Joacim Cans – HammerFall

Sweden’s HammerFall are a band that continue to grow from strength to strength. From their humble beginnings in 1993 as a then new project from ex-Ceremonial Oath vocalist/guitarist, Oscar Dronjak, and Jesper Strömblad (of In Flames fame), over the years HammerFall has evolved into something of an institution; flying the flag for heavy metal, as well as serving to re-spark interest in the genre early on. Today, HammerFall are one of the more successful and popular metal bands in the world. In the lead-up to their very first tour of Australia (where HammerFall will be performing a sole, exclusive show in Melbourne at 170 Russell tomorrow night), I had the great pleasure to speak with lead vocalist and co-songwriter, Joacim Cans.

With their Melbourne show fast approaching, I asked Joacim what he and the rest of the band were most looking forward to coming to our shores for the first time? “Well, first of all, not to encounter any dangerous or poisonous species!” Joacim says in jest. “This is the first time many of us are visiting Australia. We have had so many fans approach us throughout the years that we have to come to Australia because there’s a big metal movement going on there. I know and hope that everyone that will attend the show will be really enthusiastic, but that’s something that I believe will happen. It’s cool to come to your country for the first time. Unfortunately, only one show this time around, but if all was right and we should have done this a long time ago, I feel this could be the start of something.”

Being someone who has led an inspired and exceptional career, alongside HammerFall, Joacim has dipped his toes in such ventures as being a one-time competitive swimmer for the Swedish junior national swimming team; currently, a host for a Swedish jukebox radio show; giving lectures and workshops at his old school in Los Angeles; and even musical theatre, where he performed the role of Dennis Dupree in the Swedish version of Rock of Ages in 2013. When asked if it still felt surreal for him to look back on what has come and gone or changed in his life, he had this to say: “A lot of things sort of feel like a different life, that happened in a parallel universe.” He mused. “If I go back and look at my younger years being a swimmer and all that, that feels like a completely different person, or that, like I said, I experienced this in a previous life. When it comes to HammerFall, what we did around Glory To The Brave and Legacy Of Kings feels so unreal to a certain extent. I think one of the main reasons we took this break a couple of years ago was that we needed to sit down and just think about everything we have achieved over the years. I mean, we had this cycle where we were writing songs, recording, releasing, going on tour. And we did that going on fifteen-sixteen years without even reflecting on what was going on. It’s unbelievable. I probably achieved more during these eighteen years than many people achieve in their whole lifetime, or two lifetimes. But it creates some kind of hunger. The more you do, the more you want to have.”

Switching topic focus for a moment, during the hiatus between 2011’s Infected album and 2014’s (r)Evolution, it was clear from the outset that the latter was the return to form fans had been hoping for and that the hiatus did wonders for the group. “I think with the whole writing and recording process, everything went so smooth,” Joacim notes. “It just felt like this was an album straight from the heart. That the break had really created that ‘hunger’ that we had lacked for such a long time. I remember recording the vocals in Los Angeles with James Michael, being my vocal producer. It went so smooth and everything was so perfect. But also, keep in mind that I was also doing this in the middle of the Rock of Ages production. I’d just taken a break from Rock of Ages and I went to do the vocals and then I went back again. I think that was something I really need to do in the future: that I need to work all the time with my vocals. I have a voice, I can’t just sit home and do nothing for six months. I think every part of the process on (r)Evolution was kind of magical.”

Earlier this year, Germany’s Orden Ogan released their fifth album, entitled Ravenhead. Joacim featured in a guest spot on that record for the song “Sorrow Is Your Tale”. Being his first guest spot in a little under a decade, talking about this, it revealed another side to Joacim I had not known about before this. One of philanthropy. “We were about to do a tour together. So I thought if I can do something [Orden Ogan] would appreciate, why not? I couldn’t go down to Germany, but I did the session in my own studio. I charged them 500 Euros for my work, but I had them donate the money to an animal charity or whatever they wanted to in my own name. That’s how I do things now. I don’t do anything for money, I just want others to be aware that there are things going on in the world that you mightn’t be aware of and that there are still species of animals that are close to being extinct. But we had a great time with the Orden Ogan guys on tour. They’re great guys.”

As our interview drew to a close, I asked if Joacim had any last words he’d like to offer his fans anticipating their long-awaited first appearance in Australia? “I guess everyone has seen HammerFall on YouTube or live DVDs, so they know that we’re a very energetic band, and I really hope that people come there to have fun. Because, you know, it’s contagious. If we have fun on stage, they have fun in the audience. And if they have a lot of fun, we’re investing even more energy. It’s just going to be a great party. So come here to have some fun, we’re going to give everyone something. It’s going to be a great evening.”

Don’t miss out as HammerFall come to Australia for the first time ever for a strictly ONE SHOW ONLY event at 170 Russell in Melbourne tomorrow night (Tuesday, 13 October). Tickets are still on sale via 170 Russell and Oztix. Get yours now!

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