Clark: “We Put the Tracklist in a Hat and Drew It at Random”
Unable to agree on the running order for their new album One Of Us, the band settled the debate in the most unconventional way possible: they wrote down their preferred tracklists, threw the notes into a hat, and let chance decide. Ahead of the album’s release, the band talks about signing with Napalm Records, writing songs on the road, and why a mosh-pit anthem became the title track of their most ambitious record yet.
With a new album about to arrive and a packed summer of festivals ahead, the band is entering a new chapter. Not only is One Of Us their first release with Napalm Records, it is also a record shaped by constant touring, experimentation, and, as it turns out, a surprising amount of luck.
When it came time to finalize the album, the band found themselves in an unexpected deadlock.
“We had eleven songs that everyone agreed should be on the album,” the vocalist explains. “The problem was that we couldn’t agree on how to sequence them.”
After countless discussions, they abandoned the usual approach entirely.
“So we wrote our suggestions on pieces of paper, put them in a hat, and drew the order randomly.”
No voting. No compromise. No carefully planned narrative arc.
“At first we were laughing because it sounded ridiculous,” he says. “But it actually worked. My own favorites ended up toward the back of the record, so I definitely lost that battle.”
Looking back, he believes the gamble paid off.
“Chance did a great job, honestly.”
The story perfectly captures the spirit behind One Of Us—an album that often favours instinct over perfection and energy over overthinking.
A New Team, Not Just a New Label
The album also marks the band’s first release with Napalm Records after years of handling virtually everything themselves.
“We had been doing everything on our own for about five years, but eventually we realized there simply weren’t enough hours in the day,” he says. “We needed to grow.”
Although several labels had approached the band over the years, the decision to sign came from within.
“We talked to a lot of labels, but Napalm just felt right. They were great people, and we realized we needed a bigger team around us.”
The change has already made a noticeable difference.
“Before, it felt like all we did was everything except play music. We were constantly handling business, logistics, planning and promotion. Now we get to focus more on being artists while other people help carry some of that weight.”
Rather than feeling restricted by a record deal, he compares it to adding new members to the family.
“It doesn’t feel like we’ve signed away anything. It feels like we’ve expanded the team.”
The Song That Defined the Album
While One Of Us eventually became the album title, it started as a very specific mission.
The band had spent the better part of the last few years touring Europe, the UK and beyond. During one festival run, a conversation sparked an idea.
“We were talking about our live set and realized we needed more songs for the pit,” he recalls. “So we basically said: let’s write a song specifically for the mosh pit.”
That song became “One Of Us.”
“It ended up representing the whole record because so much of this album was written while we were on the road. It captures that energy and that connection we have with audiences.”
The title also reflects the relationship between the band and its fans—a connection that has only grown stronger through years of relentless touring.
The Song That Nearly Missed the Album
Perhaps the most surprising story behind One Of Us is that one of its standout tracks almost never made the final cut.
The band had already finished the album. The songs were mixed, approved and ready to go. Work had even begun on future material.
Then they wrote another song.
“The first song we wrote after finishing the album was so good that we immediately thought: this has to be on the record.”
There was just one problem.
“The album had basically already gone to print.”
After convincing both themselves and their label that it deserved a place on the record, the band rushed to complete it before a strict deadline.
“We had to finish everything in just a few days. Somehow we pulled it off.”
The track ultimately became the album’s eleventh and final song, not because of any artistic statement, but because all the artwork and layouts had already been completed.
“We just had to stick it at the end.”
Built for the Stage
Given how much of the album was written while touring, it’s no surprise that many of the songs seem designed with live performance in mind.
One track that has already proven itself is “The Wedding.”
“We played it in Norway recently and it absolutely killed.”
Another song that excites him is the album closer—the late addition that almost missed the record entirely.
“We rehearsed it recently and our sound engineer was pulling his hair out,” he laughs. “There are a lot of elements we’ve never used before, so it was completely new territory.”
The band has already started introducing some of the new material live, and the reaction has only increased their confidence in the album.
Leaving Perfection Behind
Compared to its predecessor, One Of Us takes a noticeably different approach to production.
“The previous album was very polished and very controlled,” he explains. “This time we deliberately left a lot of things in that were first takes.”
The goal was simple: make the record feel alive.
“We wanted it to sound more human. More real. Sometimes the first take captures something that you can’t recreate later, even if it’s technically less perfect.”
That philosophy extends beyond the performances themselves.
For the band, authenticity has become increasingly important as they’ve grown.
“We didn’t want to overthink everything. We wanted the album to feel like us.”
Experimenting With New Ideas
One song in particular pushes the band’s sound into new territory through a series of dramatic tempo changes.
“We’ve never done anything like that before. Three different tempos in the same song.”
The idea came largely from guitarist Ronnie and producer Nicholas, both of whom were eager to explore influences from heavier corners of the metal world.
At first, the vocalist wasn’t convinced.
“I was pretty skeptical when they suggested it.”
That changed after hearing it come alive on stage.
“Now I absolutely love it. It’s one of those things that sounded strange on paper but made perfect sense once we played it live.”
For a band that has always resisted repeating itself, the experiment felt like a natural progression.
“We always want to try something we’ve never done before.”
Life on the Road
When asked what inspired the album, he doesn’t mention another artist or a particular record.
Instead, he points to the road itself.
“We’ve been touring constantly. Europe, Scandinavia, the UK, Canada. That’s really what shaped this album.”
The experiences, the people and the endless miles became part of the songwriting process.
“You write songs in dressing rooms, backstage, on tour buses. Sometimes you’re dealing with completely ridiculous problems and then trying to write lyrics five minutes later.”
More importantly, touring reinforced why the band continues to push forward.
“When you meet people who love the same thing you love, that’s incredibly inspiring. It’s hard to describe. Once you’ve experienced that, you never really want to stop.”
Looking Ahead
The album arrives just as the band prepares for another busy festival season, including appearances at Sweden Rock, Download Festival and Resurrection Fest.
Sweden Rock remains especially significant.
“The last time we played there was one of those moments you never forget. We were playing early in the day and there were thousands of people in front of us.”
This year, they’re returning with a bigger slot and even higher expectations.
“We’re going to bring everything we’ve got.”
As for future headline shows and possible plans in Stockholm, he remains carefully vague.
“I’m probably not supposed to say anything,” he laughs. “But let’s just say I may have seen something.”
For now, however, all attention is focused on One Of Us—an album born on tour buses, shaped by spontaneity and, in one memorable case, decided by the luck of the draw.
Sometimes, it turns out, chance really does know best.