Could you please start with a short introduction of the band and its members?

Pär: Sure, I am the vocalist, Pär. Then we have Mikael on bas who together with me also play in Satariel, then Christian and Henrik who play also in Incapacity and Solar Dawn and last but not least Göran who is known from Setherial otherwise.

Taking 2003 as the year TORCHBEARER was founded, you're a pretty young band. But all of you have played in other bands before. So, how long have you after all been playing in bands?

Pär: I think all of us started around the same time, when we were something like 15 or 16 I guess. So we have been playing in different bands for quite exactlly ten years now.

What was the reason TORCHBEARER was founded for? As far as I know all former bands also came from the Death Metal underground?

Pär: Yes, true, but we wanted to do something together with this formation or line-up now. Also the other bands differ quite a lot from Torchbearer still, at least I think so.

"Yersinia Pestis" is your debut album. Are you happy you had a label like Metalblade Rec. behind you for this debut?

Pär: Yes, of course. We could not be happier about the deal. We actually did not know we would end up there first, as we signed to their sublabel Cold Records just before Metalblade picked them up.

How do you feel about this album with some time past since the recordings?

Pär: I really enjoy it. But the next one will be even better and more brutal.

What were the reactions towards the album like so far? Have you received much feedback already?

Pär: Yes, pretty much and pretty much only good or very good reactions.

Are there any tour dates announced so far? Are we going to see you in Germany maybe?

Pär: I personally hope for us to hit the road asap, but at this point of time I can not confim anything I am sorry to say. But hell yes, I´ve toured Germany with Satariel and I would love to do it again with Torchbearer!

How do you feel about webzines?

Pär: I think they are great! Easy to find and so on. I never fancyd the old papper fanzines much as they often were so damn badly done anyway.

And how do you feel about the whole 'MP3-issue'?

Pär: Hard to say in a short answer as I think it´s a complex question. But let me tell you this anyway; first of all CD´s are too expensive…. Second of all, someone always pays to get the music produced, it´s not for free…. SO you make out what you want from that now…..

Okay, that's about everything. I thank you for your time and answering my questions, wish you all the best and now leave the last words of this interview to you. Feel free to say whatever you feel like.

Pär: Thank you for the questions! And also to all you german maniacs out there – hope to see you soon!