Hi Henrik. Thank you for accepting our interview request and congratulations on your excellent debut release. Should we start with a brief biography note?

Hey, thanks! Sure, it all started in 2003 when I, Magnus Holmberg and Markus Sigfridsson finally made reality of starting Darkwater, which we had talked about for quite some time really. We all had some song ideas ready and started to look for the rest of the band. Tobias Enbert we all knew from earlier (Harmony), and we found our bass player Karl Wassholm through a music internet site. We started writing and rehearsing and in 2006 we recorded our debut album and hooked up with Ulterium Records.

Having already released a very good cd with Harmony the four of you, that received good feedback from the metal world, why did you decide to put Darkwater together? Does it cover another need of expression and will Harmony cease to exist?

Well, in fact, we already had the thoughts of Darkwater when Harmony got together and we all had, as you say, the need for another type of music were we all could experiment a little more. I, for example, have always listened to this kind of music and have never wanted any boundaries in the music. But I don't think Harmony will ceasy to exist, in fact we're in the middle of recording the second album right now. So we will try to have these bands hand in hand for as long as it's possible.

Let us get to your debut cd and ask you for some more details on its recordings and production.

We chose a little different approach on this one since we recorded everything in different studios. Mainly because it was easier for us to get the sound we wanted and in this way we didn't have any time limits so it was very relaxing to record the album. When it comes to the mix and mastering we chose Pelle Seather at Studio Underground. We heard some stuff he had done with ACT and really loved it. And when Pelle suggested Göran Finnberg at Mastering Room for the mastering there wasn't any doubt. He has worked with so many great bands that we didn't even care to compare his work with others.

…and how long have you been working on "Calling the Earth to Witness", including the song-writing process?

We really started the song-writing immediately when we were a full band in 2003, and the album was supposed to be released much earlier than it was. In fact, we have recorded the album twice! When the whole album was finished we found some problems, both technical and musical, and we felt we couldn't release that, especially since it was our very important debut album. So after a long discussion we took the decision to re-record the whole album. I honestly can say that at this time we really wondered what the hell we were doing, haha...

Looking back now are you satisfied with the final outcome? Is it something you would do differently now that the first day's excitement is slowly dying away?

Absolutely! We are very happy with the result. I don't think there's anything we would like to have done differently, even with the re-recording. I think there's a meaning with everything, at least I hope so, haha.

What's the reaction of the media and the fans so far? Does it meet your expectations?

It's way above my expectations! The response has been amazing! We felt that we had made an album that we were very happy with and when the response is this good it really makes you believe and hope that it will lead to something big.

It's pretty obvious that you belong to progressive metal so I won't ask you to describe your music, unless you think otherwise, but I'd really like to know what influenced you more as Darkwater and as individuals.

I thank you for that, cause it's always so hard to describe it :) I guess the influence for Darkwater as a band isn't so hard to figure out. It is of course bands like Symphony X, Dream Theater, Evergrey, Pain of Salvation and stuff like that. But as individuals we listen to very different kind of music. I know Magnus listens to very hard stuff like Soilwork and In Flames but also a lot of rock from the 70s, Tobias is more of a power metal dude, Markus listens to bands like Yngwie Malmsteen, Giant and Anouk. I think Karl is the one with widest range in music, all from metal to country and folk music. Myself, I mostly listen to progressive metal but now and then a CD of various style gets in to my player as well.

Who is mostly responsible for the song-writing? Is there a standard process you follow?

Mainly it's me, Magnus and Markus who do most of the writing. Oftens someone comes with a song idea or almost a whole song that we then go through and both develop parts but also throw parts away that we feel is unnecessary. Almost every song is made this way, that the music is done first and then I do the vocal melodies.
I think it's only one song we have done together and that is mainly written in the rehearsing room, and that is Habit, the longest song on the album.

The cover and the lyrics suggest that there's a concept story behind it. Am I right? Could you give us some more details about it?

Both yes and no really. We never planned for it to be a concept album, but when all the lyrics were done we realized they all suited so well together. We all ended up writing about the problems in life and peoples relation with their surroundings, the fortune or the human fate of people and stuff like that. And in some way the essence of the lyrical contents is about getting people to start to think and take a look at themselves and the world around them and think about if we treat everyone with the respect they deserve, and are we giving the help to the ones that need it the most?

Generally speaking what's your main source of inspiration and favorite themes regarding the lyrics?

I have always loved to write about the mind and people with different disorders, mainly mental. Things that we really don't understand. I guess a lot comes from the time when I worked with people with these kind of problems. I guess it must have done a big impression on me.

What song would you pick from "Calling the Earth to Witness" as your favorite and why?

That's a hard one. But if I have to chose one it has to be Habit. I guess because it contains everything Darkwater stands for in music. It's very dynamic and ever-changing.

You belong to Ulterium Records, a more or less newly founded and the way I see it surely up and coming label. How did you come to a deal in the first place and how satisfied are you from your co-operation so far?

We sent our album to Ulterium Records just like we did to a bunch of other labels. But here we felt that they were very serious, unlike too many record labels, and it felt very good to have a swedish label because it makes it so much easier to keep contact. And so far we are very satisfied with Ulterium Records. They have done a great job for us!

Why this confusion with the release dates? I see that there's a big difference between Sweden, Norway and Europe or U.S.A.

Yeah well I guess it's because we have such a great label :) You see, they have worked for getting us the best distribution there is in the different territories, and therefore collaborating with other distributors and record labels, and that makes it quite impossible to have the same release date everywhere.

Do you keep an eye on the progressive metal scene? Which bands do you think make the difference today and what can you predict about its future?

Unfortunatly I don't. I've got an embarrassly bad knowledge about the metal bands around me. The only band I know has done a difference is Pain of Salvation. All their albums are in some way innovating.

…and what's your wildest dream regarding Darkwater?

Well I guess it's the same as every bands dream, to become the greatest band in the world and do a worldtour every year :)

Any live arrangements made yet?

Not really no, but I know our record label is working on it so hopefully we will get out and meet everyone quite soon.

Henrik thank you so much for honoring our webzine. Best wishes for the future and may all your dreams come true. Is there anything you'd like to add?

Thank you! Not more than a little note to the readers: keep listening, keep buying our albums and be sure to come to our shows! :) Take care everyone!