By Jim Barber
Mad Invasion is what occurs when a gaggle of long-time musician buddies, each with a formidable pedigree and intensive musical background, with reputations for excellence and kicking proverbial ass in each the studio and onstage determine to affix forces.
Primarily based within the Swedish metropolis of Malmo, the quartet of vocalist Pete Sandberg, bassist Mats Jeppsson, lead guitarist Bjorn Dahlberg and guitarist/keyboardist Hal Marabel launched their debut album Fringe of the World again in 2021, simply as the worldwide COVID 19 pandemic was beginning to slowly subside.
With pent up demand for extra new music from the group grew to become louder and louder, they re-entered the studio final yr, finishing what can greatest be described as a bad-ass, classic sounding exhausting rock album, which contains a trendy sonic panorama and a real, epic story to inform.
Crack within the Sky was launched on April 25 via Border Music, after anticipation and curiosity was stoked via the discharge of 5 movies all through late 2024 and into 2025 for the songs ‘Welcome to my Present,’, the incendiary ‘Voodoo Queen,’ the powerhouse “Warmth Of the Evening,’ ‘Flesh & Blood,’ and the exceptionally cinematic title monitor.
The checklist of musical influences of every band member reads like who’s who of rock music, which is smart, since all 4 of them have been enjoying music in varied authentic and canopy bands for many years. With Mad Invasion, there are particular components of every thing from Deep Purple to Queen to AC/DC. UFO, Rush and Dangerous Firm.
Marabel talked concerning the significance of the various influences, experiences and inventive factors of view delivered to the band by every member, but in addition how they’re united and in full lockstep with each other with regards to the facility, efficiency and originality of their interpretation of the classic exhausting rock milieu.
“We’ve all identified one another because the late Eighties. Even when we weren’t enjoying collectively, we every had our totally different gangs method again when there have been a bunch of bands out on the circuit, you recognize, assembly up and partying with each other. And we might have interaction with each other at sure closing dates and at all times thought that perhaps we should always do one thing collectively sooner or later,” he mentioned, including that the embryo of an thought for what would develop into Mad Invasion started when he and Sandberg first began speaking a bit extra critically about collaborating within the early 2010s.
“Pete has been in a great deal of bands. However on the time, he was in a band referred to as Alien. And I used to be in a Swedish band, which I nonetheless have a bit on the facet, referred to as Dangerous Behavior and we have been each signed to the Virgin label on the time. We met via that and we determined to attempt to do one thing collectively. Nevertheless it took some time. Pete and a few of the different guys really did get collectively round 2012 and launched a single, and did a gig simply to check the waters, and the response was actually nice, however their different tasks, and life normally, occurred. Just a few years later they began speaking about writing for a brand new album and that’s once I bought concerned, in 2016. However, as I mentioned, all of us knew one another so it was fairly a pure coming collectively.”
Sandberg is authentic from Gothenburg, on the west coast of the nation, 270 or so kilometres north of Malmo, which is on the southern tip, virtually immediately throughout from Copenhagen, Denmark. Marabel mentioned he has been an admired singer for a lot of a long time, enjoying in Swedish bands in addition to different European acts.
“It was actually nice to have him on board as a result of, one, he’s a fantastic singer. However what we needed to do on this collaboration was to make the most of a distinct facet of his vocal expertise. For those who’ve heard any of his earlier stuff, you’ll discover the vary is lots decrease now, the pitch is lots decrease, and there’s extra of a concentrate on the blues influences right here. And that matches for him as a result of he’s like David Coverdale [Whitesnake, Deep Purple] and Paul Rodgers [Free, Bad Company] and we needed to have that come via in our songs,” he mentioned, laughing about the truth that not solely is Sandberg an old-fashioned vocal stylist, however is slightly old skool in his each day life.
“He’s fascinating at the moment. He’s non-digital. He has a cellphone, a cell phone, nevertheless it’s not the smartphone model, it’s the easy model the place all you are able to do is name and textual content. He has no laptop, no social media, no nothing. So we’re those that handle that kind of factor and attempt to present him stuff. He nonetheless listens solely to CDs and vinyl. Nevertheless it’s fascinating to have him round as a result of we are able to get the totally different perspective from somebody who isn’t in to all of that.”
Bjorn is the initiator and the riff grasp of Mad Invasion, based on Marabel.
“He used to have a studio in Malmo the place all of us used to file, so he bought to know everybody. So, he’s coming from being extra of a studio man, a producer and engineer. However he’s at all times been a fantastic guitarist however was concentrating extra on his studio work till we switched him to being extra of a guitar participant and songwriter. I come into it because the co-producer and arranger, however he is superb at riffs. He’s actually influenced by previous Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and we needed to guarantee that affect is coming via, as a result of we’re actually happy with it. It’s not that we’re copying it, it’s only a robust affect that we wish to pay homage to however put it into extra of a contemporary context and a contemporary framing,” he mentioned.
“Bjorn is the one that prefers to be within the background and orchestrate issues, which I’m too, however I’m a bit extra of a individuals individual as a result of my daytime job, I’ve to be extra of an extrovert [he works in I.T for IKEA … doesn’t get much more Swedish than that!] however I feel we complement one another very well, each from the attitude of guitarists but in addition as people. We work very properly along with the arranging of songs and manufacturing. After which Mats is the joker within the band. He brings loads of humour and is sort of the extrovert. He’s the excited one after we get collectively. It is advisable have somebody like that in a band or in any scenario the place you’re working intently with individuals. He’s a fantastic complement to the remainder of the personalities within the band.”
It’s this group of proficient and pushed artistic personalities which put collectively a conceptual assortment of music that weaves a compelling, fantasy-based story accompanied by hovering melodies, crunching riffs and masterful musicianship.
The narrative thread woven between the songs on Crack within the Sky pertains to the battle between a Fallen Angel and her nemesis the Darkish Lord – the stuff of fantasy-oriented fiction writing and video video games, however with an software for the on a regular basis struggles all of us must battle off the demons inside and with out.
“It was initially Bjorn’s thought to have this character of the Fallen Angel as a part of all of the movies and all of the visible storytelling for the album. However there wasn’t actually a story round it. We had the picture of the angel wearing white, and we’ve got the angel wearing black they usually’re kind of towards one another however nonetheless supporting each other as a result of they’re the 2 sides of the identical factor,” Marabel mentioned.
“For this new album we determined to take the story additional and actually create that framework of a story round it with all of the background of how the white angel was as soon as sitting by God’s facet after which she bought lured a bit bit to the darker facet. After which we developed it additional by really recording introduction segments to eight of the 11 songs that basically tie the story collectively. However we’re saving that for the following model of the album, which we hope may even be vinyl.
“We determined to go all in with the story as a result of we preferred the concept of an idea album and there aren’t that many anymore. We wish to convey it again to the form of [Queensryche’s] Operation: Mindcrime kind of tasks the place there’s a narrative and the place you’re attempting to lure the listener in to concentrate to extra than simply the songs. You need them to look a couple of layers deeper.”
In a way, it’s a examined and true story that goes again millennia – the long-lasting wrestle between good and evil which, if reinterpreted barely as intimated above, can apply to how all of us have an inside wrestle between the great and evil of our personal nature.
“You’ll be able to take the songs and the story as it’s, nevertheless it’s significantly better in the event you can personalize it. We would like individuals to learn into it what they wish to – that’s what making music is all about. In the event that they really feel one thing’s connecting them to the music, there’s no proper or fallacious interpretation. So, sure, it’s the total theme of fine versus evil within the sense that one wants the opposite. You can even have a look at it as a mirrored image of how issues are in society now,” Marabel mentioned.
“It’s turning into very polarized and it’s at all times these two sides digging in stronger and stronger towards one another. However, even when it may be fairly excessive on the most polarizing factors of it, these two views want one another. Now, you may argue that it’s too excessive and it might probably’t simply be black and white, however it’s okay to have totally different sides of the identical story, totally different sides of the identical coin, as a result of that’s the place the compelling half comes into the story, that’s the place the curiosity and the joy and the way you get individuals extra engaged in what you’re attempting to say.
“I feel it’s fascinating, as a result of there may be that borderline the place you say this facet of it’s good, this facet is evil. However that borderline isn’t at all times a straight, skinny line. It’s really fairly a broad line. There’s a crossover space inside which you begin drifting to 1 facet or one other and it makes you actually take into consideration the dilemma of now being on this grey zone. In order that’s a bit a part of the neighbourhood.”
Writing an album with a comparatively tight narrative, the place the lyrics and music and total sonic nature must be extra constant and related to 1 one other is certainly extra of a problem then simply concocting 10 or 12 songs which are roughly impartial of each other. Nevertheless it was a problem Marabel, and his bandmates have been up for.
“There are extra issues to consider within the lyrics and the way in which that the songs are put collectively. Additionally, the order of the songs on the album turns into much more essential. However that was the compelling concept that goes together with having a conceptual theme. Not solely does the listener want to have interaction a bit extra to get the complete image however we because the writers want to do this in creating it, in fact, and to maintain our heads straight on, you recognize. We stored saying to ourselves, ‘how can we preserve the connection? And the way we make sure that to return again to the precise level within the timeline.’ So, yeah, it was fairly fascinating,” he defined.
“We weren’t as targeted on the music side so far as the riffs of the songs all being form of related just like the story is. We felt a bit freer and extra versatile there as a result of it was extra concerning the story, the lyrics and the general kind of storytelling and ensuring that each one slot in with the precise narration that is happening. However we had extra flexibility on the musical facet, for certain.”
As for the songwriting course of, which is far the identical as for the band’s 2021 debut file Fringe of the World, it often begins with Dahlberg, who Marabel refers to as “the captain of the ship” creative-wise, though he himself acts as a co-producer as soon as the artistic ball will get rolling.
“He’s the one which comes up with the principle guitar riff, and the songs are guitar riff primarily based. After which properly construct off that. So, he’ll begin with the riff, and we are going to then meet simply to debate the format and issues a bit extra casually. After that he goes again and begins to truly file the guitar rifts correctly with a click on monitor. Which I feel it’s a bit common, as a result of there’s no different manufacturing or any again tracks – it’s simply the guitar and a click on monitor,” he mentioned, including that many of the 5 band members dwell in Malmo, whereas visitor drummer Mikkey Dee (extra about him in a second) lives in Gothenburg.
“What occurs subsequent is him and Pete, our singer, get collectively they usually begin engaged on the lyrics and the vocal melodies to the guitar riffs and click on monitor. So, there’s nothing else guiding the singer; Pete by no means has any again tracks for the refrain, which he likes. Her prefers it that method as a result of we wish to be completely bare, and it additionally permits him to listen to every thing excellent.
“So, I’ve my studio, which is form of a mixture of a pre-production and parallel full manufacturing studio and my very own gear. So, I convey my laptop computer into the studio at Bjorn’s home, and I file over these tracks that they recorded onto my laptop computer, and I’m going residence and proceed to construct the monitor from there. That’s the place I draft the preliminary drum elements, percussion, the keyboards and in addition begin fascinated with the background vocal preparations and add in my guitars.”
One the demos are full, your entire band circles again and has hear via, which is commonly the primary time all band members hear the close to association, which ends up in extra honing, and filtering and changes till everybody’s glad.”
Understanding the world the way in which it’s as we speak, with a lot ‘content material’ being ‘consumed’ on so many alternative platforms and types of media, even essentially the most proficient and proficient of artistic acts has to place further effort into the non-artistic facet of what they do – in any other case know because the ‘enterprise’ facet of the music enterprise.
Mad Invasion have doubled down on advertising and promotional materials, issuing a stream of singles and accompanying movies for songs from each of their albums up to now.
“There’s a lot noise and a lot happening on this planet that folks, you recognize, their consideration span is sort of restricted. And it’s important to have one thing particular to stay out. We needed to guarantee that we had loads of visible representations, like within the movies. And we needed to guarantee that every thing is at , skilled degree as a result of we’re all properly seasoned, older guys. We’ve been round for some time and we needed to have that have and professionalism mirrored within the materials and the way in which we do issues to advertise the music,” mentioned Marabel of the group’s consideration to element.
“We’re from that era the place we was once the younger guys who would recognize it when our favorite bands put loads of effort into it; had all of the lyrics with the album and the covers have been all good and the photographs have been properly executed and every thing was properly thought via so that you simply felt that you simply have been getting loads of worth to your cash. Even when it’s largely the streams now, some individuals nonetheless purchase a CD and those that do, they need to get good worth for the cash, and those that come to go to our YouTube channel ought to get good high quality digital merchandise in order that they’re time is properly spent. And that goes for vinyl too. We haven’t executed a urgent of vinyl but for the brand new album, however we hope to have the ability to do this after we do the following run. When that occurs, we’re going to have all of the particular hyperlinks in between the songs that enable you to observe the idea. After we did the vinyl for the final album, we made certain that it was a double fold out, so we put loads of time into designing the covers and issues like that.”
Mikkey Dee carried out within the movies, as he does on everything of the Crack within the Sky file. Arduous rock and steel followers know his extremely spectacular and prodigious pedigree, first with Danish steel grasp King Diamond, then for greater than 30 years with the long-lasting Motorhead, and now bashing the skins for German rock legends, The Scorpions. The music neighborhood in Sweden, very like Canada, is comparatively small, so even the largest names are nonetheless card-carrying members of that neighborhood, staying in contact with previous pals and previous bandmates from alongside their musical journeys.
Such is the case of Dee and members of Mad Invasion.
“Pete is from Gothenburg and he’s identified Mikkey for ages. They have been across the similar hoods, the identical music communities again within the day. And so they additionally know one another via sport. I feel they each performed hockey on the similar time. However then they went their separate methods and Pete was in his band and Mikkey was doing his factor and so forth. After we did the primary album, we really recorded that partly with one other drummer, however we parted methods quickly after ending laying down the tracks. We needed to do some movies however how can we visualize that with out a drummer, when Pete mentioned he knew Mikkey. He mentioned it wouldn’t damage to only name and ask if he’d be within the movies. And immediately we knew we needed to convey him in, as a result of he’s fairly well-known and has his personal profile. We didn’t suppose he’d do it, however Pete mentioned perhaps he’s recreation,” Marabel defined.
“And he’s in three of the movies from the earlier album. However that was the staring level with Mikkey. And he cherished the songs. He cherished the method of taking the previous traditional classic rock and placing it into a contemporary format. So after we have been discussing the brand new album, we really simply requested him immediately. And we mentioned how we needed to proceed to have him concerned within the band as, you recognize, clearly a particular visitor nonetheless as a result of he’s a band member of the Scorpions. He mentioned sure. We organized it in order that he may file the drums up in a studio in Gothenburg after which we transferred he information and built-in them into the manufacturing down right here in Malmo. And it was a fantastic addition to the sound as a result of he clearly has his personal model of enjoying that basically lifted these very fundamental rock songs onto a distinct degree. And naturally, he’s appeared in a bunch of the brand new movies for this file too.”
Marabel additionally mentioned that there’s a probability, if only a tiny one, that if Mad Invasion have been to play dwell reveals in Europe, that Dee would possibly be capable of play with them.
“We’re juggling issues attempting to make the calendars work as a result of clearly there’s loads of work for him through the summer time with all of the festivals and every thing. And he even has his personal Motorhead cowl band too, and one other facet venture moreover The Scorpions. So we’ll see what alternatives there are on the calendar and the way we are able to match him into someplace that’s place and time to play,” he mentioned, including that in addition they have a backup plan to usher in one other drummer if issues don’t mesh with Dee.
“Ideally it will be Mikkey as a result of he’s the one on the album. And all of us get alongside so it will be effective with him becoming a member of us. So, we’re working to see if we are able to make it occur.”
A visit to North America to carry out can also be a chance, slim, however not utterly off the desk.
“We now have our promoter that we’re working with and naturally he has loads of connections each to radio and festivals and issues over there. So that’s a part of the discussions we’re having to see if there’s a possibility there. It’s a bit tough now, although, with all of the paperwork and paperwork. Whenever you come over from Scandinavia there’s loads of administrative issues to handle. And it’s additionally not low-cost. It’s one thing we have to look into and see how we are able to make that work virtually. However that’s the ambition to get to America and Canada,” he mentioned.
For extra data on Mad Invasion, go to their social media channels or https://madinvasion.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and writer primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Apart from his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his neighborhood. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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