NOCTURNAL RITES INTERVIEW |
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Swedish power metal heroes NOCTURNAL RITES have just released yet another masterpiece within the genre, "New World Messiah", and what could be more logic than letting Benjamin send some questions away to Nils Ericsson ? Right ... so here we go ...
Interview by Benjamin Genach |
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1. First of all congratulations with your new album! What is your own opinion of the new album?
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"I think it sounds very much like us, but still fresh and very new. We've managed to write some really nice melodies and still maintain the heaviness and agression. Someone told me that we have a unique qaulity of sounding mean and somewhat agressive even though we're really melodic. That's a nice explanation for how I also feel about this new record."
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2. How has your new album been received from the media (good & bad)?
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"So far overwhelmingly positive. People seem to really like the record, nothing really bad yet (*knocking on wood*)."
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3. How will in your words describe the new album compared to your two latest discs, "Afterlife" and "Shadowland"?
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"I guess we always sound like Nocturnal Rites, even though two records rarely sound alike. Mainly because we never have any special rules or regulations when we write, we just write whatever comes to mind. That's the way we've always done our songs and I guess that's what makes all our records unique in their own way. Maybe the new one has even more melody compared to the latest two records, but however, comparing is really hard for us. We never do that."
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4. You have several times in your band history experienced a few line up changes, how has this affected you as a band and musically?
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"Well, not that much actually. We've always been the same core unit writing songs and the line up (except for Mattias leaving) we have now has been the same for the last five years. However, I think the important thing in a band is that you enjoy eachother personally and musicially and that everyone can devote 100%. Right now we are five very devoted, excited and ambitious guys doing everything in our power to play and write music to the best of our ability. We all love the band and everything that it lets us expeience. We all love touring and everything else that comes with being in Nocturnal Rites. We couldn't be happier."
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5. Regarding the lyrics, and especially from the "Afterlife" and "Shadowland" albums they have been a bit dark! But what about "New World Messiah" are the lyrics still the same or has they been changed a long the way?
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"We've always let the music dictate what the lyrics should be about. We listen to the songs and the first ideas that we get is what the songs ultimately end up being about. A lot of stuff has happened in the world between Shadowland and the new record. It is virtually impossible to not be affected by that. So, I guess some of the new lyrics still are "dark" in a sense, but still we always look on things from a brighter perspective. Change starts individually, and if there is a message, that's probably it. Some new songs are also about finding yourself, not letting people put you down and so on, and that is not very dark at all. I think we cover lots of different moods in both lyrics and music on New World Messiah."
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6. You have been out touring a lot, and been playing on various festivals! Has this been a success, with the medias and of course most important the fans? And how has the feedback been? Good/bad?
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"Playing live is probably the biggest reason for doing this. There is no greater feeling than being on stage. So yes, playing live is always a success since we love it so much, and I think that shows and affect the people watching us as well. We've got some great reactions from people and magazines for our latest tours and festival appearances. Mainly because it really shows that we love what we're doing."
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7. This is now the second time that you use the Russian artwork artist Leo Hao, is there any particular reason for that?
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"He is really talented and creates a great atmosphere in his paintings. We loved what he did for Shadowland and there was no doubt in our minds when we chose him for the new record as well."
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8. Being out touring and in the studio recording, which takes a lot of your time! How do you find time to your family, friends etc.?
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"Well, the band does take a lot of our time. If we're not writing songs, then we're recording, parctising or touring! Haha, but we love it all, it's so much fun. There is really no problem to maintain the contact with friends and there is always time for family and girlfriends. They know we love what we do and they all support us 100%."
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9. Where do you place the band a couple of years from now? Will you still be featured on Century Media? What about the music, will it still be the same hard pumping superb metal?
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"Of course it will be the same, superb hard pumping metal :) No questions about it - this is what we love to do. I don't know what label we will call our home, but we will for sure go on. The basic rule in our band is that we will go on for as long as we have a lot of fun - that's the biggest reason we're doing all this and spending all this time on the band. We love music, we love the band and we love everything about being in this band."
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10. Do you think that the Metal is endangered with all the illegal home copying that seems unstoppable?
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"Of course it's a problem. If people don't buy albums, the scene will die out by itself. It is really simple - why would labels spend lots of money on marketing if albums are free and why would bands spend a year writing and recording and album if no label would be willing to promote it if it ends up being free? On the other hand, I hope and pray that the metal fans know this and support the bands and the scene they love. Buying albums and going to shows is the only way to keep it alive."
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11. Do you have any ideas for what can be done for the Metal to grow in Scandinavia (rest of the world)? Or do you believe that the genre within should be as it is?
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"I think it is growing every day. The best thing we all can do is to buy albums, go to shows, keep bugging tv stations to play videos of our favourite bands and so on. That's all we can do, but if we do that we'll get far for sure! I think metal deserves to grow as long as the scene keeps producing young, new and fresh sounding bands."
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