Magnus Ekwall

Bands
The Quill

Featured on
Ayreon – The Human Equation
Audio
Day Twelve: Trauma
Day Five: Voices

Studio Report – The Human Equation: ‘The Quill’ front-man Magnus Ekwall travelled from Sweden to record his vocals at the Electric Castle in The Netherlands for ‘Ayreon: The Human Equation’. Check out Arjen’s comments on the loud performance of this otherwise quiet vocalist.
– What made you choose Magnus for this Ayreon project?
Arjen: I always buy magazines with a compilation CD attached in order to stay updated about what’s currently happening and of course to discover some new talent. On a Rock Hard compilation CD I heard the Swedish band ‘The Quill’ (Overlord) and I was really impressed by their extremely powerful singer, who reminded me a bit of the late and great Ray Gillen as well as Robert Plant.
– How did you get in touch with Magnus?
Arjen: At first I sent an email to their Dutch website but I got no answer. Then a couple of months later my manager Yvette found a band-address on another site and luckily I got an answer. Magnus told me that he had never agreed to guest on any other album before despite the fact that many have asked, which made me even more interested. I like to be as unique as possible in my choices. I sent him some of my albums (‘Into the Electic Castle’) and he really liked what I do, so he agreed. We have a lot of the same influences like Dio and Plant, and he could clearly recognise my roots (and his) in my music.
– Describe the recording session in three words.
Arjen: Powerful, fast, impressive.
– How would you describe Magnus’ voice?

Arjen: High, strong and bluesy with a wide vibrato.
– What was the most memorable moment?
Arjen: When he sang the high voice of an entire chorus in high D. I had to carry him away after that, but hey, he did it!
– What was something you absolutely didn’t expect?
Arjen: That he could sing so high and loud without getting tired and that he could even sing a quiet song the day after that.
– What was something Magnus did not expect?
Arjen: That he would ever sing strange material like mine, I even made him do some Beatle stuff! When I sent him the songs with my guidevocals he wasn’t sure he could do some parts or that they would fit his voice, but they even turned out better than the ones I especially wrote for his voice.
– Magnus has the unique ability to…
Arjen: …be a very quiet person, but the moment he starts singing…
– Decribe the endresult of the session.
Arjen: I needed at least one power-singer on this album, and I’ve got him now. Many people will hear him and be astonished that they never heard of him before. I’m sure he will get more offers after the release of this album and his own band’s great new album ‘Hooray, it’s a deathtrip’.