Night Flight Orchestra, known for their strong ties to the Swedish melodic death metal scene, continue to carve their own path with music that brings joy and optimism. Although their members also play in prominent bands such as Arch Enemy and Soilwork, their focus remains on crafting feel-good and uplifting tunes.
Their latest album, Give Us the Moon, marks their seventh full-length release and reflects their dedication to blending AOR, funk, and disco. With a signature mix of cinematic hooks, key changes, and multi-part harmonies, the album solidifies the band’s place in the sonic landscape of rock’s golden era.
The band’s evolution has been shaped by the unexpected loss of founding guitarist and primary songwriter David Andersson, who passed away in 2022. For guitarist Sebastian Forslund, who stepped into the lead songwriting role following Andersson’s death, the past few years have been a period of transition. The band is now moving forward with some of their strongest songs to date and a new guitarist, Rasmus Ehrnborn, in the fold.
Forslund reflects on Andersson’s pivotal role in the band’s creation, saying, “David was our lead songwriter and most creatively driven member. He started the band back in 2007; it was his vision at the beginning.” Forslund had initially joined as a percussionist after mixing the debut album. His contributions grew over time, and he began playing guitar, which eventually led to him becoming a full-time member. “I slowly moved toward doing guitar work,” he shares, noting that his transition to guitar was seamless since he was already familiar with the songs.
While Forslund plays both guitar and percussion during performances, he acknowledges the challenge of managing both instruments simultaneously. “I’ll be using my foot and sometimes my hands in between strumming chords,” he explains. He notes that their keyboardist has the ability to play multiple things at once, but for guitarists, it’s more challenging. Despite the difficulty, Forslund finds ways to integrate percussion into the songs, which adds a unique dimension to their live performances.
The band’s sound is heavily inspired by the early ’80s, a period when music writing was innovative and catchy. “We’re trying to recreate that golden era of music from 1978 to 1983,” Forslund says. The band draws inspiration from songs that are both progressive and memorable. Forslund credits Andersson’s prolific songwriting abilities, recalling that “David was such an amazing writer. He had this ability to spit out 10 songs in a row. All of them would be great.”
However, coping with Andersson’s death wasn’t easy for the band. Forslund admits that it took time for them to overcome the loss and find a new direction. “We were wondering what the hell to do,” he says. After months of struggling, the band decided to focus on creating music that made them happy, regardless of whether it initially felt like the Night Flight Orchestra’s signature sound. This shift in perspective led to some of their best work, as the chemistry between the band members began to take shape once again.
The band’s musical approach is also inspired by melodies rather than technical shredding, with Forslund citing guitarists like Kee Marcello of Europe and Steve Lukather of Toto as major influences. “I’m more into melodies. When I was young, I loved players like Kee Marcello. Steve Lukather is also great for that; what he plays is always very tasteful,” Forslund says.
In terms of achieving their desired sound in the studio, Forslund explains that they used a variety of amplifiers, including those made by Orange and MLC. For the harmonies, they employed a Rockman, a classic tool that helped them achieve the old-school guitar sound they were looking for. “Once my chorus pedal is on, it never gets turned off,” he jokes, noting that they often use a slight chorus effect on all tracks, adjusting it for more dramatic effect when necessary.
As for their new guitarist, Rasmus Ehrnborn, he uses computer simulators like the Neural DSP John Petrucci plugin for clean sounds, which are overdubbed later. Forslund is also an avid collector of Ibanez Artist guitars, while Ehrnborn sticks to his Firebird-inspired ESP model.
Performing the complex textures of songs like “A Paris Point of View” live presents its own challenges. However, Forslund is able to rely on their talented keyboardist for additional harmonies, and he uses the Boss PS-6 Harmonist pedal to help create the rich sounds they are known for. “We arrange our guitars like strings in an orchestra… probably because we’re huge ABBA fans,” he admits, further showcasing their love for intricately layered music.
Despite the immense challenges the band has faced, Night Flight Orchestra has emerged stronger than ever, navigating the loss of their founding member while continuing to create music that honors the past and pushes the boundaries of their sound.
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