Итнервю с Fredrik Sööberg (ALFAHANNE)

Interview with Fredrik Sööberg (ALFAHANNE)

Satania: Hello and thanks! Although you are gaining more popularity, I am not sure that you are very well known in Bulgaria, so tell us about the band. How was Alfahanne born?

Fredrik: Hello, and thanks for showing interest in the band. Alfahanne goes back to 2010. We had all played in different bands, and known each other for years, so we discovered we had the same idea about music and we thought it was a lack of bands going their own way. Hence we put Alfahanne together.

S.: What is the idea behind the band? There have been many famous guest musicians from the Scandinavian extreme scene playing in the band, is that the main idea, to have as many people involved as possible?

F.: To have guests can never be an idea of a band. We wanted to have a band free from the boundaries of genres with full artistic freedom. And we also wanted to bring back a band that is a band in true meaning, no project or one man show, a true band. And we wanted to bring danger back to the rock music.

S.: Which musicians were guests in Alfahanne?

F.: That is a research question, stated on every album we released. But, the artist we choose to have as guests are artists that in someone is genuine, bring a spice to our music, that we can fully support. As persons or/and as artists.

S.: When I listen to your music I feel like I am going back to the 80’s and yet there is a characteristic darkness and melancholy in your music that you cannot escape from. How did you create the style of Alfahanne and why did you call it „Alfapocalyptic Rock“?

F.: The music is what comes natural to us when we play together as a band. No limits, good songs are the only thing we have in mind. And since we are a true band the music is born in a creative way together as a band. Well, we have a them of darkness and dystopia in our lyrics, mirroring the world, humanity and society… So that name to our music is a way to explain it since almost every person who listen to it for some reason have the need to put it in a genre… So we gave them a genre… or maybe an Anti-genre…

S.: Do you think this style is becoming your trademark?

F.: Of course, isn´t that the case with every band… It is a signum and you most often are able to tell it is Alfahanne in the first seconds of any song…

S.: What kind of apocalypse does Alfahanne’s music predict? How would you want people to feel when they listen to your art?

F.: We don´t predict anything. What we do is to tell you about or world the way we see it. Our subjective truth. Our way to balance and embrace the darkness within ourselves, within humanity, within society. Instead of turning our head away we stare right into it.

S.: Next year marks the 10th anniversary since the band was launched. Are you planning anything special for the occasion?

F.: You´ll never know what we are up to… Anything can happen… Still we got a new album out and we plan to play as many shows in as many countries as possible.

S.: Your new album „Atomvinter“ has recently been released, what did you dedicate it to? In general, what are Alfahanne’s messages? What would you like people to think about, when they listen to you? (Because your music definitely does not sound like something to have fun with, then forget about.)

F.: Kind of the thing answered already above.. Music as any art is for the beholder to judge and use.. I am sure that if you want to have fun to our music It is possible. It is dark though… So I hope it makes people think.. Thinking is a shortage in humanity in general.. Atomvinter is in a way an album focusing on the fall and decline on a individual level, on humanity/society level, on universal level. It is our way to deal with the fact that all end everyone is already fucked.. We are on the edge of no return already.

S.: How is „Atomvinter“ different from your other releases?

F.: It is a natural follow up to our earlier albums.. Maybe this time it turned out even darker, even more wide spectra music wise and I think it is the best produced album so far.

S.: Your song „The Heavy Burden“ is your only song in English and it was dedicated in one of your posts to all non-Swedish fans. Do you plan on writing more songs in English in the future? Why do you use only your native language to write lyrics?

F.: Actually, we have 2 songs in English on the new album, and one mixed Swedish/English. For just that reason you mentioned. We sing in our native language because it is the best way we can express ourselves. It comes natural. We´ll see how we do in the future. Maybe Swedish, maybe English.

S.: As a big fan of yours, I really want to see you live, but for now Eastern Europe seems to be out of your reach. Have you ever considered touring in this part of Europe (Bulgaria, Romania, Greece…)?

F.: We consider every offer we get. So far we haven´t got any from the east. I think it is time to change that. We want to reach out and play for all our fans around the world. Hopefully we get there soon.

S.: Has the „Alpha male/wolf“ conquered enough territories for the past 10 years and how far does he think he can go in his quest to conquer new horizons? Where do you see Alfahanne in another 10 years?

F.: If we get to choose we have world domination in mind. Always ready to conquer new territories. If the world is still around and if we manage to stay alive Alfahanne will be going on in 10 years. Or , it can also be that we just disappear if we get tired of putting out good albums that doesn´t get the recognition they deserve.

S.: Your message to the Bulgarian fans, more specifically to those, who have not heard Alfahanne yet (because I want more and more people here to hear you and fall in love with the music that you create) 🙂

F.: The message is the same to all fans. Once you get hooked you are in for life. With Alfahanne it is one way in and no way out. And we cant do it without our loyal and steadily growing horde of fans. Join us and let us march together to world domination. As the world goes down in flames…

Official resources:

https://www.facebook.com/alfahanneofficial/
http://www.reverbnation.com/alfahanne
https://www.instagram.com/alfahanneofficial_/

Booking Agent:

Within Sweden: Olof@skrikhult.se
Outside Sweden: roman@district-19.com