Hard Talk

Cans Interview

by Jonathan Mariante

Hammerfall have become a very big name in the power metal scene over the past few years. The are one band who helped put power metal back on the map, and are also credited as the instigators of the current flood of power metal bands on the scene. Now that Hammerfall have firmly established themselves, their singer, Joacim Cans, is now branching out with his own side project, simply called Cans, who recently released their debut, "Beyond The Gates". Here's what he had to say about it.

BALL-BUSTER: Cans is your Hammerfall side project. Tell us about it, like how it got started, why you wanted to do it, and all?

JOACIM CANS: During the last Hammerfall I felt that I needed to do something creative and not only waste my time before and after every show. Being a singer in a band is sometimes very boring due to the fact that you always have to take care of your voice and stay away from alcohol. I also had feelings and emotions inside of me that I couldn't direct into the music of Hammerfall, so this was also a way for me to channalize these feelings into something and get it out of my system and them return to Hammerfall with a cleared mind.

BB: How do your Hammerfall bandmates feel about you doing something on your own?

JC: I think Stefan loved the idea since he got to play on the album, as well as co write two songs on it. The rest of the guys really respected my decision and understood why I had to do this. At least I hope so.

BB: Are you pleased with how the albums turned out? Has it been well received by fans and critics?

JC: I am more than satisfied with the outcome of the album, and it sounds as powerful as I imagined when starting composing the tracks. Something I didn't really expect though I thought everyone would judge the album based on the fact that I am the singer of Hammerfall, so it will sounds exactly the same.

BB: Do you have any touring plans/live dates set?

JC: We did one festival in Sweden on May 22 and will do a few more shows in Sweden and Germany the second week of August. It was really good to get back to basics and just enter the stage and see what happened.

BB: Some well known metal people were involved in the production of the Cans album, I understand?

JC: I simply asked the people I wanted to work with if they would be interested in working with me for this album. They were all happy to be part of it and provided me with really cool guitar riffs and sometimes enchanting melodies. We are all in the same boat and do this because we love metal and it was a joyride from the very start of the songwriting process.

BB: The album's title track was co-written by you and David Chastain. How did you hook up with him? What was it like working with him? How did he feel about the cover of "Angel Of Mercy" on the last Hammerfall album?

JC: I simply sent him a mail telling him about my ideas and asked him if he would like to be part of it. He loved the idea and sent me 12 song idea that might work on the album. It took a while to go through all the tracks but finally I decided to use only one track, that later became the title track. It was an honor to work with David and I hope to do it again one day. He was very happy that we did "Angel Of Mercy" with Hammerfall and as far as I know, he also liked the way we recorded it.

BB: Are there any future plans for this band? Do you plan to do another album?

JC: We have to wait and see the sales of the first album before we can speculate in a follow up. If the fans end up buying the album there will indeed be a second album in a few years. I have already some cool ideas for it.

BB: Are you still a member of Warlord? What's up with them?

JC: I think the Warlord reunion was a one album thing. I don't really have time for it and it seems that the rest of the guys was so unhappy with the way the album got treated by the labels so they have a hard time finding the right inspiration to continue. BB: What about the other band you were in, Mrs. Hippie?

JC: That was before Hammerfall, so that band has been buried for almost nine years. The album that came out in 2000 was old recordings that were too good to be left in the drawer.

BB: Some Hammerfall questions: How's Oscar doing with his arm injury?

JC: He is fully recovered and is playing guitar like never before!

BB: Is there a new Hammerfall studio album in the works?

JC: We are writing new songs as we speak and we are planning to enter the studio in September with a March 2005 release.

BB: I heard you recently became a father? How's that going? Does fatherhood agree with you?

JC: Yes, I became a father for the first time in December last year and the feeling when I held my daughter the first time was truly amazing. I never felt so devoted to anyone before. Fatherhood and a life as a musician can be hard sometimes, when you have to leave home for five weeks. But on the other hand, when I am home I am home. So I think I am very fortunate to able to spend so much time with her.

BB: Hammerfall has become quite popular over the years. Did you ever have any idea the band would be as big as they are when you started?

JC: Not even in my wildest dreams could I imagine Hammerfall taking off the way we did. I think our debut album came on a perfect day. People were tired of the boring grunge era and wanted something else. Hammerfall kind of filled a void for these people that couldn't identify themselves with the music of the 90's.

BB: A lot of people have been really nasty to Hammerfall and I don't understand why! I heard you had to take down your guestbook on the website because people were writing such nasty stuff on it.

JC: Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion, but I do not understand how so many can invest so much time and effort into something they don't like. I think they should try and focus on getting a life instead. The guestbook thing I have no clue about.

BB: Did they ever catch that creep who attacked you?

JC: No.

BB: I see you've grown some whiskers. What's with the new look?

JC: It came with the baby! Just wanted to try something new and I kind of like it.

BB: Three bands and a new baby! You've been quite the busy boy! Don't you ever feel the need for a break, or like you're burning the candle at both ends?

JC: I definitely would need a long break, but unfortunately there's no time for it. Some days I feel like the candle's about to burn out but I always find some strength to carry on.

BB: Any closing thoughts?

JC: I hope that the fans will listen to my solo album with open ears and don't judge it based on the fact that I am the singer of Hammerfall. If they do they will see the difference that it actually is from the music of Hammerfall. Metal out!