This band is full of people who’ve been in punk bands, thrash bands, death metal bands, we like to play heavy things, we’ve just gone exploring in recent years.” 'It felt like I was writing the first album again, I loved writing heavy stuff again. I stayed at home and I just kept writing.' The stuff that came out of me was really back to basics, heavy songs were in the driving seat again.

But as soon as I picked up a guitar it really did feel like starting all over again. I really didn’t know if it would feel inspired or if it was close to the last album. “No, we’d barely closed the door on Rewind, Replay, Rebound. That can’t have been long after you put out your last record… So I had all this time and I told our management that I was going to write an album and they cancel all the shows we’d postponed and agreed it was the best thing to do.” You’re writing while you’re rehearsing, it’s hard to balance. Normally, it takes me a year, maybe two to write an album because we’re constantly on the road. Suddenly I had all the time in the world. Had you planned to make a record or were you given the time because of Covid-19? It arrives in stores this week and we spoke to Poulsen about how he harnessed a sudden burst of creativity… It includes a duet with former Alphabeat singer Stine Bramsen, and, unfortunately, a remote performance from Caggiano, who completed his guitar pars in the US. Written in three months and recorded in just under three weeks with producer Jacob Hansen, the album is a breathless listen. The result is Servant Of The Mind, an LP that finds the group bringing together their signature brew of signature heavy metal, psychobilly and punk ‘n’ roll. He picked up a guitar and things just flowed, very, very quickly.

Poulsen wasn’t sure what he’d do next but figured he may as well use the time he’d suddenly been gifted to try and get a start on their next album. Three of them, frontman and songwriter Michael Poulsen, drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen back to their native Copenhagen, while guitarist Rob Caggiano went to his home in New York. With a huge US tour and a summer of festivals shelved, as well as a string of tours that were booked, but yet to be announced, the band returned home. Danish metallers Volbeat were only a few dates into touring their Rewind, Replay, Rebound when the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to pull the plug on a planned two years on the road.

Volbeat album youtube