Runemagick Interview
Photo by Elsa Rudolfsson
“It was Saturday, March 4, 2023. The man in the photo is Nicklas Rudolfsson. This year he is 49 years old and a large part of his life has revolved around music and creativity.
It is around 2 pm and the spring sun is shining outside the house which is located in the countryside a few kilometers south of Ljungskile on the west coast of Sweden. He sits at his wife's old desk that offers a beautiful view outside the windows. A view that inspires with fields and trees which gives peace of mind.
A large glass of coffee stands next to the computer. He likes the coffee black. The old computer is used to answer an interview with a magazine named Hinsides. On the computer that has Void Linux as its operating system, music is played in the background. He is listening to Mortuous's latest album "Upon Desolation". To the left of Nicklas hangs a plant hanger made by hand by their friend Erika Osterhout who lives in the USA.
In about a month he and his wife's death/doom band, Runemagick, will release a new album entitled "Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind" on Hammerheart Records. That is why answers to interviews are written.”
With this introductory description, we welcome married couple Nicklas and Emma to the desolate domains of Hinsides Magazine. Both active in the incredibly powerful band Runemagick, who soon will bring out a new fantastic record. Read further to find out to more about this musical couple and how their mutual journey started.
Text:
Hinsides Magazine 2023
Images:
Used with kind permission
…
Hello there, and welcome to Hinsides Magazine! Please introduce yourself and reveal what circumstances you find yourself in while responding to this interview?
- Hello! It’s nice to be featured in Hinsides!
My name is Nicklas Rudolfsson, and I am a “half-aged” musician, father and husband that currently is working in crisis preparedness and security. (Will return to more IT-related work shortly.)
I grew up in the countryside outside a village on the west coast of Sweden and I/we moved back here in 2009. As for music, I have been into the music scene and related artforms since the 80’s and I am currently involved in several bands and projects like Runemagick, The Funeral Orchestra, Unformulas, VVV and a few more. What are the circumstances right now? Well… Now that I'm going to describe it, I get a vision that I'm in a photo in the Swedish TV series "Svart på vitt" where a story is told around an old photograph by the classic Swedish narrator Olle Häger.
So I asked my daughter to take a photo of me and wrote a little supplementary narrative as if it would appear in this aforementioned old TV series.
- Hi I’m Emma, bass player in Runemagick since 2000. I am also involved in the band The Funeral Orchestra. Right now I’m trying to take care of kids, work and prepare for a course that I am studying alongside work. So a lot of things are going on, as always, and I also want to answer this interview.
It was a lot of tricky questions, so I guess we'll see how it goes?
You two have been working together on a lot of different levels for quite some time now. How did your musical collaboration start and how would you describe your mutual work besides the band in general?
E: Yes, in fact the first musical collaboration we had was when Nicklas and Peter Palmdahl (Dissection) recorded backing vocals on a demo that we recorded with the band I was playing with at that time. The band was Dracena and the year was 1997. Then Nicklas was a session drummer in Dracena as well.
I remember he was so drunk at a gig we had once and that he never quit doing his drum solo, haha. We actually have been close friends since then and has helped each other out with different kinds of stuff like photography, recordings and stuff. When he asked me to join Runemagick I said yes immediately. We have been a couple for 20 years and the rest is history.
N: During the mid-90s, we met occasionally at parties as we partly had the same social circle. It was also during the 90s that I helped a band named Dracena with whom Emma started playing guitar after a while. I participated as a session drummer and wrote some riffs. Remember we did a studio recording, rehearsing and made one or a few live gigs before they got a more permanent drummer.
Towards the end of the 90s, I moved up to Norrland (the North of Sweden). During that period I wrote and recorded several projects and demos myself. Among other things, part of the material for the third Runemagick album "Resurrection In Blood".
It was decided that I would move back to Gothenburg again during the summer of 2000 and record the third album in Los Angered Recording. I wanted to try to get a line-up together to start playing live after the album release so before I moved to Gothenburg again I asked if Emma was interested in playing bass, which she wanted to. Some time later it became more than just the band we had together. It was also during the period in Norrland that I came into contact with our current drummer Daniel Moilanen, who also joined the band later in 2000. Besides the band, a lot has happened as we have been together as a couple for 20 years and married for many years with a family and children.
But we have other musical projects together too, and we will see if there will be some more in the future? Early thoughts and sketches exist, so if the inspiration and the time is there…
It would also be interesting to know how you would portray one another and to hear your respective version of how your personal characteristics fit together?
N: That was a hard question haha. I think our personalities and characters are in many ways both similar and different. We both like music, of course. Also going to concerts and other related things. Then I think Emma is a bit more extroverted but not too much, more at an appropriate level. Then I'm a bit of the opposite, more introverted. She is more thorough than me, thoughtful and good at visuals. She thinks an extra round, when I had instead driven on at full speed. She is better at seeing the big picture when it comes to the band and music projects. When I maybe dig myself more into writing, the creation process and the creative side. So there are differences for sure but together they complement each other. Emma is very competent, intelligent and responsible in whatever matters. She is meticulous and makes sure that everything is as good as possible. She is a beautiful woman in every way. She likes tea and I like coffee. Interesting fact right?
E: Nicklas is a very creative and energetic person, not only when it comes to music, and I admire him for that. And the way he can focus on things, and get things done. He is also very responsible and there is almost never any problem with anything.
We have personal characteristics that are similar and some that are different, but mostly they complement each other, I would say. None of us are particularly extroverted, and we have a quite easy going temperament. Different but also complementary is that when it comes to getting things done and making decisions, he is quick and efficient, I am more thoughtful and thorough. Like he is the gas and I'm the brake. But not always. I can also be more impulsive and optimistic and he’s always very realistic and focused. We have always worked well together as a team, with very few conflicts. None of us are afraid of hard work in music and life.
Nicklas & Emma February 2023, photo by Fredrik Olsson
So how is the creative work divided between the two of you concerning the band? Are you both equally involved or who does what? Is the current situation the same as it used to be or has it developed somehow?
E: Nicklas has always done the absolute majority of the music and lyrics. Nowadays I haven’t done much when it comes to songwriting and arrangements. Earlier, when there was more time, we were more in it together and could write songs together.
N: It has changed a bit over the years and during several eras of the band. During the years around 2001-2005, we worked more as a band together in the rehearsal room. Emma also gave a lot of input to arrangements and lyrics, although she may not have written riffs herself. Maybe a few if I remember correctly. But I have always been the one who wrote most of the music and lyrics. Then Emma came with inputs on whether it fits, sounds good or not. For example, she listened and contributed to the mix of the latest album more than I did.
And as for recent years since 2017, the band has worked more like a project where I compose and write the main parts. Then we recorded everything with some minor changes in arrangements. But on the latest album it was also the case that Daniel and I worked on a song together in the studio, but Daniel is not Emma, so I'll leave that out of this question.
Emma recorded the bass herself on this album and asked me to give input on the takes to see if it fits well and any ideas she tested sound good. But as I said, Emma still has an important role to provide input and, as I said, see the big picture.
What would you say is the best and worst part with sharing a band together with your partner?
N: The best thing is that we get to share everything around the band. We've had great fun when we've been to gigs and so on. We have supported each other and never had any fights or serious arguments about what we were doing.
The worst has nothing to do with us being partners. It has been difficult to get time for rehearsals and gigs sometimes, though as we always have to plan with a babysitter or help to take care of our kids. We also haven't been able to be away for a longer period of time, more than a few days, because we have to go home to the children.
E: The best part is that we can get some time off from family stuff, going away together, doing what we like and not being parents for a while. The worst part is maybe quite the same, that we have to be away from the kids, both of us at the same time. They don’t like it and it’s hard to find someone to take care of them if we’re away for a long time, (like touring) or too often. So mostly practical stuff. Best part is also the memories we share from our experiences with the band and everything that comes with that.
In the world of extreme metal and hard rock, it is still quite unusual for bands to consist of mixed genders. How do you relate to this fact and what do you consider to be the underlying reasons behind this situation? Do you think it will change in the future?
E: Yes I think it will continue changing. I mean, even though it's a slow progress; things happen. The underlying reasons behind the situation may be that, as in other male-dominated areas of society, women are catching up or taking the lead. It is more accepted so to speak. I also think that extreme metal in general has been more accepted in society and is more available nowadays. Which has given the scene more attention and recognition from both men and women. Compared to 30 years ago.
N: I've been playing music with women and hanging out with women in the underground and music circles for so many years that it's not something I think about so much. It's normal for me. But overall certainly there has been a change in recent years. I remember in the early 90s when you were at underground gigs and then there were maybe 2-3 girls who came. Now you see many, many more and it's awesome! More mixed bands too of course. So there has been a change and it is certainly ongoing. But, as I said, overall this has not been anything special or problematic within my immediate circle. That is not to say that I am not aware that there have certainly been and still are differences or contradictions in certain areas. I really hope that, at least within the metal scene, it is a non-question in the future.
I mean, a lot of it is rooted in old more or less rotten religions that were used, or are still used, to control people and among other things view women as lower status with less rights. Even if there are purely physical differences it should not affect playing music or going to concerts. I don't see any factors whatsoever why it would affect music and the metal scene.
On the cover of the new album there are stones with runes that together says ”The end of mankind”, and the whole concept of Runemagick reeks of both death and decline. Still the two of you seem to appreciate and cherish life a lot? How would you explain this to someone unfamiliar with what Runemagick is all about?
N: In my opinion, I feel that our current civilization is going into overtime. I've had that feeling for a long time, but it's getting faster and faster. Then whether it takes 10 years, 100 years or 300 years before mother earth does a "reboot", I have no idea. But it has happened several times before. More than we've known so far, I'm guessing. But more and more evidence is emerging about similar scenarios that are further back in time than what we previously had knowledge of.
I mean, you just have to go out and see what it looks like, right? Of course, this applies to current conflicts in the world, conspiracies and everything that happens at the high level. But it's probably enough to go into a city and observe how the masses behave, or online for that matter. Everything is really far from healthy. At the same time, you have to live according to the present. You have to try to do your best and hope that it is for the children's best life, so to speak. There is some small hope that things will get better and hope that they have a good future despite the dark horizon. The old classic phrase "we have borrowed the earth from our children" is quite good to keep in mind.
But then again, I think it's more or less too late, but I really hope our children get the best possible future before it becomes total chaos. But who knows, maybe there is magic and miracle that will turn things around? As you can see, I'm a little ambivalent about this.
But to return to the album, yes a lot of the lyrics deals with the downfall of our civilization.
This and related topics suit our music and the genre we're in, that's right. But I want to point out that there are serious and deeper thoughts behind it than just made up "fiction".
E: Yes, you only live once, right? So the best thing to do is to do what is appreciated in life. At the same time, there is the other darker side of everything that happens, and it’s in the interest of humanity to be fascinated by that too. Runemagick is a death metal band and death metal bands should have that theme. Not much deeper thoughts than that for me right now, but I'm not the one writing the lyrics and I know that lyrics can be metaphoric…
Assume that your creative outlet had been in a field other than music; would the same themes have been actualized anyway, do you think? Could there have been, for example, deadly cooking, or doomed ceramics coming out from your homestead if music had not been relevant as a means of expression?
N: Deadly cooking hahahah! I like to cook from time to time, it goes in periods and right now I have one which I hope Emma enjoys, but I have not thought of calling it deadly or doomed cooking. I am creative in other areas such as painting, writing poems (under a pseudonym) and other things. But it also happens in periods and if I have time and inspiration. If I didn't have the musical creativity that I have now, maybe I would be doing more painting or writing. Or why not ceramic, that actually sounds tempting. I like to take doomy walks in the woods! Building stone fence yards of doom is also quite heavy and a bit of therapy.
E: That was an interesting question. If I think about it, for me it would probably be a mixture between dark elements, nature mysticism and botanical doings.
Apocalyptic necro-gardening of desolation, doom and utter darkness. Of death!
Emma recording bass during “Darkness Death Doom” sessions 2002
Nicklas at Los Angered Recording during “Darkness Death Doom” sessions 2002
Another interesting angle to view the general interest in death and the afterlife from is that those topics undoubtedly have a lot in common with old-school christianity. Yet religion and the church is considered to be the sworn enemy within the extreme metal scene. Please reveal your thoughts on this matter. Would there be any metal scene, as we know it, without the history of Christianity and how much of it´s framework has found new life within the culture of extreme metal according to you?
N: Many religions, not all, but many are more or less developed from the same ancient source. Since then, they have evolved and become more diverse. Since then all the conflicts around and in between the religions certainly depend a lot on control and rule over the masses/slaves as well as conflicts over resources, even today.
As for connections and references to today's metal. There are of course a lot of religious topics in metal and extreme music. But it is difficult to know whether it influenced the existence of the musical style. It mainly applies to lyrics and in some cases pure image or in a few cases serious religious belief in one direction or another. If religions hadn't existed in the way they do, maybe music would have developed in the same direction anyway. Hard to say and I'm just speculating a bit while answering. As you can see, this is not something I have thought deeply about.
E: Yes it’s like that right, my thoughts about that… I may disappoint you, I don't usually think too deeply about this question. I've never cared much about what bands stand for religiously, maybe more general values in that case. And then it has to be something very extreme for me to react. I'm only in it for the love of music and I definitely think that there would be a metal scene without it. There will always be things to be inspired from the dichotomy of good and evil, with or without religion.
While talking about religion and the occult; How does the name Runemagick fit your musical explorations? Do you believe that runes holds any real magical powers that can be actualized through some kind of invocation or would such a thought be a mere self made affirmation according to you?
E: The name Runemagick may give another expectation of the lyrics and theme, than what actually is the case. Like it would be more about runes and Norse mythology. Nicklas gets to answer more about how he thought when he chose the name. I think that if the name “Death” had not been taken, it would probably have been more appropriate, haha.
My view on whether runes have any magical power is not something I think about, and I have never tried any invocation (of doom runes). If it’s like that for someone and it helps them in some way then that's good, but maybe more of self made affirmation, I would say.
N: In the really early days of the band there were some old norse themes in the lyrics. Yes, we were very inspired by Bathory and the album "Hammerheart"! But those themes in the lyrics disappeared pretty quickly. But in some lyrics, even on the latest albums, there are some references to runes and some metaphorical writings.
If you are a believer in Asatro, the runes surely have some form of magical power and deeper meaning. Just like symbols and signs in other religions and cultures. So I don't deny that there is magic, but it has to do with the mind, knowledge and faith of the person concerned.
We actually have the protection rune (Algiz) in naturally shaped wooden twigs both outside our house's front door and to our little studio cottage. I want to believe that it protects our property from forces that want us trouble and harm.
How do you relate to concepts like religion, magic and experiences that some would refer to as spiritual? Do you acknowledge a spiritual side of life or not? Please explain your thoughts here!
N: I can't say that I know for sure that there is a spiritual side beyond our current life. But in some way I believe in it. I do not close the gates to thoughts that there is some kind of spiritual world outside our temples of flesh.
For example, there are countless stories about those who had near-death experiences where the body probably began to secrete a DMT-like substance that thus opened up for visionary experiences and journeys. In recent years it has become more and more popular to try ancient potions from shamans such as ayahuasca to enter one's spiritual self or another dimension. One often hears of journeys in fractal patterns and encounters with a form of entities. Which can often be the same on return trips. Extra interesting when several people at the same session can see the same entities without talking to each other. It shows that there is something, I guess. I haven't tried it myself, so unfortunately I can't speak from my own experience, but I'm clearly fascinated by it.
But overall, I can't say I go around believing in magic. That's not to say that I don't believe there is unknown and hidden “power” or knowledge that today's people in many cases don't see or that is forgotten.
E: I don't consider myself to be especially religious, spiritual or believing in magic. The closest I may get to this is meditating, but for me it’s more a way to help me handle things mentally. I'm guessing that's also the function for most people who are into those things. Of course religion has more purposes like a means of control and moral compass.
Emma on the way to recording session anno 2002 “Death is fun”
It's no secret that Runemagick is a highly productive entity while prioritized. Are there any of your recordings that you feel especially connected to on an emotional level? If so, please explain why?
E: If I must choose one, it would be “Darkness Death Doom”. It's that record (and a few more) that I felt we worked together the most as a full band. We rehearsed a lot back then and made the songs together in the rehearsal room. Even the album recording was done in the studios together. We had a lot of fun, so it has a sentimental place in mind. We were all extremely satisfied with this album which actually turns 20 years this year.
N: Some recordings are of course closer to my heart than others. But if I'm going to name a few, it has to be "Darkness Death Doom" first. Mainly because we had a really good and creative chemistry in the band then. It felt like we found the key to our sound and our framework became clearer. The Runemagick sound so to speak.
Then I also like "Moon of the Chaos Eclipse" which in itself is a somewhat messy and slightly schizo recording as the entire material was recorded over a weekend and at least half of it was written and jammed together during the recording. But mainly because me and Emma had a crazy period then, in a good way. We spent a lot of time getting little quirky things into the lyrics and more. As I said before, I wrote most of it, but Emma came with a lot of input and support. I would like to point out that the sound on the recording is not particularly good, because everything is recorded in the rehearsal room with low-budget equipment and during two days. And some songs and riffs are a little too much outside the box, but a lot were also good. And as I said, it was a bit crazy and a good time.
Then I also have to mention our latest album "Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind". It has been sculpted over a long period (at least a lot longer than we are used to) that was dragged out by several reasons both bad and good, and it has affected me. Everything from the pandemic to private problems has affected time, inspiration and creativity.
We started recording in September 2021 but it took at least a year before we were finally done. But I am proud of the end result and am extremely grateful for the efforts of the other members and especially Emma of course. But Johan Bäckman (Raven Noise Studio) has also done a really good job in terms of mixing and mastering. Like I said I'm proud of the new album and should it be the last one I release before I die I can rest in peace and move on to the astral spirit world haha.
Ok, it´s time for the last but not least important question; what more can you tell us about your new album? What was the process of creating it like and how would you describe it if it was a person?
E: Haha, if it was a person. Really interesting question! If I should describe the process as a person it would be one with fairly poor finances but good at planning and prioritizing so that things still work out. The person starts up on a large scale and puts in a lot of work, then life comes in between and is affected by lack of inspiration due to stressful events in life. But if there's life there’s hope and the person just jumps back into it. This time with a little more critical thoughts, which is unusual for this person. However, the process and fate of this story made the end result for the better. Thanks for the interesting questions!
N: I think it's a really strong album, one of the better if not the best in our discography. Hope our old and new fans will think the same. But the most important thing is that you can stand up for the album yourself and that you have made a good creative creation according to your own preferences. Then of course it is a very glorious bonus if others like it!
As for the creation itself, I started writing the first riffs and songs in 2019. Right after "Into Desolate Realms" was recorded. I simply had a good creative flow still. The song "Endless Night and Eternal End" was finished first and was already available as a demo version in 2019. Then I continued to write from time to time during 2020-2021 between other projects we were working on. During that time Emma and I also recorded the album "Negative Evocation Rites" with The Funeral Orchestra as well as a few more sessions with that project. I also recorded some sessions with my own project Unformulas, whose debut album "Post Mortem Visionary" was released at the end of 2022. Possibly additional material from those sessions will come later this year, either an MLP or a split. But enough about related projects.
As I said, the album was written during 2019-2021 and in September we recorded the drums for the album in Studio Humbucker in Stockholm. Behind the controls was my old friend Robert Pehrsson (Death Breath and other bands). What not everyone may know is that he was in an early lineup version of Runemagick during 1990-1993. He sang and played guitar on several more or less official demos and rehearsal room recordings. During the drum session, it was me and Daniel Moilanen (drums, also in Katatonia) who recorded.
We made the final adjustments to the arrangements while we were recording. We actually wrote a song and worked on the arrangement together when we were in the studio. That song is not on the album, but it is recorded without vocals. It turned out really well and is a little different. So when things calm down a bit with the new album, maybe we'll finish recording it and release it in some format. There are also some good and cool demo sessions that were recorded before the album with some songs and actually two covers that might be used as bonus material or something, we'll see in the future.
After the drums were recorded, we continued in our own small home studio called Abysmal Noise Studio, which is a small cabin outside our house and a small smaller home studio inside the house. I recorded guitar first and then Emma started recording bass. In order to optimize the time and the possibility of getting time to record, Emma recorded most of the bass inside our house. Then we gave input to each other. The vocals were also recorded in the home studio. Jonas recorded his solos at his home.
Another detail during the process and sessions is that several songs were butchered and some riffs were rewritten during the recording itself. This meant that we sculpted the best in my opinion. I also recorded all my guitars one more time as I wasn't really satisfied with the sound of the first takes. As said before, it was quite a long process due to several reasons, but it was for the better for the final result. I think I already said it in a previous question that I am very satisfied with my friend Johan Bäckman's work with the mix and mastering. Then I also want to take the opportunity to mention that I'm really happy with the cover art. It's a bit raw and abstract and it suits the music, the lyrics and the mood. It's also a bit unique compared to many other album covers.
Nicklas & Emma during the creation of the “Envenom” album 2004
You’ve just read the mere part of an interview that Hinsides Magazine did with Runemagick, early 2023. This interview will be published as a whole in the next physical issue. Interested in earlier issues? Click here:
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