known A Canorous Quintet, and in what purpose you founded this new one called This Ending? And what will be the major differences between the old one and This Ending?
Mårten: The major reason for splitting up A Canorous Quintet was that we were starting to think differently about how we wanted our music to sound. We all didn't want to take the music in the same direction. To top that off we also had problems with getting tour support to promote the band further. 6 years later we all had been doing different things in various bands, got more experience and felt that the time was right to try to do something new together again. We had been talking about this from time to time during the years and finally the time was right and thus This Ending was born with the ambition to create music that we would like to hear and buy as fans too. Taking our old experiences and moulding them into something new has always been our intention and This Ending will for sure continue to develop during the years. The major difference between This Ending and A Canorous Quintet is that This Ending is even more in your face, sometimes more brutal and sometimes heavier and groovier. We try to stretch the limits of our songwriting much more nowadays with our accumulated experience. We had a feeling that our sound would not be exactly the same as it was with A Canorous Quintet so it was never an option to reform under the old banner.
Arcana Noctis: You have signed a deal with Metal Blade thanks to your demo called "Let The World Burn", and very soon after that you started the recording sessions for your first full length album called "Inside The Machine"! Could you please introduce us these 2 materials, especially the second one, and don't forget to tell us a few words about the feedback that you've received until now concerning "Inside The Machine"? Also tell us why did you changed band's name into This Ending if you have allready choose one, I mean Curriculum Mortis!
Mårten: We start with the last one, This Ending was never Curriculum Mortis, this was Leo and Fredrik that played together for a while so the name This Ending had before would have been The Plague. The demo "Let The World Burn" got very positive attention from the fans, it has been described as a demo dangerous to listen to while driving... you drive way to fast when doing this. Our debut album "Inside The Machine" got a lot of good criticism and we could not have expected the reception from the fans towards the album to have been better. The only thing we would have wanted to do differently was to promote "Inside The Machine" with more live shows. I think one of the best remarks according to me was that "Inside The Machine" represents how Metal should sound. All our recordings have so far been done in Offbeat Studio and we have put in a lot of hard work into composing and recording each effort.
Arcana Noctis: If I'm not wrong almost 3 years have passed between "Inside The Machine" and your brand new "Dead Harvest"! Should we take it as a huge delay, or as a natural step in band's career? Because we know that you are involved in some other bands, especially Fredrik who plays drums in Amon Amarth!
Mårten: The only one involved in another band today is Fredrik. "Inside The Machine" came out in December 2006 and "Dead Harvest" early February 2009 so it was a bit more than 2 years between the albums. However "Dead Harvest" was supposed to have been released in October and all recorded material was finished during the summer. We wanted "Dead Harvest" to be our best effort so far and we weren't fully pleased with the first mix of the album. Because of this we had to postpone the release, remix and remaster to be able to give you the quality album you now hold in your hands. We're already working on new material so hopefully the next one will be released within a closer time perspective.
Arcana Noctis: This time was Linus the one responsible for the recording and the production sessions of this album! That means a lot of pression to manage both things I've mentioned above. What do you think of that?
Mårten: Sure it's a lot of pressure on Linus but then again he is educated to work in a studio and usually Linus' vision of how he wants us to sound works very well for us. But for sure Linus has to put in a vast amount of work to make everything turn out as good as it does. Linus has actually been responsible for all our recordings so far.
Arcana Noctis: So "Dead Harvest" is band's second effort until now! Could you please introduce us in its atmosphere by telling us the necessary technical details about it, and to tell us a few words about the story of each track? How do you see the new album compared to the previous material "Inside The Machine"?
Mårten: "Dead Harvest" is in my opinion the natural continuation of what we started on "Inside The Machine". The sound is still cold and harsh yet still even more brutality and grooves are woven in inside each song which probably makes "Dead Harvest" a bit less easy accessible the first listens. It's an album that's supposed to grow with each time you listen to it, with lots of small details for the listener to discover on the journey of "Dead Harvest".
I will mention a few words about each song and take them in the order they appear on the album. First off is "Trace Of Sin", one of the last tracks to be finalized for "Dead Harvest", a brutal Metal assault filled with fury and hate. Then you have the video track "Parasites", a heavy groove monster about our sick society and the parasites that are part of it. "Machinery" is probably the most technical number This Ending ever have tried to do, it's fierce in it's machinelike groove and blasts. "Instigator Of Dead Flesh" is a Thrash anthem that takes you into the insanity of war and what it does to the human psyche. "Delussionists" is another heavy Thrash bash dealing out strikes to the ones who can't stand by their actions and words. "Army Of The Dying Sun" is probably one of the most different tracks on the album, delivering an epic feel of impending doom. Then we have the title track "Dead Harvest" a heavy melody infused doomsday tune about where the world might be going. "Tools Of Demise" is a smash in your face and bang your head off song dealing with what happens to us as humans when no place on Earth feels safe. "Deathtrade" is one of my personal favourites with a haunting melody and enough aggression to blast you back to hell. The last song of the album is also a very different number that takes you far into "The Asylum" of the human mind, a very heavy and doomy song, an excellent end to the album. We also recorded 2 bonus tracks for the limited European version of the album. One song is a real Thrash number that didn't really fit into the groove of the rest of the album called "Redeemer". We also recorded a song that we have rearranged during the years even before "Inside The Machine" and finally we think we have done a version that brings the song justice. The song is called "First Blood". These are 2 tracks we are very proud of but didn't find fitting to the "Dead Harvest" concept eventhough "Redeemer" lyrically connects to "Tools Of Demise". Compared to "Inside The Machine", "Dead Harvest" is more complex and offers more challenges to us as musicians and hopefully to you the listener also. It's an album to enjoy and discover many times.
Arcana Noctis: The first mix and mastering were unsatisfactory for your taste, so you chose to go back and re-mix and re-master the album. What the fuck happened out there? Is this the real reason of the delay?
Mårten: It is for sure the real reason for the delay. When we heard the first mix after the mastering we all came to the conclusion that we have a great album recorded that sounds very dissapointing. We had no other option than to go back to the studio and re-mix. To get things right this time we mixed one day a week for 6-7 weeks and after that we all were satisfied and what you have listened to is our vision of how we wanted "Dead Harvest" to sound. You should be happy that we made this decision otherwise you would have a very flat production playing in your stereo. "Dead Harvest" was supposed to be released in October but we were to displeased with the sound so it was just not possible.
Arcana Noctis: I know that you have realised a video clip of a song called "Parasites"! The video was shot in two different locations over two days, but I will let you tell us more things about it. Also tell us about the reviews that you received until now concerning this album you called "Dead Harvest"!
Mårten: We got in touch with a guy named Marcus C.F. Tinnerholm and we presented the idea we had for the video we wanted to do for "Parasites". We then put him to work to scout for locations and he came up with a really cool location for the first day of shooting. He had in some way got access to Swedens first nuclear reactor. So we went down deep underground and shot for about 12 hours down there in the control room. A really cool and overwhelming experience and I think it looks really good in the video. Second day he had booked a studio where we could do greenscreen shots for the digitally enhanced parts of the video. After this Marcus and his coworkers put in tremendous ammounts of work to realise our vision of the video. I think it turned out great. So far most reviews and reactions we've had towards "Dead Harvest" been overwhelmingly positive. We hope it continues in this way.
Arcana Noctis: The visual identity of your band via its logo seems to be changed with this album. What's the ideea exactly? Do you think that the artwork, band's music and the lyrical concept represents your ideeas as its best?
Mårten: I think the visual identity is pretty intact so far only that it's a bit rawer this time, more real maybe. With the imagery we want to enhance the feel of the songs and the concept we have in our music and lyrics. There is darkness to be found if you wish to see it. There are always things you could do differently and better but overall I think the visual side of This Ending so far represents our sound and ideas pretty well.
Arcana Noctis: What could you tell us about your relations with Metal Blade considering that you have very known mates such as Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under, Amon Amarth and a few others? I mean they are focused on you at the same intensity with the other combos?
Mårten: I think we have a good relation with Metal Blade, they do what they think is best for us and them at this time. They for sure don't put as much focus on This Ending as the very well known label mates you mention so far. But that's not so strange to me, the biggest names on the labels are always the ones that gets most attention from everyone for obvious reasons. As a band grows the more attention media, fans and labels give to them. But like I said Metal Blade has so far helped us to the best of their abilities and have not declined any of our wishes.
Arcana Noctis: Considering that one month have passed since you launched your new album, could you tell us a few words about band's live activity? How are you going to manage this chapter if you are involved in other bands?
Mårten: Even before the release of "Dead Harvest" we played with Black Dahlia Murder in Sweden to promote "Dead Harvest". We have a few more shows planned but so far only in Sweden. We hope to be able to visit as many countries as possible to promote This Ending and "Dead Harvest" however. To manage the live shows is not a big issue, the only one involved in another band is Fredrik. We are currently exploring possibilities to do shows no matter if he's available or not so this issue should be resolved shortly.
Arcana Noctis: Because we are closing to the end, could you tell us what are your future plans concerning This Ending? And tell us if do you have something in your mind for the next album? Are you going to play in the same way as you do now, or some changes are going to be done?
Mårten: The future plans is to try to promote "Dead Harvest" as much as possible. We are also already working on new material and so far it seems that the next album might hold a few surprises, but it's too early to tell since we haven't finalised any songs so far. But I think you can expect a few surprises as usual we don't want to repeat ourselves if we can avoid it.
Arcana Noctis: Thanks a lot man! What do you have to add in the end to conclude this interview?
Mårten: Thanks for the interview and your interest in This Ending. Make sure to listen to This Ending and "Dead Harvest" many times and do it loud. If you enjoy what we do support us in any way possible. Hope to see you all at a show soon... Reap the Dead Harvest!