Interview with The Haunted

«Don't trust anyone»

Swedish pioneers and suppliers of deadly thrash metal, THE HAUNTED, are back with big plans for success! After 8 long years, THE HAUNTED is finally returning to the spotlight with their 10th studio album, Songs Of Last Resort. The album features 12 tracks that were masterfully mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Kreator, Arch Enemy, Sepultura, and others). The project's frontman, Marco, kindly answered questions about the new album.

Hi, Marco! How are you? I watched a couple of Eurovision performances before our interview, and there are sometimes non-traditional bands performing. Do you follow such shows?

No, I don't follow such events. It's not my thing. I just think that music is not a sport, and you can't give points for music.

When did you realize what you wanted to do in life?

I think it was quite early. I had a punk rock band when I was 15. That's when I realized that music is something very fun.

You're currently promoting your album, and you have a lot of interviews and interactions with people. How do you manage to stay in a good mood every day, even when journalists or fans can be annoying?

No, it's not a problem. It's you guys who bring us to where we are now. So, I don't see any reason to be annoyed. All of this is a good price for our success. Of course, I'm not the happiest person every day. But these interviews don't bother me at all.

Some of your fans have left comments that the new album has a more commercial sound.

I can say that our sound is different from our previous albums, but it's definitely not more commercial. Listen to some of the new bands - they're more commercial. We're more like the old school. At least because we're the old people.

What would you change about the music industry? Can you name one thing?

Just one thing? I don't even know; there are so many things about the music industry that need to be changed. I would say that some people make money on things that they don't deserve to make money on. Because the musicians do all the work, and other people get paid for them, and I don't think that's fair. Meanwhile, I haven't met anyone who has made money from Spotify.

How did your childhood influence your development in music?

I was a pretty wild kid, and I had friends who played different kinds of music, and I wanted to join them during rehearsals and listen to what they were doing. And I thought I wanted to do that too. And I chose punk rock for myself. Punk rock was a prominent genre in those days. I wasn't even a metal fan when I started my journey in music. Most of my friends played all this heavy metal from the 80s, but I wanted to play heavier and more aggressive music. It was completely natural for me because of how free-spirited I was as a kid.

If you were asked to choose just one song from the album, which song would it be?

If I were asked to choose just one song forever, I would choose "Unbound," because I really like that song and it has some punk rock elements.

Do you agree with the phrase "music was better when ugly people were allowed to sing"?

Yes! Of course! This is about talent, not about appearance. That's why Sleep Token is so good, because no one knows who they are or what they look like. It's about the music, not the people.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I guess it's because I was nice. I always try to be nice in my life, so I hope people will remember me for that. I think it was Paul Stanley who said, "Try to be kind to those you meet on your way up, because you might meet the same people on your way down."

What secret about you would surprise people?

I don't even know, maybe the fact that I don't always listen to metal music. I really like Depeche Mode. It's because they're very free with their songwriting and don't put themselves in a box. They do a variety of things, just like Sleep Token.

I see that you're a big fan of Sleep Token...

I've watched their shows on YouTube, and they sound just as good as they do on their album. I really like them. I haven't been to a live show yet, but I hope to soon.

As a journalist who works with different musicians from all over the world, I can say that sometimes it can be exciting and scary, because you never know how other people will react to you. Do you get nervous when you have to deal with a lot of journalists, or do shoots, or deal with fans, or deal with other famous musicians? And what helps you to calm down?

I'm not a big fan of photo shoots, I really don't like them. What's annoying about being a musician is when they make me run around the camera, and it's not me. Most of the time, I'm not nervous. But I can get nervous before a show, sometimes so much that I'm ready to cancel. But once I'm on stage and my alter ego takes over, there's no problem. And this has been happening every show for the past 25-30 years. Every show. Sometimes, I'm ready to jump into a taxi because I'm so nervous and ready to tell them «Just fuck off».

It's surprisingly, but musicians often tell me things like this.

I think it's kind of an impostor syndrome. Even every time I write an album, I have imposter syndrome. Because in my head, everyone writes better lyrics than I do. It's hard for me to start because I compare myself to everyone else. My wife sometimes paints watercolors, and she also has this syndrome, even when I tell her that she's a great artist and her work is really good.

What would you have liked to know before you started your career in the music business?

Not to trust people. There were a lot of people I trusted in the past. And that's a good piece of advice for young musicians—don't trust anyone. Trust yourself and your decisions. Because most people just want to make money off of you.

What would you say is the biggest challenge in life?

I would say being a father. My kids are already quite old, 30 and 21 years old, and they no longer live with us, but my wife and I think we did a great job.

And what about your family? Do they like your new album?

Haha, they don't even understand it! They support me, but they don't understand this kind of music at all; it's not their style because it's too aggressive.

Jenet Bonishi