2003 the year of Dimension Zero! First the re-release of your "Penetrations From The Lost World" album and now your brand new album "This Is Hell". More than enough to be curious about your new album and the band's opinions on life!

How did you come on the idea with the re-release so close to your brand new album? Just to shorten the time till the publication date?

Jocke :
Well the original plans were to release "This is hell" in May but something went wrong. And the re-release was set to be released in August I believe but wasn't, so this is just a coincidence really, but a cool one I think!


The music you are playing on "This Is Hell is in my opinion quite straight with many thrash elements. And again there are no guitar solos on it. As far as I remember you used to experience with them in the beginnings. What was the reason to leave them out of you music?

Jocke :
They had absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the songs really so we took em out. I believe that the music of DZO should be presented in the more compact form so there's no space for guitar solos. I hate guitar solos anyway.


Dimension Zero - a place with nothing - that's as far as I know the meaning of the band's name. What do you think would you prefer a place like this instead of our world?

Jocke :
No, because then I would feel miserable all the time. DZO is the place I go to mentally when I write my lyrics and I am always miserable when I write.


In my opinion our world becomes more and more violent, a century of force. Would you agree with me when I say that your music reflects this world and deems of it?

Jocke :
Well in a way yes, unintended though. Its not that we want to reflect on the state of the world or something with our music. We just want to create brutal metal, which we could enjoy listening to ourselves. But in a way the music that we make could work as a soundtrack to the destruction of the world.


If so does the album title also point in this direction - the hell in which we are all living?

Jocke :
Hell is right here right now; it's a state of mind to me. Life is heaven and hell.

What would you call your personal hell?

Jocke :
The state I'm in when I write the lyrics. The anguish creeping up from behind to break me down is my personal hell.


I read in the information about "This Is Hell" that your first gig ever took place in Tokyo. How did you come on Tokyo? So far away from your home country Sweden?

Jocke :
Just a coincidence really coz we finally had the time to do some gigs and the offer from Japan came up and we took it. It was totally unreal! We freaked out a little bit when we heard the crowd roaring when our intro blasted through the speakers. I don't think that we could have had a better start on our live career really. Amazing.


What about Jesper and In Flames. Doesn't it cause problems sometimes especially relating to time problems while doing recordings and live gigs for both bands?

Jocke :
Yes it will but we are prepared for that and we all agreed from the very beginning this band took form that IF comes first, no question about it. So it's all about timing really, we do what we can and we are happy with that.

What about your "missing member", your second guitar player. Did you manage to find a worthy one or is there still an empty place in your ranks?

Jocke :
We are trying out a couple of people but nothing is decided yet.


Tell me, if I would ask you about going on holiday to Scandinavia: why would I have to choose Sweden?

Jocke :
Because of the beautiful nature and lakes. That's the best parts of Sweden really. I mean, everyone have been to a city before right so there's nothing much to offer there that you haven't got someplace else in the world.


Will there be a chance to see Dimension Zero live with the new album here in Europe?

Jocke :
Absolutely! Our main goal is to play as much live as we possibly can with this album. So watch out Europe!


Alright! Thank you very much for the patience you had with me and of course for the time you took for the interview!

Jocke :
Thanks a lot for your interest in Dimension Zero, Cheers man!


martin