Interviewed by Denys (Site Founder/Senior Staff Writer) Myglobalmind Webzine
Myglobalmind: Hi guys thanks for taking the time to share some answers about your upcoming album and the band for fans of the band around the globe.
Markus: Hi Denys, nice to meet you.
Myglobalmind: Before we talk about your new record “Where Stories End”, let the readers know a bit more about the band, it’s history, how it was formed and how you came to perform in the genre of progressive metal?
Markus: I think we started out in 2004. Magnus and Henrik had known each other for a long time, and I met Magnus and Henrik when studying in 1999. We became good friends and some years later we decided to start a band.
A drummer is always needed, so Tobias, a long long time friend of mine, joined the band. Henrik and Magnus were already at an early stage in to the progressive genre. Me and Tobias were more in to regular and power metal, although I liked bands like DT and SyX.
Myglobalmind: Are any of the band mates professionally trained musicians? or are you guys self taught?
Markus: We´re mostly self taught, some of us may have had a few lessons when we were really young, but I would consider us self taught.
Myglobalmind: In the often clustered Progressive Metal genre, how do you manage to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack?
Markus: I don´t think we´ve ever put any focus on that, and I´m not sure one should. We just create the music we like, and if people think that we stand out or differ from other band in the genre, then that´s just a good thing.
Myglobalmind: Let’s get into the new record, “Where Stories End” is your sophomore release after the critically acclaimed debut. What did you guys want to do different then the debut? At first glance it seems to me the writing is a bit more mature and there was a better focus on blending melody with the typical progressive metal elements of the first record.
Markus: Once again, I don´t think ever thought much about that. I think we discussed having a little less long instrumental passages, and overall a little shorter songs. I agree that the song writing is a bit mature now.The songs on CTETW was written over a long period of time, and then altered and the altered again, and then recorded, haha. The songs on WSE are all new and fresh songs and I guess we have improved and matured in our songwriting.
Myglobalmind:Talk a little bit about the song writing on the new record? Who was mainly responsible for the writing and the meaning behind some of the writing? The songs here seem to have a darker meaning to them?
Markus: Magnus, Henrik and I wrote the foundations for three songs each. I think that is in our favor in creating an album with much variation and a little different styles cause the three of us really write songs differently.
But still the songs suit each other well on the album, maybe because we arrange all the songs together before recording. On the first album we wrote some songs together and I´m sure that´s something we will do in the future as well. Most of the lyrics is about different peoples destiny,fortune or misfortune in life, the person in the songs story may be fictive or not.
Henrik and I did all the lyrics on WSE, we think it´s easier to write about subjects with, as you expressed it“a darker meaning”, and it suits our music the best. We are not very dark people irl however, lol.
Myglobalmind: If I was to ask you to name in one sentence what best describes the band’s sound, what would you say?
Markus: Atmospheric, dark but very melodic semiprogg, haha. That´s what I would say today, maybe the other members would have a different opinion.
Myglobalmind: What does the band hope to gain from your new record?
Markus: We kind of just take it from here, we´ll see what happens, but we really put a lot of work into it this time, cause we wanted to take it to a new level. We hope to do some more live performances and sell some more albums, everything to just be more and better.
Myglobalmind: Sweden has always had a great Hard Rock and Metal scene, of recent the Glam/Hard Rock scene there has taken off, what is it about Sweden that makes it so great for rock music in general?
Markus: I think that it has to do with the availability to rehearse facililties, and to get test different instruments at a very young age, at different organizations in Sweden. Obviously tradition plays a big part too.
Myglobalmind: The band got a chance to perform in their first festival in the USA in 2008 at the Bay Area Rock Fest in San Francisco, how cool was that? I know that Liquid Tension Experiment, Jeff Scott Soto among others we’re the headliners in the festival, did you meet any of those musicians?
Markus: Yes, sure, we had some time to exchange some words with them. We even got hold of Portnoys blue beard. You can see a picture of that in our facebook page, which you all are very welcome to join. Overall it was a very pleasant trip, nice arrangement and a very familiar togetherness between the bands and the crew.
Myglobalmind: You guys recently played at Prog Power Europe Festival 2010 in The Netherlands, how did that go?
Markus: It was a good gig, especially considering it was our first gig in a very long time. People really seemed to appreciate it. We had been wanting to play the festival for some years, so we really looked forward to it a lot, and our expectations were met for sure, great festival!
Myglobalmind: I know is always a challenge for band overseas to travel to the States here and perform, the famous ProgMetal Festival in Atlanta, USA is held each year and is a task in itself to get all the bands to clear the visas and actually get here, is that something that you would like to take part in for the future?
Markus: Yes, absolutely, that´s something we really want and look forward to do someday!
Myglobalmind: Speaking about the future, what does the future hold for Darkwater? Where do you guys see yourself in 5 years?
Markus: Well, hopefully we will have at least two more albums out. To become a greater band in all ways, having many big gigs booked in. But I think we´re that kind of band that don´t put our hopes up too much, we just want to create good music and see people get moved by it in some way, and we will see where it leads us.
Myglobalmind: You guys have the final word for all your fans, thanks again for taking the time and let people know why they should go out and purchase your excellent new record!!!
Markus: Just take Denys word for it, if he say it´s excellent, then it is! lol. If you liked our first album you will not be disapointed, that´s a guarantee. For all of you who haven´t heard us, visit our homepage or myspace, listen to some samples and then order the cd if you like what you hear. By the way, our label will sell some autographed cd´s upon the release, they can be ordered at or labels webshop. Thank you!
Please visit: www.darkwater.se and www.myspace.com/darkwaterofficial
Webzine Review for Darkwater – Where Stories End
https://myglobalmind.com/2010/10/17/darkwater-where-stories-end/
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