Sweden rock Magazine interview!
Anbaric – Nervous System – THUNDERSTRUCK – Hardly defined melodic hard rock
Freak Kitchen’s guitar wizard Mattias “IA” Eklundh is a good drummer too. As evidenced by Anbaric’s new album, Borås trio’s fifth since guitarist Kimmo Komulainen decided in 2016 to resume music-making in his older days. In all modesty, to be sure, Anbaric is nonetheless a competent band and also sounds personal, though it’s not entirely easy to pinpoint how.
Perhaps the thing is that the elements of the sound hold together better than they superficially should. We’re talking traditional melodic hard rock, muted metal thunder à la the mid-90s and something akin to the reasonably commercial prog of the 80s. Indeed, without sounding like Phil Collins, singer (and bassist) Kim Andrei wouldn’t have seemed out of place in any constellation in the vein of said era’s hit-seeking Genesis.
“Nervous System” is interesting, compelling and an easy record to like. To call it fantastic might be an exaggeration, but the song list in general and “False idols” in particular don’t come laughably far off. – ERIK THOMPSON
“In 1987 we won a competition of the Rock-SM in Borås with the band Remain” Kimmo Komulainen, Anbaric
You promote yourselves as Finnish rock from Sweden. What is Finnish about your rock?
-Me and the singer and bassist Kim Andrei are both Finnish, so it was natural, says guitarist Kimmo Komulainen. We are still a bit patriotic and on “Anbaric” from 2019 we also have a song called “Sisu”. – Then it’s a bit melancholic,” says Kim. It’s typical Finnish melodies.
Freak Kitchen’s guitarist Mattias “IA” Eklundh is back on drums on the new album “Nervous system”? Is he a permanent member?
-No, but he’s helping us out again, says Kimmo. We record everything at his place anyway, so it was a natural fit. We’re looking for a new drummer but as long as he’s with us we might not be looking feverishly.
Apart from him, everyone who has played in Anbaric has been of Finnish descent. Do you have to be Finnish to play in Anbaric?
-We’ve actually discussed whether Mattias should be included or not,” laughs Kimmo. He must have some Finnish relatives. – Otherwise, the proposal is that we rename him Matti, says Kim.
Hardcore Superstars singer Jocke Berg has also visited you before. Since he’s employed by your painting company, Kimmo, will he be fired if he doesn’t show up?
-It’s in the contract, says Kimmo. If he comes and asks for a benefit car or something, I just say ‘no, no, you have to sing first’. Joking aside, we actually didn’t even think to ask him this time. But we’ve already released the first song from the next album, which will be called “Generator”, and then we’ll see if we let him in again.
When you started Anbaric in 2016, you hadn’t touched a guitar in 25 years and now you’ve been releasing a song and accompanying video a month since January 2020. Is it all those years of creativity coming out now?
-Yes, it seems so. I don’t always know where all these riffs come from. It it’s like I’ve got them stored in a bank in the back of my head and now when I have timeI’ll release as much as I can. That was my dream as a youngster anyway. In 1987we won a part of the Rock-SM in Borås with Remain, but when we went out in the next stage, the band died. Then I started my own company at the age of 21 and it took all my time. But now I’ve sold it and have more time for music.
So now you’re fucking going to be rock stars?
– Hell, yeah, we gotta get there before Kim passes away. He’s over 60 anyway. – I don’t have many years left, Kim laughs. We’ve got to get out there and tour.
SIMON LUNDH
