PRESSURE – interview
- Posted on 15-02-2022
Pressure is a melodic rock band hailing from Stockholm, Sweden. With songwriter and lead guitarist Simon “Siirpo” Forsell at the helm, vocalist Olof Jönsson and guitarist Emil Salling lead everyday people around the world to overcome and embrace the pressures felt from everyday existence. The below chat is with Simoan, who briefly introuces himself and the band: My name is Simon and I am the lead guitarist and songwriter of the band Pressure. I have played guitar for over 35 years now and I live by my strings! Pressure is a melodic hard rock/heavy metal act from Sweden that was founded 2018. Pressure is me Simon Forsell, Olof Jönsson, Olli Violet and Emil Salling. We try to do our own thing, to differ us from other bands and to do that we invented our own subgenre of heavy metal. This we call Story Metal!
Note that there’s a new single coming on February 19th – “What You See (Is What You Get)” and it can be presaved here!
What’s the hardest part about being a band in this day and age?
Well that is a good question. Right now it has been the lack of playing live gigs for almost two years. I mena as a hard rock/heavy metal act we need the live scene to survive. This kind of music are not adjusted to experience to its fullest potential online. However I am looking forward now when Sweden is finally opening up again. If you think about things that are not COVID related, then I would say its hard to get heard these days. I mean there is almost 40 000 songs released per day on Spotify alone, so for a new and relativity unknow band as Pressure its hard to get noticed!
When did you realise that your project had the potential to be much more than just a fun idea?
We found our sound when we found our lead singer. Olof Jönsson put his mark on the songs and it was really easy to start to write. As we have worked very hard all of us together to build something unique we think we don’t have a certain moment when we realized that this is very good and has potential. We have always believed in our music and abilities. And together in this band, we have found the right tools to show the world how to handle the Pressure!
Tell us about your latest release, why should we check it out?
We are releasing a new song on March 3rd. It’s a song called “Madecine – One shot of love” and is a song with a double meaning that you as a listener will have to interpret. One side of it could be a song about addiction. If you have been there you know the urge to get the next shot, and in your eyes, this shot is “a shot of pure love”. Another side of this is that we all need a little love in our life but we are always searching for new ways to get confirmation. I mean we have apps, ads, chatrooms, meetings, clubs etc. And if there was a shot of love called Madecine, well people would take it! And yes, Madecine is the name of the drug here ?
How does a song typically come together for you?
We write our songs a little backward. We always start with a lyric. The lyric is very important to us! We collect stories from our own life and every lyric has a true story or situation behind it. How could you tell a story, or do something with true and pure passion if you have not experienced it yourself? Well, when we have got the lyrics then we choose the style of music that will best tell the story of the lyric. That’s why many Pressure song has a different sound and feel to them. Its by design. We write music to fit the lyric and not the other way around.. Its mostly me, Simon, who writes the songs, together with Olli Violet. I do all the music in one session. I record a draft where I do everything, drums, bass, guitars and vocals. And that’s very exhausting. I need to sleep after writing a song, my head and soul are just empty. After this I send it to the guys and we start to alter and change and mold the song into a true Pressure song.
How would you describe your sound to an unfamiliar reader?
A Story Metal sound. Not genre specific, lyric driven storytelling metal with roots in everything from bluesrock to thrash metal and all in between. You will find everything here. But mostly true lyrics helped by heavy guitardriven sound. Delivered by melodic and harmonizing vocals.
What do you want listeners to take away from listening to your band?
We want our listeners to use our music and lyrics as tools to handle different kind of Pressures and situations in there life. Do know that they are not alone and to empower and strengthen people.
Where would you really like to tour that you haven’t done so yet, and why?
There is so many places I want to go touring. But OK, We would like to be the first band that played a full show on the new colony on Mars!
How would you say that the sound of your band has progressed over the years?
We always progress. We learn and develop. We are very humble to each other and to learn and develop is important as it is in life. We see our band as our second family and to keep a family together you need to grow together, respect each other and dare to try new things. We constantly challenge ourself and try to be a really proressive and different kind of band.
How excited are you for 2022, and what can fans expect from you?
We are very excited about 2022. In 2022 we will release our second album. It will come out in early June and the name will be “In A Dark Heart We Trust” and will be a concept album about relations.
If you want to follow us and listen to us here are some links!
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pressuresweden
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/Pressuresweden
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/7a9rKp03MYJv4leDN7Mm8k
Merch https://shop.spreadshirt.se/pressure
Twitter https://www.twitter.com/pressuresweden
Bandcamp https://pressuresweden.bandcamp.com