Michael, Coldspell was formed in 2005, please tell us how it came to found the band.
I guess it started some years before that , I had this little brainchild of mine and a bunch of songs. In 2005 the timing felt right to get this thing goin , ColdSpell become a band with this line-up and it seemed to be the right timing for this thing. We all played together in different cover, tribute bands etc so we already knew each other quite well.
On your biography it says that you all play the music that you listened to when you were young. So what are your main influences of your music?
That's not so easy , there are so many different influences but if I say bands like Purple, Sabbath, Rainbow, Montrose, Rush, Whitesnake etc. But when it comes to me as a songwriter Im in to all that classic hardrock , metal and some progressive stuff. Guess I like almost everything as long as it is done well, haha.
The band comes from a little town called Kiruna in Sweden. There are a lot of fantastic bands from sweden, like you, in this times. What do you think is the reason that there appear on good band after another from Sweden?
Really dont know but there's a lot of good musicians and bands that are very gifted , talented and dedicated to hardrock. Maybe we just got a very good sense for it here in Sweden or maybe its just that its so freezing cold in Sweden that we have nothing else to do, haha !
I think your trademarks in your sound are powerful guitarleads, melodic style with clear and transparent voice. Can you agree with that?
Im glad you say that , thanks a lot. Yes I agree on that , my goal has been to have all that but with a heavy sound , have a nice mix between classic hardrock and metal and I think Tommy Hansen did a great job with the mixing of the album.
Your album „Infinite Stargaze“ was mixed by Thommy Hansen who also worked with Helloween, Jorn, Pretty Maids and more. How did it come to that contact and to the deal with Escape Music that published your album?
I got in contact with Escape through Nicky Baldrian in UK , Escape heard us and called me and everything was set. It was Khalil at Escape who suggested Tommy Hansen for this job and I didnt have anything to complain about that and as I said before – he did an amazing work.
How is it with live shows ? Do you have any plans for a tour or playing on festivals. Maybe outside of sweden, too? We would like you to come to germany, for sure.
Hell yeah , thats what we want too. Yes we have plans but still we´re looking for someone to take care of it but hopefully we come to a solution regarding that in a near future. So hey – here we are!
It would be awesome to come out in Europe and play this album and get some response.
Who is involved in songwriting? Is there a main person in your band that is responsible for lyrics and music. Or are all members part of that?
It is some variations from song to song but I am the main writer , on some songs there are co-writers when it comes to the music , the most of the lyrics are written by me and my wife Mariann
Is there any favourite the in songwriting or do you try to be different in lyrics?
When it comes to music I always wanted to do that album that hopefully will be interesting even when you listen to the last one on the album and I think for my own taste it?s quite a nice blend between the hardrock styles that I listen to. When it comes to lyrics it?s not so much love and stuff but most of the lyrics are from real life.
The band members got a lot of experience playing in other bands before Coldspell. I think thats the main reason why your sound is fantastic. Did that help you in songwriting and producing?
Yeah we all been playin for hundreds of years,haha. No but we have many years of practice in different bands over the years and thats why it feels so right . They are all gifted musicians and everyone put there very own personal touch to the songs.
What are the next plans? Any outputs we can expect soon?
As I said it would be nice to get some touring and we did release the album in Japan in July so we hope that it will be appriciated over there to. I started to write more stuff and put down some old ideas for the next album.
We at Das Hardrockradio play your songs a lot. What does it mean to you to be aired on internet radio stations?
That is fantastic , that is the cred you need and want as a band and composer . I must say that we are honoured and proud every time someone wants to play our songs. Radio means everything when it comes to reach out to all hardrockers around the world.
Can you tell us how successful „Infinite Stargaze“ was til now in selling copies and what the bandmembers are doing if they are not working for Coldspell?
I really dont know that yet , havent heard how many copies we have sold but I will get the numbers this month . When we not do this ColdSpell thing we play the local scene with coverbands have our ordinary jobs , soundengineer, trucker, work at hospital etc.
At the end now I would like to ask you if there is anything you want to tell the readers of The Metal Fields and the listeners of Das Hardrockradio.
Special thanks to you at Dashardrockradio – you ROCK. And to all of you I will not say, IF we meet – I say , WHEN we meet we gonna lift up the roof together!
