Hammerfall
TM - Hi, This is Amelia and Elizabeth from Twinmusix and we are here with Joacim Cans From HammerFall thank you for having this interview with us today we appreciate it.
JC - Thank you.
TM - You are coming to Australia what can fans expect?
JC - We haven't been there since 2015 when we only played one show, so it feels like we have never really been there exploring the country. Expect to get a traditional overdose of true heavy metal music. When it comes to the songs that we are going to play, this is the tour of the 13th album so of course you are going to hear songs off the latest album. We will play these songs that the fans want to hear, we are going to play the songs that we want to play and we might throw in some surprises here and there as well. It is going to be the best start of 2025.
TM - Do you have a favourite song to play live?
JC - I think I have two favourite songs now "Let the Hammer Fall" off "The Legacy of Kings" album because that is such a personal song to me. I build up the start of that song by talking and interacting with the audience. I also like "(We Make) Sweden Rock" off the "Dominion" album, it has such a positive energy and gets people going and there is a sing-along where people are waving in the middle of the song and it feels like we are connecting with the audience.
TM - Is there any tourist attractions you want to see in Australia?
JC - I am actually a certified sommelier so I would love to find some vineyards when I am there or some nice wine bars. Some of the wines never make it to Europe from Australia and it is a fantastic wine country. I am very open minded, I said we have only been to Melbourne and now we get to see a lot of Australia. I also like to put on my running shoes when I'm in a new city and explore so I'm looking forward to doing that as well.
TM - Your new album Avenge The Fallen got released in August how did fans respond?
JC - I think they responded in a very positive way. We did three and a half weeks of Touring with Powerwolf in Europe and it feels like the new songs are getting across well. I love looking at the charts sales of the new album and chart entries and it feels like this is the most successful album. It feels like the fans understand and appreciate our new album it feels like this album will make a difference in the history of HammerFall.
TM - What was your writing and recording process for your new album?
JC - In the early days when we toured we would not do anything else and when we were writing or in the studio we wouldn't do anything else and after a while it changed. Oscar developed this ABC mentality which means always be creative so he would sit on the tour bus with the guitar and record riffs. He would go off stage and go to the tour bus and write and create new music.
For me as a melody maker and lyricist I want to be home I don't want to mix up touring and composing because then it means I have to sing during the brakes and during my days off. I may ware out my voice before I hit these stage so many of these songs were written in the hammer of God tour. I finalised these songs when I got home so we recorded the drums, bass and guitar in our own studio in Gothenburg. Then I did the vocals in Los Angeles with Jay Rusten and then we took the production back to Gothenburg for the final mix with Freddie.
TM - If you could have any band play one of your songs what band would it be what song would it be and would it be in your style or their style?
JC - Of course you have the pioneers of heavy metal like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. I would love to have both bands cover a Hummerfall song. I would like Judas Priest to cover "Fury of the wild" that would be perfect for Judas Priest and for Iron Maiden we would have to have something fast and with dual guitars so mabey "The Dragon Lies Bleeding" from the first album.
TM - What was the first band you saw live and can you tell us a story?
JC - The first bands I saw were local band. I grew up in a small town in Sweden and they were the local Heroes but they never made it out of town. The first Big Show I saw was AC/DC, Van Halen and Motley Crue and for me seeing Motley crew on the Shout at the Devil tour was wicked because I had only seen pictures of them and they were so cool. AC/DC is one thing they are regular dudes wearing regular clothes but Motley Crue was my dream and I was thinking if I am ever in a band I want to look like this so that meant so much to me being 14 years old at a concert. My Mum put me on the train alone I would not send my fourteen year old daughter alone.
TM - Did they inspire you to play?
JC - Yeah every band from the 80s inspired me. I was there when the new wave of British heavy metal started so all these bands inspired me to pursue my dream. I started playing some guitars when I was a teenager and then I quit and then I started to sing at the age of 21. I had some Bands before that and they were just for fun and nothing happened so I gave up that dream. I got into the moment and started getting the right Groove then it all came to me and I found a band to play with. I went to Music School in Los Angeles and I was like this is so much fun and I still didn't believe I would make it professional and then I gave up the dream and all of a sudden I got a phone call from the guys at HammerFall and the rest is history.
TM - Is there anything else you want to say to your fans?
JC - Be prepared for the great coming of HammerFall to Australia this will be the perfect start of 2025. If you want traditional heavy metal you should come and be with us next year.
TM - Thank you for having this interview with us today we appreciate it.
JC - Thank you, see you In a couple of months.