The Swedish heavy metal band Grand Magus return with Triumph and Power. It's their seventh studio album. Frontman JB Christoffersson gives us an update on the latest from the Grand Magus camp.

Chad Bowar: How did your songwriting and recording process for Triumph and Power compare to the usual Grand Magus album?
JB Christoffersson: There are no usual Grand Magus albums. It’s never the same. Sometimes we jam together and toss ideas around in the rehearsal space, sometimes we write on our own.


This time I wrote most of the songs on my own.

The recording process is also different each time, but we always keep it really simple. For us it seems to yield the best results. You concentrate on the performance rather than on technical stuff or fancy surroundings.

How would you characterize the style/sound of this one?
Heavy, majestic, powerful metal.

What inspired your lyrics for the album?
Nature and wildlife are the strongest source of inspiration for me and have been for a long time. It also ties into the Scandinavian tradition or Norse mythology, which is really a philosophy based on the respect for nature.

What are your expectations for Triumph and Power?
World domination, what else? Realistically, I think this is our strongest album yet and I think it will also be our biggest album yet.

What are your upcoming tour plans?
We will do an extensive European tour in March, including the UK and Ireland.

What has been your most memorable Grand Magus show or tour?
Wow, so many, I think our tour with Motorhead in 2010 still is one of the highlights.

Also our two tours with Accept were fantastic.

Where haven't you played live that you'd still like to get to?
The US, Japan, South America to name a few.

Who are your top 5 Swedish metal bands of all time?
Bathory, Candlemass, Unleashed, Entombed, Yngwie Malmsteen

What's currently in heavy rotation in your MP3 player?
I don’t have one, but at the moment I’m in one of my regular Saxon periods.(laughs)

Anything else you'd like to mention or promote?
If you’re a fan of true heavy metal, get Triumph and Power!