Echoes of Gothenburg
An Interview with Niclas Engelin of The Halo Effect
(Interview by Güzin Paksoylu – Metal Oda, Istanbul 2025)
There are sounds that define an era — and then there are those that transcend it. The Gothenburg scene was never just a location on a map; it was an emotional landscape where melody and aggression found their fragile equilibrium. With The Halo Effect, guitarist Niclas Engelin and his companions revisit that space of creation — not to relive the past, but to reawaken it with new light.
As they prepare to perform in Istanbul on November 22, we spoke with Niclas about the past and the of the metal scene, and the thrill of live performances.
When you’re one of the musicians who helped shape what later became known as the “Gothenburg sound,” how does it feel to see it recognized as a global movement today?
I think it feels great to see it recognized as a global metal movement today. I think it’s flattering, and I’m really humbled by it. What we started out doing — or what we were trying to do — and the fact that it’s still going strong to this day is unbelievable.
What, for you, defines that sound beyond riffs, melody, and geography — is it a way of feeling, a melancholy tone, or a philosophical stance toward life and struggle?
I don’t think it’s a struggle for our music or our genre. We just do what we’ve always done, and we just go for it. Of course, you get a little older — perhaps not wiser — but we’re still going, and maybe taking influences from somewhere else these days.
Do you feel the metal scene still holds the same emotional hunger and defiance as it did in the ’90s, or has its essence changed with time?
I really do feel that the metal scene holds up to this day — it’s really, really healthy. And I think all the genres that were so important to keep separate when we were starting out are now coming together. They’re morphing and becoming something new. When you blend different types of metal into something else, I think that’s really beautiful.
The Halo Effect seems both a reunion and a rebirth. Was creative freedom one of the sparks that brought this project to life?
I think the freedom from the label, Nuclear Blast, has been there since minute one when we started working together again. We’ve done so much beautiful music with them, and we totally trust them — they’re a really great label with great people to work with. As I said, we’ve been doing this for so long, and there’s a mutual trust and respect. So again, we just go for it, do what we’ve always done, and I think we’re quite good at it.
“The Halo Effect’s Niclas Engelin on the Gothenburg Sound: ‘We Were Misfits’”
Your lyrics often circle around change, memory, and identity. Do you see songwriting as self-reflection, or storytelling through collective emotion?
Lyric-wise, we’ve got this true poet and artist, Mikael Stanne, who is a fantastic singer, human being, and lyricist. The lyrics within The Halo Effect are about us as individuals, and how we felt growing up — being misfits, outcasts. You know, in high school, you were wearing your jeans jacket with a Metallica or Dio back patch. There weren’t many people wearing that kind of message. We were maybe five to ten people, but we found each other in the end, and I think that’s really beautiful.
(Mikael Stanne – The Halo Effect)
“When we write music, we don’t overthink it. When it feels right, it’s right” Niclas Engelin
Is nostalgia a creative fuel for you, or something you resist in order to keep evolving?
Nostalgia… I don’t know if that’s the right word. I think we didn’t know what we were doing when we started. We were just kids having fun, listening to Iron Maiden, Kreator, Slayer, Metallica — all that stuff. We wanted to sound like them and create our own melodies and songs from that. So this is a fruit of us having fun in the beginning. We just went for it and didn’t think too much. That’s something we keep within The Halo Effect — when we write music, we don’t overthink it. When it feels right, it’s right. And having a lot of fun is really important.
Many fans describe live metal shows as almost sacred — a shared ritual of energy and emotion. When you perform, do you feel that moment of transcendence?
I think it’s important to have that “butterflies in your stomach” feeling. That’s when you feel the adrenaline rush — when the intro kicks in, and you hear the supporters roaring and singing along. That’s the beauty of it all. And I can’t wait to play for you all in Istanbul. That’s gonna be freaking awesome.
You’ll soon be performing in Istanbul. What kind of connection do you feel with Turkish metal audiences, known for their passion and intensity?
Being in Turkey, Istanbul — I love it. The food, the culture, the happy people. And it’s almost like being at a really, really good football game where it’s your home team, you’re in the supporter area, and everyone is singing and cheering. That’s the kind of vibe I get.
How would you describe The Halo Effect’s live experience in one feeling?
I would describe our live experience as a lot of positive energy, happiness, and sing-alongs — a positive, joyful experience. And after the show, we have the outro, and people sing along to that one, too. Again, it’s like a football team supporter club cheering on their home team. After the show, I just get off stage, chill for half an hour, and absorb the wonderful movement from the stage.
Finally, when the lights fade after the concert, what do you hope the audience carries with them?
Happiness. It’s always with a smile on my face, and I can’t wait to do it the next night as well. Thank you for the interview.
Thank you, Niclas, for your time.
For some, The Halo Effect is a return to roots.
For others, it is proof that memory itself can evolve — that music, like the soul, never stops transforming. In the end, perhaps what unites musicians and listeners in the Halo Effect sound is not nostalgia, but the will to rediscover beauty through distortion, melodic depth and metal’s high volume.
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