Interview with Jan Oberg (drums & vocals)

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Grin is a family project of Jan Oberg (drums & vocals) and his wife Sabine (bass). It’s a ‘Cosmic Doom’ duo founded in 2018 in Berlin. They’re currently promoting their new full-length called Acid Gods. Recently I had a fun time talking with one half of the band, Mr. Jan Oberg. I’d recommend reading interview and then order their new album and support the band.

Metal Revolution: Hello from your northern neighbors (Denmark). How are things in the cultural capital of Europe?
Jan: Hi, pretty good. The weather is also gradually getting better here, so no complaints.

MR: Please tell us a few things about Grin. When and where was it founded? How did you two met?
Jan: We have known each other for about 26 years and have been married since 2008, so quite a while. We founded GRIN in 2018 here in Berlin as a small side project, and now our fifth album is already coming out at the end of May.

MR: How did you get your moniker, and what is the exact mening behind Grin?
Jan: I don’t quite remember exactly why we ultimately chose this name, probably because it’s simply short, sounds good, and is easy to remember. But in hindsight, the name is just perfect for us. Just like our music, a grin can have so many different facets – joy, fear or malice for example, actually quite interesting and fitting.

MR: What can you tell us about your upcoming full-length, Acid Gods?
Jan: Compared to our previous albums, with Acid Gods we’ve taken a much rougher and more raw approach. It should just sound like the two of us, bass, drums & vocals, raw and unpolished. Before, we always included many layers of additional vocals, extra guitars, and a variety of sounds in our albums, which is actually not possible to perform live with two people, but with the help of some backing tracks it still worked quite ok, but somehow, it didn’t quite feel right anymore.

MR: I believe it’s too early to ask about the first reactions and feedback from your fans and the press? Instead I’ll ask you if you’re satisfied with the final result? Anything you could change now if you had a chance?
Jan: There have already been a few reactions, and so far they have all been great. We are very satisfied, and I don’t think there’s anything we would want to change about the album.

MR: Acid Gods is to get released via ‘The Lasting Dose Records‘? Is it a German-based label and you glad for the kind of promotion you’re getting?
Jan: The Lasting Dose Records is our own DIY label on which we release our albums, as well as albums by a few other bands that we really like. For the promotion, we collaborate with various agencies, and I also take care of it from time to time. It’s a lot of fun.

MR: Utilized any new recording techniques when recording this new record, compared to the things you recorded earlier on the predecessor, Hush (2024)?
Jan: We haven’t done anything too wild so far. We spent a lot of time on the bass sound as we didn’t want to do any overdubs on this album. So, everything you hear from the bass was recorded only once, but simultaneously through three different amps. And it turned out really nasty – kind of a mix between a bulldozer and an electric razor, (Laughing) awesome.

MR: What obstacles or challenges, if any, do you encounter when it comes to getting your music out there and heard by potential new fans?
Jan: I think it always takes a bit of luck. If the right people who have a very good reach discover you and spread your music, things are of course much easier. But I wouldn’t put any pressure on myself, first and foremost you’re making music for yourself and if a few people like it, that’s great.

MR: How would you describe the sound on this new ten-tracker album? Picking up where the Black Nothingness EP left off or…?
Jan: Well, the approach is similar, but I think that the songs on Acid Gods are a bit more sophisticated and, despite their roughness, definitely more catchy.

MR: Your music style is what I would call a mix of sludge, doom and stoner metal. Do you agree with my description?
Jan: We call our style “Cosmic Doom”, that’s the description that we like best.

MR: Which are your main influences then? Am I wrong if I say that your sound is reminiscent of the likes of The Melvins and Eyehategod?
Jan: Absolutely, especially with this album, you’re spot on. Conan or Big Business have definitely influenced us too – maybe not so much in songwriting, but more in terms of sound design and the rawness of the overall tone. Their approach to heavy, gritty textures really resonates with our style.

MR: If I give myself a feedom to say, I think you’ve been continuously evolving your sound ever since the release of your debut Revenant (2018). You’re not one of these bands that always produce same sounding albums, and I feel as if you’re constantly challenging yourselves. Would you put a few words on it yourself?
Jan: (Laughing), yeah, luckily. I also don’t understand how some bands can keep releasing the same album over and over again and still seem to enjoy it – at least, that’s what it often looks like. We couldn’t do that, it would bore us to death.

MR: Has the lyrical content changed over the years? Where do you get inspiration for writing lyrics and who’s the main songwriter? Or do you both participate equaly?
Jan: Not much has changed over the years, still mystical and spiritual as ever, (Laughing). I write most of the songs because I often have a lot of ideas and want to bring them to life quickly. Sabine usually needs to be persuaded to join in, (Laughing), but it does happen sometimes that she wants to contribute a song herself.

MR: Where do you get inspiration from when creating a new song, and how does your creative process work?
Jan: There’s not much to tell, it usually happens very quickly. I jam a bit along to a click track, and in about 30 minutes, the rough structure of the song is usually complete… assuming I’m having a good day.

MR: Did you ever considered to add more members to the line-up?
Jan: Not really, and with Acid Gods it’s even more unnecessary.

MR: I need a few spins before picking up my favourites, but I would say that tracks like “Beneath the Altar” and “Unshut” have a great potential. What is your favorite track from Acid Gods? Which song resonates with you personally the most and why?
Jan: Good question, but I think it’s “Nocturno” for me, even though I like at least five others just as much. However, playing “Nocturno” is very enjoyable for me.

MR: I’ve always admired Germany’s metal scene, but in your own view what is the state of Germany’s sludge/doom metal scene?
Jan: I would say that the German sludge/doom scene is doing very well. There are some fantastic smaller bands alongside the more well-known acts like Ahab or Mantar that you should definitely check out, such as Daevar, Piece, Might, Aptera, Neander, Earthbong, Bongbongbeerwizards, Raging Sloth… just to name a few.

MR: Thanks! Now, would you tell us what’s the next step for Grin now? Plans for live performances in support of the new album?
Jan: We’ll be rehearsing the new album over the next few weeks and then playing a few gigs and festivals this summer. Also, a bigger tour is planned for autumn/winter and is currently being booked, so stay tuned.

MR: Anything more to add here towards the end of this interview? Any message for your fans in Denmark?
Jan: So far, we have only managed to visit you once, and that was at the ‘Fuzztival’ in Esbjerg. It was so amazing, even though it was right in the middle of the pandemic. I hope we can make it to see you again this year, we’ll see. Until then, cheers and thank you for the nice interview.

MR: Thank you very much for your time & good luck with Acid Gods.