All Interviews
Torchbearer
Torchbearer
Posted on May 12, 2006
by Anders
Torchbearer a Swedish "all star" band consisting of Christian Älvestam (Unmoored, Solar Dawn, Scar Symmetry, Incapacity and Quest of Aidance), Michael Degerman (Satariel), Henrik Schönström (Unmoored, Solar Dawn, Incapacity, Traumatized (Swe) and Quest of Aidance), Patrik Gardberg and Pär Johansson (Satariel) who also answered this interview. The band delivers death metal, with a few different elements mixed into the recipe and then they bulit their albums on concept. Their debut "yersinia Pestis" was as the title suggest about the black plague and their new album "Warnaments" is dealing with the battle of Jutland, even though there are a couple of songs dealing with a battle outside the British coastline, though both battles are dating back to WW1.
Hi there, how are things in Sweden as we speak?
Spring is finally starting to show here, so – it's kinda nice.
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us how you ended up playing metal?
Well, I am the vocalist in the band, I have always listened to metal ever since I started to listen to music... But I had never any plans to start singing or so... it just happened, more or less... I started to just have something to do, then it turned out people actually liked the shit, haha...
A small introduction of the rest of Torchbearer will be very appreciated as well!
We all have other bands... I'll try to be brief; me and Mikael also play in Satariel (releasing a new mini-CD in short before our fourth album), Christian has Scar Symmetry and a bunch of other bands... Henrik has Unmoored (with Christian also) and I believe Patrik also has some band, but I don't remember which right now...
You are now ready with your second album "Warnaments", how do you in the band feel about it?
We are very pleased about it. Feels like we are getting more of a personal touch on our sound now, compared to the debut.
What do you expect of it?
Free drugs and ugly groupies, hehe...
How has it so far been received?
So far - only good words about it, at least of what I have heard and seen.
How do you feel the band has developed since the release of "Yersinia Pestis"?
The music is more focused now and harder, together with we have gotten more melodic.
I wasn't too fond of your first album to be honest, though I am pretty happy with this second effort, it is more varied, more aggressive and more atmospheric and the story-line seems to be more consistent, were all that something you were trying to hit?
To be short; yes.
Who is the main songwriter in the band?
Christian writes all the music and I the lyrics. On "Yersinia Pestis" we were four that wrote the music, so that has changed.
How do you work when you finalize and arrange the songs?
Christian should answer this one... I have no idea. But we never rehearse, so all is done when we record.
Where do you find inspiration for the music?
Emotions
What do you wish to display with your music?
Emotions, haha...
The lyrical side of the album deals with the battle of Jutland and a battle outside the British coastline, how come have you chosen to do a yet a concept album and why about WWI?
All albums with Torchbearer will be based upon concepts... We chose that because it's slightly original... not the average "war-concept".
Do you have a message with the lyrics or are they "just" accounts of history?
No message, they are all based upon facts of history, and to some extent dramatized as if experienced through the eyes of the soldiers that were actually there.
Will you continue on doing concept albums?
Yes
How do you work when you write the lyrics?
I read a lot normally and a little extra when it comes to the concepts of Torchbearer... When I feel I have a grasp of the subject at hand I sit down and pull it together.
How do you get the music worked into the concept?
I would think Christian would say he tries to achieve the same atmosphere as the concept at hand....
Almost all members of Torchbearer are active in other bands as well, how much of a real band is Torchbearer and how much time do you use on it?
It's a real band for sure, but due to the fact that we live spread all over Sweden, we don't hang around a rehearsal room all too often, so to speak, haha...
Will we see you going out and play some shows in support of the new album?
Can't say for sure - but that is what we aim for.
Will you share your 5 all time favourite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
They change constantly, but for now these comes to mind;
WASP - WASP
Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky
Anathema - Judgement
Marduk - Those Of The Unlight
Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Thank you I should say! Pick up our album and enjoy all ye freaks out there are all I can add.
Spring is finally starting to show here, so – it's kinda nice.
Will you please start off by introducing yourself and tell us how you ended up playing metal?
Well, I am the vocalist in the band, I have always listened to metal ever since I started to listen to music... But I had never any plans to start singing or so... it just happened, more or less... I started to just have something to do, then it turned out people actually liked the shit, haha...
A small introduction of the rest of Torchbearer will be very appreciated as well!
We all have other bands... I'll try to be brief; me and Mikael also play in Satariel (releasing a new mini-CD in short before our fourth album), Christian has Scar Symmetry and a bunch of other bands... Henrik has Unmoored (with Christian also) and I believe Patrik also has some band, but I don't remember which right now...
You are now ready with your second album "Warnaments", how do you in the band feel about it?
We are very pleased about it. Feels like we are getting more of a personal touch on our sound now, compared to the debut.
What do you expect of it?
Free drugs and ugly groupies, hehe...
How has it so far been received?
So far - only good words about it, at least of what I have heard and seen.
How do you feel the band has developed since the release of "Yersinia Pestis"?
The music is more focused now and harder, together with we have gotten more melodic.
I wasn't too fond of your first album to be honest, though I am pretty happy with this second effort, it is more varied, more aggressive and more atmospheric and the story-line seems to be more consistent, were all that something you were trying to hit?
To be short; yes.
Who is the main songwriter in the band?
Christian writes all the music and I the lyrics. On "Yersinia Pestis" we were four that wrote the music, so that has changed.
How do you work when you finalize and arrange the songs?
Christian should answer this one... I have no idea. But we never rehearse, so all is done when we record.
Where do you find inspiration for the music?
Emotions
What do you wish to display with your music?
Emotions, haha...
The lyrical side of the album deals with the battle of Jutland and a battle outside the British coastline, how come have you chosen to do a yet a concept album and why about WWI?
All albums with Torchbearer will be based upon concepts... We chose that because it's slightly original... not the average "war-concept".
Do you have a message with the lyrics or are they "just" accounts of history?
No message, they are all based upon facts of history, and to some extent dramatized as if experienced through the eyes of the soldiers that were actually there.
Will you continue on doing concept albums?
Yes
How do you work when you write the lyrics?
I read a lot normally and a little extra when it comes to the concepts of Torchbearer... When I feel I have a grasp of the subject at hand I sit down and pull it together.
How do you get the music worked into the concept?
I would think Christian would say he tries to achieve the same atmosphere as the concept at hand....
Almost all members of Torchbearer are active in other bands as well, how much of a real band is Torchbearer and how much time do you use on it?
It's a real band for sure, but due to the fact that we live spread all over Sweden, we don't hang around a rehearsal room all too often, so to speak, haha...
Will we see you going out and play some shows in support of the new album?
Can't say for sure - but that is what we aim for.
Will you share your 5 all time favourite albums with the readers of Nocturnal Horde?
They change constantly, but for now these comes to mind;
WASP - WASP
Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky
Anathema - Judgement
Marduk - Those Of The Unlight
Morbid Angel - Blessed Are The Sick
Thanks a ton for answering my questions, if you have anything to add, feel free to add it now!
Thank you I should say! Pick up our album and enjoy all ye freaks out there are all I can add.
[link]Torchbearer[/link] website
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