MusicJunkiePress: Rock Music news, all day every day. Get your fix on your latest rock artists daily.

Swedish heavy metal band recently premiered their new music video for their new track, Iwo Jima. The track is taken from the band latest release, Second Storm, via Despotz Records. We are pleased to bring you our interview with LANCER guitarist and avid record collector, Fredrik Kelemen:

* * * * * * * *

Music Junkie Press: Thank you so much for taking the time out to talk with us here at Music Junkie Press. Congratulations on the release of Second Storm earlier this month. It has been well received. How are things now that the album has released?

Fredrik: Thank you very much! It feels really good to finally have new music out, two years after our debut album. Things are really starting to move for us, and more and more people find out about us every day. We have just finished our four release shows for the album, and we have got nothing but positive response.

Music Junkie Press: You have recently signed to Despotz Records, Congratulations. Can you tell us what this opportunity will allow for Lancer?

Fredrik: Despotz is a bigger label than our previous one, with a much larger contact network out in the metal world. It has given us a lot more publicity in the press worldwide, radio air, and a bigger interest in LANCER from the music industry in general. At the same time, Despotz is a quite small label compared to the big giants and therefore we really feel that we are one of their top priorities, and they do an awesome job promoting us.

Music Junkie Press: You have recently released the quite impactful and thought provoking music video for Iwo Jima Can you tell us how the song came about and about the video?

Fredrik: We wanted to write a really dramatic song with a deeper theme to the lyrics. The battle of Iwo Jima is a historical event that attracted us, and since Sabaton hasn’t written about that one yet, we had to pick it. It’s not supposed to be provocative, we just wanted to reflect over the horrors of war, portrayed by this veteran soldier in the video that is haunted by nightmares from the war. It’s not glorifying at all, just a sad hymn for all the fallen soldiers, on both sides. It’s hard to comprehend all the violence that’s been going on through history.

Music Junkie Press: Another one of my favorite songs off the album is Steelbreaker, can you tell us more about that song?

Fredrik: “Steelbreaker” has two sides of story. On one hand, it’s about a metal monstrosity, perhaps the cyborg ostrich from the album cover, that rules a battle arena in some post-apocalyptic future. It’s also about LANCER’s arch enemy, haha 😀 A Swedish journalist that really wrote us down when our debut album was released. The Steelbreaker in the story deals with him in the arena , and by getting all these good reviews of this album we really proven him wrong.

Music Junkie Press: Now with the album released, do you have any plans for coming to the US for a tour?

Fredrik: We really want to! We’re not sure how the market is in the US for smaller European power metal bands, but if we get the opportunity and if the US fans want us to come we sure will.

Music Junkie Press: You guys have a fierce amount of energy which is highlighted on your album but as well as in your live performances, Do you guys have any preshow rituals to harness that energy?

Fredrik: Well, the two most important things are to warm up, and to NOT be drunk. We want to do the show of our lives each time, and you can’t do that if you are under influence by alcohol. And out of respect for the fans that actually pay to see us, we can’t go on stage drunk and make fools out of ourselves, that’s just disrespectful. But no rituals apart from that, just plain pep talk.

Music Junkie Press: Do you feel there is a difference from the metal audience in the US versus Sweden?

Fredrik: We can’t say for sure since we’ve never been to the US on tour, but in general we think that the US power metal is more about heavy guitar riffing, while the European style is more about the melodies, or something like that. Maybe Americans prefer a more brutal kind of metal? But of course we know that there are tons of EU power metal fans in the US as well so it can’t be the whole truth. But nevertheless, you guys invented both thrash and death metal, and we Europeans invented classic heavy metal and melodic metal, which are far from as brutal.

Music Junkie Press: What will be the next video out?

Fredrik: Since we’ve released two videos and one lyric video from the new album already, we have no plans for yet another one right now. But the natural next step then would probably be to do some sort of live video. We’ll see about that.

Music Junkie Press: The music industry has undergone so many changes in the past decade or so, what is something you would like to see changed?

Fredrik: I’m a record collector myself so I hate the fact that people don’t buy physical records anymore. I just don’t understand why you would want a file on your computer instead of a real disc in your record shelf. Thankfully the metal audience still seems to be pretty loyal to support their favorite bands, and buy both records and merchandise. Even though being in a metal band is the best thing in the world you can’t keep it going forever if it only cost you money.

Music Junkie Press: If Lancer could put together it’s dream lineup, what three bands would you like to tour with?

Fredrik: Of course we would like to tour with our own heroes, like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest, but I would love to go on tour with our friends in the Swedish metal bands Katana and Steelwing, and if you put Enforcer in there too you have the four best Swedish metal bands right now in the same package.

Music Junkie Press: If we could peak into your Ipod, what artist or song might be most surprising to find in there?

Fredrik: Scratch the Ipod thing and say record collection instead (since I don’t have an Ipod) you will find a record with Chess – the musical, by the guys from ABBA there. I love that kind of music when there are really powerful vocalists, and dramatic songs with great melodies. A lot of similarities with my taste in metal there. Jesus Christ Superstar is another example, Ian Gillan rocks as Jesus from the original cast.

Music Junkie Press: If you could take any song from a completely genre maybe pop or country, and turn it into the fierce metal style of LANCER what song would you choose?

Fredrik: Probably some ‘80s pop song, the sound ideals from that decade are still the best by far. Michael Cretu’s Samurai (Did you ever dream) would make an awesome metal song.

Music Junkie Press: We could all give advice to the younger generation of today, if you could go back to your 14 year old self, what advice would you want to give to yourself?

Fredrik: Start practicing more guitar, haha! And the usual teenage stuff I suppose, don’t care so much what everyone else thinks of you and get a bigger self-confidence.

Music Junkie Press: With the recent celebration of Record Store, what would you say is your favorite vinyl you own?

Fredrik: I love all of my vinyls, the music just sounds so much better on vinyl than on CD. More alive, dynamic and organic. But especially Iron Maiden’s Live after death is just awesome on vinyl!

Music Junkie Press: Here in the US, with a push to get everyone back out and enjoy LIVE music, what can you tell people is something they can look forward to when catching LANCER perform live?

Fredrik: As I said before, we always struggle to do the show of lives each time. And the love and belief in our own music shines through when we play. I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, haha, but I think we are a fantastic live act, with great energy on stage.

Music Junkie Press: Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share with our audience and your fans?

Fredrik: Keep spreading our music to all your friends and foes, and we will keep bringing you world class metal! Keep the fire burning! And like us on Facebook 🙂

Music Junkie Press: We look forward to Lancer coming to the US and catching you guys perform live.

Fredrik: Thanks, it will be a blast when it happens!

* * * * * * * *

It is great to hear how LANCER may be coming out to the US and I love how much vinyls are a part of Fredrik’s life. I really believe we will see the resurgence of records once again and fans valuing music as an art and not just an easy to download commodity. In case you missed their video for Iwo Jima, check it out here:

Lancer’s sophomore effort, Second Storm, is a lesson in melodic metal, drawing inspiration from classic acts like Iron Maiden, Helloween and Gamma Ray. You can pick up the new album Second Storm online at: http://despotz.bigcartel.com/artist/lancer.