"Crowned In Grey Skies" suggests triumph under bleak conditions. Is the title about victory, endurance or something more fatalistic?
It is a line from the song “On the Howling Gale”, and in the context of the song the line is more nature romantic than anything else. But it fits the somewhat melancholic tone, a perfect summary that sounds both triumphant and somber.
The album moves between faster attacks and slower, heavier sections. Was contrast written into the songs from the beginning, or shaped during rehearsals?
I don’t sit down and decide beforehand that “I’m going to write a slow song now”, it all depends on what mood I am in when writing. These tracks were written under a longer period than the debut, which resulted in a more varied mindset when writing and recording. I am quite happy with the more varied shift in tempos and scales.
Mace 'N' Chain began as a one-man project. What changed once another permanent musician entered the creative process?
It is still very much my songs, but having someone to bounce the ideas off of while writing is very valuable. Joey joining also really ignited my urge to get working on the follow up album quite quickly, at least by my standards. He is a very positive presence, always excited to hear the new stuff being worked on and genuinely excited to get things done.
How much did Joey Mancaruso alter the original drum ideas brought into the sessions?
For most parts he plays them pretty much as I originally intended, but adding his own, much better, fills. There are some parts where he exercised his creative freedom though, and they all turned out pretty good. Like the doomier passage in the middle of “Writhe, Oh Wyrm”. I am a guy with a lot of need for control. So I was quite nervous about having a drummer record on the other side of the world, without me being able to be there and oversee it. But Joey got everything done with excellent results, so I did right in trusting him.
The lyrics draw from swords, blood, wyrms, ancient powers and defiance. How do you stop these images from becoming empty epic metal decoration?
Well, I guess it is mostly metal clichés. But I try to put my own twist on it and am happy to have seen many people appreciate my lyrics and the storytelling of the band. It is all fantasy, but I am heavily influenced by stuff from my own life when writing it and maybe that makes it connect a bit more. Who knows?
All music and lyrics come from within the band. Which usually arrives first, the central riff, the vocal line or the lyrical image?
Always the riffs first, they are the main character in Mace ’N’ chain. After I have gotten to putting a few riffs together, I often get a feel for the song and a title, or a short story, will pop into my mind. Most often I start working on the lyrics after everything is finished, and the vocals lines lastly.
Several guest guitarists appear on the album. Were their solos written around specific personalities, or were they asked to react freely to the songs?
I gave the guitarists complete artistic freedom, but I tried to choose songs for them that would suite their styles well. Matte, who plays the solo on “In Open Defiance” is a thrash metal guy, so the uptempo parts in that song fitted him very well. And Shawn, who plays on “Through Blood Red Veils” is a fan of arcane and somewhat weird songs and did a great job on putting a solo over the most syncopated and awkward riff on the album.
"I think it is impossible to not be influenced by the world around you, but when consciously using those influences I try to keep it on a personal level. It helps me associate with the song and form a stronger connection to it."
The drums were recorded in Indiana while the remaining work took place in Sweden. Did distance create any unusual decisions, delays or accidents that entered the finished album?
Other than what I mentioned above, about me being nervous about not being able to attend the recording, I didn’t really experience any big troubles. There was a microphone that malfunctioned and required some creative solutions in post-production, but other than that it all went smooth. Tucker, the engineer who recorded the drums, is a real wizard when it comes to those big sounding drums and I cannot recommend him enough.
Arthur Rizk has worked with many bands rooted in traditional and epic heavy metal. What did his mastering bring out that was missing from the earlier version?
Arthur brought that final punch that the album needed, a true pro that made sure the album sounds as good as possible when played on any sound system. Be it your home stereo, phone speaker or car. But Petter Nilsson’s, the sound engineer that did the mixing, contribution should not be forgotten either, even if he is a lesser known name. I work with him on all my projects for a reason, not only because he is a good friend, but extremely good at his job.
Which song changed the band’s view of what Mace 'N' Chain could become after this album?
“Risen Above the Light” seems to be a very appreciated song, and was one of the first ones written for the album. It is quite different from anything I did on the first album, but I wanted to expand my horizons and include it. That decision also spawned songs like “Triumphant Return” and “Writhe, Oh Wyrm”, those also differ somewhat from anything on the debut album.
Epic heavy metal often depends on myth and escape, while the present world is dominated by war, political division and technological anxiety. How much of that reality enters your writing, even indirectly?
I think it is impossible to not be influenced by the world around you, but when consciously using those influences I try to keep it on a personal level. It helps me associate with the song and form a stronger connection to it. Some might be based on memories I have of playing an old TTRPG with my friends in my teenage years, but also on more private matters from my life. It’s hard to say though how much of the world’s political climate and other goings on have an influence on me, maybe that is why the overall tone of the album is so bleak? The world sure feels bleak nowadays.
If the current metal scene became safer, more commercial and more dependent on algorithms, what should bands defend first?
If by algorithms, you mean generative AI: It is the death of art. Fuck it and all who use it.
With two albums completed, is Mace 'N' Chain now moving toward a permanent live formation, or does the studio remain its main battlefield?
The studio will remain our home. I won’t say “never” to playing live, but right now (and for the foreseeable future) I do not see it happening. There simply aren’t enough hours of the day, and a lot of logistical problems that would have to be hammered out to make it happen. My own role, as well, would have to be worked out if we were ever to play live.
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