Interview mit Niklas Karlsson & Alpha von Orbit Culture × Gaerea

Let’s start with a short introduction – how did you discover metal, so how did you come into the scene?
Niklas: Oh wow, it started with Kiss for me at a very early age. I guess that’s not “metal”, but it quickly came into METALLICA and that realm.
Alpha: I remember my father driving around in his pickup truck with like SCORPIONS in the car and like Len Kravitz and I think it just starts with that. For my generation, the correct answer would always be like LINKIN PARK and then you start to scatter a bit more into the darkness.

In the past, the subgenres were very distinct from one another: you were either a black metal fan, a thrash metal fan, or a death metal fan. Today, these boundaries have largely broken down: BEHEMOTH toured with SLIPKNOT, you see LORNA SHORE shirts at black metal shows, and SLEEP TOKEN mixes metal with pop… how did this come about?
Alpha: You said it in the question: The fact that the biggest heavy band, let’s put it in brackets, would be SLEEP TOKEN and they blend all these pop elements, but also heavy pop music, is a safe gate into bands like mine and ORBIT CULTURE. People discover this super mellow, big arena thing and it becomes their favorite band forever. Because all these kids are 15, 16 coming to the front row of our shows. And then they will dive deep, as we did with METALLICA and LINKIN PARK. We didn’t have this [described separation] back then, because when you’re 15 or 16 or even until you’re 18, it’s just like: I like this band, I like this band, I don’t care, this is heavy, this is the heaviest thing for me! That’s why the styles are blending so well these days. You’re not seeing this tour now like a death metal package, you’re seeing this extreme emotional metal package. That’s what this package has.
Niklas: I have nothing to add really, that was great. (laughs)

“I’m just happy that more people listen to way more metal”

So would you say that bands like the ones I mentioned are more role models than “traitors to the true metal spirit”? Especially SLEEP TOKEN, who bring in this pop approach, which not every metalhead likes.
Niklas: Is there an issue? I don’t feel like it.
Alpha: I don’t feel betrayed. (laughs)
Niklas: I’m just happy that more people listen to way more metal. If it’s SLEEP TOKEN in the forefront, that’s getting people into listening to our bands, that’s just a beautiful thing.

So metal getting big is another discussion point because it also gets more mainstream. If you look at todays power metal bands, for example, it is kind of the new Schlager hit music. Would it even be desirable for everyone to listen to metal, or would something be lost in the process? After all, metal was long considered the music of outsiders, a kind of refuge from mainstream society.
Alpha: I don’t think there’s a problem at all. I have zero problem with having, BAD OMENS or BRING ME THE HORIZON or SLEEP TOKEN oder SLIPKNOT doing massive tours, arenas like you guys did with Madison Square Garden – unseen in their career and also opening the gates for new bands. That’s what I think it should be. There’s a market for everything and the fact that maybe in the last 20 years we saw this decay of younger kids coming into the genre: I remember, just three or four years ago just playing for old bearded dudes, collecting the vinyl. They don’t mosh, they don’t care, they’re just there for the vibe. And it’s nice, it’s cool to have fans. But if we want the genre to grow, we also need to plant the seeds with the younger generation. And it’s the younger generation that’s gonna fill out these arenas and these big shows and stadium festivals and all that. If people get angry because DEFTONES are bigger than ever, and they became bigger because of the pandemic and TikTok – it’s the same thing as SLEEP TOKEN … it’s just how it is. I mean, Woodstock in 1999 … most of it were heavy bands. Because it was what was big back then: KORN making deals with Adidas and all that. That is something that is coming back slowly in my opinion – finally! – and maybe we can keep it without ruining it with gatekeeping the bands and becoming too angry when the bands change their style or something like that.
Niklas: I’ve nothing to add! It feels like you’re reading it right off my head. It’s fucking great. (laughs)

“You can be like a spider in the web”

As a musician, you can do almost everything yourself these days, from recording to promotion—in other words, everything that used to be done by producers, labels, and PR agencies. On the other hand, as a musician, you have to do a lot of it yourself these days. So is that kind of self-empowerment or just more work for the musicians?
Niklas: I think that’s a perfect thing to do because you learn so much. Back in the day, maybe you had a band and you played the music and you wrote the songs. And that was it. But personally, I love that you can be so involved in the economic side, the logistics. You can be like a spider in the web. But that’s personally, because I have so much control needs. But I see it also as a beautiful thing. Because you also get a sense of pride: You’re in it on all these different departments. So you can feel such pride in it, when it goes from a very small club show with maybe five people to playing shows like this, and a lot of the work you’ve put in was the work that you did yourself.

At the same time, this has removed further barriers—in principle, anyone can publish music today, so there is much more music and therefore more competition.
Niklas: Yeah, definitely…

Has this also made it more difficult for bands that have already established a certain reputation?
Alpha: I think what is good is good – one thing that we can’t do is to bullshit fans. People have the sense of like, OK, this is bullshit, like super pushed by a label. I think people feel it, when the structure, the work, the vision is not there. You know it’s something that’s gonna last for like five years because now it’s what hip. It’s fine. There’s market for that, as I said. But when you look at longevity – you guys in ORBIT CULTURE have been doing this for like 12, 13 years. We’re approaching 10, and I think you’re aiming for a bit more and we too. And I see that in both bands: It’s this continuous work, that most of the times it’s the band doing. Like most of the times it’s you at home thinking about this or that, about that idea for a video or even for a post, because social media is so fucking important, that that will create your career. Because that’s we’re talking about: We’re not talking about a one hit thing on Spotify, and people just will just know your band because of that. Or because you change your style completely to fit into this pirate metal thing. I think in this particular case both of our bands have a very specific vision. And that’s what kind of sets it apart from … I wouldn’t even say competition. I mean today we’re playing here. But yesterday there was like PARADISE LOST and tomorrow there’s MALEVOLENCE. And people are filling out this venue every fucking day. It’s just good bands and these bands can sell tickets because people see the value in it: It’s bands that are doing things the right way.

“You have to adapt,
there is no way around it”

You mentioned social media as another important part of the job of a musician these days: Isn’t it a shame that creative minds have to spend so much time thinking about how to present their music on social media instead of being able to focus on their art?
Niklas: It’s just the modern times. You have to adapt, there is no way around it. We have chosen quite a different path: We kind of do the old school way of trying to get the longevity fans in there. Because those are the fans that really respect what you do. You could maybe take a shortcut, if you focus all your time and effort and music on TikTok. But that’s not something I want to do. I want to have more of the old school way. But hopefully I’m smart enough to not ignore the social media stuff. (laughs) So I guess it’s fun to some degree to do that kind of thing. But I see it more as another creative way, because I like to do these posts and stuff, like you guys in GAEREA do, too. I get the same satisfaction from writing a riff also. It’s a part of the creative work as well.

What has also changed is the way music is released—I think high-frequency singles have become much more important. Does that create a certain pressure to always have something to offer, to get people hooked on your band?
Alpha: With us it just happens: We tour, as we write and then we release it, and then you tour a bit more and then at some point you’re sitting on these songs for almost two years already. So it’s time to grab the guitar again. For us it’s just a bit like that. We never felt any pressure. We’re not dealing with major labels, where they just knock on your door. It’s not the case, not even with Century Media, at least for us. It’s like, alright, we like what you did. Do you want to release the next one with us? We’ll wait for it and respect the process. I never felt any pressure from anybody else to write music.

The way music is consumed has also changed. People tend to buy recordings as collector’s items, but mainly listen to music via streaming services. However, platforms such as Spotify are highly controversial, partly because artists earn so little from them. How do you personally listen to music – do you stream it, or do you still buy recordings?
Niklas: I use Spotify all the time, because I like to have my music right with me. And it was also founded in Sweden, so being from Sweden, we automatically have used it now since 2008 or something. It’s very engraved in our DNA. And I really haven’t reached out to check out any other platforms, so sorry for that. (laughs) But I’ve tried to buy more vinyl these days, even though I don’t have a vinyl player. But it’s because I want to see artworks.

But as a musician, don’t you resent Spotify for exploiting you for big corporate profits without giving you a fair share?
Niklas: If the fans are there, that’s more important than if I get five cents more for a stream at another platform. I just want people to hear the music. And if they hear it on there and then buy it, that’s even more awesome. It’s just also a gateway into the music, I would say.

” 99% of the population
can’t fucking play it!”

On the other hand, we see this retro hype around vinyl and even tapes. How do you explain that in times when everyone can access all the music in the world on their cell phones?
Alpha: It’s great. I think it’s because of the collector thing of having all the formats. Sometimes we do a bundle where you get the cassette and the CD and the colored vinyl and whatever, and it comes signed … it’s more about making a beautiful package that expands the experience of the album rather than we’re just going to release this new album on tape. 99% of the population can’t fucking play it! I mean, we have a few albums on tape, but I don’t even have a player for tape. This is just not something that I will invest in. But I do have some tapes from bands that I like. But it’s because of the collector thing. I guess with vinyls as well: Not everybody has vinyl players, but a good cover is a good cover that you want to have and frame and show your friends. I think it’s a social thing as well.

On the other hand, it is of course a welcome way to still earn money with music today – like merchandise in general. But prices keep rising: Nowadays, €40 for a shirt has become quite normal. Would you buy a shirt for €40?
Nicklas: If I like the band, yeah.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN sold his shirts for €65. Will this soon become normal? What’s a fair price for a shirt?
Alpha: I think it’s not just about how much is a T-shirt, but, for example, how much is the commissions that the venue is taking, how much is the VAT, how much is the shipping, how much is the production, how much is the designer. So all of that combined, a musician would get 10 bucks out of that T-shirt. (laughs)

“I would rather sell my T-shirts
for 10 bucks”

That’s absolutely right, no question about it. But for the fan, it’s still a lot of money…
Alpha: It is, I mean, and it fucking sucks. As a musician, I would rather sell my T-shirts for 10 bucks. I mean, let’s fucking go, let’s just share and trade. You bring some cool shirts, I’ll share, we’ll do a whole gypsy market out of it. But it is what it is. It’s on the T-shirts and it’s on that merchandise booth that bills get paid. And after you go through all the expenses these days, it’s just very hard to keep them.

Nevertheless, I am concerned that metal is becoming a hobby for wealthy individuals, as many people can no longer afford to attend shows or purchase merchandise…
Niklas: It is fucking horrible. But it’s also horrible to buy a Taylor Swift T-shirt for 70 Euro. (laughs) But when it comes to arenas and stadiums, I have to say that after COVID, they are not nice to even the big artists anymore. They take up to 40% commission on gross. So that’s why they have to bump it up, which is fucking horrible. But yeah, I’m in the same boat. I hate that it’s getting so expensive, but everything else does too.
Alpha: Mhm … inflation.

Let’s compare today with the past once again: When you watch a music documentary about the 1980s today, is there anything you miss in the business today that was completely normal back then but no longer exists today?
Alpha: What do you mean? Like a “St. Anger” kind of vibe? (laughs)

Well, perhaps the partying on tour? A lot has changed in that regard too, hasn’t it?
Alpha: It did. This tour for us, and we keep saying, it’s probably the best one we did so far. Everybody’s young. Everybody’s super hyped to do something really cool. Everybody’s helping selling tickets. I mean, we do have our gatherings of drinking beer backstage. It is what it is … I never condemned crazy stuff. We just don’t have it. This new generation doesn’t go for the harsh things of “Rock and Roll”, like groupies everywhere. People also have a bit more self-respect these days. We don’t see that stuff that often. I haven’t seen it in my ten years of doing this. Backstage it’s just people on their phones or calling home. It’s very boring. (laughs)
Niklas: Same here. Even the bigger bands are like healthy, clean, gym and everything.

“I would love to bring out 100 cello players,
but I can’t afford it”

Talking about getting more professional: This starts at an extremely early stage today. Whereas bands used to have to struggle for many years with poor equipment, today it feels like every newcomer band has the full range of equipment, from in-ear systems and backing tracks to their own light show. Is this an improvement, or does it mean that fundamental skills or important experiences that used to have to be learned the hard way are now being lost?
Niklas: I would love to just be able to put up an amp and a guitar, and then just play the show like that, not thinking about anything else. But it also comes from what happens in the studio. I would love to bring out 100 cello players, but I can’t afford it. (laughs) So some stuff needs to be in the backing track. But it’s also just a testament that it’s new times. I don’t want to be completely reliable on a laptop, which we kind of are. But the shows look cool, they sound cool, hopefully …
Alpha: And they’re packed with people having an amazing experience. I don’t think anybody’s missing out.

AI could be another source of empowerment for musicians—or a threat. Many bands already use AI for artwork or videos, either for artistic reasons or simply to save money. You didn’t do that with your bands. ORBIT CULTURE even bought a real painting for their cover, and GAEREA also works with photo and video artists. Why is this important to you?
Niklas: For me, it’s just to help other artists, basically. And also it just feels better, that it’s not something that was made in a millisecond. They have actually put work and thought and ideas behind a thing like that. And for me, that’s a big value in itself. No matter how the artwork looks like. You can tape a banana up to a wall and sell it for millions, but if I see somebody who spent hours and hours to paint a fucking castle for you, that’s something invaluable for me. And I want to keep them in work the best I can. I know for a fact that a lot of these artists on Instagram or whatever, they rely so much on artists buying their shit. Because there’s not so much regular people who buy a t-shirt-design! (laughs)
Alpha: Yeah, that’s true. I think you also grow your band when you work with different visions. There’s nothing like working with a person that you respect and these persons, while you’re doing the video or while you’re discussing the art or whatever, they’re also giving you input and even helping you rethink what you’re doing. So I think most of the time it’s about cooperation on creating something that it’s not just you and a laptop, prompting exactly what you are thinking in that moment, but the fact that it also takes time to produce, time to prepare, time to discuss, makes better bands. It’s the same thing as going into the studio with a producer for a month.

“There’s always going to be that though, like,
I didn’t actually deserve this”

And what about AI music? Are you worried that this could become the next big competitor for metal bands? Because in other genres…
Alpha: …it already is, yeah!
Niklas: One thing that I think is happening also is that people might do AI stuff, to just get the blueprint, and then just re-record it… but I don’t know. (laughs)
Alpha: I never thought of that. So you get the inspiration and then you’re like, you know what, I like this riff … But I think it’s also too early for us to think of what’s the aftermath of this in the next five to ten years. Because now Spotify is also taking out tracks because it was getting out of hand. We need legislation on this. We need to regulate all these things a bit better inside all our governments. But it’s the same thing as copying your homework. It sucks, but I think it’s also a matter of personal fulfillment and you put your hand in your head, as we say in Portugal, and consider: Do I deserve this? I sell ten million copies of this AI music that nobody knows that I didn’t write. It goes with you to your grave. There’s always going to be that though, like, I didn’t actually deserve this. In the end, I think it comes to that. I mean, it’s very hard to spot AI these days in videos and music, and it’s going to get way more out of hand. I’m just happy that I grabbed my guitar to write music. And that’s what makes me happy.

Publiziert am 23. November 2025 von Moritz Grütz

Fotos von: Afra Gethöffer-Grütz