UNITED WE STAND

TONKA/POWERCAGE

NICK: ALWAYS I WAS FAN OF THE HUGE AND INTERESTING INTERVIEWS AND THIS ONE WITH MR. YNGVE IS ONE OF THEM. I REALLY ENJOYED EVERY LINE I READ AND HOPE YOU TOO. ONE OTHER THINK THAT I LIKED IS THE COMMON WAY OF THINKING THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THE HEAVY METAL MUSIC. MR. YNGVE IT WAS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO MEET YOU (EVEN THROUGH THE NET) AND WISH YOU THE BEST FOR YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR BOTH BANDS.

1.HELLO YNGVE! FIRST OF ALL POINT OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF BOTH OF YOUR BANDS (TONKA AND POWERCAGE).

Yngve: Most important moments...hmm...first of all I want to thank you for letting me use this opportunity to promote my metal doings.And back to the question; with Tonka I guess the moment Teo the vocalist arrived from out of nowhere. He just came into our lives, even lived in the same town without me not knowing twat ’bout him. After he was Tonkafied, the band gained its own unique blend with the vocal pinpointing and colouring the outlet. I really think Teo defines the band, but the other two heads also kicks ass. All in all I’ll say Tonka is as unite a band as possible, depending on all four to get anything served. Powercage on the other hand, is really something I feel is promoting my personal taste more. I really love both my bands and while Tonka gives me the ultimate thrash kick, Powercage supply me with real metal injection. I have been following the metalscene since I was 7 years old, 79 for the not-knowers, and I can truly say Powercage grasps some of the aspects of what I view as to be true metal. Moment of importance; I don’t know; getting some material released was of course very cool, but also here I’ll state the vocal entrance as one important piece of the puzzle. Me and my friend Vegard jammed for a long time without anyone turning their heads towards our old school metal approach. Most of the bands of today drives down the happymetal highway, and topping it all off with the fact that my town isn’t the biggest one around, I guess we couldn’t expect anyone to enter the room withholding the same links to the metalscene as ourselves. Einar was a friend of mine that hadn’t sung for many years. He used to sing in a Malmsteen kind of band back in the late 80’s/early 90’s without any releases. I remember doing some gigs with them with my old band; Salems Lot, a techno thrash band also housing now Tonka bassist Bernardo. (My brother as well) Getting signed also rocked; Tonka got a deal with a great underground label down in Slovakia which shared my own views regarding the underground...

2.NICK:TONKA IS A STRANGE NAME. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? HOW DID YOU CHOOSE IT? IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO FIND THE RIGHT NAME FOR THE BAND?

Yngve: When I thought of the name, I was looking for a short/metallic/catchy/easy to remember moniker. Tonka did live up to all of those. The toys we used to play with as kids really could take a beating, they were tough and made of metal. Kind of convinced me this was what the band needed. And yes, finding the right name is important. Far too many bands just picks one sounding mean or nasty; Cannibal Corpse.Pretty much sums it all up.

3.CHRISTINE:ON THE OTHER HAND POWERCAGE SOUNDS MORE LIKE A TYPICAL POWER METAL NAME. DID YOU DO THIS ON PURPOSE? DO YOU THINK THAT A BAND NAME COULD SOMETIMES BE USED AS AN INDICATOR OF THE BAND'S MUSIC?

Yngve: Powercage isn’t powermetal even if it easily can point in that direction. I picked this one from a band I have followed for a long time; Holocaust. They have this kick ass track called Heavy Metal Mania which is what metal is all about..I have always loved this one and one of the lines is "inside the Powercage") No more hocus-pocus behind the name than that. I can see you indication on me picking the name to make it easier for people to guess the musical content, but I feel it can in fact also work against us. I have had feedback telling me it rocks, but they didn’t consider it to be metal. One review actually had the guts to state Powercage to sound like 70’s Priest and its kind, therefore Powercage couldn’t be metal. I guess I was blown away because I consider the late 70’s/80’s scene to be THE metal I know and love. But today the bands and the media have made it into something it isn’t; the hybridisation through the last decade has in fact ended up in people viewing metal otherwise. Maybe it is good, I don’t know, but I will always be proud to be a part of the real metal movement of the glorious era.

4.NICK:YOU HAVE 2 BANDS, POWERCAGE AND TONKA. I WANT YOU TO TELL US WHICH NEEDS (AS A MUSICIAN AND AS A PERSON) EACH BAND COVERS YOU?HOW DO YOU FIND SPARE TIME TO DO ALL THESE THINGS (PLUS YOU HAVE A FANZINE)?

Yngve: Tonka is my thrash source. I adore the thrash scene from the late 80’s and bands such as Kreator, Coroner. Anacrusis, Atheist and Sabbat only gets better...Tonka I feel is, without me trying to compare the band with these masters, grasping some elements of this kind and is a part of helping the real thrash to stay alive. Even if we are located within the mid-tempo thrash, Tonka is hard as steel. Lots of powermetal beneath and topped with a crushing attitude. Tonka is as much about the attitude as the music. To fight against commercial assholes and stand our ground has proven to be very important. And it really kills when all the reviews during the last years have been awesome. Even Snakepit managed to see what we tried to achieve. This is the ultimate I think, feedback telling us we are doing something right. Powercage gives me the metal erection, if this word ain’t too daring. I get a kick out of it and to be a part of recreating some of the feelings I got when thundering through my earlier years, really is valuable and fulfilling. Both bands together cover my all. One without the other wouldn’t be right and where I find the time to run everything? I don’t know. Easy as that. To run a zine all by myself as well as doing all the promotional activities for both bands and drumming in both of course is pretty tough. I just finished building myself a brand new house together with my lovely wife and son; we’re expecting another metalbaby this summer!!! Add work and you’ll understand I haven’t too much time endorsing my own private life. I know; this is my private life.

5.NICK:TONKA IS A THRASH METAL BAND, BUT I FOUND IN YOUR MUSIC AN EPIC AND DOOMY FEELING. DO YOU AGREE? HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR YOU TO MIX DIFFERENT METAL GENRES AND HOWEVER KEEP THE THRASH FEELING?

Yngve: Nick my man: your questions is in deed thought through. Let me have a moment; Tonka keeps the thrash feeling due to us not knowing how to play otherwise.No; that wasn’t right. It probably is based on us wanting to deliver our metal wrapped in a hard finish. We all are very different when it comes to musical taste; where I exists for the nwobhm/Kreator thrash/Us Metal and the odd mood band, Bernardo get his kicks from technothrash, Nile, Neurosis.Bernt is a Maiden freak as well as the one being a big fan of the present scene (Soilwork, In Flames, Meshuggah) and Teo is in fact an old blues vocalist.Wasp is his #1 metal band and also he indulges in Soliwork and the likes, plus he is a classical man together it all ends up in Tonka. The moods is from Bernardos bassing and Teos singing; deep, moody and bad.Bernt riffs like a thrasher and I deliver the drums my way; four very different yet alike individuals doing time in the same band..and I love epic metal! Some of the material from Manowar, Warlord, Saviour Machine.They all rule!

6.CHRISTINE:POWERCAGE IS A HEAVY/POWER METAL BAND MAINLY. I HAVE LISTENED TO YOUR SONGS MANY TIMES, HOWEVER I AM UNABLE TO POINT OUT SOME OF YOUR INFLUENCES. CAN YOU GIVE IT A TRY AND DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND AND NAME SOME OF YOUR INFLUENCES?

Yngve: I am as unsure as you; I usually state some names when promoting Powercage,Tnt (the Norwegian killer band; on the three first albums anyway), Thin Lizzy, older Gamma Ray, Old Priest, Old Metallica,some Us-metal and lots of the nwobhm vibe.These names I guess are good indicators on where Powercage is located musically. To try describing our sound is difficult. We haven’t tried to achieve any particular sound; bandwise or productionwise. We have recorded both our releases on a farm in the woods. This progband we hang out with, James Band, has a small recording/rehearsal place which they let us use. The upcoming record didn’t cost us that much; in fact, a set of winter-tires for their bandwagon did wonders.

7.CHRISTINE:HOW MANY RELEASES DO YOU HAVE WITH POWERCAGE? IS THIS THE FIRST ONE? IS THIS AN EP OR IS IT JUST A SAMPLER AND YOU WILL SOON RELEASE A FULL LENGTH ALBUM? HAVE YOU SENT PROMOS TO LABELS? ARE YOU SATISFIED BY THE FEEDBACK YOU RECEIVE FROM THE PRESS AND METALLERS?

Yngve: This one I’ll take systematically. With Powercage we have two releases. One ep; the 2001 ep and the upcoming album "A slave under sworded affluence". So no, this isn’t our first one. The disk you got is a three track sampler I sent out to only five addresses; only to avoid pressing more copies of the ep. And as you definitely are real metalheads, I thought, why not? The ep is represented on the upcoming album anyway; all the three tracks are re-recorded. No promos have been sent out to any labels yet.I am a bit sceptical regarding signing deals. Not that I don’t want to get some crazy mother to spend a lot of money on the bands, but it is really hard to find someone into metal the same way we are. None of us are stargazers and to find a label not only trying to cover their financial desires is hard. I have a lot of contacts around the world, and I’ll see if some copies find their way out to them, but the main aim is to get some reviews and promote the band to death; then we will use this base to continue our mission; the reinventing of real metal. You know; today everyone focuses so much on the production, who’s in the band (ex-shit and crap) that the real spirit of metal has disappeared. Only some of the bands of today grasp this feel; Byfist, Twisted Tower Dire, Warning Sf, Sabatan, Wolf and more. The feedback I have received has been awesome. Only kick ass reviews and lots of interviews. Especially looking forward to a major interview I did with my friend Eddy from Den of Iniquity mag.

8.CHRISTINE:TONKA PLAY THRASH. POWERCAGE POWER. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH IDEAS YOU SHOULD INCLUDE AND "BELONG" TO TONKA OR POWERCAGE? THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BANDS ARE OBVIOUS. WHICH ARE THE SIMILARITIES?

Yngve: The similarities is me and that we rehearse in the same room; I have only got one drumkit you know. The mission I mentioned in the prior question; to keep the real metal alive, not following trends but do what we feel is right in order to please ourselves is also a similarity. And deciding which ideas should be included in which band,that’s pretty easy for me, I don’t make any music. I do all the drumming; creates the drumparts and take part in the arranging sometimes.I haven’t the skill or the time to do anything besides what I already do. And no one else is taking part in the promowork, so I guess I’m alright...

9.CHRISTINE:WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT? DO YOU HAVE DIFFERENT THEMES FOR THE BANDS?

Yngve: Sorry, this one I can’t help you out with; Teo, the Tonkster, doesn’t like to discuss his lyrics. I can only respect this decision. They are however present for anyone to interpret. Powercage likewise; I guess I share bands with some real weirdoes but I can say that even if the Powercage lyrics may sound somewhat cliché, Einar really means stuff with his words. He is, as Teo, a thinking man.

10.NICK:NOW TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE FANZINE THAT YOU PRINT UNDER THE NAME "METAL UNDERGROUND". WHICH TARGETS DO YOU WANT TO SUCCEED WITH IT? DID YOU START IT BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO HELP THE BANDS, GIVE THEM A STEP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES? WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN THE MAINSTREAM METAL MAGAZINES?

Yngve: You’re in for a long one. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!Originally the zine was aimed towards my local scene; lots of great bands (Bloodred Throne, Scariot, Trail of tears, Green Carnation, Guardians of Time, In the woods, Drawn, Tonka, Powercage) which wasn’t covered at all by the media. I tried to use the zine as a source for these bands locally, but it didn’t work as planned.I have an extensive underground network housing so many killer bands, leading me to include these as well. Suddenly it all started to expand.I thought; why not mix’em all and use the zine to get the local names out of the country? So, the name changed from "Local" to "Metal Underground" Zine. I have only one goal with the zine; to push great underground/unknown band or names not covered in the commercial media to the public. I have some distro but could easily take on more. Printed zines don’t sell too good,too bad as it really is important that these kind of elements stays within the scene. I respect the web zines, but I view the printed ones to be of more value to the fans. Subjectivly stated, however, times are changing. I read some stuff on Metal Gospel regarding this topic.I don’t know, I really like to grab my copy of any mag; read it while sitting comfortable and relaxed somewhere, but the web based ones and the printed are so different in how they work and what they cover.I feel the world needs both. What zines I like in the mainstream? Hard to say as I may have different opinions on who’s main and who’s underground,but here goes, these are the zines I like regardless of where they belong; I love Metal Rules, Jeff cracks me up From the underground (Ger), Snakepit of course (Heinz and the rest of the crew are unbelievable), Scream (nor), United Forces, Iron Pages, The Vault (Yug), lots of great Greek ones too, but I don’t understand shit, True Metal (Panos rules. Did see my article on the norwegian scene?) Marterpfhal and Andi rocked with its cool layout and the real killer underground attitude; rip my friend Eddy Vermeiren of Den of Iniquity mag. Kick ass supporter Metal Integral (not good in french, but I do know these dudes are for real!). I probably have forgotten a lot, but these are the ones I can remember for now. And the reason I got in touch with your mag, the Behind the Veil concept, was due to me finally finding a webzine that appears very texty; very much like the printed ones.Closing this one by letting everyone know I deal in thrash, power, real and basically metal with heart,no fake assed happy metallers just in it for the ride, or some bad assed death/blackcrap.I can’t stand the vocals; Mille and Chuck (Rip) are the rawest kind I can deal with...

11.NICK:ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AGREE WITH YOU IS THAT YOU ASK POLITICAL QUESTIONS. I THINK THAT HEAVY METAL HAS A STRONG CONNECTION WITH POLITICS IN A WAY, BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH EVERYDAY SITUATIONS IN MANY WAYS. DO YOU AGREE? WHICH IS YOUR OPINION REGARDING THE WAR THAT THE U.S. IS ABOUT TO START WITH IRAK THIS FEBRUARY?

Yngve: Of course! Politics are present in whatever activity we participate in. Look back at all of the 80’s metalkings which took part in politics.Wasp, Twisted Sister, Kreator, Nuclear Assault. The whole society is based on politics; and of course other aspects as well.I feel a responsibility to stay informed, to know what happens in the world. Not only with the crappy wars in mind, but also the politics interferring with each individuals life. Welfare, social services, how we act towards our fellow humans.I am very much alert when learning how the different races are treated. I hate racism and every political view responsible for people being treated badly just for being different. I am very aware of how I act and what I say. Trying to be somewhat positive in all the negative shit of today. But of course there are lots of people out there fighting activly for the bettering of the human rights. I guess if I stop doing the zine or any of the bands, I would take part in some political stuff. The conflict running between Irak and the Us of A..hmm,I try to get as much info on this topic as possible, but as the media is so one-sided, we only receive the views they choose. That sucks. There is such a diversity in how the conflict is covered I don’t know what to think anymore. But I know war doesn’t solve this.I am a pacifist and don’t think weapons do any good. Regarding this particular conflict, so many fanatics are involved.I personally can’t do anything at this point, but I fear, as you say, a war is at hand. Saddam and Bush/Bush and Saddam are both madmen.

12.CHRSTINE:HAVE YOU DONE ANY LIVE SHOWS? HOW WAS IT THE FIRST TIME YOU GOT ON STAGE? WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

Yngve: With Powercage, no lives yet. This due to us being a trio. Still searching for members. Tonka on the other hand, has done several gigs; most of them went down very well. I have videorecordings of some and can honestly say the band is very strong both regarding the visual aspect and the musical performance. Of course we have done some crappy stuff...but all in all we do manage to transform our studiofeel onto the stage. I usually hide behind the drums anyway.My first gig? That was with my debuting band back in 89; Salems Lot, a band inspired by the likes of Coroner, Mekong Delta, Deathrow, Flotsam. You know the kind. I remember being nowhere as nervous as I am today when entering a stage, but looking back I feel my stagedebut was ok. We were a 99% original band, doing very few covers in contradiction to many other new bands. But some tracks got the Salems treatment; I remember Flotzilla (F&J), Motherly Love (Acid Reign), Extreme Aggression (Kreator), Inner self (Sepultura), South of Heaven (Slayer)...and of course For whom the bell tolls.

13.CHRISTINE:WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A FAN TO CONVINCE HIM BUY YOUR ALBUM INSTEAD OF SOMETHING ELSE? WHICH DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST AND WHICH IS THE WORST PART OF YOUR MUSIC?

Yngve: Again a well formulated question. I don’t know what I could have said to convince anyone to buy my bands. Tonka isn’t too accesible at the first spin, it needs some rounds to really unveil the depth in the lyrics, moods and the wholeness. I usually appeal to each individuals musical mind; getting them to try and focus on the music and not always buy the easy accesible stuff. Support the underground is one of my most used phrases; I guess Tonka is struggeling getting its name reckoned outside the undeground due to our music being this anti-commercial. I don’t care. Tonka has gained lots of fans and those into the band are fans really into our music. I rather have that then thousands of buyers only getting it for being on a known label or hyped by the media. Powercage likewise. I get feedback from labels telling me we play the "wrong" kind of metal. The labels just want their Stratovarious, Edguy, Freedom Call clones anyway.If you know anyone into some real metal, give them my mailaddress and maybe Powercage finally can get some deserved attention. We aren’t out to get rich and famous, not me anyway; we just want our music released. If not I release it myself. Whats the worst/best part in the music? I am pretty much happy with both bands. Maybe if I could mix the bands into one securing me some more freetime?

14.CHRISTINE:HOW DO YOU IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT MUSIC TO BE? IN THAT CASE WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD DO?

Yngve: If the world was created without music, I guess it would be as it is today; just with different inputs. But if the music were suddenly excluded from the present one, the suicide rates would have exploded. No sane person, or insane for that matter, can function today without music. I would probably survived though.I am a christian and this is the main basis for my life. Of course the lack of music would be a real drag, but in time, I guess people would adapt and by next generation or two, the world would have adjusted as it does all the time.

15.CHRISTINE:IF YOU COULD BE A HISTORICAL PERSONALITY FOR A DAY, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE AND WHY?

Yngve: Someone attending the early stages of Christ I guess. Just relaxing, listening and basically hang out with the locals.But again, those were hard times. Another cool era was the (watch me doing a major move) british metal invasion back in the late 70’s. It all depends on who I would have been; if I were a man of wealth, any era would have been cool to be a part of. The Roman Empire, Usa in the 30’s...I am however very grateful for the position I have in the universe. I am fortunate enough to be blessed with two children, a lovely wife, house, job, cool bands and friends.I may have answered this one differently then you expected. By a historical person you probably ment someone important and someone mentioned in the books.I can’t think of anyone right now...maybe Elvis. The King of all music!!!!!

16.CHRISTINE:IF YOUR MUSIC WAS AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD IT BE? IF IT WAS A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?

Yngve: If the music of Tonka was an emotion, it would have been a mix of the knowledge of being a part of the world and a touch of melancholia. Tonka is a positive band, but also very focused on the world’s affection on our lives. Powercage is probably more based on the brighter ways; nostalgia is one,happier and lightminded feelings. Powercage as a painting would have shown three guys in their thirties still burning for the metalcause. You know when you see some early shot of a band having a blast delivering metal; just before they get signed and loose all the stars in their eyes? That’s us. We are located in the youthful and naive class of pure metal love. No hidden agendas.Tonka is what the booklet and the cover of the latest album shows. Positive but enlightend lyrics, shadows and some interpretative images; positive or negative is all up to the viewer to decide.

17.NICK:WHICH IS THE STRANGEST QUESTION SOMEONE HAS EVER DONE TO YOU? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ASKED AND NO ONE DID? ANSWER IT AS WELL.

Yngve: Some greek friend; Michael from The Temple of Metal, asked what I would have done if Tonkas music was used as a porn-soundtrack. What I would like to be asked is why I bother. The answer would have been "for the love of metal and a genuine respect for humainty. To keep supporting all music delivered true and to stay underground. To fight off the commercial assholes trying to destroy good bands by deceiving them and being honest towards my doings".

18.NICK:IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THE CREATURE, THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?

Yngve: In my life, God created the universe. I wouldn’t ask him anything. Just chill and spend some quality time,even if I lost both my parents during the years 2000-2001, I still have kept my faith. Maybe a tiny why...and why he doesn’t give the devil some regular slapping; he is, after my beliefs, responsible for all the crap in the world; everything from the different wars taking place to Kerrang, Metal Hammer, Nu-metal and the likes.

19.THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

Yngve: I have no words to describe my thanx to you metalheads; a huuuuuuuuge salute for your true metal attitude and I hope your zine grows beyond inifinity. Imagine how cool it would have been if you zine suddenly became very succesful and had a lot to say? Then, if you had kept this attitude, you could have influenced the scene by pushing quality bands and views on the crappy business.Jeff and Metal Rules Magazine still withholds the same iron-attitude; and he has managed to become pretty big. Again; thanx and respect from yjmetal. Everyone; write to me for copies of my bands. Email: [email protected] or by post; Yngve M. Jacobsen 7 Berhusveien 93 / 4635 Kr.Sand-Norway.

CHRISTINE AND NICK PARASTATIDI (THE METAL BROTHERS)

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