Mangan Klavborn interview

Interview with Engel vocalist Mangan Klavborn
by Steph Perry

July 27, 2008

Engel is a metal band out of Gothenburg Sweden. Their debut album Absolute Design was released in late 2007 with the US release in spring 2008, on SPV Records. Engel is Mangan Klavborn (vocals), Niclas Engelin (guitars), Marcus Sunesson (guitars), Michael Håkansson (bass), and Mojjo (drums). They have tour dates set in Norway and Sweden this fall, and hope to play the US next year. I spoke by telephone with lead vocalist Mangan.

Engel is known for having members from other successful Swedish bands. How did Engel come together?
Well Gothenburg is such a small place, so even if you’re in another band everybody knows everybody here. So we’ve been pretty much friends from the beginning, or friends of friends from the beginning. It was Niclas’s idea from the start to put out this project so he found the members he wanted for the band.

Are you pleased with the response to the album Absolute Design?
Oh yes definitely. I think we got a great response. We got some bad reviews but that’s to  be expected. We got a great response from the crowd when we went out playing, so it’s all good.

Tell me about your recent experience performing at Monsters of Rock in the Czech Republic.
It was great. They only had one stage and there was like 10,000 people there. We played during the day and it was hot like hell! It was fun, and it was a good crowd.

The video for the song, The Next Closed Door, was filmed in Serbia.  What experiences from this journey will you remember most and why?
We played there last autumn, and there was no real experience at all because we were in and out. So this time we had time to see the country and the people, so that was great.

How do you describe your method for writing music and lyrics?
On the Absolute Design album, Niclas did all the music parts, and me and Mojjo did the lyrical ones.

I heard you are already working on a new album, is that true?
Yes, we are working on the new album. We have like 19 songs already so things are going real good.

When will the new record be released?
I think we’re hitting the studio in September. Hopefully the record will be out in the spring time.

The Absolute Design album was just released recently in the US. Were you happy with the response in the US?
I think we got some pretty good response there. We got a little air-time on the radio if I heard right, and got some good reviews there, so it’s all good.

Do you think you will play any shows in the US?
We plan to play there but we just don’t know when yet. It’s going to be next year hopefully. We don’t know when or where, we just know that we are going to do it. You gotta come out and see us!

Who are your heroes in music?
Mike Patton, Chris Cornell, and Maynard Keenan. These are the three big ones for me personally.

Where else do draw inspiration from?
I do a lot of martial arts and right now I’m getting my bike license. I try to clear my mind, so then I can focus my mind on the music stuff.

Any other info you would like to share?
Right now we’re just in writing mode and trying to make some new good songs. Hopefully we will hit the studio in September and do a really good record.