Photo: Gustaf Sandholm Andersson
Progressive metal continues to be a treasure trove of excitement for those musicians (and listeners) who crave intensity, diversity, and impressive musicianship in a variety of ways. For those that love the classic style that developed out of acts like Dream Theater and Symphony X, Swedish band Paralydium will be a delight to also consume. Containing members with ties to Dynazty, their second album Universe Calls delves into a mix of tighter, focused compositions as well as a two-part epic extravaganza, allowing people to absorb an array of intricate musicianship-filled passages that also contain the right number of hooks and melodies for ultimate retention.
We reached out to guitarist John Berg to fill us in on the work behind the new record, the vocalist switch between records, what progressive metal means to him, being a part of Frontiers Music, favorite records and concerts including memories of Symphony X, Mr. Mister, and the Rolling Stones, his passion for cooking outside of music, and more.
Dead Rhetoric: The second and latest Paralydium album is Universe Calls. Outside of the vocalist change with Alexander Lycke replacing Mikael Sehlin, where do you see the major differences or development of the band on this release compared to your 2020 debut album Worlds Beyond?
John Berg: I would say that we have delved into a more progressive approach on this (album). Like we did on the EP that we first released back in 2015. This time we did broader arrangements and we really pushed the envelope a little bit further. I would say it’s much more dynamic than Worlds Beyond. It has more variety in lots of the tracks.
Dead Rhetoric: Did the pandemic help you dig deeper into the finer details of the songwriting and performances?
Berg: Yeah, I think so. It definitely gave me some time to reflect on the stuff that we had released prior. Deciding what direction we wanted to go into, we always wanted to explore more of the progressive approach, much more than on the earlier stuff we had already released. Everyone was on a hiatus, so we had a lot of extra time to try stuff out.
Dead Rhetoric: How were you able to find Alexander, and were you disappointed when Mikael decided to leave the band?
Berg: Mikael has made a stand for Paralydium, he’s a fantastic vocalist and a dear friend of ours. Also, with Alexander, he was a friend of mine for a long time, but we never talked about doing anything and I never had him in mind. It was time to search for a vocalist – all of a sudden, we had a chat, come by my place and we will try some stuff out. At that time, I knew it was going to be great. He has an extra level of depth into his vocals, he’s much more dynamic and we could tell before we started the record that would be the case. As we tried stuff out, we really wrote the album a lot for his vocals, and some sections became something else I didn’t think of. It was really interesting, and I think Paralydium right now is in a really interesting stage because we have a lot of the pieces fitting together. It will be very interesting to hear how this album is received.
Dead Rhetoric: How did the 25-minute, two-part epic “The Arcane Exploration” develop – was it a conscious decision as well to separate the tracks in the song order to better connect with the flow of the record? Are there any fears in how to keep up listener interest when performing and writing longer arrangements compared to shorter, more compact compositions?
Berg: Yeah, definitely. First off, it was my intention to always explore a part one and part two, where you could keep similar arrangements but have some sort of connectivity, a thread that is coherent throughout the part one and part two. When you listen to those two tracks, it’s not like an easy listen for the first time. When you listen to it more, you will feel some of the same kind of feel to it. It’s hard to compare to a more streamlined track that is more suitable for radio formats. Like “Sands of Time”, the first single, it’s much more back to basics where it’s hard hitting, and you have a strong chorus. Some sections where we show-off too. It’s really two different universes.
The two parts fit pretty good where they are in terms of the positioning track-wise. You have at the start of the record a lot of things going on, rather than have part one and part two right after. It’s nice to get some kind of dynamic feel where you can take it easy, and then the progressive elements come back.
Dead Rhetoric: Why do you think science-fiction is an ideal theme to explore in the lyrical content for the band?
Berg: Because there are no limits. You can create your own stories, you can create characters, there are so many references that appeal to a lot of people. People that are into sci-fi, fantasy, medieval stuff, everything intertwines to it. Not only our lyrics, but progressive music, progressive metal, heavy metal – those themes are so good in that sense because for me I like to get transferred to another place lyric-wise. Along with the music, you get a really strong connection out of that, it’s not just (about) fast cars and girls.
Dead Rhetoric: Are the themes on the new record a continuation of the first record, or did you start with fresh subject matter?
Berg: It’s not a concept album in that sense. Even though we have the same narratives throughout the records, you get to follow characters who face exploration, restoration, a lot of other subjects. You may get similar themes but it’s not a concept record that you follow from start to finish.
Dead Rhetoric: How did the cover art come about for Universe Calls?
Berg: This time we worked with a close friend of mine, Anders. We decided that we wanted to have some relationship with the tracks on the cover. On the cover you see a vast desert, and you can see the stargate with a lot of space. It’s more of an idea that we wanted to have some relate to the first track “Sands of Time”, and then as you move on you get transported with some of the other tracks.
Dead Rhetoric: What does progressive metal mean to you as a musician and artist playing within that genre? What do you consider some of the strengths of this genre, or unique qualities that you are able to apply for Paralydium in this style?
Berg: For me, it’s an epic platform that you are given so much room to showcase a lot of your musicianship. There are no limits that I talked about earlier – if you listen to pop music, the chorus has to be within the first 20 seconds and there are so many rules. What I love about progressive metal, it can be whatever you want. The genre in general relates more to soundscapes rather than arrangements. That’s what I love about this – when I write the stuff, I never think about I’ve written a solo that last three minutes, now we need to get back to the chorus. I don’t even think about songs being hits, or if the melody is too weak. We don’t have any ambition of being Billboard Number One stars; we want to give the listeners as much as they can get.
Dead Rhetoric: What is it like being on the Frontiers Music roster? They have a wide range of artists across the melodic rock, AOR to hard rock and metal spectrums…
Berg: We have had a really good relationship with (Frontiers) over the last four years. They’ve always been very supportive with our music. They have a lot of AOR and rock bands, as well as metal, so it’s nice to be on a label that has different genres as well. They have DGM as well, they are a well-known progressive metal band. They have a lot of versatility in that sense.
Dead Rhetoric: Given the fact that many of the musicians in this band also have other priorities with other acts, how far would you like to take Paralydium in terms of a following and footprint in the scene? Is it a balancing act to play and perform in this style while also trying to maintain a day job, family, and relationship responsibilities?
Berg: Yes, of course. A lot of us do this for a living, so you have to follow the money, not in all senses, but make stability out of it. For all musicians, it’s pretty hard. Everyone understands this nowadays. A lot of us, we do a lot of different things so even though we really love Paralydium, people have other commitments as well. We have managed to have a pretty decent way of doing things. In terms of live shows, we’ve been talking about this a lot. It’s hard logistically because a lot of us are doing other things. It’s something we are aiming for and if the right opportunity pops up, we will definitely look at it.
Dead Rhetoric: How do you feel about the state of the metal music industry currently? What excites you most about the movement, and what changes (if any) would you like to make for the greater good of all parties involved?
Berg: Since the internet is evolving so much, I see a lot of benefits with people doing a lot of collaborations where you can see constellations that you would normally never see together. Which is really cool, a lot of people are putting bands together for one record, tour, and then no one knows where they go. With all the digital stuff, it’s much easier for people to produce music to get really nice sounds themselves. We are definitely going to see many more independent releases. The genre is definitely expanding. The big dogs like Dream Theater and Symphony X, it’s nice that they are trying to do something new for each record. It’s nice to follow the scene.
Dead Rhetoric: What do you consider three of the most important albums that shaped your outlook as a musician (they can be metal or not) – plus what’s your favorite concert memory purely attending a show as a member of the audience, and what made that show so special to you?
Berg: That’s a tough one. Well, there’s no secret that I really love Symphony X, so when I heard The Divine Wings of Tragedy, I was in shock. I had never heard such beautiful melodies and arrangements, which is a highlight for me. I listen to a lot of 80s music, so I really love Mr. Mister for instance. Especially the 1987 album Go On… One more, I can’t think of, there are so many of them. Concert-wise, it was the Rolling Stones. I saw them twenty-five years ago in a huge stadium here in Stockholm, Sweden. It was the first time I went to a big, big show of 30,000-40,000 people. The experience of just being in the audience, it pushed me into thinking that this is something I really want to do. The energy and feel, it’s indescribable, I wanted to be in that sphere as an artist.
Dead Rhetoric: What have been some of your favorite personal memories as a musician in your career?
Berg: There are loads of them. I remember we went to Sweden Rock Festival 20 years ago when we were pretty young. We saw Sammy Hagar, Def Leppard in 2008, that sound they had it was mind-blowing. The concerts pop up from time to time.
Dead Rhetoric: With having the rhythm section of Dynazty in Paralydium, and you being a former member, how do you feel about the progress they have made in that band?
Berg: It’s so nice to see that they are really expanding their brand and really out there now. Especially since Nils joined Amaranthe, it’s a huge boost for them. We hang and talk a lot, it’s nice to follow their way. Their new albums, it’s obvious they are getting a solid identity now. They are starting to play really big shows.
Dead Rhetoric: When you have free time away from music, what are some hobbies, interests, or passions that you like to engage in?
Berg: For me, it’s a lot of cooking actually (laughs). I love food and I drink some wine. I see a lot of similarities in music and making food – if you put too much salt in the food, it gets destroyed. If you put too much reverb in the music, it doesn’t sound good. Take some time off, cooking helps cleanse the mind. I love watching television series and playing video games. I do a lot of work as a sound designer, so those two worlds really blend together well. Music is always in my aura, and you can have some nice time off with cooking.
Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe your evolution and outlook on the guitar from your early days learning your craft to your abilities today? Are there specific areas you focus on now that benefit you more over the years?
Berg: That’s a really good question. I was thinking about my guitar approach for this album, as I played in a freer way this time. I’ve never been a huge fan of really playing the same guitar solo over and over again. I’m more into the improvisation kind of playing. For this record, I was losing my feel and there are some blue notes, but I thought it was real. Nothing is quantized, it’s much more a free feel of playing. It has a lot of heart in it. Releasing music before, I was conscious of what a solo in a specific song sounded like. You can get easily lost in what you want to show or your approach. I’m satisfied with this record and how things turned out.
Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the schedule for things related to Paralydium over the next year or so?
Berg: Right now, it’s to sit back and enjoy (this record) for a while. It’s such a nice feeling after four years now to see how the album gets received, talk about the album. That’s an accomplishment, and I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. Maybe listen to it before I put it in the bin for a while. You never know, I always write stuff, we will see if something new pops up soon.