Metal Israel Exclusive – Mikael Stanne of Dark Tranquillity interview

Interview: Aviva Fort/Metal Israel
Photos: Mark Yashaev

Check out more exclusive photos taken by professional photographer Mark Yashaev here.

MI: First question. I love the way you write. You’re an awesome lyricist. So in a few words, if you choose of course, what does each track on the new album mean, like what were you trying to say in each song. So I’m going to say each title, and please say what you wanted to say with it, if you had wanted to say anything at all.

MS: Well, I’d rather go for the overall experience, the overall theme of the album. I decided since when we started the band, you know, we didn’t want to be an ordinary death metal band. So we decided never to write about death and life, the big topics, you know. Well, the cliches, so to speak. So I never really touched on it until now. I felt like hey we’ve been around for 20 years – it’s time to do something more about the big issues: Death, sorrow, grief, loss, that kind of thing. So that’s how it started, and the inspiration came from Scandinavian poetry about death, really. I read 200 poetry books to get inspiration and that’s really where it comes from. It’s just, I don’t know, somewhat of a Scandinavian view on things, on life and how we deal with the inevitable nature of things, and how we deal with the fact that we’re not going to be around forever. I find it really, really interesting and like the way that I’d rather use the poetic sense. You’re always taught a way to make sense of the world: Why are we here? What are we doing? And try to find something that keeps you going. People find comfort in faith, in family, whatever. And just kind of fill your life with something that makes sense to you. And that’s not always very easy. I’d rather take the poetic route and just try to use words to describe what’s going on and what’s going to happen instead of… I’m an atheist. I don’t really believe in anything, I’m just here to try to make sense of it as much as anyone else.

MI: Funny, you just answered like five of the questions I was going to ask.

MS: Yeah. So it was really really interesting, it was a big challenge to write. I did enjoy it and I was very satisfied with it. I loved the way that it came out.

MI: Me, too. What do you think has been the biggest trademark of Dark Tranquillity since you’ve started?

MS: The thing that I’m most proud about is that we’ve kept our integrity and that we never really compromised with anyone outside of the band. This is just the six of us. We decide everything. We do everything the way that we want to want to make it, do it. And it works. We’re not about trying to please a certain audience, trying to reach out to someone special. It’s just us making music that we love together. And people get it? Perfect. They don’t? Fine.

MI: What about you guys stayed the same since the beginning, besides that?

MS: Well, the fact that we’ve been around. But that’s also something that the band early on became something bigger than some of its members, so to speak. It became such a huge part of our lives, it’s always there, it’s a security, there’s a comfort to that. I wouldn’t know what to do without it. It’s just something that’s always around. Your friends, your music, the creativity. Without it, I wouldn’t know how to deal with things.

MI: It’s an entity of its own.

MS: Yeah! Sure. It’s something that wasn’t so important in the beginning, we really didn’t know but it became something that’s so important.

MI: I’m getting all fangirl like “Yeah! You’re the best! This is why!” So are there any covert influences of DT that people would be surprised to know about?

MS: Influences to the music?

MI: Yeah, something surprising.

MS: Oy! Anything really. Hm. We do listen to absolutely everything. We’re not really narrow-minded or anything like that. The influences can come from anywhere. Something that fascinates you and gets you going.

MI: Would you ever play some kind of conglomerate American tour like Ozzfest or something? Would you ever be into that?

MS: I guess so. Depending on the offer. it would be interesting, for sure. I’ve heard some really good things about those festivals, a lot of bad things, as well. So I don’t know. I’d definitely be up for it. For sure.

MI: If you could tour with any band, who would it be?

MS: Well, Rush is my all-time favorite band. I wouldn’t want to tour with them, but I would just, you know, want to hang out, run around and drive behind them or something.

MI: (laughs) tailgate… ok. In what way do you think Dark Tranquillity’s sound has changed the most?

MS: I think we’ve developed, refined our sound. You always want to make that perfect album that just has everything. All the aspects of your music, all the aspects of your creativity, whatever. And it’s hard, y’know. And this is as close as we can get to that. I think we can do even better next time, but this is as good as we can get right now. I think we’ve learned through all of the different things we’ve done throughout our career. Projector was very different, for instance. Haven was different. It’s just a matter of re-finding what really triggers us. What makes us want to create music. It has to be something that kind of makes you feel something. Gets you going. And I really think we’ve found it on this new album. It’s just a matter of taking all of those things that really matter to you, that you love and just putting it together and actually making songs out of it.

MI: OK, I don’t want to keep you anymore because I know you have to go, so here’s the last question. When you die, which will G-d willing be in many, far-away years, what would you have wanted to be written on your tombstone?

MS: (laughs) I did it my way?