Interview с Sonic Syndicate : DARKSIDE.ru

Don`t Put Yourself in the Box

Sonic Syndicate – is a Swedish metal band based in 2002. About creative way and work of the band Roland, one of the vocalists, will tell us. We would like to speak about some results of Sonic Syndicate work. Since 2002 the band has released three albums, five singles and one live-CD, recorded in tour "Live Inhuman" in support of the album "Only Inhuman". In 2006 they got signed to the label Nuclear Blast Records. This time they made four great videos, which were produced by Patric Ullaeus (Arch Enemy, Chrome Division, Children of Bodom, Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, Within Temptation), and went on tours with such bands as Himsa, Amon Amarth and Nightwish...

Make a little presentation of the new album.

"Love and other Disasters" is the album of Sonic Syndicate. Comparing to the previous album "Only Inhuman" it has more diversity; there are a little bit more commercial songs. I am very happy about the album. This time everybody was trying writing music, that's why you can hear the diversity.

At the homepage of the band the album is called the masterpiece.

(laughs) yeah, that is what it is! For me it is really a masterpiece, the masterpiece from Sonic Syndicate. What else can I say about it, it's a good record, buy it!

Is there some concept in lyrics or music?

eemm... Lyrics are written by Richard, but it reflects everybody in the band, I guess. There was the great overturn of our life, it is a great and exciting experience at all of course, but it became our job, we were on the tour, we made a big effort to be on the road right now, and it all is reflected in the lyrics. Have you listen to the album? The first half of the album is hard feeling, and in the other hand the album is a little bit darker. And you know, it is love- and disaster-feeling, and it reflects in music and also the lyrics have this meaning, and... yeah.

Tell about the title of the album?

"Love and Other Disasters"... as I said before, it reflects what we've been through and we have sacrificed a lot for what we are now... I know that, some people in the band beside me sacrificed even more. And if we talk about love, it can be the very beautiful thing, but also a very horrible thing. When you play metal music, you are forbidden to tal

k about it, and that's why we did it. I don't like people, saying about rules, that we can't do it because we play such a kind of music, I don't give a shit about it.

Tell about the design of the album?

The design is made by the same guy, who made the cover of "Only Inhuman". I don't like... oh, I shouldn't say "I DON'T like", but I like more the cover of "Only Inhuman".

Why should people choose exactly your album?

Because we have... how should I explain it... we combine metal-pop and maybe melodic death metal, we're trying to touch all elements of music in anyway, because now everybody listens to different kind of music and I don't wanna be put in a box, we have very wide spectrum, so everybody can find what they like. And we will do it even if some people say: "Hey, you can't do it! You can't put pop in metal music". I don't give a shit about this. We do what we like and it's gonna be this way, that's why you should listen to our album. If you are open minded person, than you will find something what you like.

Tell about different are between your previous album and the new one?

When we wrote the songs for "Only Inhuman", we had a regular... deal. We had a lot of time, wasn't stressed. It was a very calm situation. This time we were in tour, and had to write songs. We tried to spend an hour before the sound-check; we should focus on writing the songs. We were very stressy. To be honest we wrote three songs an hour before to go to the studio. This situation was kinda hard to do any album, a part of vocal arrangement in studio were embarrassing. It was a new experience, but it was a good

one. So there are the differences between "Love and Other Disasters" and "Only Inhuman".

In the band there is another vocalist, beside you. How is it to work with him?

I and Richard are combined very well. Let's say, if there is just one singer, it wouldn't work, it wouldn't be that Sonic Syndicate you can listen on the album. We are working very well with each other. We're trying to keep dynamic in vocals, to keep it interesting. In this way you have energy in vocals; you can feel life when you have tons of energy, because we are two singers. And I don't know any singer who could make all alone in Sonic Syndicate. We combine each other really good and we're thinking in the same way all the time, so it is very easy to create vocal arrangement.

Richard is responded for the lyrics...

I'm trying to write, but I think too much.

And how do you feel singing his lyrics? Does he explains the sense, he puts in it?

Been on the tour that time, I think we could feel ourselves in skin of each other. I can actually relate to the lyrics pretty much in all songs. The otherwise he tells me the feeling, and also I put my own feeling in the song.

Is he always satisfied by the result?

Of course, no one can make it better than me!

How is it to work in such a big band of six musicians?

It's like a hell sometimes (laughs). It is very easy. Everybody is open-minded, honest, and everybody has their own ego also, but if they wouldn't have that ego it would be difficult to make a song. It is easy to work wit

h them, because we are always honest with each other. Everybody has the opportunity to say their opinion, so it is very easy. Okay, we're fighting sometimes... but it is okay...

Is there somebody in the band whom you don't really like?

Hmm... It’s John, Roger, Richard, Karin, Robert (laughs). No, I like them all! There are different kinds of personality, which you like in every member.

Did you know somebody of them before you became a band?

No. When I became a member in Sonic Syndicate, I've never met them before. Karin called me and asked, if I’d like to sing for them. I said: Yes, superior. I recorded three songs on the "Eden Fire". And when the album was released, I wasn't a member. Then they asked if I can make clean vocals, and I said: Yes, I am quite interested in trying it out. And we recorded three songs, which are appeared to be really good. Then they asked: Do you wanna be a member in the band? It was a great opportunity, I liked the songs, and I said "yes". Then I had to quit my other band, they didn't like it (laughs).

Do you gather except for in the studio or on the tour?

It was before. Now, we're together on tour all the time, in the studio. We're trying to have personal life also. You don't have to hang out all the time, because than you're irritating each other easily, so... well, we hang out sometimes, but it isn't that much nowadays as it was before. It's job, you can't hang out all the time with your work-friends, you need a distance.

As for Karin. How is it to work with a woman?

Pain in the ass!

Sonic Syndicate

Don`t Put Yourself in the Box

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