Pic courtesy of: Hearse "The thing is I never really plan anything when making music. This is just the way it turns out when the three of us get together to record music"

CR: Why don’t you tell us something about the history of Hearse? In your web site I was reading your biography and the dates of the band’s first meeting were a little unclear to me.
Max Thornell: Hmmm... Well, I think we got together in like 2001. During the years I’d made a bunch of songs that didn’t really fit in the bands I was in at that time. So I thought it was time to start up a forum for these songs and that turned out to be Hearse.

CR: Why the name Hearse, what were the other choices for the band’s name?
Max Thornell: It’s always difficult to come up with a name. All three members started out writing lists of names and it turned out that both I and Johan had the name Hearse on our lists. We both had an old English band called Rudimentary Peni in mind. This band had a song called Hearse.

CR: You guys launched the album The Last Ordeal back in 2005, what can you tell me of the recording process, where do you guys recorded the album, who produced it, and what was different this time around for Hearse in studio?
Max Thornell: To be honest I’ve put that recording behind me. But it was recorded here in Stockholm in a studio called The White Chapel. Next week we’ll go into that studio again to record album no. 4. We’ve recorded all our albums there, but this time we’ll mix it at another studio. I’ll feel great to just leave it to someone who mixes it. I’m so sick and tired of mixing music. It still never turns out the way I want it to.

CR: Any specific goals you guys wanted to achieve in this new album? Any particular sound or feeling that you guys wanted people to hear this time around?
Max Thornell: No I wouldn’t say that. The thing is I never really plan anything when making music. This is just the way it turns out when the three of us get together to record music.

CR: Some people describe Hearse as a death rock metal band, like a mix between those, what do you have to say about that?
Max Thornell: There was some review that describes us as “a rock’n roll adventure in death metal land”. I think that was quite a good description. I mostly listen to old hard rock and other stuff nowadays, but I sure have the death metal stuff in my blood, so I guess our music is a mix of the stuff we listen to.

CR: Lets get into The Last Ordeal, basic…why the name? Who did the artwork cover and what does it mean?
Max Thornell: Well, that name came from the last song of the album. Guess it’s just the trend to follow the name the album after the last song of the album.
The artwork is made by a Dutch dude called Marco Jeurisen. He’s done all our album covers so far.

CR: The first track in that album, Pathfinder is fast, groovy and with some of those great old heavy metal riffs that fans love so much, it also has some female back vocals; was there any particular reason why you decided to place that song as the first one in the album?
Max Thornell: The thing is that this is the third time we recorded that track. And this is actually the first time it turned out OK! It was supposed to end up on the first album, but it didn’t really sound any good then. So we recorded it again for album no. 2. But it didn’t turn out any good then either. I think that the beginning of that song is a typical start of an album.

CR: Quintessence has a more melodic death metal feel to it than the rest of the songs in the album, why do you think this is?
Max Thornell: Well, as I don’t really plan anything in advance I guess it’s just a coincidence. We recorded all songs we had at the moment and these were the ones (well, two turned out pretty lousy so they ended up in the garbage can).

CR: There is this keyboard part in the song Shackles Of Guilt that I don’t know why it reminds me of The Doors, what was the inspiration behind placing those keyboard parts in that song?
Max Thornell: I have actually never thought of The Doors, but now as you mention it...I see what you mean! I had Deep Purple and Uriah Heep in mind, but as you say it sure sounds more like The Doors. I really like all those bands and I think that a distorted Hammond organ sounds pretty cool and we sure are gonna use it a lot more in the future!

	Pic courtesy of: Hearse "The thing is I’m not that fond of today’s metal productions. There’s so many of them that sound so plastic in my opinion. Guess it all has to do with this trigging of drums. In general I have nothing against trigging, but I just don’t see why they choose these terrible trig sounds"

CR: The Last Ordeal has a lot of changes in its tempo (I don’t know if I’m using the term right) I mean the songs pass from fast and sometimes brutal, to melodic, to atmospheric; I mean the songs just don’t have one straight line of sound, what can you tell us about that?
Max Thornell: As I mentioned we recorded like all the songs we had at the moment and this is how the album turned out. And well, I think that changes in tempo sure are a good thing. I want things to happen! There are so many albums that sound just the same through the whole course of it, and that really isn’t my idea of a cool record.

CR: What can you tell me about the song Una lucha a Muerte, why the title in Spanish?
Max Thornell: I guess that Johan wanted to look a bit brighter than he is, he he! To be honest I don’t have a clue about that title!

CR: The guitars are obviously one of the main focuses in this record, and the vocals, how do you guys work when it comes to writing and composing the music for a Hearse album?
Max Thornell: I usually make finished demos with drums, guitars and bass and then send them over to Mattias so he can make up leads and solos and stuff. Then we send them to Johan and he finishes the vocal parts. So in the end it’s all a team work.

CR: In past interviews Johan said that Hearse was looking for a more Live feeling to its music, not so over produced a more organic feeling to it, was that still a factor when recording The Last Ordeal?
Max Thornell: Yep I guess so. The thing is I’m not that fond of today’s metal productions. There’s so many of them that sound so plastic in my opinion. Guess it all has to do with this trigging of drums. In general I have nothing against trigging, but I just don’t see why they choose these terrible trig sounds. What’s wrong with letting the drums sound like drums? Anyway I want it all natural, rough and organic!

CR: I really liked the guitar solo on Bountyhunter, how do you guys work those solos, do you think them over before going to studio, or they just come out in the recording room?
Max Thornell: I know that Mattias has some stuff finished when going into the studio. So I have to say that 50 % is finished before entering the studio and 50 % is improvised in the studio.

CR: What about the last song The Last Ordeal, is that Johan vocals in that track?
Max Thornell: Yep, Johan does all the vocals on the album. Guess we had Sisters of Mercy in mind while laying down those vocals. Think it turned out pretty cool!

CR: Armageddon Mon Amour was your previous release back in 2004 if I’m not mistaken, that album got some pretty good reviews, mainly because of the catchiness of the album, it was called a mix of old school Rock grooves, what can you remember about the ideas that Hearse wanted to exploit in that particular album?
Max Thornell: I guess we just went on the same way we’ve always done since the time back in our old band Furbowl back in the early 90´s. We wanted to have a fresh mix sort of speak. I sure like straight death metal, heavy metal or whatever, but it’s not really what I want to play.

CR: The first release by Hearse was Dominion Reptilian, it was sort of more orientated to heavy metal for the big amount of guitar solos, but still have some anger in it; can you remember what was the best thing about doing that record?
Max Thornell: It was our first album and that sure is always is special! Was cool to finally record all the songs I had lying around. It didn’t really turn out as planned, but what the heck... I guess we’ve put that album behind us now.

CR: A lot of people know that Johan was the former singer of Arch Enemy, has that fact ever placed Hearse in a comparison level with his former band? I mean aren’t you guys tired of the questions about why did Johan left or was kick out of Arch Enemy?
Max Thornell: Well, I guess that’s something we have to live with. Only thing that’s a bit irritating is that people seem to compare our music to Arch Enemy and...Well I don’t really thing we play the same kind of music to be honest. We both have drums, guitars, bass and rough vocals but that’s where the similarities end if you ask me. I think that Hearse is much more rock’n roll, old hardrock and punkrock.

CR: What do you think of the recent success (at least in the US) of Arch Enemy? What about Johan’s replacement, does Angela manages to fill Johan’s shoes?
Max Thornell: I think that Arch Enemy is a great band and I sure can see why they’ve become so popular. Michael is a fantastic song writer, the band consists on fantastic musicians and they’ve toured like maniacs. So I gotta say they deserve all the success they’ve had!
About Angela I think that she’s has a great stage personality! Gotta say I prefer Johan’s voice though.

	Pic courtesy of: Hearse "Only thing that’s a bit irritating is that people seem to compare our music to Arch Enemy and...Well I don’t really thing we play the same kind of music to be honest"

CR: Is Hearse going to be touring this 2006, other dates than the ones for Up From the Ground Festival in Germany?
Max Thornell: Nothing’s planned yet. We’ll see what happens. The thing is that you always loose so much money being away on tour. I mean, when I was 18 that wasn’t a problem as I lived with mom and dad then, but now I have a rent to take care of and a child to support.

CR: Do you guys see a future were you can just play music and stop having day jobs (if you still have day jobs)
Max Thornell: Nah, not really. I mean, I wouldn’t mind, but no, I don’t see that happen!

CR: Are you guys working in a new album? Any previews about it? What about a video or DVD?
Max Thornell: Some days ago we began recording the new album. We’ll record 1 songs and I guess that 9 will end up on the album.

CR: Any record you liked from 2005?
Max Thornell: Hmmmm....just think I bought four records from 2005; D.A.D., The Cardigans, Madonna and Enya. And those are all great albums!

CR: What does the future bring for Hearse?
Max Thornell: As I mentioned we’ve just begun recording album no 4, so expect a new release some time after Summer!

CR: Thank you very much for your time, please if you have something else that you would like to add, do so…
Max Thornell: Thanx a lot for showing interest in our band! Really appreciate it! Watch out for the new album!

CR: This interview took place on February 2006; we recently (April 20) ask Max to update it, and this is what he told us:
Max Thornell: Alrighty, here’s some info on the new album by Hearse: We’ve now recorded 11 songs in the Stockholm situated studio "The Black Chapel". Next week Johan will come up to Stockholm to record the vocals. So far it all sounds real cool. Mattias does his best solos so far. More attitude and more filth! The plan is to have it mixed by Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity) when it’s all recorded. So I’m pretty sure it all will sound real good!