Is Rogga Johansson the renaissance man of death metal?

interview with rogga johansson death metal

To many Rogga Johansson is the renaissance man of death metal. With many projects like Those Who Bring The Torture, Ribspreader and Paganizer. Rogga is a man with a full plate. Rogga got together with another death metal veteran Dave Ingram former Bolt Thrower and Benediction vocalist the end result Down Among Dead Men. Sometimes I wonder if he ever take a vacation.

Greetings Rogga how's it going?
Hey man, going ok here! Hope youre doing good too!

Give a brief history history of your current project Down Among Dead Men?
I talked to Dave about doing some vocals on my project Megascavenger wich he did. After that he felt that it all was so much fun and went so easy that we should do some more music together, and thats how we started Down Among The Dead Men.

How long the been jamming together?
We've only known eachother for a year or so, the album came together very very fast, it was easy and fun to work together.

Who was the person responsible for putting this band together?
It was Daves idea I think, but we both thought it was equally cool to do it really.

How did you and Dave met and how long you two known each other?
Only about a year as I mentioned before, and I think we met online, like people these seem to do haha. We talked a bit and I invited him to a show when we played his hometown. Unfortunatly he couldn't come, but next time I guess it'll both him and me playing together so we will meet then instead.

How well you and Dave work together as far as throwing ideas around?
Very very well I would say, we both write music, aswell as Dennis the lead guitarist. So its easy to work out stuff. For the next album we will leave the grindcore aspect rather much and go for even more punk infused death metal.

What's up with your other bands when you planning to release new material for Paganizer and Ribspreader?
Paganizer recently released a mini CD exclusively with Close Up magazine here in Sweden, and it'll be out this year too on vinyl on Cyclone Empire. Ribspreader will release a new album in february. Also Paganizer is having the 20th year anniversary this year, so we will do some sort of release around that too.

Down Among Dead Men planning on doing any live shows in the near future?
Yes we have talked about it, but nothing booked yet, I guess it'll mostly be festivals during summer though.

Tell are some main themes of the lyrics of the songs are based on?
Yes there are! Actually there is a veeeery cool idea behind it all, which Dave has come up with, but I won't tell you. I guess you need to figure it out yourself haha. I didn't get it myself first and had to ask him when he was done with the lyrics.

How hard was it to get the other members together to rehearse and record the songs?
Well me and Dennis live just ten minutes apart, and Dave did his stuff in Denmark. And so far rehearsals have been without vocals, but later this year Dave is coming up for some photo sessions as well as rehearsals, Denmark is only like 5 hours way from here.

I'm of a fan of your other band Those Who Bring The Torture what's up with that band?
Actually a new album is being finished up right now, release would be in may I think. Its gonna be the coolest one so far, much more epic heavy death metal stuff thrown in there.

Do you use the same studio to produce all band's albums?
No but there are maybe a three or four that we use total. Most basic recordings are done in the same studio though, The Rotpit, but then mix/master usually are done at other studios.

Besides writing the music you also contribute to the songwriting process?
Isn't writing music the songwriting process? Or do you mean lyrics? If so, yes I do lyrics in most bands where I'm doing vocals. If its band where I do music only, I usually ask the vocalist to do the lyrics as its more fun that way for me I think.

Is there any other bands you enjoying jamming out to besides your own bands?
You mean listening to? Haha yes many ofcorpse. but if you mean playing along to, so nope. I've never been a guy who learn songs by other bands and jam them, I'm to shitty for that haha, but I'd love to jam other bands songs if I could, especially old rock and metal which I grew up with.

What your opinion of the Swedish metal scene you think it's getting better?
It's huge and have always been I guess, loads of good bands. I don't check out much stuff but every now and then you hear a song of whats new and it's often very good stuff too.

Thanks for taking the time to do the interview. Is anything else you like to add before we call it wrap?
Thanx man!