Hakan Stuvemark

Skineater

Keeping in form with the classic Swedish Death Metal Scene, SKINEATER'S debut "Dermal Harvest" is the perfect combination of aggressive riffs and mind-blowing vocals. Coming off the breakup of IN THY DREAMS and a short stint in VICIOUS, Steinmetal had a chance to talk with guitarist Hakan Stuvemark about their latest release and how the band was able to come together.

By Lior "Steinmetal" Stein

• April 8, 2013

Hello there Hakan, greetings and thanks for taking the time for this interview for Metal Temple. How have you been doing?

Hiya! Been just great. The album is finally out now and that's what's important in this very Now!

Almost five years after the formation of SKINEATER, the band released is debut album, "Dermal Harvest", pursuing the beauty and deadly features of what is Swedish Death Metal. But before heading into the lungs of the release, let's go back a little to your time with VICIOUS, a band that released two albums back in the day, now called GRANDEXIT. What made you leave the band and start SKINEATER?

First of all, before I joined VICIOUS I had a few or more years I practically didn't even touch the guitar. Very little musical action (since IN THY DREAMS disbanded) for me until 2007 when they were looking for a bass player and I thought, -What the hell, I'll do it. It's now or never if I will be active again! Autumn 2008 we recorded a full-length album, which I wrote a tune for. When recording my tune, which I played all guitars and bass on, all of it woke me up! I decided quite fast to leave the band and do my thing on my guitar. Without that recording maybe things would be different now!

Looking back, and with the probable change to GRANEXIT, do you miss your days with the band?

Actually I don't but it was fun to play with them.

After forming SKINEATER, was the chosen name just for the kicks or there is actually something behind it?

There's nothing special behind. I spent some time thinking and ended up with SKINEATER,

Most of the members of SKINEATER came from various of Swedish acts, some great some and some less, making SKINEATER to become a sort of a supergroup. Have these guys been your friends from the get go or you plainly offered them to join the next best thing?

Stefan and I played together in IN THY DREAMS and Jörgen we knew since long. All three of us from the same place, Sala, Kari and I knew of each other back in the early 90's when I had WOMBBATH and he had MOURNING SIGN. Stefan knew Matte some, more or less. I was a little familiar to him also back to the early days. He played in band from Sala, they and WOMBBATH had rehearsal rooms in the same building. I really think it's great, fun and nice team! Could say SKINEATER is friends having fun!

Now let's lunge into "Dermal Harvest". Probably one of the album's greatest musical aspects is the style of Death Metal that mixed great technical abilities and creative melodies. What has been the band's greatest influence upon composing this album?

I would say Influences our longtime favorite bands, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER, AT THE GATES, old IN FLAMES among others. This list could be way out too long! And of course I'm sure the patterns from our own old bands as well are seasoning "Dermal Harvest"

Do you think that in comparison to your days with VICIOUS, SKINEATER brought your musical creativity to newfound heights? Please elaborate?

Absolutely! I think, this will be quite brief but, since began this SKINEATER thing I began write a lot of tunes (not all of them on "Dermal Harvest") I stopped thinking of limits, genre limits and all around. -Don't think, Just play dammit!! So here we are today!!

"Dermal Harvest", what were you trying to focus on by choosing this title for the album? Is there a hidden bloodied message behind the material in general or it is plainly a mish mash of songs with different points of interest?

It's the title of the history about a serial killer, and his twisted sick mind.

What can you tell about the songs "Ten Thousand Faces" and "Bring Them?" I found those to be so harmonious and lethal in comparison to the other tracks?

Then we are back about limits and all that. I like those songs, it's a comfortable mix of brutality and harmonies, like almost every song, If you're asking which one I prefer I'd say each one has its charm!

I have to admit that album's sound suited nicely to the material's aggressive manner. Who produced the album and how do you find the final outcome?

Indeed it does! The album is mixed and mastered at Studio Underground by Pelle Saether. Well-known metal studio through the years, CARNAL FORGE, IN THY DREAMS, MOURNING SIGN, just to mention a few bands!

For the support of "Dermal Harvest", what is next for SKINEATER?

Well, now when the album is out both in Europe and North America we're hoping to play every here and there but that's not all! We have recorded a video for the song "Dismantling" which is under progress right now but we will announce as soon as it will see the light of day!

Thanks a lot Hakan for your time for answering this interview. Good luck with SKINEATER and the new album. I wish you all the best, any last words for our readers?

Thank You! Always a pleasure!

Spread our word, support and recruit!

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