Interview with Enemy Alliance
Posted on Feb 20, 2007 by Tom
Enemy Alliance is a new Swedish band forged from members of Venerea and Satanic Surfers, two of the most influential European skatepunk bands of the last decennium. We had a quick chat with the band in order to know more about the project, their plans, and the new rise of Swedish melodicore.
Please tell us who you are and what you do in Enemy Alliance. If there’s anything about yourself you’d like to share with our readers, knock yourself out!
Enemy Alliance consists of members from Satanic Surfers and Venerea. Rodrigo on Drums, Daniel and Fredrik on guitars, Mike on bass and Flygare on vocals.
When did the idea of Enemy Alliance take form?
Daniel and Rodrigo had been talking about doing a project together for some time. Venerea and Satanic have toured and played shows together for more than 10 years. Since we became labelmates, both bands are on Bad Taste Records, our colaboration grew and somewhere along the way this idea of a fresh start was too tempting to resist.
Why the need for a new project like this when both bands seem to be about the only bands of the melodic skatecore crew of the nineties that were able to cling on to a steady fanbase throughout the years?
Rodrigo: For me, personally, I really wanted to play drums in a band again. I enjoy singing in Satanic, but many times I feel uncomfortable n the role of a "frontman". Mike also wanted to concentrate on playing bass and Flygare wanted to sing in a band not having to play guitar. As we said above, a fresh start, not having to sound like Satanic or Venerea feels great.
Does the formation of Enemy Alliance mean both Satanic Surfers and Venerea are on a hiatus until further notice, Blink 182 style?
We don't know what Blink 182 are up to. But yes, for now both Satanic and Venerea are on a hiatus.
If not, what do both Venerea and Satanic Surfers have planned for the future? Has a replacement for Magnus been found?
Well, since February 2006 Daniel has been playing guitar in Satanic and Rodrigo has been playing drums with Venerea...This is also a contributing factor to the forming of Enemy Alliance. There're no plans for Venerea or Satanic, except that Venerea are playing the WFF festival this upcoming summer.
First news has it that songs are in the works. What can we expect from those? An amalgamation of both the sounds of Satanic Surfers and Venerea?
Most likely you will hear similarities with Satanic and Venerea since the people are the same and the influences as well. The main songwriters from Satanic and Venerea are also in Enemy Alliance. However, we are trying to involve the whole band in the process.
Have there been any talks yet with a label to release the album/EP?
No.
Are there plans to follow-up an eventual release with a European-wide tour?
Yes, of course. Touring and playing live is what we really want to do....and Enemy Alliance is not ment to be a side project, but a real band.
At the end of the nineties there was a very strong Scandinavian melodicore lot with bands the likes of Astream, Millencolin, Adhesive, Stoned, Venerea, Satanic Surfers and even Pridebowl, but with a lot of those bands splitting up, there wasn’t any new blood to fill the gap. Now there seems to be a bit of a fresh wind blowing with the formation of Enemy Alliance and The Indecision Alarm. Will this be the next great wave of melodicore?
There seems to be a few new bands popping up here and there around Sweden, playing fast melodic punk/hardcore or whatever people want to call it....So yes, hopefully there will be a bit of a rise for this scene again.
How would you assess the strength of the Swedish/Scandinavian scene? Millencolin and Randy seem to go more and more for the rock approach, while bands the likes of Disco Ensemble are starting to make waves around here. Is the Scandinavian scene as strong as ever?
Hmmm...Here in Sweden he scene for melodic HC/punk seems to be on the rise. Don't know about the rest of Scandinavia though.
How about the Scandinavian press? Are they generally supportive of underground bands?
Swedish press is more about patting eachother on the back...Generally the press have no idea about the underground scene. If some band gets hyped by the right "in-crowd" it might get some coverage. If you want to find underground bands, you have to turn to the underground press. Independent magazines and Fanzines.
Are there any bands from Scandinavia we should know about? What bands have surprised you positively with their creations as of late (not necessarily punkrock, just something that blew your mind?)
Rodrigo: Indesicion Alarm, who you already mentioned, with ex.Adhesive folks. These guys have always been one of my favorites, both with Adhesive and now with Indesicion Alarm. With Adhesive, they were an underrated band who never got the attention they deserved. These guys write songs directly from the heart.
There's also a lot of really great new Death and Thrash Metal bands such as Necrovation, Corrupt, Tribulation, Degial and so on. The Swedish Death / Thrash underground scene is killer right now!!! I can recommend anyone into the old school Swedish death of the late 80's early 90's to check out these bands!
Time to get a bit acquainted with your personal preferences then: What song that is currently on the radio do you shamefully admit to liking?
Fredrik: Anna Ternheim's cover of "Run to the Hills" (Iron Maiden), but I'm not ashamed of liking it.
What’s playing in your stereo at the moment?
Mike: Frank Black, Johnny Dowd
Fredrik: Paintbox, Mustang and other Japanese, old faves like I-Spy.
Daniel: Roky Erikson
Everyone has this one CD they listen to when they want to get away from everyday life's worries. Which record would that be for you?
Mike: The Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music box set.
Fredrik: Freddie Wadling "Jag är monstret" (I am the monster)
Daniel: Poison Idea "Feel the darkness"
Rodrigo: I-Spy "Revenge of the little shits" or David Allan Coe "Underground"
Anything left you want to get off your chest? Famous last words?
Keep your eyes open for new sounds on Myspace
Interview Information
Taken On:
February 20th, 2007
Interviewees:
Rodrigo, Drums
Mike,Bass
Flygare,Vocals
Fredrik,Guitar
Dana,Guitar
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