Falconer: Northwind carries them safe ashore

After Mithotyn had been disbanded, Stefan Weinerhall left black metal behind and became interested in melodic metal. Teaming up with his ex-Mithotyn colleague, drummer Karsten Larsson and with a local music-hall artist named Mathias Blad, he founded a new band, Falconer and a new style: folk power metal. Despite the growing succes of the  band, Mathias left to pursue his dramatic artist career, rather than touring with Falconer.  Kristoffer Gobel was brought in to replace him for the tour and then in the studio, but that was quite an unfortunate experience, as the next two records were not so well received by the fans.  Everybody realized that  the music of Falconer wasn't complete without Mathias' unique voice, so he returned to do the vocals on the new back-to-the-roots album, Northwind. Will he stay for good this time? Let's hear what Stefan Weinerhall has to say about that. And about a few other topics, as well.

Metalfan: Hello, Stefan, how is Falconer these days? 
Stefan: Just great and taking it easy. 
 
Metalfan: The great news for many of your fans is the comeback of your original singer Mathias Blad. How did you convince him to rejoin Falconer? Will he stay for good now? 
Stefan: He will stay in the band until the end now. I didn’t really have to convince him I just asked him if he wanted to come back and he’s be glad to. 
 
Metalfan: Another question about Mathias, he has studied drama and acting, has he ever acted in theatres or in a movie? 
Stefan: Not in movies just in musicals and some theatres. 
 
Metalfan: Talking about Falconer's singers, the two albums featuring Kristoffer Gobel on vocals were not so well received by critics and fans, why do you think that happened? 
Stefan: Well the first had the same musical style but with a new vocalist who honestly didn’t do the kind as good as Mathias. So it got slammed. The second one was adapted to his voice, a bit rougher and with more attitude so the music was changed to fit him. So it got slammed. 
 
Metalfan: Northwind is obviously a back to the roots album, a folk heavy metal album, as you describe it. Were you disappointed by the way things turned out with the experimental material on Grime vs Grandeur? 
Stefan: In the beginning I was very irritated on the fans because they didn’t take it for what it was. I´m sure that with a different band name it would have done better. As time went by I realised that I couldn’t reflect myself in that album and started to agree with the fans. I didn’t want to adapt to some one else, why not just make the music I do best? Then of course Mathias is the one who does [vocally] that style the best. 

Mathias Blad

 
Metalfan:  I gladly discovered an increased emphasis on the melodies. I think you have wrote some of your catchiest tunes so far (Catch the Shadows, Long Gone By), without prejudicing the identity of Falconer. What are your comments on this? 
Stefan: I can only agree. With the line up being better than in the past we could do that music even better. Solos, song writing, arranging, everything could be better….and was. 
I actually don’t know how to make it better at this moment. 
 
Metalfan: I also noticed a more extensive use of the keyboards, some sophisticated arrangements, like in the song Delusion, for example. I'd dare to say this added a progressive touch to your music, would you agree? 
Stefan: I think it added a lot, that’s for sure. It sounds more professional and produced. Just as I like it. The keyboards do actually play something real and not just boring layers. I would think that you can find some songs in the future that are more progressive mixed with more straight songs.  
 
Metalfan: In my opinion, the highlights of Falconer are the unique guitar riffs and melodies and Mathias unique voice, those two make a intriguing yet wonderful combination. Do you think you have perfectly mixed those two ingredients with Northwind, or are some things that you are thinking to improve in the future? 
Stefan: I think this one is perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t want to do the same album again but where we’re leaning in the future is still unclear. I have wishes, the other members have wishes and the fans have wishes. All wishes are different. 
 
Metalfan: How did the new songs come together in terms of songwritting, did you compose everything and told everyone what to do, or was it more like a team effort? 
Stefan: I do the songs at home. Then I bring demos of them to the guys and they interpret the songs so I would say that it’s just the details that are created at the rehearsals. 
 
Metalfan:  What is the concept behind the album's cover? We see a man leaving his weapons behind, heading home. Is this a metaphor for the band going back to the original style, re-uniting with the original singer, or maybe a call for peace in the world? 
Stefan: Actually it’s just describing the title track. But your interpretation is correct to. It’s all thanks to the cover artist. Everything got combined. 
 
Metalfan: Looking at the lyrics, they are shaped as tales from the old times, introducing epical characters like knights, warriors and kings, their actions concluding with the moral of the story. Where do you get your inspiration? What are your favourite subjects? 
Stefan: I get the ideas from all kind of things. It might be politics, religion, war, tales or love. What I do is just to write about them in medieval style. So there are not really that many real fantasy lyrics, it’s just a matter of language. 
 
Metalfan: The song Perjury and Sanctity is about religion, what is the message of this song? 
Stefan: It just deals with hypocrites. Stand up for your sins and don’t try to cover them with the fact that you go to the church every now and then. You’re not better than me anyway. 

Stefan Weinerhall

 
Metalfan: Why are there so many "L"s in the middle section of the song Fairyland Fanfare? It's some kind of a spelling test for Mathias? 
Stefan: It’s just a fun thing. Sounds great and also it’s a sign that we’re not that serious. You’re allowed to have fun even in Metal. 
 
Metalfan: Northwind has been released on September 22nd, what are your expectations and what reactions did you get so far? 
Stefan: The reactions have been what I awaited. Great. Some fans even let go of the “halo” of the first album. Nice to hear. 
 
Metalfan: Playing live is a very effective way of promotion, yet you could not make too much use of it so far, was there any pressure from your label because of this? Will there be a tour for promoting Northwind? 
Stefan: No and no. Metal Blade prefers to have Mathias than going on tour I guess. That’s the case for me anyway. We will only do festivals, that’s my bet. 
 
Metalfan: Falconer started as a studio band, has it become a real band now?
Stefan: I think it is a real band but still I consider us to belong in the studio. 
 
Metalfan: How much of your old band, Mithotyn, do you think it survives in Falconer's music of today? 
Stefan: Not that much. Some melodies and guitar riffs. The atmosphere I think can still be the same. 
 
Metalfan: Looking back at your debut album with Falconer, how do you feel about it? You think you could have done better for a debut? 
Metalfan: Not at that time. 
 
Metalfan:  How do you see Falconer in the European metal scene? Are you satisfied with the recognition you have got so far? 
Stefan: I think we deserve slightly more honestly. There are some bands out there which I just can’t understand why they are that big. I am very thankful for what we have got though, so don’t think I’m ungrateful. 
 
Metalfan: And finally, looking forward, what does the near future hold for Falconer? 
Stefan: I have no idea what so ever. I guess I have to melt this album and then summon power to go on. Hopefully we can do some festivals next summer to play for our fans. 
 
Metalfan:  Thank you very much for this interview, good luck with the band, and don't forget to answer our quick quiz: