Jonas Almqvist of Nattsjäl
Blackened thrash metal act Nattsjäl, fronted by guitarist and vocalist Jonas Almquist, combines the aesthetics of black metal, thrash metal and traditional heavy metal. Formed after his time with Månegarm, the band would make a statement with their 2023 album’s Of Chaos Supreme & I marors djup. Releasing two albums in a five-month span. With the band’s dynamic vocals of clean vocals and duel-growl attack, Nattsjäl would create a unique sound that sounds reminiscent of the first wave of black metal, but not afraid to experiment, and see what they can incorporate into their sound. In July of this year, the band released their third album Chaosweaver. A strong, straightforward and heavy record, the album would show the band fine-tuning their sound even more and encompassing the band’s evolution and roots in black metal, but in new paths and directions.
I sat down and talked with Jonas about how he formed Nattsjäl after losing his desire for making music. We talk about the multiple vocalists on the new album, the rising resurgence of first wave black metal, the pros and cons of being an independent artist, and how the band decides to sing in English or Swedish. And I try to find out who is Mr. X, the band’s mysterious drummer on all their albums.
FMP: How did Nattsjäl form?
Almqvist: After I was stabbed in the back by my former "friends" in Månegarm and not allowed back in the band (which I started) after I recovered from a severe burnout. I decided to stop playing music. However, my son persuaded me to start making music again just for fun and helped me building a small studio. From the start, I just was going to do some obscure black metal, and soon I started to get the love for music and composing back. From there things escalated and I felt I needed some help with different things and I contacted some people I thought could help the project. First, I contacted Thomas Vikström from Therion, and to my delight he wanted to help me with the clean vocals. Second, I contacted my old friend and co-founder of Månegarm Pierre Vilhelmsson and things took off from there. Later, also Pierre’s friend Johan Almquist, formerly of Deranged, joined in. There’s of course much more to say and many more people involved in the periphery, but we leave it there for now.
FMP: The band just released their brand-new album Chaosweaver, what was the direction you wanted to do with this record? Did you want to do anything differently from the last albums Of Chaos Supreme & I marors djup?
Almqvist: Well, yes and no I guess. The idea with the project is to have fun, and let the creativity flow in different directions. But, at the same time in the realms of Nattsjäl of course. Usually, there is kind of a concept or idea that the record evolves around. In this case the tale of the Chaosweaver and all that surrounding his evil universe.
FMP: There is such unique vocal ranges on the album opener “The Gravelands”, from snarling black metal and death metal growls from yourself to almost classic heavy metal cleans you deliver. Is deciding what to do in the vocal delivery tricky to do? How do you decide when to growl and when to sing?
Almqvist: On the album, there are five singers present. Myself, who does growls, Thomas who does the more clean parts and Pierre who also kind of growl. Even if its more of a metal rock style to it. And also Viktor Hemgren, who sang on the first Månegarm album, joins in for a duet with me on the song “Reaper of The Dying”. And on the last song we have Ellinor Videfors. The choir parts on “The Last Voyage” is done by my wife Mira. Usually for me, anyway I can get a feel right away for what I want in the song. And try to find a way to get it done. Otherwise just improvise or solve the problem hehe.
FMP: The band has been fully independent with each of their releases. Is there any pros and cons to being an independent band, especially in 2024?
Almqvist: Yeah, good question. Well, I have to say that before, for example in the good old Månegarm days, it was impossible to do anything without a label. To get cd’s printed and released, and the studio payed for, and doing advertising in magazines and so forth by yourself, just was not an option. Of course, you got tricked into bad contracts and so on, but that was the way of things back then. Now, it’s a different story. Now, thanks to the digital revolution, you can actually do all that by yourself for the most part. And we have decided to try that way forward. Of course, if one of the biggest labels did come with a good deal I guess, I will think about it. But it feels good to do things this way, and at the pace that fits you and not the label. And also, to have all the rights to your own music. But of course, it is still very hard to to compete with all the connections a big label has. But there are some good promotors we are working with, that hopefully in the future can take on the big labels when it comes to promotion as well. And as always money speaks, but less and less I should say. We have had a couple of offers from labels, but nothing that did the trick for us so far, as for the reasons above stated.
FMP: In 2023, you welcomed Johan Axelsson into the band. How did you guys decide to have him join the band? How was he working with the band in the writing process of the new album?
Almqvist: Johan is a friend of Pierre and they had talked about working together, and with Nattsjäl there was a good opportunity for it. When we write things, we usually do it on different locations. We send files to one another, and record stuff in our own studios. We live in different cities and countries, even so, thanks to modern technology we can make a project like this work.
FMP: With Nattsjäl’s heavy metal influences in your black metal sound, along with bands like Midnight, Uada and Necropanther, do you think there is an almost resurgence of the First Wave of Black Metal coming back into the black metal scene?
Almqvist: Well. I can only speak for myself and Nattsjäl, but I like old school black metal and I think Nattsjäl gives me an opportunity to explore all the different metal influences I had when I was younger. With Månegarm for example, you could just do one thing. And in the beginning, that was very fun to create a new genre (together with some other bands), but in the end it felt like trying to squeeze water from a stone to do the same thing over and over again if you get my drift.
FMP: The band has a drummer who goes by Mr. X, is there a reason why they chose to be anonymous compared to the other members of the band’s being known?
Almqvist: Haha well this is a topic I cant tell you so much about. But the intention is that he will reveal himself when he thinks the time is ready.
FMP: Is the band planning to tour in support of the new album? Or is this just a studio-project band only?
Almqvist: Well for now, its a studio project. I very much hope that we can play some shows in the future. I really miss being on stage and interacting with the crowd and the fans. So, lets hope for the best. But since we live in different countries and cities, its quite a big apparatus to get a thing like that to work.
FMP: The band has some songs sung in English and some sung in Swedish. How do you decide when to write in English or in Swedish?
Almqvist: Also a very good question. Hm, sometimes I guess its the song itself that decides Swedish or English. the feel to it. And sometimes, its an idea like a short phrase or something that pops up in my head, and depending on the language that is what goes. And also, I like variety so for that part its also nice.
I want to thank Jonas Almquist for taking the time to talk to Frozen Moon Promotions about the band’s history and the new album Chaosweaver. If you want to check out the band’s new album, or any of the band’s albums, you can check out the band’s Spotify page HERE.
