Niklas Sundin, guitar-wizard and one of the founding members of Swedens best
Melodic Death Metal band ever has lent us some of his time and kindly answered
the obligatory 13 questions. My personal opinion about DARK
TRANQUILLITY can be read in the classics
section so I can keep it short here and leave to enjoy the summer in the sun.
With Niklas you're in good hands and perfectly entertained - I'll be back later...
(Bandcontact, Website-address & Discography (w/covers!): See bottom
of this page!!)
1) Which year you got
infected with the METAL-virus and what was the release?
Niklas Sundin: He he, good question. It must have been around 1986-87 when some
friends had borrowed some quality german metal in the shape of the first Helloween
MCD and some Kreator. Before that, I didn't have much of an interest in music
at all. From there, it all went pretty quick. We were a couple of guys that
always hang out together, traded demos and liverecordings like maniacs and had
obscure underground speedmetal like SDI and Not fragile specially ordered from
Hellion records because if was impossible to find those releases in Sweden then.
After a while, westarted feeling the urge
to start a band by ourselves, and so we did...
2) With what age did
you start singing/playing an instrument and what was the reason to do so?
Niklas: I was 14 when I started playing the guitar. The only reason was that
we were eager to form a band.
3) What are your 5
alltime-favorite records?
Niklas: I'm totally hopeless when it comes to writing lists like this. I usually
try to pick five albums out, but give up after a hour since it's impossible
to limit it. There are so many great albums around and it's more a case of some
albums fitting some situations.
|
4)
Tell us the 3 last records/CDs you bought, that really thrilled you!
Niklas: Enslaved "Mardraum", Radiohead
"The bends" and Bob hund "Jag rear ut min > själ...".
5) Please give us a discography of
all bands you played with and all your releases and about how many copies
each title were sold!
Niklas: I've only released albums with D.T. so far. I did play in Hammerfall
for the first 2-3 years, but that was before the first album: Let's see...I
limit this to CD releases:
"Skydancer" - CD / LP 1993 (Spine
farm records)
"Of chaos and eternal night" - CD/LP 1995 (Spine farm records)
"The gallery" - CD / LP / 10" box 1995 (Osmose productions)
"Enter suicidal angels" - MCD 1996 (Osmose productions) "
"The mind's I" - CD / LP / 10" box 1997 (Osmose productions)
"Zodijackyl light" - retail video 1997 (Osmose productions)
"Projector" - CD / LP 1999 (Century media records)
"Haven" - CD / LP 2000 (Century media records)
"Skydancer/Of chaos..." - US reissue CD 2000 (Century media records)
As for sales, I don't have any exact
figures, but the full length albums are probably around 35-50 000 copies
each including Japan and the US.
|
Photo: Lindor Tidäng
|
6) Looking back: Which of your
releases do you like the most and why?
Niklas: I find it impossible to rate the releases. They all represent something
very different and are more like documents of our ideas and ambitions at the
time they were recorded.
7) And which the least/why?
Niklas: For the same reason, I can't pick out a worst album either. I like and
dislike all the albums for what they are. They're a good representation of what
we were about during the time of recording.
8) Did your band record songs that have
never been released? Please give us the song-titles and a short description!
Niklas: Right now, we don't have any unreleased songs. There have been a few
tracks exclusive to compilation albums or japanese releases of an album, but
that's all.
9) What was the highlight of your carreer?
Niklas: I don't know...It was totally bizarre to play before Iron maiden at
the Gods of metal festival in Italy in front of 22 000 crazy hardrockers. Also,
our gig at the Wacken festival last weekend was a great experience as well.
I wouldn't call it a highlight, but nevertheless we got amazed by the reactions
from the audience.
10) Tell us a funny story around your band
from the past!
Niklas: Hmm...these things never turn out so funny when written down...if we'll
meet I'll tell you some great touring stories.
Photo: Homepage DARK TRANQUILLTY
Niklas Sundin
|
11) Are you a
metal-collector?
Niklas: Not really...I've had a
lot of albums and rare original demos and EP's, but I've sold most of
them when I've needed money.
If yes:
11.1) How big is your collection (LPs, CDs, Demos)?
Niklas: It's not very big and very unsorted. 300-500 albums perhaps, including
all sorts of music.
11.2) What are your ten most valuable
records from a collectors view?
Niklas: I don't think I have
anything valuable or rare, just the usual versions of albums.
11.3) Vinyl or
CD: what do you prefer and why?
Niklas: I prefer CD for reasons of convenience. It's easier to handle
and the songs are indexed.
12) What indescribable great question
have you never been asked? And what would your answer have been?
Niklas: Gosh, I have no clue...can I get back to you on this one?
|
13) What is the current status of the band
and what is planed next?
Niklas: We're currently writing songs for the next album, which hopefully will
be recorded in early 2002. Apart from that, there are some festival gigs coming
up, but no tours as far as I know...
