EXILED TO THE SURFACE – TRAITOR
Art: Pär Olofsson
The lyrical themes are different in ‘Traitor’. Some deal with historical events, others with current events, but we have also written songs about various movie and video game classics. Also, some children’s cartoons have a very evil, sometimes even twisted, context, which can be wonderfully integrated into a metal song.
I’m sorry to disappoint you. We don’t sacrifice virgins, and we don’t set churches on fire. Everything is created with a riff, this is worked out, and then the journey starts, and hopefully, it becomes an awesome song.
I believe in science. I think we are responsible for our happiness, and when we die, it’s over. We are made of carbon, and no god or creature created us; simply evolution. If you will, we are merely talking about monkeys on a big rock covered with water and earth flying through space. Therefore I think it is important to stand out by things and deeds if you want to be remembered; God will not help you, my friend. For example, music is a good means. We all still know Beethoven and Mozart. If you like, we make our own legacy with our music, which will still exist even if we are all already dead.
Music was omnipresent with me. My father played in bands back in the late 60s. Of course, that was all more hippie/psychedelic rock. Therefore I grew up with Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Pink Floyd, King Crimson etc. Later I got to know more bands like Slayer, Mayhem, Cannibal Corpse, Destruction and Kreator through my older brother. You won’t believe it, but I got involved with Metallica and Megadeth relatively late. One of the first albums I bought myself was ‘Fabulous Disaster’ by Exodus. Then it was over; I wanted to play music like that and soaked it like a sponge. I think I was 12 or just turned 13. That was already a great experience!
I don’t know if we can talk about vices here. But I am fascinated with the human abysses or the human God complex. I now refer not only to serial killers or dictators who have killed people and entire peoples with their stupid ideologies. But also on topics like climate change. Imagine, one has already said in the 70s, “People watch out; as you go on, everything goes to the dogs, and there is no second planet!” What do we do? We give total fuck about it, and we know from every Hollywood movie what happens when governments don’t listen to science. This is a complete denial of reality. But apparently completely okay for some people!? This attitude is more than astonishing and gives me a lot of inspiration. And every now and then, I also quite like LSD and weed.
I think Arnold Schwarzenegger has achieved a lot in his life. Although he always had a lot of obstacles in front of him, he didn’t give up and kept going. My father is and was a huge inspiration for me, and it’s a shame that he doesn’t get to see all my musical or general successes. But I think he would be very proud, and I learned from him that it’s okay to fall down, but after some time, you have to get up on your own, shake off the dirt and keep going and in 9/10 cases, you help yourself the most!
I think that music, no matter what genre, touches people entirely differently and can evoke emotions. How often do you escape into “dream worlds” with the help of music? How often can you strengthen or evoke a particular emotion with music, be it fear, love, tension, etc.? This is something unique and makes it so irreplaceable.
I am a big fan of surrealism and dadaism. Max Ernst, Salvador Dali or Louise Bourgeois etc. All of them have somehow a shifted spirit or a very certain, sometimes extremely morbid way of dealing with events, which fascinates me very much. Especially Louise Bourgeois, who does not know this French lady, should study her, there are undoubtedly many aspects in her art that could also inspire some metal themes!
www.traitor-band.de
