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MM - Please,
introduce the band. Who are the members of Unchained, when was the
band formed and how has it evolved to its current membership?
PerilOz - The band was created by the guitarist Dave Blome, age 22
in 1999 and is today the only original member of the band. A very
talented guitarist and composer. The rest as follows:
Pete Eriksson – guitars, age 23 – also guitarist in the
death/thrash act “Disruption”.
Martin Michaelsson – drums, age 22 – influenced mostly by
death/black metal/folk music, also in Istapp.
Per PerilOz) Karlsson – vocals, age 23 – also singer in the
old resurrected “Overdrive”.
Mattias Osbeck – bass guitar, age 30 – also singer in
“Locomotive Breath”.
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MM - How would you describe your style
of music to someone who isn't familiar with the band and who
are your musical influences?
Martin - I
would say “Melodic Heavy Metal” (with some progressive
elements) but it’s always hard to put bands into genres.
We have very different influences because all members are
listening to their own music style, everything from black
metal to pop music.
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MM - The band have recently
released their self titled debut album 'Unchained'. Can you tell
us a little bit about each of the songs included on it.
My Guide – A song that
will live on for ages. Great refrains, great leads!
The Analyst – A dynamic song, a bit epic, a bit progressive yet a
really strong refrain!
Ghost Of The Alchemic Hall – Our most “A punch-in-the-face”
song to date. Heavy metal at it’s best!
Theater Of Fear – Cool song with groovy “4 on the floor”
verses, even groovier live! Wonderful lead guitars.
I Dream – Our very first ballad. It turned out very well on the
album I think.
Ordinary Sinner – Heavy riffing with a mega heavy middle part! A
great song that fits live very well.
Like The Candle – Also a kind of dynamic song. Great leads here
to.
The Great Witch – A little bit early “Maiden”, a little bit
early “Judas”, Need to say more?
Seventh Sin – Epic song with heavy bridges and very good lyrics.
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MM -
Do you collaborate on any songs as a band, or are the songs
mostly prewritten and presented to the band to add in their
ideas and opinions?
Dave - I mostly write
everything myself and show the finished song to the rest of
the band. However, no one in the band listens to the same
music so everyone contributes some of their own flavour to the
song.
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MM - How long did it take
for the new album to be created from the initial conception to the
finished product?
PerilOz -We
started the recordings in October 2003 and finished around
December/January 2004. The album mixing procedures started late
January and we're done in intervals during the whole spring. We
mastered the album in midsummer 2004 so it took around 10 months from
the beginning till the end.
MM - How would you
compare the recorded version of the new material to your live sound?
Mattias
- We do our live shows as similar as possible compared to the
recording. Great role models would be Operation Livecrime with
Queensryche.
MM - Do you have more finished songs? Do
you already have plans for the next CD?
Mattias
-We have lots of
songs and would probably be ready to record a new album within a month.
We have plans for a new album but we have not set a date yet.
MM -
You're currently signed to 'Sound Riot Records', how did you come to
hook up with them and what sort of deal do you have with them? Was
it just for the release of 'Unchained' or does it go further than that?
PerilOz
-
After we
did the 'Like The Candle' promo CD it was reviewed in some bigger
Swedish rock magazines and got a high score. Among some other offers
from different record labels we choose sound Riot. We have a contract
spanning over three full-length albums.
MM - How have the fans and the rock
media in general responded to the new album?
Martin - So far
we have had a very good response from magazines and webzines all over
the world with many interview requests, high marks and good words about
us. That's very satisfying and I hope our listeners have the same
thoughts.
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MM -
Where can our readers find out more about the band? Do you
have an official website they could check out? Also is there
anywhere on the net people can listen to some of your songs?
Martin -Yes
we have an official website www.unchained.se
and there you can read more about the band/members, download
movie clips and listen to sound clips. So please visit and
enjoy the realm of Unchained.
MM - If
you could nominate just one song that you've recorded to sum
up the bands playing style and feel which one would it be?
PerilOz
- Right now I think 'The Analyst' is a good song to show
which style we're into.
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MM - What are you listening to these days
yourself? Old classics or modern bands? Do you ever listen to music that
is very different from what you do, if so what?
Martin - I'm listening
to very different kinds of music. It doesn't matter if it is pop or
metal, as long as it is a good song. But mostly I listen to Black and
Death Metal, like Taake, Satyrizon, Mayhem, Keep of Kalessin, Morbid
Angel, Nile and so on.
MM
- What has been your biggest musical achievement/success so far?
Dave
- Probably this record. We didn't leave anything undone 'til we were
satisfied and I think that's a big achievement.
MM - What are your hopes for the band? This is your debut album but
where do you hope to go from here?
PerilOz
- Hopefully, the stars will be in their right positions so that
someone important media-business-ass will get a good eye for us and
perceive how good we are! Then he takes us under his wings and gives us
a really good record deal so that we don't have to figure out how to get
enough money for our next studio album ;)
But seriously, we have a lot of things going on right now. We've got an
incredible response on our album, with a lot of really great reviews and
comments and I hope it will result in a lot of gigs and tours in the
future, so that we can prove that we are one of the bigger acts to count
on in the future.
MM - Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to all our readers
out there?
Martin
- Thanks
for the interview and hope to see you guys soon, on the road or at the
pub. and if you don't have the Unchained album, then go buy it. You will
not be disappointed.
We'd second that, this album is well worth checking out. |