Hey man, thanks for the interview. I've been pretty busy lately with our music video and preparing for our release party which is the same date as the album release, August 23.

Yes, a combination of things, including the ones you mentioned plus the band moving even further apart geographically. However, we've been active in this "second wave" for quite some time now, since 2014, and it's the scope of the album and the ever present geographical issue that's prolonged the release for the past few years.

It sure feels like yesterday; I can't really remember what was said back when we kind of drifted away, but anyway we sent them a promo for the album and they welcomed us back on board.

It's an interesting point of view, most people who've heard the new album think it's very different. Personally, I think it's different when it comes to the production, musicianship and to some extent the songwriting, but in a way it's still the same old Helvetets Port. As for continuing to relive NWOBHM, I look at it like this: We try to play the best possible style of music, and it happens to be one that had its heyday in the early 80s. That also includes the visual impressions. In the band's very beginning there was more of a conscious effort to revive the past. Now it feels like our style is so much of a second nature to us that the entity of Helvetets Port can do whatever it wants and I'm confident it wouldn't stray.

This time around there was more focus on epicenes and melancholy. It's what came most naturally when writing the new songs. Next time around you might see a different approach. There are many roads to go down even within the same classic base of heavy metal.

Yes, "Hård mot de Hårda" has been a concert staple for a couple of years and also "Stan Brinner" and "Thunder Ace". There's never been any recording of "Hård mot de Hårda" circulating but it's still been recognized at the shows and people have been banging hard so that's a nice boon.

Lyrically, any particular focus on a theme that led you to write songs for "From Life To Death"? Was there a conceptual vision?

The Egyptian concept for the cover artwork and for a couple of the songs came a bit later in the process, so that wasn't planned from the beginning. The general songwriting style as I said focuses more on the epic side of things, and so most of the songs also have lyrics in that vein. This time around I wanted to keep some distance from the "nightlife" type of songs which wouldn't fit very well with the general theme or feeling.

I would say my personal favorite is "Ruled with an Iron Hand" and that's also the one we made a music video for. I believe that at the first spin it could be perceived as simply a "heavy song" but then you begin to discover layer after layer of melody. I see the melodies in the song as being "black as tar" but still remaining classical and vibrant.

I would say that there's a special feeling for us when doing a song in Swedish. They tend to sit a bit closer to the heart. However, it's all about the ideas that pop up in your head while writing a song. Sometimes English comes more naturally, sometimes Swedish. And once you feel like it's the right fit, nothing else would be satisfactory. Usually, when trying new vocal melodies for verses etc., English comes more naturally.

The initial reason was that I had injured my arm and couldn't play for a couple of months, and we had a gig in England coming up. So we took David on board to play guitar at that show, and then we found out that it was actually a good idea regardless. It's been a good move; singing is easier without having to play at the same time, and David is also a great guitarist. I still play when writing songs and recording demos, and also some stuff for the album.

I believe it can stay very healthy and vibrant albeit in a somewhat limited fashion. I don't think it will be as popular among regular people as it was in the 80s. Especially not since there are other forms of metal that for some reason seem more popular. But hey, if enough people got to hear it, then one could always appeal to the sense of human kind to actually recognize what a great genre it is.

I have heard very few records made in the 21^st century, usually I lose interest when hearing the style, production etc. of newer releases. It's not an isolated case to modernized styles of metal, even classic sounding bands can suffer from this. So often nowadays, it just feels like there's something missing. But I'm lucky that many people don't think like that. Also I would like to point out that I think it's a shame that many new heavy metal bands (who are going for a classic heavy metal approach) seem to think they have to rely on speed, heaviness, occult themes etc. I believe that melodies themselves can bring about the feeling of heaviness, and when they do, it surpasses what can be accomplished through just a sheer wall of sound.

Lately I've been listening a lot to Cerebus, Karion, Millennium (their song "Kill or be Killed" is the best one I've heard in six months), Kim Sixx and Tryckvåg to name a few. Among newer bands, Lethal Steel are in a league of their own. When listening to them you immediately feel that they have "it", that thing I mentioned that was missing from so many newer releases.  Another band, or project I should say, that is capable of this "it factor", is Ice War, with the song "Falling Out".

Well, I believe that if he was to return, it should be in Judas Priest. I'm always in favor of old members coming back, even if they aren't in their best form. As long as they can do it safely, of course. It has never felt particularly exciting for me when musicians, who once were distinguished members of beloved bands, then go on to form a new band. Maybe because it has usually been some completely awful type of modern music. Then they should return to that beloved old band, or fill a vacant spot in another beloved band. Speaking strictly from a selfish fan's perspective, hehe. For example, it would be cool if KK Downing joined Ross the Boss for real, if there was no room in Judas Priest.

Yeah we're pulling some strings to set up shows in the near and mid-distant future. Next up, apart from the release party, we're playing at the Storm Crusher festival in Germany September 14. We're looking to set up some winter tour in Germany, and also gigs coming up in Sweden, Finland and the UK (Live Evil in January). We'd also like to go to North and South America but no leads so far on that.

We're not going to sit this one out, Helvetets Port are here to stay. Thank you for the interview, stay heavy (and melodic)!

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