Hello Guys, thanx for giving me the opportunity to do this intie with you. Excuse bad English, wherevere it may occur. I'll try to keep it brief, so let's go: 1. New Album 'The prestige' - the Album has the (in ILLDISPOSED regards!) usual phat and groovy sound. Want to share any anecdotes regarding the production-process?

Jakob Batten: We recorded the drums and vocals with Ziggy who also produced the last 2 albums. I recorded all guitars and bass in my home studio.

- since 'Kokaiinum' and PANZERCHRISTs 'Room Service' I haven't heard Bo growl more brutally. Any effects been used? But: I LOVE how this sounds!

Jakob Batten: No effects, I just think he was in a better shape this time. He seemed to be way more into these new songs.

- 'The Prestige' is not as melodic and atmospheric as 'Submit' (personal Highlight) and '1-800 Vindication' were. As ILLDISPOSED changed their style within the small range of maximum tank-brutallity ala eg. BOLT THROWER (fits pretty much to 'THE PRESTIGE' I'd say) and nearly relaxed Death Metal Hymns as on 1-800, what would you say, the future direction will be?

Jakob Batten: It’s difficult to say what exactly it will be like because we always get new ideas from time to time. But for the next many years I think we will stay in the more old-school part of the scale. We feel best with that and we really feel like playing the new songs live.

- is the titel linked in any way to the pretty cool SciFi-Flic with Jackman and Bale or what was the idea behind it? Was there an intention of 'we can't do it any better'?

Jakob Batten: The title itself we got from the movie. We thought it sounded cool and fits the album well because the songs are very strong this time in my opinion. So it is a prestige to us.

2. Labels I wonder: what did Roadrunner intend to in signing ILLDISPOSED? What wereyour feelings about it? Did you feel the pressure?

Jakob Batten: I think they signed us to have a death metal band on their roster. They got lots of bad critics for being too mainstream. But they always treated us very well and never laid a pressure on us, so we had a great time with them.

- you changed your label again. How did it come? I mean, what did they expect, a certainly pretty big, yet still undergroundband suddenly selling millions of copys of the new album after the first 7 Albums did not?

Jakob Batten: Roadrunner didn’t want to work with us anymore. They wanted us to sell as much as their other big bands and it wasn’t really possible. We sell pretty good for a deathmetal band but not enough for Roadrunner.

- did they put you under (e.g. timely) pressure reg. 'Burn me Wicked'? Don't get me wrong, I liked 'BmW' in itself but compared to '1-800 Vindication' it sounded like a collection of B-Sides.

Jakob Batten: Not really, it was our own fault. We played so many shows after “1-800 vindication” and completely forgot about writing new songs. So suddenly we had 4 months or something to write the whole album. But I think the “Burn Me Wicked” album would have been better if we didn’t experiment with everything. It was everything from amps, microphones and recording process to synths and samples. Everything was one big experiment and it took away the spirit of the music.

3. Music - What I allways like to know is the bands' comments on their own stuff. If you don't mind, please give a short song by song view, also lyricswise. (I don't have any lyrix of 'The Prestige')

Jakob Batten: - Let Go A short instrumental track with a groovy and catchy peak. A perfect opener.
- The Tension Sort of an extension of the opening song. The music itself in this track is pretty mid-ninety Göteborg inspired but it also has a brutal blast-beat part at the end. The lyric is in the usual Illdisposed spirit about broken relationships, sexual submission and depression in general. To satisfy all true deathmetal fans there’s a pitch on the word “Satan”.
- Weak Is Your God This song is in the vein of our 1995 release ”Submit”. But it also has a small black metal twist at the end of the song. The lyrics are questioning the blind faith of religious fanatics.
- Working Class Zero An up-tempo song with several blasting passages. At the end of the song we have a new interpretation of an old Current lyric from 1993. The title is a play on words inspired by an old John Lennon song. The lyrics are about how bad it can be if you don’t take advantage of what you’re good at and end up in bad company instead.
- A Song Of Myself A groovy track build up on a very rhythmical riff. The vocals kick in from the very beginning of the song and reach it’s climax in a chorus that will lead your thoughts back to some early In Flames mixed with a portion black metal. The lyric is about the challenge it is to write a lyric about your own life.
- Like Cancer This is the first ”single” we made available for download. The song is in the vein of our earlier single tracks “Dark” and “Our Heroin Recess” – which means an aggressive song with soft and melodic parts. The lyric is about being as venomous as the cancer that is spreading among humans. We have donated all rights and royalties for this song for “Kraeftens Bekaempelse” – the Danish cancer research.
- Love Is Tasted Bitter A brutal song with constantly kicking bassdrums. The lyrics are about the bitterness that is always there after ending a relationship.
- She Knows A rhythmical song with a catchy chorus and a bridge that will lead your thoughts back to the American thrash scene in the mid-eighties. The lyrics are this time not only about getting caught cheating by your partner, but also about how she is planning to end your cheating.
- A Child Is Missing The ”ballad” of the album – but still pretty brutal with plenty of double bassdrums and headbang-appeal. Will make you think of “The Hidden Ache” from the “Submit” album. The lyrics are about losing a child.
- The Key To My Salvation This song definitely has an old school death metal touch but also has a long part in the middle that could remind you of early Kataklysm.
- Your Devoted Slave Again an up-tempo song in the vein of our earlier songs ”Near The Gates” and ”Fear BillGates” from the “Something Rotten…” and “Kokaiinum” albums. Plenty of Swedish inspiration here. The vocals are deep though. The lyrics are about sexual submission.
- Ich Bin Verloren In Berlin The perfect ending of the album and the only song that is clearly dominated by screaming vocals. The lyrics are in German to salute all our true German fans. It’s about being lost… in Berlin!

- looking back at 2007, what were your highlights in (not only metal-) releases, what blew you away?

Jakob Batten: Dream Theater “Systematic Chaos” Behemoth “The Apostacy”

4. Life - you played both the SUMMERBREEZE and the UFTG last year. Did you like it there? Any anecdotes to share?

Jakob Batten: Yeah both festivals were great. At Summerbreeze we were pretty tired since we played a show the night before and didn’t sleep the whole night. But it went okay. It was the 3rd time we played at UFTG, we love that festival.

- there are of course plans for 2008 Festivals. Were are you going to play?

Jakob Batten: So far we have only confirmed “Queens of metal”, it’s also in the Frankfurt area I think. But hopefully much more will come!

5. Politics People say, metal and politics don't belong together. I say fuck'em. - are you pleased with the special role, Denmark does play in European Union policy? I mean, for the normal Non-Danish it looks like pitching on the good sides, without trying to work together on the bad sides.

Jakob Batten: I think Denmark is doing a good job when you think about how big influence we have on other countries compared to how small a country we are. And the thing that happened with the Mohammed drawings was important. You can always discuss whether it was right or wrong – but it was important to get the whole issue up.

- is hooliganism still one of your hobbies, or is it just trying to look badass? Does creating fear in others make you feel stronger? Or was it all just a bad joke? No, I am not female! ;-PP

Jakob Batten: It was Bo’s hobby many years ago but he’s not involved in it anymore. I never fought because of soccer, only because of people being assholes to me. To me it’s all about not taking shit from anybody. Not every problem can be solved with words.

6. Line up Franz Helboss is new to ILLDISPOSED. Stupid, yet neccessary question: what is the story behind it?

Jakob Batten: Martin left because he didn’t have time to play shows with us anymore. And the first guy that popped up in our minds was Franz. He’s a good friend and he always joined us for party when we had shows in Copenhagen where he lives.

Ok, what else could I steal your time with... - could I have done this Interview in german?

Jakob Batten: Yes, but all my answers would have been: Ja, Nein, Oberaffengeil, Schwul or Popelhose

- what are the future plans for ILLDISPOSED?

Jakob Batten: Tour in Germany/Austria and then summer festivals. Then we have plans for shows in Russia and probably other parts of Europe.

- what about PANZERCHRIST, any news there?

Jakob Batten: Yeah good news: Bo is out of the band!

Ok, one final question: - many bands tend to say, that, in private, they do not listen to metal at all. Of course that's an easy way to steal ideas with nearly nobody detecting it. But besides that: how come, that people love to play music to which they don't love to listen?

Jakob Batten: I don’t think it’s that far from the truth. I’m also having long periods where I can’t listen to metal at all. My brother is a cook at a restaurant and he can’t eat fancy food anymore, he’s just eating fast food. The point is that you get enough of what you do. But hey, I’ll be the first to admit that I steal ideas from other songs. Of course I do. But more from pop music than from metal music.

Good, that's it for now. I don't expect you to anwer to all questions, of course I'd appreciate it. Thanx for your time! PS: of course don't take everything deadly serious.

Jakob Batten: No prob mate, thank you for the interview!