Sergio:
"Falconer" was released here in Europe two months ago (and just few day
and it'll happen also in the States...) so, what reaction have you received from the fans
and critics?
Stefan: The response has been very very
good, better than I expected in fact. As I sat home and wrote the stuff I didn't have any
idea of what others would think of it but it seems like people like it a lot. The interest
from varying magazines and radio stations for interviews is way greater than I ever have
seen in my past bands and I get mails every day from fans who love the album so I think we
can only be very grateful and thankful for the response.
Sergio: I feel that "Falconer"
is a great realization, at this time the best power metal album of the year. Do you think
that this album will change the status of the band? What you expect in the future for the
band?
Stefan: Well, the status of the band can
only get better since this is the first album and before it we wasn't knows to more than
20 persons so that's an obvious development. Regarding the future I really don't have any
plans except writing more music and enter the studio again in the end of the year.
Sergio: There's the possibility to see Falconer
on stage? And if this'll happen, who play the bass? Are you searching a permanent
member? (Ehm... well I can even take some lessons of this instrument! ahah)
 Stefan: Thank
you for your interest, we've got other offers too but we don't have any plans to take the
band to a live basis. My idea from the beginning was just to have someone to play my music
with and record it but now as it's out people come to me and bug me about tours and live
gigs, something I never planned but of course understood would be an issue. For now we'll
keep it a studio band and just see what the future might bring.
Sergio: Back to the past... the band was born form
the ashes of Mithotyn, but can I hope to see Mithotyn still
active one day or antoher?
Stefan: No. Why should I want to go
backwards in my musical evolution. I am just where I want to be at the moment and Mithotyn
lies in the past for me.
Sergio: The drummer in Falconer is Karsten
Larsson (also in Mithotyn), but on vocals, you have this
fantastic guy called Mathias Blad, who has a background far away from
metal, right?
Stefan: Correct. His past musical life is
just music cools, theatres and musicals. As he heard my demo he said that he thought
it was good and agreed to put the vocals on it and then it just rolled on with contract
and
album recording. So he is not a "metalguy" and I think it only has advantages
for the band. He is surely the best we could have got, very professional in his
engagement.
Sergio: Mathias is one of the highlights of the album, your songwriting
fresh and with that folk touch is surely the second one, but another winning point is the
production: powerfull and at the same time very clear... What do you think... I've lost
something?
Stefan: I think you've capture the main
parts of the album, I think my writings really come to the right place in Mathias'
singing. The production is very good, just how I wanted it. I let the sound part to Jacob
Hansen and told him a bit how I wanted it and he seemsto have understood me
perfectly. Los Angered is the obvious choice for us in the future
too, be so sure.
Sergio: You have choice also the right artwork .. who did the cover for
the 'Falconer' album, 'cause it's really cool!
Stefan: Jan Meininghaus who also have made
the Eidolon and Sacred steel covers. I told him exactly
my vision of the cover and again it was understood to it's completeness, I think the cover
got super duper exactly the right atmosphere which reflects the sense of both lyrics and
music.
Sergio: Finally, your label, a so important one, should be a great
support to Falconer, than what are the differences working with Metal
Blade compared with a small label like was Invasion?
Stefan: Well, the biggest difference so far
has been their splendid promotion and marketing. I mean this amount of interviews I've had
sums up all and more of the ones during the whole of Mithotyns career. I
must say that it seems like Germans are very effective compared to others.
Sergio: Sorry... again your past band: besides the musical changes, from Mithotyn
to Falconer have you also changed your approach to the lyrics?
Stefan: Yes, before it was most Viking
lyrics but I think I've written my share of bearded dudes with swords who are not afraid
to die. There is much more in history to be covered and other things too. Mithotyn
had a certain style we were expected to keep to the next album too but now
I'm free to do whatever I want, so all these war and hero stuff is gone since they
meant nothing for me really, nothing I could stand up and defend without feeling
like a boy who love HE-MAN (do you get me?)
Sergio: So can you say something about the single songs on "Falconer",
with a particolar attention to the particular (and one of my favourited) bonus track
"Per Turssons Dottrar I Vange"?
 Stefan: "Upon
the grave of guilt" is dealing with the feelings of guilt, a feeling that can be
pretty hard to escape. I think most people have felt this in some degree. "Heresy
in disguise" came to me after watching the excellent movie with Sean
Connery. A monk going heretic in the monastery, no deeper meaning behind it just
a lyric. "Wings of serenity" is dealing with mankind's constant chase
of the time, always trying to chase the precious day while the free eagle just soars
the sky looking down at the foolish man, wasting his day in strife for money and success.
"A quest for the crown" is a little story of a lost crown causing
damnation to its country until it's found again. It's just a medieval saga I am very proud
of, I think it is a bit in the vein of theatre plays, although not in the same
league as them but it has the same feeling. "Mindtraveller" is about a
search throughout the mind for a higher conscience. Why were we put here on earth, what is
the meaning of life, have we forgotten how to live in harmony with the rest of the planet?
"Entering eternity" is a story of the last journey we will do sooner or
later (die), I know it's not that original to do a lyric about this topic since many have
done it before but anyway I think it turned out pretty well. Me myself don't believe in
any afterlife. I'm pretty realistic and think that one will just rot away when one is dead
since I think the "soul" is just an imaginary thing our minds have made up.
"Royal galley" is based upon a true event happening outside of
Stockholm in 1628. The new built ship Wasa" was to do its maiden voyage but since it
was built too high compared to its keel it tipped over pretty soon. In reality the king
was luckily not on board at this moment as he were in my version. "Substitutional
world" is also one of the lyrics on the album I'm most satisfied with. It
deals with the never-ending fact that man is ready to sell out his future as long as he
can make a profit today, thereby ending up as a bubbleboy surrounded by the polluted
world, just laughing him back in his face. As we all know it isn't economically prosperous
to think about the side effects on our environment, it never has and never will thereby
we'll gladly destroy it. "Lord of the blacksmiths" is inspired of
fantasy and mythology. I often say that my lyrics are not fantasy, but this is and I think
it's the worst lyric on the album, This one would have fitted better in Mithotyn
I think but at least it's a lyric. "The past still lives on"
is a little song about the past you shortly could say. I often think a bit deeper into the
past as I behold something of great age. One can almost hear the sounds and see the life
of the past if you really dream yourself away. The bonus song is called "The
ballad of Per Tyrssons daughters in Vänga" in English and it's said to be
true story, a bit spiced up through the years I suppose. Three sisters went to church but
on the road they met three "bad guys". They had to choose between becoming their
wives or be killed, they chose the latter. At the place they were killed there came forth
three wells. As the three herdsmen came to a nearby farm they tried to sell the sisters'
silk clothing but the wife at the farm recognised the clothing and called for her man. He
slained the two eldest and the third he asked who his parents were and he answered with
the name of the man and his wife, it turned out it was the three long gone sons of theirs
they didn't recognise. As he had slained two of his sons he felt like he had to get
penance for his soul so he decided to build a church for his soul, therefor we now have a
church called Kärna church about 20 miles from where we live. It was
thought to be just a bonus for the Japaneese but Metal blade liked it too much so they put
it on the 5000 first in the rest of the world too. We will probably do traditional songs
as bonus songs in the future too since I think they are not that different from our
regular songs.
Sergio: You have a past with Mithotyn, a present and
surely a great future with Falconer... but seems you have another side
project...
Stefan: Hmmm yes I do. Me and a friend had a
project just for fun called ATRYXION and we've recorded a album for
Avantgarde but they hide from us and it seems like they will never release it. The music
is very disco
like black metal you could say with a lot of space influences. We'll see what happens,
we'll try to get it out on another label who have the capability to actually release an
album.
Sergio: Well... Falconer comes from Sweden, it's seems
that in your country everyone play in almost one Heavy/Death/Rock band, there's
something in the water (or in the beer... eheheh)?
Stefan: Haha well I don't know. My theory is
that if a little country like us in population have a youth that grows up seeing many
international bands like ABBA, ROXETTE, ACE OF BASE, EUROPÉ etc it
encourage them to start with music too. It's like when BJORN BORG a great
tennis player from Sweden was best it resulted in many kids starting to play tennis
too thereby giving the future of tennis a great start. You could say that
it's some kind of modern youth movement in Sweden, to play music. It's just my theory.
Sergio: I close with another joking question: If you have the
disadventure of Tom Hanks in the movie "Cast Away"
what Album (ok! ok ! two albums!) you want to have with you in a so desert isle? And
what one you left
eating from the sharks?
Stefan: I think his situation is pretty
interesting actually, I would really want to try it out. The two albums I would bring is: Black
Sabbath's Heaven and Hell, and Jethro Tull's Warchild.
The one I would give to the sharks would be any HIPHOP although I can't contribute
to that sacrifice myself luckily.
Sergio: A lot of thanks to you for answering this interview! Do you have
any closing comments for our readers?
Stefan: Well thank you very much, all the
best in the future for you and cheers to all Falconerdiggers out there, I hope we have
given some delight to you with this album, we know we've done it to ourselves anyway,
hehehe. Adieu!
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