It’s rare for an album to solidify itself as an emotional landmark within screamo and post-rock, yet Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket did precisely that with Den Sorgligaste Musiken i Världen and Det Onda. Det Goda. Det Vackra. Det Fula. A decade later, they’re still revisiting these creations, not to reminisce, but to reclaim the epic, unfiltered power embedded in those records.
This November, they’ll bring it back to where it all began, with special anniversary shows in Stockholm and Denmark—a fitting commemoration for a band that has navigated the divide between ambient beauty and guttural anguish.
On November 9 at Kulturhuset in Stockholm, the band will headline their first show curated to offer a longer set and rarely played tracks, sharing the stage with friends from Young Mountain and The Khayembii Communiqué, reuniting specifically for this moment.
Moving from the intimate venues of Stockholm to Denmark’s Christiania at Loppen on November 15, Vi Som Älskade Varandra Så Mycket brings with them IDIOTEQ-fetaured Vægtløs—Denmark’s own post-metal and screamo hybrid—who just launched their searing debut album, Aftryk, this year.
In our exclusive interview, lead vocalist Arvid speaks candidly about the process of revisiting their old material, what inspires their craft today, and where they see their unique work heading next.
From reflections on parenthood to Sweden’s shifting social landscape, the band digs deep into the questions of life, art, and the state of the world, setting the stage for these highly-anticipated anniversary shows.
It’s hard to believe, but nearly ten years have passed since we last spoke about that album. Honestly, just thinking about it still gives me chills. It’s easily one of the most masterfully crafted records in the heart-wrenching, post-rock-infused post-hardcore and screamo. This season feels perfect for some reflection, looking back at your two albums, but also catching up with what’s happening now. So, maybe let’s flip things around and start with the present—what’s the past year been like for you? What have you been focusing on as a band, and what moments stood out in your musical journey lately?
Arvid: Thank you. We have kind of been hibernating for a while, playing some stray shows but not with much focus. However, there is a nice energy in the band right now, or whatever we are. I guess we are more like a band collective at this point. We have always rotated musicians for our live shows, while remaining an original line-up for recordings. Those lines are a bit more blurry right now.
The ambition is to come out and play more live. We started working with Lasher Agency, which will help us book shows in the future. I had previously been taking care of that and honestly, I suck at it. So, if you want to book us I recommend reaching out to them.
View this post on Instagram
You’re part of this incredible alternative music scene in Sweden, which has been experiencing an explosion of amazing artists. What caught your attention this year from Scandinavia—perhaps even beyond Sweden? What would you recommend to our readers from this wave of artists?
Arvid: Sweden has always been good at producing interesting music. Right now, hardcore seems to have sort of a revival. That is the music and the scene I grew up in, so it’s nice to see a new generation getting involved.
The screamo scene had a peak a few years ago, but has slowed down a bit and a lot of the bands we used to play with are no longer active. There are a lot of interesting bands with people from that scene though, like grindcore band Bleachdrinker, hardcore band Speedway and noise rock band Baba Iaga. All of them have members that we have played with.
We have played in Denmark a couple of times and there are some really interesting things happening there. They have a nice and diverse music scene, especially in heavy music. Bands like Vægtløs, Omsorg, Puke Wolf, Demersal are making some really great stuff. The list is long.
Internationally, I really recommend a band called Oriska. I have known the singer Rusty from when I did an exchange year in Sioux City way back. He was in bands like Battlefields and Dispensing of False Halos, and now Oriska is putting out some great dark music. They have a full length record on the way.
I should also mention Ephemera, that my friend Gabriel has once again brought to life. Like the Live Aid of screamo, but without the charity. I think I might be the only recurring member, but it is such a cool and interesting project.
View this post on Instagram
You have upcoming shows that will honor and celebrate these two epic albums of yours. Can you tell us more about what to expect? Who’s joining you, and what was the idea behind these concerts?
Naturally, this leads me to the next question—are there plans for a larger tour, maybe across Europe?
Arvid: This year marks 10 years since our first record and 5 years since the second one. We knew we wanted to put something special together in Stockholm to celebrate the releases. Luckily Kulturhuset (The Cultural Center) in Stockholm agreed to book a show November 9.
We have headlined both shows and festivals before, but this is like our show, so it’s going to be special. We are doing a longer set than normal, meaning we will play songs we don’t normally play live. We are making merch with new variations of both our record covers to celebrate the occasion.
We also had the opportunity to invite bands to come play with us. Prior to being in VSÄVSM Mark was in the Khayembii Communique in Minneapolis and we are so happy to have the rest of the band come over to play this show with us. Though they have a very limited catalogue they are absolutely one of the best screamo bands from the late 90’s, early 2000’s. If you ever want to see them live, this is the chance.
We have also invited Young Mountain from Gothenburg. They are one of the bands that we have probably shared the stage with most times and they always kill it live. We just wanted to put together a show that we would like to go to.
We are also happy to do a short run in Denmark together with our new friends in Vægtløs. We are playing in Copenhagen the 15 and Aarhus the 16 of November together with some other awesome local acts. Vægtløs released one of the best records of this year and have such a raw emotional output, so it’s going to be massive.
I don’t see us doing a larger tour over weeks, but we are definitely interested in playing more shows in Europe or elsewhere if it makes sense. Playing festivals has been a good way for us to meet larger crowds, so that is definitely something we are interested in.
Have your friends from the U.S. ever tempted you to fly over and play some shows there? It feels like the time is right, doesn’t it?
Arvid: Everything is possible, but nothing we have planned. If the stars align we are open for it.
It’s also been about the time when fans start expecting another epic journey, a full-length album. Could you share more about where you’re at with that? How are you approaching it, and what can we expect?
Arvid: We are far from making a new record, though the ambition is there. We have put such high standards on our writing, we have sort of crippled ourselves. We just need to start working on it, but it is a big undertaking. It will take time, but we will make another record and hopefully it will be our best work.
Looking back, ten years ago you created something incredible. How do you reflect on the creative process that led to those compositions, now with the distance of time? What are your memories of that era?
Arvid: We had a great time recording that record. Our process has always been writing demos on our own and then recording it if the rest of the band likes it. This means we barely practiced the songs before recording, and we didn’t really know where the songs would end up. For me, it was the first record I put out, so it obviously was a big deal.
We barely had any outside pressure, so it just came down to songwriting and creating what we thought was beautiful. It might be the best work we ever will put out, because it was just us. We recorded it and produced it ourselves and I think what Tomas, our bass player that recorded and mixed it, made it into is something really special. Because we had our own studio at the time, we spent a lot of time working on the different layers. We still play a lot of the songs from that record live and I will always be proud of it.
At the time, we talked a lot about your inspirations. They weren’t just musical but also drawn from art and life itself, and you could feel that tension and dynamic throughout the entire record. How have those inspirations evolved? Have you been feeding your artistic souls with enough creative energy for a continuation? Do you feel that hunger to translate your firm inspirations into new music again?
Arvid: We have all been caught in a weird time. Between the pandemic, global distress, work and being a father I have not been able to focus on our art. We are in a transitional phase right now, where we are playing more shows as a stepping stone to finding our creativity and drive again. Like most bands we are just a bunch of idiots trying to make sense of the world and hopefully we can. I think we can.
When we last spoke, you mentioned that the album expresses both sadness and hope, offering listeners a kind of solace. Over these past ten years, do you feel like your hopes for the future have been fulfilled?
Arvid: Life is a constant search for meaning and for me personally becoming a father has certainly changed my perspective, on other aspects I am as lost as ever. I think our hopes and dreams evolve with us. Some hopes and ambitions have come to fruition, but far from everything. I guess that is just how life is.
On that note, the world hasn’t exactly turned out all rainbows and sunshine. From your perspective in Sweden, a country often seen in Europe as having gone through political upheaval and facing challenges due to migration policies, how do you see things from the inside? Stockholm is labeled one of the most dangerous cities in Europe. Is this perception accurate in your view? How do you discuss these issues as a band?
Arvid: Sweden is still pretty cool. There has been a rise in gang violence, but also the right wing populists are working pretty hard to amplify the situation for political gain. Don’t be discouraged, you are safe to come to our show if you want to.
Speaking of your debut, I remember mentioning my dream of hearing an instrumental version, perhaps remastered to deepen its already incredible emotional resonance. Listening to it on platforms like Spotify, it loses a bit of that depth—though there’s something charming about that too. Have you ever considered re-recording it with full depth or releasing an instrumental version? I think it would absolutely blow fans of instrumental post-rock away.
Arvid: I agree. Everything would be top-notch instrumental post rock, but that would make me obsolete. This will obviously not happen as long as I am around. Haha.
Haha, fair enough, my friend.
As we move to your second album, we talked about how you raised the bar with your studio work alongside Jonatan, and you felt there was a fresh perspective in the production. Do you think the next chapter could push that bar even higher? Are you tempted to go that route?
Arvid: We always want to go bigger. I think the post-rock vein of our sound calls for a greater production while our screamo roots beg for a crappier one. We are definitely going to push the bar even higher, but it also makes our process slower.
The themes of your album were inspired by film. If you were to write another album now, what films would inspire you? And on that note, what films from recent years would you recommend to your fans?
Arvid: Art imitates life and life imitates art. I will always be inspired by beauty wherever it comes from. Right now I am not a big consumer of film, being lost in the Netflix algorithm and mostly watching Pixar movies with my four year old. I guess Inside Out 2 could be the blueprint for a pretty good emo record.
Your second album brought fascinating lyrical narratives, offering hope for finding a way back to life after difficult experiences, contrasting the darker tone of your debut. How would you approach writing lyrics today? Are there new themes you’d like to comment on based on what you observe in the world and the emotions you experience?
Arvid: My life and the world have changed a lot since our last record came out. We are far from recording, so who knows where it will take us. The idea of our band was always to express emotions both musically and lyrically.
Being the vocalist, it will be the story of my life, and hopefully it’s relatable. I have had some great conversations over the years with people who have gone through the same emotions, and I am really thankful for having that exchange. We are all trying to cope with hardships in life, so if our music and my lyrics can help someone that is just fantastic.
Would Martin Jacobson design the album cover again, or do you have leftover illustrations from previous releases that could complete the visual layers of a new project? Or has everything already been used on your albums?
Arvid: Martin is a very accomplished and recognized artist, so everything he does for us is by his good grace. We are so happy that he has leant us his talent and I am hoping he will do it again. Last time we talked about it he said he would.
Arvid, when we last spoke in 2019, you were expecting a child. How’s family life now? Like many of us, do you feel the balance tilting toward personal reflection as you get older, understanding more why music might take a back seat? What’s happening with you personally, and how do you balance everyt
hing?
Arvid: Bonnie, our daughter, changed everything. She is everything to me. My lyrics have always been about love and the sadness that comes from loss. I have never experienced love like this. I guess the next record will be about her.
I think it’s important as a parent to still have your own dreams and follow what makes you happy. Music will always play a big part in my life, so I hope we can keep it going.
Finally, please share your future plans with us to wrap things up. If there’s anything we didn’t cover, feel free to add it in—use this platform to say whatever you want the world to hear. Thanks again, and huge congratulations on your incredible releases. We’re eagerly waiting for more!
Arvid: Thank you for being an outlet for independent music. I have so much respect for people that run labels or zines, book shows and of course play music.
Also, I would like to express our gratitude to anyone that listens to our music and visits our shows. It means the world to us. Hope to see you in Stockholm or Denmark in November.
