Smoke Spider return with “Vengeance,” a fiery new single blending raw power and melodic punch. In this interview, the duo unpack their creative spark, driving energy, and what’s next for the project.
- You’ve released a few singles since starting Smoke Spider in 2021, and now “Vengeance” arrives as your third one this year. What sparked the idea for this track — was there a particular moment or feeling that set it in motion?
Göran Florström: Well, you know, what set it motion was, as always, that urge, that itch inside saying “let’s write a new song!”. It might sound stupid, but that’s the way it is, always chasing something new.
And the topic, vengeance, is that forbidden desire we all feel once in a while, I guess.. At least I do.. Let’s drag that little monster out in the open.
- The title “Vengeance” suggests something dark and intense. How do you balance that raw energy with Smoke Spider’s signature melodic groove?
GF: Don’t know how really, but we do balance it, don’t we? That’s a good description of Smoke Spider you’ve got there, by the way.. Sometimes I feel like primitive man, and then I realize that I’ve got to dress the whole thing up in some kinda melodic suit.. We love a great melody.. Don’t get me started about how much Johan loves it. And the energy is like our trademark.
- You’ve both got strong musical histories — Johan as producer and multi-instrumentalist, Göran with Marionet and Generous Maria. How does your experience in those other projects influence what happens in Smoke Spider?
GF: I’ve been singing in different bands and projects for quite some time, you know, and I been utilizing different layers of my voice, depending on the context. So I just bring it all into the boiling pot that is Smoke Spider. With Johan I don’t know, he’s just extremely talented..
- There’s a real sense of motion in the way you describe the track — “the train of Vengeance is rolling all over you.” Was that energy something you chased deliberately in the production, or did it happen naturally?
GF: As I talked about earlier, the energy thing is a must, whether it’s an uptempo song or a slower track. So yeah, we chase it, and it’s there naturally. Both. It’s like our thing. And when it comes to Vengeance I think the train metaphor is valid, you’re run over by wheels of steel. - Smoke Spider’s sound feels like it lives between rock grit and melodic sophistication. How would you describe your creative chemistry when writing and recording together?
GF: It’s a busy world, so we work pretty fast. We met up in Johan’s studio, and I usually ask “do we have something new to work with?” and almost always Johan shows a thing or two, and I start trying out some vocals in pretend English. We put the parts together, and when we meet up the next week I’ve written some proper lyrics, and we record the vocals. By then Johan has recorded the basic tracks of the song and when the vocals is done he continues building the song, so to speak. We’re picky about the mix, so it’s allowed to take some time. Usually the creative process runs smoothly as whipped cream. - With “Vengeance” hitting all streaming platforms on October 9th, what’s next for Smoke Spider? Should fans expect more singles, maybe a full-length release, or even live shows in the near future?
GF: Since the release of Vengeance we’ve started the recordings of the next single. Hopefully it’ll make it all the way, and if it does it’ll be out pretty soon.
We released a full-length album in October 2024 called Voodoo Spell. Now we’ll stick to releasing singles in a splendid row for a while.
Smoke Spider is a recording project, you know, and so far we just don’t do live shows. But who knows, that can change. In the meantime, check out Smoke Spider on a music platform of your choice!
Smoke Spider (@smokespiderofficial) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
