Chad Bowar: Are you looking forward to having the album released and moving forward again?
Leif Edling: Yes. We just want to get out there and play now. We haven't played for 18 months, and that's really what we want to do. That's what it is all about.
How far along with the album were you when you found out Messiah was leaving?
The album was recorded last May, over a year ago. Messiah left in April last year. In October we hoped that he would still finish the album.
You searched the world for new vocalist.
We listened to over 80 singers. It was quite a big search. We listened to 30 guys from Sweden and about 50 guys from Europe and America. We took three months for the search before we got in touch with Robert.
What was it about Robert that attracted you to him?
We've always known about him and always liked his voice since the first Solitude Aeturnus albums. We liked the fact that he has this classic metal voice, but he's also very emotional in his style of singing. He was perfect for Candlemass, and when we listened to the new album it was quite obvious that he might be the one. When he put his voice on the record and did the new songs, he really blew us away. When we listen to him on this record I think it's pretty obvious that he is the right choice.
Do you have any concerns about him being in another band at the same time?
No, not at all. We are in contact with Solitude Aeturnus. I'm pretty sure we can solve anything. They are not super active right now. If they want to do an album next year, we can lay low while they do that. I don't think we will have a problem. It is a long way to Sweden from America, but Robert is willing to travel and he is really easy to work with.
The music on the new album seems heavier and more dynamic. Would you agree?
Yes, I guess so. It is a natural progression from the previous album and I think it's a little bit heavier. It's a little more complex, a little bit more gloomy, a little bit more metal as well. I think there is more of everything on it. The previous one was a little more straightforward and this one is a little heavier and more complex.
You recorded the album once again at Polar Studios. You must have been satisfied with your last experience there to come back again.
Yes, it is a really good studio. We like the staff there and we know them quite well now. It's a perfect place where we can work. It's a pretty big studio and you don't have to sit in a really small room. You can relax, you can disappear, you can watch TV. The working environment is really good. We work together really well. It's a good place for us.
Peter Tagtren from Hypocrisy mixed the album. Did you produce it yourselves?
Yes, we did this one and the previous one as well. We were in the studio for seven days and we recorded everything except the vocals. We did it pretty quick, but we worked really well with the people at the studio. We needed somebody to mix it for us, and Peter did a good job.
What does the title King of the Grey Islands signify?
The Grey Islands is a place where you go to when you are sad or hurt or really pissed off. It's the place where you lock yourself in when you don't want anybody to be able to reach you. That's the meaning behind it. The king of the Grey Islands is the fictional character. Every song on the album is about emotions, negative emotions, and the king of the Grey Islands represents all of these negative emotions. It eventually leads up to the character’s suicide in the last song. It shows what all of these negative emotions can lead to if you let them take control.
Do you have any specific expectations for the album?
Both yes and no. We don't really care if we sell 100,000 records or 50,000 records or 30,000 records. We just want to have fun in the band and play good music. It's really nice when people like the album, but it's not really super important or anything. For us it's more about playing together, having fun, making a good record that you're proud of and go out and have fun doing good gigs. That's what we are about.
