Forged in Nightmares: Ambush Unleashes Evil in All Dimensions
Photo Credit: Philip Truong/Bläcksquid Inc
Forged in Nightmares: Ambush Unleashes Evil in All Dimensions
Swedish heavy metal outfit Ambush has returned with a vengeance, delivering their most ambitious and haunting release yet—Evil in All Dimensions, out now via Napalm Records. With razor-sharp riffs, twin guitar leads, and lyrics born from nightmares and global unrest, the album marks a new chapter for the band both sonically and spiritually. We caught up with vocalist Oskar Jacobsson to talk about the inspiration behind the songs, the band’s South American tour, and their dream of finally bringing Ambush to the United States. From ghost stories to strongman heroes, this conversation proves that Ambush is as thoughtful as they are thunderous.
Welcome, Oskar! You’re now signed to Napalm Records. How did that partnership come about?
Thanks for having me, Ken—it’s a pleasure. It basically started when we wanted to record our fourth album. We put together a demo, and the final result felt strong enough to send out to a few labels. We’d been with High Roller Records for a while and felt it might be time to try something new. We reached out, and actually, all the labels we contacted were interested. But Napalm gave us the best offer—and more importantly, the personal connection with them felt right. We’re very happy and excited about this release.
Evil in All Dimensions is a fantastic album, and Napalm feels like the perfect home for it. Is there a story or concept behind the title and the song itself?
Thank you so much! The song is basically a ghost story—a nightmare, really. I’ve had a lot of nightmares in my life. Sometimes you wake up and think, “Damn, Oskar, what did you do?” You feel like you committed a crime or something terrible, even though you’d never do that in real life. But the dream feels so real. So, the song is a spin-off from that kind of nightmare.
The album title also reflects how polarized the world is right now. Every opinion can be seen as evil depending on who’s speaking. So, “Evil in All Dimensions” felt like a fitting summary. Despite that, we’re peace lovers in this band. We love everyone—regardless of politics, skin color, whatever. We just want people to come together and headbang.
Let’s talk about a few tracks. What inspired “Come Angel of Night”?
I wrote the lyrics for that one. It’s about conflicts that seem beyond repair—especially in places like the Middle East, where progress feels impossible. The song is about reconciliation and the hope that someday, even the deepest divides can be healed.
And “I Fear the Blood”?
That one’s about addiction. The twin guitar leads were actually written by me when I was a teenager playing classical guitar. I’d forgotten about it until one day in the studio, I picked up a guitar and started messing around. I thought, “Maybe this could be an Ambush song.” We’re not usually into ballads, but I really liked it—and the lyrics felt relevant. When we rehearsed it, the magic was there. It’s one of the first songs I ever wrote, and it means a lot to me.
Pick another track off the album—what’s the story behind it?
Let’s talk about “Bending the Steel.” It’s about a hero of ours: Magnus Samuelsson, the Swedish strongman who won World’s Strongest Man in ’97 or ’98. We met him at an airport in Germany after playing in Chicago. He’s massive—like, I’d never seen a guy that big. We approached him, and he was super nice. Turns out he’s a metalhead too—loves Defenders of the Faith and early Priest. We gave his kids some records. That was back in 2016. We decided we had to write a song for him. He was just so genuine. I think he’s into arm wrestling now.
It’s always great when your heroes turn out to actually be heroes.
Exactly. We love the guy. Everyone should check him out.
What are you most looking forward to on the upcoming Evil in South America tour?
It’s always a pleasure playing there. The fans are loyal and loud. We’ve played there three times now, and it keeps growing. The people, the organizers—they’re all great. I love the culture. In Sweden, people are shy. You go to a bar, and no one talks. But in South America, you don’t even have to ask—people just come up and start chatting. We’ll be playing some new places, but also returning to cities we’ve played before. It’ll be great to reconnect with friends.
Oskar Jacobsson of Ambush via Zoom!
Has Ambush ever played in Los Angeles? Any chance you’ll tour the States with the new album?
We really want to. We played in Chicago once, but that was before the Trump administration made it harder for international bands to tour the U.S. It’s expensive now—you need a proper work visa, and that costs a lot. Back then, we were on a tourist visa and didn’t know any better. Hopefully, we’ll build a bigger following in the States and make it happen. It would be a dream come true.
A lot of Napalm bands do make it here—so fingers crossed.
Yeah, absolutely. Touring the U.S. has been a childhood dream for all of us.
Let’s rewind to March 2020—you released Infidel right before the pandemic hit. What was that like?
It was weird. We released the album and played one gig. Sweden didn’t have a full lockdown, but about a week later, everything shut down. Bars closed, shows stopped. We couldn’t play again for two years. It was sad—we’re a live band, and we couldn’t tour or show the spirit of the songs. But our families stayed healthy, and that’s what matters. The album’s out there for anyone who wants to hear it, and we still play some of those songs live.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Desecrator. What’s it like looking back?
Yeah, we’re getting older—but not too much older up here [points to head]. Maybe a little wiser. We’re still the same guys, and we still love to play. It’s the best thing in the world. Ten years isn’t that long, but we do need to pick up the pace and release albums more frequently.
Any message for Ambush fans in the States reading this?
Stay safe and sound—and when you least expect it, Ambush might be live on tour in the U.S. That would be amazing. I’ve got relatives who moved to America in the 1800s—somewhere in Denver, I think. I’d love to meet them. I grew up with hockey, and Peter Forsberg of the Colorado Avalanche was a hero of mine. So yeah, Denver’s on the list. And L.A. too. That would be fantastic.
(Interview by Ken Morton)
