Formed in 2023, Swedish death metal band Övervåld quickly established a sound inspired by the classic HM-2 style while embracing darker black metal influences. In this interview, vocalist Rebecca Holm discusses the creation of I förbund med omoralen, the band's songwriting process, their influences, the Swedish extreme metal scene, and their future plans.
Asmoth: Övervåld was formed in 2023 and quickly released several EPs before unveiling your debut full-length album I förbund med omoralen in 2026. How did the band come together, and what was the original vision behind Övervåld?
Rebecca Holm: Joachim, our guitarist, is the guy who first conceived the idea and picked out the rest of the members for Övervåld based on our musical backgrounds and style. Most of us have pretty eclectic resumes spanning a fairly wide variety of extreme metal genres and I suppose we were all just into the idea of doing something new.
Asmoth: Looking back at your three EPs released between 2024 and 2025, how do you feel the band's sound evolved leading up to I förbund med omoralen?
Rebecca Holm: Our sound has definitely changed quite a bit, moving away from the d-beat influences and inching closer to black metal. But overall I think we’ve managed to stay true to our core musically, whilst continually exploring new soundscapes and themes.
Asmoth: The title I förbund med omoralen immediately creates a dark and provocative atmosphere. What is the concept behind the album, and what themes were you most interested in exploring?
Rebecca Holm: The album takes on an array of different concepts regarding human vileness and filth. Insanity, sexual deviance and pure violence. The title track roughly translates into "In league with immorality", which is a reference to a line from the swedish classic film Fanny and Alexander. It seems like an accurate description to me.
Asmoth: Can you walk us through your songwriting process? Do songs usually begin with riffs, lyrical ideas, or a specific atmosphere that you want to capture?
Rebecca Holm: We are pretty much on the same page and know what kind of result we want, so we all just do what we do best. Sometimes we discuss themes beforehand, but for the most part it all develops organically throughout the process. Usually, it starts off with Joachim writing a good riff we can build upon, and then we start rehearsing. Me and Joachim are responsible for the lyrics and split up the songs between us, which has worked really well. I believe our different writing styles complement each other quite nicely.
Asmoth: Death metal has a rich history in Sweden. Which Swedish bands or albums had the biggest impact on Övervåld, and how have they influenced your own approach to songwriting?
Rebecca Holm: I would say we are mostly inspired by the classic swedish HM2 sound, like Entombed and Dismember, as well as the intensity of Marduk. The idea of singing this type of music in swedish stemmed a lot from listening to Torture Division who also write in their mother tongue. It's not too common in this genre, but I think it adds another layer to it.
Asmoth: The Swedish extreme metal scene continues to produce new and exciting bands despite its legendary status. What is your perspective on the current scene, and do you think it is evolving in a positive direction?
Rebecca Holm: I think it's great to see that new, younger bands have started entering the scene after a bit of a dry spell. 80's style thrash metal seems to be what's in again, but there are some black and death metal acts in there as well. What I don't seem to see a lot of is truly groundbreaking groups doing something that hasn't been done before. There are exceptions, of course, but overall it seems like many new bands are going back to the roots rather than experimenting. It's not necessarily a bad thing (I love the old school sound. Who doesn't?), and the scene is full of talented young musicians, but it would be nice to hear some stuff that isn't a well executed nostalgia trip.
Asmoth: As a relatively new band, what have been the biggest challenges and most rewarding moments you've experienced since forming Övervåld?
Rebecca Holm: We have taken us this far without a record label, but getting signed seems like the next logical step for us. Being an unsigned band can be a bit of a challenge economically as well as when trying to get our music out there for people to hear. As of now we are still waiting to release I förbund med omoralen, but we already have a lot of material ready for the next one - aiming to be done in autumn. By then we have hopefully found a suitable label for the job.
A few of the most rewarding experiences so far have definitely been our gigs up north in Sweden, such as Skellefteå and Gällivare. The people there seem to really get what we are trying to do. Perhaps our music resonates more deeply up in the colder, darker parts of our country. We've for sure had some pretty intense audiences there anyway!
Asmoth: With your debut album now released, what are your ambitions for the future of Övervåld? Can fans expect more recordings, live performances, or perhaps a different musical direction in the years ahead?
Rebecca Holm: We are still waiting for a release date for our debut album, but it's coming soon. This is just the beginning. Like I mentioned earlier we are already working on our next album and planning upcoming live performances for the winter as well as a possible new tour next summer.
