As part of the Brutal Christmas Part Two tour in Japan, we caught up with Tobias Gustafsson of Swedish death metal legends Vomitory. In Hiroshima, just ahead of their fourth show on the tour, Tobias spoke candidly about the band’s final run, the decision to disband, and his reflections on more than two decades of extreme metal history.
Todd Owens:
You’ve been on this tour for about a week now. How’s the tour going in Japan?
Tobias Gustafsson:
It’s going good. We’ve played three shows so far—tonight’s the fourth here in Hiroshima. The fans have been amazing, and we’re having a great time.
Todd:
Earlier this year, you announced that Vomitory would disband at the end of 2013. Can you talk about what led to that decision?
Tobias:
It’s been building for a while. We’ve been an active band for 24 years without breaks. As we get older, it’s gotten harder to balance the band with family and day jobs. Scheduling rehearsals has been difficult. Personally, I didn’t want the band to slowly fade or operate at half-capacity. If we couldn’t do it properly, it felt better to end it on our own terms. It was a collective decision.
Todd:
Any chance for a future reunion?
Tobias:
Nope. We’re burying it. This is the end
Todd:
You’ve got a special farewell show in Sweden next week?
Tobias:
Yeah, June 27th in our hometown. General Surgery from Stockholm will support, and God Macabre—who originally split in ’92—will also play. They reunited briefly in 2014 for the 20th anniversary of The Winterlong, which was reissued by Relapse Records. We’ll also have a few special guests joining us on stage.
Todd:
You’ve been with Metal Blade Records for most of your career. How has that relationship been?
Tobias:
Very solid. We joined Metal Blade in 2000. Our first two albums were released through Fadeless Records, a small Dutch indie label. Starting with Revelation Nausea, we’ve been with Metal Blade, and they’ve always treated us well.
Todd:
You joined shortly after your brother and Ronnie started the band in 1989. What were those early influences?
Tobias:
Back then, death metal hadn’t fully exploded yet, so we were still rooted in thrash. Bands like Sodom, Kreator, Slayer, Venom, and Celtic Frost were our biggest influences.
Todd:
I recently interviewed Matt from Exhumed. Any thoughts on that band?
Tobias:
I love Exhumed. Slaughtercult is one of my top five death metal albums ever.
Todd:
Necrot released a new album a few months ago. Have you heard it?
Tobias:
Not much yet. It’s a bit harder to get into than their previous one, All Guts, No Glory, which I really liked.
Todd:
How has the Swedish metal scene changed since you started?
Tobias:
It’s still very active. Bands come and go, and trends shift, but there are plenty of shows and festivals. It’s still a strong scene.
Todd:
You’ve only played one show in the U.S.—Maryland Deathfest 2007. Why haven’t you played more?
Tobias:
We’ve had a lot of opportunities, but it usually came down to money. U.S. tours are expensive. We also dealt with inexperienced promoters making promises they couldn’t keep. We were supposed to tour this past September, but the promoter backed out, and we had visa issues too.
Todd:
What’s it been like being in a band with your brother for all these years?
Tobias:
It’s been good. We know each other really well, and most of the time, he’s more like a friend than a brother. But yeah, it’s sometimes easier to get annoyed by your sibling than by anyone else. That said, we’ve never really fought—it’s worked well over the 24 years.
Todd:
Peter joined in 2005. You’ve said he helped breathe new life into the band?
Tobias:
Absolutely. We were stagnating a bit, and when Ulf left, it was a shock—but Peter was exactly what we needed. He’s a talented guitarist and brought great energy and ideas. He wrote three songs on Terrorize Brutalize Sodomize, his first album with us.
Todd:
You had back surgery a few years ago. How’s your health now?
Tobias:
It’s okay—not perfect, but manageable. I had to switch to a desk job at work, which helped. Touring’s tough though, especially with lots of sitting and cramped travel. Our tour bus in Japan is tiny—and with 25 people, it’s a squeeze, especially for us tall Swedes!
Categories: Interviews, Music, vomitory
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