RAM - Under the Scythe 7" HRR 175, limited to 1000 copies, 250 x gold vinyl + 750 x black vinyl, insert Oscar Carlquist - Vocals Harry Granroth - Guitar Daniel Johansson - Guitar Tobias Pettersson - Bass Morgan Pettersson - Drums - Under the Scythe - Evil (featuring Hellbutcher) SOLD OUT!

Along with Portrait and In Solitude, Ram are leading the attack of the new wave of Scandinavian Metal bands. And Ram are quite a confident bunch! In times when record sales are virtually decreasing by the day, their new vinyl 7" single has a circulation of 1,000 copies. Not a small feat for a relatively young band. Singer Oscar plays it cool: “I myself am a big fan of Ram and my favourites of my extensive Ram collection are without a doubt the vinyl releases! I guess that these singles will sell like ‘butter in the sunshine’ as we say in Sweden since Ram, Nifelheim and Mercyful Fate fans will want to get their claws on it!” That’s a good point. Let Oscar explains the details behind the single: “The A-Side of the single ‘Under The Scythe’ will be featured on our upcoming new full-length album called ‘Death’. ‘Under The Scythe’ is both a new and old song, we had the chrous for some time. I think that me and Harry wrote that back in 2002, but the rest was written in 2010 or possibly 2009 by me and Harry. The B-Side ‘Evil’ is exclusive to the 7", it’s a cover version of the Mercyful Fate classic, we have been playing it live for some time. Well, acctually the song was recorded because we had some extra studio time when we were recording ‘Lightbringer’ back in 2008. And then during the vocal sessions Hellbutcher from Nifelheim came to visit and hang out in the studio, we decided to include him on the track, it was all recorded in good fun and while having a few beers!” Ram are big vinyl lovers and the single format is especially dear to Oscar’s heart: “I have a fully signed Painkiller 7". I really like that single since it has ‘Better By You, Better Than Me’ on the B-Side. This was Priest’s first release since those ridiculous suicide trials, and to include the song that all the fuss was about on the B-Side is a nice way to say fuck off to the idiots that were trying to hold Priest responsible for other people killing themselves! I also love the ‘I Love It Loud’ single by Kiss, only because it was the first 7" I ever bought back in 1983. That has some serious nostalgic value to me! Then I would have to say Black Sabbath's ‘Evil Woman’ single is also among my Top 5 singles of all time since for me that’s when Heavy Metal started for real.” Ram who at the moment are in negotiations with both, big and small labels have a new studio album already in the can: “The album called ‘Death’ is mixed and mastered and ready for release. I am extremely satisfied with the result. It should be out this fall. I am certain that it will rip up the scene completely!” So after the album, what would be the next step in Ram’s career, maybe a pan-European support slot for a bigger band, like Enforcer opening for Airbourne last year? Oscar replies: “I try not to think in those terms, thinking about ‘what would be best for my career’. I try to make Ram music and concerts as good as they possibly can be. Offers come and go, some you hunt down yourselves and some appear on a silver plate, but having a career has nothing to do with creativity. My main goal is to protect the brand that is Ram and make sure that we don't end up in the wrong context. When we started the band, we said that we were gonna do our thing without compromise, as you draw more and more attention a lot of external forces want to be a part of what you are doing so I have to make sure that we don't end up compromising with our art.” Up until that point in their career, Ram have managed that part brilliantly. Like a lot of glorious bands before them in the 1980’s, their sound and style is somehow uniquely Scandinavian. But maybe that’s only my personal impression. Oscar reflects: “Yes, I would say there is a unique Scandinavian Metal style to a certain extent, Swedish muscians are often very talented. They also often, at least in the eighties, had some neoclassical influences (probably from Yngwie Malmsteen). Swedish vocalists also often have very clean voices. I can often spot the Swedish sound when I hear the vocals.” Matthias Mader