INTERVIEW – Jake E of Amaranthe, February 2013

I loved the sound of Amaranthe when they released their debut on an unsuspecting audience a couple years ago.  All we could do here in the States was wait for a new release, as they didn’t do a huge tour to support the first disc.  Recently, I was given the opportunity to interview one of the vocalists, Jake E, and I jumped at the chance.

ToddStar: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule for 100% Rock Magazine.

Jake E: No Problem.

ToddStar: Thanks Jake.  If it is okay, I would love to jump right into discussing your newest release, The Nexus.  I find myself really looking forward to it since first hearing the single.  What can you briefly tell us about that disc, that most people may not know on the surface?

Jake E: Thank you.  Everything is a bit MORE on this piece.  The metal parts are more metal, the pop parts more pop, you get the idea.  On the last album we had every song ready and practiced to perfection before we entered the studio.  This time we had a more laid back approach going to the studio with ideas that we knew we had to finish during the recording.  The recording took almost 3 months and it was recorded in Ribe, Denmark.

ToddStar: The new song, and I am assuming the whole disc, has several of the same basic components as your debut release.  In your opinion, in what ways does it vary from the first release?    What elements from the last disc did you intentionally carry over to this effort?

Jake E: Well, I guess that The Nexus identifies itself with our hunger in some ways, but the cool thing with us is that we felt that we found our sound already on our first album.  Usually bands tend to experiment a bit before they really know what defines them.  But I think people will be very surprised when they hear the next single as that one is from a completely different world.  Fans will absolutely recognize our sound and style on this album.  You will hear some of the biggest choruses you’ve ever heard!

ToddStar: How do you describe the difference in sound, sonically, in the band between this and your previous release?

Jake E: Well as I mentioned before. Everything is a bit MORE. If you´re a fan of Amaranthe, you will recognize this from the first song, but everything is a bit more modern. And of course….better.

ToddStar: What types of writing, production, and studio experiences that you learned while making the previous disc did you know you wanted to carry over to this disc?  Which did you know to scrap and move on?

Jake E: The funny thing is that we copied the way we worked on the last album and did everything more or less on the same way this time again.

ToddStar: The single is very strong, and I find myself listening to the track over and over.  Are there any favorites of yours on the disc that you find yourself going back to?  Any you wish came out sounding different?

Jake E: When it comes to the sound (production wise) I have nothing to say about that.  Jacob Hansen is a fucking magician when it comes to making something good sound!  I love all the songs, but “Afterlife,” “Burn with Me,” and “Invincible” are songs that are stuck in my head every day.  It´s gonna be fun to hear the fans reviews in a month or two!

ToddStar: Regarding The Nexus, were any of the songs easier to write and record than others?  You often hear about an artist that sat down to write a song and that essentially the song wrote itself.  Were any of the songs difficult to complete?  If so, which?

Jake E: Well we intentionally kept some gaps in some songs til we recorded them to let them grow a bit by themselves and that actually worked great!  “Burn with Me” was done in an hour, but it took us two weeks of working on arrangement before we were totally satisfied with it.  I don’t really remember which song that took the longest time, because we rarely name the songs until we´re in the studio.  But as always, some songs write themselves on the bus while other needs a lot of love before they´re born.

ToddStar: After going back and checking out your last disc again after hearing the single, I find that your music is sonically consistent, but there are still subtle changes that show growth as a band.  Do you still feel and hear the growth in this band?

Jake E: Absolutely!  The first single is always similar to your other songs and hits because you need to show everyone that you´re back and you don´t want to scare away your fans.  But when you hear the whole album, I can assure you that you will hear a lot of changes and improvements.  We’ve climbed quite a few rungs up on the ladder with this release.

ToddStar: If you had to describe the sound of Amaranthe to someone who had never heard of you, how would you do that?

Jake E: That´s the hardest thing to do! We play Soilwork metal with Beyonce vocals in the music.

ToddStar: When performing live, do you think the band will mix the material evenly from your earlier album, or are you planning to play more of the newer material?  Are there any songs from your last release that you feel will always be a part of your live show?

Jake E: Our tour starts before the release of the album, so I think that we will start with 2-3 new songs and then after the album is out, we’ll try to start playing more new song after that.

ToddStar: If you had to pick possible pairings for an ideal tour, what other bands would you like to see Amaranthe out on the road with?

Jake E: Iron Maiden as an opening act.  I don’t know.  I would love to play with Europe, while Andy would say Cannibal Corpse.

ToddStar: What is next for Amaranthe? Any plans to record anything else anytime soon or is there going to be a big tour cycle surrounding The Nexus?

Jake E: World tour starts March 3^rd, to include Europe, Japan, Russia.  (See tour dates here: http://www.amaranthe.se/?go=tourdates#Main)  Regarding the USA, we´ll be back in September or so hopefully.

ToddStar: Do you find any of the other arts affect your music or the way you approach writing, recording, or playing live with Amaranthe?

Jake E: I´m a big fan of big Hollywood movies, so I will say movies for sure!

ToddStar: Are there any bands that are currently releasing music or touring that influence you personally or professionally?  What is the last CD/mp3 album you listened to?

Jake E: I actually don´t listen to music that often.  I think the last album I bought was back in 2003.  It was a Best of from Bon Jovi that I found at a gas station somewhere.  But whenever I listen to radio in the car it influences me all the time, without me thinking about it on some subconscious level.

ToddStar: If there were one piece of music in the history of time that you wish you had written or performed on, what would it be and why?

Jake E: Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi

ToddStar: What is the meaning of life?

Jake E: 42 or nothing Nietzsche couldn’t teach you.

ToddStar: Other than making sure everyone checks out your website and Facebook, are there any other current projects or sites you would like to promote?

Jake E: Yes add my FaceBook page www.facebook.com/jakeeamaranthe and say hello.

ToddStar: Thanks again for taking the time and we look forward to 2013 and more Amaranthe!!!

Jake E: Thanks for taking the time for this interview and I hope we meet in person someday!  Cheers and thanks.

Category: Interviews