The band is actually pretty old. The original band started out in '94 I think. So that's more than a decade ago but yeah, the band started out playing cover songs of Slayer and Sepultura and stuff like that. It started to turn a bit more to the melodic death metal and at some point we got into finding our own style we think at least. What us attracted to music, well that's the only thing there is, right?

The heavier the better, baby. Especially when you get older and you're a little harder of hearing. You just need louder music.

Yeah, exactly. I listen to all kinds of music but metal is where I have a long story of course. We all just entered this because of the energy and more of the energy. The thing about playing this music live is what's best for us is the rush. That's where we have fun the most is doing this.

Especially playing for a live audience and watching people go crazy.

Yeah.

You guys basically have a mixture of thrash and death metal. Are there a lot of old school thrash bands that you guys like?

Yeah, lots of them like Exodus, Forbidden, Testament, Violence, Slayer, and all of the good old bands. Definitely that. That's some of our favorites. But also death metal like Entombed is one of our all time favorite bands. The Haunted are good. Death metal like Suffocation. Yeah, I listen to all kinds of shit.

I had the pleasure of seeing Slayer this past weekend with Lamb Of God and Children Of Bodom. It was awesome.

Cool.

My introduction to your band was the Killing EP. I thought that was some really good shit and now you guys have a new record out called The Sickness Within which is more like a full length this time. Tell me a little about the new CD and does it have any stuff on it from the Killing EP or is it just totally new stuff?

The Sickness Within is our fourth album actually and it was recorded the summer of last year and it was released in Europe in September of last year. It's a bit late in the U.S. It contains 11 songs and one is from the Killing EP but it's a new recording of the song. It's one called "Murderous Intent". It's a mix of death and thrash metal, yeah. It's our best so far I think. That's how it is with a new album. It's always the newest that's the best for the band at least.

You're always striving for something new. What differentiates The Sickness Within from your other three releases?

I guess we're better songwriters on this album. We did four albums and two EPs in four years which is a lot. I think we get better at writing good songs and I believe that is the most important thing on The Sickness Within. The most hearable thing of the songs we put out. If you heard our three other albums, then The Sickness Within still sounds like Hatesphere. Just Hatesphere in a newer version but it's Hatesphere. I don't know what to say.

It's your first full length with SPV. Why did you change labels? I know you were with some other label prior to SPV.

We were on a tiny label called Scarlet in Europe and they were good for us. They were doing what they could but they didn't really have the power and the money. I hate to say that of course. We were willing to go further. We wanted to grow as a band but we couldn't grow together with them. We were already ahead of our label. Yeah, we were looking for a new label and we actually got offers from everybody. Nuclear Blast, Century Media, Roadrunner, and SPV. We chose SPV because we followed our hearts and because we thought it was the right thing for us to do and I think it is.

I think one of the cool things about SPV is that the people who work for the label are fans of the music and the bands that they have on their label. I think that helps a lot.

Yeah, for sure. We're excited about SPV so far so we're going to stay there for a while and see what happens.

In one of your songs there's a spoken part from the movie The Omen. I was reading an interview that I think Peter did where somebody had told him they remade it and he said they probably found some way to fuck it up. I was just wondering how you guys feel about the remake of The Omen and some of the other old movies.

The only remake I've seen is Dawn Of The Dead I think which was pretty okay. I actually liked it but I haven't seen any of the other ones. The Omen is a special movie. It's not just a horror movie. It's something special and I am going to agree with Peter that they probably found some way to fuck it up. I don't think they can make the same atmosphere as the first Omen. I don't believe that. It's something really special. It's pure evil.

Whoever put that one together did a great job. Personally I don't even understand the point of remaking old movies. Use your imagination and make something new. Now we just had a remake of Superman for the hundredth time. I didn't care for it the first time around. You guys are ready to embark on your Summer Sickness tour.

Yeah, we're playing the festivals and then weekend shows. We like home in between so we have some time off. It's nice and easy. No stress here these days.

That's a good thing to have less stress. You guys have a shoe endorsement.

Yeah, I guess Vans liked our music and saw that we're a busy band. Last year we played a lot of shows. A lot of love. The future is looking good for the band and we wanted free shoes. We aren't the richest people in the world so whatever we can get for free is good. Luckily we all like Vans' shoes so it's a good thing. A good mix. Nothing special about it but it's nice.

And you get free shoes. You mean you guys aren't multi millionaires with mansions?

Nah, not really. We're all pretty broke.

I feel your pain.

Ah, it's no pain. Money is just money. As long as we have bread and water on the table, it's okay. We survive. No problem.

As long you have a full stomach that's all that matters. After you guys are done with your Summer Sickness tour, what do you have planned?

We have more weekend shows around Europe and we're working to get to the U.S. and Canada. We are trying hard to get over and play. Now the album is out in September so it would be perfect to play in the fall. We're trying to find the right tour. We've talked with some people and we've gotten some offers. We're working on it and this is the third album released in the States. The two last ones were released by Century Media as a license deal. It's about time that we get there. We tried but it never happened and this time it will succeed going there. Coming over and destroying everything. That's our mission so hopefully in the fall and then we're going to play a headlining tour in Europe in the winter before the New Year. Then we're going to record a new album in January actually and then hopefully tour the States again in February.

Yeah, you need to come over here and kick our asses.

Yeah, right? We really want to but it's been a bit hard. It looks better now. So soon, I promise.

One thing a lot of European bands tell me is that it's so expensive to come over here and tour. I can understand that. Something I wanted to ask you is that some of your stuff has made it on the music charts. I've had a few other extreme metal bands being surprised that their music is on the charts. Do you think that extreme music is being more accepted by the general masses?

A bit. There's still many people in Europe for example that don't know that kind of music exists. It is getting well accepted. There's a new young generation of people who want hard and heavy.

I was talking to one band from Norway and they were telling me they were really surprised to find their music charting high on the music charts and I told them I guess times were changing. Any other thoughts or comments?

Check out the album I can say to everybody and check out our website at www.hatesphere.com. Hopefully I and the rest of the band will be over and play lots of shows for you guys and kick some ass. Drink some beers. Get wasted.

My kind of man. You make sure you come over here and have beers with us.

We're Danish. We're pretty retarded when it comes to drinking so I need to warn you.

Retardation is good. You take care and I hope to be seeing you guys in Dallas soon.