INDUCTION are one of the hottest newcomers in Power Metal. Not only that Tim Hansen, son of Kai (HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY) is the mastermind and producer here, the troupe delivered a surprise bag of hits and anthems with their second work “Born From Fire”, which caused a great stir. In the opening act for SERIOUS BLACK, the international troupe also heated up enormously. Reason enough to spontaneously invite Tim to an interview. The enthusiastic and likeable thoroughbred musician told me about the moving beginnings of the band, but also about big plans for the future.
Hey Tim, how is the tour so far?
This is the fourth show in the round. And actually our first real tour and so far it has been super exciting. By the way, SERIOUS BLACK are just stepping on the gas. I went to the merch right after the show and people just celebrate. The energy is there and we’re having fun on stage and people definitely notice that.
Sounds good! We had a lot of fun too! It feels like you’ve practically come out of nowhere. The first album was still a bit under the radar for my feeling and you have a very eventful green history. The band was formed in the Czech Republic and you joined later and suddenly you were alone.
Yes, in principle yes. INDUCTION was founded in 2014 as a project by Czech guitarist Martin Beck. He wanted to see what was going on and what was happening, and then there was the first single with a couple of guest musicians, and when we got down to work on the first album, I got involved. From that moment on we saw that it would slowly become a band and looked for more members. After a few shows and the album, it quickly became clear that the demands that INDUCTION had were just too big for some. That’s why we decided to regroup. In principle, at some point I was alone, because Martin then left the band as well. First we looked for people together and then he generally lost interest in making music. But it was so fitting to work with Marcos Rodríguez on the new album. I feel pretty much at home with the lineup.
How did you get the lineup together, because Marcos is born in Argentina?
Marcos lives in Tenerife…
Yes, I know, I saw his cover band SOUNDCHASER live there a good ten years ago! (laughs)
So, I’ve spent a lot of time finding the right people during the pandemic. So the pandemic came at least quite well in terms of timing. Basically, I held public auditions and a lot of people got in touch. The bass player Dominik (Gusch), who is standing in front and grinning, reported about it and mastered the audition. The acid test is always the first meeting and making music together. Kias, who played drums for a short time, also came along this way, but soon left us again. I had known Marcos online for a long time. When Martin left, I contacted him and that was relatively quick. He was immediately convinced of the music and ethics.
After a long search and a lot of frustration I finally found the singer Craig (Cairns). I think I was in contact with around 100 singers, but “the one” just wasn’t there. One day I was sitting on the couch with a friend and he asked if I had checked Fiverr before. This is such an online freelance platform. We just typed in “metal singer” and Craig was one of the first to pop up. And I knew immediately: This is him! And then when he sang a few songs for me, I was completely convinced.
Yes, Craig blew me away too, also with his versatility. But in general I couldn’t believe that you are newcomers, no matter if it’s songwriting, production or even the wit. I also read that you are the producer of the record yourself.
That’s exactly what I produced myself. I think I was able to take a lot with me from the first production and I am very perfectionist. It’s very important to me that my releases sound big. I don’t understand why many settle for a semi-good production. And I listen to the big A-Class records and think to myself, that’s where I want to go and that I also think it has to go there. That’s why I spent a lot of time with the songs, but also together with the other guys, so that everything is right and fits perfectly. I think it was worth it. As you say, it doesn’t sound like a second album.
I was amazed anyway; “Order & Chaos” sounds like RHAPSODY in terms of the bombast. But when I listen to the Italians’ current album in comparison, I have to say that you’re a lot more upbeat in terms of bombast, production and general investment. But I still hear very likeable and lively corners and edges on the album that I like.
Of course, a production is always about keeping everything human. Of course, modern productions are polished, but the trick is to take it with a pinch of salt and handle it wisely. That’s why I chose Jacob Hansen, who mixed and mastered it. Known for his work with ARCH ENEMY, PRIMAL FEAR or AMARANTH. He made the final for us. We spent a lot of time finding the right sound for each song. But then he always emailed the finished songs back to us very quickly. The album should primarily be fun to listen to. The first version was a bit more clinical and clear, but I wanted it to be more banging and I think we managed to do that.
Anyway, I like to ask what the reasons were, or which moment was formative for picking up the instrument yourself. With you, however, it is a bit more obvious or maybe “put into the cradle”. How did that really work?
The obvious is actually not the reason. I think my father (Kai Hansen), who is well known in the scene and very busy, certainly plays a role in that. I always had an interest in music, or at least in mind. But the fact that it really started for me was a very personal impulse that I got when I was 15. I had a somewhat difficult time in my life then. That was the moment when I said to dad, give me some guitars, I want to deal more with songwriting and the game itself. That actually gave me a lot of relief during this difficult time. That became my new obsession. Since then I couldn’t imagine anything else.
How was the support from him? So at such a young age you might say: “Of course you can become a rock star, but you should also study something decent beforehand!”
No, it was never like that. I almost dropped out of school because we were in the production of the album at the time, so during my graduation. But I decided to go through with it and my parents encouraged me to do so. I also finished with a good cut and now several doors are open to me. And I can count myself lucky that I haven’t had to do anything else since graduating from school and that I can make a living from it. I can also earn something with guitar lessons and I also offer small promotional jobs from time to time. But I can proudly say that I have been able to pursue and live my dream so far.
How early were you allowed to watch dad at a GAMMA RAY concert?
Yes, the first thing that comes to mind is that I wasn’t quite that small anymore, but maybe when I was nine in Hamburg in the docks on the Reeperbahn.
Kai had a guest contribution on the first album. Did you deliberately avoid guests this time?
No, that was completely unconscious. But my godfather, Piet (Sielck) from IRON SAVIOR recorded backing vocals for us. He has a very special way of doing it because he just creates a wall with it and that’s what I wanted to have on the album. On the first album we had the song “Mirror Make Believe” where Kai sang along. It was just a good idea because the song was also structured like a duet. And he was simply the next best contact. That’s why it was a good fit. I think it’s pretty cool that this album is “All INDUCTION”, but I don’t rule out the possibility that we’ll have guests on the next album, but also nothing that should necessarily become something common now.
Then let’s get back to the new album. What was the idea behind the title or is there some kind of concept behind it and how does the artwork fit into it?
The title “Born From Fire” basically came before the album title. So the song was there before. When I finished this song, I knew that this is also the title of the album. Basically, it’s a bit about this whole pandemic thing. Two years in which the entire music world was on hold. That’s why I find it all the more interesting how we artists always manage to emerge from such difficult times with even more inspiration. I think if you look at this year there were a lot of great albums like MEGADETH and BLIND GUARDIAN. And partly I think albums have been done better or faster thanks to the pandemic. It’s not just about INDUCTION being (re)born out of fire, but the whole scene.
I wrote in my review that it’s among the best Power Metal albums of the year, if not more. You have a mix of perfectionism and a noticeable joy in playing. And you combine the best of the last decades from the genre. Do you feel any pressure for the next album?
I’m not worried at all because the next album is very far in the writing process (laughs) and I find the material even stronger so far.
Thank you for the very interesting conversation. do you want to say something else
Yes, just a few days after the release I’m already very happy and satisfied with how it’s received and I believe that we can continue to go uphill with INDUCTION. I’m really looking forward to enjoying the next shows and seeing this community grow.
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