It has been three years since the release of VOLA's defining album, ‘Witness.’ It was a sonic assault that captured their signature blend of thoughtful labyrinthine narratives with crushing riffs and experimental sophistication. Heavy/quiet and dark/light were combined with elements of tech-metal, progressive alt-rock, electronica, and stadium-sized choruses.
After an intense touring schedule that saw them wind around Europe and, for the first time, the US, Canada, and South America. They now return buoyed with all of those experiences infused with their brand-new studio album, 'Friend of a Phantom,' which will be released on 1 November via Mascot Records.
When the Danish-Swedish quartet - Asger Mygind (vocals/guitar), Martin Werner (keys), Nicolai Mogensen (bass), and Adam Janzi (drums) - released ‘Witness' it was a critical smash, surpassing an incredible 27.5 million streams. The album was lauded with international acclaim from Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, Distorted Sound and Kerrang Radio & TV in the UK, reaching #7 in the Rock & Metal Album Charts. SiriusXM picked them up for multiple tracks, also featuring on the SXM Liquid Metal Next Wave Concert Series. They also saw the album reach the Top 20 in the Billboard Current Hard Rock Charts and Top 25 in the Billboard New Artist/Heatseekers Album Chart. It was one of Loudwire's albums of the year; that was all before the band stepped foot onto the soil.
They've since wrapped up two tours of the US with several venues upgraded due to overwhelming demand, as well as sold-out shows in New York, Chicago and the iconic Troubadour in Los Angeles, where the band struck up a friendship with In Flames' Anders Fridén.
Their first tour of Canada resulted in sold-out shows in Toronto and Montreal, and they rounded off the continent with triumphant South American shows in Mexico, Brazil, and a sold out show in Chile.
Now, the band are to set free their fourth studio album, where they've become even more ambitious and bolder.
The album was once again mixed & mastered by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, The Black Dahlia Murder) at Hansen studios in Ribe, a secluded spot in the oldest town in Denmark. Their strength has always been combining a multitude of ideas within a single song, packing it in with a grandiose power that can be as ferocious as it can be delicate.
Talking about their evolution, Janzi says. "We have had the time to internalise ‘Witness’ and let its aftermath sink in, which has shaped how we approached ‘Friend Of A Phantom.’ Our personal tastes have changed, the way we approach our instruments and songwriting has changed, our lives have changed, time has passed, and adventures have been had. Whatever piece of melancholy that ‘Witness' had, has just grown and become a central part of this new album. I feel that VOLA has grown and reached a new moment in its life, maturing."
Early in 2024, they released the first taster of new material when they dropped "Paper Wolf." Talking about the song, Mygind offers, "We never put boundaries on our songwriting but merely search for a direction that feels unexplored and exciting to us. With 'Paper Wolf,' we suddenly found ourselves in a territory where an old-school metal atmosphere crept into our blend of sounds. We liked what we heard and then ran with it at full speed. With the video, we looked to entwine a serious narrative with dark undertones and ethereal visuals into a captivating experience."
"Cannibal" kicks off ‘Friend of a Phantom.’ Featuring In Flames’ Anders Fridén on vocals, it plants a marker in the ground for what you're about to experience. Mygind and Fridén's contrasting vocals majestically crossover each other, pulling you into a spiralling aural vortex.
Regarding how the collaboration came about, Janzi remembers, "This was very cool for us since we're fans of Anders and In Flames. Last year, we found out that Anders is a fan of VOLA, and we met him during our show in Los Angeles. As soon as we had the beginning of the shape of this song, we knew that it would benefit from having someone from the outside join in on the song. And, of course, our minds went straight to… Anders! We are delighted and honoured that this worked out."
Mogensen adds, "We were at a cottage in Karrebæksminde, an hour's drive from Copenhagen. Most of Witness was written there. It's a place we go to for seclusion. We had been working on new music the previous day, but things hadn't clicked yet. When starting the next day, the song's intro riff popped out of my fingers when I picked up the guitar. Asger came up with the verse groove soon after. I find that this happens quite a bit when trying to write music; we work for a long time, nothing works, and then suddenly, in 10 minutes, there is the foundation of a new song."
The hypnotically ethereal "We Will Not Disband" was the first song written for the album. Mogensen says, "Asger had written a verse and intro, and we worked on creating a chorus to match. Although the chorus we created didn't quite fit the other parts, we liked it so much that we built an entirely new song around it."
On "Hollow Kid", Mogensen explains the approach, "I aimed to craft a Frankenstein riff that blended the essence of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" with the low tuning and polyrhythms of Meshuggah. The song's intro riff was the result, and it inspired the rest of the track."
For their sheer scope of exploratory ambition, VOLA has been one of Europe's most exciting metal bands in recent years, catapulting them onto the international stage. Talking about the touring, Janzi opens up: "It is very tough with all the travelling, short nights, and intense work. Being away from home takes its toll after a while. But it is so rewarding! And worth it. Playing music, meeting nice people from all over the world, and seeing these places. Culture is important!"
They've become a formidable live draw that has seen them tour with Devin Townsend - including playing the Royal Albert Hall London; they've opened for Evanescence and played festivals such as ArcTanGent (UK), Graspop (Belgium), Tuska (Finland), Roskilde (Denmark), Copenhell (Denmark), CL Prog (Chile) and more.
Formed in Copenhagen, Denmark, they were inspired by bands such as Meshuggah, Opeth, Soilwork, Metallica, Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson and Massive Attack, but they created something uniquely theirs. They have amassed over 70 million combined streams on their albums. They explore narratives examining the idea of being trapped in mental mazes on debut ‘Inmazes’ (2016), which was met with a wave of critical praise and they ended 2017 with a nomination for the Limelight Award at the Progressive Music Awards.
The evolution of human relationships is explored on ‘Applause of a Distant Crowd’ (2018). The lyrics focus on the outside world rather than internal conflicts. The album title is a metaphor derived from our relationship with social media, how we can appear close but be miles apart. Tours with Katatonia, Dream Theater, Anathema and Haken all entwined around the releases. This led into ‘Witness’ (2021), and the concept centred around failed relationships on a societal scale—the friction between leaders and followers.
Their first live album/DVD followed, the stunning ‘Live From the Pool’ (2022). It took place in a swimming pool of the abandoned Auderød military camp in North Zealand near Copenhagen, Denmark. Designed by the world-famous architect Henning Larsen, this defunct building has become part of the Auderød nature park. A place where nature encounters the mysteries of a once-existing military base, ready to be explored. Creating a unique experience, the bands' genre-melding music collaborates with visionary Danish audio-visual artist collective Vertigo.
Janzi says, “We are always trying to develop and grow our live show. We have evolved through the shows and tours that we have done. The places where our travels have taken us have left a mark on us. It feels like another step towards spiritual maturity. We work very tightly with our crew to continue to improve our vision. Vertigo are very important to our visual live shows. We have grown together and still are! We want to bring something deeper and new to our live shows this year."
Known for their innovative approach to progressive metal, VOLA continues to captivate audiences with their blend of intense rhythmic complexity and poignant lyrical narratives. The band has always transcended genre boundaries, delivering music as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant. But with this perpetual evolution, the pressure doesn't consume them. "There is always the pressure of continuing to climb the mountain," reflects Janzi. "But I try to avoid pressure and stress around things that cannot be changed. Embracing change and whatever new chapters may wait around the corner is a way to make life more easy and enjoyable."