The fortunes of traditional heavy metal bands tend to wax and wane here in the US of A. It seems that songs about dragons, Vikings, and general swordplay only really hit our sweet spot when the stars align, the generational cycles roll over, and the socioeconomic circumstances conspire to create the perfect petri dish in which the likes of Dio and Manowar are revered without irony. But this kind of thing never really went out of style in Europe, where Grand Magus have been hoisting chalices and sharpening blades since 1999. The Swedish trio’s seventh and latest album, Triumph and Power, is a thundering, infectious testament to the tenacity of the genre that birthed a million denim vests and singlehandedly kept the Flying V alive. We recently caught up with Grand Magus vocalist/guitarist JB Christoffersson to discuss all that is heavy.Noisey: Grand Magus is one of the bands that seem to be spearheading a resurgence in traditional heavy metal that started a few years back. Why is it happening now, do you think?
JB Christoffersson: It all goes and comes in circles—ever narrowing, it seems. [Laughs] When we did Wolf’s Return in 2005, it was the most unfashionable thing in metal. We’ve just stuck to our guns (swords) and now it’s suddenly popular again. I don’t know if there’s any particular factor that causes this resurgence this time around, but I guess there are new generations who play in bands now that heard bands like Accept or Saxon with fresh ears so to speak and want to play the same kind of stuff.So much modern metal is populated by screamers, growlers and grunters, but you can actually sing. When did you first figure out you were good at it?
Thank you very much. It was more or less by chance. I guess around 1996 or so the singer we had at the time—this was before we were Grand Magus—left the band and we didn’t really know anyone that we could ask to join, so I kind of winged it while playing guitar at the same time and it seemed to work OK. Not earth-shatteringly good, but I think we all sensed it had some promise. I’ve stuck to it ever since.Which songs or records were favorites of yours to sing along to when you were starting out?
All the bands that had really great singers, like Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, Rob Halford, Eric Adams, you know? Strong singers. I think I was really drawn to powerful voices early on. Albums like Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, [Priest’s] Defenders of the Faith and [Manowar’s] Into Glory Ride.Grand Magus started out with the name Smack, which obviously has a completely different vibe to it than Grand Magus. I’m assuming you changed it because of the Finnish sleaze-rock band Smack from the 80s, but did Grand Magus sound different before the name change?
[Laughs] Yeah… well, Smack wasn’t a very good name. I didn’t know about the Finnish band until later—we simply felt that the music we were doing needed something more fitting than Smack. We recorded a few demos under the Smack moniker and they had songs that were the first stumbling steps of what was to become Grand Magus, so there wasn’t really any big musical change between them. But as I said, we couldn’t keep that name, because it was just bad and didn’t project what we were doing at all.Triumph and Power is your seventh album. Is there any special or cosmic significance to that number for you?
No, I haven’t actually thought about it. Now that you mention it, there’s of course a lot of esoteric meanings to that number within the framework of ritual magic, [which is] something I was kind of interested in when we started. But now it’s not something I spend any thought on. There’s too much of that stuff going on the metal scene. Makes me bored to tears. [Laughs]Why Triumph and Power? The title reads like a mission statement, like that’s what you’re delivering. It’s got a Saxon or Manowar feel to it.
Absolutely. This is the feeling we want the listeners to feel when they hear our music. That’s the feeling I get from great metal music and it encompasses what we as a band want our music to deliver. It’s also about the triumph and power of nature over man. No matter how we try and master nature and wildlife, it will always triumph in the end.The first song, “Hooves Of Gold,” is a monster opener. How did you decide it should open the album?
Good question. It actually took us some time to realize that it should be the opener. We knew that it was one of the strongest songs on the album, but really a centerpiece if you know what I mean. Because of that, at first it didn’t occur to us that it should be the first track, you know? When we finally realized it needed to be the first, everything else just fell into place. It was meant to be!Lyrically, the song seems to have a pro-environment theme in that it talks about invaders “raping the land,” followed by the line “they say it’s too late, but the bastards will pay.” What inspired the song?
It’s about many things on many levels, but the central theme is about the uninhibited consumerism in civilization and the total disrespect for nature and the environment. It also deals with the fact that so many people have lost all connection with nature and with that also the understanding of how it works and how beautiful it is and how much power it wields. We buy factory-reared chickens filled with medicines in plastic packages as food, but if someone sees a farmer or tribe member slaughter a hen, they are appalled. To me it’s totally baffling. There will be a price to pay for our arrogance. We should treat animals and plants and nature as a whole with respect and reverence. The Valkyries will carry the message.Was the song “The Naked and the Dead” inspired by the Norman Mailer novel of the same name? If so, what struck you about the book when you first read it?
Yes, exactly. I think most of all the sheer savagery and brutality. It’s a very powerful account of war and all it entails.Many of the lyrics and overall vibe of the songs – “Steel Versus Steel,” “Fight,” etcetera—seem like less-pompous versions of the kind of songs Manowar would write.
Less pompous? Damnation! [Laughs.] Yeah, there’s definitely a similarity. But it really comes from the fact that Manowar were one of the first bands to write about Norse mythology and that’s the breeding ground for our lyrics, too. The Norse tradition is very much based on battle and the idea of glory, for instance, is really an integral part of it. The reason why the Vikings wanted to die in battle—and this is not necessarily synonymous with armed combat; it transfers to many levels of interpretation of course in our case—is not primarily because they hoped to enter Valhalla, but rather to make sure that their name would be sung about and talked about in terms of glory and honor by future generations on earth.You guys obviously put a lot of thought into the sequencing of the album. Did you pick the order of the songs with vinyl in mind – the idea that you have two distinct sides and the listener will be flipping the record, or is that not even a concern for you in the digital age when most people will be listening on iPods or computers?We absolutely think in terms of an album—we don’t know hownotto do that! An album needs dynamics, with a breather here and there to keep it fresh and interesting for the listener. And of course the vinyl division you mentioned is an important factor as well. Playing time as well. Never more than 45 minutes. All killer, no filler.One of the other things you guys do really well is incorporate acoustic guitar into otherwise heavy songs. That was something that Metallica used to excel at as well, on songs like “Battery” and “To Live Is To Die.” Can you talk about that process a bit?
It’s just a cool thing that I guess pleases our ears. Bathory were also great at doing this. It creates dynamics and excitement. Nico [Elgstrand], our producer, has a lot of input in these arrangements with the acoustic stuff. He’s one of the most hair-raising guitar players I’ve ever heard and he’s incredible with the acoustic stuff and layering. Usually me or [bassist] Fox [Skinner] has a rough idea for acoustic parts that Nico expands and embellishes.Three of the songs have Swedish titles. How did you decide that they should be in Swedish rather than English? Is it just a matter of liking how the words look/sound or is there something in their meanings that is more effectively communicated in Swedish than English?
Both. For “Holmgång,” it’s simply not possible to translate. For “Arv,” which means “heritage,” it is because of the feel of the word in Swedish. It’s a tribute to the folk music we grew up with and the Scandinavian nature. “Ymer” is the name of the first and greatest of the giants. I’ve always been intrigued by things I didn’t immediately understand or recognize, and to search for the meaning and references made the songs so much more than just words to fit the music, like “there’s a party tonight,” you know? I guess this is also one of the reasons for our use of Swedish titles now and again.Tell us about the pros and cons of being in a power trio. In my experience, the pros are many and the cons are few—like maybe it’d be nice to have a second guitarist when you play certain songs live, but that’s about it.
Pretty much spot on. I think one of the main reasons that we’re still around and have been able to do seven albums and countless tours is because of the fact that we’re a three-piece. I can’t tell you how many bands I’ve seen come and go in that time—mostly due to personal differences or “musical differences.” The reality is that it’s mostly because of bickering and unclear roles or direction within the bands. We don’t have that problem, and never have. Cons… I don’t know. I don’t think Motörhead or Immortal think it’s a problem being three on stage, why should we? Guitar players are overrated anyway. [Laughs]Last but not least: How did your bassist, Fox Skinner, get his nickname? Don’t say he skinned a fox.
[Laughs] That would be more honorable than the real reason. “Skinner” is actually his wife’s last name, so no weird things there, but I can’t really divulge the reason for “Fox” in print, sorry! Let’s say it has to do with alcohol and leave it at that, okay?
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JB Christoffersson: It all goes and comes in circles—ever narrowing, it seems. [Laughs] When we did Wolf’s Return in 2005, it was the most unfashionable thing in metal. We’ve just stuck to our guns (swords) and now it’s suddenly popular again. I don’t know if there’s any particular factor that causes this resurgence this time around, but I guess there are new generations who play in bands now that heard bands like Accept or Saxon with fresh ears so to speak and want to play the same kind of stuff.So much modern metal is populated by screamers, growlers and grunters, but you can actually sing. When did you first figure out you were good at it?
Thank you very much. It was more or less by chance. I guess around 1996 or so the singer we had at the time—this was before we were Grand Magus—left the band and we didn’t really know anyone that we could ask to join, so I kind of winged it while playing guitar at the same time and it seemed to work OK. Not earth-shatteringly good, but I think we all sensed it had some promise. I’ve stuck to it ever since.Which songs or records were favorites of yours to sing along to when you were starting out?
All the bands that had really great singers, like Ronnie James Dio, David Coverdale, Rob Halford, Eric Adams, you know? Strong singers. I think I was really drawn to powerful voices early on. Albums like Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, [Priest’s] Defenders of the Faith and [Manowar’s] Into Glory Ride.
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[Laughs] Yeah… well, Smack wasn’t a very good name. I didn’t know about the Finnish band until later—we simply felt that the music we were doing needed something more fitting than Smack. We recorded a few demos under the Smack moniker and they had songs that were the first stumbling steps of what was to become Grand Magus, so there wasn’t really any big musical change between them. But as I said, we couldn’t keep that name, because it was just bad and didn’t project what we were doing at all.Triumph and Power is your seventh album. Is there any special or cosmic significance to that number for you?
No, I haven’t actually thought about it. Now that you mention it, there’s of course a lot of esoteric meanings to that number within the framework of ritual magic, [which is] something I was kind of interested in when we started. But now it’s not something I spend any thought on. There’s too much of that stuff going on the metal scene. Makes me bored to tears. [Laughs]Why Triumph and Power? The title reads like a mission statement, like that’s what you’re delivering. It’s got a Saxon or Manowar feel to it.
Absolutely. This is the feeling we want the listeners to feel when they hear our music. That’s the feeling I get from great metal music and it encompasses what we as a band want our music to deliver. It’s also about the triumph and power of nature over man. No matter how we try and master nature and wildlife, it will always triumph in the end.
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Good question. It actually took us some time to realize that it should be the opener. We knew that it was one of the strongest songs on the album, but really a centerpiece if you know what I mean. Because of that, at first it didn’t occur to us that it should be the first track, you know? When we finally realized it needed to be the first, everything else just fell into place. It was meant to be!Lyrically, the song seems to have a pro-environment theme in that it talks about invaders “raping the land,” followed by the line “they say it’s too late, but the bastards will pay.” What inspired the song?
It’s about many things on many levels, but the central theme is about the uninhibited consumerism in civilization and the total disrespect for nature and the environment. It also deals with the fact that so many people have lost all connection with nature and with that also the understanding of how it works and how beautiful it is and how much power it wields. We buy factory-reared chickens filled with medicines in plastic packages as food, but if someone sees a farmer or tribe member slaughter a hen, they are appalled. To me it’s totally baffling. There will be a price to pay for our arrogance. We should treat animals and plants and nature as a whole with respect and reverence. The Valkyries will carry the message.
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Yes, exactly. I think most of all the sheer savagery and brutality. It’s a very powerful account of war and all it entails.Many of the lyrics and overall vibe of the songs – “Steel Versus Steel,” “Fight,” etcetera—seem like less-pompous versions of the kind of songs Manowar would write.
Less pompous? Damnation! [Laughs.] Yeah, there’s definitely a similarity. But it really comes from the fact that Manowar were one of the first bands to write about Norse mythology and that’s the breeding ground for our lyrics, too. The Norse tradition is very much based on battle and the idea of glory, for instance, is really an integral part of it. The reason why the Vikings wanted to die in battle—and this is not necessarily synonymous with armed combat; it transfers to many levels of interpretation of course in our case—is not primarily because they hoped to enter Valhalla, but rather to make sure that their name would be sung about and talked about in terms of glory and honor by future generations on earth.You guys obviously put a lot of thought into the sequencing of the album. Did you pick the order of the songs with vinyl in mind – the idea that you have two distinct sides and the listener will be flipping the record, or is that not even a concern for you in the digital age when most people will be listening on iPods or computers?
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It’s just a cool thing that I guess pleases our ears. Bathory were also great at doing this. It creates dynamics and excitement. Nico [Elgstrand], our producer, has a lot of input in these arrangements with the acoustic stuff. He’s one of the most hair-raising guitar players I’ve ever heard and he’s incredible with the acoustic stuff and layering. Usually me or [bassist] Fox [Skinner] has a rough idea for acoustic parts that Nico expands and embellishes.Three of the songs have Swedish titles. How did you decide that they should be in Swedish rather than English? Is it just a matter of liking how the words look/sound or is there something in their meanings that is more effectively communicated in Swedish than English?
Both. For “Holmgång,” it’s simply not possible to translate. For “Arv,” which means “heritage,” it is because of the feel of the word in Swedish. It’s a tribute to the folk music we grew up with and the Scandinavian nature. “Ymer” is the name of the first and greatest of the giants. I’ve always been intrigued by things I didn’t immediately understand or recognize, and to search for the meaning and references made the songs so much more than just words to fit the music, like “there’s a party tonight,” you know? I guess this is also one of the reasons for our use of Swedish titles now and again.Tell us about the pros and cons of being in a power trio. In my experience, the pros are many and the cons are few—like maybe it’d be nice to have a second guitarist when you play certain songs live, but that’s about it.
Pretty much spot on. I think one of the main reasons that we’re still around and have been able to do seven albums and countless tours is because of the fact that we’re a three-piece. I can’t tell you how many bands I’ve seen come and go in that time—mostly due to personal differences or “musical differences.” The reality is that it’s mostly because of bickering and unclear roles or direction within the bands. We don’t have that problem, and never have. Cons… I don’t know. I don’t think Motörhead or Immortal think it’s a problem being three on stage, why should we? Guitar players are overrated anyway. [Laughs]Last but not least: How did your bassist, Fox Skinner, get his nickname? Don’t say he skinned a fox.
[Laughs] That would be more honorable than the real reason. “Skinner” is actually his wife’s last name, so no weird things there, but I can’t really divulge the reason for “Fox” in print, sorry! Let’s say it has to do with alcohol and leave it at that, okay?