I was never really interested in playing 8 string guitars in the past - I didn't feel like I needed the extra range and I had never tried one that wasn't a bitch to play. Lately though, I wrote a couple of 8 string songs for Scar Symmetry and I got the Meshuggah gig, so I had Strandberg make me an 8 string version of my sig model, where we went to great lengths to come up with a much-improved new neck profile which solved the playability concerns I had from other 8 strings. I don't see myself adding even more strings to my instrument though - I would need to grow bigger hands then
With Meshuggah, I never have more than 2-3 beers/drinks before a show because of the focus I need to have to not mess up the songs too much. With Scar Symmetry and Nocturnal Rites I can drink a little bit more on occasion. Alcohol can be a nice crutch to get in the right mood for a show but I really dig playing sober too. As a contrast, I don't usually party very hard post-show, maybe a beer or two with the band right after the show to relax and "come down". Mostly IPA
Oh yeah, I employ different strategies to make my lead tone sound wide and big, including stereo delay, reverb, and stereo modulation such as phaser and chorus. I like to place the stereo phaser in front of the amp (you need a stereo ampsim or two real amps) so it's like the classic EVH phaser-before-distortion sound but in stereo :) I sometimes use a stereo chorus but after the amp/cab.
I roll off a lot of high and low frequencies from the delay, which enables me to use generous amounts of delay, giving the tone width and body without drowning things
I don't know - Jonas played that solo on the album :)
I rarely if ever feel the need to use a whammy bar, it's not so much part of my style. Also, I switch between standard and drop-A tunings and having a fixed bridge makes life easier in that regard :)
Plini is amazing, his latest album is sick! There's no plans to bring in guest musicians on a Scar Symmetry album but I'd love to collab with him on something else if the opportunity would arise.
No I don't think my brief university experiences have affected my music in any particular way, it's not like I use linear algebra, calculus or wave optics as creative music tools
I saw the first one, it was kinda scary!
Donald Trump
Pitch Black Progress and Holographic Universe are both close to an hour long. I've got almost an hour's worth of songs now, and then there's gonna be an instrumental interlude or two (sssshhhhhh that's a secret) so it looks like we'll be breaking the hour-barrier on this one :)
Dude I'm listening to Phase II every day here :) It's not finished though, still a lot of work, but everything's written and I'm like 75% done with the tracking. It's gonna be a massive motherfucker of an album, like at least an hour long. Right now I'm recording backing vocals for a fast, thrashy track called 'A Voyage with Tailed Meteors'. I don't think I've ever been this excited about a Scar Symmetry album, I think it will be worth the wait and then some :)