Interview with Henrik Ohlsson of Theory In Practice and Mutant Boasting a suffocating technicality that practically reaches out and wraps its tense fingers around your throat, the brutally complex death metal musings of Theory In Practice makes for one of the most enjoyable musically-induced stress headaches that I have ever been afflicted with. The Armageddon Theories is Theory In Practice's second full-length album, and it is an innard-squishing rollercoaster ride laden with maniacal tempo changes, utter technical brutality, and demonic vocals that scratch and claw against the frenzied assault of the other instruments. The Armageddon Theories, which shares its name with the five-part death metal epic that acts as the album's conceptual centerpiece, is eight songs of unbridled extremity intertwined with a clever mixture of insanely complex sonic carnage and dynamic melodic structures that bubble beneath the surface before erupting into white hot geysers of malicious guitar and keyboard harmonies. Recorded in August 1998 at the Abyss Studios with Tommy Tägtgren at the helm, The Armageddon Theories was initially released by Pulverised Records in Singapore, although the band quickly negotiated a new deal with France's Listenable Records to reissue the album and provide better distribution and promotion. As drummer, vocalist, and lyricist Henrik Ohlsson relates, "we had seen how bad Pulverised promoted our debut album, Third Eye Function, and we didn't want to waste another album on bad promotion and distribution." Also emerging from the deal with Listenable Records was The Aeonic Majesty, the full-length debut from Mutant, a black metal side project formed by Ohlsson and Theory In Practice axeslinger Peter Lake. Ohlsson, who describes The Armageddon Theories as "a non-stop technical speed experience that leaves no pauses to catch your breath," goes so far as to entertain doubts that the band itself will be able to outdo the present album in terms of technicality. When questioned about characteristics which distinguish Theory In Practice from other extreme metal bands, Ohlsson initially cites the band's lyrical depth: "I think that the lyrics fill an important function that may not be that obvious at first. I put a lot of thought and work into my lyrics....There's also a lot of layers in the music that may not be that obvious, like some guitar harmonies, keyboard stuff, and other shit that is there without [dominating] the sound picture." Vocally, Ohlsson's sepulchral growl is a relatively new addition to the mix, having replaced Johan, the band's previous vocalist, after Third Eye Function. When asked to compare his vocal style with that of his predecessor, Ohlsson says, "I think that my style of singing suited the music on The Armageddon Theories better, but I wouldn't want to compare them at all. Johan's voice was deeper and mine is more raspy and screaming. I will probably do some deeper vocals in the future to get some variation, though. We decided that I would do the vocals when we realized that finding a replacement for Johan was impossible - no one seemed to be able to handle the technicality of our music. Since I had been doing some backing vocals before [Johan's departure], I decided to do it myself." While the extreme complexity of the music has precluded Theory In Practice from performing live, for the next album Theory In Practice will recruit a new drummer so that Ohlsson can focus his undivided attention on the vocals. Lyrically, the subject matter behind the five-part title epic describes the human race self-destructing, and leaving a legacy of hate and ignorance which will curse humanity's heir to the same fate. Ohlsson offers an overview, saying that "the first phase with lyrics ["Prophecies"] is about humanity starting a big religious war [as] we [also realize that all of] the assets of nature have been drained from the earth. In the second phase, we learn that this leads to humankind's extinction, [as it is seen through] one individual's dying thoughts about the fact that the end is near. In the third part, the powers of creation continue after their failure with humanity and create the embryo of a new race with more developed functions and emotions. As things progress, they bloom into a fully developed breed with empires and stuff, but they also sense through their 'supernatural abilities' that they were not the first ones on earth." At the conclusion, this post-human race rediscovers religion and ultimately returns to the cycle of death and destruction explored in "Prophecies." Regarding his personal outlook, Ohlsson states that "I'm not really a pessimist, but the message in extreme music will always be dark. I can't write that the sun is shining and everyone is happy and that kind of stuff. The lyrics and the music go hand in hand: somewhat technical or 'deep' with a strong sense of darkness and aggression. I am rather tired of humankind's ignorance though, and, the way that I see it, the general mass of humans does not take any responsibility whatsoever. Those are the ones that I point my finger at in the lyrics, those are the ones that need a kick in the ass. If you don't have any respect for life or the slightest interest in preserving the earth for those that will come after us, then we are truly doomed. The earth will hit back one of these days and the planet will survive us, but if humankind [continues to] believe that it is so supreme, that may very well lead to our own extinction." Much like Theory In Practice, Mutant pushes the technical complexity of its respective genre; by merging keyboard-accentuated black metal with striking musical dynamics and a penchant for involved riffing, Mutant carves a unique niche for itself on the war-ravaged landscape of black metal. While the song structures on The Aeonic Majesty are not as complex, Ohlsson and guitarist Peter Lake have imported their trademark technicality, creating militantly melodic black metal soundscapes overflowing with relentless guitar barrages, banshee vocals, and unearthly keyboard atmospheres. Ohlsson remarks, "we formed Mutant when Theory In Practice was still signed to Pulverised. We were frustrated by our situation and wanted to try something new." When asked how the approach differs between Mutant and Theory In Practice, Ohlsson notes that "we never rehearse with Mutant. Peter writes the music individually and then passes the songs over to me, and I write and arrange the vocals by myself. Then when it's all done we just enter the studio and record. While we put months and months into creating music for Theory In Practice, we work in a much more relaxed way with Mutant." Much of the music for The Aeonic Majesty was apparently influenced by the Aeonic Ones, a mysterious extraterrestrial race that is the focal point of the lyrics. While Ohlsson admits that Mutant is "probably more of a project than a real band," he also states that Mutant's black metal onslaught has been given the same priority as Theory In Practice, although the band members are currently concentrating on writing a new Theory In Practice opus to follow The Armageddon Theories. When not overloading the mind with their twisted music, the members of Theory In Practice do, of course, find time to enjoy the vibrant extreme music scene in their native Sweden. Ohlsson relates one particular story during the recording of The Armageddon Theories. "Peter Tägtgren [owner of the Abyss Studios, frontman for Hypocrisy and Pain] invited us to party with him and [the members of] Dimmu Borgir, who were also recording then. When he asked us, we were watching this X-Files movie, completely sober. Fifteen minutes later we came stumbling into the party, drunker than anyone else! How is that possible? Well, it's possible because we had five litres of homemade booze that we consumed very quickly - the movie we were watching was so fucking boring and we just needed an excuse to drink! We made complete fools out of ourselves that night! But what the hell, I don't remember much anyway."

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