#Interview with Mikael Vega (Internal Decay, A Canorous Quintet)

Interview conducted by Sílvia

Internal Decay is a Death Metal band from Sweden with a short career in the early 90s: founded in 1991, they released a demo that same year and an outstanding full-length album in 1993, “A Forgotten Dream”, and then they disbanded the year after. Then, 30 years later, the band became active again, with some changes in their lineup. And they have re-released their album in CD and vinyl format, via Vic Records. To talk about all these things from the past and the present (and maybe some about the future?), I did an interview with Mikael Vega, guitar player on Internal Decayand one of the founding members of the band. And well, you’ll also find out things regarding another band he plays in nowadays… Did I say A Canorous Quintet? Well, now I did.

Hi Mikael, thank you for your time doing this interview. How is life treating you?

Mikael: Thank you! It is all good, embracing the northern darkness for the time being.

Let’s talk about Internal Decay and the old days. What’s the story behind the formation of your band? Did you play in any other band before? 

Mikael: Internal Decay was the first band I ever played in. When we started, I couldn’t play guitar at all. We were four childhood friends trying to play Metal. The original lineup came together in 1987 under a different name, which eventually evolved into Internal Decay.

How do you remember those days? I can imagine it must be really exciting being so young, founding your own band and recording an album… Were you living your dream?

Mikael: Oh yes, of course, it was exciting. I don´t know if we were living the dream but, yes, we were excited and were looking forward to gigs, tours, more albums etc.

About “A Forgotten Dream”… I’ve read somewhere (probably on your social media) that the recording of the album was a plague of misfortunes, to say it soft… This is so sad. And maybe that was the reason for the band breaking up?

Mikael: We encountered a few setbacks along the way. For instance, while Entombed were recording Wolverine Blues in the same studio, they accidentally erased the sound settings we had prepared for our final mix. With no budget for extra studio time, we had to accept the production as it was. On top of that, the logo turned out yellow due to a mix-up —the designer received yellow copier paper instead of the intended white. Another thing was that we only got to see the album cover once the album was released. It was based on our ideas, but we didn’t have the opportunity to give any feedback to it.  

Do you believe that, if your band couldn’t get a contract with a bigger label and a better released album and promotion, it was because of bad luck? ‘Cause, let’s say it, “A Forgotten Dream” is fantastic. But other similar bands from those years achieved more recognition and went onwards, so I tend to think about good and bad luck of the moment… 

Mikael: No, it wasn´t bad luck. It was impatience. After we signed with Euro Records, we received other offers, both better and worse. We were 17 years old at the time, we didn’t know any better. Also once we had recorded the album we had a well known label that was very interested, but Euro Records of course pushed for signing asap, and we never gave the other larger labels the opportunity and the time needed to finalise something with us. 

In which bands have you been playing after Internal Decay split up? Have you been doing more things music related?

Mikael: After Internal Decay disbanded, Kenny —the original guitarist— and I formed Ad Infinitum, a doom/gothic band that explored a darker, atmospheric sound. A few years later, I started Pandemonic, and over time, I played in several other bands, continuing to experiment and evolve musically.

And then, Internal Decay resurrected again after 30 years of silence. Who had the idea to bring the band to life again? Was it a thing that came naturally? 

Mikael: I guess it started with me. In 2017, I reworked the songs that were meant to be on our second album. For a while, I considered sending the songs to the other guys, and in 2020—during the COVID lockdown—I finally did. Nothing happened at first, but by the end of 2023, we began seriously talking about making this real. After countless setbacks and unexpected challenges, we’re finally back with a solid line-up.

Internal Decay recently announced that you’ll release an EP next year, via Hammerheart Records. How excited are you about this? And, how has it been recording new songs after all these years? 

Mikael: Many of these riffs were composed decades ago, so finally having the opportunity to record and release these songs feels great. It is time for them to come to life.

Can we expect live gigs from Internal Decay in the near future?

Mikael: Yes, we are planning 2026 at the time being. We are eager to get back on stage and play more gigs. For booking inquiries, please visit: https://internaldecay.com .

Besides being in Internal Decay, you are also a member in A Canorous Quintet. How has it been touring with the band this year? Did you guys find a good reception from the audience in the venues you were playing? I must say, I attended your gig in Barcelona and it was insanely good! 

Mikael: It has been an incredible journey. I never anticipated the level of enthusiasm from fans, and the response has been truly overwhelming.

Next year marks the 30th anniversary of “Silence of the World Beyond”, the first full-length album released by A Canorous Quintet. Are you planning to celebrate it in a special way? 

Mikael: The plan is to play the album in its entirety in as many places as possible. For booking inquiries, please visit: www.acanorousquintet.com .

And, how are things nowadays in the band? Are you maybe working on new music? Already some gigs on the horizon?

Mikael: Things are looking great in the Internal Decay camp — we’ve just strengthened our lineup by adding a keyboard player. As mentioned, we’re planning to book shows next year to promote the new EP and the reissue of our classic debut album. Plus, we’ve got plenty of new material ready for the future.

Now, in order to know you a bit better, let me go with some more personal questions. At what age did you start playing guitar? Is there any musician that was a big influence or inspiration for you?  Do you play other instruments?

Mikael: As I mentioned earlier, I first picked up the guitar when I joined a band —I was about 12 years old. Back then, Kenny was the only one who could really play, so he taught us Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath songs to get us started. I can also play a bit of drums and piano, though only at a very basic level.

Do you remember the feeling of the first time you stepped on stage to play, and where was it? Were you nervous, or did you handle it well?

Mikael: We rented a sports hall, way out in the suburbs together with another band. We were barely 15 years old, and to this day I have no idea how we managed to pull it off —or where the money for the rent came from. Still, people from all over greater Stockholm showed up, making it a fantastic first gig. We even have it on video, though thankfully the quality is poor! I’m sure we were all nervous, given how many people attended.

At what age did you start listening to Metal? And what band first got you into this kind of music?

Mikael: It was a relative of Kim (Internal Decay’s singer) who first introduced him to Mötley Crüe, Scorpions, and Dio. He played those bands for me too, and at first, I hated it —but by the time I was 7 or 8, I started to love it, and I still do.

Are you still enjoying the bands and the albums you were listening to as a teenager?

Mikael: Yes, absolutely. Even though I know some of them haven’t aged well and might not be great by today’s standards, nostalgia always wins, haha.

The way we listen to music nowadays has changed a lot from decades ago. Do you like wandering and “finding” new bands on the net? How do you see the underground Metal scene nowadays, when everything is just one click away?

Mikael: I still mostly listen to vinyl —that’s never changed. Occasionally, I’ll stream music on Spotify or similar platforms, but I really miss the mystique and the rumours that used to surround certain bands. Today, everything is instantly available and thrown in your face whether you want it or not.

Is there any song that brings tears to your eyes, for being highly emotional to you?

Mikael: Not quite tears, but Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ is definitely up there, along with Bowie’s ‘Blackstar’, which he released just days before his passing. Those albums left an impact —now it became about entire albums rather than individual songs, sorry about that.

How do you think the climate of the Nordic countries affects the music produced there? With all that cold and darkness that lasts several months a year…

Mikael: In a positive sense. We tend to stay indoors during the winter months, which gives us plenty of time to focus on creating.

What does Metal music mean to you in your life?

Mikael: A lot!

Thank you for your time doing this interview, Mikael, best wishes to you and your bands, and hopefully, see you on a gig soon!

Interview by Sílvia

Check Internal Decay and their album “A Forgotten Dream” for a great dose of Swedish Death Metal from the 90s with a dreamlike atmosphere. Stay tuned for more news to come from the band! And also, check A Canorous Quintet for a brutal Melodic Death Metal assault. Support the bands and the artists, support the underground.

   

Internal Decay
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Spotify 

A Canorous Quintet
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Tidal
Deezer
Spotify

**Please support the underground! It’s vital to the future of our genre.**
#WeAreBlessedAltarZine
#TheZineSupportingTheUnderground