SWEDEN has given us the jolly harmonies of ABBA, the trusty Volvo and cost-effective flat-pack furniture masters IKEA.
But the Scandinavian haven is also responsible for another global export: face-melting metal!
One such band who fly their cultural flag proudly on the world stage is Katatonia who have proved themselves to be leviathans of the genre after nearly 20 years of writing and recording.
North Wales audiences will witness them taking to the stage at Hammerfest II between March 11-13 where they will be performing live alongside bands like Five Finger Death Punch, Napalm Death and Skindred.
The Pioneer caught up with lead singer Jonas Renkse in his home country ahead of the festival to talk about their celebrated new album and why Jägermeister is an essential ingredient in the life of a metal band.
You're coming to Hammerfest - what can audiences expect from your set?
I think we're going to play some of the songs that we do on the tour from the new album, but also squeeze in a few classics.
Do you enjoy the large festivals or prefer smaller solo shows?
I have to say when I'm on stage I like the smaller clubs. But the whole surrounding [of a festival] is always fun and you get to see bands you like
Do you get the same buzz from performing live?
Absolutely. It's not an issue. Every gig is different. Every gig has it's own unique quality, whether it's the venue or the crowd.
It's not like doing the same thing over and over again, even if it appears you are.
Are nerves still an issue after all the shows you have done?
I used to have more problems with the nerves. You should be a little nervous. These days it's all about the excitement. It's fun to see where the gig will land.
Any pre-show rituals?
We usually take a shot of Jägermeister [laughs]. We don't have that much before the gig so we are still able to play, but it's nice to have something - a little treat. It's a good thing to do as a band as well to bring us together.
The latest album Night Is The new Day received glowing reception from critics - you must have ben pleased with the response.
Definitely. What's better to celebrate other than tour; to be able to bring the songs alive. So many good words about the album, now is the chance for them to see what they sound like live.
You've released many albums - is it the same experience when you go into the studio.
We're very open to spontaneous stuff. We don't rehearse very much unfortunately. A guide is: the song isn't finishes until the mix. Anything can happen up until the mix down.
We don't have any strict way of how to behave in a studio. Sometimes we'll quite after a few hours, other days we'll be in for 24 hours just in a creative mode.
Your latest album is a diverse release. Is it important to try new things?
I think so. Both for the audience and ourselves especially when touring for a long time, we want the songs to be a little bit different. It's more fun to play and to listen to.
This album was great to become more atmospheric. Now we have to see if we can try to transform that sound to the live setting and make it more about rocking!
What's next? Touring? Album?
The plan is to play as much as possible. We had a three year gap between this and the previous one, kind of promote it as long as possible. It's our best album so far as we want to play it as many times as possible.
Play until you can play no more?
Absolutely! Why not? It isn't how we're doing commercially with success [which is important]. As long as we enjoy touring whether it's for big crowds or small crowds it doesn't matter - we'll keep on doing it.
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Katatonia will be performing live at Hammerfest in Prestatyn on Friday, March 12. For more information visit the website at www.hammerfest.co.uk