By Jim Barber
Mad Invasion is what occurs when a gaggle of long-time musician buddies, each with a powerful pedigree and intensive musical background, with reputations for excellence and kicking proverbial ass in each the studio and onstage resolve to hitch forces.
Based mostly within the Swedish metropolis of Malmo, the quartet of vocalist Pete Sandberg, bassist Mats Jeppsson, lead guitarist Bjorn Dahlberg and guitarist/keyboardist Hal Marabel launched their debut album Fringe of the World again in 2021, simply as the worldwide COVID 19 pandemic was beginning to slowly subside.
With pent up demand for extra new music from the group turned louder and louder, they re-entered the studio final 12 months, finishing what can finest be described as a bad-ass, classic sounding arduous rock album, which encompasses a fashionable sonic panorama and a real, epic story to inform.
Crack within the Sky was launched on April 25 by means of Border Music, after anticipation and curiosity was stoked by means of the discharge of 5 movies all through late 2024 and into 2025 for the songs ‘Welcome to my Present,’, the incendiary ‘Voodoo Queen,’ the powerhouse “Warmth Of the Evening,’ ‘Flesh & Blood,’ and the exceptionally cinematic title monitor.
The listing of musical influences of every band member reads like who’s who of rock music, which is sensible, since all 4 of them have been taking part in music in varied unique and canopy bands for many years. With Mad Invasion, there are particular components of the whole lot from Deep Purple to Queen to AC/DC. UFO, Rush and Unhealthy Firm.
Marabel talked concerning the significance of the numerous influences, experiences and artistic factors of view dropped at the band by every member, but additionally how they’re united and in full lockstep with each other relating to the facility, efficiency and originality of their interpretation of the classic arduous rock milieu.
“We’ve all identified one another for the reason that late Eighties. Even when we weren’t taking part in collectively, we every had our completely different gangs approach again when there have been a bunch of bands out on the circuit, , assembly up and partying with each other. And we might interact with each other at sure closing dates and at all times thought that possibly we must always do one thing collectively at some point,” he stated, including that the embryo of an concept for what would grow to be Mad Invasion started when he and Sandberg first began speaking a bit extra critically about collaborating within the early 2010s.
“Pete has been in a great deal of bands. However on the time, he was in a band referred to as Alien. And I used to be in a Swedish band, which I nonetheless have a bit on the facet, referred to as Unhealthy Behavior and we had been each signed to the Virgin label on the time. We met by means of that and we determined to try to do one thing collectively. Nevertheless it took some time. Pete and a number of the different guys truly did get collectively round 2012 and launched a single, and did a gig simply to check the waters, and the response was actually nice, however their different tasks, and life basically, occurred. A number of years later they began speaking about writing for a brand new album and that’s once I acquired concerned, in 2016. However, as I stated, all of us knew one another so it was fairly a pure coming collectively.”
Sandberg is unique from Gothenburg, on the west coast of the nation, 270 or so kilometres north of Malmo, which is on the southern tip, virtually instantly throughout from Copenhagen, Denmark. Marabel stated he has been an admired singer for a lot of a long time, taking part in in Swedish bands in addition to different European acts.
“It was actually nice to have him on board as a result of, one, he’s an important singer. However what we needed to do on this collaboration was to make the most of a unique facet of his vocal expertise. When you’ve heard any of his earlier stuff, you’ll discover the vary is so much decrease now, the pitch is so much decrease, and there’s extra of a deal with the blues influences right here. And that matches for him as a result of he’s like David Coverdale [Whitesnake, Deep Purple] and Paul Rodgers [Free, Bad Company] and we needed to have that come by means of in our songs,” he stated, laughing about the truth that not solely is Sandberg an old-fashioned vocal stylist, however is somewhat old fashioned in his each day life.
“He’s attention-grabbing these days. He’s non-digital. He has a cellphone, a cell phone, however it’s not the smartphone model, it’s the straightforward model the place all you are able to do is name and textual content. He has no pc, no social media, no nothing. So we’re those that care for that form of factor and attempt to present him stuff. He nonetheless listens solely to CDs and vinyl. Nevertheless it’s attention-grabbing to have him round as a result of we will get the completely different perspective from somebody who isn’t in to all of that.”
Bjorn is the initiator and the riff grasp of Mad Invasion, in keeping with Marabel.
“He used to have a studio in Malmo the place all of us used to document, so he acquired to know everybody. So, he’s coming from being extra of a studio man, a producer and engineer. However he’s at all times been an important guitarist however was concentrating extra on his studio work till we switched him to being extra of a guitar participant and songwriter. I come into it because the co-producer and arranger, however he is superb at riffs. He’s actually influenced by previous Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and we needed to be sure that affect is coming by means of, as a result of we’re actually happy with it. It’s not that we’re copying it, it’s only a robust affect that we wish to pay homage to however put it into extra of a contemporary context and a contemporary framing,” he stated.
“Bjorn is the one that prefers to be within the background and orchestrate issues, which I’m too, however I’m a bit extra of a folks individual as a result of my daytime job, I’ve to be extra of an extrovert [he works in I.T for IKEA … doesn’t get much more Swedish than that!] however I feel we complement one another very well, each from the angle of guitarists but additionally as people. We work very nicely along with the arranging of songs and manufacturing. After which Mats is the joker within the band. He brings lots of humour and is kind of the extrovert. He’s the excited one once we get collectively. You must have somebody like that in a band or in any state of affairs the place you’re working carefully with folks. He’s an important complement to the remainder of the personalities within the band.”
It’s this group of proficient and pushed inventive personalities which put collectively a conceptual assortment of music that weaves a compelling, fantasy-based story accompanied by hovering melodies, crunching riffs and masterful musicianship.
The narrative thread woven between the songs on Crack within the Sky pertains to the battle between a Fallen Angel and her nemesis the Darkish Lord – the stuff of fantasy-oriented fiction writing and video video games, however with an utility for the on a regular basis struggles all of us need to battle off the demons inside and with out.
“It was initially Bjorn’s concept to have this character of the Fallen Angel as a part of all of the movies and all of the visible storytelling for the album. However there wasn’t actually a story round it. We had the picture of the angel wearing white, and now we have the angel wearing black they usually’re form of in opposition to one another however nonetheless supporting each other as a result of they’re the 2 sides of the identical factor,” Marabel stated.
“For this new album we determined to take the story additional and actually create that framework of a story round it with all of the background of how the white angel was as soon as sitting by God’s facet after which she acquired lured a bit bit to the darker facet. After which we developed it additional by truly recording introduction segments to eight of the 11 songs that basically tie the story collectively. However we’re saving that for the subsequent model of the album, which we hope will even be vinyl.
“We determined to go all in with the story as a result of we preferred the concept of an idea album and there aren’t that many anymore. We wish to carry it again to the type of [Queensryche’s] Operation: Mindcrime form of tasks the place there’s a narrative and the place you’re attempting to lure the listener in to concentrate to extra than simply the songs. You need them to look a couple of layers deeper.”
In a way, it’s a examined and true story that goes again millennia – the long-lasting battle between good and evil which, if reinterpreted barely as intimated above, can apply to how all of us have an inner battle between the great and evil of our personal nature.
“You may take the songs and the story as it’s, however it’s a lot better in the event you can personalize it. We wish folks to learn into it what they wish to – that’s what making music is all about. In the event that they really feel one thing’s connecting them to the track, there’s no proper or incorrect interpretation. So, sure, it’s the general theme of excellent versus evil within the sense that one wants the opposite. You can even take a look at it as a mirrored image of how issues are in society now,” Marabel stated.
“It’s turning into very polarized and it’s at all times these two sides digging in stronger and stronger in opposition to one another. However, even when it may be fairly excessive on the most polarizing factors of it, these two views want one another. Now, you may argue that it’s too excessive and it may possibly’t simply be black and white, however it’s okay to have completely different sides of the identical story, completely different sides of the identical coin, as a result of that’s the place the compelling half comes into the story, that’s the place the curiosity and the joy and the way you get folks extra engaged in what you’re attempting to say.
“I feel it’s attention-grabbing, as a result of there may be that borderline the place you say this facet of it’s good, this facet is evil. However that borderline isn’t at all times a straight, skinny line. It’s truly fairly a broad line. There’s a crossover space inside which you begin drifting to 1 facet or one other and it makes you actually take into consideration the dilemma of now being on this grey zone. In order that’s a bit a part of the neighbourhood.”
Writing an album with a comparatively tight narrative, the place the lyrics and music and general sonic nature needs to be extra constant and related to 1 one other is unquestionably extra of a problem then simply concocting 10 or 12 songs which might be kind of impartial of each other. Nevertheless it was a problem Marabel, and his bandmates had been up for.
“There are extra issues to consider within the lyrics and the best way that the songs are put collectively. Additionally, the order of the songs on the album turns into much more necessary. However that was the compelling concept that goes together with having a conceptual theme. Not solely does the listener want to interact a bit extra to get the complete image however we because the writers want to do this in creating it, after all, and to maintain our heads straight on, . We stored saying to ourselves, ‘how will we hold the connection? And the way we be certain that to come back again to the fitting level within the timeline.’ So, yeah, it was fairly attention-grabbing,” he defined.
“We weren’t as centered on the music side so far as the riffs of the songs all being type of related just like the story is. We felt a bit freer and extra versatile there as a result of it was extra concerning the story, the lyrics and the general form of storytelling and ensuring that each one slot in with the precise narration that is happening. However we had extra flexibility on the musical facet, for certain.”
As for the songwriting course of, which is way the identical as for the band’s 2021 debut document Fringe of the World, it often begins with Dahlberg, who Marabel refers to as “the captain of the ship” creative-wise, though he himself acts as a co-producer as soon as the inventive ball will get rolling.
“He’s the one which comes up with the principle guitar riff, and the songs are guitar riff primarily based. After which nicely construct off that. So, he’ll begin with the riff, and we’ll then meet simply to debate the format and issues a bit extra casually. After that he goes again and begins to truly document the guitar rifts correctly with a click on monitor. Which I feel it’s a bit common, as a result of there’s no different manufacturing or any again tracks – it’s simply the guitar and a click on monitor,” he stated, including that a lot of the 5 band members dwell in Malmo, whereas visitor drummer Mikkey Dee (extra about him in a second) lives in Gothenburg.
“What occurs subsequent is him and Pete, our singer, get collectively they usually begin engaged on the lyrics and the vocal melodies to the guitar riffs and click on monitor. So, there’s nothing else guiding the singer; Pete by no means has any again tracks for the refrain, which he likes. Her prefers it that approach as a result of we wish to be completely bare, and it additionally permits him to listen to the whole lot excellent.
“So, I’ve my studio, which is type of a mixture of a pre-production and parallel full manufacturing studio and my very own gear. So, I carry my laptop computer into the studio at Bjorn’s home, and I document over these tracks that they recorded onto my laptop computer, and I’m going dwelling and proceed to construct the monitor from there. That’s the place I draft the preliminary drum components, percussion, the keyboards and likewise begin enthusiastic about the background vocal preparations and add in my guitars.”
One the demos are full, all the band circles again and has hear by means of, which is usually the primary time all band members hear the close to association, which ends up in extra honing, and filtering and changes till everybody’s comfortable.”
Understanding the world the best way it’s at this time, with a lot ‘content material’ being ‘consumed’ on so many alternative platforms and types of media, even probably the most proficient and proficient of inventive acts has to place additional effort into the non-artistic facet of what they do – in any other case know because the ‘enterprise’ facet of the music enterprise.
Mad Invasion have doubled down on advertising and promotional materials, issuing a stream of singles and accompanying movies for songs from each of their albums up to now.
“There’s a lot noise and a lot happening on the earth that folks, , their consideration span is kind of restricted. And it’s important to have one thing particular to stay out. We needed to be sure that we had lots of visible representations, like within the movies. And we needed to be sure that the whole lot is at , skilled degree as a result of we’re all nicely seasoned, older guys. We’ve been round for some time and we needed to have that have and professionalism mirrored within the materials and the best way we do issues to advertise the music,” stated Marabel of the group’s consideration to element.
“We’re from that technology the place we was once the younger guys who would recognize it when our favorite bands put lots of effort into it; had all of the lyrics with the album and the covers had been all good and the photographs had been nicely carried out and the whole lot was nicely thought by means of so that you just felt that you just had been getting lots of worth to your cash. Even when it’s principally the streams now, some folks nonetheless purchase a CD and those that do, they need to get good worth for the cash, and those that come to go to our YouTube channel ought to get good high quality digital merchandise in order that they’re time is nicely spent. And that goes for vinyl too. We haven’t carried out a urgent of vinyl but for the brand new album, however we hope to have the ability to try this once we do the subsequent run. When that occurs, we’re going to have all of the particular hyperlinks in between the songs that assist you comply with the idea. Once we did the vinyl for the final album, we made certain that it was a double fold out, so we put lots of time into designing the covers and issues like that.”
Mikkey Dee carried out within the movies, as he does on everything of the Crack within the Sky document. Exhausting rock and steel followers know his extremely spectacular and prodigious pedigree, first with Danish steel grasp King Diamond, then for greater than 30 years with the long-lasting Motorhead, and now bashing the skins for German rock legends, The Scorpions. The music group in Sweden, very like Canada, is comparatively small, so even the most important names are nonetheless card-carrying members of that group, staying in contact with previous mates and previous bandmates from alongside their musical journeys.
Such is the case of Dee and members of Mad Invasion.
“Pete is from Gothenburg and he’s identified Mikkey for ages. They had been across the identical hoods, the identical music communities again within the day. And so they additionally know one another by means of sport. I feel they each performed hockey on the identical time. However then they went their separate methods and Pete was in his band and Mikkey was doing his factor and so forth. Once we did the primary album, we truly recorded that partly with one other drummer, however we parted methods quickly after ending laying down the tracks. We needed to do some movies however how will we visualize that and not using a drummer, when Pete stated he knew Mikkey. He stated it wouldn’t harm to simply name and ask if he’d be within the movies. And immediately we knew we needed to carry him in, as a result of he’s fairly well-known and has his personal profile. We didn’t assume he’d do it, however Pete stated possibly he’s sport,” Marabel defined.
“And he’s in three of the movies from the earlier album. However that was the staring level with Mikkey. And he beloved the songs. He beloved the method of taking the previous basic classic rock and placing it into a contemporary format. So once we had been discussing the brand new album, we truly simply requested him immediately. And we mentioned how we needed to proceed to have him concerned within the band as, , clearly a particular visitor nonetheless as a result of he’s a band member of the Scorpions. He stated sure. We organized it in order that he may document the drums up in a studio in Gothenburg after which we transferred he recordsdata and built-in them into the manufacturing down right here in Malmo. And it was an important addition to the sound as a result of he clearly has his personal model of taking part in that basically lifted these very primary rock songs onto a unique degree. And naturally, he’s appeared in a bunch of the brand new movies for this document too.”
Marabel additionally stated that there’s a likelihood, if only a tiny one, that if Mad Invasion had been to play dwell reveals in Europe, that Dee would possibly have the ability to play with them.
“We’re juggling issues attempting to make the calendars work as a result of clearly there’s lots of work for him throughout the summer season with all of the festivals and the whole lot. And he even has his personal Motorhead cowl band too, and one other facet undertaking in addition to The Scorpions. So we’ll see what alternatives there are on the calendar and the way we will match him into someplace that’s place and time to play,” he stated, including that additionally they have a backup plan to herald one other drummer if issues don’t mesh with Dee.
“Ideally it will be Mikkey as a result of he’s the one on the album. And all of us get alongside so it will be tremendous with him becoming a member of us. So, we’re working to see if we will make it occur.”
A visit to North America to carry out can be a chance, slim, however not fully off the desk.
“We’ve got our promoter that we’re working with and naturally he has lots of connections each to radio and festivals and issues over there. So that’s a part of the discussions we’re having to see if there’s a chance there. It’s a bit tough now, although, with all of the forms and paperwork. Whenever you come over from Scandinavia there’s lots of administrative issues to care for. And it’s additionally not low-cost. It’s one thing we have to look into and see how we will make that work virtually. However that’s the ambition to get to America and Canada,” he stated.
For extra info on Mad Invasion, go to their social media channels or https://madinvasion.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and creator primarily based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for greater than 30 years. Moreover his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and advertising specialist and is an avid volunteer in his group. Contact him at jimbarberwritingservices@gmail.com.
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