Interviews: Beyond Defiance
1. Beyond Defiance was formed in the spring of 2025. How did Lars, Torbjörn, and Sven Erik come together, and what inspired you to start the band?
Sven Erik and Torbjörn, long-time friends and bandmates in several earlier projects, got acquainted with Lars through studio work where Torbjörn assisted with drums on some of Lars’ solo projects.
Lars was initially considered as a vocalist for an earlier Heavy/Speed Metal project, but when we heard his ability to growl as well as his clean singing, we soon realised we should go for a more brutal approach. Then it soon started to evolve…
2. The band set out to create music that was brutally heavy without sacrificing melody or atmosphere. What was the original musical vision for Beyond Defiance?
Once we decided to go for a heavier approach, we soon found that we had a very similar attitude regarding the direction of the music. It should be heavy and brutal but still keep some melody, even in the heavier parts. Also, bringing highly melodic choruses was always a priority. Plus the occasional addition of some acoustic parts to bring in even more dynamics.
3. Coming together in 2025 and already releasing a full debut album is a fast-moving start for a new band. How did the songwriting and recording process come together so quickly?
We immediately found a way of working that is very efficient. We actually do the pre-production while writing the songs, which shortens the time it takes from idea to finished project. Since we all have our respective home studios, it’s rather easy to try out variations on the arrangements. Usually, it’s Lars who hatches an idea and sends a demo to the others, and then the others make additions and adjustments until we are happy with the overall layout of the song.
4. The classic Gothenburg melodic death metal sound is a major influence on Beyond Defiance. What does that tradition mean to you personally, and which bands or albums had the biggest impact on your musical development?
We have always been into the genre, and it has been a large influence for us.
One of the earliest must be At The Gates’ ”Slaughter Of The Soul,” and from then it has been bands like In Flames, Dark Tranquility, Arch Enemy, etc. that have paved the way for where we are today.
5. You also incorporate elements of thrash and black metal into your sound. What do those styles bring to Beyond Defiance that traditional melodic death metal alone doesn't provide?
The thrash influence shows mostly in the guitar work, where we try to bring in some extra intensity to the mix. Lars is very much inspired by the vocal work of Dimmu Borgir, which shows in the well-articulated growls where you actually can hear what he’s singing.
6. How did you approach making Utopia sound connected to the Swedish melodic death metal tradition while still establishing an identity that belongs specifically to Beyond Defiance?
We did not really aim to sound like any specific bands but rather let the overall sound evolve from where the songs took us. Most songs have a similar basic structure, even if they differ in tempo and level of aggression, which we hope leads to a recognisable overall style.
7. The album was independently produced and recorded in the band members' home studios. What was that experience like, and what advantages did working independently give you?
It is a bit time-consuming to do everything by ourselves, but the greatest advantage is that we have full control of the end result. The process is very rewarding when you can hear the song evolve from a rough demo to a finished song. It also lets all of us be influential in the direction it was going.
8. Sven Erik handled the mixing and mastering under the close supervision of the rest of the band. How involved were all three members in shaping the final sound of the record?
Most of the final mixing was done by Sven Erik and verified by Torbjörn by doing reference listening in various environments we are familiar with, like cars, headphones, living rooms, etc. When the two of us were satisfied, we sent it to Lars for a final check, especially when it came to the vocal parts.
9. What was the biggest challenge you encountered while recording Utopia, particularly working within a home-studio environment?
That would be the point of decision: when is it good enough? When producing by yourself, you can often get stuck in a loop where you think ”maybe if we try…” There is always a new software or plugin that can make things slightly better, but you have to draw the line somewhere.
10. Your music combines blistering riffs, ferocious growls, layered harmonies, soaring melodies, and dynamic songwriting. How do you decide when a song needs another layer of melody or atmosphere versus simply becoming heavier?
It’s the ”soul" of the song that decides it all; sometimes the feeling is that you need some ”air” to get the message through, and when listening thoroughly, the audience hopefully hears how it enhances the meaning of the different parts of the song.
11. "Rain" is the latest song from Utopia to receive an official music video. What is the story or meaning behind the song, and why did you choose it as the focus of your newest visual?
Rain is about plain aggression, especially towards certain individuals who make life miserable for everybody else.
12. How did the concept for the "Rain" video develop, and what did you want the visual presentation to communicate that the song itself couldn’t?
It was made from the start with the focus being on close-ups of the instruments and Lars’ face, to bring all attention to the anger that is projected in the song.
This, and the fast-paced editing, contributes to the intensity we wanted to achieve.
13. Before "Rain," you released videos for "Cry" and "Imposter." Do you see these songs and videos as separate stories, or are they connected in some way to a larger world or theme surrounding Utopia?
There is a certain connection, since they are all aimed towards despots around the world who wage wars and oppression for their own ambition, without regard for the suffering they cause to ordinary people. That said, ”Rain” is a bit more of a face-to-face shoutout that we would like to deliver if we ever were close to any of them…
14. Is there a particular song on Utopia that you feel best represents the complete Beyond Defiance sound? What makes that track especially important to you?
It’s a bit difficult to choose, but it would probably be ”Cry”, because it has all the elements that we want in a song: a distinctive recurring riff, an intense verse, a melodic chorus, and a slower breakdown building up to the guitar solo.
15. Was there a song on the album that was particularly difficult to write, record, or finish? What made that track challenging?
That would be ”Imposter”, mostly because it was the first song we ever made, and we were trying out much of the arrangements regarding guitar lines and vocal harmonies.
16. What can you tell us about the title Utopia? What does that word represent in relation to the music and lyrical themes of the album?
It reflects the frustration regarding the loss of a future that looked so bright some years ago, but turned into another era of chaos and misery.
17. What role does the album artwork play in representing the atmosphere, ideas, and emotional character of Utopia?
It symbolises the chaos and destruction created by mad leaders who happily destroy everything for their own vanity.
18. Beyond Defiance is still a very young band. What have you already learned about yourselves as musicians and songwriters through creating your first album?
Well, the band is young, but the members are not… We have decades of experience from various previous bands, including some records made, with or without record companies, and some collaborations with established producers.
This all came together when we started experimenting with Beyond Defiance and we immediately felt that this was another level than what we had done before.
Since we’re not that ”young” anymore, we were able to be more relaxed with the songwriting and not be overly ambitious about being ”unique” and overdoing things.
As one well-known YouTuber said: ” If it’s good, it's good!”
19. Now that Utopia is out and "Rain" is continuing the album's visual campaign, what are the band's plans for live shows, new material, and the next chapter of Beyond Defiance?
We are currently working on getting things together for live appearances, and to achieve that, we are bringing in two additional members to the band in order to be able to perform the songs without using any backing tracks. Hopefully we’ll get out on the road in early -27.
We have one more video in the pipeline, just a few details left to work out.
Also, if we can find the time, we are considering releasing a single before the end of this year, and hopefully another full album before summer -27, but that depends on how busy we will be…
20. Bonus Question: Imagine someone discovers Beyond Defiance 20 years from now and puts on Utopia for the first time. What do you hope they understand about the band, the music, and the people who created it?
We hope that they get the whole picture: the lyrics that largely reflect on what happens in the world right now, and the atmosphere we want to bring musically to enhance it.
We just hope that they can find some connection with it and feel the frustration we all experience in these times.
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