Cryo

Hey Cryo! How are you?
- "Hi Patrik, just fine here. Enjoying the cryogenic Swedish climate (not really, but I need to say that to uphold my cold and hard image)."

You are back with your second studio album called 'Hidden Aggression', tell us more about it.
- "I would say it's a continuation of my last full-length album 'Cryogenic'. It contains quite a lot of variation within my genre, from slow, moody sound landscapes to fast, club-oriented tracks. If you liked my previous releases, you will definitely like this one as well. I chose the name 'Hidden Aggression' since it's a common denominator for many of the tracks on the album. I'm sure you agree that the title sounds better than Hidden Happiness, right?"

Some of the tracks on the album have been around for a while, "Hit Me Once" for an example you performed live before. Is it material collected from your latest release or a collected effort lately to get the album finished?
- "The material is not from a last-minute activity to piece together an album. I've collected the best material from the time 'Cryogenic' was released until now, including material that did not fit with the theme of the more club-oriented Mini CD 'Mixed Emotions'. I'm a slow song writer. Most of my songs that leave the idea stage actually end up on a record; I never finish songs that I don't feel are top-notch. "Hit Me Once" was a song intended for the 'Cryogenic' album but for strange, unknown reasons didn't end up there. It remained a heavily used live track but I really wanted it to be released as well. So I rewrote parts of it, remade the production - If you have the limited edition album, you have the original version to compare the new one with, quite a big improvement if you ask me."

You started out as a one man band, but live you are a two person unit. Can you tell us something about this?
- "I've always had support on stage. When Cryo goes into live-mode, I want things happening live on stage, to surprise the audience (and I have a few more surprises planned soon). I was looking for a new partner in crime for my live act when my former live support, Andreas Ingefjord, needed to focus more on his own project. I discussed this with Torny from Project-X and it ended up with him joining Cryo live. I'm very happy with Torny lending his extensive stage experience and his massive energy-unleashing live performances to Cryo. When on stage, Cryo is a two-person experience, we contribute equally. Right now Torny's role is limited to Cryo's live performances, but who knows what happens in the future..."

During February you began to shoot a video for the new track "Substance", can you tell anything about the video?
- "I discussed music videos with a friend of mine, Jesper Svensson, who made a music video for a former project I had called Sound Sequence. We have been talking for years about making a new video and now we felt that the time was right. I gave him some songs from the new album and he and his cousin Johan, who helps out with the video production, chose 'Substance' as a track they had some good ideas for. We recorded for one day, many scenes shot with a green-screen background which enables digital effects to be applied afterwards. We also filmed two live gigs for additional material. Right now, Jesper and Johan work with recording additional background scenes and with post-production. You will definitely like it when we release it in a month or so."

You have made a few concerts recently. With spring by the door and the following summer, do you have any plans for the summer festivals?
- "There have been a couple of festivals mentioned. The label has some contacts that I hope lead to some nice gigs; it also employs a booking agent that will help us out. We're preparing a new show with kick-ass material that you have to check out. As soon as gigs are ready, they will be announced at the Cryo site http://www.cryodome.com."

Any last words to our readers?
- "No."

Photograph by Magnus Eklund.