CYHRA Feat. Ex-IN FLAMES, AMARANTHE Members: 'We Plan On Doing Smart Touring'

Finland’s Kaaos TV conducted an interview with CYHRA members Jesper Strömblad (guitar) and Peter Iwers (bass) after the band’s October 27 concert at Nosturi in Helsinki, Finland. You can now watch the chat below, A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On how the two former IN FLAMES members came to play with each other again:

Peter: “We were always friends. We didn’t hang out as much, because I was always away to begin with. I was invited to this band by Jesper. We talked and they asked me if I wanted to play, so we always had a good relationship. It’s weird to explain, because when you are away so much, a lot of the friends you have at home, you don’t see them as much. And we used to be away together so much. And this is from my end — I was always on the road, and we didn’t see each other as much. But we tried to stay in touch as much as possible, and the last couple of years has been even more of that, and then he invited me to the band.”

On whether Jesper intended from the beginning to ask Peter to join CYHRA:

Jesper: “Actually, no, because I had no idea that he would… I knew he was up for it, because we talked about [him] playing double duty. But in the end, of course, we wanted to have a solid lineup that only concentrated on CYHRA, so we’re really happy that he chose to change bands.”

On CYHRA‘s plans for the coming months:

Peter: “We plan on touring, but we plan on doing smart touring, I would say — doing shows that we choose ourselves. And this is, of course, something that we think now — we never know what’s gonna happen. But we plan on touring and doing shows that will fit us, basically. None of us really wanna go out and tour three hundred and sixty-five days a year.”

Jesper: “We’re not gonna start from the start, so to speak. So we’re going to take relevant shows and tours for us. Not that we think we are big stars — we have to work as everyone else to promote the band — but the fact is that we can’t be — as Peter said — touring three hundred days a year in a van, because we have families and we have businesses at home, and it’s impossible. Twenty years ago, if someone told me, ‘Here’s a plane ticket. You’ll be home in three years,’ [I would have said], ‘Hell, yeah! Let’s go.’ But you can’t do that anymore.”

In addition to Strömblad and Iwers, CYHRA, features in its ranks vocalist Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE), guitarist Euge Valovirta (ex-SHINING) and drummer Alex Landenburg (LUCA TURILLI’S RHAPSODY).

CYHRA‘s debut album, “Letters To Myself”, was released on October 20 via Spinefarm Records. The disc was recorded at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Jake E announced his departure from AMARANTHE in February, explaining at the time that he began to feel that “my place both on the albums and live was reduced; I felt like I was superfluous… I started to feel more like a backing singer.”

Iwers issued a statement in November 2016 saying that he was leaving IN FLAMES “to pursue other endeavors.” He has since been replaced on the road by Bryce Paul, a member of the Southern California pop-rock outfit IVES.

Strömblad quit IN FLAMES in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction. He later formed THE RESISTANCE with Marco Aro (vocals, THE HAUNTED) and Glenn Ljungström (guitar, ex-IN FLAMES), only to exit that band in March 2016.