Your name:
Oskar Norberg

The name of your band/act etc:
Assailant

Where are you from (city/country)?
Umeå, Sweden

Your sound can be described as?
A blend of modern, melodic thrash and old school heavy metal with lots of interesting harmonies. Our music is very difficult to place in any specific genre, my advice is to check it out yourselves and bang your heads while doing so!
 
Fill us in on the history – where did your band/act start, what changes and developments have happened along the way and where are you now?
The band was formed in 2004 when myself, Joakim Jonsson (bass), Peder Sandström (Keyboards) and Patrik Larsson(drums) found ourselves being the only remaining members of the former band called Ecliptica. In the same situation we started the search for new blood to fill the voids and then found the long-bearded, long-haired and heavily tattooed singer Peder Sundquist, who impressed us greatly with his evil screaming and heartbreaking singing. When we later started writing new material together things went really good. A couple of months later we got an offer from record label Dockyard1 and also found a rythm guitarist in the form of Marcus Sundbom around that same time. After that we finished all the material and began the recordings here in Sweden and continued with the vocals and mixing down in Hamburg, Germany. At the moment we’re writing new material for the next album and it’s going great. The songs kick ass and we are confident that the album will turn out great in the end.
 
What’s your earliest memory of developing a passion for music?
When my Mum and Dad bought an electric guitar for me and my brothers, and I learned Smoke on the Water having the guitar lying in my lap and using my thumb to play the notes on the fretboard. I must have developed this technique because I was so young and to small to reach the notes with the fingertips.
 
Your influences (musical, political etc) and why?
I would say everything from pop music to death metal, from jazz to dance or bluegrass etc. I like most kinds of music and the different styles contribute to my own music-making I guess. Since I’m not really the main writer of lyrics my political standpoint doesn’t shine through that much.

What’s your Mum or Dad’s favourite record/song and why do you love/hate it?
Hmm... hard question. I think my father really likes Blind Guardian for some reason and I hate listening to them because I had to do so every time we used to drive across the country to our cabin. Harsh childhood, right?
 
Most memorable gig you’ve played and why?
I think I speak for the whole band when I say that it has to be the gig at Demons of the Opera here in Umeå, together with Noctrunal Rites, Naglfar, Persuader and more. This was special and memorable because it was our first big show, being a newcomer band amongst several well known and established bands. Also, this whole project with having some of the bigger bands playing together with a complete symphonic orcherstra in an operahouse was quite special. Not to forget the large number of people which attended the show, it was a great experience.
  
What’s the naughtiest thing you and/or the band have gotten up to on tour?
Hmm, how do I get out of this one.... What happens on the road stays on the road, right?

Do you drink? And if so what’s you’re favourite rock ‘n’ roll recipe? If you don’t drink would you care to elaborate as to why?
The mighty beer is always nice but an addition that I enjoy is Jaegermeister mixed with Red Bull. Otherwise, a shot of Stroh rum or wiskey always does the trick.

What was the first record that you ever owned and tell us the story of how it came into your possession and why you loved it?
My first record that I owned was [a] Megadeth [album]. It became mine after I had asked my brother to buy me a record when he went to town to shop [for] some music for himself. When he got back he had bought Kreator – Flag of Hate for me and the Megadeath album for himself. But he liked the Kreator record more and as that music was too rough for me at that time – I was only around six-years-old – we traded them.
 
What’s the best thing about the music scene you are involved in and why?
It’s great because most of the music is pure and raw in some way. It is also good to get the blood pumping and to release some of those aggressive feelings that we all have sometimes.
 
What’s the worst thing about the music scene you are involved in and why?
It’s sad that the heavy metal scene dosen’t seem to get that mutch attention in media at all now days, because I think there’s alot of people out there that really would apprechiate to watch a Pantera video or something on MTV in between all the rap, pop, boy bands etc. sometimes.
 
How did you get involved in the music scene you find yourself in now?
I guess I have always been around it. Since two of my older brothers are both involved in the heavy metal scene and has been throughout my childhood, it’s not so far fetched that I followed in their fotsteps.
 
Any parting words?
Check out our debut album, Nemesis Within, and be sure to keep a look out for our next release some time around the spring of 2007. It will raise the bar whole hell of alot from the preceding album and make you want to shake your head and dance in ways you never thought possible.