SOURCE – In Mourning has built an extensive discography over the years, including albums, EPs, singles, and compilations. What are your expectations for the release of the new album The Immortal?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – I feel that this album has already gained more reach than our previous releases. One reason could, of course, be our new partner, Supreme Chaos Records, which holds a prominent place in the scene. We also work closely with Mona at All Noir Management, a collaboration we are very happy about. She is a real gem, and this positive atmosphere spills over in many ways. I mean, we are lucky and blessed to have truly devoted people who care about and appreciate the band and our music. A lot of these people have been following us for a long time, some from the very beginning. But now I read comments in reviews and interviews from people who are discovering us through this record, and I can only hope that this positivity will continue to spread even further in the scene.
SOURCE – The Immortal marks the band’s seventh studio album. Given your musical journey so far, was this record approached or viewed differently during the production process?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – Actually, a lot was different during this process. Until the release of our single “Broken Orbit” (2023), we always had everything composed, arranged, and rehearsed before even booking a studio. For The Immortal, we wanted to try writing the songs, recording them, and releasing them over the course of a year — and we did!
Also, I guess as a direct reflection of Covid, we wanted to spend time together as a band, recording the album in one coherent session. It felt like going back to our roots with no distractions — just the guys having fun and devoting ourselves to the process.
SOURCE – From your perspective, what role does a lyric video play in promoting an album that a traditional music video might not? Could you walk us through the creative and technical process behind the lyric video for The Sojourner?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – I think a lot of people consume music on YouTube, and even if they might not binge-watch videos, the medium is, in fact, video first, so having some kind of visual element for the songs is key to getting them saved in playlists. We also put great effort and thought into our lyrics, and it’s a great way to bring them into the spotlight. With The Sojourner, we wanted to make it animated, and when we received the album artwork from Metastazis, we had the idea of using all the elements he embedded in it. Together with Shaumbra ArtVisuals, who magically made everything spin and move, I think it turned out to be a pretty cool video.
SOURCE – How did the production process unfold for the music videos for Song of the Cranes and North Star?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – For this release, we wanted to have one lyric video, one “band video,” and one animated video. After deciding which songs would be singles and the release order, I started to look into possible collaborators. I believe that magic happens when creating something together, not just by ordering someone to do the work for you. Therefore, the processes varied greatly.
For Song of the Cranes, we filmed and edited together with Jens Rydén in a theatre in our hometown. The idea was to rock out in a black void, with no background environment to consider. For the side story, Jens and I came up with the idea of portraying time through different elements.
The North Star video was made by the amazing Dronicon Films, who came up with the story and visuals along with Björn, who wrote the lyrics. We had never done this kind of video before, and to make it even cooler, I thought, “Why not go all the way and shoot some greenscreen footage as well?” With guidance from Mr. Dronicon himself, we did a greenscreen shoot on our own. We are lucky to live in this age — it only takes a few minutes to send files across the world. Amazing!
SOURCE – With the release of The Immortal, how do you reflect on and evaluate the trajectory of the band’s career?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – Even though this is our seventh studio album and we are 25 years into our career, it feels like we have only just begun. There is still so much uncharted territory for us to explore, and the longer this journey continues, the more I find new blank spots along the way that need investigation. It’s a cliché, but if you want to, you can learn something new every day. I just want to keep creating, playing music, and meeting people, and I hope The Immortal can be the vehicle that takes me there.
SOURCE – Since the debut of Shrouded Divine in 2008, the dynamics of album promotion have changed significantly. What strategies are you currently using to bring The Immortal to a wider audience?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – First and foremost, we care deeply about our band and music, and that is something that has grown over the years. We have also made an effort to understand the business side of things and where to focus our energy at the right time. Not that I have this under complete control, but I enjoy it, and we are lucky to have a team of great people who also care a lot about the scene.
I still believe the power of music lies within live performance, so playing shows and getting out there is one of our main priorities. Online presence is, of course, another area we constantly think about. It’s still more thinking than doing in that field, but we’re becoming more relaxed in our approach every day.
SOURCE – To what extent does being a Swedish band rooted in melodic death metal help promote an album or enhance a band’s recognition in today’s scene?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – Hmm… I don’t know. I’m not sure that where a band comes from is as important nowadays as it once was. Of course, there is a cultural heritage, but I feel the Internet is erasing these boundaries, and many of the biggest acts today perform in masks and remain unidentified. If the music is strong and enough hard work and promotional effort are invested, people will recognize it.
SOURCE – What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Björn Pettersson (Guitars, Vocals) – We played our last festival of the year this past weekend, so the plan now is to rehearse for next year’s upcoming tour and shows. We also have some ideas for creating video content, such as playthroughs and other material.
Photo Credit: Jens Rydén
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