Swedish band SWEET FREEDOM has a new album out. Initially, I though ‘hey a band using the Heep album title’ (LOL), but nope, as one band member replied “It doesn’t. I can understand the question but the name comes from our intension to be as free as possible with our music. The first album released in 2022 was released without a label. In that way we could control everything, and also decide how everything should be done. So Sweet Freedom isn’t just a band name, it’s a vision.” But these guys will appeal to classic hard rock/metal fans with their mix of guitars, organ, and excellent vocals. Below is press info on the new album, as well as their 3 videos from Blind Leading The Blind, ordering info, and band links.
Sweet Freedom began as a solo project by Swedish keyboardist Jörgen Schelander during the pandemic, born from a clear artistic vision and DIY spirit that had long been brewing in his mind.
Their debut album, initially released with no promotion, gained surprising attention — even landing coverage in Sweden Rock Magazine as one of the year’s top releases. By late 2022, the band evolved from a solo project to a full lineup under the name Sweet Freedom, reminiscent of how Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow became simply Rainbow.
The new album, “Blind Leading The Blind”, sees the return of the same core lineup, but with one notable change: powerhouse vocalist Matti Alfonzetti (Skintrade, Jagged Edge) steps in as frontman, replacing Stefan Nyqvist. Matti’s signature voice and charisma elevate these already high-octane songs to new heights.
Together with Håkan Nilsson on guitar, Jan Lund on bass, and Håkan Rangemo on drums, Sweet Freedom forms a Swedish supergroup. The new album is a ten-song collection of massive classic rock with a progressive twist.
The album was recorded live as a full band at Tilt Recording Studios in Strömstad, Sweden – an intentional move to capture the raw energy and chemistry that can only happen when a real band plays together in the same room. That energy, combined with a massive-sounding mix and master by Stefan Boman (Opeth, Alice Cooper, Def Leppard), results in a huge, dynamic rock production.
While Matti is well known in the rock world, the rest of Sweet Freedom’s members also boast serious credentials. Jörgen performed all keyboards on the 2024 touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar (featuring Daniel Gildenlöw of Pain of Salvation), and both Jan and Håkan previously played in Sabbtail alongside Mats Levén and Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth.
Sweet Freedom is here, loud and proud – and “Blind Leading The Blind” proves they’re a force to be reckoned with.
Talking about the record, Jörgen Schelander stated: “This album is a blast of classic rock. Close your eyes and listen all the way through “Blind Leading The Blind” – and you’ll come out blind no more… Maybe just a little deaf! The energy we captured, especially with Stefan Boman’s production, is something rare these days”.
Tracklist: 1. Infinity 2. Tears Of The Sun 3. Another Day 4. Skin And Bone 5. Innocent Child 6. Live From The Heart 7. Skeleton Key 8. Solid Ground 9. I Push Too Hard 10. Outcry
Line Up: Matti Alfonzetti – Lead and backing vocals Håkan Nilsson – Lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals Jan Lund – Bass and backing vocals Håkan Rangemo – Drums and percussion, backing vocals Jörgen Schelander – Organ and keyboards, backing vocals
Swedish rockers NESTOR were an instant success a few years ago with their debut single “On The Run” – which featured a classic 80s theatrical video; this was followed up with another great song and video for “1989”, and a 3rd dramatic video for the ballad “Tomorrow” (featuring Samantha Fox). The full album – ‘Kids in A Ghost Town‘ came sometime later and was an awesome set of 80s influenced & inspired hard-rock and AOR. So, we finally get a new song, new video, and announcement of the band’s 2nd album – ‘Teenage Rebel‘. Check out the press info below, as well as the new video, album tracklisting,pre-ordering link, tour dates, and band links!
Get ready to embark on a journey through time as rising 80s rock purveyors NESTOR announce their electrifying, long-awaited new album, ‘Teenage Rebel’, via Napalm Records on May 31, 2024. Hailing from the vibrant music scene in Sweden,NESTOR takes you straight back to the golden age of rock music, wearing influences ranging from Bon Jovi and Aerosmith to Journey and Foreigner on their denim sleeves. NESTOR turns back time and reigns supreme as one of the hottest newcomers of modern rock music, with millions of streams on Spotify and hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube to boot. They’ve shared stages with the almighty Alice Cooper, greats like Def Leppard or Europe, and were even supporting the legendary KISS in Stockholm on their 2022 stadium tour. Now, NESTOR returns in full force with their newest single “Victorious” – an anthemic masterpiece combining powerful vocals with dynamic instrumentals, promising to creep into the listener’s head and lead as a fan favorite at their energetic live shows. The track is accompanied by one of the band’s trademark high-quality official videos, which occurs as a cinematic short film of incredible production value – so crank up the volume to pure nostalgia levels!
NESTOR about “Victorious”: “’Victorious’ is about following your heart and refusing to give up! This device has been a guideline since we started back in the late 80’s and it feels great to sum it up in a song like ‘Victorious’.”
Having formed in 1989 only to fall into hibernation over three long decades, NESTOR emerged stronger than ever in 2021 with their debut album, ‘Kids in a ghost town’, marking the band’s triumphant return to the spotlight and captivating fans with their timeless sound and unmatched energy. The new album, ‘Teenage Rebel’, sets off with a captivating intro-monologue spoken by Danish voice actress Freya Miller, creating a retro, rebellious atmosphere that sets the mood for the album and prepares the stage for the opening track “We Come Alive” – a true blast of an opener. Rhythmic guitars create an exciting backdrop for the gripping vocals of frontman Tobias Gustavsson, leading towards an incredible guitar solo by guitar hero Jonny Wemmenstedt. The album’s title track, “Teenage Rebel”, convinces with tight riffing and an anthem-like chorus honoring the tradition of 80s hard rock. “21” is a wild ride celebrating the ease of youth. NESTOR also proves their ability to shift from big stadium anthems to their emotional side on tracks like “Caroline”, convincing with a catchy melody and passionate vocals, while Wemmenstedt demonstrates his insane skills once again as he tops the song with another stunning solo. Touching ballads like “Last To Know”, “Daughter” and “The One That Got Away” present an even more vulnerable facet, reaching straight for the listener’s heart with yearning lyrics, while tracks like “Addicted To Your Love” and “Unchain My Heart” celebrate love, youth and the joy of being naïve. NESTOR on their new masterpiece: “The album ‘Teenage Rebel’ takes place in the glory days when we were young, confident and the future was filled with endless possibilities but also how we reflect on these days today. In many ways, it’s the sequel to ‘Kids in a ghost town’ and we can’t wait for you to hear it.”
Another Swedish band to check out more of. With a name like ‘Graveyard’, one might be expecting something heavier and darker, but nope, Graveyard is a retro hard-rock band with psych and blues influences. 6 is just a really good album of varied tunes, with a number of excellent lighter tunes in “No Way Out”, “Sad Song” and “Bright Lights”. Love the different guitar sounds, and use of Hammond organ on occasion (courtesy of Nils Dahl). Fave cut is the Pink Floyd-ish “Breathe In Breathe Out”. There’s also a few great rockin’ tunes in “Just A Drop” and “Twice” . Overall this album is more laid back, but delivered with lots of feeling, atmospheric, moody, classic rock. 9 cuts here, and each one is pretty interesting, and enjoyable. Love the album cover too! Available on different colored vinyl LP, plus CD, digital…. *For more info check out the bio/press release below, as well as the band’s 3 videos from ‘6‘, and various links.
Graveyard was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2006 with a shared passion for hard rock, psychedelia and the eternal bedrock of blues which influenced their sound from the start.
Led by vocalist/guitarist Joakim Nilsson, they opened their account with their now seminal self-titled Tee Pee Recordings debut in 2007, showcasing fiery chemistry and some wildly imaginative songwriting. Subsequently snapped up by the mighty Nuclear Blast Records, the band’s rise to prominence was swift and irresistible.
In 2008, guitarist Jonatan Ramm expanded the ranks, joining Nilsson, bassist Rikard Edlund and drummer Axel Sjöberg for the recording of second album Hisingen Blues. A critical smash that more than lived up to the hype, it established Graveyard as rock’n’roll heavyweights. A thunderous, soul-stirring live band, with subtlety and swagger in equal amounts, they spent the next decade keeping fans of loose-limbed and earthy rock music in a near-constant state of rapture. From the rootsy clatter of 2012’s Lights Out to the magical, muscular grooves of 2018’s Peace (taking in the sepia-tinted folk doom of 2015’s Innocence & Decadence along the way), Graveyard have made some of the most vital and vivid heavy rock of the 21st century. All eyes and ears are on their next move.
“I mean, it’s an obvious story!” laughs Joakim Nilsson. “We had plans to start recording or writing an album before the pandemic started, but then everything shut down. Maybe we shut down too, you know? We couldn’t make any money from playing anymore, so everybody started getting jobs and stuff like that, and everything took a lot longer than was expected. During the recording we had a Covid scare and we had to cancel things for a while, so it all took a long while, but mostly because we didn’t have time. We were working and taking care of family, whatever was needed most.”
Fast forward to 2023. Graveyard have completed their latest full-length recording and memories of gloomy lockdown are fast fading. This band has evolved yet again, both in terms of personnel and on a profound musical level. Simply titled 6, the band’s sixth studio record may be instantly recognisable as the work of Nilsson and his comrades, but this is a very different kind of Graveyard album. The second record to feature a line-up of Nilsson, Ramm, bassist Truls Mörck and drummer Oskar Bergenheim, it is slower, more soulful, more introspective and a little darker than its predecessors. The new songs reflect the fragile aftermath of a ruinous global sickness, drawing more inspiration than ever from the blues in the process. But despite its melancholy overtones, 6 still sparks and flashes with many moments of riff-driven euphoria. Ultimately, Graveyard are operating on instinct alone.
”We only make the music that feels right at the time, when we’re making it,” says Nilsson. “I mean, the main thing was we wanted to make a more guitar-driven album. Peace was maybe more bass and rhythm-driven, but now we’ve got more of the guitar stuff, so you can hear that there are two of us! [Laughs]. We try to make the albums as different as possible, but we always do that and people often don’t hear it! Maybe for once people will hear we’ve made something different from what we normally do.”
“Since Peace was a little harder and rowdier, it felt like a good time to have some breathing space,” says Jonatan Ramm. “You can’t always choose what to write. You just work it out and see what feels the best. As always we didn’t know what it would sound like, but we trust Don, as we always do when we record with him. He was also producing, so if he had anything that he wanted to change, we gave it a try and we worked from there. I think the songs are built up really nicely on this one.”
From the shimmering slow-flow of opener Godnatt onwards, 6 is easily identifiable as the most striking, original album of Graveyard’s story so far. A gently lysergic blend of desolate guitars, simmering Hammond and lithe, nimble bass and drums, the Swedes demonstrate a lightness of touch that they have only hinted at in the past. Whether it’s the rootsy strut of Twice, the garage rock sturm ‘n’ twang of I Follow You, or Sad Song’s bleary, barroom blues, 6 is a restless but riveting affair. Meanwhile, while Graveyard may have stepped outside of their comfort zone this time around, a renewed collaboration with a dear old friend has also had a huge impact on the new songs’ freshness and verve. Master of knobs and faders on the band’s early works, Swedish producer Don Ahlsterberg returned to capture 6 in all its gritty, groovy glory.
“We worked with Don on your first three albums, and he’s back now on the sixth,” Nilsson explains. “We had other producers on the fourth and fifth records, but I’m happy he’s back for this one. We started recording 6 in an old studio in Sweden called Silence. It’s a rural, foresty sort of studio in one of the darkest parts of a county in Sweden called Värmland. It’s a really nice place, but we didn’t have everything written yet, so we were only there for a week. We started recording guitars and drums for three or four songs. Then we decided to use Don’s own personal studio here in Gothenburg. It was the most convenient choice!”
After dabbling momentarily with digital technology on their last album, Peace, Graveyard have reverted to their original ethos on 6. Captured using analogue equipment only, the new songs have the kind of raw and sometimes primitive edge that simply can’t be faked. From the drifting swamp gospel of Breathe In, Breathe Out, to … 6 sounds as old as the hills, but as fresh as the daisies that grow on them.
“I just like the feeling that you need a really good take,” says Nilsson. “It all felt too easy on ^. I just sang a song three times and the engineer cut the best parts from all the takes together. With tape, it feels more substantial and real. It’s important that you hear that it’s hard to play this stuff sometimes! Especially with singing, you need to hear the effort it takes. If you want a perfect album with everything recorded perfectly, Graveyard is not the band for you! [Laughs] We love the mistakes. If the feeling is right, then the music’s good.”
While the music on 6 veers from languorous blues to kaleidoscopic psych, Jonatan Ramm’s lyrics paint a more monochrome, melancholy picture. Although shrouded in metaphor and poetic misdirection, songs like Sad Song and Bright Lights bring a more intimate and emotionally supercharged feel to Graveyard’s sound, whether at full blast or smothered in restraint. These are elegant, organic anti-hymns; tinged with sadness and troubled by loss, but bathed in the sonorous, soothing tones of hope.
“I think the lyrics have a lot to do with the whole pandemic period and all the change that happened for everyone,” Ramm explains. “We worked hard and often on this album, but there were a lot of bumps in the road. Everybody got sick. We have kids and other jobs, so we all needed to put food on the table. It was a strange time and I guess a lot of the songs ended up in a certain mood. Twice is about a few aspects of human interaction, like when you realize that people can change a lot and not always for the better. Breathe In, Breathe Out is a song about hanging in there, when life is a struggle. Rampant Fields is about making mistakes and realizing that this is a rollercoaster ride and we’re just passing through. It’s always hard to explain lyrics, but this album is more about the feeling of the time.”
Armed with their darkest but most accessible album yet, Graveyard have weathered a few years of isolation and frustration and come back braver, bolder and more bluesy than ever. Reinvigorated and surfing on waves of inspiration, they are ready to take their new songs out on the road, where the real magic happens and the rock really rolls. For fans of the truly authentic, 6 is mandatory, medicinal listening. Now watch this thing grow.
“All, we can do is hope that people enjoy what we do and we’ll take it from there!” Ramm laughs. “You can never be certain of anything, but maybe this record will be more appreciated by people that haven’t heard us before or people who think we’re harder than we are. Maybe they’ve heard the name and they think we play some other kind of music! Hopefully we’ll reach out to even more people and we’ll grow as a band. I think there’s a bright future, if we continue to travel and play live. It feels good to be done with this record. Now we see what happens next!”
“Before everything stopped for the pandemic, we were kind of fed up with everything, so we needed this break!” concludes Nilsson. “But we’ve been out a little bit already and it feels good! Now we love doing it again and playing music together is fun now. It’s good to be out touring, so I’m looking forward to it. The ambition is high and we want to tour as much as we can. Everywhere!”
The band’s first record in five years, “6,” is easily identifiable as the most striking, original album of Graveyard’s story so far. A gently lysergic blend of desolate guitars, simmering Hammond and lithe, nimble bass and drums, the Swedes demonstrate a lightness of touch that they have only hinted at in the past.
EUROPE is back with a new single titled “Hold Your Head Up” (not the Argent song!). The band’s last release was 2017’s Walk The Earth. The video is out (see below) –
The video offers a glimpse into the brand-new documentary that the band have been busy filming with producer / director Craig Hooper (Deep Purple / Saxon) for Coolhead Productions simply entitled EUROPE – THE MOVIE. The film will tell the story of the band, from formation until present day, telling of their rise to success in the mid ‘80s, through hard times and heartache, to coming back in the millennium, and the current successes the band has achieved. This is set for release in early 2024.
“Hold Your Head Up” was recorded last month at the Atlantis Studios in Stockholm with producer Klas Åhlund (Ghost, Robyn), it is a punchy up-tempo rocker with reminiscent elements of early EUROPE. The song was mixed by Stefan Glaumann (Rammstein, Def Leppard) who also mixed EUROPE’S ‘SECRET SOCIETY’ album.
“‘Hold Your Head Up” is an up-tempo guitar driven rocker about pulling through in difficult times and the influence my father had on me to always do my best and persevere,” offers Joey Tempest. “It’s been six years since our last release ‘WALK THE EARTH’ recorded at Abbey Road, and we had a great time in the studio with producer Klas Åhlund. He really brought out a hungry, engaged band that’s ready to continue an amazing journey. We can’t wait to play this song on tour and incorporate it on our next album. We’re very proud of this track.”
EUROPE are currently undertaking a “Time Capsule” tour which includes 21 concerts across Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, and the UK, including two nights at the famous London Palladium. These anniversary shows will consist of a career retrospective “evening with” performance featuring all the hits together with deep cuts and fan favorites from all of their 11 studio albums.
From Sweden, Autumn Child release their 4th album of hard-rock/AOR. Fronted by Michael Erlandsson (ex Secret Service, as well as solo artist) Starflower features a number of well produced songs, including upbeat rockers and a few ballads, full of hooks, synths and melodic guitars, with big vocal arrangements on the choruses. Favorite tracks include “Gamechanger”, “Welcome To The Show”, and “1995”. If you’re in to the likes of Europe, Fair Warning, or Gary Hughes’ Ten, check this out. * For more info check out the bio/press info below.
Mikael Erlandsson needs no further introduction when it comes to melodic rock. He has released six successful solo albums and a lot of titles with groups like Phenomena, Salute among others. Between 2006-2018 Erlandsson fronted the Swedish super group Secret Service which he toured with live all over the world. Together with the fantastic guitar player Andy Malecek from the successful German hard rock band Fair Warning he founded the band LAST AUTUMNS DREAM in 2003 which also featured Ian Haugland, Mic Michaeli and John Leven of Europe fame at the time.
Last Autumn’s Dream went on releasing another 14 albums with different line ups including great musicians like Jamie Borger (Treat) and Marcel Jacob (Talisman). They toured Japan, England and Germany but decided to take a break in 2018. Shortly after, Erlandsson founded the group AUTUMN’S CHILD who have released three extremely successful albums so far (“Autumn’s Child” – 2019, “Angel’s Gate” – 2020, “Zenith” – 2022).
January 2023 sees Autumn’s Child returning with their fourth album “Starflower”, their second release via Pride & Joy Music. The group still features Michael Erlandsson on vocals, keyboards & guitars, Pontus Åkesson on lead guitar, Robban Bäck on drums, Claes Andreasson on piano and Magnus Rosen on bass.
“Starflower” was produced by Mikael Erlandsson & Claes Andreasson, mixed and mastered by Mikael Andersson at Soundport Studios, Sweden; drums recorded by Mikael Andersson at Soundport Studios.
Track list: 1. Gamechanger, 2. Aphrodite’s Eyes, 3. Welcome To The Show, 4. Opera, 5. Karenina, 6. 1995, 7. Dorian Gray, 8. I Can’t Get Enough, 9. The Final Call, 10., Love From Tokyo, 11. It’s Not Too Late
NESTOR – “KIDS IN A GHOST TOWN” RE-RELEASE DELUXE EDITION WITH BONUS TRACKS OUT SEP 30TH
The unanimously acclaimed debut album from Swedish nostalgic rockers NESTOR is getting a re-release. After signing with Napalm Records earlier this year the band and label decided to give new life to the record, with new music and new cover art. The deluxe edition, that will be released on digital, CD, vinyl and cassette includes the latest single “Signed In Blood” that was released this spring, a song based on a true friendship that can be traced back to the band’s humble beginnings in 1989, before the three-decade long hiatus that lasted until their reformation and glorious return last year. Two additional songs round out the enhanced track list. The somber and reflective “A Losing Game” contains so many key changes that it will bring tears of joy in the eyes of anyone that listens to it (even the guys in Ultravox)! And the cover version of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” sounds like the perfect summer fling lovechild between Whitney and Van Halen! A great album has become even greater! The deluxe version of Kids In A Ghost Town will be available on September 30th everywhere – Even in your Walkman!
Sweden’s LUGNET have recorded 3 albums; including their brand new album – Tales From The Great Beyond, which will be released on August 26. Over the past few years the band went through a few changes, and their new album will appeal to classic hard rock and metal fans, with heavy influences of Rainbow, Sabbath, and a few ’80s metal acts. (*Check out my review in a previous post) . In this new interview bandmembers – (Johan Fahlberg, Lennart “Z” Zethzon, Matti Norlin, Fredrik Jansson-Punkka, and Micke Linder) answer my questions pertaining to the band’s previous work, influences, and most importantly about their excellent new disc Tales From The Great Beyond.
*Check out more on the band at the links below….
How was reaction to the band’s previous 2 albums, and what did you want to do [perhaps] differently on the new album?
Lennart Zethzon: Overall the reaction has been very good for the first two albums. What we might have lacked a bit is in the production part. For the third album we decided to focus more on the recording and mixing. We also wanted to record with the whole band at the same time to get a live feeling. For the first two albums we only recorded Drums and Bass at the same time.
Where did the band’s name come from – what is the meaning behind it?
Jansson Punkka: There is a small area close to where we had our first rehearsal space called Lugnet. Our old guitarist Bonden suggested it and it stuck. It means calm in Swedish. Oh the irony…
Can you guys tell me about the band’s last few years since 2019’s Nightwalker album — what’s changed in the band? And was the new album conceived and written during the pandemic?
Jansson Punkka: When the pandemic hit we were lucky enough not to have that much booked so we spent a year writing and arranging songs instead. We also got a new guitar player called Micke Linder that joined us in 2019.
The title Tales From The Great Beyond might suggest some sort of concept of stories [storyline]. Why the album title? and is there any themes or concept to this new album?
Jansson Punkka: No not really, the title just came to me one day, thought it sounded nice and majestic and fitting for the music. Could be the title of an old novel.
There is definitely a ’70s hard rock feel / sound to this album. Was there any sorta deliberate approach to make it sound a bit old school?
Jansson Punkka: We have always sounded like this so it wasn’t like we planned it. In fact I would say that we might be leaning a bit towards the early 80’s on some of the songs. Lennart Zethzon: In the mixing and mastering we decided to not press it to hard and let it be more dynamic.
Can you give me a bit of story behind a few of the songs, like Pale Design, Black Sails, Another World, ..? [and any others]
Johan Fahlberg: I guess all of them are about the search for a better place, a better you. Trying to find the inner peace in your self. A life long struggle. I know, it’s a little bit dark but there’s sunshine too, hahaha…Pale Design is about a nightmare, but also a dream of a better world and a better life. Black Sails is a feeling of being not normal, being an outsider. A feeling of people looking at you with disgust. Only thing you want is to live your life and be who you are without judgment. Another World is a story of how hard you try to stand your ground and believing in the truth. The struggle to navigate through what’s real and what’s fake, and everyone that believes they have all the right answers.
There is lots of great heavy guitar playing on this album [riffs, solos, etc…] Can you guys talk a bit about guitar influences and sounds you wanted and how the guitar parts were worked out in the studio?
Mike: For me sound-wise for this band it’s very simple; just my early 70’s sounding Fender Strat’ into a 1971 Marshall Superlead on about 8; that combined with Matti’s a bit more saturated guitar tone I think creates a well balanced, quite heavy humbucker/single coil rhythm guitar sound on this album, with good clarity for the clean parts. Guitar players that I look up to and have listened to a lot over the years and probably been a bit influenced by: Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Morse, Billy Gibbons…
Matti: I wanted the guitar to sound like a mix of AC/DC and early Black Sabbath. Loud. We worked out the parts in our rehearsal studio.
Carl Westholm plays the keyboards on some of the album tracks [?] Was he just recording with the band as a ‘guest’ or might he be performing with the band live?
Lennart Zethzon: Carl was just recording as a guest but who knows, maybe he will guest with us live sometime as well.
Can someone explain the meaning of the final track “Tåsjö Kyrkmarsch”? It’s quite a piece, and a nice ending to the album. Where did the musical idea and idea to use it at the end come from?
Matti Norlin: Tåsjö is a village close to where I grew up, and the place where the church is located in that area. I came up with the tune around year 2000, and wrote it down for church organ in 2016 to be played at my father’s funeral in that church (where I also made the recording for our album).
What have been some of the bandmembers biggest and favorite shows in recent years? [certain festivals or opening slots for anyone in particular?] And what major shows have you got coming up that you guys are looking forward to?
It must be Sweden Rock Festival 2018. We played at the same time as Ozzy entered the main stage. One could think that it would give us a reduced audience, but we managed to get around 4000 people choosing Lugnet instead of Ozzy. We got a great review in Sweden Rock Magazine, 8/10 and Ozzy got a 7/10 :))
Can you tell me a bit about the album’s artwork – who created it and how much input and who’s went in to it?
Jansson Punkka: Vance Kelly did the artwork, he did our first album as well. Such an amazing artist. We sent him the songs and let him do his thing and it turned out great. It’s one of those covers that you could look at forever and still find new things. Make sure to buy the vinyl version if you want to see the whole artwork.
Hard Rock and metal seems to be alive and well in Sweden. Can you comment on the scene there and some of your favorite [or recommended] fellow Swedish acts ?
Jansson Punkka: There is a band called Stew that we had the pleasure of doing a couple of gigs this year. Really nice guys and a great band as well.
Can each of you guys give me a short list of a few favorite players, singers, etc… as well as a Top 10 of favorite albums from your youth?
Jansson Punkka: Favorite drummer of all times would be Bill Ward, if we’re talking about new drummers Eloy Casagrande is something out of this world. Favorite albums: The first 8 Sabbath-Albums, Born Again and “En ny tid är här with November.
Matti Norlin: In this style of music I list as follows: Guitarists: Angus Young, Ace Frehley Albums: Master of reality, Rising, Powerage, Who Do We think we are, Kiss Alive, Iron Maiden, Restless And Wild, Are You Experienced, Sweet FA and Melissa.
Johan Fahlberg Singers: Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, Ian Gillan, Ray Gillen Albums: Destroyer, Van Halen, A Dangerous Meeting, Let There Be Rock, Defenders Of The Faith, Restless And Wild, Masters Of Reality, Heaven And Hell, Desolation Boulevard, Never Mind The Bollocks.
Lennart Zethzon: In this style of music: Bass players: Jack Bruce, Geezer Butler, Roger Glover and Neil Murray Albums: Destroyer, Kiss Alive II, The Jimi Hendrix Concerts, Mob Rules, Mahogany Rush IV, Made in Japan, Rising, Live In the Heart of the City, Strung Up, Foghat Live.
Mike: A few of my favorite rock oriented electric guitar players of all time would be Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen, David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Gilbert, Eric Clapton, Mark Knophler, Eddie Van Halen…there’s so many… Favorite albums: Machine Head, In Rock, Burn, Voulez Vous, Dark Side Of The Moon, Led Zeppelin IV, Down To Earth, Tyr, Paper Money, Eliminator
The debut album from Swedish band Nestor is getting issued on vinyl for fans. The band also signed with metal label Napalm Records. Kids In A Ghost Town comes in 2 different, very limited vinyl issues – 1 magenta colored vinyl (750 copies) and 1 picture disc (250) copies. Both can be ordered at the band’s merch site, although it seems the picture disc can only be obtained as part of a bundle. – https://nestor.merchants.se
Nestor is also being added to a number of big festival shows this year, including the Tons Of Rock Festival in June, in Norway, which features 40+ bands, notably Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Europe, The Darkness, Mastodon, Accept, Opeth…… Nestor play the 3rd day – which Deep Purple headlines. The band will also headline their own Nestor-Fest in August, in their hometown.
Press release:
NESTOR SIGN WORLDWIDE CONTRACT WITH NAPALM RECORDS Deluxe version of debut album to be released in 2022
Napalm Records is proud to welcome Swedish melodic rockers NESTOR to the family! The band has signed a worldwide record deal with the leading Austrian rock and metal record label.
Originally founded in 1989 but only releasing their first album “Kids In A Ghost Town” in 2021 it is NESTOR’s mission to restore the glory of rock!
Their acclaimed first album sent their fans on a journey back in time to the 80’s.NESTOR on signing to Napalm Records:”We’ve been looking for the right partner for quite some time and we are thrilled about the signing with Napalm as they totally get the ambition and vision of Nestor. We are super exited to continue this fantastic journey with Napalm Records on board.”
Napalm Records CEO Thomas Caser adds:
“Welcome NESTOR – a band that is unbelievable fun and with whom we have a lot of plans for the next years!”
NESTOR are five childhood friends who formed a band over three decades ago in their hometown of Falköping, Sweden.
Now the rockstar dreams of their youth have been revitalised and once again the band embraces influences from the 80s with tongues-in-cheek and a lot of heart.
For fans of Maiden, Helloween, and Angra, among others. Italian band Vanderlust will release their debut album next month. The album features fast and metallic rockers, as well as using some acoustics on the stand out cuts “The Last Ganymedian” and “Zima Blue”. Fave rockers being “High Hopes” and “Ten Years Black”, great sounding heavy guitar, and the latter should appeal to fellow Maiden fans.
*Check out the press release below
Cosmic metallers VANDERLUST (ft. members of S91, Dreal) will be rocketing their self-titled debut album on April 15th, 2022 via Rockshots Records
Birthed to travel the cosmos, Italy’s Vanderlust is a power-heavy metal band with prog-thrash influences that tells tales of space travels, astronomy, space engineering, and sci-fi adventures.
“We tried to mix a prog-thrashy riffing in the roots of Megadeth, Vektor and Tool with epic vocal parts like Iron Maiden, Helloween, Angra, and Lione’s Rhapsody. We also put sci-fi elements in our songs, so you can hear also something from Voivod.” adds the band.
This debut recording is like a stellar system with 12 different planets. The star at the center of the system represents the heavy-power metal around all the songs revolving. Despite all the tracks being irradiated by the same light, they are all different from each other. Vanderlust has fast thrash, slow and doom, shiny and brilliant to grunge, and darker songs. Like planets, which appear like simple small bright spots, but in reality, are all big worlds, Vanderlust‘s songs are more complex than they sound at first listen. In fact, you can easily sing along to some of the choruses even if there are complex riffs in the background. Vanderlust is particularly proud of the participation of opera singer Letizia Cappellini who does vocals on select tracks and helps the band further expand the vocal register of their compositions. The band also adds the presence of synths and electronic elements to the compositions to set the sci-fi mood of the lyrics.
“The main goal was to start a metal band that could be an inspiration for young people, a band that could tell them stories from the future when mankind will have overcome its limits and the solar system will be an entire human colony. This idea came to mind to founding members Francesco and Santo when they began their search for other members that could fit. Drummer Giacomo Mezzetti joined the space odyssey right before the covid-19 outbreak. Vocalist Riccardo Morello joined the band during the first lockdown in Italy, so the first song was entirely composed online, using videocalls and file sharing.” adds the band.For their live aspect, Vanderlust is currently working hard to create a thrilling spectacle, giving all their energy to the fans and letting them join them on the space journey.
Track Listing: 1. Intro (0:58) 2. High Hopes (3:34) 3. Orphan Planet (3:41) 4. Forgotten Breed (5:13) 5. The Last Ganymedian (3:45) 6. Scavengers Of Kuiper Belt (4:02) 7. Mass Effect Destruction (2:04) 8. Requiem For An Ancient World (4:59) 9. 3 Suns (4:44) 10. Dyson’s Swarm (4:00) 11. Ringworld (3:26) 12. Ten Years Back (3:38) 13. Zima Blue (4:39) Album Length: 48:49
Swedish singer Rick Altzi (aka Rickard Thornberg) has recorded with a number of bands, such as At Vance, Masterplan, Gathering of Kings, and Herman Frank. This being Altzi’s first solo project, and it’s a very good set hard-rock tunes, a bit o’ metal, a bit of AOR, with Altzi’s vocals being not too far off from fellow Masterplan alumni (and Norwegian) Jorn Lande.
Lots of AOR-type keyboard intros, followed by heavier guitar driven rockers. The first 4-5 tracks are worth checking out alone, before things lighten up a bit. But really, no real dodgy cuts here, tho’ I think most albums should end at 10 tracks (there’s 14 here, but oh well) . Favorites include “Point Of No Return”, “Run To You”, and “Tossin’ and Turnin'”. Lots of great guest guitarists doing solos , notably Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Oliver Hartmann (Avantasia), and Andy LaRocque (King Diamond),
Press Release:
RICK ALTZI is an artist from Helsingborg, Sweden who started to play bass at the age of 14. He was a member in various tribute and original bands until 2004 and switched over to the microphone in 2005. His first album as vocalist saw the light of day in the year 2007 with the band AT VANCE. Since then, he has worked with a lot of outstanding musicians from bands such as Helloween, Accept, King Diamond, Pain Of Salvation, etc.. In 2020, Rick Altzi started to work on his first solo album under the moniker of ALTZI. Rick Altzi also is writing and recording with the bands Masterplan, Gathering Of Kings and Herman Frank.
In 2021, ALTZI has released a couple of successful singles and videos from the brand new album “All Eyes On Me” in advance. The full album, which will be available on CD and digitally from March 25th, 2022, now contains 10 more new songs.
Rick Altzi recorded all vocals in Outhouse Studios on the west coast of Sweden, Drums were recorded at Parental Studios in Cologne. The album is mixed by Victor Ohlsson in his studio located in Gothenburg and produced by Rick Altzi and Ulrick Lönnqvist. Thomas ”Plec” Johansson took care of the mastering at The Panic Room.
Track list: 1. Point Of No Return, 2. Crash and Fall, 3. Into The Fire, 4. Run to you, 5. Legacy, 6. You Don’t Believe In Love, 7. Strangers in the Real World, 8. Desire, 9. Hurting Kind, 10. Motherless Child, 11. Wind & the Rain, 12. Tossin’ and Turnin’, 13. Final Warning, 14. Where Dreams never Die
Line-up: Rick Altzi – Lead and backing vocals, Pete Alpenborg – Guitars, Keyboards Nalle Påhlsson – Bass guitar, Kevin Kott – Drums Ulrick Lönnqvist – Acoustic guitar, backing vocals Victor Ohlsson – Additional guitars, backing vocals Teresia Svensson – Backing vocals Kimberly Kott – Backing vocals Musicians on the song ”Into the Fire” Rick Altzi – Vocals, Magnus Berglund – Guitars, Morgan Jensen Guitars, Ken Sandin – Bass guitar, Kevin Kott – Drums
Guest solo guitarists: Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Cher), Matthias IA Eklund (Freak kitchen), Per Nilsson (Meshuggah), Olaf Lenk (AtVance), Oliver Hartmann (Avantasia), Morgan Jensen (Swedish Erotica), Victor Ohlsson (Gathering of Kings, Saffire), Magnus Karlsson (Freefall), Andy LaRocque (King Diamond), Magnus Berglund (Arctic Rain), Stefan Lindholm (Vindictiv), Eric Rauti (Dreamland)
Outsider Rock 