Talking with . . . Steel Attack
Interviewed 11/16/2004 by Brett VanPut
Interview with guitarist John Allan
Swedish power metal band Steel Attack have been around since 1995 and they released two good but generic albums (Where Mankind Fails and Fall Into Madness) on German label A.F.M. Records. They signed with Arise Records and released the much improved Predator of the Empire last year. Several line-up changes saw the departure of most of the band and the new line-up which has recorded their latest, Enslaved, is their best and most original yet. Enslaved is the work of a band finding themselves and delivering a catchy traditional metal album with some surprising aggression and modern guitar tuning. Here is guitarist John Allan to update listeners.
Why do you think the line up changes have made Steel Attack a better band?
Now, everybody is into the music and with the passion and effort it takes, and everybody gets along and there are no problems with attitudes. Then all share the passion for sharing ideas and no one gets kind of pissed if the ideas are changed. Now it feels like a complete band a lot more than ever before.
In my opinion Enslaved is by far your best album, what did you do differently when writing and recording this album?
Thank you very much. The way we did the songs this time, was since we were a new band, then we decided to start fresh with ideas and since all in the band had ideas recorded on different kind of recording equipments then we got together with what we had. Ideas in full, just parts, different riffs saved and then we started to categorize them as intros, verses, chorus, lead riffs, etc and we only rehearsed two songs before the studio; the songs were "Enslaved" and "Son of a Thousand Souls." The rest where recorded with click track and rhythm guitars to get the song in right tempo and of course to get the parts in working order. It may look like an odd way to do songs in but for us it was perfect, you see since there where no parts written in stone then we had the chance to adjust them the whole way through out the recording. We saw it as a more freedom and a great way to not be to tired of the songs in the end.
I see you will be touring with Exciter next month, are you fans of the band? What are your expectations for the tour?
Since the answers to your questions have been done after the tour, we can only say that the tour was a total blast. We had so much fun during the days and in the bus. If we get a chance to go on tour with Exciter and of course Black Abyss again we would do it right away. We all agree to that this was something else. Fan to the band, I have the first two albums, but after this I think we are all fans to each other.
How much a part of Steel Attack are the fantasy based imagery and lyrics?
The first three albums where strictly fantasy in the lyrics, the new album is our view; religion is in our point of view the foundation to most of all hideous shit that happens around the world. Take W.T.C. for example, religious leaders, making people believe that killing is all right if it is done in the name of their god/ gods and that they will earn their passage to paradise with such a deed. Indeed it is about men/ women enslaved by religion, for example; people living in religious cults, forced to act and behave in a certain way, afraid of what will happen if they don't. Religion is a good thing though, as long as it isn't practiced by fanatics. Thank you very much if you feel that the Enslaved album take the band to new places.
It seems that Arise Records has made Steel Attack a priority, how does having a new label change things for the band?
This is the second album we released signed to Arise, but in a way it feels like the first, for us all. I mean since the change to the band and songs.
The new logo and the different type of cover artwork are changes for the band; did you feel a need to change the band's image as your sound became heavier and more diverse?
We introduced the songs to Pierre Hillberg, and then he got the ideas for the cover and we sure liked it. For the logo we told him that we wanted something different in a way, but more clean is the concept diverse from the previous Steel Attack.
I used to always see Steel Attack get compared to bands like Hammerfall, Helloween, and Manowar; did it ever frustrate you that people failed to recognize your band as something original and not so similar to these bands?
Of course there are no fun to be compared to others, but I guess that is something that all bands has and will have to live with. There are always comparisons made, see when someone asks about a band then there will always be like they are in the category of this and that they sound like them. So the best way to discover new bands is simply follow your own ears.
I see where you have also downtuned the guitars; I love the new guitar sound, how were you able to get this heavy, intense sound while keeping that true metal sound and not sounding like a nu metal band?
Yes, it's down to D, two half steps. I guess we play metal and that reflects that we are not a nu metal band. And for the fact the sound is our Ibanez guitars.
The thrash and death metal bands from Sweden get all the attention, do you think there's an underrated power metal scene there these days?
Don't know, don't think like that at all, and then on the other side we don't see our self as a power metal band, we see us as a metal band. If there are underrated scene, I guess if you are really into it and then your friends as well then you will not think like there is a underrated scene.
In your tours and travels, where have you found to be the most fun place to play and why?
All places, are cool, the best way to listen and to play at are the live situations, then on the other hand there can be places run by not to serious staff, but hey we are not there playing for them either.
For people who may not have checked out Steel Attack yet, but would be interested in listening to Enslaved, what would you say to them to encourage them to give Steel Attack a chance?
Listen and see if you are enslaved or not. Judge by your own ears and do not compare the sound to how Steel Attack sounded earlier.
Often bands fall apart when they have a lot of line up changes, your band is better than ever; why do you think it's worked for Steel Attack?
I think the band has cleaned out the parts that where pulling the brakes and that had the way to be a pain in the ass when it comes to sharing the fun with the music and on the other hand we have never had such great time together. There are other things as well but you see what I mean.
Final comments?
Thank you very much. Hope that you judge us by your own ears and remember to play and listen to metal for the pure love, fun and joy of it.
Discography:
2004... Enslaved (Arise)
2003... Predator Of The Empire (Arise)
2001... Fall Into Madness (A.F.M.)
1999... Where Mankind Fails (A.F.M.)
Current line-up:
Ronny Hemlin... vocals
John Allan... guitars
Johan Jalonen... guitars
Anden Andersson... bass
Mike Stark... drums
Steel Attack
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