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Interview: Nation Beyond’s
bassist Joakim Hedestedt
March 2008: By Joe Florez |
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Nation Beyond is a group that has flown under
the radar. This Swedish faction has done the ultimate and made their
debut record a concept record. A big undertaking? You bet! But, when
you listen to it you would have thought that they have been in
existence for several years, not just one or two. The group was put
together by Jonas Karlgren and Joakim Hedestedt. The disc was funded
completely on their own with no outside help and have only now
secured a small record deal in Sweden and for everyone else, it has
been distributed by prog label Sensory Records. All I have to say is
that if you like your music dark and moody, filled with catchy hooks
and like a metal opera that has a grandiose sound, a killer
production and a storyline that is as big as the Grand Canyon, then
you are in luck. This release has it all. Bassist and co-founding
member Joakim Hedestedt dishes out everything on what made this
record what it is now.
Nation Beyond was created by you, from Face Down and Jonas Karlgren
from Debase. Those names sound like metal core bands. Are they? What
made the two of you decide to come with a metal project? Furthermore
is this now a full fledged band or will this remain a project?
Yes they are. But it was a long-time dream to do a Metal Opera for
me and Jonas, we have known each other for almost 20 years…and yes
this is a band.
I must say that this is a ballsy move on your
part to make your debut record a concept record. Most bands don’t
make one until they have established themselves. What drove you to
make “The Aftermath Odyssey” an epic?
It was our plan from the beginning, when Jonas and me started to
plan this, we both wanted it big and powerful.
Most people may not know this, but you and
Jonas financed this disc by yourselves with no outside help. The
label Burning Star Records has only now signed you to a deal. Was it
that important to have total control of this recording?
To do this kind of massive epic metal album you need lots of money
and time…and you don’t get the money from a record label on your
debut release…so we had to do it ourselves or make it less
spectacular.
I have to admit that I was going crazy when I
first popped this CD into my player. After the intro “The End” which
is a collage of speeches and minimal atmospheric music, I was
expecting the band to burst out into some furious music, but then
another intro of sorts “A Rainy Day In Hell” takes over and with
these two tracks combined it’s five minutes of anticipation. Once
“In The Ashes” kicks in, it’s smooth sailing from there. Why did you
include these intros in the disc? Do you think you could have
written them in the booklet instead so that way we could just get
right to the music?
That’s called dynamic Epic writing…to color the story is more
important than just make an ordinary opening, we wanted to get
listeners into the mood that after the holocaust comes a period of
loneliness and despair, so ok, it is two intros but it is very
important for the story and could not have been told only in the
booklet.
Nielz is your singer and he is very
passionate. You can hear it when he lets loose. Without making any
true comparisons, I have noticed that his lung work could run
parallel with Evergrey’s Tom Englund in the sense that this golden
throat has a distinct style and when he sings at all times you can
feel it to the point that it gives you goose bumps. Where does Nielz
come from?
Nielz is a rough diamond… He was recommended to us by friends and he
was currently singing in a 70´s rock band called “The Drugs” but we
tried him out and was overwhelmed by his feeling and capacity.
I like the songs composed on here because they
are dark and contain no happy riffs. This release can cross over
many genres too. Metal fans to prog heads can easily eat this up.
Was there any conscience effort in terms of who you were trying to
appeal this to other than yourselves?
Jonas is from the North of Sweden so with almost no light in his
life you can not expect anything else than dark and heavy riffing.
“The Aftermath Odyssey” has it all really from
the movie soundtrack epic score to choirs and string arrangements
that gives it that mature sound. How hard was it to create this
release?
I think it was hard, Jonas is the mastermind behind all this, and if
you ask me I think he was drunk most of the time when created these
tunes….he has no previous education, so this is a mystery… |
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“Soulmates” is the one song on here that
absolutely sent shivers down my spine cause this was one hell of a
ballad. Most metal artists don’t know how to write one, you all hit
it right on the head. The sincere singing from Nielz crossed with
the female voice. Who is she and how did she get involved with the
band? Everything on here was done right from the musicianship to
singing. I can honestly say that this has radio satellite radio hit
potential.
Sara is a singer who has fronted several local bands in Malmo and
heard her sing a couple years ago in one of those bands and I
thought to myself…schiezze that girl can really sing…so when we
started to record the album I phoned her right away and asked her if
she was interested to work with us…and she was.
You have really done a number on this debut
cause it captures everything all on one disc. You have the supreme
production that could be compared to Savatage’s Dead Winter Dead and
Wake Of Magellan. The dark musical composition feel of Evergrey
along with the intense singing and the concept feel equivalent to
Operation: Mindcrime. I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but you
set the bar for yourselves really high here.
We are not as satisfied as you could expect…next album Jonas has to
play sober...haha…Of course the next album’s going to crush this
one…now we know what we’re doing…
You know that your next release will have to
outdo this one. Will the next CD be just regular songs with no
direct links to one another?
The plan is that the story will continue…
Have you been tapped yet to make the festival
rounds? If not, I can expect it to strike this year for you all. You
have what it takes to put asses in front of the stage to see Nation
Beyond.
We are not tapped yet, but looking forward to any suggestions.
We live in a digital age and Itunes is in full
swing and almost everyone puts their work up for sale on there. Have
you considered doing it? I think you would be doing the fans a
disservice by putting it up on there. I think all fans should get it
cause it has a thick booklet and the artwork is intense.
We have it both ways…and it's not so much up to us…the label sells
it anyway they can…
Since you are new to the scene and any
exposure is good exposure, do you have any words you would like to
say to present and future fans?
The record is great, the artwork is great…we are great….Buy the
record or die…hehe!
Ok Joakim, that is all. I hope nothing but the
best for you and the band as I am rooting for you especially to try
and make the trip to the U.S. for some sort of festival or tour.
More importantly, hit Chicago where I am from. Take care and talk to
you soon.
Thanks a lot for your time and all the beers, I’m sorry for the
accident with the waitress but hey…I am a foreigner…and she was
coming on to me…or?
www.nationbeyond.com |
www.lasersedgegroup.com |
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