EXPELLOW - Inside A Twenty-Year Intense Journey... (Switzerland - HardCore/MetalCore - Interview with Mik, Gudi, Taz & Moritz).

Grüetzi ! Can you introduce yourselves, how Expellow was born, and what originally drew each of you into heavy music?
Mik: Expellow was founded in 2006 by Gudi and Taz. I joined in 2007. Both my parents loved music, had been singing in choirs and played instruments, they were also into Rock Music – and I have shared that interest from a young age onward. Initially, I wanted to become a guitarist, not a singer, because I found it so much cooler. However, I kind of stumbled into this and then just went with it but it’s fine, I do like to have a hand free on stage, it’s really practical.
Gudi: I also was deeply rooted in Rock music because my parents were listening to many rock records when I was young. So I started to play guitar at the age of 7 instead of starting in a soccer club!  

Surprise question #1 to learn more about you ;-) If you had to pack light and grab only three albums before boarding a desert island flight in 5 minutes, which ones are coming with you, and were they total game-changers for your own musical journeys?
Mik: That is a tough one! But I would probably pack Linkin Park - "Meteora”, Landmvrks – "Lost in the waves” and In Flames – "Soundtrack to your escape”. All these bands are connected through their unique handwriting and how they are genre defining and through that encouraging me to keep walking our own path and developing our own style.
Taz: Easy! In Flames – "Clayman”, Caliban – "The Opposite from Within”, Blind Guardian – "A night at the Opera” Out of them, The opposite from within influenced me the most.
Gudi: Killswitch Engage – "The End Of Heartache", The Beatles – "Sgt. Peppers", Vale Tudo – "Hardcore Heavyweights".
Moritz: Arch Enemy – "Anthems of Rebellion", Nevermore – "Dead Heart In a Dead World", In Flames – "Reroute To Remain".

Well, back to the band... Tell me more about it... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band?
Mik: I got in a fight with Taz at a concert in Zurich in 2007, he invited me to the rehearsal the next day (probably as a joke), I showed up, everyone went with it. In 2015, when Sergio announced that he wanted to leave, I called Nici, one of my closest friends, to audition, so that is sort of my contribution there. I also want to make clear we had absolutely no plan when we formed this band. We were kids who wanted to make music, we went through just about everything, from empty venues to not having a rehearsal room and playing just unplugged on the streets or the lake shores of Zurich, highs, lows, you name it. There was no concept, we just managed to never give up.

How would you describe the Expellow sound, and why should someone diving into modern Metalcore/Hardcore check you out right now?
Mik: I feel like we did develop a truly unique handwriting over the course of the last 20 Years. Instead of looking at the trends, we’ve listened inwards and grew into the style we do today, representing each member’s individual ideas and inputs in a way. On top of that, we have so much fun playing live – if you want to check us out, best to do that at a live show. 

Looking back through your discography—from "Modern Age Credo" in 2016 to your recent full-length "Signals On Swells" in 2024 — which release would you point a newcomer toward first to truly understand what this band is about?
Mik: I’d actually say that depends. If you want to dive into our angry, almost punk-ish phase, check out “Modern Age Credo”. If you’d love to explore our music with the hardcore influences on the forefront, check out “We Held the Line”. If you prefer our music with metalcore and hardcore more in a balance, check out “Signals on Swells”. If you want epic conceptual storytelling, check out our Single “Ten of Swords”, if you want to see our take on 00’s Nu Metal, give our newest single “Embers” a spin. There’s lots of layers to what we do musically. I’d recommend just diving in based on the beforementioned descriptions what interests you the most, then taking it from there and discovering how we make the layers connect to each other through our handwriting. 

What musical and lyrical inspirations feed the band, and how vital are the messages or themes you channel through your lyrics?
Mik: When we were starting out, writing lyrics became interchangeable with journaling. I wrote about things that were keeping me awake at night. Later, I started to bring more concept into the lyrics. I’m still mostly unable to keep it super simple, I overthink a lot and I double-triple check meanings and messaging. Mostly, I’m somewhere around the topic of mental health, resilience, strength. I’d say I write songs, to survive to.

Founded in 2006, Expellow has weathered two decades of shifting trends in the world of heavy music. In your opinion, what is the secret that has allowed this band to remain alive and active on the Swiss/European underground scene for 20 years?
Mik: We do not take ourselves too seriously. And we talk. There are two decades of friendships, that does not happen by accident. It sometimes takes the will, the gut, the intelligence and the humility to sit down, admit your own part in arguments and work on solutions. Talk it out. Scream it out. Make it work. We did not survive because there were so many good times evening out the bad times, but because – over and over again – we made the conscious decision to not give up when things went sideways, to keep investing and to trust our bandmates to do the same. That work is the spine that holds us up straight in this ever-shifting times.

Let's talk about your latest single and video, "Embers"! Where and when was it brought to life, what's the story behind the artwork/concept? 
Mik: The video was filmed at Rusty Reel Studios in Düsseldorf, Germany, “Embers” and “Ten Of Swords” were directed by Mirko Witzki. We wanted to implement changes between the cyc (infinity room) and rain setting, having on one hand a bit of a nod to 00’s videos with futuristic elements (like white rooms etc) and on the other hand the drama of the rain setting, giving it a more modern look, so we basically had current and past visual influences, with the song acting as a kind of “link” between them.

Musically, you’re exploring more “nu-metal” and “rap” territories as well… How did that come about? What was the catalyst? Was it something you’d wanted to do for a long time?
Mik: It’s the thing I grew up with. Personally, I’ve always loved crossover metal. Then again, I do love a wide variety of genres. I have indeed always wanted to try it out and when Gudi came up with the riff I felt like “that’s the one I’ll do it on! I’ve also had lots of ideas immediately.

Any funny stories from the shoot, perhaps?
Mik: We’ve shot “Ten of Swords” and “Embers” within the same two days. Both songs were super new at this time, and we barely had any time to practice. When we arrived the night before, we were desperate for some kind of rehearsal, so we asked the waiter at the Pizzaria on the ground floor of our hotel, if we could practice there. The restaurant was empty and it was around 10-11PM, so he agreed since we were also ordering pizza while we were there. So that was kind of special. Other than that, both days were just physically demanding, especially for me with the stunt and sword choreographies on day two. But a lot of fun either way!

Well, do you have new songs ready for a new album? Can you already tell about the content & possible musical evolution? What can we expect?  
Mik: That’s a thing I wouldn’t want to disclose or comment on at this time. You’ll have to wait and see !

Ok - Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
Mik: Feels a bit weird to name something like that after having already won the Wacken Metal Battle. I’d say a Japan Tour would be amazing and personally, I’d like to do some sort of visual cinematic concept over several music videos at some point. 

Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why? 
Mik: Speaking for myself here; My worst concert was on our 2016 Tour with Raunchy, I think Hamburg. I made the mistake of drinking too much the night before and completely lost my voice like 4 Songs in. We had to wrap it up right there and leave the stage. Did not touch alcohol before shows ever since and stopped consuming alcohol altogether in 2023. I didn’t even have a drinking problem, I just thought I deserved a fun night, which – unfortunately – completely went out of control. Learned a very uncomfortable lesson that night.
Best concert is a tie between Openair Gränichen 2024, Wacken 2026 and Rock the Lakes 2026. All for different reasons. Gränichen is a festival that is dear to us, we are always there as regulars, it’s basically THE festival for the local Metal / Hardcore and Punk scene and the vibe is awesome. Playing our full 60min Wacken Slot was just… legendary. Truly unforgettable. And Rock the Lakes gave us such a warm welcome, the best hospitality we ever had and – even though we rarely play the French part of Switzerland – an incredible crowd. I generally love playing festivals. They are so bustling with people and attractions and different bands that are playing and I do always love to take a stroll and take it all in after I’ve cooled down from the show.

About gigs - you're celebrating a massive anniversary year capped off by hosting your very own "Heartline Festival" at the Dynamo Saal in Zurich on November 28th! How did bringing this festival to life feel, and what can fans expect?
Marco (Heartline Booking): Honestly, it’s been a lot of work and a lot of fun at the same time. Twenty years of Expellow felt like the right moment to do more than just play another show. So instead of booking an anniversary gig somewhere, we decided to build our own festival.
The line-up mixes old friends with bands we’ve met more recently and really enjoy. Vale Tudo have been with us for pretty much our whole journey, and with some of the other bands it’s been more than just sharing stages for a long time. Alongside them you’ll see Still Untitled, Malewicz, The Wild Haze and Save Your Last Breath. A big shout-out goes to Cheers Production, who are handling the production and helping us put the whole thing together.
Heartline Festival is meant to happen every year. Twenty years in a band means a lot of people to thank, and they won’t all fit on one bill, so this is just the first edition.

Any other live-appearance(s) planned ?
Marco (Heartline Booking): Sure! December 5 we’re at District in Siebnen, celebrating 15 years of The Kate Effect. January 16 we play Treppenhaus in Rorschach with Sharks In Your Mouth, and July 10 Markhof Rockt in Germany.
More is coming, but we can’t say more yet. And the 2027 calendar still has room, so if you want us to play your show or festival, hit us up: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Switzerland may not always be the first country that comes to mind when talking about hardcore/metalcore bands, but the underground scene there is—in my opinion—extremely rich and diverse. How has the Swiss scene supported you, and which local bands should people outside of Switzerland definitely check out right away?
Mik: That is true! The scene is very condensed, word travels fast and chances are, you’ll make friends just because you’ll play together often – it was the case with many of our friends, many of whom developed out of shared shows into people you meet privately for dinner or going out or meet ups. We have so much diversity and talent in the scene and we are glad that we can give back something with our Heartline Festival. I’d definitely check out our besties from “The Kate Effect”, “Days of Ruin”, “Ophelias Eye” and “Insanity.61”. And of course everyone else. You’ll find something for every taste and beyond that !

Surprise question # 2 !
What’s the question you’ve always dreamed of answering but have never been asked? Hey - I want the answer that goes with it... ok ? 
Mik: I have done enough oversharing already. Next thing you know I’ll direct the topic to my latest hyper fixation and then I’ll write a paragraph about HEMA or some niche gaming lore. I’ll spare all of us the (second-hand) embarrassment at this point.

Well, the interview is coming to an end… Is there anything else you’d like to add? Anything I didn’t think of? Something important, funny, silly… It doesn’t matter!
Mik: Go to shows, support your friends, never give up on your dreams and love all days as if it never hurt to love.



Credits : 
Band photo : Jessica Christ
Live photos : Marco Wenger