Merry Shitmas Pete, how are things going over there in the brand new Flesh family? I think these X-mas (sacre) the booze will flow less as you now got a son, right (wrong, but we won't tell your wife anyway!)?

I guess you know me to well Jim. There have been some booze, but not the amount like it used to be. Not just because of my son, I simply don't have the strength to handle the hangovers anymore. I save it for the summer festivals and more important celebrations. The family is doing just fine. Time for you to come and visit again.

Where did the idea of writing for your own come from? When it did start and when realised?

Many different aspects led me, but of course mainly my lust and desire for this kind of metal. A place where I can put all my atmosphere and energy to morbidity. The idea for this album is something that has grown bigger through many years, this is nothing that just popped-up some months before I recorded it. Even if I had this idea some time before, I usually say that the start that really got me going and working was when Chuck [Schuldiner] died, I can't even put in words how much that person meant to me-- like to many others. Not just when it comes to the music, he was a living proof of that if you had a vision, even if no one else believed in it and on the way you get some enemies, you should follow it to a hundred percent. This is something I always tried to do, but when you play in a band you for example must compromise on many different things, like how you want a song to be. In FLESH I can do whatever I want. I don't just see FLESH like a project where I can put ideas for old school sounding Death and Black Metal, it's much more for me. If I want to put in an idea that in general has nothing to do with this genre, I do it. This way it also gets more personal. In the end it's all about the atmosphere you create and if you deliver your visions in an honest way.

Oozing of old-school patterns, "Dodsangest" seems to be rooted in another era, that is hopefully still alive through the works of bands like Funeral, Verminous, Necrovation & Kaamos and Grave of corpse (no, I don't agree with the flyers which name Sarcofago as an inspiration). I met many people in Sweden that dislike the brutal American sound of dm like Origin, Hate Eternal or even Krisiun and worship mostly darker, European bands. Is the way you expose extremity via this album the only one that you adore when the word death metal comes to your mouth?

No, it's not the only one, but mostly it is. A lot of the more brutal stuff is more about the technique than the atmosphere. But I don't really have nothing against it, it would be stupid to say that it is something wrong to have good techniques. But to me it should not only be about that, it doesn't matter how fast and good you can play your instrument if you not can write a good song. But hell, it's all about the taste. I'm not a "music police", people can listen and play what they want. I like both bands like Autopsy and Krisiun. All categories have their good and bad bands.

Is this project entirely satisfying for you by this album or shall you go on with it? Will it ever become a full-piece band?

I will keep this project till the day I die. I will never say that FLESH is dead or buried, I see no reason for that. Even if I not would release an album in 20 years it would still be alive. I have found the perfect forum for me where I always can be creative without any others impact. I do most of the music in DECEIVER as well, but there it's created from everyone's liking in the band. For me to both have a project like FLESH and then also play in DECEIVER is a dream come true, I can use all my influences, but divided in two different camps. I will never turn FLESH into a real band that would destroy the idea to it all. Of course I will include some people if I would ever play live, but that is nothing that lies in the near future.

When did you got the pseudonym Flesh, for which reason and why did you decide to use it? Does the power of flesh and the philosophy about strength & pleasure have anything to do with it? I think it withers sometime, especially after having a hangover after another, ha, ha, ha!

I started to call myself Pete Flesh the same day I heard Chuck was dead. I was drinking beer and listening through all the DEATH albums and when one of my fav tracks from his last album came--- "Flesh and the Power it Holds"-- it just popped-up in my head, "Pete Flesh." So, the "Flesh" part of my name is a tribute to him.

With Deceiver and Flesh your old neighbour Tomas Nyqvist (also No Fashion Records at their first days, plus Putrefaction ‘zine) seemed quite helpful unleashing the stuff straight away. Iron Fist productions is alive again, this time located in Gothenburg. Rumours say Tomas had a lot of people chasing for money after him, and to escape this situation he disappeared before relocating. Are you afraid this might happen once again? Difficult times for underground labels…are you fond of his releases? Heard that Axis Powers have a strong album as well. What has he done so far since he re-animated the label?

Well, I don't know all the stories, but there have been some problems in the past. I choose not to talk about it as this is something between him and the people that he did business with. But as I know he have today solved a lot of it, and I see no reason to worry that something like this would happen again, he lives a totally different life today and has a better ground to stand on. But if it happened now I would not go berzerk, I have been doing this for a long time and know that the music business is like a big disgusting whore. Nothing in this scene surprises me anymore. I do this out of pure passion to the music, I only think of myself and are loyal to the ones that stands near me. If a label wants to release my stuff, great...if something better comes up I take that. What Tomas has been up to? Well, he moved to Gothenburg, finded work and started to work on a new and better life. I like most of his releases, but my favs are Celestian Pain and Harms Way.

There's a new album for Deceiver coming out this March, where you are handling the vocals as in Flesh, although the music is quite different. Did you get more confident with your voice after recording "Dodsangest"? What reactions did you have from people who heard the new album concerning it, as it is very different to Destormo's (ex-vocalist)? The album is called "Holov Posen Tro May Trot" and surely I have got no clue about the meaning of the title!

No, I was not more confident regarding the vocals. The first time I ever sang was on the FLESH album, and the second time was on the new DECEIVER album. I was a bit more nervous with the new DECEIVER as we had done some releases before with another singer and have gained some listeners. It is always harder to change the singer than for example the drummer as the vocals of course are a big part of the bands sound. But as far the response has been just great and most people that have heard it think this album will be our best so far. But I should say, we are not trying to compete with our past, we are still bloody proud of it. And as always, some will think it's better and some worse. The title of the album is a band secret, it's the language of a drunk DECEIVER drummer, haha!!

Couple of years ago you suddenly left Maze Of Torment, after so much struggle getting things in an order. Although you always came with good albums, I haven't seen any decent promotion except from "Faster Disaster" (1998).This always kept the band behind I think. Is this a reason why you abandoned the ship? Did you like the latest album and have you heard their new guitarist on stage?

I did not leave the band because of all the troubles with labels etc. I was still in the band when we fixed the deal with Black Lodge, that are a label that are pretty big and would turn things for the band. When people found out that I would leave the band they thought that something had burned in my head as we finally had got a decent label, and that all my personal work for the band would finally pay off. But, it didn't matter if we had got Metal Blade, I wanted out. The reason was not because of any band fights or anything like that. I was trapped in a corner where I stood still creative, I saw no other way than to move on. This was something that I had felt some time, so I did give it a lot of thinking. It was really hard to tell this to the others, MAZE OF TORMENT had been my prior 1. for 12 years and 5 albums, so I think it came like a shock. Yes, I like "Hammers of Mayhem", it was the last album for me. There are some songs there that I'm really proud of. I have seen them live 2 times since I left, it was cool.

Nowadays, how is your spare time spent like? I know you went to a more quiet place for your family - objection here, Strangnas in general is fucking peaceful city!

I live my life pretty much the same as always, some adjustment because of my kid, but nothing to the negative. I have never been that social and never been a "city kid". I go to a party/concert sometimes, but other than that I spend time with my family or creating music. Of course also keeping contact with all underground friends, that's a big part of my life.

Which was the last time you puked outside a bar and the last show you visited?

Haha!! Can't really remember, but I think it was when we were in Norway with DECEIVER and played at the Inferno Festival, that was April 2005. The last show I saw was with Crucified Barbara I think. I don't visit to many single shows because of my situation, but I try to visit some festivals summer time. Also when we are out and play I try to see all bands.

Ever caught by the police? Ever had serious problems with your long hair, ranging from school years up to now, job etc.?

I have been caught by the police some times, but that was my old life. I never had problems in school with the "metal style", but when it comes to jobs so have there been some problems, also with the other workers.

Last curses of the year 2005…vomit them!

Support the underground, hehe!! Thanx for the interview Jim.