By Sebastian Ramstedt (In Aphelion)
A little over a year ago, I started working on the song that would become “Requiem.” The simple melody and monotonous structure came about at a time when the pandemic darkness had descended over the world. On stage, the music had stopped and there was absolute silence in the once lively halls. As if that was not enough, musicians from my own generation began to die. One by one, the artists left us and the darkness spread even further. The song I was working on was slowly shaped into a requiem. One of the most important foreground figures in the Swedish death metal scene was suffering from illness. We followed L.G. Petrov’s fight against cancer through his online posts. To the very end, he kept the humor up just the way we he had always done. Always a smile, always joking. But one morning there were no more posts. L.G was gone.
The video for “Requiem” was not really planned. Every year on hallows eve we go to Skogskyrkogården, the forest cemetery in Stockholm. The holiday should not be confused with Halloween. It is a holiday to remember those who have left us. To honor the dead. In the metal scene, Skogskyrkogården is probably best known for the Entombed cross. We visit friends and family who have passed away. There rests L.G. Petrov and Quorthon, among others. When we got there, the sky opened up. A completely magical light played between trees and tombstones. We started filming with our mobile cameras. What you see in the video is the way to L.G and Quorthon’s graves. The song and video for “Requiem” is a dedicated to all our fallen brothers and sisters, and, in the end, it became a personal goodbye to L.G Petrov. The music is still there, his voice will never be silent.
We will never forget you. Your legacy lives on!
** In Aphelion’s new album, Moribund, is out March 11th on Edged Circle Productions. Vinyl, CD, and digital are available now to order (HERE). Swedish death metal forever!