EVERGREY Guitarist Talks About New Album And Role With IN FLAMES
“It wasn’t written in stone, but we were talking about it as far back as October," says
IN FLAMES fill-in guitarist Henrik Danhage (
EVERGREY) in a continuation of BW&BK scribe Mark Gromen's report from earlier
today. "I’ve never been on tour without Evergrey, so it’s strange not to have my four boys. In Evergrey, I’m Henrik, but here you have to play someone else’s part. (Unlike my tour duties in Evergrey), I don’t have to care about anything, other than playing the right notes. It’s comfortable and a great gig!”
At ProgPower, in Atlanta, Danhage proposed to his girlfriend. When Evergrey finished up a string of European dates, she probably felt she has her man to herself, until early 2007. Then In Flames came calling. More money for the wedding, but… 'The gig is too good. You’d be an idiot to say no!'
Learning new songs, from scratch can be a daunting task, especially under definitive time constraints, as the tour was already booked. “I got the first setlist when Evergrey was on tour, about a month, five weeks ago. I’ve been listening to the songs ever since, but I didn’t actually sit down and learn them then. I hung out with the (In Flames) guys on a couple of dates on the European tour. I learned some of the songs that way, playing behind the stage. For the last show, they decided they needed four new songs, so Niklas (Engelin, other temporary guitarist) and I were back to the drawing board. On the other hand, we had four or five days where the four of us could rehearse. (Vocalist) Anders (Friden) wasn’t there. I think we are as prepared as we can be.”
Asked whether he was told how to play the songs, or able to adapt them to his style, Danhage offers, “In this band, they have a lot of melodies, which is really important to keep. At the same time, for some of the lead playing, I am free. Just as long as it stays within the same mode, I can do pretty much what I want. As long as the essentials are there.”
Regardless, it speaks volumes that a couple of guitar players from ‘rival’ bands (friendly, mind you, as Gothenburg is a small city, with countless international metal acts) would help each other out. Something tells me their North American counterparts would be reveling in the others’ misfortunes, hoping to secure the tour/support themselves! “Evergrey didn’t have any shows at the point when I agreed to do this. Now, it turns out, we had to cancel one show, which is a bummer, but that show (was booked) afterwards. This is a great gig for me and Evergrey as well. Every day, they announce from the stage that the guitarist from Evergrey is here. Hopefully that will turn some people’s heads and they’ll check out Evergrey. I’m helping them, but they’ve helped us before, being cool on tour (when Evergrey opened in the US, last May). What goes around comes around.”
Conversation switched to the next Evergrey record. Online, mastermind Tom Englund has hinted at a heavier sound. “The guys went in last week. I only had one day to listen to ideas, as I was busy (getting ready for) this tour. Most of the things were really, really good and I put down a couple of my ideas, so they had something to work with, while I’m gone. I have an idea for a really calm song, which we’ll finish when I get home. The parts they’ve done are heavy, but not just for the sake of being heavy. You can still tell it’s Evergrey. It wasn’t like they’re two brand new songs. We fool around at sound check and I recognized some of the pieces. For the first song, I had one complaint and the other, I was thumbs up. Me being out and then coming back, I think that will be good, providing fresh ears. When you’re dicking around in the studio for a few weeks, it’s easy to go blind (or deaf!). Since I joined, I’ve always been part of the writing team, so I think this time away will be good.”
Actually, the band is only in the midst of tinkering around with ideas, not really recording. That won’t happen until February. “We’re starting to write songs,” corrects Danhage. “We have the luxury of (owning) the studio. Instead of sitting in the rehearsal room, you can be in the studio. Hopefully this will be more of a band effort kind of album. The previous albums, Tom was the main writer, I was #2 and then Rikard (Zander, keyboards). I know they had a real hassle with one of the songs. They were dry for almost two days, but they kept going. Rather than jump to the next songs, they kept at it and got two songs. It sounds real good.”
Planning ahead, he’s looking forward to returning home in time for the holidays. “In Europe, Christmas Eve is the big (gift giving) time. I’ll be with my fiancée and my son, but this will be one of those years when I’m driving around the night before, looking for presents. I get back on the 21st. The next Evergrey show is 29th, in Gothenburg, so that’s nice. Then we’re going on an Eastern European tour. ”
Might even squeeze in another North American go-round, prior to the European festival gigs, next summer. Watch this space
Accueil 