rozhovor_2015-11-28_Shadowside_en - HELLMAGAZINE

Brazilian band Shadowside spared few words on occasion of welcoming of new band member – well known Magnus Rosén (ex- Hammerfall). They talked about news, plans, past and dark times of band as well. We interviewed two members at once – vocalist Dani Nolden and new man in band – Magnus Rosén. What we heard is in upcoming lines …  

Shadowside is rising and planning to release new album. But still it is pretty hard to find exact date of release. Can you bring a little light into this?

Dani: We’re going to record it in June 2016 so the release date is not set yet, but we are definitely going to show people some of the things we are up to until then! We’ll show you guys videos from the recordings, maybe we’ll play a few warm up gigs before that.

Magnus: We recorded the first and second album of Hammerfall at Studio Fredman in Sweden. Glory to the brave and Legacy of Kings. To my taste, these were the two best Hammerfall albums. So I feel very positive and hopeful with this recording.

What should we expect from new album? What can you tell us about your previous piece – Inner Monster Out?

Dani: The Inner Monster Out album was our most successful album up to date. It was released in 2012 worldwide and it took us much further than we thought it would. It hit BURRN’s best selling album charts, the rock and metal radio charts in USA. It’s a heavy, straightforward album, and we tried to keep the balance between intensity, melody, aggressiveness, since we all like so many different things in the band and we embrace those different musical tastes we all have. So now we are working on the evolution of the Inner Monster Out… we’re keeping it very heavy, working on catchy melodies and aiming to make it interesting, yet simple so we all can headbang (laughs).

Magnus: What I hope and believe so will our different backgrounds to give new color to the music. Then I never got the chance write music in Hammerfall, it gives me a great pleasure that the door is open to influence the music. I have written some music with the King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque, and maybe Shadowside will be inserting them and have influences for the upcoming album.

Dani: We actually just got off a Skype session with the entire band to talk and show some tunes. The music that Magnus showed us, that he wrote with Andy LaRocque sounded awesome!
So many bands break up because of the so called musical differences and backgrounds… we actually want them. We like them. Like Magnus said, it keep things fresh.

You are recording new album in Sweden, once again with Fredrik Nordström. What makes you decide this way?

Dani: Everything went incredibly well when we recorded the Inner Monster Out album with him! Fredrik really understands us as a band and knows exactly what kind of sound we’re looking for. He knows how to push our limits. We kinda had the policy of never working with the same producer twice because we felt that once that producer gets to know you well, he stops testing your abilities and just helps you stay as good, but not improve. However we didn’t feel that way with Fredrik. We feel there is so much more to achieve from this partnership. We all became friends, he came to our show in Gothenburg and we enjoy working together so I think that makes a huge difference in the outcome of an album.
Magnus: Fredrik is the best. He has gotten prizes for Best Producer in Japan some years ago. And I feel so confident and happy with Shadowside’s choice of recording studio and producer.

Ways of Shadowside has parted with Fabio Carito. On the other hand, you welcomed well known bass player Magnus Rosén. How can you describe situation in band right now?

Dani: I don’t know how Magnus feels about compliments (laughs). But I honestly believe we welcomed to the band one of the best bass players in the world, so we couldn’t be more excited about working on this album. I think it will be extremely fun to work on this material because we are, more than ever, welcoming ideas from the four of us. I love working like that because when the album is done, everyone can feel proud and an essential part of it. That’s very important for a band to work well long term.

Magnus: It’s a pleasure for me to be back on the metal road again. It was more than 8 years ago that I quit Hammerfall.

And I always loved Brazil. I’ve been there 8 times, with Hammerfall and also with my Charity solo bass shows where the ticket price was 2kg of food. The food was delivered to the Favelas the day after. Music makes changes.
When Shadowside contacted me and after I listened to the music, I felt the time was here to take a step back to the metal music. So I feel in a good mood to do this.

Wouldn´t be problem that Magnus is non-Brazilian? Wouldn´t distance makes problems?

Dani: I don’t think so… at least not with the cheap international flights nowadays. Just a few days ago I found a flight from Gothenburg to Sao Paulo for less than a flight from one Brazilian state to the other. So nowadays with the internet, cheap airfare and the fact that we are once again going to record both the album and video in Sweden, I don’t see it as a problem. The fact that he is not Brazilian, that’s no problem at all. It’s a good thing actually. Different cultures bring different perspectives to the music.

Magnus: It’s only a dinner on 10.000 meters over the ocean, then I’m there (smile). My mother always told me that she feels that South America has some connection with me. Maybe my past life (smile). So if the Brazilian people are comfortable with me, then I'm sure I will enjoy this.

For over a year, there was no tour and no show of Shadowside except one you played with Angra. How did you spent those days of rest?

Dani: Actually, that was quite a dark period for me. I believe this is the first time I talk about this in public, as a matter of fact. I spent that year battling depression. It was supposed to be a year dedicated to songwriting, but I just couldn’t function. Fortunately the guys kept writing and they respected that I needed time to recover, they really backed me up, as well as my fiancée and family. I didn’t feel suicidal, I wasn’t even sad. I was just hollow, it was very strange. That show with Angra was exactly the point that I realized there was something wrong, because it was an amazing show and I just couldn’t feel anything. No joy, nothing. I couldn’t sleep. And absolutely nothing was wrong in my life. I had been feeling like that for many years and hadn’t realized there was something wrong. After a year of treatment and a lot of support from people around me, I finally know once again what it’s like to be normal. I can finally sing, smile, I look forward to the future, I get happy when something good happens and feel like writing songs again. So I decided to write a song about that for people to know they’re not alone and that there is hope.

I still expect there was some time to rest and to do your hobbies and stuff like that. How do you spend your free time?

Dani: I like to read, play computer games, visit new places. I guess I can say I’m a certified nerd (laughs).

Magnus: I live in the Swedish forest and I love the nature. I also have some music projects with my solo bass music, The World Changes, so my free time is playing bass, nature and I've just become an ambassador for The Hunger Project World Wide which can be found at http://hungerprojektet.se
That makes me proud. So I can use my playing in a good way.

Right now, the rest is over. Can you introduce us plans of Shadowside for upcoming year?

Magnus: I hope I will be in Brazil in February 2016, and maybe do some charity solo bass concerts and at the same time work on the new music for the album. My wish is that we start touring after the release of the album and that Shadowside has shows with a lot of energy and power on the way to the future.

Main question for Europe, I think, is – Would you tour Europe with new album? Are you preparing headline tour or you´d be supporting some bigger act?

Dani: We toured with Helloween and Gamma Ray in Europe during the Inner Monster Out tour. We just wanna play, so for us it doesn’t matter if we are headlining or supporting a bigger act. We wanna play as many shows as possible so on the tour for the next album, we will follow the same strategy – play as many shows as we can!

Magnus: I think the idea is to play our music to people where the public want us. In Brazil, Europe, Asia, Canada and so on. Headlining or not, I believe that it does not matter. What matters is if we deliver good metal shows to the people!!!!

What does working in music business mean for you?

Magnus: My whole life, it’s my mission and my belief that the music makes changes.

Dani: I just don’t see myself without it. I have other projects that are not related to making music, but they are all related to the music business, such as management and consulting for other bands. I just love the entire music industry, especially the music, of course! I don’t think I could live without it.


If there is anything else you want to add, you want to say to fans or to us, feel free ... this is place to say it! :)

Magnus: This will be so fun and a big pleasure to work with Shadowside and be back on the metal road after more than 8 years. And it feels good to fight the way up to a good level where we can reach a larger audience and hopefully touch people with the music.
Dani: We really appreciate everyone’s support, so here goes a huge thank you to the fans and to Hellmagazine. You guys have been great to us. We are looking forward to hitting the road again so we will see you all soon!

Added: Samuel Sámel
Added: 28.11.2015