Welcome back to the UK! How're you finding it?

Actually we've been on the run for a few weeks before this tour, some shows in Italy, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, and this is the second show of this tour, it's been great!

Tired yet?

Always tired! It's not tired of doing it though!

A Sense Of Purpose has done exceedingly well in terms of sales and exposure, how do you feel about it?

I had high expectations, high hopes, I felt that we did a great album. It's really hard, I'd have to come out of my own shell I guess and look sober into a situation. When you're in the middle of it, we don't  really stop and see what we've done or think that we've achieved a certain amount of success. It's been a good ride, we've been able to tour for like two years now.

Do you think you've changed much between Come Clarity and A Sense Of Purpose, personally or as a band?

Ask my friends! As a person, I guess a little bit. As a band, it's changed but not dramatically, the core elements are still there, the aggression, we are different as people today as we were two years ago, ten years ago, fifteen years ago.

What are the best and worst parts of being in a touring band?

We love what we do, otherwise we wouldn't be here. There is no money or anything that would put me in this situation, because you have to have the passion for it. There are hours you feel like you are dying, when you're so bored and you think about it when you're on stage, but then when you're on stage, it's worth it. Those forty five minutes or hour and a half is the greatest feeling, when it's perfect. The moment between you and the audience when it's like perfect, it's the best thing.

Is there anywhere in particular where you get on better with the people, the fans, the place?

No, it's not so much the place, it's how you feel that day. There are places that I haven't been, that I wanna go, and I hope one day that I will. I like food and good drinks, so there are certain places that can offer you more.

What's your favourite place for food then?

I love Japanese, Steaks, sushi, fish, everything!

I read you're a bit of a Whiskey fan...

(Laughs) That's a bit of an understatement!

It's interesting, it has a great history, I love everything around it, the craftsmanship, the taste, there's so much, you make it out of few ingredients but turns out to be something really different, you should spend a few hours with me sometime and I'll show you what I mean, we don't have enough time today!

I wanted to ask also about your producing career!

Yes! I don't have enough time right now, I really wanna be deep within the production, it's not like I wanna do it fast, I wanna be there before the band enter the studio, and when the band leaves and do it properly.

Are there any bands in particular that you prefer or want to work with?

No, not really. I'd love to do something outside of metal, because pretty much everything I've done has been within the metal scene, that would be a challenge me personally.

Do you listen to much music outside of metal?

Everything! I listen to metal, born and bred metal basically... I think it's good when it comes to composing too, you're not so narrow minded and just look at only one style.

You have a daughter, is there anything that you've learnt so far in your life that you'd like to pass on down to her?

Wow, I will try to be as open to her as possible, try to guide her, but not be the parent that tells her exactly what to do. She is only five, I know me as a guy, and what men do to women and I don't like that so I will try to help her, obviously she has to learn that for herself. And... I won't show her any pictures from the road, that won't do any good, look what daddy does, that's not good for you! Don't drink alcohol!

In fact, one time many years ago, I was in a London hotel with Lacuna Coil after possibly the Metal Hammer or Kerrang awards, and you guys were there, we may have met before...and you were knocking on my hotel door at 2am wearing nothing but Viking hats! It was really funny...

Oh yeah, yeah! (laughs) That is so true, that's true! That of course was something that I want to pass on to her! (laughs)

Do you think you'd encourage her to have a career in music then?

It's up to her, she can do anything she wants. This whole thing has given me so much, it's been an awesome ride. That makes it sound like its over, it's not over! I'd definitely tell her that my experiences are great, it has been a lot of hard work too, if I can give this to my daughter, or someone, I'd definitely encourage them to try it.

I also heard that you're an avid DVD collector, is that just a rumour?

No, no it was true, a while ago, until whiskey took over!

A new passion now...

I watch a lot of movies, it's a space issue too, you can't just buy and buy and buy them, you gotta stock them somewhere and it's not really possible on tour!

I wanted to ask what your favourite films where, or if you had any movies you could recommend?

Well, well, well... lets think of new ones, there aren't that many new ones, actually there is a new one called 'Nine' which is just out, it's really cool, it's produced by Tim Burton and it's done by the guy that worked on Nightmare Before Christmas I think, it's really cool movie, its very dark but very cool. Then there's the old ones like Taxi Driver, Silence Of the Lambs...

OK, closing up, obviously everyone wants to talk to you about the typical 'Gothenburg' sound, what I wanna know, is why do you think that town has developed such a trademark.

I think we had something good going, trends come and go and we were just at the right time, we had something unique where we mixed the more brutal death metal, with the new wave of British Heavy Metal, and we also threw a bit of Speed Metal from Germany. It was just time I guess, obviously I think we did and were doing something good, I think it could be any other city to be honest. To me it is amazing, we weren't that many bands, we were just this shitty little town in Sweden, five hundred or six thousand people and about thirty people in different bands, its really funny and interesting how it developed.

Laura Kelly

Photography provided by Rudy De Doncker www.rudysphotos.com