“Opus Ferox – The Great Escape” is the eighth album release from Loch Vostok. Andrew Doherty interviewed founder member Teddy Möller about the band, the latest album and future plans.
AN: First of all, I appreciate you giving the time for this interview. As one of the founder members over 20 years ago with Niklas Kupper, you can call yourself with justification the Loch Vostok twins! How would you summarize your development musically over this period of time?
LV: As you probably already know, our goal was to never attach ourselves to a specific genre. All genres are allowed in Loch Vostok. We’ve been quite extreme and very mellow and everything in between and just fine tuned that way of writing, which has led us to Opus Ferox.
AN: I recall that when I reviewed your 2017 album “Strife”, there were sad personal stories of “loss, stress, strife and chaos” which went around at the time of the release. It’s strange question perhaps ask in the light of all that’s happened in the world in the last 18 months, but are things brighter now or is it still a case of “sympathy is gone”, to quote a haunting line from your song “Citizen Kane”? From a personal viewpoint I do hope that things are settled but I also realise that struggle can be a catalyst for creativity. What’s your take on this?
LV: We all have our burdens to bear and our backpacks of sorrow and grief and writing about it was really good therapy for me. A lot of really good things have happened since then. Moved from the city (Uppsala) to the coastal town of Östhammar, got a great job again, etc. All creativity that helped us through the bad shit is still intact and active.
AN: Dystopian worlds seem to feature across your work, in the music, the artwork and in the title of one of your albums. Is this the starting point for your musical ideas?
LV: No, not really, but humanity is so complex and interesting. There’s always some idiocy that needs to be addressed. I find dystopia beautiful in a cineastic way and love to explore it.
AN: For me, there’s a Loch Vostok template sound. It seems to consist of swathes of epic heaviness, dark and dense soundscapes, but also melodies and addictively anthemic chorus lines. How would you characterize your sound for the benefit of someone who doesn’t know about Loch Vostok?
LV: Oh, I dunno… Elevator music for the criminally insane? Hahaha!
AV: Coming on to your latest album “Opus Ferox – The Great Escape”, clearly one of the changes is the vocalist which I’ll ask about shortly, but it strikes me that the musical arrangements are more complex on this album. Is this a direction you decided to go in as a band, or do you do not see it that way at all?
LV: Definitely a planned move. Now that I don’t have to sing and play guitar at the same time, I’m more free to do whatever I want. I really looked forward to writing more crazy stuff, and I’m really happy with the result.
AN: How did your collaboration with your vocalist Jonas Radehorn come about? And what qualities do you think he’s brought to “Opus Ferox – the Great Escape”?
LV: I’ve known Jonas for over 20 years and we always talked about doing something together. Two years ago at a show with Dream Theater, Jinjer, Animals as Leaders, Freak Kitchen and Tesseract, I met him again and said “let’s stop talking about doing something together and you start singing with Loch Vostok?” And he said OK. Then I had to tell the other guys. Hahaha!
Jonas’s abilities way overshadows mine. He’s got the range of a 25 year old Halford, the smoothness of a young Geoff Tate and kickass growls. I’m singing the last part of “Save You”, everything else is him. Fantastic singer, but an even better human being.
AN: How do you know that you’ve got a recorded song just as you want it in terms of the ambience, the structure and the atmosphere?
LV: Sometimes it happens instantly, like I actually know what the fuck I’m doing, sometimes I have to rewrite a million times, but when I get there, I know. I can’t explain it, a sense of fulfilment perhaps?
AN: You’ve done a lot but is there any piece of work that you’ve been particularly proud of?
LV: I am first and foremost proud that thru all the line-up changes, I have managed to find really good guys. Not only on a musical level, but also as friends. I’m also quite proud of “Expiry Date of the Soul of Man” from “Strife”, my best vocal performance ever imo.
AN: I saw you play live once in 2012 at the Underworld in London, and you were without doubt one of the most dynamic bands I’ve seen on stage. How do you prepare for such an explosion of energy?
LV: Beer, coffee, bacon sandwiches. Ha!
AN: Speaking of live shows, do you have any planned?
LV: Yep. Two release parties, last weekend in July, one festival in Bucharest, Romania on Sep 12th and a few one offs in the fall. Also going on tour in March with Orphaned Land.
AN: And how’s the promotion of “Opus Ferox – The Great Escape” been going?
LV: Very well. Vicisolum Productions is working with new promo partners that has delivered everything they promised.
AN: And finally, is there anything you’d like to say to readers of Ave Noctum
Ave Noctum rules! Loch Vostok thanks you for your never-ending support.
You can get the cd, vinyl and merch over at http://www.vicisolum.com
AN: Thank you for your time and responses. I’ve been a fan for a few years of your work, which has brought me a great deal of pleasure and inspiration, so thank you for that too! I wish you and your fellow band members the very best for the future.
LV: Thanks a bunch!!!
(Andrew Doherty)
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