Modernized melodic hard rock duo features Swedish vocalist and guitarist Andi Kravljaca and Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Andreas Nergård. to create KINDRED NORTH. With them, they have taken that 80's arena rock with a modernized flare, going on to release singles leading up to their debut album release this year! Both of them got together to talk with us about formation, music, and plans for the future.
1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Was it planned, or did it just come about naturally?
Andi: It was definitely considered, but it arrived fairly naturally once we understood what this band was. “Kindred” describes the relationship between Andreas and me. After fifteen years of working together, we are closer to brothers than hired collaborators. “North” represents Sweden and Norway. The letters, K and N represent the names Kravljaca and Nergård. We wanted the name to say something real about the people involved rather than merely sounding like a rock band.
2. Why did you want to play this genre?
Andi: Because this is the musical language we speak without having to translate ourselves. We grew up on Winger, Dokken, Europe, and that whole generation of players and writers. It's also not about the clothes, the hair or about nostalgia, but the standard they set. Those records made musicianship feel heroic. Kindred North is our attempt to imagine all that ambition, danger and craftsmanship evolving in that same direction.
Andreas: I've always wanted to write and record this kind of music but never got the opportunity. We did some AOR oriented tracks with Nergard and I had the honor of being the drummer on the Tony Mills album "Over My Dead Body" but that's it. It has been clear to me for a long time that Andi and I share the same influences. We speak the same musical language which made it quite easy to make this album.
3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?
Andi: Yes, for nearly twenty years now. Andreas first encountered one of my old bands, Silent Call, when he reviewed our debut album in 2007 or something! I later became a session vocalist and musician for his band Nergard, and we worked together across several records and live appearances. Kindred North was the first time we stopped thinking like employer and session musician and built something together from the ground up. I still call him 'boss' in my emails though, for old times' sake.
4. Where is the band based, and what is the music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Andi: The band exists between Stockholm and Trondheim, which means that mathematically the average location of the band members is in Orsa, Sweden. Which is great because Orsa is a hugely musical town (even though neither of us lives there).
Andreas: Even though I make my living from being a live musician I actually have no idea how the local music scene is in Trondheim anymore. It's a very different thing touring all over the country and being part of a local scene. I have wanted to update myself on what's going on for years but never get to it.
5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?
Andreas: First of all, I have to be in a happy place. I can't write music when I'm sad. At least not Melodic Rock, even though lyrically this album deals with heartbreak most of the time. Writing lyrics for Melodic Rock songs is something different from the Symphonic Metal that I've been writing for the past 10-15 years. So, I spent a lot of time listening to Winger, Poison, Stage Dolls, Warrant etc. just to get in the zone. Not trying to copy anyone, but it wouldn't make sense listening to Power Metal and dragon-themed songs for inspiration while writing a Melodic Rock album. Musically I develop hooks, chord progressions and the foundations of songs while walking in the woods. When I get home, I make very spartan demos of it and send it to Andi.
6. What are your songs about? What specific themes do they cover?
Andi: The classic themes, love, sex, broken hearts and second chances. A lot of the record is about relationships under some sort of pressure: distance, regret, desire, loss. The age-old question of whether something damaged can be brought back to life. There is a thread of people trying to reach one another before it becomes too late.
7. Do you write your own songs? Please discuss the songwriting process.
Andreas: Yes, we do. I always make the music first. The idea for a vocal melody pop into my head and I start developing the song from there. 90 percent of the time I make the chorus first. Then I make a demo of the entire track and start working on melodies for the verses, mid-sections etc. With this album I have tried to make every line into a catchy hook. Lyrically I struggle with every album I make. It is a process that takes forever and can be very frustrating. It is a very satisfying feeling when I've finished a lyric that I like. Some of the songs turned into such a nightmare that I sent them to Andi instead so he could write the verses or choruses. The thing is that he has the same musical language as I have so I always like the stuff he comes up with, whether it is instrumental or vocal/lyrically.
When I'm done writing the musical foundation of the songs, I make very simple demos and send it to Andi. The demos have very little in them. Some programmed drums, a simple bass line and maybe a keyboard pad. I might hum the vocal lines for the parts that are ready. Then Andi puts his signature on it with all these amazing guitar parts. When he is done, I start the real job by making the drums, bass and keyboards respond to what he is doing. It is a very orchestrated album if you look at it in details.
8. What have you released so far, and what can someone expect from your work?
Andi: So far, we have released two singles, “Natural High” and “Learn To Love Again.” “Natural High” has that synth-pop lift, but real guitar muscle underneath. “Learn To Love Again” is our power ballad: heartfelt, dramatic and built around soaring vocals.
Our self-titled debut album follows on August 21 through Pride & Joy Music. It contains eleven songs and its melodic hard rock with aggressive guitars, dense harmonies and big choruses. It puts the songwriting - real human songwriting - and the performance - real human performance - right in your face!
9. You have some new singles and an album coming soon. Tell us briefly about them, and why should we check them out?
Andi: The third single, “Lose Control,” arrives on July 24, followed by the album on August 21. That song captures the philosophy of the record particularly well: the concept is not only in the lyrics, but in the execution. Real amplifiers, a real performance and enough human danger left in the take to make it breathe.
10. How about playing shows and touring? Do you have anything planned?
Andi: Kindred North is fundamentally me and Andreas, but that doesn't mean it has to remain two people in a studio forever. If we take it live, we will build the right group of musicians around that core. We'll find a way to do it properly, without changing the identity of the band.
11. What plans do you have for the rest of this year?
Andi: The immediate job is to release the album and then actually support it rather than behaving as though the work ends at midnight on release day. There will be more videos, guitar and vocal playthroughs, interviews and material showing how the record was made. We will also explore the right live opportunities. Beyond that, we intend to begin developing the next record!
12. Where can we find you online, listen to the band and buy your music?
Andi: Just search for Kindred North. You can find us on Spotify, Apple Music and the other major streaming services, as well as YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. The easiest approach is simply to search for Kindred North. We appear to have chosen a sufficiently unusual name to defeat most of the algorithmic competition. The physical CD will be available through Pride & Joy Music and its distributors. Follow the official social pages for new music, videos, release information and any future announcements!
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