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Although there are numerous constellations in the universe, a select few manage to stand out and shine the brightest. In today's metal galaxy one of the brightest stars is Andromeda. Named after a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere, the complex and multi-faceted Swedish quartet effortlessly mix full-on shredding with mellow, subtle moments augmented by breath-taking keyboards and an organic rhythm section. These combined elements make for an end result that is nothing short of stunning.
Andromeda took shape in 1999 as the brainchild of young guitar virtuoso Johan Reinholdz, but the planned recording sessions for their debut album, Extension of the Wish, were continually postponed because no suitable vocalist was found. Just when the quest for a singer seemed hopeless, New Hawen Records (then War Music) suggested the multi-talented Lawrence Mackrory (ex-Darkane) to handle the singing duties. Having heard neither music nor lyrics, Mackrory immediately stepped in and did a sterling job, and the band's debut was finally recorded. Famed producer Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Stuck Mojo, Darkane, Strapping Young Lad) provided Extension of the Wish a stellar sound that complimented the group's extraordinary musical abilities. While fans and the band were satisfied with the results, the search for a permanent vocalist continued.
After countless auditions keyboardist Martin Hedin brought in David Fremberg, a classmate from the Academy of Music in Sweden, and the search for a permanent singer finally ended. The band then embarked on a short tour of France with Evergrey before beginning to work on new material for their second album, II=I. Coming off of outstanding press reactions to Extension of the Wish from such esteemed metal publications as Metal Maniacs, Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles and Unrestrained, ANDROMEDA knew that their next studio release would be a crucial turning point in their young career.
During the writing process, Reinholdz stated, "We're still going to have lots of progressive elements, and complex parts, but with more room for the vocals. It's going to be a bit heavier." In the interim Reinholdz was also able to expose his more brutal side after joining Swedish thrash titans NonExist, featuring vocalist Johan Liiva (ex-ARCH ENEMY) and drummer Matte Modin (Dark Funeral, Defleshed).
The recording sessions for II=I, which took nearly ten months to complete, were extremely productive. Knowing the exact sound that Andromeda wanted to capture on record, Hedin produced and engineered the album himself. Due to the departure of bassist Gert Daun, all bass tracks for II=I were completed by Reinholdz. The band have since added bassist Jakob Tanentsapf, and with a newly solidified line-up Andromeda now begin a new musical adventure that knows no limitations.
The anticipation for II=I has been overwhelming, so open your mind and prepare yourself for a true journey through the vast musical universe that is Andromeda.
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