“We have a lot of energy. We mix a lot of aggression with melodies. We tend to have long songs, but I would say we are a fun band to listen to because we have a lot of different directions that we towards during the songs. It’s not two-minute beatdown hardcore songs—you get to experience the full emotions,” says Adept vocalist Robert Ljung in an elevator pitch that doesn’t sell its product short.
The Swedish metalcore band’s fifth album, Blood Covenant, out now via Napalm Records, is everything you wanted and then some. The record was produced by Henrik Udd (Bring Me the Horizon / Architects) in collaboration with Ljung and guitarist Gustav Lithammer. Thomas “Plec” Johansson (Soilwork / Dynazty), at the Panic Room, mastered the epic return.
“The last time we recorded an album was Sleepless, and that was a horrible experience,” Ljung says with a laugh. “We recorded the album twice because of a legal citation that we ended up in. So, anything after that is smooth sailing.”
Thematically, the record touches on points that everyone goes through at some point in life. It’s a retrospective into what made you tick as you were growing up: having your heart on your sleeve, passion, and breakups. Ljung says some of the songs are about talking to his younger self and that he wishes he could have saved him in the moment.
“It’s about everything, but now more than ever, I took a little step inside of me and tried to figure out what affected me as a kid. What were the things that made me who I am today? Of course, I had to open up about my childhood. I’m not the biggest guy; I’m a short guy. I had trouble in school because people picked on me because I was an easy target. I reflected on that and tried to write about that.”
He goes on to add that opening up in front of his bandmates was the hardest part, but the support was overflowing. This is their first new album in a decade, fueling a rise back into the hearts of listeners who have been patiently waiting, some getting the chance to see them live at their comeback at Core Fest 2024 in Germany. The initial break was due to a lack of passion from some of the original members, which can happen as time marches on, but with that time, a fondness grew that lay dormant at first, and now has flourished into a spectacle for the ages.
“It’s an album any of us in the band thought we would release because of the long break,” admits Ljung. “[Without music], you need to have a different job, you need to get money some way. With a new job, you try to climb the ladder, and you get comfy. I didn’t think that we would open the door to music again, but after we met with each other, we felt the passion again, and it was a very quick process to write the new album.”
The original group formed in the early 2000s in Trosa, Sweden, about an hour south of Stockholm, and they are celebrating their 20-year anniversary tour this winter. They have had an amazing career, amassing five albums and sharing the stage with legends like Underoath, A Day to Remember, and Bring Me the Horizon. Adept is back, and Ljung couldn’t be prouder.
“I’m so glad I have Adept as an outlet, to have this platform to talk about it, to sing about it. It’s a part of me and I love it. For the things that I went through, of course, it was hard back then, but it shaped me into who I am today.”
Blood Covenant is out now, and you can order it from Napalm Records. Follow Adept on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok for future updates.
Photo Credit: Pontus Gustavsson & Martin Öberg
