Interview with Edwin Premberg (METALITE): «If something makes the song better, I don’t care whether a sound comes from metal, pop, EDM,…»

After marking a key milestone in their career by signing with the label Perception (a division of Reigning Phoenix Music) and kicking off this new chapter early in the year with the single Our Time Has Come, the Swedish power metal and electronic music band METALITE consolidates its sound with the release, on September 25, 2026, of its fifth studio album, Discovery. Mixed and mastered by renowned producer Jacob Hansen and backed by singles such as In Case of Emergency, Starchild, or The Metal Elite, this sci-fi conceptual work delves into the fusion of melodic metal, futuristic synthesizers, and dance-pop, taking us into a fascinating universe that we explore in depth in this interview.

TMF: After Expedition One, what did you want to tell with Discovery?

METALITE: For me, Discovery was about answering the question: what happens after you reach the destination? Expedition One was about leaving a collapsing Earth in 2055 and searching for a new home for humanity. Discovery takes place three years later, in 2058. They have reached the new planet, established a colony and started building a new civilization. At first, everything seems hopeful, but slowly they begin to realize that this new world isn’t exactly what they expected. Strange things start happening, especially around EQL1PSE, the network created by humans and AI to connect minds and share emotions, knowledge and memories. So Expedition One was really about the journey. Discovery is about what they find when they arrive – and whether humanity can avoid making the same mistakes all over again.

TMF: What does the concept of “Discovery” mean to Metalite?

M: It has several meanings for me. The obvious one is discovering a completely new planet, but as the story develops, it becomes much more than that. The Five Commanders begin discovering things about EQL1PSE, about the planet, about themselves and eventually about what humanity could become. I also think it describes METALITE quite well. I’m always trying to discover something new musically, whether it’s a new sound, a different production idea or some strange combination of metal and electronic music that probably shouldn’t work – but hopefully does! Haha.

TMF: How has your sound evolved on this new album?

M: I think Discovery is a little heavier and more serious in places than some of our previous albums. There are still all the things I love about METALITE – big choruses, synths, electronic elements and strong melodies – but I wanted more contrast this time. Some songs have a more traditional melodic metal feeling, while other parts are very electronic or cinematic. I didn’t sit down and decide that METALITE needed a new sound. It happened naturally while I was writing. I think Discovery sounds very much like METALITE, just a slightly more mature and dynamic version of it.

TMF: On Discovery, you once again combine metal, melody and electronic elements. Where do you draw the line?

M: I don’t really have one! If something makes the song better, I’m happy to use it. I don’t care whether a sound comes from metal, pop, EDM, Eurodance or a film soundtrack. The only rule I really have is that it still needs to sound like METALITE. Melody is always extremely important to me, and I want the guitars to have power while the electronic elements bring another dimension to the music. Sometimes I’ll put a very electronic synth next to a heavy guitar riff and think, «This really shouldn’t work.» And quite often, that’s exactly when it becomes interesting.

TMF: Which song on the album best represents this new chapter for Metalite?

M: I would probably say Our Time Has Come. It has a lot of the ingredients that define METALITE – it’s melodic, energetic, heavy and electronic, with a big chorus – but I also think it represents where the band is today. There’s a positive energy in the song, but at the same time it belongs to this bigger and slightly more serious universe we’ve created with Discovery. It was also the first song we released from the album, so in many ways it was the first door into this new chapter.

TMF: “Neon Rain” has a very cinematic atmosphere. What is the story behind this song?

M: Neon Rain is very much connected to the atmosphere of the new planet. I wanted to create the feeling of standing somewhere completely unfamiliar, surrounded by strange colors, signals and phenomena that you don’t fully understand. The neon rain is almost like a beautiful warning. It looks amazing, but you don’t really know what it is or what it means. Musically, I wanted the song to have that same feeling. It’s melodic and beautiful, but there’s also something slightly mysterious underneath it. That’s one of the things I really enjoy about writing within this concept. Sometimes I can start with an image in my head and basically try to turn that image into music.

TMF: How important is science fiction to Metalite’s identity?

M: Today I’d say it’s a huge part of our identity. It gives me so much freedom creatively. I can write about AI, technology, human behavior, virtual worlds and the future, but put those ideas into a completely fictional universe. A lot of science fiction is actually about things we’re dealing with right now. You just move them 30 or 50 years into the future and ask, «What happens if we continue down this road?» It has also allowed us to connect the music with artwork, videos and characters. METALITE has gradually become more than just individual songs for me. There’s a whole universe surrounding the music now.

TMF: Was there any song on Discovery that was particularly difficult to write or record?

M: I wouldn’t say there was one song where everything went completely wrong, but some songs definitely took more time than others. Usually the hardest part for me isn’t coming up with the first idea. It’s knowing when the song is actually finished. I can keep changing arrangements, synth sounds, backing vocals or tiny production details forever if nobody stops me! With Discovery, there are also a lot of layers in some of the songs, so finding enough space for the guitars, keyboards, electronics, vocals and cinematic elements without making everything too crowded was sometimes challenging. But that’s also the part of producing that I enjoy.

TMF: What was it like working with Jacob Hansen again on the production, mixing and mastering of the album?

M: Working with Jacob is always great, and we’ve known each other for a long time now. He has been part of the METALITE sound since the beginning. I produced the album, and Jacob handled the mixing and mastering at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark. I normally send him pretty dense productions with lots of guitars, keyboards, electronic elements, vocals and backing vocals. Somehow he always manages to give everything its own space while still making the whole thing sound huge. He understands what METALITE should sound like, which makes the process very easy. There’s a lot of trust there by now.

TMF: Your influences go beyond metal, including electronic music and 90s sounds. What unexpected influence can we find on Discovery?

M: People who know me probably won’t be surprised anymore when I say ’90s Eurodance! Haha. That music has influenced the way I write melodies for a very long time. Artists like E-TYPE, 2 BROTHERS ON THE 4TH FLOOR and BASIC ELEMENT were incredibly good at combining energy with simple, memorable melodies. But I also take a lot of inspiration from film music and science-fiction movies. Sometimes it’s not a particular artist that influences a song at all. It might be a scene, an atmosphere or even just an image that makes me want to create a certain feeling. So underneath all the metal guitars on Discovery, there’s probably more pop, Eurodance and cinematic music than people initially realize.

TMF: Which song are you most looking forward to playing live?

M: The Metal Elite is one I’m really looking forward to playing. It has that kind of chorus that I can already imagine people shouting back at us, and that’s always something I think about when writing. Our Time Has Come is another obvious one because it has so much energy. But now that the album is out, it’s going to be interesting to see which songs the fans choose. Sometimes the song you expect to become the big live song isn’t the one the audience connects with the most.

TMF: Are you planning a visual live show that brings the futuristic universe of Discovery to the stage?

M: That’s definitely something I’d like to develop further. The visual side has become increasingly important to METALITE, especially with Expedition One and Discovery. Ideally, I’d love to bring more of that universe onto the stage with video content, lighting and other visual elements that follow the story. Of course, there’s always a practical and financial side to touring, so you can’t bring a spaceship and an entire new planet to every club show! Haha. But as the band grows and we get opportunities to do bigger productions, I definitely want the live show to become more connected to the visual universe of the albums.

TMF: After several albums, what do you think has changed the most in Metalite since Heroes in Time?

M: Probably the identity of the band. When Heroes in Time came out, I already had a pretty clear idea of the kind of music I wanted METALITE to make, but over the years that identity has become much stronger. I’ve become more confident as a songwriter and producer, and I’m much less afraid of pushing the electronic side or doing something that might not be considered traditional metal. The visual identity has also grown enormously. Today the music, artwork, videos and science-fiction stories are all connected. But when I listen back to Heroes in Time, I can still hear the foundation of METALITE. Big melodies were important to me then, and they’re still probably the most important thing today.

TMF: What memories and feelings did you take away from your shows in Spain, and are you planning to return to our country to present Discovery?

M: I’ve really enjoyed playing in Spain. There’s a certain energy from Spanish audiences that you notice immediately. People aren’t afraid to show that they’re enjoying themselves, and as a musician that gives you so much energy back on stage. It’s also always special to travel that far from Sweden and meet people who know the songs and have followed METALITE for years. I don’t think I’ll ever completely get used to that feeling. I’d absolutely love to return to Spain with Discovery. Nothing I can announce right now, but hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to come back soon. Spain is definitely somewhere I want METALITE to play again.

TMF: Finally, when you look back and listen to Discovery years from now, what would you like to remember about this chapter of Metalite?

M: I’d like to remember it as a period when METALITE really found its own world. With Expedition One, I opened the door to this bigger concept, and with Discovery I feel like I was able to step through that door and explore it properly. I’m proud of the music, but I’m also proud that we’ve continued doing things our own way. Metal doesn’t necessarily need Eurodance synths, AI networks, Starchilds and science-fiction stories – but apparently I think it does! Haha. Most of all, I hope I’ll listen to Discovery years from now and remember how much fun I had creating this universe and how exciting it was to see people finally enter it with us.

Thank you so much for your time, and see you in Spain!

A huge thank you to The Metal Family for your support! We hope to see you soon in Spain. Best wishes from the whole band.

TMF: ¿Qué recuerdos y sensaciones os llevasteis de vuestros conciertos en España? ¿Tenéis previsto regresar a nuestro país para presentar Discovery?

M: He disfrutado muchísimo tocando en España. Hay una energía especial en el público español que se percibe inmediatamente. La gente no tiene miedo de demostrar que se lo está pasando bien y, como músico, eso te devuelve muchísima energía sobre el escenario. También es siempre especial viajar desde Suecia hasta un lugar tan lejano y encontrarte con personas que conocen nuestras canciones y que llevan años siguiendo a METALITE. No creo que llegue a acostumbrarme del todo a esa sensación. Me encantaría volver a España con Discovery. Ahora mismo no puedo anunciar nada concreto, pero espero que tengamos la oportunidad de regresar pronto. España es, sin duda, uno de los países en los que quiero que METALITE vuelva a tocar.

TMF: Para terminar, cuando mires atrás y escuches Discovery dentro de unos años, ¿qué te gustaría recordar de esta etapa de METALITE?

M: Me gustaría recordarla como una etapa en la que METALITE encontró realmente su propio universo. Con Expedition One abrí la puerta a este concepto más amplio y, con Discovery, siento que he podido cruzar esa puerta y explorar ese universo de verdad. Estoy orgulloso de la música, pero también de que hayamos seguido haciendo las cosas a nuestra manera. El metal no necesita necesariamente sintetizadores eurodance, redes de inteligencia artificial, Starchilds ni historias de ciencia ficción, ¡pero, por lo visto, yo creo que sí! (risas)! Sobre todo, espero escuchar Discovery dentro de unos años y recordar lo mucho que disfruté creando este universo y lo emocionante que fue ver cómo la gente empezaba, por fin, a adentrarse en él con nosotros.

Muchísimas gracias por vuestro tiempo y nos vemos en España. Muchísimas gracias a The Metal Family, gracias por vuestro apoyo y nos vemos pronto por España, un fuerte saludo de parte de la banda.