Interview by means of: DJ
MGM: I requested Jonas in regards to the resolution to stroll clear of traveling with Evergrey…
Jonas: You recognize, it’s at all times nice to play are living with the band, however every now and then you exchange. Sooner or later, I felt I couldn’t do it anymore. I had no pleasure in traveling. I spotted I’d quite put my power and time into manufacturing and writing songs as a substitute. That’s what makes me happier than enjoying are living displays.
MGM: When did you come back to this resolution?
Jonas: I roughly made up our minds in February. We had a host of displays booked all over the summer season, together with summer season gala’s. I instructed myself I’d do those displays, simply to be 200% positive about my resolution, and provides them 100% effort. After the summer season, I’d make the general resolution. And I did, and it looks like the fitting selection for me.
MGM: How do you suppose this resolution impacts the band?
Jonas: I believe it’s highest for the band too. The drummer desires to head out and play are living displays and excursion. If I stayed, I’d in the end cling them again, which wouldn’t be truthful to somebody. They’re nonetheless my highest pals, and it’s vital for me to indicate that there are not any laborious emotions. I’m leaving as a result of my loss of pastime for traveling now.
MGM: That is sensible. Fanatics may no longer understand how tricky existence at the street can also be. You’ve been with the band a very long time, and in case your pastime isn’t there, it is sensible to step again.
Jonas: Precisely. It’s been a very long time with the band, and if my pastime for are living performances isn’t there, it wouldn’t be truthful to somebody.
MGM: How did the band react while you instructed them?
Jonas: They have been actually stunned as a result of I hadn’t spoken about this to somebody, no longer even my spouse. I had to make this resolution based totally by myself emotions. After I instructed them, it got here all of a sudden. However they understood and revered my resolution. We’re nonetheless just right pals, and all of us need every different to be as glad as we will.
MGM: You’ve additionally been taken with generating and songwriting for different artists. How does that have affect your resolution?
Jonas: Sure, I’ve been generating and dealing on that aspect of items for some time. It offers me extra alternative to concentrate on what I revel in. You wish to have to do what makes you glad and excites you, and that’s what I’m doing now.
MGM: Let’s communicate in regards to the new document popping out on June 7th by means of Napalm Information, “Theories of Vacancy.” We’ve heard the promo, and it’s every other nice document from you guys. What used to be the idea procedure at the back of this new album?
Jonas: The largest alternate for this album used to be that Johan, our bass participant, delivered such a lot of concepts right through the writing section. He almost certainly delivered over 30 concepts, from riffs to complete production-ready songs. It took some workload off me and Tom. Lets simply open Johan’s concepts at the pc, make a choice one who impressed us, and get started operating on it. It used to be tremendous inspiring and a aid in comparison to earlier albums.
MGM: That’s nice to listen to. It appears like Johan’s contributions have been important. How did you method the manufacturing of the one “Falling from the Solar” and its video?
Jonas: We went as much as an overly small town north of Gothenburg to paintings with a chum who owns a pyro corporate. We set the entirety up in a box, and the pyros have been huge, some firing up 40 meters into the sky. It used to be a large manufacturing, but it surely used to be value it. We did a number of takes, some with extra pyro, some with much less, to seize the most efficient photographs. The reception has been nice, and it’s been value the entire effort.
MGM: The one and video are incredible. Our UK spouse who’s a large Steel fan says It’s probably the most highest songs he’s ever heard from Evergrey. What can lovers be expecting from the remainder of the album?
Jonas: Thanks! Fanatics can be expecting the similar degree of high quality and energy we’ve at all times put into our tune. Johan’s contributions have introduced a recent dynamic to our sound, and we’re excited for everybody to listen to it.
MGM: So, the idea that. I sought after to get into probably the most songs at the document. One of the most stuff you at all times understand with Evergrey’s tune is the melodic choruses. I’ve at all times mentioned that it’s a mix of heavy and melodic, a super steadiness. It’s roughly been probably the most recipes for your tune. No longer that each track sounds the similar since you guys have developed. Each and every document turns out such as you’ve developed during the last 4 albums a minimum of. It kind of feels such as you’ve gotten higher and higher. However that recipe, the place there’s a melodic riff or the choruses are available and it will get heavy, is constant. Then it will possibly get again to an influence ballad. You guys are all over with the musical construction, but it surely’s entertaining and no longer repetitive. That’s probably the most issues I revel in about an Evergrey document. So on songs like, for example, “Misfortune,” that’s every other nice track at the document. What’s roughly the tale at the back of that one?
Jonas: Yeah, that’s certainly one of Johan’s concepts that we began from. However the humorous factor is when Johan writes, he says, “I will be able to most effective write sluggish songs. I will be able to by no means write speedy songs.” So, that track, I believe we speeded up nearly 20 BPM. It used to be tremendous doomy within the demo.
MGM: Proper.
Jonas: And yeah, it used to be probably the most songs that we already had the fundamental construction for. We simply added extra of that Evergrey contact to it. It used to be somewhat simple to complete, as I recall. Tom labored at the lyrics, however he normally begins with the melodies, buzzing or making a song gibberish, after which builds and evolves the lyrics across the melody or phonetics. He normally does this on his morning walks, recording concepts on his voice memo.
MGM: Gotcha. I’m going to invite you about this as a result of, once more, this used to be surprising. So “Say” to me is the most efficient track at the document. They’re all nice, however my favourite one is “Say.” That’s an Evergrey track to me.
Jonas: Yeah, yeah, I like that track.
MGM: So on the finish of the video, you stroll as much as the digicam and say thanks. To start with, I used to be puzzled. I used to be like, what the heck is happening right here? (laughs) Some lovers hinted already. You then went, oh, one thing is up right here with Jonas. What’s occurring?
Jonas: It used to be Tom’s’ concept. He known as me up someday and requested what I considered having an finishing to the video the place I stroll up and say thanks, good-bye to the lovers and everyone. I felt an enormous honor and humbleness that he sought after me to do one thing like that as a result of as soon as it’s within the video, it’s there endlessly. I didn’t need to set the video off with a damaging vibe. I instructed Tom, so long as folks don’t get started disliking the track in line with the finishing and what I’m about to do, it’s k. And he used to be like, don’t fear about it. I felt unworthy, like, do I need to make a large go out like this? And he mentioned, after all, you’ve been on this band for two decades. In fact, you do. So, yeah, I used to be very commemorated to do one thing like this.
MGM: Smartly, it used to be a pleasant contact. You’ve earned the fitting for one thing like this. You’ve been with the band a very long time, and that claims so much about your band pals as neatly, that they selected to try this for you. In different circumstances, when a band member leaves, every now and then they by no means talk once more. However that used to be cool that it used to be featured within the video. It used to be bittersweet for some lovers after they noticed that. There used to be hypothesis after they noticed it. There used to be a social media publish about an upcoming announcement, and a few folks already had an concept. However I assumed it used to be cool however. A pleasant contact by means of Tom and the fellows.
Jonas: Completely. It used to be actually cool.
MGM: I’ve at all times concept, we’ve interviewed Riokard a very long time in the past. I don’t be mindful what document it used to be for now, however I’ve at all times concept that his paintings within the band is very underrated. The best way he blends the keyboard sounds into your tune and the way that matches into probably the most moodiness of the songs is spectacular. You discuss Johan and what he did, I think the similar with Riokard and the stuff he brings to the desk. He doesn’t get spoken about so much as a result of he’s the keyboard participant, however he’s essential and underrated for your band, I believe.
Jonas: Yeah, completely. And this album comprises a large number of Hammond organ as neatly, which matches the sound of the album so neatly. Rikard has his personal Hammond with a Leslie within the practice session house. We simply put some mics on it and may just document on every occasion we needed. It provides an ideal contact to the album.
MGM: So, you mentioned “Say” used to be certainly one of your favourite songs at the document. Did you’ve gotten another songs that stood out for you as particular favorites?
Jonas: Oh, I really like “We Are the North.” I actually like that one. I additionally like the general monitor, the name monitor, “Theories of Vacancy.” I like that we put it closing, giving the listener a while to replicate and calm down after being attentive to the entire album. It’s a pleasant track, and Johan, once more, is a genius with the track construction.
MGM: “Ghost of My Hero” is every other one I really like so much. It’s probably the most slower songs, and to me, that’s probably the most issues that’s nice about Evergrey. You’ll play slower stuff, and it nonetheless sounds just right.
Jonas: Yeah, “Ghost Of My Hero” is actually nice. Once more, that’s Johan’s track construction from begin to end, with the exception of for some manufacturing touch-ups. We additionally had our good friend Vikram Shankar (Redemption) do the orchestral association, and Tom delivered cool backing vocals on the finish, which can be tremendous epic.
MGM: Vikram performs with Redemption, and Tom does vocals for them. Some other nice band, certainly one of my favorites. They’re up there with Evergrey as probably the most nice modern steel bands.
Jonas: Yeah, in addition they have this melancholic cushy duo known as “Silent Skies,” which you will have to take a look at. They know every different really well.
MGM: Completely. It’s other from the Evergrey stuff, but it surely’s just right. So, do you guys ever really feel burdened to stay placing out nice information?
Jonas: No, the one drive comes from ourselves, if any. We don’t really feel any outdoor drive. We focal point on writing the most efficient tune we will this present day. You at all times be informed and evolve from one document to the following. We discovered so much from the former album that shall we carry to the desk for this album. You find new tune in between albums that evokes you. So long as you practice the ones ingenious nuggets, you do the most efficient you’ll be able to this present day.
MGM: I used to be going to invite you about this. I do know you introduced in some lovers to document background vocals on probably the most songs. Are you able to elaborate on that?
Jonas: Yeah, we did a collaboration with the Sweden Rock Mag for an unique track for his or her vinyl version. It is going to be featured at the virtual variations, however the vinyl will most effective be to be had from Sweden Rock. We wanted a track that may mix the entire center rock surroundings, one thing festival-like, however nonetheless tie it into our global. It become a collaboration that we have been very interested by.
MGM: I noticed that, and it used to be neat. It is going again to what I mentioned in regards to the connection between bands and their lovers. Doing stuff like that displays you care about your lovers. It’s lovely cool to usher in lovers and feature them sing at the document.
Jonas: Yeah, we adore our lovers and interacting with them, each right through our are living displays and later on. It’s a solution to invite them into our ingenious global, making them part of the track.
MGM: I recall one thing from when “Hymns for the Damaged” got here out in 2014. Tom discussed there used to be some uncertainty within the band round that point. Are you able to elaborate on that?
Jonas: Between “Superb Collision” and “Hymns for the Damaged,” Tom were given completed with making tune. Hannes Van Dahl were given the chance to sign up for Sabaton, and Marcus left the band. We had two displays booked in Belgium, and Henrik and I stepped in as consultation avid gamers. We have been in every other band known as Dying Destruction on the time. Regardless of some bother alongside the best way, the ones displays went neatly and began the entire thing once more. It used to be the start of a brand new bankruptcy for the band.
MGM: I assumed “Hymns for the Damaged” had a distinct power. The tune sounded extra robust, and the ideas have been cool. From that time ahead, each document has gotten higher. I like “The Heartless Portrait.” It’s probably the most highest albums you’ve ever made. Each and every track is fantastic. I am hoping new lovers take a look at your again catalog as a result of there’s such a lot nice stuff there.
Jonas: Thanks such a lot. We recognize it.
MGM: With an ideal discography like yours, I’m positive it’s tricky to position in combination a setlist.
Jonas: Sure, it will get harder with every album. We need to stay it attention-grabbing for 90 mins, enjoying songs we need to play and ones the target market desires to listen to. It’s a superb steadiness.
MGM: What do you hope lovers take from the brand new document, “Theories of Vacancy,” when it comes out?
Jonas: I am hoping they recognize the natural, fashionable, and punchy sound that Adam Getgood controlled to carry out. It sounds extra are living and balanced, and you’ll be able to listen the entire small nuances and main points. I am hoping they in finding one thing within the songs to connect to.
MGM: Ultimate phrases are your.
Jonas: Thanks for the interview, looks like I cant thank the lovers sufficient, however tremendous vital to take action. Thanks such a lot for the entire fan toughen for the entire years, it method the entirety to me.
https://evergrey.web/
About Creator
