It has been a while since our last interview when The New Light got released. Arcana’s sound has changed and progressed further since then and we have seen the release of the Le Serpent Rouge album and recently the Raspail album. So it’s about time for Gothtronic to ask some more questions to see where the band’s at.

Hello, congratulations with the new album Raspail, which is really a wonderful and very varied album. We at Gothtronic really love it and have made it CD special of the month march 2008.  Are you satisfied with Raspail as well?
Peter and Ia: first of all, thank you very much. We are truly honoured by the honourable Album of the month! We are very satisfied with the result of the album: in our opinion it is the best one to this day by Arcana. 
Stefan: Well I have to agree with Ia :-)
A-M: We are all very pleased with the outcome of the new album and it is great that it has been given such positive feedback.

Fans will read the review and get an impression, but what has changed compared to the previous Arcana album if one would ask it to you?
Peter: The music has matured, and I believe that we have all contributed with some of each members view on how it should sound like.
Stefan: I think this is the best album in the history of Arcana when it comes to the quality of the sound. Of course I’m/we are very satisfied with the whole “concept” and result of Raspail. One of the bigger differences from the past albums is that there are more “details” in the songs. If you listen to the album over and over again you will (hopefully) notice new sounds and instruments each time.


Raspail gets released at the German label Kalinkaland, which seems a perfect label for Arcana’s music, but does this mean Erebus Odora will no longer be used for Arcana releases?
IA: Erebus Odora is no longer a label. We couldn’t find the time, the strength or the money for it. We prefer it just to be the studio. And yes, Kalinkaland is a perfect label for Arcana.


Arcana signed a deal for one album with Kalinkaland. Are more releases expected to be released via Kalinkaland and does this depend on the sales of Raspail or is it a deliberate choice to only sign for one album at a time?
IA: We are very satisfied with Kalinkaland and Harald Löwy is not only the owner of the label, but also our friend. For now, this is the label for Arcana and it will be for some time and we also enjoy the other music he releases..

Arcana has grown into a 5 piece band with the addition of Mattias Borgh for percussion. Does this give more possibilities to perform the music like you want?Peter: Yes, it is an improvement for our live performances. It is so much more real feeling to the songs when you have the timpani, the floor toms and the cymbals on stage. He is really an improvement.
Stefan: We are all another brick in the Arcana wall :-)
Mattias: I am an improvement of the sound only when I play the songs correctly, remember that! Haha...

It seems like there is even more attention to the various different vocals on Raspail. Why this choice?
Peter: As I said for another magazine; when I make the songs, I usually decided right away if the song will have male or female vocals on it. I really feel that the final result became great with the mix of all our voices. And we all sing on this album, all five of us.
IA: It just came naturally. Peter decided which songs would be for his voice and then we got to choose the ones we wanted to sing at. And of course this became perfect with the lyrics.
Stefan: Each song has its own mood and by using different vocalists we got a (as we think) perfect combination of music and voices.

On Raspail it seems that all previous phases of Arcana come together, with the majestic gothic, medieval and oriental styles all integrated into one album. What’s next?
Peter: Arcana has a certain sound, and it would differ what kind of music it would be. The sound and feeling would still be there.
IA: Who knows? Hardcore punk?;)
Stefan: We all are all influenced by different kind of music and inputs. Even if Peter is making almost everything when it comes to the music, we all add our own touch to the finish and vocal and so on. That’s Arcana for you.
Mattias: Well, since Peter is the Boss in this band, only he holds that answer. I guess you have to wait and see... The nice blend of old and new style Arcana is really what I like with the new album. Plus the flirts with the 1980's work really well.

What have been the main sources of inspiration for the Raspail album?
IA: Musically I believe Peter has had many influences from the music he listens to. When it comes to the lyrics, I must say that one of the biggest inspirations must be the fight against global warming and our views on that issue. But as on every album, the lyrics are written from our inner selves and are expressed in our personal style.
Stefan: Things that worries you, things you are/have been experience have a great impact on the music and lyrics.

Will the oriental influence like on ‘Wings of Gabriel’, the Le Serpent Rouge album and on Raspail in the ‘Parisal’ song, remain present in the music of Arcana from now on or is Le Serpent Rouge to be considered as a separate sidetrack?
IA: Who can tell? It all depends on when Peter is making the next album, but I think I can say that it will surely be present on the Le Serpent Rouge sister-release.

Is the amount of acoustic instruments that are used increasing, compared to the electronic elements?
Peter: Yes, quite a lot. The electronic parts are still quite essential to the music, because all the grounds are built from those. However, the guitar, the duduk, the cymbals and percussions of all sorts are having much more impact in the music nowadays.
Stefan: Peter is buying new instruments all the time and Mattias have a giant bag of goodies when it comes to percussion stuff. The combination of curiosity and willing to learn instruments it comes natural that more acoustic instruments taking bigger parts of the music.

I also noticed some martial and percussive influences reminding of the music of Sophia. Will this project remain dormant or can we expect another Sophia release?
Peter: I have had thoughts of making another album, including all former members: Per Åhlund, Ia and Stefan. We’ll see!
Stefan : I’m game!

What do you think of the development of this genre that is labelled martial industrial, can it be considered dead or do you still notice new musical developments?
IA: We don’t listen to that kind of music, so it is hard to know how many new bands there are. I read about Rome and heard some of their music. It was good but then again: I love Death in June, and it was a clear case of inspiration from DiJ in Rome.
Mattias: I know about Martial Arts, Bruce Lee, but martial industry? Never heard of... I'm a jazz nerd, sorry...


How do you balance work, family life and making music for Arcana?
Peter: I don’t;) I should need another 8 hours every day to have time for everything I need to do.
IA: I don’t have to balance except from trying to find time for Peter to be in the studio. The small part I have in Arcana is not giving me any trouble for the family. However, the artwork takes some time when it needs to be done, so then it is quite hectic. I don’t have to attend school everyday, so no worries there. The only time we really need to plan our schedule and the family life is when we have to travel. Vendela needs a babysitter and the older girls need someone who looks after them; I don’t want the apartment trashed from parties;)
Stefan: Tell me about it! I mean I got a fulltime job, a wife, and two children and like six other projects other than Arcana. Finding time is just too darn hard some times. You always trying to mix: being an adult V.S work V.S family V.S music. Sometimes it goes well but mostly it’s a crash to the wall :-/ Peter is calling me the “quarter to – quarter past man” referring to my time schedule…
A-M: Arcana does not take that much time for me, since the vocal recordings are always done fast and apart from that we only meet a few times now and then to rehears before live performances. We do however spend more time together on the side of the music for nice conversations and cocktails.


What are your favourite musical albums at this moment?
Peter: For now it is much Lee Hazelwood and Björn Olsson, a lot of old country and western, Ennio Morricone and others.
IA: I just recently heard Brendan Perry’s latest song: Utopia. I didn’t like it at first, but now I love it. I hope for more material soon. At the moment my iPod is filled with Jo Gabriel, Irfan, Lee Hazelwood, Ane Brun, Imperial Leather and Diamanda Galas. Quite a mix, I must say! Stefan: Wow that’s hard. I’m more like a mix-music-guy. I’m always having my iPod on random, other wise I’m getting bored. But to pick one I’ve got to say Lee Hazelwood – “Trouble Is A Lonesome Town”. It’s a great album and we are listening to it when we are travelling with Arcana!
Mattias: John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, great album. Coltrane was the closest thing a man can be to God and Hartman sings as if he is God, so it's really a match made in heaven. Otherwise I listen quite a lot to Neurosis Given to the rising. The song "Water is not enough" is so good it's scary! Radiohead Amnesiac is also rotated quite heavlily right now. How on earth could I have missed that band and this great record? I just started to listen to them last year.
A-M: I do not have a real favourite album, but at the moment I am totally in love with Placebo’s version of Kate Bush’s 80ies hit “Running up that hill”.

Thank you for the interview!