Interview:	BESEECH
Title:	Growing optimism

For years they seemed to have vanished from the scene, but now these Swedish Gothic Metal pioneers are making a surprise comeback with a brand-new album.

Entitled “Future. Present. Past.”, the latest release from these doom-tinged romantics – founded in Borås in 1992 – features a carefully curated tracklist which, with its dual vocals, offers plenty of interesting things to discover.

As singer Erik Molarin reports with a beaming smile, he and the whole band feel as though they’re on cloud nine – and have done ever since they stepped into the studio to record the album.

„Being back and creating together has been something we’ve all missed. And since many of us hadn’t met in a very long time it was a pleasant experience on many levels. We are more than happy with how the album turned out, and we’re really looking forward to hear what both old and new listeners and fans thinks about it. The response of the singles has been great, which makes us think that the album will not be a disappointment.“

How does it feel for you to know that a lot of people on the globe will soon be listening to your new music, especially after a ten-year hiatus from releasing albums?

„We are very humbled. When announcing our comeback, especially with this lineup, we knew some people would be hyped. But the amount of feedback and love we get has been overwhelming. It’s nice to see that people that had supported Beseech since well over 20 years back are still there cheering for us. Amazing!“

With my all-time favorite album, “Black Emotions”, you created a sound all your own back at the turn of the millennium. How have you managed to stay true to yourselves over the years?

„I was not yet a member of the band on ‚Black Emotions‘. But I was a Beseech-fan. With that in mind it has always been important to me to keep the feeling of Beseech in the band. Even when we try new things I always want things to ”sound Beseech”. And I think that, since we have that in mind, we succeed in keeping the core alive. Of course not every album will sound the same and there are differences between Black emotions and ”Future. Present. Past”, but I do believe we’ve stuck to the vibe.“

I wrote to the band already in 2000 with all my enthusiasm & my praising review for "Black Emotions" - and now, 2026, a quarter century (!) later, we're still there. Did you expect then, to stay such long as a metal band, and, with such a style?

„To be honest, no. When we put Beseech to rest in 2006 I don’t think any of us had any idea that we would be back, with almost the same line-up as we had on ”Sunless Days”. But something pulled us back in. And it’s a great feeling to start from where we left us back then. We’ve all had lots of experience from our lives, and it feels like we have more to give, and more to tell.“

How has the musical style of the band evolved since the previous album, and what do you particularly like about it at the moment?

„The style has changed a lot since ”My Darkness, darkness”. I guess that has most to do with the line-up change. ”My Darkness, darkness” did not have that many of the members from the past. And with that comes a style change. But as I said previously, the core is still the same. Everything has been created with great respect to the past. I would say the ”Future. Present. Past.” Is a continuation of the ”Souls Highway”, ”Drama” and ”Sunless days”-era. But with some new elements. And I like that Beseech is almost like a living organism. There is something there that keeps the band continue on, even after everyone thought it was dead.“

How do you see and evaluate this new output within your musical journey and what would you like to say about the new release in direct comparison to the previous longplayer "My Darkness, Darkness", out of 2016?

„The new album is heavier and has more balance between the female and male vocals. That would be the main difference. With the lyrics we’ve kept to the dark atmosphere that has always been Beseech, but since ”My Darkness, Darkness” there’s also a little spark of light, and an understanding that even the darkest moments can come with a little hope.“

How was the selection of songs for the new album done - was it difficult or rather easy for the band?

„I would say that it had some struggles, but that everything fell to place rather easy in the end. This time we had a lot of ideas for songs. And I think we chose from over 20 songs in the end. Some were just simple ideas, and some were pretty much evolved into full scale songs. We went with feeling. For example someone came with a base idea, and if someone else had a feeling for it they continued. And in the end everyone had been more or less involved in the final product.“

How can readers picture the process of how you write, develop, and finish one of your new songs?

„As I mentioned someone comes with the base idea. Let’s say that it’s a guitar riff. Maybe when I listen to it I will immediately get an idea for lyrics and melodies, so I record it. Sometime that idea is great, and that starts the feeling for someone else to come up with something to add. And all of a sudden there’s a complete song.“

And were there any ups and downs along the way this time?

„We absolutely did not agree on everything immediately, sometimes we needed to tweak and turn the song a couple of times to make it sound right. But we’re adults and have a great respect to each other, so we figure things out. I would say that time was the thing that was challenging. Everyone has their lives, and cannot spend months after months in the studio.“

What was your experience of the recording process for the new full-length output from start to finish?

„I lived in Mexico when we decided to put Beseech back out of the ground. And the rest of the members were more or less spread over Sweden. So we started with online meetings, and shared folders to collect and work on the material. When things started to take shape I moved back to Sweden and basically went straight to the studio together with the others. We had demo versions ready, so it was straight to work. I woke up around 8am every morning and went to bed around midnight. I recorded lyrics sometimes in the middle of the night. While me and Lotta recorded lyrics in one studio room, the others recorded the instruments in another studio room. All in all it took around a month to get everything where we wanted them.“

Did you face any band-related obstacles due to Covid, or were you not active at all during the pandemic?

„We were not active during that period. But it was very helpful in a way. Online meetings and shared files made a leap towards the better due to Covid. And that was very helpful for us regarding our geographical challenges.“

How well do you divide up the work, and how is the chemistry between all the musicians in Beseech?

„It depends on what needs to be done. Christian Silver, our drummer, has always been the producer of Beseech. Manne and Christian own the studio. So for that reason much of the tech-/recording-part becomes their responsibility. I focus on social media and much of the contacts. Lotta is a graphic designer so she makes sure things look good. Some of this and other parts we split between the members.“

Also, how well do you all play together musically - as people, musicians and mature individuals, you’ve surely changed quite a bit over the last 10–20 years, haven’t you?

„Of course we have developed different styles, but when we’re put in a room we get shit done. And after such a long break from each other I think we’re all impressed of how synchronized we are. But let’s take the example of guitar players. Jonas Strömberg is a very 70s influenced player, and Manne Engström comes from mainly death metal. But somehow it just works. And I think that’s a big part of what Beseech has always been.“

You’re all experienced and talented musicians in the band — given your strong egos, does that make working together more difficult, or is it actually easier because you’re all pulling together toward a shared vision?

„Like I mentioned we’re all grown up. And I would not feel that it’s that professional if ego got bigger than the band. We have different ideas, and taste and influences. But that’s part of the charm. And I do believe that our goal line is still the same for all of us.“

When you look back today on all your experiences—both good and bad—since you started out as a musician, what has changed the most in your attitude toward rock and metal and the music industry?

„There’s not that much attitude that has changed. But the industry has. I mean, back in the days you sold albums. Now streams seem to be what counts. Most people do not listen to music in the same way. It’s more focus on songs and not albums. Which makes the listening experience different, and with that also how the industry works.“

Anything you would like to add? 


„”Future. Present. Past” will be release August 28th through Despotz Records, be sure to listen! We’re very thankful for all the support we’ve gotten so far. And we hope you’ll all check out our social media, so you can keep an eye on what we’re up to. We can’t wait to see you out there!“

© Markus Eck, 02.08.2026

Photo Credit: Sabine van Gameren

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