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My
first introduction to the music (?) of Iron Justice appeared when I got
the DCD Esthetics of Cruelty. I enjoed the DCD and decided to do kinda
article about Swedish power electronics/ noise scene. In my country,
Belarus, such music isn't polular so I thought the article might help
polularize it. The work is in progress. And this interview is one of
multiple parts of this upcoming article.
First,
please tell a bit about yourself and about your band. Introduce yourself.
Iron Justice
was formed in April 1998, and consists of Rickard Freden and Bjorn Lindstrom.
IJ is an act where we satisfy our own interests, and where we create
music/noise for own pleasu-re. Since the beginning thats always been
the most important thing - we work for ourselves. But there is also a
deeper philosophical aspect on the band. IJ is also a forum
for our political interests, a channel for us to express views, opinions
and values. But wed like to make one thing very clear: we are neither
involved in any political/ideological organisation, nor do we follow
a certain ideology. The members of IJ are not fa-scists, syndicalists,
communists, anarchists, liberals or whatever. Our opinions do not depend
on left/right-wing or, of others made up philosophies. We do certainly
have ideas which we share with existing political movements, but as we
said we are not depending on others when it comes to take stand in
different questions!
IJ believes in destruction of the current multi-cultural mass-society,
and our lyrics focus mostly on matters involving this in one way or another,
e.g. reflections and/or criticism against todays European leaders who
use the red star as main guidance, and the invisble propaganda and
in-doctrination were all slaves under. IJ has strong belief in its
work, including both sounds and thoughts. Both members share the same
opinions and tastes and we are not hypocrites, as we are not amused by
todays western political correctness.
Please
tell me about your band. When was it formed, why, your releases, etc.
IJ has so
far released the Exit, a 45 minute cassette on our own tape-label WMJ
Prods, and a 7 vinyl single on Cold Meat Industry, and of course the
two tracks on EOC.
The Exit was the debutrelease for IJ, and is therefore not a very good
example of our work today. The sound is concentrated mostly on low-end
noises and feedbacks and contains a few spoken-word samples. The tape
includes our only instrumental song (the Forging of Swords and the
Carving of Symbols). It was recorded during the fall of 98 and released
in December same year. Tell Me is our debut on record, and contains
the titletrack and the B-side Sons & Daughters. This is a big progress
from the sound on the cassette. The first track is rather atmospheric
and repetitive, while the other is harsh, unstructured and noisy power-electronics.
Its not our best material, but we consider it a good debut, and people
seem to like it.
Why did
you decide to play power electronics? What has influenced this decision?
This was
not a big desicion we made. We were both active in the same pre-IJ act,
which we during the spring of 98 developed into two new projects, of
which IJ was one. What made us develop the previous act and form the
two new ones, was the mutual will to create harher music/noise combined
with our own interest and loathe for current state of the western world,
and the cultural decay in northern Europe. Since the forming of the
new projects things have gone very well for us, and theres been alot
of interest towards IJ, from consumers aswell as from producers!
Your
track Nothing and again Nothing is one of the most vivid on this compilation.
That This is my rifle... sample is still in my head. Where did you
find this sample and what is story behind this composition?
The sample
is from Full Metal Jacket (something we thought was known to everybody),
and was at the time for this composition (summer/early fall 98) a fitting
choice of sample.
Most probably wed not use it today, as we as individuals, together with
our sound, interests and techiniqual knowledge develop all the time.
The song Nothing and again Nothing was the first one we made for our
debuttape, and also the first one we sent to CMI for their compilation.
It is nothing wed create today.
What
do you think about your tracks on ESTHETICS OF CRUELTY? Are those good
examples of your music?
Both tracks,
Nothing and again Nothing and Europe in Flames, are examples of different
periods in the progress of IJ. We are constantly developing our sound
and lyrics and we find new matters on which we focus in the songs. The
tracks here represents two sounds, and the lyrical themes are also totally
different. Due to the progress (of sound etc.) they are not good examples
of how we sound today (which certainly also will change), but definately
good examples of how we used to sound.
Which
tracks did you enjoy the most on EOC?
There are
alot of good songs and projects participating on the compilation, but
we consider our label-mates in IRM as the strongest contributors. Others
we like are Janitor, Thurne-mans, k.l.a.n. and Nod.
Your
music isnt very aggressive and violent. Do you think that its still
called power-electronics or do you have a better description for your
music?
We call
our music/noise 'power-electronics', if somebody else would feel more
comfortable with calling it something else, go ahead! IJ is sometimes
violent and/or aggressive, sometimes not. It depends on the sound(-source)s
that are being used in a certain song. If the sounds themselves are violent,
the song end up violent and vice versa. But its not our intention to
create music/noise for the sake of it being violent or aggressive. If
the song is well-structured and is able to expresse something else than
aggressivity (and of course is good), the violence is not necessary.
What
do you think about the noise/power electronics scene in Sweden? Do you
think that attention from CMI to this genre will help it somehow?
First of
all there is no scene to talk about! There are a few acts who create
p.e., industrial, noise etc., but there is no real connection or network
between them all, other than the personal comradeships. But to talk about
the Swedish climate within the scene we consider it rather well. EOC
is obviously an example of many existing acts, even though there might
be some of them who were formed only to contribute to a Cold Meat Industry
compilation. CMI is of course an important centre for the industrial/p.e./experimental/ethereal/-scene
in Sweden, and in of all of Europe, and their commitment in the harsher
fields of the scene is of course of great profite for everyone involved,
since they have such big promotional power, and are able to get people
interested in this kind of music.
Tell
me about your upcoming album on CMI.
The forthcoming
LP is called Manufacture of Consent, and consists of six tracks. Its
not very far from the sound on Tell Me, but its more structured and
more work and effort is put into it. And as there (obviously) are more
songs on an album, the entirety gives a better impression of IJ, even
though everyone might not like it. Its very much created with white
noises, feedbacks etc., and its in fact rather noisy, but not at all
noise. Its definately power-electronics, with some industrial elements.
Manufacture of Consent is schedueled for spring 2000. Other than this
release, were now recording material for an upcoming CD on the German
label State Art, possibly to be released sometime during this winter.
During the last months (Sept.-Nov.) weve made approximately three hours
of new tracks, which atleast some of them will end up on the CD. Well
also contribute to various compilations, e.g. Freak Animal #12 CD,
Power-electronics 2000 (tape, on our own label WMJ), and Parasite
(CD, on State Art).
What
does power electronics mean to you? Is it hobby or lifestyle?
Power-electronics
does first of all mean a kind of music we like to both create and listen
to. Thats obviously the main reason of all different music styles
to make people satisfied in some way or another, no matter what it is
called. P.e. is our way/our only possibility to make our voice heard,
and since were also able to release records, people well hear our work,
including both
the actual music/noise we have created, and our thoughts and opinions
which play a big role in the existance of IJ. Music/power-electronics
is the main interest for both members of the band, therefore its of
course influencing our lives, but its not like were always dead serious
and angry as fuck! We are serious when it comes to making music and
writing lyrics, but we are
not involved in any political organisations, IJ is our only expression
of that kind, and we do not live very p.e.-ish lives, thats for sure!
(disappointed?) But thats something that goes for almost everyone who
are active in any form of the scene, we think. There cant be many people
who are actually raping
women, killing whores, beating up niggers or whatever thats power-electronics.
Contact addresses:
Rickard Freden
Bergslagsresan 75
SE - 757 55 Uppsala
Sweden
E-mail: rickard.freden@delta.telenordia.se
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