Interviews : Sonic Syndicate (Roland Johansson) – 08/09/2008

I recently had the chance to chat with Sonic Syndicate singer Roland Johansson about their upcoming album ‘Love and Other Disasters’, the history of the band, and their future touring plans.. including hopefully a tour of Australia!

Metal Obsession: Thanks for taking the time out to chat with metalobsession.

Roland Johansson: No problem at all

MO: Could you do a quick introduction of the band for our metal audiences who aren’t too familiar with Sonic Syndicate?

RJ: Sonic Syndicate is 6 people. There is a girl on the bass called Karin, 2 guitars, Robyn and Roger, both brothers by the way, then we have 2 vocals, lead vocals… My part in the band is mainly the clean vocal part, with both me and Richard screaming, so we have a good balance between the screaming and the clean part. The band started sometime 2004/2005, I wasnt in the band back then. An independent record company launched the first album, Eden Fire, then Nuclear Blast had a contest… in the beginning of 2005 and we were the winners of the contest, from 1500 other bands.

MO: Thats pretty crazy!

RJ: [laughs] Yeah, and we recorded Only Inhuman, released last year, and its been hectic since then, and we just finished up our third studio album, Love and Other Disasters, released september 19. And of course there are 3 brothers in the band. Richard, our vocalist, Robyn and Roger.

MO: Whats it like working with 3 brothers in a band?

RJ: In the beginning it was kinda weird cos they are very honest with each other, and I have been in bands before, but your friends, not with brothers, so when you have something to say, if you have other thoughts, other ideas … you say it in a more friendly way if you’re friends in a band, but brothers they just say exactly what they are thinking about, and that can be messy sometimes, but i’ve got used to it. In the beginning I was thinking ‘what the fuck are they doing?!’ Well, i’m getting used to it. And I think i’m transforming into the same person. Everybody is very honest with each other, and that is a, I think thats a good thing, so everybody gets themselves heard.

MO: What are you guys up to at the momment? Apart from media obligations are you rehearsing for the upcoming tour, or just taking it easy at the momment?

RJ: [laughs] Easy.. thats not a common word nowadays. We’re rehearsing for the upcoming tour, yeah, with In Flames, a european tour, 6 weeks, and actually we are also writing new stuff. Yeah, but you know, in small sketches.

MO: Just keeping the ideas coming..

RJ: Yeah, cos we constanly have ideas, so you have to record them so you dont forget about them. So maybe next year we will have a new album, but mainly we are rehearsing for the tour. We are planning for stuff to do after this tour, we are hoping we will go to America, to follow up that market, and then we are also working on coming down to you guys… come down to Australia!

MO: Australias obviously not quite as big as the American market, but its still great if you guys can come down!

RJ: Yeah, we get a lot of [Myspace] mail from Australia, actually we don’t know, if we can use the word, how big we are in Australia. But actually I met a guy, we were at this concert last week, At The Gates, and I met a guy there. He and his sister are travelling around Australia, and also south Asia, and they are writing a book about metal bands from Europe, and what people from down there think about them, and who is the biggest band from their point of view. And its very nice news to hear people are mentioning our name, so I would love to come down there for a couple of shows…

MO: I think the Australian audiences are up for it…

RJ: Yeah, I think so too man, we are talking about it that we are going to do something in Australia next year, I dont know when though, but perhaps before summer, or atleast after summer.

MO: Your new album, Love and Other Disaster’ will be released in Europe and Australia mid September, and October in US, did you get to play any new songs during your run of European Festivals through June/July, and what was the reaction to these if you did?

RJ: Actually we have only added one new song on our setlist, why is that? Well basically because you should not play maybe too many new songs before the album is released…

MO: Yeah, let the fans have a listen to it first

RJ: Exactly, so the only song we have been playiong live so far is Jack of Diamonds, the first video single, and I don’t think we’re going to add any new songs to the In Flames tour aswell, as we only have 30, 35 minutes, and you want … the audience to know the stuff, so you get this energy, so you don’t want to play too many new songs that they havent listened to before. So we will only play maybe 2 new songs on that tour, but after that tour is done we are definitely going to do a dramatic change in our setlist, with new songs. I’m looking forward to playing those. We have been playing these songs a couple of times now…

MO: Try and keep it fresh for you guys aswell

RJ: Yeah.

MO: What was the recording process of the album like, and how did it compare to the debut Eden Fire where Roger Sjunnesson wrote all the music, and Richard Sjunnesson wrote all the lyrics, or Only Inhuman? Was there more group participation this time? And whats the writing process for lyrics with 2 singers?

RJ: When they did Eden Fire, I wasnt a member in the band at that time, but I do appear on the album. I’m the guy that does the clean vocals on the album, like in Jail Breaker. They wanted a guest appearance on the album, so they called me, and asked me if I wanted to do those things, which I did, so then before this contest that we did for Nuclear Blast, they recorded 3 new songs for the contest, and decided to have clean vocals in the band and they called me again and asked if I wanted to do them. I did those 3 songs, and we discussed back and forth, and then I decided to join the party. So mainly the music creation on Only Inhuman was one person for all the music … Richard did all the lyrics ofcourse, he has done the lyrics on the new album aswell, and then when it comes to the clean part, the vocals, I did that all myself, but if you compare the writing for the new album to Only Inhuman, everybody is writing the music for the new album, its not just one person…

MO: Did it help with getting a more varied album?

RJ: Yeah. Its more diverse than if you compare it to Only Inhuman, and that is what I like. I think we have come a couple of steps forward when it comes to the music creation, now everybody is involved, everybody has their influence on the kind of music so you have more diversity to it all.

MO: It makes for a great album aswell.

RJ: Yeah I think this is the best album we have done so far. It was real fun for me especially as I have actually been playing guitar since I was 13 years old, and I have played guitar in other bands before, but somehow I ended up to be a singer 6 years back, so it was a good thing for me that I was involved, and I actually wrote on a couple of songs on the album music wise, so that was really cool.

MO: You’re not gonna whip out a guitar on tour?

RJ: [laughs] I dont think I can manage to do the things I do live, and also manage to play guitar! I think that would be real messy! Cos i’m constantly jumping around and to try and do that and sing and play guitar is..

MO: A deadly combination…

RJ: yeah, its gonna be very difficult. I’ll leave that part to Roger and Robyn. I can play guitar in the studio, but live, thats another thing. Maybe I can do a couple of guitar solo just to show off!

MO: How did you come round to joining the band? Were you friends with some of the guys?

RJ: No, I didnt know any of the guys before I came into the band. I watched them a couple of times, before I was a member in the band, I didnt know anything about them. But now they are friends for life definitely.

MO: So you just saw them live, and they approached you, or you approached them?

RJ: No, I had another band before this called Dodge. With Dodge we did a demo in the studio in Sweden, Studiomania, and that was just before they recorded Eden Fire, and they asked the producer in the studio if he knew anyone that could sing clean parts, and he put on the cd that we just recorded, and they were listening to the stuff that I had done with that band, and they asked me if I would like to do a few songs with them, so I did, and now i’m here.

MO: Your vocals seem to be more dominant on the new songs, was this sort of a conscious decision to try and put more melody in the songs?

RJ: I think it was just a natural step in our creation, I believe, but when it comes to the creation of the vocals … this time we did not have everything down before we went to the studio. To be honest with you, I think we maybe only had something like 40% of the vocals arranged and down before we went to the studio, so we did the rest in the studio, we came up with all of this in the studio, and it was just a natural work step. Its not that we tried to do it more this way, it just happened to be that way.

MO: As you guys mature as a band sort of thing?

RJ: I think it was a real fun time to play around this time because you didn’t have everything already made up. You didn’t have those straight lines to follow because that happens – I know this from when we recorded Only Human. When we did our first album we almost had everything down before we went into the studio. So when you get there, you do those things and that’s it. Now we didn’t know exactly what to do so we played around more. So maybe that’s one of the reasons it came out the way it did.

MO: The new album was again produces by Jonas Kjellgren from Scar Symmetry. How was it working with him the second time around?

RJ: We became really good friends on our last album. The good thing about Jonas is that he brings out the best in you in a good way, without making you angry. I’ve been recording albums before with producers and you know when you’re doing those screams, people maybe think „oh we have to get this man angry“ and I can probably vouch that that is probably not the best thing to inspire you to do good things. He’s just such a nice guy and is real funny and he seems exactly the same way with you. So its not him „oh you have to do this and that and Roland you have to do this and this and this”. It’s more like, i’ll try a couple of things, and he says, „yeah that’s one of the best ones“, and then we’re like co-producing the whole stuff. So that’s really good and that’s why we decided to use him again… But I don’t know if you know that it wasn’t Jonas that mixed the album this time.

MO: Yeah, I was going to ask about that. With Roberto Laghi Were you a fan of A Sense of Purpose, the new In Flames album? Or how did you get onto him?

RJ: No I hadn’t heard the new In Flames album before we decided to use Roberto. It was our manager and record label that asked if we wanted to try a new place, just to have a new person and new ideas in the album. So they mentioned this guy, and we were listening to stuff he was doing, not In Flames though, because he hadn’t mixed the new In Flames album yet. And to be honest I was a little bit worried, because I think when you’re in the mixing process of an album its very important. And I and everybody else agreed on this, we want to be there when you do it, and we couldn’t be here because we had this Nightwish tour. So first we have a new guy who’s going to mix it, we’re on tour and we haven’t met him before, so how’s this going to end? So we met him just before the tour, and we talked about this too, and we felt really good about that, and then he mixed stuff and sent it by email, and he asked us “should we do this or that,“ you know. We did this for the whole album, and we called him when we were listening to the whole album, and it was so good. I was so happy to have him doing that. It was a scary beginning but result was a nice thing.

MO: Is there a lot of pressure when you’re on a big label to get the big names in to produce and mix the album?

RJ: Of course it was a little bit of pressure in the beginning. If you ask me the third album is probably one of the most important albums in a bands career. It’s like, if there’s going to be something, it has to be on the third album. If it’s a disaster, it’s all going to go to hell in a way. So of course it was pressure in the beginning, but we did what we used to do. We recorded two songs for Nuclear Blast for them to listen to, and they came back and said that “we are more than happy with the result and we have faith in you so just keep doing what you do best”. And when they said that, all the pressure left disappeared. But on the other hand the stress comes in, because we were on tour all the time. We haven’t been writing music on tour before, because when we wrote the songs for the Only Human album, we didn’t have the record [deal] and so we could just pre record and pre record, you know, but now we were on tour all the time. So now we were a little bit stressed , but I think the end result of the stress was really good. I think we were as a team really good on the stress situation so. I got more creative under stress situations actually, so…

MO: So you don’t want to be angry you want to be stressed?

RJ: [laughs] I think so

MO: Now, I read somewhere that Toumas Holopainen from Nightwish did keyboards for this album. Is that right?

RJ: I don’t know where that came from, that is absolutely not true. He just made a statement that he likes the album and stuff like that. So no, he did not do any keyboard parts on the new album. But it would be something if he would be guest experience on a song in the future, but no he didn’t do any. This is not the first time I hear this. There were a couple of japanese interviews I did, and they were asking me the same questions. I don’t know where it is coming from. But no, he did not do any keyboard parts on the album.

MO: Oh, ok. What’s the story behind the song Hellgate Worcester. I read that it had something to do with the last Amon Amarth tour you guys had in the US?

RJ: [laughs] Ahh, yep, you got me there. Lets just say that that show wasn’t the best show for us. Not that we fucked up on stage. It actually was a really good performance show from our side, but I think there were fifty people in the audience who only wanted to listen to Amon Amarth and that’s it. I don’t think another band would have made it either. But I don’t think many of them out there hated us. First three guys were pointing the finger at us, and then the guys decided to do exactly the same. And in the end there were like fifty guys pointing their finger at us, they also sat down on the floor, trying to, humiliate us in a way. That was a fucked up thing to do. I don’t know why people think to do such a thing. And that is only happening in America, down like in Texas, I don’t know why. That is just the most fucked up thing you can do. But I didn’t give a fuck about it. We did our show, we did every song, and we actually sold most merchandise that evening. So, we decided to write a song about that experience anyway. I laugh at it. It doesn’t bother me at all. I don’t give a shit if fifty people point their finger at me. I don’t give a shit about that, so we just wanted to write something to those people that decided to do such a thing to the band.

MO: A big „fuck you“ to them

RJ: Yeah, exactly.

MO: On the new video you worked with Patric Ullaeus and Revolver Film company. You’ve worked with them for a few clips now, what’s he like to work with? And who came up with the video for jack of diamonds? Was there a message behind it, or was it designed to be something to be for the American market?

RJ: We decided to use him again because I like the way he films. He keeps the focus on the band, and not the computer design/green screen special effects and stuff like that. Its more focused to the people and actually filming in real locations. The idea for the Jack of Diamonds, I was very much involved in the producing of the video. And the message for this video that I had been reading on youtube, there was these guys, these two metal people, saying „oh, this is just another fucking hip hop kind of video just aiming for the American market”, and they are so wrong. Just listen to the lyrics as well and see the whole picture. Its more like a made up lifestyle, people think they have everything and focus on those things and just live their life in a video game. Its not that we… this isnt the lifestyle we Sonic Syndicate want to live in. It’s more like a… how should I explain…

MO: Just with all the fake people out there?

RJ: Yeah, but there are so many bands, and film stars that focus on just having the coolest car and the most hottest chicks around them all the time. Its more like we’re saying, that is just a hoax. That’s it, you understand what I mean? Its their made up world, its an illusion, like a video game, and its hope and plan for the best but one day its all gonna fall apart like a card house. That is our message. But there are people who cant see the picture, and I don’t think they really listen to the lyrics as well. But we don’t want to have this lifestyle. So that’s the thing about the video.

MO: And you also shot another video with Patric for the new album?

RJ: Yes, My Escape. That’s the more, how should I say, commercial, ballad song on the album.

MO: I think its a great song.

RJ: Me too. I think its one of my favourite songs. That video is more like a movie kind of feeling. There are no cool cars and hot chicks in that way. Its more of a traditional focus on the band kind of video with a story.

MO: When can we expect to see that film clip?

RJ: I’m not sure, but I think they’re gonna release that one on Mtv Europe … maybe next week. But I think some people are probably gonna record it and put it on youtube soon after.

MO: I’m hoping, because we don’t get much of that out here. As long as you guys don’t mind too much, we’re happy to watch it.

RJ: [laughs] No I don’t care. I’m just happy to show that video. Again I was involved in the ideas for that video. Its something you discover on your way in a band, its not just the music that interests you. And this creating music videos thing is very interesting for me. So me and Patric spent a couple of hours to talk ideas through, to put the whole video up in a way, so that was a very cool experience for me.

MO: What sort of bands are you a fan of and who made you want to be in a band when you were starting out?

RJ: I got my first guitar from my father in a christmas present when I was twelve years old. I was listening to Iron Maiden at that time and it was the number of the beast album. And I think Iron Maiden is the band that made me [want to be] a musician. And I have been playing guitar since then. And I do appear on the new album, I do a couple of guitar things there, and it was really great to be involved in that. My influence, there are so many bands that I’m influenced [by] I guess. But when it comes to vocals I don’t know if there are so many I try to get ideas from. I do like Chris Cornell. He’s a really good singer, and Devon Townsend from Strapping Young Lad, he’s a really awesome singer. I also like Bjorn from Soilwork, he has a very powerful voice.

MO: So you’ve come from quite a range of music there.

RJ: Yeah, but I’m listening to all kinds of music. Actually when I’m sitting at home listening to music, I don’t listen to metal that much cos I play it. Now for example, I’m listening to Porcupine Tree a lot. Catatonia, they’re a massive band and all types of styles.

MO: Better than listening to too much metal and getting sick of it.

RJ: Yeah, exactly. Strimmer [?] has been my biggest influence but that has nothing to do with the singing part.

MO: Just before we wrap up, is there anything you want to add for the Australian fans out there?

RJ: First of all id like to say that I want to thank them for all the support, although we haven’t been there yet. But we get tons of mail to our myspace page every day, and I just want to say thank you for that support. And then I would like to tell people to check out our new album, Love And Other Disasters. Its probably going to be the best album so far, if you ask me. Buy it so we can come down to you guys and perform live, because I think Sonic Syndicate, its the way you should experience us as a live performance. So thank you all for the support and I hope I’ll see you guys next year. We’re working on it!

MO: Cool. Well, thanks for speaking to us Roland, and best of luck for the release of the new album and upcoming tours, and we hope to see you in Australia soon.

RJ: Thank you very much.