Last Tribe Studio Report
By: Anders Sandvall
Pictures by: Anders Sandvall
Dick
Lövgren from Last Tribe with Anders
This is a report from the recording of Last Tribe's
forthcoming third album recorded in Roasting
house Recording studio in Malmö, Sweden during July 2003, and also a
short interview with guitarist Magnus about the work of the album.
I went to the Roastinghouse Recording studio to watch the Last Tribe
guys record their follow up album to their second album from 2002 called
WITCH DANCE. Magnus, the band leader, had recorded all songs as demos in
his own portable studio. It was ready for the other guys to copy what he
had done and play it in their own way. Before I went in the studio, Magnus
had done some pre-production in the studio and after that it was time to
record the drums. All of that was already finished when I came by so when
I entered the studio it was time for Dick to record his bass parts.
Besides the fact that he is a genius on bass he is also very nice and fun
to talk to. It only took him two days to record all of his bass parts on
the ten tracks - that is incredibly fast.
They record their parts individually and not together as a band, so
that means that first up it was Jamie's turn to record the drums, after
that Dick did his job, then Magnus did his part and last it was the singer
Richards turn to put down his lead vocals. When all of that was done the
only thing left to do was some post-production by Magnus like back-up
vocals, keyboards, and guitar solos.
The next day it was Magnus' turn to play guitar, he did his part in no
time at all. The cooperation with Anders "Theo" Theander seemed
to work out fine but Magnus sat down the whole time and watched what the
other guys were doing. It seemed like Magnus already had what the whole
album should sound like in his head. From what I've heard from the new
album it sounded quite a lot like the previous album.
That turned out to be wrong when I returned a few weeks later Richard
was going to sing his parts (only to hear him warm up his voice was an
experience in itself, he has an amazing voice that man) it didn't sound
like WITCH DANCE at all….it sounded more heavy metal. That day I also
heard the bonus track for Japan on witch Magnus is singing and it was a
really good song. Magnus thinks that he has a too ordinary voice to sing
lead, but I don't agree with him on that. It is sad though that the song
is not going to be on the European press of the album.
At the end of the summer when the mix and the mastering of the album
was done I met up with Magnus again to hear the final result of the album.
I got to listen straight through the eleven-song (including the Japan-only
song) and it sounded extremely good. If possible, it sounded even better
than their previous one. Not that the last one was bad in any way but my
first impression of the new one was that this one could top WITCH DANCE.
It sounded harder, and features Magnus and Richard at the top of the sound
picture. Jamie on drums impresses a lot as well.
It's a bit hard to have an opinion when you've only heard it once but
it sounded promising, very promising. I was one of the first ones to
listen to the brand new album as well. I've also got a chance to interview
Magnus about the work with the third album.
Tracklist for the new album
Healer
The chosen one
Sacrifice (ballad)
The uncrowned
Otherworld
April sky
Sound of rain
Only the innocent
Fullmoon
Call of the tribe
Blessed by the dark (Bonus track for Japan)
How
has the work with you're third album been going?
It's been going great. This time the work has been going much better
than on the previous albums, both musically and everyone was in a really
good mood.
Does the album have a working name?
It's called "The Uncrowned".
Why did you choose to record the album in the same studio as the two
previous albums?
Because Theo and I know each other very well and because the two other
albums were recorded there.
Why have you chosen to record each part separately and not together
as a band? Don't you loose the live feeling?
We have did it because of practical reasons and because it works best
for us to do it that way.
You have co-produced the album with Theo, how did the co-operation
work this time around?
It worked really well, much better than the last time.
How long has it take to record the album?
It took about 2.5 months.
What do you think about what the other guys have achieved on the
album? Yourself included?
Everyone has put a little bit of extra effort this time. Jamie plays
incredibly good because he plays on his own drums this time and Richard
was sick during the recording off Witch
Dance so he has done a much better job this time. I think I play a
lot better on this album than I've ever done on any other album.
Do you think that you will top the previous album?
We have taken a step in the right direction and I'll hope for more
success this time of course.
Is
there a release date yet?
It's first released in Japan in October with eleven tracks on the album
and the release date for Europe is sometime during November and there are
ten tracks on the European version.
Have you written all of the music/lyrics on the album?
I have written all of the songs except for one that I have written with
Richard, we split up one song and did one half each.
When are you going to produce yourself?
I already produce by myself!
Band's Website: www.lasttribe.net
Uncrowned Release dates:
22/10 2003 JAPAN
1/12 2003 THE REST OF THE WORLD
Listen
to a sample from the new album here.