MARTIN GUT - ÅSKVADËR

#interview

MARTIN GUT - ÅSKVÄDER

💿 Hi, it's a pleasure for us to have on Hardrockheavymetal MARTIN GUT of ÅSKVÄDER!! Welcome!!

Thanks a lot - it is our pleasure to be featured in your magazine.

💿 Can you tell us somethin'about the birth and the name of your band? Which artists or bands impressed you the most as musician?

The band was founded by Alex Mayr and Martin Gut in 2017 during a Robert Perhssons Humbucker gig. We started to talk about musical references and Alex ended up hitch hiking back with Martin to Gothenburg the day after listening to some demos and realizing this would be a great match. Later on Jon Solheim joined and Åskväder started to record the debut EP released in 2018.

The name Åskväder popped up while driving in rush hour.

Martin had discussed with his older brother about what to call the band. It should be something short, catchy and in Swedish, Åskväder came to the table and the other guys liked it. The name translates toThunderstorm in Swedish and refer to how we interpret the music we are playing. As with every other rock band our influences of course go deep in to the 60s and 70s with bands like Kiss, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Sabbath.

But also the Beatles and Fleetwood Mac as well as The Hellacopters are all bands that will never go out of style in our point of view. There are so many good bands, I could go on all day. Good stuff influences, doesn't matter which genre or style it is!

💿 Your new album self-titled album will be out on March 13th , 2020. We have the chance to listening to in preview and we were really impressed. Can you tell us somethin'about its composition process and style?

Yeah, it truly feels great to release this album, we had quite a lot of thought about how we wanted it to sound and feel. We wanted to capture the energy and sound that we represent during our live shows - therefore we did not edit anything or add more instruments than what we think is neccessary.

We want to be able to perform our songs live without losing anything vital.

The album was recorded by Åskväder in two different locations with Jon Solheim as the engineer and the band ourselves as producers. We later gave the material to the true mastermind Robert Pehrsson (to close the circle) who did an amazing job.The composition process is easy - we write demos and arrange them together while rehearsing to refine them and make the final product as good as we can.

💿 The new album will be out on THE SIGN RECORDS..Can you tell us somethin'about relationships with them?

The Sign is a truly great companion while travelling down the bumpy road of rock n roll. We have had contact through the years and finally we seem to have created something that fit their taste. We are really glad to be a part of their rooster and look forward to the future together with them. Great guys!

💿 There's a great return of format such as vinyl and cassette. What's your thinking about these classic format..love for vintage or is it impossible a future for music outside digital?

We all were born during the 80s when the CD ruled the world. To be honest we all listen through digital plattforms due to the fact that you can do it anywhere.

But of course, also collect vinyls and believe that to really enjoy an album is to listen to it through analogue style paired with a good beverage of choice.

Also it is important for the survival of music to support your fellow bands and buy their analog products - including merch, which I personally is a big fan of collecting.

We as artists have put a lot of work in to the album and also in the order of the songs - therfore I personally think that out of respect for the artist you should at least listen to the album in its whole once.

That is how I listen to music - and what better way for this than to do it analogue?

💿 Inside your songs what's the role of lyrics in the composition process? Words follow music or vice versa?

We always compose the songs prior to the lyrics. But to be clear here, the lyrics play a major part in our song writing.

The lyrics follow the music in the sense that the music will always be put first.

But the lyrics will help the music to grow and is a crucial part of the song.

Lyrics is an important thing for us and the songs would not be the same without them, as would the songs not be the same without the power of a great riff.

They kind of go hand in hand. A great riff though is always prior as we can re-write the lyrics.

💿 We love the cover of new album! Can you tell us somethin'about ?

Yes, we agree it is amazing. Johan Leion who is a true artist designed it with only a four letter brief from us. Could not have been better. Check him out. We had a clear idea of how we wanted it to be and he managed to realize it Simple as that!

💿 Thank you so much for your time! See you soon on Hardrockheavymetal!