By Jim Barber
The new EP from dynamic Swedish melodic metal powerhouse Eleine is a delightful gift to their leagues of loyal fans – something to tide them over until the next full album release comes their way.
It is also an exceptionally potent calling card, a perfect way to introduce new fans not only to the brilliance of their songcraft, but also a delectable sampling of the ferocity and intensity of their live show.
Beyond this, the EP’s title, We Stand United, released through Reigning Phoenix Music, is a message to those diehard Eleine fans, to all metal fans and to the world. It is a central theme infused into the DNA of much of the band’s original music letting people know they are not alone, there is strength in numbers but also untapped strength within each one of us. The music is a declaration of interdependence saying ‘the world is tough, the world is often unfair and unjust, power is corrupting absolutely. But if we stand together, if we stand united, we are tougher.’
The EP also includes two new tracks, the atmospheric introductory piece ‘Towards the Fields’ and the title track, as well as a breathtakingly cinematic symphonic version of the song ‘Promise of Apocalypse’ from their previous full-length album, We Shall Remain, which came out in 2023. It was the band’s fourth album, beginning a year after their formation with a self-titled release in 2015, followed by Until the End in 2018, and Dancing in Hell in 2020. We Stand United is their third EP, following on the heels of All Shall Burn (2019) and Acoustic in Hell (2022).
The band was started by lead vocalist/songwriter Madeleine Liljestam and guitarist/growler and songwriter Rikard Ekberg. A few band members have come and gone over the past 11 years, with the core duo being joined by guitarist Victor Jonasson in 2023.
Liljestam said Eleine has always been focused on serving its audience, understanding that without a dedicated following, it’s unlikely a band is able to not only ever get their music into the world, but be able to sustain a career. So, it’s in appreciation of those fans, as well as keeping their creative and commercial momentum moving forward that they decided to release this EP now.
“We wanted to have something between albums. We see the EPs as a bridge between full-length albums, where we can do a little mixing and matching of what we want to do. It’s something that doesn’t have to be as structured or streamlined per se. But, actually, when looking back, we realized that the EPs are streamlined and kind of have their own identity. That’s just how it is. I mean, it really came to life when we talked about why we wanted to do this one. We Stand United came to life on its own, and whenever we actually take a deep dive into it, it totally makes sense. We wanted to provide something new, music wise. We also wanted to have the live tracks, because live is really the best experience, in my opinion, of the band. That’s who we are, that’s also where we’re in our happy place, I guess you could call it. And we really wanted to give all that on a physical copy as well as on all digital streaming platforms because not everyone has seen us live, because we haven’t been everywhere. So, there are many different reasons why we wanted to do this EP. At the end of the day, it totally makes sense. And yeah, we want to provide something to our fans, especially after everything we’ve been through, especially this year. We said this is definitely something we dedicate to our fans, because they always go above and beyond,” she explained.
“We had both really good and really bad stuff happen to us last year. We did our first headline tour, which was for one part of the year. And because it went so very well we felt, well, we have to make a part two to cover other parts of Europe, which we did this year. And you never really know what it’s going to be like when you go on your first headline tour. Will it be a tragedy? Will there be only two or three people at the shows. But it was mind blowing. It went so very well. It was such a beautiful thing to actually do. Then earlier this year, we had a lineup change that we wish we could have avoided, but it turned out the way it did [the former bassist and drummer were let go in February]. That was one of the heaviest things in our career, and also in our personal lives so far. So that’s why it’s been both good and bad. And after everything, we see how our fan base, they’re just so supportive. It really felt like we could lean into the arms of our fans to get some comfort, actually, because it was very difficult and very emotional. So, yeah, this EP is definitely dedicated to them because they are amazing.”
The two live tracks on the We Stand United EP are blistering versions of the songs ‘Never Forget’ and ‘We Are Legion,’ both recorded at the 2024 Masters of Rock Festival held in Vizovice, Czech Republic. Not only do they do an impeccable job at capturing the fierce intensity and superlative playing of Eleine, but the songs themselves, as discussed earlier, fit the celebratory vibe and theme of solidarity which infuses the entire EP.
“I think it was a 50 minute or one hour show. It was a pretty difficult one. We had a great time with the crowd but it was so insanely warm. I was so close to passing out but I held it together and the band was playing so well, and the crowd was pretty insane too, even though it was so hot. When we decided to make this EP, we did some deep dives into those live recordings and picked the two that sounded the best. But we realized they also made sense for what the EP is supposed to sound like and feel like as a whole. That’s why ‘We Are Legion’ was one we definitely had to include,” Liljestam said, adding that for their 11-year career, Eleine has always ensured that the band’s live show was powerful, memorable and inclusive. The key to that, in her mind and at the centre of the band’s ethos, is bold authenticity.
“There was this one thing we’ve always said from the very start, Rickard and I and that is we always have to stay true to ourselves and what we do. We never want to be the kind of artists who sit down and ask, ‘what should we do to get more popular? What should we write that people will buy? Should we hook onto this trend or that trend?’ There’s so many artists that are like chameleons out there who are trying to follow the trends. We just promised ourselves no matter what, Eleine is always the focus. What makes sense, musically, in the name of Eleine, that’s what we’re going to do and only do what feels right. So, we’ve just done that. That is also why, I guess, we’re so energized on stage because we are so fully alive, so invested in being who we are. If there’s one focus that we have, it is the crowd, because, and I’m going to be very straight with you, I’m sick and tired of seeing it when people are actively thinking onstage about how they look and what movement they need to do next. I fucking hate it.
“And I see it. I can spot it right away. I get sick from watching it. I feel uncomfortable in my own body and I have to stop watching because I know the person is actually not comfortable. I just want to shake them and say, ‘can you please just drop that focus you have and just be yourself.’ I guess that’s maybe something that happens because some people don’t actually know who they are and then there are some people who are scared of being who they are. I don’t know if it’s an experience that maybe makes it. I started somewhere being a little bit, ‘who am I’ on stage, wondering if I belonged. But it didn’t take long in our first show, for me to feel it. Our first show ever was in our hometown of Landskrona [in the far south of Sweden], and it was a big show, and I realized, ‘oh my God, yes! They are the focus, obviously, not me.’ It’s not how I look or move or what he’s doing with his guitar and whatnot. We’re going to have a good time together, and that’s the focus. Once you realize that, then I believe you can do quite a lot with the show, and you get better as performers and musicians.”
At one point, Liljestam and Ekberg were a romantic couple as well as creative partners in Eleine. They ‘consciously uncoupled’ to use a phrase coined by actress Gweneth Paltrow, but remain close friends and share ‘custody’ and stewardship of the band, putting the interests of the music first.
“We founded the band. We definitely have been a couple, but we’re not anymore. But we are still the core of the band. And no matter what, and we have always said this, Eleine is basically our baby, you know. It’s our life’s passion. It’s our life’s project,” she said, adding a somewhat humorous note that the band’s name is not the result of some complex incantations, marketing studies or deep dive into some history or mythology. It’s just the back end of her first name.
“I think we’re the band that has put the least amount of thought into our band name, to be very honest with you. I really that that is the case because when we started we were sitting around wondering what cool Latin words can we find. But then we realized that it was kind of pretentious. Like sometimes you can overdo it and overthink it. At one point it was getting so complicated that we just looked at each other and said, ‘like, this is getting pretty cringey. Let’s skip it. And my name is Mad-eleine, so let’s just call it Eleine. And it’s funny because a lot of people don’t even put it together that it’s just part of my first name. Eleine just kind of rolled off our tongues and we were also so excited to get started that once we landed on that name, we just went with it. We knew what we wanted to create, but who knew that it would grow to what it is today.”
Since the band’s foundation, as Liljestam stated, she and Ekberg have been the artistic force behind the band, with their songwriting prowess growing with each and every new composition.
“It always varies, right? But to break it down, we usually sit together in the same room. And before that, sometimes ideas come from whenever you’re out taking a walk, or maybe when you’re sleeping and dreaming. But usually, we are riff based and that’s why I realized that I do argue the case that we are not a symphonic metal band, because we’re not based on symphonic arrangements. We’re very riff based. So, songs usually start with a riff that Rik has, because I love a good riff, and Rikard is very good at making them. So that’s usually where it starts,” she explained.
“And we continue it together. Since I do a lot of the administrative work for the band, sometimes I go and do that and get him to start putting the structure of the song together, and even though I am doing something else, I am still listening because we have this shared studio/office kind of thing. One thing that we’ve always seemed to stick to, no matter if we start the song with just a melody, or just a feeling of something we want to create, or if we have a riff, we always leave the lyrics until the very end. And that’s because we have noticed that we like to let the song speak for itself and what it feels like only with the instrumental part. And that really works well for us because then it feels like the song gets its own identity and what it’s really about based on what we feel from the music. I find it’s way easier for us to just roll out the lyrics as well. We do pretty much everything together, including the lyrics although with the orchestral arrangements that you hear, that’s Rikard. I definitely put in my two cents here and there and in some parts of songs I really know what I want to hear, but he is the brain behind bringing it all together, and I’m very happy that he is able to do that.”
As many of the titles for the band’s albums and songs would point to, themes of empowerment, knowing and celebrating your self-worth, being true to oneself, and standing together in times of trouble are dominant. One conversation with Liljestam is illustrative of this positive philosophy as the enthusiasm, genuine passion and how she declaratively articulates her feelings on the subject are better than anything you can get from so called ‘life coaches.’
“We always say that we write about what we feel, what we’ve seen, what we’ve experienced in life. So, every part of the lyrics that you will read from Eleine, really, is from our lives. It’s big chunks of our personal lives, basically. So, we really don’t pick, like a theme for each album. For us, creating music is part of my therapy as well. You process quite a lot when you do it. What we did notice a little bit before, when we put out Until The End [2018] our second album, and then a lot more after Dancing In Hell [2020] was we were receiving so many stories from fans. They were sharing so much, telling us that they’ve been through this and that in their lives too, and I will become this and am doing this thanks to our music. It is empowering to them. That word popped up everywhere. We thought to ourselves, ‘oh man, so us writing about all of the shit we are going through, apparently can make people feel empowered because they feel like they’re not alone.’ They can fell more pumped up. That’s why we usually say that our fans have made Eleine what it is today.” Liljestam said, talking of the song ‘We Stand United,’ the title track from the EP, and a brand-new composition.
“We wrote it last year and, as I’ve said, we’ve been through some things right? And we always think that we have to push through and no matter what has been happening in our career, Rikard and I always feel like we’ve got to continue forward. Rikard came up with this nice riff and I said, ‘yeah, we have to do something with this.’ So, we created the song. The lyrics were written based on former experiences in life, as well. When we had the lineup changes and everything earlier this year, in February, that so was very heavy. And suddenly it was as if the song made more sense to us. I mean, we wrote the song, but it was if it landed differently now. It felt even more relevant to us, and that just made that song and the entire EP thing, for us, even more important, to be honest. It feels like it will be one of the most important releases for us personally throughout our career.”
Eleine is currently on tour opening for German metal masters Primal Fear on their ‘Domination Tour,’ which takes them through Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain.
At present, there are no plans to cross the Atlantic for shows in North America, but Liljestam is hopeful of a return and has fond memories of the shows Eleine had in Canada back in 2023.
“It’s interesting, because we have been doing a lot of interviews with people in Canada for this album, which is good to know that there is interest there. It’s lovely. We did a couple shows back in 2023 and they were insanely good. I remember those Canadian dates because the venues were all jam packed and the shows were so intense and sweaty,” she said.
“I remember it was super-hot in there. I think we played Quebec City and Montreal. I do remember we had a lot of people writing that they were disappointed we were not coming to Toronto and Vancouver. So, I hope we can get back to the places we played before and get to some other places. I know we have some good fans there.”
As for a new full-length album, Liljestam said she and Ekberg are hard at work on new material, with hopes of a release coming in 2026.
For more information, visit https://www.eleine.com.
- Jim Barber is a veteran award-winning journalist and author based in Napanee, Ontario, Canada, who has been writing about music and musicians for more than 30 years. Besides his journalistic endeavors, he works as a communications and marketing specialist and is an avid volunteer in his community. Contact him at bigjim1428@hotmail.com.
