Former ENTOMBED Guitarist Explains Departure

On September 8, Sweden's ENTOMBED announced the departure of original guitarist and songwriter Uffe Cederlund.

"The last couple of years weren't much fun," says Cederlund in an exclusive interview in the November issue of the Swedish magazine Close-Up. "It feels like we wanted different things in the band, that we have different opinions and values and that it was no longer possible [for me] to continue. It feels like [ENTOMBED] is more a name than a band. I find it a little strange that the others are continuing without me, but I hope they do well."

At the time of the split, Uffe Cederlund had completed work on a lot of material for ENTOMBED's ninth studio album.

"I've written six or seven ENTOMBED songs for a new album, which I intend on completing on my own somehow," he reveals. "I don't know who will be involved in this constellation. I will try to get the record done with a new band, but it's not like it will be a full-time commitment and me thinking that I can live off the music. It'll sound a lot like ENTOMBED; not old-school death metal ENTOMBED but the way my songs sound. I'm not going to record an album, send it to Century Media and get my hopes up [about getting signed]. That's a closed chapter for me. I want to release it on some small label that a friend of mine has, so that it's on a cool level. I want to have a life at home, so that music becomes something fun and not a job again."

Uffe Cederlund remains a member of the Swedish hardcore band DISFEAR, featuring vocalist Tomas Lindberg (THE GREAT DECEIVER, ex-AT THE GATES, THE CROWN, NIGHTRAGE, SKITSYSTEM, GROTESQUE, LOCK-UP). DISFEAR plan on releasing a new album late next year. Meanwhile, Cederlund has put together a new outfit in which he takes care of vocal duties as well as plays guitar.

"I have a hardcore band called PRINCIPLES OF EXISTENCE. It's Rex "Pulko" Superior (ex-DONTCARES) on guitar, Olle Sundqvist (ENTOMBED's sound engineer) on bass and Thomas Åberg (TWOPOINTEIGHT) on drums. Musically it's a cross between thrash hardcore and very early MINOR THREAT hardcore."

ENTOMBED are currently working on a new album, to be released through the band's own label, Threeman Recordings, next spring.

"Over the years we've built something, a name that is much bigger than its individual parts," guitarist Alex Hellid tells the magazine in reference to Cederlund's departure. "Living up to that name is something we take very seriously. Of course, we feel an enormous pressure, albeit in a positive way, and a great obligation to maintain [the name] as well as live up to our own and other people's high expectations that come along with putting an ENTOMBED logo on an album."

ENTOMBED have no plans on replacing Cederlund and will continue as a four-piece, with Hellid as the sole guitarist. However, there is a possibility that former ENTOMBED drummer and current THE HELLACOPTERS frontman Nicke Andersson will contribute to the next album.

"I've just talked loosely with Alex and Peter [Stjärnwind, drummer] about it," confirms Andersson. "I haven't really said anything, but they've basically asked me if I would consider being involved in one way or the other. Whether or not that's because Uffe has quit, I have no idea."

So there is at least a possibility that you will contribute to ENTOMBED?

"It's really down to having the time to do it," admits Andersson. "There are another thousand ideas I want to see through. But if it's possible, it would be a blast to do something [with ENTOMBED]."