Tomas: Hi Paul. We had a great time on tour with HammerFall and Sabaton. We met a lot of fantastic fans and the European metal heads were just excellent, they rocked like there was no tomorrow;-) The venues were crowded and the weather was great, what more can you ask for!? Both HammerFall and Sabaton wanted us on the tour and it was a great opportunity for us to promote the band.

PM: What’s next now that you have finished touring?

Tomas: We are going to take some time off and start to write songs for our next album, we are also working on a second (western European) tour at the end of this year.

PM: Are there any gigs that have been particularly memorable for you on the tour?

Tomas: We had so many great gigs with a fantastic audience, but I must say that the gig in Sofia (Bulgaria) was one of the highlights. The venue was full and the fans screamed like crazy the entire show, it was great. We also met and talked a lot of nice fans before and after the show.

PM: Tabula Rasa is a really good album. Could you tell our readers about the concept behind the record, and also the title?

Tomas: Thank you. The lyrics are written around the concept of “Tabula Rasa”. It refers to the thesis that individuals are born without built-in mental content and that their knowledge comes from experience and sensory perception. You are born like an unscribed tablet. Also it is like a new fresh start for the band. “Tabula Rasa” is not only the concept of the album; it’s the mark of a new period of time for the band.

PM: How was the writing process?

Tomas: After our previous album “Book Of The Dead” I started to write some riffs that turned out heavier and more modern sounding than our earlier work. It came natural and was not really my intension from the start. That’s how the idea of making something “new” and a little bit different came up. On our two previous albums “Nosferatu” and “Book Of The Dead” Fredrik and me wrote 95% of the music, including the lyrics and the vocal melodies. This time I wrote the music (Pelle co-wrote the Japanese bonus track) and Urban did the vocals.

PM: There sounds to be more “aggression” on this release compared to your others. Was this a conscious effort?

Tomas: Not at first, but after writing the first couple of songs, we decided to go in this direction.

PM: How does the creative process usually start for Bloodbound. Do the whole band arrange the tunes?

Tomas: Fredrik and me have been the main songwriters, it usually starts with a basic idea, like a riff or a vocal melody and then we work around it. It’s a bit like adding pieces to a puzzle.

PM: Who came up with the album cover art concept?

Tomas: Fredrik and me talked about making our mascot “Nosferatu” into a cyborg. It also fits with the “Tabula Rasa” concept of being able to be “re-programmed”. Mark Wilkinson did the cover artwork; we are very pleased with his work. He is such a great artist and has worked with bands like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Megadeth. He also did the cover for our first album “Nosferatu”.

PM: You have a different line up here compared to on your last release, ‘Book Of The Dead.’ What happened to the previous line up? Did you feel this was a necessary change for the band, or natural progression for other members to move on from Bloodbound?

Tomas: After “Nosferatu” Urban decided to focus a 100% on his long-planned solo project, so we contacted Michael Bormann for the recordings of “Book Of The Dead”. Shortly after the release of "Book of the Dead" we realized that with Michael's busy schedule it would be impossible to do all the live shows coming up. Urban was asked to stand in and ended up doing all the shows for the tour, and eventually got back with the band. I guess you can say that the line up is back to where we started.

PM: Was Urban Breed’s return a decision based on other project commitments?

Tomas: No, we decided to ask him to come back and he accepted. Most of the band members have projects on the side, like most other bands do.

PM: How have the fans received the album so far? I have seen the press’ response in various locations, I was just wondering if you have had personal messages of support?

Tomas: It’s both good and bad. We have gained a lot of new fans, as it’s a more aggressive modern sounding album, at the same time the old-school fans like the old stuff better. The next album will be mix between the two ha ha ha ha... Overall I think it’s a step forward for the band.

PM: How did the sponsorship deal with ESP and LTD Guitars come about? Are these brands that you have used in the past?

Tomas: We had been in contact with ESP for a while trying to get an endorsement deal, and with the progress of the band we finally got it? We have used ESP in the past and they make great guitars. We are very happy with them.

PM: Is there any future touring plans and would that include the UK?

Tomas: We are planning a second western European tour at the end of this year and I really hope that the UK will be included. It would be great to come over and play ? Keep an eye on our website www.bloodbound.se for upcoming tour dates.

PM: If not touring in support of the album, do you have any other plans for the remainder of the year?

Tomas: We are taking some time off right now to start the work on our next album that will be released sometime early next year. Hope to see you on tour soon!

Congratulations of ‘Tabula Rasa’ and Thank you for you time.

For more on the band check out http://www.bloodbound.se

Interviewed by Paul Maddison

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