Guitarist Edwin Premberg and vocalist Erica Ohlsson talk about the new album.

The new album to be released on January 24, 2024 on AFM records is a story about life on our planet in the year 2055. The album has 16 songs. The album was produced by guitarist Edwin Premberg, and was mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen. https://www.metalite.se/index.php

The pre-sale is available at: https://bfan.link/expedition-one

“Aurora” is now available on all digital streaming services at https://metalite.bfan.link/aurora  

Interview by Craig Newman

IMM: Hi, Edwin and Erica good to talk to you. On the EP released during 2022, was fill in for the release of the new album so the fans get good feel for the songs?

Edwin: Of course, so we decided to release a lot of singles before the album release and started with “Hurricane” and “Take My Hand” to full in between the albums. “Hurricane” and “Take My Hand were recorded before the Expedition One sessions. The label wanted to add these two to the new album because they have the same theme matter and are good songs.  Also there will be a new single from the album when it released.

IMM: I see that “Hurricane” and “Take My Hand” on the new album are titled as bonus tracks, were they to be released as bonus tracks or included on the album with the other songs?

Erica: As Edwin said that these songs were written for the last album and weren’t included on the last album and good songs and we like them and the label wanted them on this album.

IMM: For “Blazing Skies” what that the song the band wanted to release as the first single from the album?

Edwin: There is power in that song and all the classic Metalite elements I like to use when I write songs that has good melody and guitar solo. Yeah, the song is catchy and we decided to have it as the first single for the video.

IMM: It’s a good song and video.

Edwin: Thank you.

Erica: We like that one.

 IMM: It has little technology of George Lucas (Stars Creator)

Edwin: (Laughter) Yeah we took a little bit of that. We are about to leave earth cause it’s burning.

IMM: This based on the fiction year 2055 on different planet?

Edwin: Yeah, also here on earth and if we found a new place to live in, at or live on.

IMM: Briefly describe the story to these songs such as: “CTRLALt Delete” and “Expedition One”?

Edwin: Expedition One is the first song on the album and is song about taking off in our space ships and the commanders are with us out in space.

IMM: Are you all in one ship or different ones?

Edwin: We are all in the same ship as five commanders (Laughter).

IMM:  For “New Generation’, is about future generation after 2055?

Edwin:  Exactly!  Is for the generation on a new planet and also we chose for our second video, that we needed another message in the video and is about that generation to keep on struggling and fighting to get everything right.

IMM: And these two songs:  “Paradise” and “Sanctum of Life”?

Edwin: They are more positive songs when we arrive on our new planet.  As for “Paradise” it speaks for itself, for a more perfect world and “Sanctum of Life” is a song about cruising through life in our new life.  The sun is shining and everybody is happy that we are at new place that is safe and stay forever.

IMM: Is always party time.

Edwin: (Laughter)

Erica: (Laughter)

IMM: Erica, describe the album cover?

Erica: (Laughter) What do you mean?  I am just kidding.  Edwin came up that idea I think? I have been on the covers since I jumped on this band and Edwin always has these ideas about putting me on the cover in different uniforms. This one is about us taking off in the space ship. Edwin  (Laughter) I don’t know if you have deeper explanation about this?

Edwin: I can only refer this to our live shows and everybody knows Erica and dress, like when we played at the Sweden Rock Festival we played the songs from the Ep with live footage  from the show and look at the Virtual World cover it’s also her dress from earlier shows and it’s a blend of all our shows together with a new theme and Sci Fi theme.

IMM: Erica, do wear the one dress or change to a different dresses for the songs while the band mates are doing solos?

Erica: No, I don’t have time to do that.  I wish though and would be cool. For the show I only have one dress outfit.

Edwin: For a instrumental song…(Laughter)

Erica: I would go out and change… (Laughter)

IMM: For props you can add like laser guns or shoots out shirts, confetti or water.

Edwin: Yes of course (Laughter) that would be good idea.

Erica: (Laughter)

IMM: The songs were written and recorded last year?

Edwin: Yep that is correct.

IMM: 2024 you are performing at Europe supporting Leaves’ Eyes. Will you have any Headlining shows?

Edwin? Yeah, were working on that. We have two shows in Sweden to start with in February then tour with Leaves’ Eyes during March. We have some stuff in planning right now and can’t tell you yet.

IMM: Most of the shows will be at Europe?

Edwin: Yeah. And we really want to go USA. We have a lot of fans there by looking at the statics, the streams and comments and social media.

IMM: You have mutual friends at Sweden such as Amaranthe  who performs at the U.S.

Edwin:  For Economics you need a few bands…

IMM: I agree and I am positive it will happen.  And how many songs from the new album and previous albums will be played on stage?

Edwin:  Well we play the singles that got the most streams and got heard the most. The singles will be a great start and to have the band discuss it. We will play an instrumental so Erica has break in the middle of the show.

Erica: That will be nice (Laughter).

IMM: One song that caught me while listening and watching the songs is Sonata Arctica’s  “Full Moon”.  What was you decision to cover  that song?

Edwin: That song for me was the start when I started listening to Power Metal. So for me it was the start for everything listening to the Finnish Power Metal bands like Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius, Nightwish and some bands nobody really knows about. So Sonata Arctica was the start for me when I started listening to Power Metal.

Erica: It’s a great song. I think we managed to do it pretty good.

IMM: I think Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica) will give his blessing.

Erica: (Laughter) I hope so.

IMM: That will be good if you can tour with them.

Edwin: That would be great!

IMM: Erica, any songs you like to cover?

Erica: We’ve talked about some, for me I like doing covers and very fun to do. Maybe next time we will do not a metal song or a metal song the beginning or pop song and put metal theme in that I think that would be great.

IMM: Was it planned to have fourteen songs on this album?

Edwin: Yeah, Fourteen songs and two bonus tracks. The previous albums I think have eleven songs and we always write a lot of songs besides the album songs because we want to release songs between the albums.

IMM: I am thinking down the roads that are songs that could be “B” sides to the singles, unreleased songs and demos to be released?

Edwin: Yeah, some are acoustic songs that we’ve tried out but never finished.

Erica: He has plenty stored in his computer we would like to work with also but we will see what happens.

Edwin: We released some live stuff from Sweden Rocks and would like to do that again.

IMM: It was good talking to you and seeing you and I hope that band can come to U.S. and I am optimistic it will happen.

Edwin: Thank you.

Erica” Thank you same to you.

Expedition One track listing:
01. Expedition One 
 02. Aurora 
 03. CtrIAltDel 
 04. Cyberdome
 05. Blazing Skies 
 06. Outer Worlds 
 07. New Generation 
 08. In My Dreams 
 09. Disciples of the Stars 
 10. Free 
 11. Legendary 
 12. Paradise
 13. Sanctum of Light 
 14. Utopia 
 15. Take My Hand 
 16. Hurricane