My name is Johan Patrik Mattias Liiva. I was born November 18th 1970, Helsingborg, Sweden. Some confusion around whether my real surname is Liiva or Axelsson? Well, the thing is that, when I saw the light of day for the first time, my parents weren't married. This is why I got my mothers surname (my dad was not around that much really - and still isn't) which is Liiva and hails from my marental grand father Elmar Liiva (R.I.P.) who came to Sweden from Estonia (formerly part of Russia/Soviet Union) during WW2 in the 1940's. My mum was 19 when she delievered me (in excruciating pain I am sure haha) and later on, 13 years later to be more precise - my younger brother Henrik was born. At the same time my parents decided to get married. As I was under aged, that is under 18 here in sweden, I had to take my dad's surname (Axelsson) and voila! - there we had Johan Axelsson! :P As time went by and my parents threw their wedding rings in the bin, my other younger brother Niclas had arrived in this world as well. Btw I love and worship my brothers - they are so damn cool, humble, funny/humouros, wise and nice young men both of them - and I wish them all the best in their lives! So, suddenly a while after I reached the age of 18, I changed my surname back to Liiva - mostly coz I was so used to it and also most of my old friends call me "Liiva", like a nickname or something. Also, I am damn proud carrying this name because my grandfather was a true hero. He was more a father than my biological one ever was - and ever will be. I always had this creative spirit all the way through out my childhood. I spent hours and hours drawing, making comics, writing stories about pirates and so on. I've always loved to spend time with myself and just simply create. That's who I am. At the same time I love to be social, still it's when I'm together with the people I love or trust the most that I truly feel true joy and most needed relaxation.   I've been active and passionately involved in extreme music since a long time. History in bands like Carnage, Furbowl, Arch Enemy, Non Exist and Hearse. Memorable moments through out the years as for tours, recordings, rehearsals and last but not least - the most valuable "tape trading years" late 80's into the early 90's, rendered and gave much as for the networking at this time. Several guest- and lead vocal contributions (Necrony, Birdflesh, Manipulated Slaves, Hydr!Hydr! (a norwegian project with Anders Odden from Cadaver), Legen Beltza, Synastry and a few more. Vocals and other instruments (bass, guitar but luckily not drums haha) on a bunch of demos, eps and albums. Live shows around a 100 of them. Tours - quite a few actually, through Europe, North- and South America - and last but not least: Japan. But the very best show I've ever performed and experienced was in Bergara, Spain 1999. It was incredible!! (contra the worst one, in Spremberg, Germany the same year - totally sucked in every piece) At the moment, the bands are Hearse and K.D.F. (Karpathia During Fall). Also a new band is "under the scalpel", as we speak. More about this in another section (News or The Bands) of this site or just follow it up in the future blog/or on MySpace. Introduced to heavy and dark music via the early albums of Dead Kennedys all the way to Black Sabbath, given a chill down the very spine telling me "this kind of music is what you will love to create in your life". The fact is I still love the same bands as when I once was introduced to it. Bought many old punk vinyls lately and every now and then a pogo-pit is created in my tiny flat. Coming back and forth into music due to various reasons, mainly due to work, money-issues, relationships or just being sick and tired without any inspiration - but, never and undoubtedly gonna leave it behind and retire, no no no. That would be a "spiritual suicide", gee! A studio is under the making and actually more or less active as for my own needs; Fox Poison (I love strong coffee, but not Espresso, blaaah!). Using the tools and software most up to date (a.k.a. Cubase, Roede, Hobbex haha, etc.) and try to see to it that investings every now and then in this very area are being made. I just luuuuv the recording process! Main sources of inspiration, making the "magic blend" worth mentioning..: The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Kim Wilde, Metallica, Carcass, Sisters of Mercy, Ministry, Nirvana, decadent latin movies, decadent cities (I wanna go to Murmansk and Bucarest!), russian folk lore, Depeche Mode, oriental mystique and history of music, agony and angst, Celtic Frost, Paradise Lost, Dean R Koontz' books and an overall attempt to grab the core of existence by its very balls...*lol* Memories and actualities are to be shared here, I promise. ;) More facts & further info here... Contact:somberdusk@gmail.com All the be(a)st my friends!!