“To play live and to meet the audience face to face is the best thing in the world” – interview with Invincia

Another interesting act that is coming from Finland is Invincia, a melodic heavy metal band that will soon release a new EP. You can read what we chatted about right here!

Hello guys, how are you doing at the moment?

Joel Karlsson: Can’t complain! Our first song “The Enemy Within” has been out for about one month and it’s been very well received, now with over 3000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Our second single ”Act of Insurrection” is now released as well, Sun is shining, the wind is still cold but a cup of warm coffee helps :)

Jonas Öman: I’m doing fine, but perhaps a bit busier than I’d ideally want to be. It’s very rewarding when you get things done and see how things develop, progress is one of the sweetest things in life. At the same time it can all be a bit much, especially when things are new and you’re still trying to figure things out while settling into a new routine. As with most things in life it’s all about finding the right balance. 

Kenneth Nylund: Doing fine! Feels like a day has not enough hours but I guess it’s the same for most people nowadays hehe.  

Alex Södergård: Really good! Summer is on the way and our songs are coming out so it’s a very exciting time! 

Mikael Ahlholm: Going great I’m keeping busy and looking forward to what the future brings.

You will soon release the EP “The Enemy Within”: are there any tracks in it that started in a way and then the final product was a totally different song?

Joel Karlsson: All members in the band get to say their opinion about the arrangements but in the end it has always felt like “Yepp! This is how the song was meant to be”. But the basic idea and feeling of the original songs havent changed in the process. There is one song, the last on the EP, entitled “Moon”, that turned out much bigger and emotional than I ever imagined. I am super happy with the result.

Jonas Öman: I was the last to join the band, so there haven’t been any major changes to any of the EP tracks since I joined. It’s mostly been minor production decisions, adding layers, simplifying, that type of deal. Making sure things make sense in the stereo field while ensuring the main elements have room to shine.
We have other songs that have undergone larger changes during my time in the band, but the EP songs are mostly what I first heard when joining.

Kenneth Nylund: In the demo-stage there were a couple of changes in the songs but nothing major I would say. And when we recorded the songs for the EP it was pretty much straight forward from the demos.

Alex Södergård: Not really I think some key changes in “Enemy” was the biggest change

Mikael Ahlholm: The drum recording had a few different takes and feels to it throughout as it ordinarily happens. I wanted to try different things and see what they sound like and what makes me like the groove even more than in the early stages of the songs.

Can you share with us which artists inspire your sound and your technique?

Joel Karlsson: It’s always hard to analyze one’s sound and in our band we listen to a lot of different stuff from classical music, prog to modern metal and melodeath. I think in Invincia there will always be a trace of traditional 80ies bands like Dio, Judas Priest and Savatage, neoclassical melody lines and also influences from the German power metal bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian and more. When it comes to playing technique I often combine blues licks with arpeggios, and there is often room for some melodic twin guitar solo parts.

Jonas Öman: My biggest influences for my bass playing technique are probably Steve Harris, Felipe Andreoli and Geddy Lee. I’ve never really tried to emulate any of them, but there are aspects of their playing that have greatly inspired and guided me in how I approach the instrument.
When it comes to musical influences generally, the artists that have influenced my “musical vocabulary” the most are probably Helloween, Megadeth, Persefone and Blind Guardian. There are of course many more, but those four bands in particular have made me actively drift in new directions trying to emulate aspects of their sounds.

Kenneth Nylund: I have listened a lot to bands like Maiden, Priest, Dio and Manowar and have tried to sing like the singers in those bands and that has moulded my voice into what it is today.

Alex Södergård: Well if we talk about bands it is Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Def Leppard Queensryche, Ratt and Pink Floyd or you can really throw in most of the 80s heavy metal bands. When it comes to my guitar style i think the most important thing is a good vibrato, right hand and bends so my guitar heroes are John Sykes, Adrian Smith, George Lynch, Gary Moore and David Gilmour. I am not really into those who just trying to play as fast as possible

Mikael Ahlholm: I don’t have a specific answer when it comes to technique — there are probably lots of influences hidden in my subconscious. I’m not fully aware of them, but over time, working on many different projects in various genres, you naturally pick things up and build musical knowledge.
Sound-wise, I aim to capture the punch and drive of bands like Slipknot, Iron Maiden, and Kublai Khan TX. When possible, I also try to incorporate more complex elements, inspired by bands like Leprous. 

The art that you create would be amazing in front of a live audience: do you have any plans of touring or any upcoming shows?

Joel Karlsson: Thanks! To play live and to meet the audience face to face is the best thing in the world and we’re hoping for more gigs up ahead. We have a gig in Pietarsaari in June and hopefully some more this summer in the local area. What we really aim for is to go on a tour in Europe.

Jonas Öman: I think we all want to go on tour and connect with the audience. As of right now our main focus is on releasing the EP and recording our first full length album, but we have every intention of playing more live shows and going on tour! 

Kenneth Nylund: Yeah we like to go out and play and it’s always nice when the crowd responds to the music. We look forward to going to new places in the future as well.

Alex Södergård: It would be a dream if we could go out on a tour in Europe but I think it’s more important at the moment that we do a good job with the album so we have more songs out to show who we are. So we will probably do some gigs in Finland this year and then have a killer album out before the festival season next year!

Mikael Ahlholm: Not any tour plans at the moment, right now the focus is to record and get our music out there so we can look at bringing those tracks to you in a live setting next year.

What do you think is the most important quality that an artist has to have nowadays?

Joel Karlsson: I guess something that makes you stand out from all the other thousands and thousands of bands out there. Focus on writing good songs!  As for qualities for growing as an artist I think mastering social media and giving a clear message who you are as an artist. 

Jonas Öman: I think versatility is more important today than ever before. In order to be a successful artist today you’re probably also going to have to be an influencer. Making really good music is essentially a minimum requirement today, you then have to find fun and creative ways of capturing and maintaining an audience, through social media, playing live shows, so on and so forth.

Kenneth Nylund: You have to have a lot of things to be successful. But I think the most important thing would be to be able to play or sing with feeling. To be able to express your music with true emotions so the audience can feel it. Music without emotion is pointless. 

Alex Södergård: Like the other guys said, but one thing I really miss in modern music is the theatrical shows and good stage presence. No modern band could pull of Leppards In the round in your face show. It’s a bit boring to watch some band who wears a black t-shirt headbang in the same place for one hour

Mikael Ahlholm: I agree with the other guys. I think a clear vision, good music and a distinct way to convey this to your fans is crucial. 

Is the artificial intelligence in music something postive or perhaps something dangerous?

Joel Karlsson: Personally I hate it! I’m sure AI is a fantastic tool in the studio but when it comes to replacing the human touch or making it “easier” for songwriters and musicians it’s all fake as I see it. But I guess it’s human nature to always take the easiest way possible. I’m just afraid it undermines creativity and makes artists narrow minded and lazy over all.

Jonas Öman: It is what it is, AI will only continue to improve from here and eventually it’ll be creating “better” music than humans do. I think we’re a good while from that happening, but when it does I expect you’ll see a shift in the musical market for artists towards live shows. Just like we still enjoy watching humans play chess, despite computers having surpassed us a long time ago now, we will continue enjoying watching humans perform music. The awe factor of watching a person master an instrument, perform and express themselves will remain, there will always be a market for that.

Kenneth Nylund: I have no idea. Have not used or experienced it yet but I guess it would help to speed certain things up in the workflow if used in plugins or programs but other than that I have not considered. I have not heard AI create new music so I can not say if it is good or not but after seeing AI create pictures I am very skeptical it can create good music haha.

Alex Södergård: Really no idea, My only experience with it in music was that a friend sent me tabs to a song AI had written for him and I recorded it fast. The song sucked. I really enjoy the human element that sometimes mistakes happens (for better or for worse) 

Mikael Ahlholm: I think it’s a shame that it’s having such an impact on the music industry instead of any other more “tedious” workplace. I think it’s a danger when we can cut out the creative process and create more and more copies of the same music. If the AI music has a big corporation behind it with expensive marketing I fear that people will listen to it anyways.

What sports do you enjoy watching or playing?

Jonas Öman: I used to play football (soccer) and floorball as a kid, but nowadays all I ever do is hit the gym. I follow NHL (Ice Hockey), Strongman and a little bit of MMA though.

Joel Karlsson: Hockey when Sweden meets Finland can get pretty exciting. 

Kenneth Nylund: I watch football(soccer) and boxing. I did play football and ice hockey when I was younger but I’m too old for that shit nowadays.

Alex Södergård: I play and watch football 

Mikael Ahlholm: It’s been a while since i followed any sport but i always try to follow the hockey world championship.

Who is the messiest person of Invincia?

Jonas Öman: If we’re talking messy in terms of being scattered in your thoughts then beyond a shadow of a doubt it’s me, although Joel isn’t too shabby either ;D
If we’re talking messy as in who leaves a mess behind… probably still me haha.

Kenneth Nylund: I think Jonas and Joel are the messiest. Not sure who wins though. 

Joel Karlsson: I would say Alex or Jonas. Well we all mess around. 

Alex Södergård: I think it’s Jonas, But after a “Band meeting” it`s probably me or Joel 😂

Mikael Ahlholm: Hard to say… but I’ll admit, I have a habit of leaving a trail behind me too.

I wanted to play a little game with you if that’s alright. if you could meet a fictional character in real life, who would him/her be?

Jonas Öman: I grew up watching the 1994 animated Spider-Man series and still have very fond memories of it, so I’d have to say Peter Parker from that series. Of course there are more interesting answers, someone with superpowers you could use to do cool things, like going back in time, enhancing yourself or whatever else, but I’d meet my childhood hero, have a chat and call it a day.

Joel Karlsson: I would like to party with the dwarfs from The Hobbit and I’m sure me and Alex would blend right in haha! 

Kenneth Nylund: The Joker seems like a funny guy to meet!?

Alex Södergård: I would like to be with Ted and John Bennett on improv comedy night! From the Ted movie

Mikael Ahlholm: I think I would like to meet Mario, seems like a super strange dude.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview! Would you like to add anything else to our readers?

Joel Karlsson: Thank you! Hopefully the readers will give our EP a listen, check out our awesome homemade videos and leave a comment :)  Join the crusade!

Jonas Öman: I’ll just throw in a cheesy quote from Berserk: “Keep on struggling, struggler”.

Mikael Ahlholm: Practice doesn’t make perfect — practice makes practice. It’s the act of showing up, growing bit by bit, and letting consistency shape your craft.