Sitting Down With Imminence: Eddie Berg And Harald Barrett On ‘Axis Mundi’

It's a full-circle moment. August Burns Red and In Flames were our heroes growing up. We went to see them in our hometown, and ABR were one of the bands that got us into metalcore. They were probably the first band I heard where the music was all screaming. Getting to tour with them now feels unreal.

We don't usually decide in advance what a new writing cycle has to achieve. We write an album, release it, tour it, then gather new experiences and grow as people. The new elements seem to find their way into the music naturally. At the same time, there's a need to experiment with the process and see how far we can push things while keeping the essence of who we are.

It's powerful. You see people in the crowd connecting deeply with the music, and that is a beautiful thing. When you've written and recorded a song, then played it night after night, you can eventually feel some distance from the place you were in when you made it. Seeing someone find real meaning in it reminds you that what you're doing matters to other people.

I think so. Sometimes it's hard to take in when people tell you how the music has helped them or someone they love, or how they connect it to good and bad times in their lives. It feels almost unreal that a song we made can mean that much to somebody. It's amazing.

Touring is more comfortable for us now. We get to do this with some of our best friends and have a great team around us. It's different from driving around in a cramped van and sleeping on people's floors. Having a team that keeps things running means we can focus on performing.

For me, it's still important to look after my body. I try to make conscious choices each day: what I eat and drink, when I go to bed, and whether I can fit in exercise. Even when finding a gym is difficult, you have to keep trying if that's the path you want to be on. Sometimes you do it even when you don't feel like it.

Completely. At home we're very self-sufficient and involved in every part of the band. On tour we still have those responsibilities, but our focus has to shift. Performing, doing interviews, meeting fans and making content are things we can only do while we're out here, so they take priority. The days on the road and life at home are different, but we're working toward the same goals.

Our graphic designer is a close friend and has made every album cover. He's a big part of the visual universe. After listening to the music, he brings in his first ideas and we build the world together. For the videos, we've also brought in a scriptwriter and a larger production team.

We also worked with outside producers on the music. Lucas, who writes film scores, helped us take the cinematic side further, and we worked with Drew Fulk as well. This time it felt like all hands on deck, bringing in people we like and trust to help take things to the next level.

We already had the songs. They came in and helped elevate them, but they didn't change the foundation of the songs.

I don't know if one is harder. It may be different. We're from Sweden and Scandinavia, so we bring different cultural influences and listen to a lot of different kinds of music. Of course, we grew up on bands from the United States and the UK too, but we come from another background.

For a long time, it was hard for people to place us. A lot of people didn't know what to make of the band. Now it feels like people accept that we're our own thing, and that's fine.

It's the most ambitious project we've ever done. We've been trying to expand the boundaries of what Imminence is and thinking about how people perceive the band. The album steps in many different directions.

There's always something in the pipeline. We can't reveal much yet, but there are exciting things coming with this album cycle. Of course, we'll go out and tour the record. We're very excited about it.