BEARDFISH - The province trembles

19. February 2015

Beardfish Retroprog

BEARDFISH - The province trembles

I beg your pardon? "+4626-COMFORTZONE"? The title of the new Beardfish album comes with a little riddle. The number code is Sweden's telephone country code and the prefix of the coastal town of Gävle, home of Beardfish. So far, so good. But what about this "comfort zone"?

Since its founding in 2001, the retroprog group Beardfish has produced seven recordings. In doing so, they often rushed back and forth in a mad way between classical prog, Canterbury echoes and Zappa attitudes. Her last work was 2012 "The Void", a work that was increasingly enriched with metal tracks. Now the four Swedes present with "+4626-COMFORTZONE" a well thought-out concept album, on which they get rid of a lot of frustration. Singer/keyboarder/guitarist Rikard Sjöblom explains why.

eclipsed: For me, the basic theme is as follows: Growing up in a provincial town whose citizens are sometimes hostile towards foreigners. Is that right?

Rikard Sjöblom: Yes, exactly, but it also revolves around this special kind of comfort zone from which we have learned to think. One takes over unquestioned things from the parents, the teachers, the friends - do this, think that. This becomes a constant invisible companion in your life. When I write lyrics, I always think: "Hey, get out of your comfort zone and open your eyes to the world!"

eclipsed: What was it like in your hometown Gävle?

Sjöblom: It's not a bad city, but it has this small-town mentality that tells you: "You'll never make it to anything big! In the '90s, when I was growing up, I was a punk. Friends of mine actually heard bands doing nationalist rock.

Lesen Sie mehr im eclipsed Nr. 168 (März 2015).