In a new interview with Metal Anthology, Soilwork frontman Björn “Speed” Strid has opened up about the band’s songwriting progress for their long-awaited follow-up to 2022’s Övergivenheten — and how the creative process has evolved following the passing of guitarist David Andersson in September 2022.
Reflecting on the shift, Strid acknowledged Andersson‘s central role in the band while emphasizing a renewed sense of collective momentum. “Yeah, [David] was very much of a driving force. So I think it’s a bit more of a group effort now, like a collective thing,” he said. “And it feels like we’re entering a bit of a new era.”
According to Strid, the upcoming album will neither abandon the expansive atmosphere of Övergivenheten nor simply retread old ground. “I think next album will be slightly different from Övergivenheten, but it will have some of those elements—the atmosphere, but maybe more mixed with the sort of old, heavier stuff from the 2000s,” he explained.
He also credited longtime touring guitarist Simon Johansson, now officially in the band, for injecting fresh energy. “Simon joining the fold as well has brought some fresh blood, both on a personal level and songwriting-wise and everything.”
Johansson echoed that sentiment, describing the process as a learning curve for what is effectively a newly formed lineup. “We’re learning to write together in a way, because we haven’t really done it,” he said, also noting bassist Rasmus Ehrnborn‘s growing role.
“It’s kind of like a new constellation having to create music. But it’s working well.” He pointed to the band’s 2024 single “Spirit Of No Return” as proof of concept, adding, “We have a lot of really promising songs for the new album. We have a lot written already — more than one album.”
Despite the abundance of material, Johansson was quick to shut down any speculation about a double album. “No, that won’t happen. We’re gonna do a moderate, normal-length album. But it’s gonna be a cool one,” he said, hinting that extra tracks could still surface as standalone releases or future singles.
When asked whether the new material would lean into the faster tempos of Soilwork‘s early years, Strid clarified that the emphasis is more on weight than speed. “More like heavier—the heaviness, I would say, that we had on maybe A Predator’s Portrait and Natural Born Chaos, maybe a little bit of Stabbing The Drama too,” he said. “I kind of wanted to bring back the heaviness a bit and sort of mix it up with a more recent atmosphere, the epicness.”
Johansson added that unpredictability remains part of the magic. “You never know what happens during an album process… sometimes the least favorite song becomes the best song. It’s super interesting. It’s so fun to be in that process.”
On the production front, Soilwork are opting for a hands-on approach. “This one we’re gonna be pretty much self-produced,” Strid revealed, confirming that recording will take place at Johansson‘s studio. Johansson added that a trusted engineer — who has worked with the band on recent releases — will again contribute ideas, making it “a group effort” in every sense.
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