Keeping it low and slow, doomy duo CITIZEND has an eclectic style that echoes familiar ‘90s giants Neurosis, Alice in Chains, and Nine Inch Nails; while singer/guitarist Emil Gustavsson’s heavy-toned vocals invoke the depth and texture of Mark Lanegan and Tom Waits. Gustavsson and instrumentalist/producer Otto Nilsson collaborated with Mika Häkki (Monolord), Mattias Hagström (Sarah Klang), and Oliver Knowles (Snow Ghosts) to create Citizend’s “noirmericana” debut EP “The Spiral,” a gravitating auditory descent into humanity’s endgame, out on Majestic Mountain Records December 6th.

Today, slip into the depths of “The Spiral” through a conversational Q&A between Emil Gustavsson and contributor Doob Solo, check out our favorite singles, and pre-order the EP from Majestic Mountain Records!

Greetings Emil! First I need to ask, where does the name “Citizend” come from? And how is it pronounced?

Citizend is basically a play with words combining the word “Citizen” and “End”. So basically, it means “The end of humanity”, or something similar to that. It is pronounced as Citizen but with a hard D at the end.

Citizend is yourself and Otto Nilsson, and guest musicians on the album include Mika Häkki (Monolord), Mattias Hagström (Sarah Klang), and Oliver Knowles (Snow Ghosts). What was it like to work with these talented contributors?

This has truly been a fun and developing project from the start. The writing process for this EP started with me having rough demos of the tracks, inspired by everything from black-metal to stoner and folk. And when I showed my ideas to Otto he did his magic by carefully and respectfully unveiling, adding and removing bits from the songs, creating the big picture that is the EP today. Mika, Mattias and Oliver really blew us away adding their great musicianship and personalities to the tracks. I have such big respect for the creative process, and I wanted this project to be fun and evolving. And I believe we managed to do that, together. Where everyone involved, from musicians to designers, photographers and film makers really added their touch to the big picture.

The fact that you are a self-taught musician amazes me. When did you first begin playing music and what was your first instrument?

Hmmmm. I think it was when I was about 13 years old and suddenly all of my friends started to play instruments. And one of my oldest friends (Oskar, who also plays in a band called Wormwood today) taught me to play some Nirvana, Green Day and Blink 182 songs on the guitar, and that was the start of it all. Me being self-taught really means that I can’t read music and don’t have any theoretical background. And I think that is one of my strengths. I do things how I do things. And although I’m sometimes limited by that, it also makes me sound the way I do.

What kind of guitar did you start with, and what are you playing now? What kind of pedals, cabs, and amps are you using?

I started with a really crappy Kingston Stratocaster that I bought (together with an amp) for 30 USD and a McFlurry Ice Cream. The first night I took it home, I dropped it to the floor so the neck broke. Fortunately my father was a carpenter, so he glued it together making it work. Since then I have been on a journey for the perfect sound, really nerding out on equipment and gear. So today I use a boutique Fano Alt De Facto JM6 as my main guitar, a matching Victory head and cabinet and a big pedalboard where I like to stack distortions and fuzzes with reverbs and delays to create atmospheric landscapes.

Your method of learning and creating music does not appear to have dampened the quality of your sounds nor the soul behind them. Do you have any desire to learn to read music or learn music theory?

I see myself as a team player that works best with other people, so that I can use my qualities in the way that suits the project at hand. And when it comes to music, I think my drive and directness is my strongest tool. Of course, I would like to learn more theory and production, but I don’t know if it would improve my music. And now when I am working with Otto I really want to give him the place he deserves in the music, cause he makes anything into magic.

Certainly, he does! And your vocals are quite hypnotic. When did you begin singing, and at what point did you realize you wanted to sing on a record?

I did some vocal recordings with my former band, but this is the first time I am the lead singer in a project. That makes me both terrified, humbled and excited at the same time. In recent years I’ve been exploring my voice more, and the main thing about it is that I feel good when I sing. From the beginning I have always heard that I can’t sing, and my voice is too deep etc. But early on in Citizend we agreed to try and create music that plays to the strengths of my voice and style of singing. This approach resonates in me and pushes me to keep exploring it.

How did your vision for The Spiral begin, and how did it evolve as you were making the record?

Both me and Otto are thinking a lot in terms of themes and concepts. That is the thing that unites us and makes our creative process thrive. We both want something to guide us through the process being a central piece of the vision. Being able to conceptually stand on common ground makes it easier to “find” the right lyrics and sounds. The concept behind the Spiral was quite instant, I think. We saw directly that the songs were tied together in a common story line that was following a person’s life from birth to the inevitable end of things. And of course, the concept has been evolving with Arjen Kunnens beautiful artwork, Richard Bloom’s photos and Amanda & Emblas videos but they all go back to the core of the concept.

Your previous band Orochen created music under the cloud of capitalist dystopian realism, and The Spiral was catalyzed for Citizend by John Fogerty’s ominous song “Bad Moon Rising”. What do you hope to provoke in your listeners by emphasizing dark, portentous themes?

For me it is mostly about putting words and music to my own feelings, and in a sense it is therapeutic. It forces me to share my inner demons and thoughts about the world. If I can make one person reflect about the society or inspire someone to pick up an instrument or starting singing, I am more than happy.

The Spiral is about humanity’s ultimate doom: The end of the world as we know it. Its lyrics tell stories through brilliant literary devices, and its brooding music is sweetened with lush melodies. Is that a reflection of our human drive to find light (meaning and beauty) in darkness (tragedy and death)?

I feel that strong emotion lies in contrasts. Something won’t be truly ugly until it is placed beside something beautiful. Old shut down factories in small towns overgrown by nature, or the old cranes looming in the beautiful skylight of Gothenburg. It is the contrast that makes things live and become vivid. And to be truly honest – I think we human beings are hiding all the dust and the darkness with shiny new things, not avoid thinking about what the world really is and needs.

I have had the privilege of listening to the full EP and I love the way it is arranged. What brought you to the decision to release the EP song-by-song, out-of-order before its full release?

Foremost, thank you for all your support. All the songs on The Spiral are tied together closely in a story line, where each song serves as a chapter in one person’s life. So, for us it was natural to mix genres and soundscapes to paint smaller parts of a larger picture that is that person’s life. Releasing it song-by-song lets you zoom in to each of the smaller pieces before seeing the whole thing, kind of like how different phases of your life can feel sometimes.

Each part of this project is closely interconnected, but do you think you can identify a specific song or section of music that resonates most strongly with you?

My personal favourite song (at the moment) is Drowning. I think we really did manage to find something unique when it comes to the sound and mixes of genres on that one. And I also think the lyrics came out quite nice. But since we have been living with the songs for such a long time it is constantly changing, and it is also hard to put perspective to them.

My favorite track is “End of the World” and I understand you used a unique approach to creating the lyrics. Will you describe the process and intentions behind your “futuristic” method?

Haha, yes. I knew what I wanted to say with that song at once, but my brain froze and I couldn’t find the right words for it. We decided to write the lyrics for the song as a poem to the extinct human race written by a lonely machine left in a post-apocalyptic world. So out of curiosity I tried asking Chat GPT to “write me a poem for the end of the world,” and the answer just made my spine shiver.

We used the AI’s “poem” as inspiration for the concept more than for the actual words. However, a lot of the phrasing made it feel a bit less human which fit the vision for the song, so we kept some of it. As a world-ending theme, this really spoke to us and felt true to the times we live in. All from an AI basically telling us with poetic words that we’re doomed and it’s all our own fault.

So, the voice telling the story in “End of the World” is meant to be the voice of an intelligent machine?

Yes, it can be interpreted like that.

Do you intend to use Chat GPT or other AI for future Citizend projects, or was that a creative choice specifically for this project?

It was very specific for that song. You never know where creativity leads, but I don’t think we will. Mainly because the reaction that the AI gave me the first time won’t happen again.

The amount of thought and effort that went into creating The Spiral is apparent. How will we see your refined aesthetic and attention to detail presented in the physical releases?

With the physical release we have really been given an opportunity by Majestic Mountain Records to follow our dream to the fullest. So, everything about the physical release has been carefully put together. All the way from the pictures to the artwork and the setting of the design – down to the placing of fonts and texts. The vinyl comes in three different editions and colors that are named from the concept. We are very excited to release this! We also need to mention our friend Daniel Johansson who really listened to us and helped with putting our vision and designs together.

And we have already started working on our upcoming debut album, and this time we have gone even further into this concept world. The scene is set after the end of the world, in a post-apocalyptic western landscape where we are following a character’s journey through a western desolate city. But more about that later.

That is exciting news! Have you and Otto found any collaborators at this time?

We don’t know all the answers here now, so we will see where this journey takes us – but I hope that we can use the same team and musicians that were involved for the Spiral in the future as well. ‘Cause they are all amazing.

Do you see the possibility of Citizend performing live concerts in the future?

We will actually have our first show and release event for the EP at Pustervik (a legendary concert hall in Gothenburg) on December 13. And for that show all of the musicians and artists that contributed to The Spiral will be a part of the show (except for Oliver who is doing a European tour with his band Sex Swing).

I’m very excited to keep my eyes and ears open for future news from Citizend! Thank you, Emil, for pulling us into The Spiral!

Thank you for really welcoming us to the scene and taking in our music to the fullest. It means a lot.

SOME BUZZ

Marco Berg, maestro at Majestic Mountain Records says:

From the moment I first heard the band’s first demo song, it was clear that MMR would be thrilled to work with them. Their unique blend of post-rock and Americana Noir, combined with a compelling vision for their music, ensures that everything about this release feels like smooth sailing.

Mika Häkki, Citizend collaborator and Monolord bassist shares:

It was a fun experience to work with Emil and Otto. They originally asked me to come play bass on one song on the album. But it ended up being a fun and creative session so they asked me to come back. I had only known Emil for a year or so before, but he’s such a genuine music lover and an open person that I wanted to do something with them.

You’re about to get your midweek mellow on with OOPSY DAZEY, the meeting of two active musicians in our scene: Anthony Gaglia (LaGoon, The Crooked Whispers) and Jamie Yeats (Wizzerd). It’s not quite what you would expect, based on their individual bands, but it is sweet music if you’ve got a hankering for chill shoegazey post-rock with hints of alternative, surf, punk, and grunge.

I guess the label sadcore applies here, and I’m gradually getting more into that sound. For me, Oopsy Daisy has an underlying energy that just puts me on the wavelength to face the day’s demands, with “Regrets,” “Priced to Sell,” and “Right on Que” being a few of my go-to’s.

We’ve invited Anthony Gaglia to say a few words about each of the songs below, so check that out. Grab the band’s debut record ‘Oopsy Daisy’ (2023) when it lands on November 10th (get it here). The album will see a cassette release on Forbidden Place Records and a vinyl release via Interstellar Smoke Records in months ahead.

Give ear…

Oopsy Dazey: Track-by-Track

We asked Anthony Gaglia from Oopsy Dazey to walk us through each track on the new album Oopsy Dazey. His answers follow:

1. Tasting Colors: “I wrote the chord progression and lead guitar parts of this song 5 or so years ago and never thought I’d do anything with it. When I started recording this album I never thought it’d see the light of day. I just wanted to record ideas that’d been floating around so I’d have them stored somewhere. This was one of the first ones I recorded and one of the first I showed to Jamie.”

2. Amnesia: “By far one of the poppiest songs I’ve ever written, but also one of the funnest ones to play on the record. I had most of this one laid out when I brought it to Jamie. He added in the Rhodes which really helped fill it out. The drum beat on this one is also one of my favorites. I’m a huge fan of 90s rap and the way Jamie stays on the hi-hat all the way through gives it a 90s rap beat feel.”

3. Regrets: “I wrote and recorded regrets when my wife and I had covid. I couldn’t sleep for the first few days. This chord progression was the first thing I played when I picked up my guitar and I decided to turn it into something. The rest of it came pretty easy and is easily one of my favorites of the record.”

4. Blank Stares: “This song is my favorite on the album. I went to school for Spanish classical guitar and the main riff that starts the song is an alternating finger exercise I came up with during my sophomore year. It’s something I’ve played a million times and never thought to make it a song.”

5. Priced to Sell: “I wrote this song when I was working on the previous LáGoon album but just didn’t think it fit the album. I decided I should record it and maybe I’d put it on the next LáGoon record. I sent it to Jamie with a preface that I didn’t know if it’d fit this project. He really dug it and thought it should be on the record. I’m glad we came to that conclusion because it’s one of my favorites to play live.”

6. Right on Queue: “I’m not much on love songs but this is probably the closest to that you’ll ever hear from me. I wrote this song about my wife Brittany. At the time she was traveling a lot for work. My days were feeling pretty monotonous at the time. I wrote the first verse while she was gone and the second verse when she got back.”

7. Same Idea: “This was the only song that wasn’t written before we decided to put out a record. All the other songs I had recorded previously. After I sent the songs to Jamie and he was interested in re-recording the drums on them, I felt like we needed one more song to close the album out. I wrote and recorded the song in one day. For a long time we thought it was going to be an instrumental, but after listening to it for a few weeks I ended up recording vocals.”

Let me admit right away that I didn’t realize how special Scottish act healthyliving – and this album this in particular – was going to be. Though it should come as no surprise, considering how deep the music scene is there (see Doomed & Stoned in Scottland).

The mood on ‘Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief’ (2023) is often blue, rainy, and windswept. Take, for example, the hauntingly excellent “Dream Hive” (my favorite of the album) which shares a certain emotional and tonal kinship with the immortal “Everlong” by Foo Fighters.

Stylistically, the band blends elements of noise rock, doom, dark jazz, and even groove metal as needed to form lush compositions. It’s a rewarding listen worth soaking in. By the time I reached “Ghost Limbs,” in fact, I was melting in it.

Amaya López Carromero’s vocals are most moving and relatable – as storied as Sara Bianchin from Messa (“Until”), as wild as Lea Amling Alazam from Besvarjelson (“To The Gallows”). She is powerful and sensitive as it suits the mood and poetry.

Reached for comment, the band says:

Making this album has healed many things. It has been a lesson of acceptance, intuition, and regaining trust. Finally, the day to share it with the world has come. Quit that job you hate, run into the wilderness, stop trying to fit in, embrace the ugly, the weird and that which flows naturally when you have finally failed enough.

Look for Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief by healthyliving on vinyl, compact disc, and digital formats during its worldwide release this weekend, April 7th (get it here) – made possible by Creative Scotland. This will be followed by a live performance at the one and only Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands on April 22nd (details here). Stick 'em on a playlist with Chelsea Wolfe, Elephant Tree, Messa, Blackwater Holylight, and Besvarjeslon.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

healthyliving is the project of long-time collaborators and friends who met through the European underground metal scene: Amaya López-Carromero (Maud the moth), Scott McLean (Falloch, Ashenspire) and Stefan Pötzsch. Having worked on various musical projects together for years, Amaya’s, Scott’s and Stefan’s artistic and personal connection coalesced organically and fuelled a small transnational collective across Scotland, Spain and Germany.

'Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief’ (2023) is their concise and direct debut full-length album, funded by Creative Scotland and will be co-released on the 7th April by the band and La Rubia Producciones, followed by a debut live performance at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in Tilburg.

Artistically, the band draws from the beauty and horror of the banal to create a kaleidoscopic and evocative musical world which commutes across genre borders. The album, Songs of Abundance, Psalms of Grief, covers “everyday emotions which are apparently unrelated and mundane” but were chosen for their ability to represent common ground we all share as humans. Indeed, the band themselves describe their music as the soundtrack to “digesting our humanity”, coming to terms with the hopes and fears we all share.

A nocturnal haze of guitar layers lap like mammoth waves, as healthyliving taps into something primal and transfixing with their hypnotic sound. Amaya’s eerie and cosmic vocals sit atop the storm, leaving the listener to find pure human vulnerability and emotion in frequently turbulent and unfettered vocal turns.

Vocalist Amaya expands, “The magic of musical composition/songwriting for me lies in its capacity to create worlds outside of reality where both performers and listeners can explore and process things. A sort of microholiday from everyday life or an exciting meditative state, so I hope that we can share this experience with anyone who listens to the album.”

healthyliving honour this natural connection; something which is reflected in the simplicity, rawness and immediateness of their approach to songwriting. “Whenever an idea was found to be inspiring the whole song and structure needed to be written and finished within the same session.” says guitarist Scott. “Going back to work on it later or changing it was not allowed.” It’s a testament to the band’s conviction in instinct over pre-planning. Stefan confirms - I’m into things being quite straightforward and intuitive despite the distance between us.”

Amaya continues, “All of the lyrics were written using free-association of the music with memories, or emotions that popped into my head in a dream-like manner.” She continues, “I titled “To The Gallows” first, as a summary of the main and oppressive feeling of the song; being stuck in a seamless feedback cycle of abuse that keeps repeating itself in a sisyphus-like vein. “To The Fields’’ has an opposing energy, invoking growth, vulnerability and hope.”

The Scottish community from which the band mainly operate (and where Scott and Amaya still reside) is clearly of utmost importance to the band. The three members of healthyliving appear in other Scottish musical projects - Ashenspire, Falloch, Maud the moth, All Men Unto Me - are included. “The community has taken a really long time to form and it’s amazing that now there is so much going on around it.” says Scott. “The best thing is being able to create such a wide variety of music with close friends. There is something happening nearly everyday in relation to our little community of musicians which is really incredible and exciting.”  (bio by Rosie Solomon)

I became a devoted listener to Melbourne rockers FOOT since I gave a deep listen to 2020’s The Balance of Nature Shifted. That was in fact not their first album, but their third, and given the fresh nature of their sound (wistful grunge meets stirring desert rock) I was excited to learn of a pending fourth, ‘You Are Weightless’ (2022).

Something about that title strongly resonates with me. I wonder how many people in the world have gone through the wringing cycle of paranoia, fear, isolation, trust-mistrust-distrust, exhaustion, and burn out these past several pandemic years. I wonder how many more are ready to experience release from the cruel grip of anxiety and dread. Freedom is hard-earned, but I know it starts by being still and taking a good look at what’s going on around you, without judgment, just taking notes, like you’re Mother Nature’s eyes gathering data to report on the state of things.

Maybe that’s what I like, deep down inside, about Foot’s new record – it’s taking notice of what’s going on right here, right now on space station Earth. Call it a divine test, a winding down clock, or a simulation; dumb luck or a cosmic joke, we’re stuck here. Might as well have a good soundtrack.

Foot’s score to the human dilemma begins with “Bitter,” a thumping, up-tempo number with sardonic guitar licks and singing that’s clean and cool – like '90s “Whatever, dude” kind of cool. In the closing minutes, the song breaks down into a groovy jam, with deep bass groans and the addition of keys.

“Caged Animal” follows; a warm, yet melancholic track. “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found 1000 ways that don’t work” Paul Holden sings in stirring, chorus-like fashion. Perhaps this is the philosophical antidote to the dismal (but wholly relatable) sentiment of King Buffalo’s “Hebetation,” which confesses: “Every night I dream a million different ways for me to die.” There’s a delicious breakdown in those last few minutes, then fading vocals and acoustic guitar escort us out.

This brings us to the song Doomed & Stoned is premiering today: “Fire Dance.” The song opens with an emphatic, rumbling beat that had me thinking of a captive tiger menacing his surroundings, circling restlessly 'round and 'round, and looking for a way of escape. The song talks about lighting a fire without a plan, which sometimes feels like it would be a great thing to do, but will most likely leave us without a safety net.

Well, that’s one interpretation. You listen and tell me. What is undeniable is the way the band captivates us as the song moves along, past the “radio friendly” 3-minute mark, when bass, percussion, and then keyboard morphs the fabric of the song into something more, perhaps a new reality. As it ends, we’re left standing in the air of burning embers and quiet reflection, having tasted the flame, now ready to start living again.

There are four more songs, each of which merit multiple listens and for me grew fonder with every play. Lyrically, Foot’s You Are Weightless is the first compelling post-pandemic album I’ve heard so far this year. Mark June the 10th on your calendar, when it releases through Copper Feast Records (pre-order here). Until then, let’s take a leap of faith into the floating void with the record’s second single, “Fire Dance.” Stick it on a playlist with Hazemaze, Elephant Tree, Comet Control, Alice in Chains, and Chevelle.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

For fans and followers firmly in the know, FOOT – the venerable and utterly spellbinding Melbourne-based stoner rock quartet – are back with their eagerly awaited fourth album; You Are Weightless, on Copper Feast Records.

Helmed by guitarist, vocalist and creative constant, Paul Holden, and backed by an ever-changing cast of close confidants, Foot has proven themselves time and time again to be an integral part of the burgeoning Oz psych/stoner rock scene, since the release of their debut in 2016.

Following on from last year’s lockdown masterpiece, The Balance of Nature Shifted, the band return this June with the sonic equivalent of a heavily wrought, fuzz-lined straitjacket in new album, You Are Weightless. Channeling the dynamic spirit of acts like Queens of the Stone Age and Alice in Chains, they envelope their music with social commentary and grand visions that help tip the scales in favour of the heavier, more visceral cradle of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a sight and sound to behold and make no mistake, Holden, along with his band of merry sessioners, have quite possibly crafted their boldest and most revelatory album to date.

Teaming up once again with the Sydney-based Foot-Appreciation Society Copper Feast Records, You Are Weightless will receive an official worldwide release on 10th June 2022

Last year, French band MELT grabbed my notice, while stealing my heart when I saw the music video “Cypher” from their self-titled debut. It was raw, it was untamed, it pushed the boundaries of safety and left me a little shook. Indeed, their sound was “rooted in the power of metal and inspired by the tenderness and melancholia of the soul,” as their clippings proclaimed. “Screaming, not with your guts but with your soul.”

Originating as a duo in 2007, Melt’s first members included vocalist Charlotte and guitarist Olivier. In the years that followed the two dropped a series of demos, which can only be described as chaos. Chaos is still creation, however, and what emerged was something deeply personal. Encompassing elements of rock and metal (two things that can be risky to lasso together), the music is dark, reflecting their struggle to find hope and goodness in the contemporary world.

By 2015, Charlotte and Oliver encountered “two roaming souls” Roméo and Jux, who became their drummer and bassist respectively. Melt was not ready to take their sound to the stage, which they’ve done with great heart over the past five years.

I wasn’t expecting to revisit them so soon, but was presently surprised when word arrived that Melt were getting ready to release their second full-length record, “The Secret Teaching Of Sorrow.” Today, we get our first listen through the new single, “Hellion.”

“Hellion is a song about what Melt has always been focused on: the relationship between you and that unknown mystery that awaits you when you die. In the song it is both called ‘Night’ and ‘Sun’, the song talks about the irresistible attraction felt toward ‘Night’ and ’Sun’. Melt is about melting in them.” Comment guitarist Olivier Antoine.

The song reaches no definitive conclusions, leaving us to wonder about the possibilities beyond the realm of the seen. There is a certain urgency that pervades the new album, with Charlotte’s unhinged vocal performance again being a key differentiator and each band member accenting the songs with some fascinating and memorable moments.

Some bands do a great job of bridging the boundaries between rock and metal, which makes it difficult to classify their style and often lands them with the catch-all label: “alternative.” I’ve stopped trying to figure it out, myself. What matters is how a band connects with you on a heart level and Melt definitely does that and then some.

“Hellion” is available now on all digital platforms, with The Secret Teaching Of Sorrow set for release on the 19th June via Mongrel Records (pre-order here).

Give ear…

I was a little late to the game in getting acquainted with Besvärjelsen, my introduction coming with last year’s most excellent LP, ‘Vallmo’ (2018), but man am I ever glad I’m listening to them now.

Today, the five-member Stockholm band – formed by members of Dozer, Greenleaf, and others – are presenting us with a new single and music video, providing yet another great opportunity for us to get acquainted with their proggy doom-grounded rock style.

“When We Fall” will be releasing on an EP called 'Frost’ August 9th on Blues Funeral Recordings as part of the Postwax subscription series. Don’t miss our interview with Erik Bäckwall from the band below!

Give ear…

What does the “Besvärjelsen” signify for the band?

I think the name was first conjured up at an early rehearsal as a fitting name to describe the music they were making at the time. Doomy, mysterious vibes with a healthy portion of Swedish folk music in the mix. Today you could say it represents a roadmap to the music we’re doing. And we can deviate from the path, because we still know where we are going.

Tell us about the song we’re premiering today, “When We Fall” – what is it about and how does the concept tie in with the music video?

The song is about searching for good when it feels hopeless, The difficulty in finding good people and not just surrounding yourself with stuff that drags you down. It doesn’t really tie in with the video though. The video came out of an idea to make a simple video where all band members where present, since only two appeared in the previous videos from the last album. And we took it from there, we recorded it mostly at our rehearsal space and threw in some inspiration from Twin Peaks visually. About a guy who gets hooked on our music basically. The guitar riff was part of another idea at first but we deleted some stuff and fleshed this one out at one rare rehearsal. From there we wrote the drum parts, bass, additional guitars and vocal melodies.

This is now your second or third music video, I’ve lost count. How is performing for a music video different than a live performance?

It’s pretty hard actually, to pretend you are playing (well, you are playing to some extent, but not audibly) but it’s kind of fun as well. Playing live you have another edge and adrenaline as well before you go on stage and you’ll get totally into the performance. Playing in a music video you’re more concerned that it looks good or that it looks like you’re playing the right notes.

We’d love to know something more about the new EP coming out on Blues Funeral Recordings! Tell us anything you like, whether it records the development of the songs, any themes that run through the album, or the recording process itself.

It was a bit of an undertaking, because we actually thought we’d be able to crank out some new tunes a bit faster than we did. We had started to play around with some riffs in April 2018 when we got the Postwax gig and promised to deliver a new EP by the end of the year. But we had a lot of gigs coming up as well as Holidays, vacations and what have you. So when we hooked up again (we all live quite a bit from each other, different cities, villages) in September we only had the skeleton for one song.

So we started writing and uploading ideas, trying out stuff back and forth and three of us actually met two times at the rehearsal space to try some stuff. But we shaped the ideas from that point on from our home studios and recorded the drums in late November in a professional studio in Borlänge, the guitars and vocals at Andreas’ home studio in Nås later on in December. I think we did the final mix early in January, delivered the record and in March we played the songs together the whole band for the first time. Lyrically the songs are about all kinds of relationships with other people and beautiful disasters.

What does the band have in store for the rest of the year?

We have a couple of shows coming up (Krökbacken Festival, to name one) pretty soon and hopefully we’ll do some more but we’re all doing it by ourselves so it’s a bit tricky sometimes, maybe we’ll try to secure a booking agency to get out of the country and do some shows. Other than that, we’re focusing on writing the next full length album, the follow up to last years Vallmo.