HAMMERFALL (Eng.)
– Hi, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to? How is everything doing right now with HAMMERFALL?
Hi, at the moment we are all enjoying the break we decided to take after 15 years on the roads with HammerFall.
The plan is to regenerate the energy and focus and return with a vengeance late 2014.
In the mean time we will all do different things and try and relax as much as possible.
– «Gates of Dalhalla» is the title of your upcoming DVD so, first off, what are we going to find on it?
I would say the ultimate HammerFall performance with all the ingrediences you wished for and some extra spices.
It’s «extra on every position»! The show is 2h 15 min long and and covers the first 15 years of the band musically.
– And for those who may be interested; how could you describe the DVD in just 3 words?
All «Fucking» In!
– I guess a document like this is the best way to review the greatest hits of your musical career, and in fact you’ve done a pretty good song selection. Was it something easy to do?
It’s never easy to pick the songs for a live show. After 15 years you have written and recorded many good songs so we have many discussions within the band before deciding the final set-list.
For the Dalhalla show it was much easier because we could play as long as we wanted and decided to do so. For the first time in our career we didn’t have to «kill any of our darlings».
– And when did you decide to release something like «Gates of Dalhalla»? Was it planned or it was more of a spontaneous thing?
It was very well planned due to the fact that it was a huge production both on stage and behind the cameras.
We had cameras and camera ppl everywhere on order to make sure that nothing was missed. Every move had to be caught on tape.
– One of the most attractive incentives on the DVD could be the great guest artists we can find on it. Could you please shed some light on who are they and what’s their role?
We invited some of the former members of the band to make the show something really unique and special.
Michael Stanne (Dark Tranquilllity) was the original singer of the band and it was great to see him perform «Steel Meets Steel» again.
Part from Michael we had Jesper Strömblad (In Flames) and our former axman Stefan Elmgren doing a couple of songs. It was not only great for the audience, it was FANTASTIC for the band to have there guys on stage with us again. I also invited my choir TEAM CANS from the TV Show «Körslaget (Clash of the Choirs) to add some strength and power to a few songs.
– You’ve also featured a cover for Roger Pontare’s «När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn». How did this arise?
We cover this song many years ago and did one TV appearance with Roger back when it was released. After that I kept contact with him and have performed the song several times with him.
He is a very popular singer in Sweden and it was great to give the «older» part of the audience something really special.
– After the DVD’s release you will take a 1 year break. Do you already have any plans for 2014?
We will actually take a two year break and are looking for a return to the scene in the fall of 2014.
– In fact some people say a DVD puts an end to a chapter to any band. Is this the case of HAMMERFALL?
This is the majestic end to the first 15 years and also the opening for the yet unwritten future.
For us this a way to show the fans all over the world what a real Hammerfall show is all about.
– Though you’ve been in HAMMERFALL for a long time now and are one of the most representative members of the band as you have played on all the band’s recordings, you joined them in 1996, after Mikael Stanne left. How were your first steps like in the band? Did you ever imagine when you did «Glory to the Brave» the band would ever be that successful and popular?
I was asked to join for a show only because Michael had to go on tour. But what happened there-after is history and for some reason he never return to claim the microphone 😉
We were just happy and proud to have produced a great debut album in a time when metal was crippled and almost dead. The success came a the biggest surprise in my life.
– And throughout these 2 decades; what have been both the best and worst moments with/for the band so far?
The best has been being part of a band that really made a difference back in the late 90´s opening up the door to heavy metal music again.
Imagine traveling all around the world playing the music that you love in front of fans that highly appreciate and praise what you do. Can’t get better than that!
The worst is still when I was assaulted just because I was the singer of HammerFall.
– During this time you have toured the world, shared stage with different bands but… What’s left for you to do into the music world? Which band would you like to play with? Which country would you like to play you haven’t done it yet?
There are always new dreams to fulfill and new territories to explore.
With HammerFall I really wanna keep writing and releasing high quality albums that will take us out on the roads again.
In a few years many of the band for the 80’s that are still headlining festivals will be gone. Then bands like HammerFall must be ready to take their place and keep the flame burning for the heavy metal revolution!
– In fact you even played with your beloved WARDLORD at Wacken Open Air, a band you have always admired. What are your memories from that show? What did it mean to you?
It was a great feeling being part of putting the band on stage for the first time. At the same time it felt bad because I could not see myself. I had to be on stage and sing 🙂
I was a great show during the «graveyard shift» but many fans stayed up late that night to experience this magic moment.
– You also sung on their comeback album, «Rising Out of the Ashes». How did everything arise? And are you satisfied with the work you did on it? Anyway you weren’t in the band for a really long time, what was the main reason behind this? Did the commitments with HAMMERFALL have something to do with that?
We have to keep in mind that this album was record with a $20 budget and in my opinion the production was kind of poor to compete with everything else that was released in the same time period.
On the other hand it was a dream come true to me just to hang with Bill Tsamis and Mark Zonder. When they decided to make a new album I didn’t have the time to join in.
– Anyway that hasn’t been your only project paralel to HAMMERFALL as, for instance, you even released a solo album in 2004. Have you ever considered doing again a solo album? Maybe the break HAMMERFALL will give you 
time do some kind of musical project?
During the break I will release an album in Swedish that is more singer/songwriter influenced with a big touch of swedish folk music. Together with metal a genre I really love.
Part from that I will also play the part of «Dennis Dupree» in the swedish stage production of «Rock of Ages» in 2013.
– And what happened with MRS. HIPPIE, the band that released «Lotus» over a decade ago?
Nothing happened. I guess that was the problem. Just three friend recording an album.
– Finally, what does future have in store for you?
Next year will be devoted to both my solo album and the stage production of Rock of Ages. Something that I am really looking forward to and that hopefully will give me a boost to start writing new epic metal song with Oscar Dronjak.
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Thanks for listening (reading)! Thanks for supporting HammerFall and for spreading the word of METAL!
