Musicians in Lockdown: Pressure Interview

Swedish trio Pressure combine melodic hard rock with heavy metal flare for a familiar yet fresh sound. Taking the pandemic by the horns, the band are working on their first album and preparing for their post-lockdown lives.

Pressure sat down with The Outer Void to discuss their recent activity and future plans:

What have you been up to during the pandemic?

Well, we have been working a lot on our sound and on our live shows. We also released a couple more singles from our upcoming album than we planned from the beginning. But we think that worked out well. We also have had the time to practice a lot and write new material. So we have been quite busy. We have worked a lot on our own as well to stay safe, but as we have the possibility to meet, practice and work together in a safe environment, we could also do a lot of band things together…and we have cleaned out our studio and sorted all the cables and done a wall of fame with all posters and awards!

Has the lockdown impacted your songwriting this year in any way?

The songwriting is a really complex process for us. It is usually Simon who collects different stories from his life and those around him. There are many new stories that need to be told both during and after this pandemic. So one can say that we have had the time to listen to new stories, and get a lot of motivation and inspiration for new music. There are a lot of new things coming from us in the future!

What’s your favorite show you’ve ever played?

All the shows have their own appeal. It is so hard to choose. I mean it’s really fun to play a small bar and to be able to connect to the fans who are standing two feet away. And then there are the large shows where you have the sound that can knock you down and a crowd cheering. It’s impossible to just mention one. But to mention strange places we have played — at a top of a tower in Stockholm, in a small serving aisle in a restaurant (the band was made to stand in a single file) and on a self-built stage in a barn in the middle of nowhere!

If you could tour with any band/artist, who would it be?

Would love to tour with Sabaton, we love their historic metal. The concept and the sound. That would be a dream for us!

What 2020 album would you recommend to someone who believes there’s no good new music?

That would be Nightwish and their album HUMAN. :||: NATURE. Fantastic sound and great variety of songs. Go give that a listen! Very good music.

What are your plans for 2021?

The plans now are to release our first album Path of a Shadow. And after that we have some more singles and an EP in German! So there are many exciting things approaching!

Stream Pressure on Spotify and check out their video for “What You See (Is What You Get)” below!