Eddie Berg - Imminence 'An Imminent Metalcore Future Is Upon Them'

When a new band lands in your lap ears there is usually an unhealthy judgement inside you that can either make or break your opinion of them. Will they live up to expectations? Can you listen for longer than one song without getting bored? Why did it take you so long to discover them? All those questions and more can finally be answered when you hit play for the first time and in many cases, you wish you had done it sooner. Imminence from Sweden are a synth styled metalcore band on the rise and they have their sights set on a bright future in the industry. But while this band may still remain relatively unknown across the pond, they're gaining traction overseas and have started taking up positions on tours and European Festivals alongside song of the big names in the business. Their latest album This Is Goodbye is catching the attention of new fans all over the world so I grabbed front-man Eddie Berg for an interrogation interview before they get too busy to return our calls...

Hey Eddie, we've just been introduced to you here in Australia, what are 3 things we need to know about Imminence before becoming fans? 

"1. We're a Swedish, alternative rock/metal band."
"2. The band consists of four members, Me (Eddie Berg) - vocals, Harald Barrett - guitar, Max Holmberg - bass and Peter Hanström - drums." 
"3. Music is our life, we breathe it and we burn for it. We write music with pure passion and creativity to connect with people all over the world on a whole new emotional level."

Listening to your song 'This Is Goodbye' I heard a distinctive synth/metalcore styled sound akin to BMTH/Enter Shikari. Would I be right in saying they influenced your direction? If not, who are your inspirations? 

"BMTH has been one of our influences in making this album. They really paved the way for metalcore bands to find a place in the alternative rock scene. But we've also been heavily influenced by the bands we listened to as teenagers, like Linkin Park, In Flames, Thirty Seconds To Mars and the whole nu-metal/emo/alt-rock era of the 00's. More recent influences from popular music have also been a big part of the album, for example artists like Coldplay and Ed Sheeran."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bP38kcnJW0&w=853&h=480]

"I took some singing lessons back in 2010-12 I think, but I'm mostly self-taught. I started singing in garage bands when I was about 14 years old and was mostly screaming/growling. The real "learning" process for me actually started in writing our new album. I wanted to do something different, I wanted to evolve and be able to express myself and my voice a whole lot more. When writing, I was experimenting a lot with my voice and recorded/edited myself. It was like a therapy session with myself, a naked truth. It became very clear what, and where, I needed improving."

Give us a rundown of the album This Is Goodbye, what theme you worked with in the writing process? 

"The big theme of the album is the prowess of leaving something behind in order to make room for something else in your life. It can be anything from fears, relationships, faith, a use or abuse. It symbolizes the sacrifices we make for our ambitions and emotions. The title is also a direct references to what we've gone through as a band, personally and musically."

How hard is it for you to translate lyrics from Swedish to English? Does anything get lost in translation? 

"I never write lyrics in Swedish, I always write my lyrics in English. I find it too hard to get the same meaning out of a text if you would try to translate it."

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxuBIibmGKY&w=853&h=480]

"The dream would be to have someone completely out of the box. I would like to have a producer that normally would not work with our genre, to get a completely new perspective on both sides. Ed Sheeran is one of my favorite artists and songwriters, and I think it would be a really cool and interesting mix to work together."

You've also been compared to Linkin Park's earlier work too, what's your opinion of the band's new direction? haha 

"Haven't heard everything new from them to be honest, but I actually really liked 'Heavy'!"

On the side of the band you're also the creator of Liftamountain, a great business that can help bands and brands. Tell us how this idea came about? 

"The idea started from making music videos to Imminence, and then to other bands. I needed a name to go under and to brand myself. My grandfather and father used to paint a long time ago, so I took some inspiration and started making designs and logos, then collected everything under one roof. Liftamountain is like my creative alter ego."

For heavy music lovers who haven't jumped on the Imminence bandwagon yet, why should they start now? 

"I think we really have something new and different to offer. In the end, music is something to be enjoyed, and I think (and hope, haha) a lot of people might enjoy our new sound."

What's next for the band, new album is out, any tour plans for Australia? 

"Currently we’re touring Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. After that the festival season starts, and we have some European Festivals planned this summer. Nothing is planned for Australia at the moment, but we’re definitely on the watch for a good opportunity."

Browny (@brownypaul)

Imminence - This Is Goodbye tracklisting

1. This Is Goodbye
2. Diamonds
3. Broken Love
4. Coming Undone
5. Up
6. Daggers
7. Cold as Stone
8. Keep Me
9. Not a Rescue
10. Ivory Black
11. Desert Place

Imminence's album This is Goodbye is Available Now. Get your copy here

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLaFNPIIYQs&w=853&h=480]