Mindview correspondent NeoGeisha recently caught up with Sweden's DIABLO SWING ORCHESRTA to discuss the band's debut album, The Butcher's Ballroom. The following is an excerpt from the story.

D:S:O stands out amongst the melodical thrash bands that are traditionally associated with Sweden. It shows. "The reactions from our fellow-Swedes are a lot less enthusiastic than those from abroad. Yet we get good responses overall. We were afraid people would see us as copycats, even though our approach to music is very different from other bands. You never know though, because of the female opera vocals we could have been seen as a NIGHTWISH or WITHIN TEMPTATION rip-off. Luckily the crowd sees through that, for them we’re something totally new. We handle things differently, different genres such as jazz, swing and folk find their way to D:S:O. Our musical backgrounds are so far apart and the styles often don’t come close to what Diablo Swing Orchestra sounds like. Personally I was raised with opera. When I was five years old and still fitted my dad’s lap, he allowed me to hit the strings while he formed the chords. That’s how I played music (laughs)"

Diablo Swing Orchestra see their music as theatrical. Pontus explains: "The plan was to integrate a lot of theatre elements in The Butcher’s Ballroom so it would look like a complete theatre show. We wanted to create the feeling of an opera house. Due to the time limit, we had to cancel that and the only element that was left, were the two different acts on the album."

Daniel goes on: "Unfortunately our budget doesn’t allow a big set up, but we would like a big stage with big curtains and again, that opera approach. Like it is now, our clothes are the only way to call up that opera house feel. We would like to keep our costumes timeless, but right they are supposed to remind of the Dark Ages, 15th century maybe? Oh well, pick an era (laughs)."

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