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Symphony of Sweden strikes a powerful chord with new bassist, Erik Arkö!

Jason Hesley

Symphony of Sweden is turning up the volume with the electrifying addition of Erik Arkö as their new bassist. Fresh from Stockholm, Erik brings a dynamic blend of experience and energy, currently shaking stages with Six Feet Deeper and known for his powerhouse performances with bands like Structural Disorder, Sorcerer, Frontback, and Misth. Beyond the stage, Erik captivates fans with his YouTube channel, where he delves into the world of bass and music gear, adding yet another layer of excitement to Symphony of Sweden’s evolving sound.


Interview:


-Welcome to Symphony of Sweden! How does it feel to be making your debut with the band at such a significant event?


-Hello! Thank you so much! It feels amazing - it's truly an honour and a privilege to get to join the band for this upcoming chapter and I couldn't possibly be more excited about this!


-How did this opportunity come about?


-It was a bit of a "Sliding Doors" moment, really. I was just about to head to bed and, just out of routine I opened up the

Swedish buy/sell music gear page Vend. I scrolled down to the "Bass Player Wanted" section - and there I found the ad

saying that the band was in need of a bass player. I googled the band and listened to a few songs before writing a short introduction and attaching a few videos of me playing both live and "in the studio" and pretty instantly got a reply from Evan.

A few days passed and I saw that they were (in the later "adds") also asking for social media links, which I hadn't provided - so,

wanting to be a bit "on top of things" and prove myself interested I emailed those as well. I think that resonated in a positive way with Evan and I got talking a bit over email. We scheduled a lunch meeting a week or so later and when we met, we just clicked

instantly as individuals - which is very important, in my humble opinion. A band that can't hang as individuals off stage seldom

lasts very long as a group. Basically, Evan offered me the gig as the bass player a few minutes into the lunch, which got me firing on all cylinders and I basically got started with transcribing and learning the full set that very day.

And it all comes down to me, with no intent whatsoever checking that buy/sell page before going to bed.


-What was your reaction when you found out that the Premier Show sold out in just two weeks?


-It really got me pumped up! I've played gigs to both thousands of people and three people and a dog in the audience - and although I love playing no matter the size of the venue and the crowd, a sold-out venue is always a wee bit more exciting to hit the stage to!


-How have you been preparing for your first live performance with the band?


-I've been going through the live set front-to-back pretty much ever since I got the setlist from Evan. I actually transcribed all of the bass parts as part of the learning process, so if there's an aspiring bass player out there who wants tabs and sheet music they can always hit me up (given that we're playing the song that they want to learn in this set...) I really want the set and the songs to be part of my muscle memory so that I can focus more on the interaction with the crowd and really lock in with the guys of the band.


-What are you most excited about for the Premier Show?


-The very first note that hits the crowd from the full band - and the last note of the set! That's when some extra adrenaline really hits your brain!


-How has the band helped you integrate and prepare for this debut performance?


-This aspect has been extremely professional! Evan provided me with both the isolated bass tracks, bass-less songs, and tempo charts for all of the songs - things that really made my learning process a whole lot smoother. I'm used to getting a Spotify playlist and a "see you in two weeks for rehearsal! Let us know if you need any help!", which I don't mind at all - but this made things a whole lot smoother!

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