Engel

For guitarist and composer Niclas Engelin, faith in his own skills is an indispensable factor in the success of his current band. “You have to believe in what you do,” he sums up his philosophy, adding: “There’s no room in this group for people who hesitate.” Engelin doesn’t issue this statement in the manner of a dictator who demands unconditional obedience, he’s talking about motivation and inherent self-confidence, about visions and worthwhile perspectives, which he considers the basis of his new metal act, Engel. Consequently Engelin carefully went about the foundation of his band when it came to choosing its members two years ago. “I didn’t want everything to gel only in musical, but also in mental terms,” he says, looking back at years of experience in other acts. The musician from Sweden has played in groups such as Gardenian, In Flames and Passenger, all of them musical heavyweights with their own trademarks and success stories. Engel, however, is marked by his own, unmistakable musical signature. “I was looking for a medium to convey my guitar sound, my style of playing, songs that connect black metal with catchy melodies.” Is it too early yet to give a specific name to this exciting, unique sound? Experts have already coined terms such as ‘melo death metal’ and ‘black metal meets Rob Zombie’. As far as Engelin is concerned, his debut album, Absolute Design, consists of “simply good music. It’s definitely about metal, but the diversity of the tracks allows no detailed generic term.” Expertly, he and his band-mates have succeeded in expertly balancing hard-as-nails riffs, melodic passages, dynamic references to classic metal, and new influences.


Engelin composed between 40 and 50 songs in the run-up to Absolute Design, recorded demo versions at his own studio and put together a new band, consisting of vocalist Mangan Klavborn, guitarist Marcus Sunesson (ex-The Crown) and drummer Mojjo (a.k.a. Daniel Moilanen, ex-Lord Belial). Initially, Engel worked with a temporary bassist, before Engelin found an ideal reinforcement in Michael Håkansson (formerly Evergrey). “The first time I heard Michael play he almost blew me away. His style is unbelievably dynamic.” A trait which practically predestines Håkansson for this band, who have caused a stir among the media even before the release of their debut album. Metal Hammer UK voted Engel Best Unsigned Band in 2006, and the German magazine, Rock Hard, announced them winners of its demo contest in the same year.


Absolute Design was recorded and mixed by Anders Fridén, vocalist of Swedish metal institution, In Flames. Fridén was supported by Daniel Bergstrand, who has also worked for acts such as In Flames and Meshuggah. In other words, an illustrious team who went about their business with great skill and enthusiasm. “The atmosphere at the studio was incredibly motivated,” Engelin recalls. “We worked really hard on creating the best sound possible. All the preparations, such as the demo recordings at home in my studio, the rehearsals with the whole band, and the sessions at the recording studio have paid off. It was like a painting that comes together in several steps and is repeatedly subject to changes and new ideas during this process.”


Absolute Design sees Engelin reach his first target with his new group, but looking at these ambitious musicians it seems obvious that there’s much more to come. “We want to achieve great things with Engel,” says Engelin. “And we will work as hard as we can to achieve this goal. After all we’ve already succeeded in getting a contract with the best record company in the world. Steamhammer/SPV are the ideal solution for our musical direction. Now we have to stay focussed on our vision and do everything we can to put it into practice. That’s only possible if you’re supported by a strong team.”


A team, coincidentally, which has already become a tight unit during numerous concerts. Engel have played in Scandinavia, the UK and Germany, performing with renowned colleagues such as Arch Enemy, Mnemic and Skindread, leaving a more than passable impression. “Something special seems to happen whenever we play live,” Engelin explains the phenomenon. “The songs sound rawer and heavier than they do in the studio, and they’re different to the album version, which makes Engel gigs new and exciting for the audience every time.”


It’s a fact for connoisseurs of the scene that the fans will love Absolute Design and the twelve tracks it comprises, particularly since Niclas Engelin has been given the opportunity to put his ideas 100% into practice. “I’ve found my place as a songwriter, which gives this band its very own style and unique identity. But I want to do more: Although Absolute Design won’t be out before November 2007, I’ve already written ten new songs for our next release.” No doubt about it: This band and its mastermind Niclas Engelin are ablaze! And the flames are kindled by their debut album, Absolute Design.