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Constancia is another new band from Sweden, but when you take a look at the line-up, you'll see some familiar names. Thanks to Mikael Rosengren and Janne Stark for answering my questions!
Constancia is a new band, so please tell us about how the band got started!
Mikael: - I founded the band and then it started with Janne whom I've known for many years. Since he actually found the contract for us, Scudiero 10 years ago, the circle was closed getting him into the band. He's inexhaustible – no one I’ve worked with can come up with the same energy! He's a monster, ha ha! A great guitar player and person, too! Maybe most important of all – he and I really share the passion for this and the mixture between finesse and heaviness. Michael Mueller and I had contact since we both where at MTM (Jaded Heart and Token) and I thought he was a perfect match both personally and musically.
Janne: - I had previously played with our drummer Peter in Overheat, Locomotive Breath and Mountain of Power so I knew he would deliver. I got to know David Fremberg through my fiancée and he sang a few tracks on my Mountain Of Power album. We tried out a few other singers, but David was the obvious choice. He's a pure natural.
Mikael: - They have really helped give Constancia its sound. All the guys are awesome!
Why the name Constancia? Any story behind it?
Janne: - Mikael came up with the name Constancia, which derives from the word 'constant' or the Latin 'constantcia' which means everlasting / eternal / immortal, which we of course hope we will be. ;)
Are the songs a band effort? Or does Constancia have a main songwriter?
Janne: - Mikael is definitely the main song writer, as he's written all songs, but one that I was more involved with.
Mikael: - For this album I have written most of the lyrics, but Janne was also involved, always finding some great improvements to my lyrics, plus he wrote a few on his own. Sometimes it's from my own experiences, but also often actually more like an feeling I have, that can be expressed in other ways like for example war, heroes, love.. Strangely, the most touching lyrics in a song or a poem might actually be the fictive ones.
With Lost & Gone you present your debut, but you aren't newbies and so expectations are higher. Are you satisfied with the feedback you got so far?
Janne: - Yes, definitely! We've received some outstanding reviews and as a new band, even though we've all been around quite a bit, it's very humbling and a great feeling!
Why the title Lost & Gone? What's lost and gone?
Janne: - The lyrics of the title track are about the internet and how you can disappear, become invisible with all nicknames etc and also get lost among all sites and get lost as a person. It also connects with the artwork, where I made the artwork and David made the logo. I found it quite appealing drawing the parallels of being lost in the world and lost on the Internet. You have to learn how to navigate both of them to find your destination without getting lost, and today we are kind of lost, both on the internet and in the world. Also the world map (with Scandinavia and Germany, which we are from, in the view) refers to the whole world now being at an easy grasp with the internet, but you still need some type of compass to find your way.
Which song(s) represents the album best in your opinion?
Mikael: - I would say all but some of my favourites for today that really presents Constancia are Dying By Your Flames, King Is Calling, Fallen Hero and www.lostandgone.com and Little Big You.
Janne: - I agree tracks like The King Is Calling or Fallen Hero are very much representative of what the album is all about. Melodic, still heavy.
And will you do a video for a song?
Janne: - We actually have no plans at the moment. It's quite hard to find places to use a video, except YouTube. As soon as we start playing live I#m sure we'll get to that, though.
Is Constancia a studio band? Or will we see you on stage sooner or later?
Janne: - No, we have definitely developed from a project into a band!
Mikael: - Hopefully we will get out to the stages and festivals, we would love that!
Have you already started working on new material?
Janne: - Yes, Mikael has already written nine new songs and I have a bunch of ideas I'm working on. We don't stop working just because we have an album out. The ideas just keep coming!
What can we expect next from Constancia?
Mikael: We will continue doing interviews, trying to get our name out there! Lost And Gone is released in USA and Japan in August. We'll have a track on the Fireworks CD compilation and web site in August, the Rock-It Magazine compilation, too.
Janne: I will go to the US in August to promote the album there. I have been invited to guest a radio show in Rochester among other things. We of course will also try to get out there and promote it live!
It really looks like Mikael and Janne are the dynamic duo behind Constancia and as they both are around for many years, they know the business. They know the ups and downs - and they will keep going. So sooner or later they will hit the road, and if not this time, then with the next album!
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