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I work for Melodic.net and we are reviewing lots of different albums in many different genres.
And I had the pleasure to review your new CD "Now and forever".
The album received 4.5 stars out of 5 possible from me and I hope it feels okay? -Thanks, I think it is very good and we are very happy! I think the album is really good and even if your last album "True Sound Of The Underground" also
were good, the new album is more complete than the previously, it feels more elaborate. - We've been working a lot more with it to get greater variety and dynamism since the last album was more straightforward, like a train at full speed, and you can not make many albums like that, we wanted a little more momentum now. Ok, and I also think that the songs are more different from each other now than in the earlier albums. - Yes, exactly. And even a ballad at the end! - Yes, it was a bit unexpected. I agree but it is a very good and strong song and it's great to hear you sing like that on the lower and darker tones. - Yes, I have never sung a ballad before so it was different. It is very good song and I think that you sing very well on the whole album.
What do you think is the biggest difference on the new album against the earlier? - Well, we intend to work with dynamics and variation and we have moved the songs so
the melodies fits best for my voice. Previously, we mostly just drove on, but now we have adapted the melody to fit my voice better.
It's more work for us to do so but in the end it will be a better, broader and bigger sound on the album.
Then we have also worked with some other elements, for example we have never used keyboards before but now we have taken it into
songs where we thought it was a good fit, which gave the song somehing.
At the same time it should not be too much because it also has to work when we play it live.
And we have ventured on things we really thought we would never do, been a bit little outside our safety zone.
But now it's our third record, and then we must also dare to try. I think you can see a clear evolution from "Switchblade Serenade" to "True Sound ..." and now
"Now And Forever", it feels like a natural progression of your sound while you still have kept the soul of the band. - Yes, thats true and just how we feel about it. And now you are going on tour again with Doro, including to the United States for several gigs. - Yes, it's not quite yet, it is in February and even if we would like to go on tour now,
since we've just released the album, it's hard sometimes to find good tours to enter.
Everything has to fit with the music and the time and financial to make it so we have to wait until February before the tour starts running seriously. If I remember correctly, it was about 20 concerts in 23 days? - Yeah, it's pretty intense but it will be really great fun, Doro is the world's nicest and has been working with us earlier so that we know we will be well cared for. It sounds good, you've got a history with her and the cover of Motörheads "Rock 'n Roll." - Yes, just so it will be a blast! And it feels like it is a good combination with Sister Sin and Doro because I believe you will
appeal the same audience. - Yeah, it feels like it gets a little easier for us because if people like Doro, then I think that they will like Sister Sin also. I think it is a good package for the audience. Yes, I agree with you. How does it work to tour in the U.S., given that you're working as a personal trainer and places great value in that? - It gets a little harder and now we we will go on the bus with Doro for the first time so we'll see how it works. But most hotels in the U.S. has a mini gym that usually works and thats where you find me in the morning before we leave.
This time I do not know what happens but I usually have my own training tools with me because I know I have to keep training. I can imagine that it feels especially important given how many concerts you are going to do ? - Yes, thats true and sometimes I just need to relax, just forget everything else for a while. If you read the various reviews of your latest album, it's clear that you have received
very good feedback on it. How does it feel? - It feels really good and we have had unusually good reviews if one may say so! It is always difficult when you release a new album, and although we are very happy and proud about it you are never sure how people will receive it.
But of course it's very fun and we are very happy for the great reviews! Yes, I think this album is a big step for you as a group. - Yeah, I really must say, the album was supposed to actually be released earlier in May and we had a little problem with the mix and it took very long time to get the record companies to agree on a producer and it was a period when we got really bad mixes
and where we began to wonder if we really had done a good job and good songs.
But now it feels like it was fortunate that we still trusted ourselves and struggled to get a new mix because it is really good songs.
And in the end it turned out that it was lucky that we relied on what we knew. Yeah, and I guess that all the work that you put in this album hopefully paid back when it was finished ? - Yes it did, and it actually sounded as good as we wanted it to and it gave the music and the band justice, although it took a while for us to come to that. And the result was of course very good in my opinion!
You talk a lot about that you're a great live band, what is the difference between recording a studio album and a live concert do you think? - Many people say, and I hope it is true, that we are actually better live than on record and it is our goal.
We are a live band and even if we go into the studio and do our job, we love being on stage.
I hate the studio, it's the worst I know and I'm so happy when everything is done!
But we sincerely hope that the audience notices that we love to be on stage, this is where we should be and that's where we can communicate
with the audience and the fans properly.
We are happy that people listen to our records, but it is easier to communicate live. Finance is something that a lot of people talk about today, how does it work for a band today, can you get by and survive on just the music? - How does it work for a band today, that is something I would also like to know... It is a question that I ask myself almost every day,
how to make it all go round because it is very tough.
There are so many bands that are a bit up and then there is a giant gap. But once you make it over that gap things will work out just fine but it is required to become a headline band at concerts. We do not make any big money on CDs and downloads without the need to obtain
one proper gage. So it's tough. Yes and music market today's full of artists who want to break through and I get CDs sent to me daily by different groups so it requires quite a lot to stand out. - The difference is that if you 20 years ago got a contract then you had an income since there were not so many bands receiving contracts. It is very difficult on the market although I think it's getting better with, for example, that people buy downloads but unfortunaly this is very often bad deals for the bands.
And that's why you see a lot of band doing a lot of advertising through various sponsors because it's impossible otherwise. I think Victory Records has done a good job of promoting your new album. - They have worked a lot with this album and done a great job of getting us in the media. It is obviously important and to see the album cover everywhere on the internet is of course positive for the band.
By the way, you have a really beautiful and cool cover on the new album! - Thanks, I'm actually very happy with it! And you've been around for 10 years now as a band? - Me and David have been playing together for 10 years but Jimmy came in 2004, so thats when we say that it began, before that it was more for fun but when Jimmy came by at 2004 it began for real. It's almost as if it requires a long time before a band makes it through... - Yes, unless you are very lucky. But you often forget that many of the old heroes also fought a long time before they made a breakthrough. Yes, and I'm pretty sure that many bands that exist today would have been bigger if they came up in the 80s, given that there was less competition then but it's awesome that the music comes back again today and that you in Sister Sin have found the classic old hardrock/metal sound but still with a modern touch and sound. - Yeah, we have been influenced by bands from that time. And I think it's awesome that you can be at a concert with people who are 20 years younger than you today and like the same music. And even on conventions like this great one in Malmö you will see that there are people of many different ages and it's great given that many of the big bands are gone in like 10 years. It is good to know that there is hope for the future with great new bands like Sister Sin.
But what do you think a new band needs to break through today? - Unfortunately, I do not think it takes so much talent today as it did before because there are a lot talent that never will be discovered.
It takes something that stands out, it requires a bit of luck, and it requires a person behind that is an extremely good manager or booker and who can help the band. To just be a band today is extremely difficult. How do you think music market looks for female singers today? - It has changed a lot since I started, there is a big difference today, and as in the United States, there are very many female singers, so it's not that odd anymore.
But obviously it's something that makes you stand out a bit. There is a lot of clean vocal singing women today but there are not so many rock 'n' roll women. - No, it is not as common and they are often found in the little more punk rock genre. So it is a matter of finding your own thing and do the best of it but
at the same time I think it's really fun to see more and more women in rock.
It can not be just me who loves to play music! No, and it gets extraordinary when a band when have a strong frontfigure, which I think you are in Sister Sin. - I think you almost have to have that. There are bands that are good as a band, but if they dont have a strong front man, it falls for me because it is the one that communicates most with the audience.
Dee Snider is my absolute favorite in terms of prominent figures and that is how it should be in my eyes. Dee Snider is an awesome front man, that I can agree with you after seeing him live a few times!
A big thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and good luck with everything in the future! - Thanks!
In my eyes, Sister Sin have their own Dee Snider in Liv Jagrell and have you not listened to Sister Sin yet then I recommend you strongly to check them out and buy the new kick ass album ! A big thanks to Liv Jagrell and Jessica at Victory Records who made this nice interview possible! Long Liv(e) Rock N Roll! | 
