1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the
recording and release of the new ep?
Markus: Since the release we have been doing online promotion to get it out to as many people
as possible. We played a release gig in Stockholm, and have plans to have another release party
in our home town Uppsala as well. Recently, we have also started working on some new
material for an upcoming full length album.
Fredrik: As Markus stated, we’ve been doing online promotion, and a lot of it, and will continue to
do so for quite some time. In addition, we’ve also reached out to the major metal magazines out
there. Regarding performing live, we’ve had quite some downtime recently. During pretty much
the whole last year, we focused entirely on developing and progressing our own musical style,
as well as writing and recording the best followup EP that we possibly could. Looking back, I
think it all turned out quite well, and we’re very eager to shift the gear up and get out on the roads
and promote the new release.
2.Recently you have released a new ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical
direction of the new recording and also how does it differ from your previous ep and
demo?
Markus: We have obviously become a lot better at our respective instruments, and that really
shows on our new EP “The Edge of Existence”. The musical direction we went for was more
melodic, but at the same time both more aggressive and progressive. For me, I started to think
about melody and harmony in a different way, and nowadays when I compose new music I
always picture if not the entire band then at least both guitars. Before, I wrote new music riff by
riff. I think in our previous releases we tried to find our musical identity, whereas on “The Edge of
Existence” we are confident we have found it.
Fredrik: Yeah, I have to agree with Markus here. Sometimes, I even consider our debut EP,
“Pandemonium’s Rise”, a bit schizophrenic! It definitely has got some highlights here and there,
at least in my personal opinion, but I think its pretty clear that what you hear on that EP is a band
searching for its identity. With the new release, we’ve really pushed ourselves, both technically
as well as in terms of compositional skills, and we’re starting to get a clearer picture of our own
musical identity. Personally, I can become quite obsessed when it comes to practicing, haha. I’d
hate to have my creativity and possibilities limited by technique.
3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores
with the music?
Markus: For lyrical topics I write what I feel is interesting. I know a lot of bands that niche
themselves into writing only about death, gore or partying, which I think has become tiresome by
now. Instead, I mostly write about different emotions, like anger, despair or loneliness,
20140415
sometimes while using metaphors. For example, “Into the Unknown” is about being trapped in
the moment when you die, and the different things that flow through your head at that moment.
4.Is the band name 'Paranorm' short for paranormal, and also what was the decision
behind using it as a band name?
Markus: You’re right about that, though that’s not all there is to it. We also think about is as
‘standing up to norms’, so to speak. Just because something is established and “triedandtrue”
it doesn’t have to be the best way to do it. A favorite quote of mine is “If you find yourself on the
side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect” by Mark Twain.
5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would
you describe your stage performance?
Fredrik: Every gig is great and memorable in its own way. You always encounter new crazy shit
that goes down. But, I think a personal favorite of mine is this one time when we did our first, and
as of this date only, open air show. It was in our home town, on this big stage, the sun shining in
your face, great sound on stage, a whole different kind of acoustics… I can’t really put my finger
on it. It was definitely a combination of factors, but I really felt like home on that gig.
Markus: That open air show was just fantastic, it was an incredible feeling playing outdoors. I
also remember another show in Uppsala. We played this really small, awkward place which was
originally a lunch restaurant. The stage was really thin and made out of wood so it could break at
any second. Because the stage was so small, my hair got stuck in Marcus’ bass at one point. I
remember pulling it out really hard while screaming like a madman into the mic. Probably half my
hair got pulled out that day, haha. The crowd was also really crazy, going apeshit in that tiny area
in front of the stage. Awesome gig.
6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Markus: Yeah, definitely. We’re currently looking for opportunities to play in and around Sweden.
Hopefully, we’ll be able to put together a tour with some other great new thrash bands soon!
Fredrik: Most definitely, yeah! As I stated earlier, we’re really hungry for gigs and just want to get
out there and play our asses off. Currently we’re working on booking as many gigs as we
possibly can, and would love to get some kind of tour going during the summer or fall. It would be
really awesome to get some shows going abroad and expand our horizons a bit.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Fredrik: Yeah, we’re unsigned as of now, but we are looking for a label that shares the same
vision as us. Taking into consideration that our debut fulllength will be our next release, we
certainly are interested in getting a record deal going.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of thrash
metal?
20140415
Markus: This far we’ve only heard positive things, some people even going as far as saying they
love our music, which of course is incredible to hear. Personally, I’m involved with music
because I want to write as strong and engaging songs as I possibly can, and when we get
appreciation for our music the feeling is just fantastic!
Fredrik: Exactly! The fan support and feedback have been invaluable. Reviews of the new
release have just started getting published too and so far they have been really great.
9.When can we expect a full length album, and also where do you see the band heading
into musically during the future?
Fredrik: Having released a demo and two EPs, we now feel it is time to aim for the real deal, so
to speak, and get our first fulllength album out there. I feel it is a bit too early to speculate on a
release date, as we just put “The Edge of Existence” out there. At the same time, I feel really
inspired and eager to write a bunch of new songs, so I suppose it isn’t impossible that we’ll wrap
things up and enter the studio sometime during the second half of 2015. Musically speaking;
taking all the things we learnt writing “The Edge of Existence”, heading in the same kind of
direction, kicking it up a couple of notches further… putting together a beast of a record that truly
will display what Paranorm is all about.
Markus: Yeah, I’m really pumped to write a full length record. Usually, we write a bit here and
there, and after a while start putting songs together. Now more than ever, I feel like really just
locking myself up to write music. This time, we have defined our style, we know our instruments
and how to compose great songs. The only thing remaining is to write them!
10.What are some bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and
also what are you listening to nowadays?
Markus: When we started the band, we listened to a lot of Testament, Metallica and Megadeth.
Basically old school thrash. Then we discovered more progressive bands like Heathen,
Forbidden and Coroner. The music that inspired “The Edge of Existence” is really diverse.
Basically, it’s core is thrash, but for example the way we wrap melodies together is kind of
unseen in thrash. Parts of “Desolate Worlds” are even inspired by Renaissance counterpoint.
These days I listen to a broad range of mostly metal music. New, great thrash bands like Vektor
and Hexen are really inspiring. They take thrash to the next level and prove that the genre can still
be as energetic and engaging as when it was still young.
Fredrik: Yeah, a lot of the classic old school thrash, accompanied with tons of beer, in our early
days. Today, not much has changed when it comes to the beer, haha, but we’ve broadened our
horizons a bit. Among newer acts; Vektor, Hexen and Havok are some personal favorites.
However, I’ve always considered myself an omnivore of sorts when it comes to metal, and
music in general. I listen to everything ranging from late 60s rock to technical death metal.
20140415
Being a lead guitarist, some of my main inspirations and idols on that front are Marty Friedman,
Alex Skolnick, Jason Becker, Tommy Vetterli, and of course the one and only Yngwie
Malmsteen.
11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Markus: Well, over the years I’ve become more and more interested in different styles of beer.
I’ve been brewing my own for almost a year now, with differing degrees of success, haha. I also
enjoy being outdoors in nature. Few things are as relaxing and refreshing as being in the forest
during the warm half of the year. Apart from that, I like to cook a big, tasty, rare steak every now
and then.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Markus: Yeah, thanks to all fans out there for sticking with us while we recorded “The Edge of
Existence”. See you on the road!
Fredrik: Thanks for the interview, it was a pleasure! To everyone out there: grab a copy of “The
Edge of Existence” from our web store, or get it somewhere online, and share and head bang
your brains out! See ya!
recording and release of the new ep?
Markus: Since the release we have been doing online promotion to get it out to as many people
as possible. We played a release gig in Stockholm, and have plans to have another release party
in our home town Uppsala as well. Recently, we have also started working on some new
material for an upcoming full length album.
Fredrik: As Markus stated, we’ve been doing online promotion, and a lot of it, and will continue to
do so for quite some time. In addition, we’ve also reached out to the major metal magazines out
there. Regarding performing live, we’ve had quite some downtime recently. During pretty much
the whole last year, we focused entirely on developing and progressing our own musical style,
as well as writing and recording the best followup EP that we possibly could. Looking back, I
think it all turned out quite well, and we’re very eager to shift the gear up and get out on the roads
and promote the new release.
2.Recently you have released a new ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical
direction of the new recording and also how does it differ from your previous ep and
demo?
Markus: We have obviously become a lot better at our respective instruments, and that really
shows on our new EP “The Edge of Existence”. The musical direction we went for was more
melodic, but at the same time both more aggressive and progressive. For me, I started to think
about melody and harmony in a different way, and nowadays when I compose new music I
always picture if not the entire band then at least both guitars. Before, I wrote new music riff by
riff. I think in our previous releases we tried to find our musical identity, whereas on “The Edge of
Existence” we are confident we have found it.
Fredrik: Yeah, I have to agree with Markus here. Sometimes, I even consider our debut EP,
“Pandemonium’s Rise”, a bit schizophrenic! It definitely has got some highlights here and there,
at least in my personal opinion, but I think its pretty clear that what you hear on that EP is a band
searching for its identity. With the new release, we’ve really pushed ourselves, both technically
as well as in terms of compositional skills, and we’re starting to get a clearer picture of our own
musical identity. Personally, I can become quite obsessed when it comes to practicing, haha. I’d
hate to have my creativity and possibilities limited by technique.
3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores
with the music?
Markus: For lyrical topics I write what I feel is interesting. I know a lot of bands that niche
themselves into writing only about death, gore or partying, which I think has become tiresome by
now. Instead, I mostly write about different emotions, like anger, despair or loneliness,
20140415
sometimes while using metaphors. For example, “Into the Unknown” is about being trapped in
the moment when you die, and the different things that flow through your head at that moment.
4.Is the band name 'Paranorm' short for paranormal, and also what was the decision
behind using it as a band name?
Markus: You’re right about that, though that’s not all there is to it. We also think about is as
‘standing up to norms’, so to speak. Just because something is established and “triedandtrue”
it doesn’t have to be the best way to do it. A favorite quote of mine is “If you find yourself on the
side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect” by Mark Twain.
5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would
you describe your stage performance?
Fredrik: Every gig is great and memorable in its own way. You always encounter new crazy shit
that goes down. But, I think a personal favorite of mine is this one time when we did our first, and
as of this date only, open air show. It was in our home town, on this big stage, the sun shining in
your face, great sound on stage, a whole different kind of acoustics… I can’t really put my finger
on it. It was definitely a combination of factors, but I really felt like home on that gig.
Markus: That open air show was just fantastic, it was an incredible feeling playing outdoors. I
also remember another show in Uppsala. We played this really small, awkward place which was
originally a lunch restaurant. The stage was really thin and made out of wood so it could break at
any second. Because the stage was so small, my hair got stuck in Marcus’ bass at one point. I
remember pulling it out really hard while screaming like a madman into the mic. Probably half my
hair got pulled out that day, haha. The crowd was also really crazy, going apeshit in that tiny area
in front of the stage. Awesome gig.
6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Markus: Yeah, definitely. We’re currently looking for opportunities to play in and around Sweden.
Hopefully, we’ll be able to put together a tour with some other great new thrash bands soon!
Fredrik: Most definitely, yeah! As I stated earlier, we’re really hungry for gigs and just want to get
out there and play our asses off. Currently we’re working on booking as many gigs as we
possibly can, and would love to get some kind of tour going during the summer or fall. It would be
really awesome to get some shows going abroad and expand our horizons a bit.
7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Fredrik: Yeah, we’re unsigned as of now, but we are looking for a label that shares the same
vision as us. Taking into consideration that our debut fulllength will be our next release, we
certainly are interested in getting a record deal going.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of thrash
metal?
20140415
Markus: This far we’ve only heard positive things, some people even going as far as saying they
love our music, which of course is incredible to hear. Personally, I’m involved with music
because I want to write as strong and engaging songs as I possibly can, and when we get
appreciation for our music the feeling is just fantastic!
Fredrik: Exactly! The fan support and feedback have been invaluable. Reviews of the new
release have just started getting published too and so far they have been really great.
9.When can we expect a full length album, and also where do you see the band heading
into musically during the future?
Fredrik: Having released a demo and two EPs, we now feel it is time to aim for the real deal, so
to speak, and get our first fulllength album out there. I feel it is a bit too early to speculate on a
release date, as we just put “The Edge of Existence” out there. At the same time, I feel really
inspired and eager to write a bunch of new songs, so I suppose it isn’t impossible that we’ll wrap
things up and enter the studio sometime during the second half of 2015. Musically speaking;
taking all the things we learnt writing “The Edge of Existence”, heading in the same kind of
direction, kicking it up a couple of notches further… putting together a beast of a record that truly
will display what Paranorm is all about.
Markus: Yeah, I’m really pumped to write a full length record. Usually, we write a bit here and
there, and after a while start putting songs together. Now more than ever, I feel like really just
locking myself up to write music. This time, we have defined our style, we know our instruments
and how to compose great songs. The only thing remaining is to write them!
10.What are some bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and
also what are you listening to nowadays?
Markus: When we started the band, we listened to a lot of Testament, Metallica and Megadeth.
Basically old school thrash. Then we discovered more progressive bands like Heathen,
Forbidden and Coroner. The music that inspired “The Edge of Existence” is really diverse.
Basically, it’s core is thrash, but for example the way we wrap melodies together is kind of
unseen in thrash. Parts of “Desolate Worlds” are even inspired by Renaissance counterpoint.
These days I listen to a broad range of mostly metal music. New, great thrash bands like Vektor
and Hexen are really inspiring. They take thrash to the next level and prove that the genre can still
be as energetic and engaging as when it was still young.
Fredrik: Yeah, a lot of the classic old school thrash, accompanied with tons of beer, in our early
days. Today, not much has changed when it comes to the beer, haha, but we’ve broadened our
horizons a bit. Among newer acts; Vektor, Hexen and Havok are some personal favorites.
However, I’ve always considered myself an omnivore of sorts when it comes to metal, and
music in general. I listen to everything ranging from late 60s rock to technical death metal.
20140415
Being a lead guitarist, some of my main inspirations and idols on that front are Marty Friedman,
Alex Skolnick, Jason Becker, Tommy Vetterli, and of course the one and only Yngwie
Malmsteen.
11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Markus: Well, over the years I’ve become more and more interested in different styles of beer.
I’ve been brewing my own for almost a year now, with differing degrees of success, haha. I also
enjoy being outdoors in nature. Few things are as relaxing and refreshing as being in the forest
during the warm half of the year. Apart from that, I like to cook a big, tasty, rare steak every now
and then.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Markus: Yeah, thanks to all fans out there for sticking with us while we recorded “The Edge of
Existence”. See you on the road!
Fredrik: Thanks for the interview, it was a pleasure! To everyone out there: grab a copy of “The
Edge of Existence” from our web store, or get it somewhere online, and share and head bang
your brains out! See ya!
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