Heavy/Power Metal quintet PECTORA released their second album Twilight Knights a few days ago and it’s understandably gaining recognition. Ahead of the release, Rock Out Stand Out’s Lotty Whittingham spoke to lead vocalist Phil Butler and drummer Nick Frandsen about Twilight Knights, their sound, mental health and who would be on their own team of Twilight Knights. Here’s what happened.
For those who haven’t heard Pectora before, how would you describe your sound?
Phil: I guess we would say it’s Dansk Heavy Metal
Nick: That’s your line.
Phil: Yes, that’s my line. It’s classic heavy metal but it’s not just that. It has a bunch of other things thrown in there.
Nick: It’s like old school with new elements in there and modern production.
Phil: I think there’s also a hint of power metal coming into some of the songs too. That might be more to do with the production because our producer is Sebastian ‘Seeb’ Leverman from Orden Ogan.
That will definitely explain a lot of the track mixing.
Phil: And that’s why I say, it’s not necessarily the compositions that are power metal. If Seeb hears a hint of power metal then he really emphasises it on his production. We think of ourselves as primarily a classic heavy metal.
In terms of influences, who are your main ones?
Nick: Everyone one us in influenced by different artists. I am influenced by everyone from jazz drummers to extreme metal drummers. Also progressive rock and metal like Dream Theatre, I get a lot from those guys. I also think the drummer from Winger, he makes some nice cool fills. Phil Collins from the Genesis album. I don’t know names of jazz drummers but it’s the jazz drumming in general I am inspired by.
Phil: Nick is always trying to get us to listen to Winger, particularly at the band Christmas Party. The less said about the band Christmas Party the better [laughs]. For me as a vocalist, I started off trying to emulate Dio quite a lot; especially in mannerisms, the way he uses his hands as he moves on stage and it was less about the vocals.
As I gotten more comfortable with singing in the ten years I had been doing it, I kind of picked up a lot of Geoff Tate from Queensryche; I would never say I am as good as him, I try to channel him in my singing. There is also influences from Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson somewhere in there too. Those aren’t the ones I think of so much.
Speaking of Dio, that leads me onto the album Twilight Knights. I did make a note on the track Where Everything Begins which made me think if this was a sequel to Holy Diver.
Phil: I never thought of that, I guess they are both in C Minor. Something like that. I always thought it sounded more like early Accept stuff from Ball To The Wall album. Interesting that you think it sounded like Dio.
Nick: I have to go home and listen to that track now after Holy Diver.
That’s a huge compliment by the way. I was blown away by the track On Forlorn Wings. When you write a track; do you have melodies first then the lyrics afterwards or vice versa?
Phil: We always have the music first. Although we find if I am the one starting to write the song, I will often have a line or a title.
Nick: That’s actually the same with me, I usually write a riff and then I feel the atmosphere of that riff. I then get to think of a line or a word that might describe this riff and then becomes the working title.
Phil: A lot of early working titles for the tracks are often named after meals. So ones that come to mind are chicken pastry, roast beef and béarnaise, things like that. We had a jamming session today, we’re already thinking about the third album. The first idea was Large Big Mac Meal with Chilli Cheese Tots, that’s the working title for a new one.
With regards to On Forlorn Wings, I actually started with the start of the chorus. I remember distinctly I was standing at the bus stop at about 2am kind of drunk with Soren and asked him to do this harmony in the chorus. That’s where I started with that melody. We often write the music first before we think about the vocal melodies, that’s how it’s been since I joined the band. I don’t if it’s been like that always? [looks to Nick]
Nick: It’s always been that way yes. I thought several times about doing it the other way around for an exercise.
Phil: It’s difficult to break a habit once you start.
What was the working title for On Forlorn Wings just out of interest?
Phil: It didn’t have one because it was one I started writing when I first joined the band. So I hadn’t been broken into that tradition yet.
Am I right in thinking Phil this is the first album with you as the vocalist?
Phil: Yes that’s correct.
You had been performing with the band before that?
Phil: Yes, I joined in February 2020 and then everything stopped because of COVID. We had the album ready for a couple of years but after COVID, we tried to do some gigs whilst putting together the final bits and pieces. We had been performing a lot. It would have nice to have it out earlier, but then we were looking for a label and that didn’t work out.
Nick: We weighed out our different options.
Phil: After all that looking, we decided to release it on our own. It would have nice to get it out earlier but we had to jump through some hoops and go through processes.
I had a listen to the first album Untaken and the different vocal style takes it in a different direction to Twilight Knights. For those who haven’t heard the first album, what are the key differences?
Nick: Definitely the production, that’s a major thing. The sound on Twilight Knights is bigger, heavier and Phil’s vocals take it in a different direction.
Phil: I think Kenneth’s [Jacobsen] vocals were more classic, blues rock.
Nick: Also some of the songs had a vocal line that was more monotonous where at least I think on this album we have experimented a bit more.
On Twilight Knights, what was the challenging song to put together?
Nick: The most challenging track to put together by far was Race Through The Dark. I really liked writing that song as everyone joined in with the writing of that song, that song has bits that are written by each of us. It was changed quite a lot, we actually ended up recording some of the song. I recorded the drums for one of the pieces of the song and then we discarded the whole guitar riff for that piece then wrote a whole new one.
Phil: We had already driven to Sebastian’s studio in Germany and recorded all the drums. After that, we decided to play out the guitar riffs but then the new ones had to fit what was already recorded with the drums. It is strange you say Race In The Dark, I never had that impression but now I think about it, it did go through the most revisions. In terms of rehearsing to perform it live, it’s probably Children Of The Atom. That’s a difficult one as it has lots of chops and changes, starts and stops.
Is Twilight Knights a concept album?
Phil: Not really. There’s two numbers on it that are within the same universe. The title track and On Forlorn Wings are in the same sci-fi universe and two sides of the same coin. You will hear a lot of references to a group of knights in one and a sleeping space queen in the other; if you read and listen to the lyrics, you will hear those conversations being had. Those are the only ones that are related.
Nick: Whilst it’s not a concept album, we try to make the songs about something that has to do with space. That’s the theme in the songs, a song like Cold Void might about something different but it still has a title that has to do with space.
One of the things we like to do at Rock Out Stand Out is raise awareness around mental health and keep the conversation going. What’s mental health awareness like in Denmark?
Phil: I think it’s really good. That’s a difficult question actually.
Nick: For me, I can say that one afternoon; we had a meeting at my workplace where one of my leaders encouraged us to take use up our vacation time and not leave it until next year. They encourage us to take our vacation time as it’s good for our health.
Phil: In the public sector in Denmark, there is a lot of emphasis on things like that. They tell you that you need to take at least three weeks of leave between the months of May and September. One of the conversations I had with my boss in one of my last positions was after the first day, she was setting the expectation that you don’t have to answer your phone or email after working hours. That was non-negotiable. So in terms of work, I think it’s very good. I don’t know how much it’s talked about in society, I don’t think I have noticed anything.
Nick: One thing is that many employers pay for health insurances for their employees where you can get mental health support.
Phil: And counselling, I think there’s a lot of employers that pay for counselling sessions if you feel like you need one. From a public sector perspective, that’s my understanding. The Scandinavian Welfare model really emphasises positivity in talking about mental health and receiving help. That’s why I think we’re having difficulty talking about it as it’s a given that help is there.
I find a lot of us don’t know when we are struggling mentally until it’s too late and then you wonder if it’s serious enough to see a doctor.
Phil: I think it’s one of the things we need to pay attention to; being mindful on how you’re feeling because I think a lot of people don’t know when they are struggling, they might just think that’s how Mondays are. This is an assumption here but a lot of people don’t know when they are hard up, don’t know their own body and perhaps they haven’t thought about it before. They don’t think that this is the red engine light on their dashboard in their body lighting.
Do you think there’s anything we can do more of as family members, friends, band members, loved ones so people feel more comfortable reaching out?
Nick: For me, I experienced this first hand. When I started out in my workplace, I found when I opened up about some personal stuff; the others started to open up themselves and then we had conversations about it. When we have conversations about it, the problems start to go away or you at least start to feel better and you get more comfortable in the environment. I think it’s about someone willing to take the first step and share things then others will feel encouraged.
Phil: I think to add to that, personally I feel much better not necessarily talking about things but knowing that I can. I have people who are close to or a resource I can use whenever I am feeling that way. Sometimes I don’t need to talk about it, I know the opportunity is there.
In terms of being in a band, we are all really supportive of each other whenever someone is having a difficult time. I remember when Soren’s mum passed away; even when we were working on getting the recordings done for the album, we all immediately said to take a break and said to Soren to take all the time he needs. That kind of support is necessary; I think not waiting for the person to ask for support but offering the support before they hint they may need it. It’s a huge mental relief.
Nick: Last year, when I went through a break up and I slept a couple of nights on your sofa Phil.
Phil: When you’re feeling bad, a mental health crisis or any crisis; practical things are stressful so offering practical things is also important.
What do you like to do to relax or unwind?
Nick: Write music.
Phil: That’s the typical band answer right?
Nick: For me, that’s something that relaxes.
Phil: It’s something I do as well, I will write some stuff.
Nick: I like to go fishing.
Phil: I’m not as outdoorsy in that sense, I love to play video games or I will design a DnD adventure. I will think about my Dungeon Master moves.
Alongside your band, who would be on your team of Twilight Knights?
Phil: That’s a good one.
Nick: I would like The Genie from Aladdin, he’s awesome and he can do magic so he would make a great addition to the Twilight Knights.
Phil: I was thinking of Sadie Adler from Red Dead Redemption because she’s the only good one in the game that didn’t do anything wrong but is also really bad ass.
Nick: The Hulk.
Phil: I suppose he is already a member of the Twilight Knights but our leather jacketed skeleton man on the horse on our album cover. He’s not in the band.
Nick: Oh, Ghostrider.
Phil: Yes, he would have to be with us by default.
Nick: Jack Sparrow.
Phil: Would Jack Sparrow be a good Twilight Knight? I think he would be the one buying the rum and we would need that. He would be also good at talking his way out of situations.
Do you have a message for Pectora fans?
Nick: We can’t wait to get out and play new stuff, please listen to the music and we would love for you to interact with our posts. Whether you think something is good or not, we would love to hear about it. The more interactions the better.
Phil: Please worship the gods of the algorithms and push our album as far as possible. We have some shows in Denmark coming up which are going to be really good shows. We are looking forward to getting back out again.
Thank you Phil and Nick for speaking with Rock Out Stand Out today and best of luck with the album release.
