Vhäldemar is spanish heavy metal band formed in Barakaldo, in 1999. First demo “Maketa” (Arise Records) was released in 2001. In 2002, debut album “Fight to the End” was launched (Arise Records). After “I Made My Own Hell” was released in 2003, band took eight years vacation and came back in 2011 with “Metal of the World”. Year 2013 brought us “Shadows of Combat”. In 2017, Vhäldemar signed contract with Fighter Records. Re-issue of first two albums “Fight to the End” and “I Made My Own Hell” was released in April 2017 and only month later “Old King’s Visions” EP.
As we are close to release date of their fifth full-length album “Against All Kings”, we thought it would be nice to talk to Carlos Escudero, lead vocalist of mighty Vhäldemar.
Hi, Carlos! Thank you for your time and cooperation.
First of all, who is Vhäldemar?
It´s a warrior who gives us the force and the power of the Heavy Metal, he guides us in this world of shadows…
The band was formed in 1999. Tell us something more about the beginning and your expectations.
To be honest we still have the same hopes to offer our Heavy Metal worldwide, we are not going to change in our lives.
Over the years, your style has changed. How would you describe the music you are playing to someone who have never heard Vhäldemar?
The band have had an evolution but I don´t think we have changed too much.We still write fast or powerful songs, let´s say Heavy Metal hymns with the feelings this kind of music needs, we put our hearts in each song in our live shows or in the studio.
You have five albums behind. I think that unfortunatelly you have no great fan base, at least here where I live. Only few people in Serbia know about your existance. How is he situation in the rest of Europe?
Our first 2 albums got great sales and feedback in Europe, Japan or Brazil, we had a large period without new album, 2 albums released by the own band…But now we are stronger than ever and I hope we can reach also Serbia.
Tell me something about metal scene in Spain?
We have great musicians but we haven´t big Heavy Metal band, bands which get a relevant international feedback.
Pedro, giutarist, is Malmsteen fan. While your first album was in Gamma Ray style, today in your music we can recognize Accept and Grave Digger influences. What kind of metal is your personal favorite and is there any you don’t like?
Pedro and me have the same influencies of classic big Heavy Metal bands: Manowar, Malmsteen, Dio… Everything we feel true, we are not into modern bands.
I red somewhere that you have unusual way to check mics on the soundchecks, repeating 7-7-7 (seven, Spanish-siete). Where does the number seven come from?
Hahaha… It´s an old history… It´s my favorite number, we included a track in the first album with that title…This number contains the S and T so, it´s great for the vocal´s soundcheck
Conecept albums are very popular these days. If you would make one, what would you choose as the main theme?
I could say that our albums are something like conceptual ´cos everything is based in the Heavy Metal, we love this music, it helps us to win the battles in the real life, the Heavy Metal has that power for us, it give us extra motivation and we want to transmit that feeling in our music.
Oscar Cuadrado who hed left the bass player position is your manager and promoter. Why he decided to cross to the other side?
It was due personal reasons, he couldn´t be 100% with us but he still helps us a lot with many things and we appreciate it very much.
The main goal of this interview is to promote your upcoming album. In May you relased EP “Old King’s Visions” which promissed great full-lenght album. It supposed to be relaeased in October, but it was postponed. Why?
It was due a new collaboration in the last minute.Alberto Rionda (Avalanch) recorded a solo and we were over the deadline, anyway, the delay is just a month, we wanted to offer the best and the album is forever… The album will be released November 7th.
I was lucky enough to hear “Against All Kings” already. I will leave my impressions for review I will write. Tell us some basics: where the album was recorded, who produced it, who wrote the lyrics and music…
We recorded at Chromaticity Studios ( Pedro´s Studios) as we have done in the last 2 albums.Pedro takes care of the songwriting, recording and he also produces the albums and I work with the lyrics.
I think that “Against All Kings” is our best album.
Lot of guests participated Alberto Rionda, Roma, Diego Zapatero, Ruben Miranda… It seems you have great support among Spanish musicians?
It´s something that we have never done in the past, this time we wanted fans or friends could offer this talent in this album, great musicians!!!
Can you say which song/songs are your favorites from “Against All Kings”?
I can´t do that ha, ha, ha… All tracks are special for me… Each of them are like a son. I love all of them!!!
This time you have very interesting artwork, at least for me, the best one by now. Who created it?
Our bass player did it, Adolfo Warbanner, he also worked in our previous album but he wasn´t a member of the band in that time…I think that now he has put more effort being member of the band hahaha… We wanted to have the old Vhäldemar once again in our artwork.
You have been pretty busy during this year: you signed contract with Fighter Records, announced re-edition of first two albums (“Fight to the End” and “I Made My Own Hell”), than in May you released “Old King’s Visions” EP, “Agianst All Kings” will be released soon.
What the future brings to Vhäldemar?
I´m sure this album will have a good feedback from our fans and media is writting good things about it… Now, the band is full of energy!!!
Thank you for your time. I whish you sucessfull album. Hope to see you on the road. All the best!
Thanx Ivona for the interview and a big hello to all your readers.
A muerte!!
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