Mevadio may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking Danish metal, but their rock hard metal assault is sure to keep the pits circling, the heads banging and the beer flowing across the venues in Denmark. I know this because I've seen this. And reviewed it. Now on the brink of releasing their sophomore effort, "Fresh Kill Daily", I grabbed the opportunity for an interview and laid out a solid set of questions, which the band's vocalist, Kruger, was kind enough to set time aside for and answer. Read on to get a sneak peek at "Fresh Kill Daily" and more. Without further a due, I give you Kruger:
RF.net: Hi, and thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. First, can you please introduce yourself and the band to those of our readers who might not be familiar with Mevadio?
Kruger: Yep. I'm Kruger, the vocalist in the Danish metal outfit Mevădio. We're based in Aarhus, and have been around for some ten years now.
RF.net: How would you describe the style and sound of Mevadio?
Kruger: We've been called a lot of different things, which I guess means that people find it hard to categorize us. But the most common phrase over time has been "metal" - pure and simple. In my opinion we play a mixture of rock, heavy metal and thrash and try to balance energy and melody. We strive for diversity in our music and have a dark and organic sound.
RF.net: From what I’ve read, you weren’t always known as Mevadio. Can you give us a brief insight to the band’s history?
Kruger: That's right. Mevadio started out as a metal/hardcore trio based way out in the countryside in the darkest Denmark. We called ourselves "Facing a Boring Day", as life in our area seemed quite dull and happened at a very slow pace. We played our local venue over and over again and the audience liked, but then again, we knew most of them - it was a small city! Nothing really happened until we hooked up with Tue Madsen in Aarhus and recorded three demos, first in Borsing Recordings, then at Tue's own Antfarm studio. After that we started getting shows and support slots around Denmark and eventually landed a record deal in 2002.
RF.net: Can you elaborate a bit on your inspirations and influences as a band?
Kruger: We've all listened to metal for a couple of decades, and stuff like Black Sabbath, AC/DC, 80s metal, Pantera, Machine Head and of course thrash has always inspired us. We try not to write music within a certain genre, but do as we please instead.
RF.net: What can you tell us about your upcoming sophomore album, “Fresh Kill Daily”?
Kruger: Well, it's been in the making for quite a while, and I think the result is a consistent and coherent album. It seems more focused and concentrated than our other material. And we're of course excited to hear what people think about it.
RF.net: Can you outline some of the key differences between “Fresh Kill Daily” and your debut, “Hands Down”?
Kruger: "Hands Down" was very melodic and mid-tempo-based, and, well, softer than "Fresh Kill Daily". The new album is more metal; the heavy stuff is heavier; the fast songs are faster; and everything seems to have been intensified during the process. It's a harder and darker album and because of that, I think we'll lose some of our old fans and gain some new ones this time.
RF.net: I noticed that you chose Tue Madsen to produce the album, and many would say he is somewhat of a superstar producer. Can you tell me a bit about what Tue brought to “Fresh Kill Daily” and generally about your experiences with him?
Kruger: We have known Tue for about eight years and think of him more as a friend of the band than a superstar producer, as you put it. He has a great understanding of music and instead of trying to change the music we play, he manages to intensify it, support it and bring it to a higher level. Besides from that, Tue's key qualifications are storytelling from a long life with heavy metal, a terrible sense of humor and his love for Slayer.
RF.net: As a Danish metal band, you will undoubtedly be compared to titans like Hatesphere, As We Fight, Mercenary and Mnemic? How do you feel “Fresh Kill Daily” and Mevadio in general stands against such heavyweights?
Kruger: Well, the bands you mention seem to be present and active on the scene all the time - we tend to pop up from time to time. We've shared the stage with all the bands mentioned and I dig all of them and admire their hard work. I know it takes a lot to keep the fans' and media's attention for such long periods. But still, I don't want to be them or be like them. I love heavy metal and think it's important that everyone does their own thing to keep the scene alive and kicking. We're in a different position than these bands and we try to make the most of that position. We pop up and hopefully we'll be able to surprise some people and offer an alternative.
RF.net: What is your opinion on the current state of the Danish metal scene? Do you find yourselves struggling for media attention, and if so, is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Kruger: There's a lot of good bands around and you have to work hard and stand out to be noticed. I think that's a good thing.
RF.net: How is the future looking for Mevadio? What are your ambitions and what goals are you currently pursuing?
Kruger: Right now we just want to rock the venues and have a good time. We've been away from the scene for a year and are eager to get back and establish ourselves again.
RF.net: What are your plans for the summer in terms of touring and festivals?
Kruger: We hope to be able to play some European festivals during the summer, and will be around the Danish venues again in the fall.
RF.net: Well that’s it from us for now. Do you have anything you’d like to add? Any shout outs?
Kruger: Thanks for the interest! Slayer rules!
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