All Interviews
Canopy
Fredrik Huldtgren
Posted on Nov 30, 2005
by Anders
Canopy, a Swedish death metal band, approaching the style in a different way than the most. There are heavy and brutal parts, and the low from hell growls are present too. Though as the bandname might suggest, there is a deeper side to it, many atmospheric parts, melancholy, and lyrics with a message and insight. Death metal for thinkers, one might add, though the music can be enjoyed straight out as well. The band has so far released 2 demos and are right now hard at work on the upcoming debut full length, which are going to be released with or without a label. In the interview you'll get some song titles and the album title, and a hint of what there is to look forward to. I had a good chat with vocalist Fredrik Huldtgren and guitarist Jonatan Hedlin did also chip in a couple of times.
Hi there Fredrik, how are things in Stockholm as we speak?
Fredrik: Starting to get cold here. We're working on the new CD, and things are going forward!
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you deal with death metal and how you ended up in Canopy?
Fredrik: My name is Fredrik Huldtgren and I'm the vocalist for Canopy. I started listening to death metal about 10-12 years ago. I think the first death metal CD I heard was Unleashed's "Across The Open Sea", still an awesome album.
An introduction of the rest of the band as well, together with a bit of their favored drinks and drinking habits, as well as your own… would be great as well!
Fredrik: I'm drinking Beer, wine, liquor, I drink just about anything and lots of it.
Jonatan: Jonis here, I'm one of the guitarists, like most people, I happen to enjoy a beer (Guinness, Pilsner Urquel, Staropramen) or two, or fourteen. But nothing's wrong with a little wine, and I'm not hella picky, Fredrik's homebrew works just fine.
Daniel our bassist enjoys Carlsberg Hof, Erik our other guitarist likes Staropramen, Lapin Kulta and Jägermeister and last our drummer Peter enjoys Mariestad.
So far you have released 2 demos "During Day One" and "Will And Perception", how have they been received?
Fredrik: We've gotten very good responses from both demos. A lot of people were impressed by the first demo, and even more so when the much more refined "Will And Perception" was released.
How do you yourself feel about the demos today, when you have gotten some distance to them?
Fredrik: I can see the evolution we've gone through with the demos. I still enjoy the demos although I don't think they would sound the same way if we recorded them today.
Which of them are your favorite and why?
Fredrik: "Will And Perception" because of the musical improvement that it was compared to "During Day One" and the vast improvement in sound.
How would you describe the development of the band, from the start until now?
Fredrik: I see it as a slow, natural progression. We've learned to do what we're good at, and we've improved the way we write our songs. The songs we have, are molded to fit the way we perform.
Who are the main writers in the band?
Fredrik: Jonatan is the main music writer in the band as of right now. However, Erik, Daniel and Peter have all contributed with riffs, vocal arrangements and lyrics.
Where is the inspiration for the music found?
Jonatan: The inspiration is found mostly by listening to a lot of different music during the same period of time, hoping for a twisted mishmash in my own writing. I'll try some namedropping since that is what people like: Brutal stuff like Suffocation, Nile, Behemoth - Semi-brutal like Entombed, Edge of Sanity, Unanimated, Dissection, Death, Bloodbath - Not very brutal stuff like Katatonia, Porcupine Tree and Neurosis. And finally, some not-at-all Canopy related listening that might still bring impact, stuff like Nick Drake, Yes, Captain Beyond, Camel, Whitesnake or whatever spins by.
Are you finishing the songs together, or how are you working when you make the music?
Fredrik: Depends on the song. Most of the time Jonatan will create a working version of the song based on the riffs we've gathered. After that we will work out lyrics for the song, and me and Jonatan will sit down and lay vocals on top of the scratch version. In this step we sometimes change arrangements, lyrics or even the order of the riffs. Once we've worked our way through the song, we all sit down and listen to the track and see if any changes are needed. It is first after this that we start rehearsing the song.
Can you mention 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to the sound of Canopy and you personally?
Fredrik: Bands: Edge Of Sanity Death and My Dying Bride. And the songs are: Edge Of Sanity – 'Twilight', Death – 'Symbolic', Opeth – 'Deliverance', Strapping Young Lad – 'All Hail The New Flesh' and My Dying Bride – 'The Dreadful Hours'.
How would you describe the music of Canopy to someone who never has heard about the band?
Fredrik: Canopy is and always will be a death metal band. But as much as we'll always be a death metal band we will also always try to stretch the boundaries. Within the brutality and bone-crushing riffs we will always try to fit in some melody, some melancholy and some experiments, but still keeping the death metal core.
You are writing most of the lyrics in Canopy, where do you find your inspiration for them?
Fredrik: I wish I knew. Most of my lyrics are outbursts of words that I cannot explain. One word feeds the next and before I know it, a song is written. Looking back over the lyrical work that I have done for Canopy, a lot of it deals with the insanity in our minds, as well as the hypocritical nature of society.
Are you in a special mood when you write the lyrics and are there certain things that trigger your writing?
Fredrik: It varies a lot. Sometimes I'll get a word, or an idea and start working off that, letting words spawn. At other times, we’ll have a finished song and I'll just sit down and listen to the song, and words will start to form as I'm growling my way through. This way the vocal arrangements and lyrics get done at the same time.
As for moods when writing, a misanthropic view on mankind's inability to improve combined with disgust for stupidity can prompt my mind to create.
Can you pull out your 2 favorite Canopy tunes, and tell us about the lyrics, how you got the ideas to them etc…?
Fredrik: 'Shades Of Truth' - First lyrics that I wrote for Canopy. I had written the lyrics actually long before I joined Canopy, and with some minor editing and the addition of the last stanza they were finished. 'Shades Of Truth' deals with how people see truth as an absolute, when it is far from. Winners write history, and when lies are based on lies, they turn into truths. Trust nothing and no one.
'Decipher' – A track that I wrote the lyrics to before there were a song intended for it. Jonatan wrote the music based on the lyrics I handed over. An energetic opening track for "Will And Perception", an EP with a theme going through all the lyrics. 'Decipher' tells the story of how our protagonist starts to see the world through different eyes. His mind discovering, deciphering, how society works. A spiteful world condemned by holy lies.
How have you developed your growl through the time and who are your "mentors"?
Fredrik: Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath, et al) and Jörgen Sandström(ex-grave, The Project Hate) are my growling heroes. I try to make sure that the vocals I lay down are open, precise and always under improvement.
Which 3 tracks do you wished you had growled on?
Fredrik: Edge Of Sanity – 'Crimson', Bloodbath – 'Cry My Name' and The Project Hate MCMXXIX – 'The Divine Burning Of Angels'.
You are right now working on material for the band's first full length album, what can you tell about it… how far are you with the music, do you have some song titles etc… ready… or…?
Fredrik: We are most definitely working on new material. As of right now, we’ve got 9 songs for the upcoming CD, which we have entitled "Serene Catharsis", you're actually the first to know the title of the album. Roughly 95% of the music is written and perhaps 80% of the lyrics. Preliminary titles are, 'And Oceans', 'The Lie That You Once Told', 'Firmament – Part I', 'Firmament – Part II', 'Last Point Of Reference', 'The Bleeding Earth', 'Concentric' and two more tracks that we're working on lyrics/vocal arrangements on. We will be recording drums during December and after that we'll see how it all flows. We’re hoping to get a final product during February/March 2006.
It seems like Canopy is a really active live band, how much does it mean to the band to play live?
Fredrik: We love to get out on stage and perform our music, for us it's a very natural extension of recording music. We simply try to play as much as possible, and at as many different places as possible (we've never played the same venue twice). Playing live means a lot to us, mostly since it's the ultimate way to unleash all the energy collected while writing or rehearsing.
How is it to witness a Canopy gig?
Fredrik: I've only seen the bootleg DVD from Gula Villan myself. But I'd say witnessing a Canopy gig will definitely trigger the will to headbang! So if you're not a tightass you'll have a 45-minute blast of banging into the groove and just enjoying the twists and turns in our music. I think the Villa boot-DVD displays this kind of atmosphere.
Is the band best in the studio or on the stage?
Fredrik: Musically I'd say that we most likely are better in the studio, since small errors happen all the time on stage. That being said, I think that our live shows are something that no one should miss. An energetic, tight, and slightly insane experience that you won't forget in the first hand!
You have yet to play abroad Sweden… When will that happen?
Fredrik: Very soon hopefully! We're looking into getting some gigs abroad right now. Hopefully we'll be dropping by Denmark/Germany sometime soon. Plans for some gigs in Finland are on their way too.
I have always wondered a lot about the name of the band… Canopy… How did you end up with that and what does it symbolize for the band?
Fredrik: We wanted a name that didn't make it too obvious to the reader that we played death metal. Having a name such as "Regurgitating Genitals" will pretty much be a dead giveaway for the genre. We wanted people to have an open mind to the music and not expect a certain type of music. The symbolism in the word also appealed to us.
How do you look upon on the future of Canopy, and when will you be picked up by a label, isn't it about time?
Fredrik: It most defiantly is about time! We've been somewhat lazy in sending out demos to recording companies, and the companies we've sent out to haven’t been too interested. We will keep on working on what we do best, and as our fan base grows I'm sure we will get signed.
Will you share your 5 all time favorite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
Fredrik:
Edge Of Sanity – Crimson
Acid Bath – When The kite String Pops
Dan Swanö – Moontower
Vital Remains – Dechristianize
Meshuggah - Chaosphere
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Fredrik: Go visit our webpage! All songs are available for download in mp3 format as well as the video for 'For The Sickened Voice To Hear'! Live pictures, samples, and videos are available also! Join us in our forum for the latest news!
Fredrik: Starting to get cold here. We're working on the new CD, and things are going forward!
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us why you deal with death metal and how you ended up in Canopy?
Fredrik: My name is Fredrik Huldtgren and I'm the vocalist for Canopy. I started listening to death metal about 10-12 years ago. I think the first death metal CD I heard was Unleashed's "Across The Open Sea", still an awesome album.
An introduction of the rest of the band as well, together with a bit of their favored drinks and drinking habits, as well as your own… would be great as well!
Fredrik: I'm drinking Beer, wine, liquor, I drink just about anything and lots of it.
Jonatan: Jonis here, I'm one of the guitarists, like most people, I happen to enjoy a beer (Guinness, Pilsner Urquel, Staropramen) or two, or fourteen. But nothing's wrong with a little wine, and I'm not hella picky, Fredrik's homebrew works just fine.
Daniel our bassist enjoys Carlsberg Hof, Erik our other guitarist likes Staropramen, Lapin Kulta and Jägermeister and last our drummer Peter enjoys Mariestad.
So far you have released 2 demos "During Day One" and "Will And Perception", how have they been received?
Fredrik: We've gotten very good responses from both demos. A lot of people were impressed by the first demo, and even more so when the much more refined "Will And Perception" was released.
How do you yourself feel about the demos today, when you have gotten some distance to them?
Fredrik: I can see the evolution we've gone through with the demos. I still enjoy the demos although I don't think they would sound the same way if we recorded them today.
Which of them are your favorite and why?
Fredrik: "Will And Perception" because of the musical improvement that it was compared to "During Day One" and the vast improvement in sound.
How would you describe the development of the band, from the start until now?
Fredrik: I see it as a slow, natural progression. We've learned to do what we're good at, and we've improved the way we write our songs. The songs we have, are molded to fit the way we perform.
Who are the main writers in the band?
Fredrik: Jonatan is the main music writer in the band as of right now. However, Erik, Daniel and Peter have all contributed with riffs, vocal arrangements and lyrics.
Where is the inspiration for the music found?
Jonatan: The inspiration is found mostly by listening to a lot of different music during the same period of time, hoping for a twisted mishmash in my own writing. I'll try some namedropping since that is what people like: Brutal stuff like Suffocation, Nile, Behemoth - Semi-brutal like Entombed, Edge of Sanity, Unanimated, Dissection, Death, Bloodbath - Not very brutal stuff like Katatonia, Porcupine Tree and Neurosis. And finally, some not-at-all Canopy related listening that might still bring impact, stuff like Nick Drake, Yes, Captain Beyond, Camel, Whitesnake or whatever spins by.
Are you finishing the songs together, or how are you working when you make the music?
Fredrik: Depends on the song. Most of the time Jonatan will create a working version of the song based on the riffs we've gathered. After that we will work out lyrics for the song, and me and Jonatan will sit down and lay vocals on top of the scratch version. In this step we sometimes change arrangements, lyrics or even the order of the riffs. Once we've worked our way through the song, we all sit down and listen to the track and see if any changes are needed. It is first after this that we start rehearsing the song.
Can you mention 3 bands and 3 songs that have meant a lot to the sound of Canopy and you personally?
Fredrik: Bands: Edge Of Sanity Death and My Dying Bride. And the songs are: Edge Of Sanity – 'Twilight', Death – 'Symbolic', Opeth – 'Deliverance', Strapping Young Lad – 'All Hail The New Flesh' and My Dying Bride – 'The Dreadful Hours'.
How would you describe the music of Canopy to someone who never has heard about the band?
Fredrik: Canopy is and always will be a death metal band. But as much as we'll always be a death metal band we will also always try to stretch the boundaries. Within the brutality and bone-crushing riffs we will always try to fit in some melody, some melancholy and some experiments, but still keeping the death metal core.
You are writing most of the lyrics in Canopy, where do you find your inspiration for them?
Fredrik: I wish I knew. Most of my lyrics are outbursts of words that I cannot explain. One word feeds the next and before I know it, a song is written. Looking back over the lyrical work that I have done for Canopy, a lot of it deals with the insanity in our minds, as well as the hypocritical nature of society.
Are you in a special mood when you write the lyrics and are there certain things that trigger your writing?
Fredrik: It varies a lot. Sometimes I'll get a word, or an idea and start working off that, letting words spawn. At other times, we’ll have a finished song and I'll just sit down and listen to the song, and words will start to form as I'm growling my way through. This way the vocal arrangements and lyrics get done at the same time.
As for moods when writing, a misanthropic view on mankind's inability to improve combined with disgust for stupidity can prompt my mind to create.
Can you pull out your 2 favorite Canopy tunes, and tell us about the lyrics, how you got the ideas to them etc…?
Fredrik: 'Shades Of Truth' - First lyrics that I wrote for Canopy. I had written the lyrics actually long before I joined Canopy, and with some minor editing and the addition of the last stanza they were finished. 'Shades Of Truth' deals with how people see truth as an absolute, when it is far from. Winners write history, and when lies are based on lies, they turn into truths. Trust nothing and no one.
'Decipher' – A track that I wrote the lyrics to before there were a song intended for it. Jonatan wrote the music based on the lyrics I handed over. An energetic opening track for "Will And Perception", an EP with a theme going through all the lyrics. 'Decipher' tells the story of how our protagonist starts to see the world through different eyes. His mind discovering, deciphering, how society works. A spiteful world condemned by holy lies.
How have you developed your growl through the time and who are your "mentors"?
Fredrik: Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath, et al) and Jörgen Sandström(ex-grave, The Project Hate) are my growling heroes. I try to make sure that the vocals I lay down are open, precise and always under improvement.
Which 3 tracks do you wished you had growled on?
Fredrik: Edge Of Sanity – 'Crimson', Bloodbath – 'Cry My Name' and The Project Hate MCMXXIX – 'The Divine Burning Of Angels'.
You are right now working on material for the band's first full length album, what can you tell about it… how far are you with the music, do you have some song titles etc… ready… or…?
Fredrik: We are most definitely working on new material. As of right now, we’ve got 9 songs for the upcoming CD, which we have entitled "Serene Catharsis", you're actually the first to know the title of the album. Roughly 95% of the music is written and perhaps 80% of the lyrics. Preliminary titles are, 'And Oceans', 'The Lie That You Once Told', 'Firmament – Part I', 'Firmament – Part II', 'Last Point Of Reference', 'The Bleeding Earth', 'Concentric' and two more tracks that we're working on lyrics/vocal arrangements on. We will be recording drums during December and after that we'll see how it all flows. We’re hoping to get a final product during February/March 2006.
It seems like Canopy is a really active live band, how much does it mean to the band to play live?
Fredrik: We love to get out on stage and perform our music, for us it's a very natural extension of recording music. We simply try to play as much as possible, and at as many different places as possible (we've never played the same venue twice). Playing live means a lot to us, mostly since it's the ultimate way to unleash all the energy collected while writing or rehearsing.
How is it to witness a Canopy gig?
Fredrik: I've only seen the bootleg DVD from Gula Villan myself. But I'd say witnessing a Canopy gig will definitely trigger the will to headbang! So if you're not a tightass you'll have a 45-minute blast of banging into the groove and just enjoying the twists and turns in our music. I think the Villa boot-DVD displays this kind of atmosphere.
Is the band best in the studio or on the stage?
Fredrik: Musically I'd say that we most likely are better in the studio, since small errors happen all the time on stage. That being said, I think that our live shows are something that no one should miss. An energetic, tight, and slightly insane experience that you won't forget in the first hand!
You have yet to play abroad Sweden… When will that happen?
Fredrik: Very soon hopefully! We're looking into getting some gigs abroad right now. Hopefully we'll be dropping by Denmark/Germany sometime soon. Plans for some gigs in Finland are on their way too.
I have always wondered a lot about the name of the band… Canopy… How did you end up with that and what does it symbolize for the band?
Fredrik: We wanted a name that didn't make it too obvious to the reader that we played death metal. Having a name such as "Regurgitating Genitals" will pretty much be a dead giveaway for the genre. We wanted people to have an open mind to the music and not expect a certain type of music. The symbolism in the word also appealed to us.
How do you look upon on the future of Canopy, and when will you be picked up by a label, isn't it about time?
Fredrik: It most defiantly is about time! We've been somewhat lazy in sending out demos to recording companies, and the companies we've sent out to haven’t been too interested. We will keep on working on what we do best, and as our fan base grows I'm sure we will get signed.
Will you share your 5 all time favorite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
Fredrik:
Edge Of Sanity – Crimson
Acid Bath – When The kite String Pops
Dan Swanö – Moontower
Vital Remains – Dechristianize
Meshuggah - Chaosphere
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Fredrik: Go visit our webpage! All songs are available for download in mp3 format as well as the video for 'For The Sickened Voice To Hear'! Live pictures, samples, and videos are available also! Join us in our forum for the latest news!
Canopy website
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