Metal-rules.com spoke to new Swedish metallers FREEVIL - the band featuring Tomas Andersson (guitarist, ex-DENATA), Roger Blomberg (bass, ex-Denata) and Mique Flesh (drummer and vocalist, ex-WITCHERY, SEANCE) - about a number of topics including their debut album Freevil Burning. A few excerpts follow:

Metal-rules.com: How did the three of you get the idea of forming a band together, and what was your common goal, musically? What was your ‘vision’?

Andersson: "Mique and Roger played together in a band named TOTAL DEATH back in the '80’s and Mique recorded and mixed our last album with Denata, Art Of The Insane. We had so much fucking fun together and after a while Mique actually picked up the microphone for a few rehearsals in Denata but it didn’t feel good as I mentioned earlier, not because of Mique’s vocals but it was like a last push to get the flames up again but it didn’t work. So we sat down talking and said, let’s do something different but let’s stay to the metal roots, something none have done before and that’s how it all started."

Metal-rules.com: How would you personally describe Freevil’s music? What are/were your influences, musically and lyrically?

Andersson: "We have a hard time explaining how we sound when people ask us. Almost all metal fans are used to comparing bands with other bands to get an idea about how it sounds but I don’t think it’s that easy with Freevil. We say you must hear it to get it because we can’t compare it to anything else in particular. We have our own sound and for those who have heard it, they all find different 'influences' … It’s like most listeners are reminded of things from bands they listen to and enjoy. We have heard so many different suggested influences like - DIMMU BORGIR, ACCEPT, CHILDREN OF BODOM, BATHORY and MERCYFUL FATE …. I can understand them but we don’t agree, it does not sound like any of those bands, it sounds like Freevil but still it’s good that we awaken feelings of the metal roots of different metal fans.

For the musical part we had no influences at all, that is the whole idea with Freevil. Let’s keep it metal but do it our own way. Of course there can be unconscious influences from the music we have listened to during all years but we have no frames or idea about the style, what feels good and feels Freevil is what we use writing the songs. For the lyrical part most of the lyrics reflects my inner demons while some are pure fiction and morbid ideas. I did all the main structures for the lyrics and Mique and I arranged them together and he did some complements to them where we needed. So the solid ground in all the lyrics comes from me I guess and it’s mostly about hate, depression, agony and suicidal stuff. I have been living with deep depression and agony for over 15 years now and many of the lyrics are an ironic view from my own experiences...I know how brain-fucked I get sometimes and then you feel better, it’s like you are two different persons. Not that I’m schizo but it’s interesting to write lyrics reflecting between these sick worlds you live in most of the time. The positive nice guy and that depressed 'fuck everything' guy and how you twist and turn everything from day to day. It’s an ironic view of something that is for real!"

Read more here.

In other news, both bassist Roger Blomberg and vocalist/guitarist Tomas Andersson have struck an exclusive endorsement deal with Monson Guitars.

Freevil is still shopping for a record deal for their debut, Freevil Burning. The album features the following tracklisting: 'Deathblow', 'Killing Spree', 'Live The Lie', 'Dead End Pressure', 'Morbid December', 'Hate', 'Toxicated', 'B.O.B', 'Roadkill', 'Infected World'.

Sound samples can be heard here. For more info visit www.freevil.se.