Scorpio: All your fans are waiting for the new opus, "The Seal of Belial." By the way, mixing of the album is taking place these days at Los Angered Recording studios. So, what can you tell about the follow-up to "Angelgrinder"?
Micke: Yes, we're doing the final touches on the album this week. The main difference between our previous albums and "The Seal of Belial" is the speed, I guess. This album will be a bit slower in general, but of course there are some fast parts as well.
Scorpio: Anything else? Maybe you've added some new elements to your music?
Micke: No, the ingredients will be pretty much the same as usual, with additional contributions from flute and female vocals.
Scorpio: Did anything interesting, funny, or strange happen at the studio during the recordings?
Micke: Actually, I don't know, since I haven't been in the studio at all for this recording.
Scorpio: So you just recorded your drum parts and then went home? But maybe your bandmates told you something interesting?
Micke: No, we haven't talked about anything during the studio time. The recording has been very fragmented since Andy has been on tour with KING DIAMOND this autumn, and there have only been a few days here and there. The recording has been going on since August.
Scorpio: This time you decided to include an intro and outro on the album. Do you think it's better for an album to have such tracks?
Micke: It's OK as long as the intro is quite short, I think. I really hate long intros that go on for several minutes.
Scorpio: Do you plan to include bonus tracks?
Micke: No. Maybe for some special editions... but nothing is planned for now.
Scorpio: So when will "The Seal of Belial" be released, and on what label?
Micke: It will be released by Regain Records, whom we signed a deal with in late 2002, right after we left No Fashion Records. We don't know the release date yet, but hopefully it'll be out before summer 2004.
Scorpio: Have you already decided what will be on the cover? And who will do the album artwork?
Micke: Yes, the cover artwork will be done by Mantus again. He also did the layout for "Angelgrinder," and we think he's great — he does the layout exactly the way we want it.
Scorpio: Can you tell me what will be on the cover, or is it a secret?
Micke: It will be something based on the seal of Belial, but it's not finished yet, so I really don't know any details.
Scorpio: Last September you recruited a new guitarist, Hjalmar Nielsen. Do you like his playing?
Micke: Yes! Hjalmar is a very skilled guitarist, and he fits perfectly in the band.
Scorpio: And you, Micke, returned to LORD BELIAL's ranks as well. Why were you away from the band for a while? Decided to take a break?
Micke: Yes, I just got tired of it all and wanted to take a break. I didn't plan how long it would be, but the break ended up much shorter than I could have imagined.
Scorpio: I've always wanted to ask: are you (Micke), Thomas, and Anders biological brothers?
Micke: Thomas and I are brothers. Anders is our cousin.
Scorpio: Maybe you also have a sister who's a black metal musician? :))
Micke: Nope, no sister.
Scorpio: Were all three of you obedient boys?
Micke: Hahah, I guess we were like all other boys...
Scorpio: And what did your parents think about the music you like, and what do they say now that you play in a band?
Micke: Even though our (mine and Thomas's) father doesn't really enjoy the music style itself, he knows what it's about since he's a musician himself. Our mother really likes our music, and she's been to some of our gigs — in the front row, banging her head.
Scorpio: Cool! That's great when a mother supports her children in whatever they do!
Micke: Yes!
Scorpio: Your surname is Backelin, and if we put an "l" after the "B" and throw away the "e," we get "Blackin." So no wonder you play black metal! :)
Micke: Hehe, we didn't choose the surname ourselves... I don't think it has anything to do with the music at all. :)
Scorpio: You have a daughter, and Thomas also has children — girls as well. What happened, guys? Don't you want to have sons? :))
Micke: I have another kid on the way right now... let's hope it'll be a son then, hehe.
Scorpio: So you really want a son. And what will you name him? :)
Micke: It doesn't matter at all if it's a boy or a girl, actually. We don't know what name it will be given yet.
Scorpio: You don't use corpse paint like, for example, other Swedish black metallers MARDUK and DARK FUNERAL, and you use your real names instead of pseudonyms. Why?
Micke: Hmm... why not? We don't really find it that "evil" or "true" with corpse paint. Personally, I think it looks quite funny... some of the face paint can look OK, but most of it really looks stupid. We did use pseudonyms for some years, but we just quit using them since there was no real need — it didn't add anything to the band. Everyone knew our real names anyway, haha.
Scorpio: Tell me, please, which bands have funny corpse paint and whose looks OK? Compare, for example, the corpse paint of DIMMU BORGIR, GORGOROTH, and DARK FUNERAL.
Micke: I don't really care about it. I can't point to any specific band that uses funny paint, but I'd say about 95% of them are an eyesore. I don't usually compare them, and I don't even care whether a band uses paint or not. I'm not impressed by their image at all — I care about the music. Image isn't important to me.
Scorpio: You also run a webzine called Extreme Terror. How many people work on it?
Micke: Right now, there are 7 people involved in ETZ (8 with the mighty Bo-Toddy). The zine is going through a complete makeover right now, and we might bring more people in.
Scorpio: How did you decide to create a webzine?
Micke: Thomas and I had discussed it for several years, and when we decided to actually start one, we bought a domain, rented web hosting, and started writing reviews. It only took 4 days before ETZ was online.
Scorpio: What well-known bands have appeared on its pages?
Micke: Some of the interviewed bands include HATE ETERNAL, VOMITORY, KHOLD, MESTELTEIN, MERCILESS, FORGOTTEN TOMB, KOVENANT, THE CROWN, etc. We have about 250 reviews online now, I think.
Scorpio: Do you buy most of the stuff, or do labels send it?
Micke: It's maybe like 50/50. I've bought about 700 CDs in the last 2 years. Some bands send CD-Rs... I throw most of them away — cheap, boring shit. :)
Scorpio: On your website, I found a link to Belial Center, which supports the Swedish Satan Church. What is your connection to this organization?
Micke: They're friends of ours, and we support them in any way we can.
Scorpio: Do you know anything about Ukraine, russia, or Belarus? Do you know anything about the metal scene in our region?
Micke: Not much at all, I must say... unfortunately.
Scorpio: Maybe you could share a postal address where bands could send their promo stuff for review in your Extreme Terror?
Micke: Sure! Micke Backelin, Sadesbingen 78, 461 61 Trollhattan, Sweden. Do not send registered packages; please contact me by email first if you intend to register your package. [email protected] or [email protected]
Scorpio: I heard that last year you were touring with FORLORN and MAGNUS NOCTUM, and in Hungary your van hit MAGNUS NOCTUM's van and they had to cancel their appearance at the concert. Tell us more, please.
Micke: Yes, there was a fucking snowstorm in Hungary, and MAGNUS NOCTUM suddenly hit the brakes and stopped their van right in front of us. We had a pretty big Chevy van with summer tires, so we had no chance to stop. We hit them at maybe 50-60 km/h, and that was too much for their little van, so they had to cancel the rest of the shows. Too bad they couldn't finish the tour, but at the same time, it was lucky that no one got seriously hurt.
Scorpio: Maybe there are some other interesting tour stories?
Micke: I tend to be too drunk to remember anything... but for sure, lots of weird things always happen — all the time.
Scorpio: Now a game for your imagination. :) I'll name some made-up band names, and you tell me what a band with that name should play, OK?
NOCTURNAL HORDES — Black metal with lots of keyboards
CUCUMBER IN YOUR ASS — Grindcore from France or Holland
STONE SWORD — Power metal
GURGULITATE — Old-school death metal, or maybe grindcore
AUTUMNGRIEF — A garage band with 15-year-old kids trying to play true evil black metal
SLAVESOUL — Sepultura wannabes
VENUS MIRROR — Slow keyboard metal with female vocals
Scorpio: Final Words Of Belial:
Micke: Thanks for your support! Visit www.lordbelial.com and don't forget to buy the upcoming album "THE SEAL OF BELIAL".