A Chat with Cormada (04.01.2022)
Swirling modern sounds with influences from the 70s and 80s, Cormada is a band that any rock lover should check out. While the band are not newcomers to the music scene, their latest album Get In To Breakout brings a new life to their melodic riffs and big guitar tones. Magnus Fallgren (vocals, guitar), Torbjorn Haag (guitar), Ken Olsson (bass) and Magnus Skoog (drums) have been tirelessly working on this album creating tracks that work perfectly on their own and within the context of the whole. We had the chance to chat with Magnus Fallgren about the album, the start of the band, concert energy and much more!
OSR: While you have been making music as a band for a while, how did you first get together?
Fallgren: It is a long story. I, Magnus Fallgren (vocals and rhythm guitar) and Magnus Skoog (drums) played together in the band S.O.S in the eighties. Ken Olsson (bass) in the band Pagan and Tobbe Haag (lead guitar) in the band Amnesia. They had a lot to do with each other. Tobbe and I had a cover band but soon wanted to write and record our own music, so in 2017 this band saw the light of day.
OSR: You recently released your second album Get In To Breakout. Is there a backstory or theme to the tracks?
Fallgren: Every track has its own story! Since our first album, Music for Generations to Come, we have developed the band, our identity and our songwriting. We are working on the songs and the arrangements together! Everybody is contributing so you never know where it will end. Very dynamic and exciting. If I bring an idea, Tobbe is coming up with some guitar riffs, Ken with the bass and the song has developed to something completely different from the original idea. I then have to listen to it over and over to find the vocal arrangement. It is an adventure every time.
OSR: What prompted you to release the album now?
Fallgren: Since the world has been turned upside down for a while it was a good time to do the album now. As soon as it is possible we want to come out there and play. If you want us to come, do not hesitate to contact us. We are ready!
OSR: The sound throughout the album is a blend of heavy metal and hard rock that draws on retro and modern tones. How easy do you find it to create this fusion of sound?
Fallgren: I think it is pretty clear that our influences are seventies and eighties rock. So it is pretty natural for us to write in that style. We all have different preferences and influences and blend them into what becomes the typical Cormada sound. To have influences from many different hard rock/metal genres makes it very dynamic in the end. I for one, listen a lot to the early heavy metal bands like Maiden, Saxon and Accept. Ken is a big fan of Judas Priest, Tobbe and Skoog listen a lot to Van Halen and more melodic rock. Everybody in the band loves Thin Lizzy and early bands like Sweet! So all that plus our love for guitar-driven hard rock creates our unique sound.
OSR: Is this fusion of sound what you always planned for the band or did it evolve organically over time?
Fallgren: Yes. We are not pioneers trying to break new ground but we want people to recognize the typical Cormada sound. So we planned for it to be guitar-driven, but at the same time, we are developing so the sound evolves also. It is a very exciting process to write music together!
OSR: You have been working on this album since the release of your debut album. What has your creative process been?
Fallgren: Well, it is hard to tell. We do not have a formula. Every song is individual. Some songs took several weeks to find the groove and the feeling from the original idea. ‘Lone Rider’ is a song like that. It was sent back and forward, with different ideas. We were close to throwing it away because we didn’t find the groove. ‘Coldhearted’ is the total opposite. Three days after the first idea the song was recorded and ready.
OSR: Your past concerts have been described by fans as ‘total energy injections’. Do you feel you have translated this vibrant energy into your album?
Fallgren: Yes! We are so satisfied with the result. As we are an energetic live band, it is very satisfying to find that feeling even in the studio!
It is very easy to get stuck in the producing process that sort of kills the spontaneity and in the end the creativity. On this album, we got the live energy from our concerts in the studio. It is awesome!
OSR: How do you feel this album compares to your last?
Fallgren: We have developed! We are proud of our first album, but we do believe that this album is heavier and better! This is the best we have done so far!
OSR: If people could listen to only one track from the album, which would you recommend to get the essence of your sound?
Fallgren: It is impossible to choose one! I have to say two. The opening track ‘Breakout’ and ‘The Power of Rock ‘n Roll’. That is typical Cormada!
But to choose songs is like choosing your favourite child. We love them all!
OSR: What do you feel has had the biggest influence on your sound?
Fallgren: All guitar-driven rock. We have always had that type of music closest to our hearts so it is natural for us to carry that legacy further!
To mention bands and songs that influence the Cormada sound will be a long list. Thin Lizzy, Sweet, Ac-Dc, Maiden, Priest, Van Halen just to mention a few.
OSR: What else can we expect from you in the next 12 months?
Fallgren: As we speak we are making videos so you can both see us and listen. Premier for three songs early 2022. We are working hard to get more followers and promoting to play festivals this summer! So make sure to follow us on social media and YouTube! And do not hesitate to contact us and leave comments. It means the world to us
Thanks to Magnus Fallgren for chatting with us! You can find more about Cormada on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
