Trial by Fire: Peterified’s Anthemic Rise from the Ashes
Photo Credit: Therése Elfargrim
Trial by Fire: Peterified’s Anthemic Rise from the Ashes
Swedish rocker Peter Johansson has lived through the flames — divorce, fatherhood, creative rebirth — and emerged with Trial By Fire, the debut album from his new band Peterified. In this candid conversation, Peter opens up about the personal battles that shaped the record, the women who inspired its lyrics, and the unconventional journey from demo tapes to a full-blown studio release. With help from longtime friends and melodic rock heavyweights like Viktor Olsson (Sapphire, Gathering of Kings), Peterified is more than a band — it’s a reckoning, a homecoming, and a fresh start.
From haunted castles to heartbreak anthems, this is the sound of a seasoned artist reclaiming his voice. And with a release gig set for October 25th in Gothenburg, Peterified is ready to bring the fire to the stage.
We’re here with Peter Johansson, frontman of Swedish rock band Peterified, whose new album Trial By Fire drops this Friday. Let’s dive into the stories behind the songs.
Is there an overarching concept behind the album title, Trial By Fire?
That’s a good question. I wouldn’t say it’s a concept album exactly, but the title felt like a fitting statement. Life throws a lot at you — and for me, the past few years have felt like one long trial by fire. I went through a divorce, and I have a daughter with autism, which has brought its own challenges with the healthcare system and schools here in Sweden. Everyone has their own trials, and this album reflects mine. The original title was Stand My Ground, but Trial By Fire felt more honest and aligned with the themes — the struggles, the resilience, and the rawness of life. It’s not always pretty. Sometimes it’s a bitch. But you push through.
Before we get into the singles, let’s talk about the opening track, “Dangerous Curves.” It could easily be a single. What inspired it?
“Dangerous Curves” definitely channels early Bon Jovi. It’s about a woman who can enchant you with just one look — and lead you straight into ruin. I’ve known a few women like that, but this one in particular… we’ve been friends since our teens, and yeah, we had an affair. She’s amazing, but she’s got those dangerous curves — metaphorically and literally. She’s the kind of woman who mesmerizes you, and that’s what the song captures.
Peterified – Trial By Fire Album Cover by Oz Hawe Petersson
Does she know the song’s about her?
She’s heard it, but she doesn’t know it’s about her. And I think I’ll just leave it at that.
Your debut single was “Helpless.” What’s the story behind that one?
That one’s about my ex-wife. We’re not exactly on speaking terms, though we co-parent our daughter. We have very different views on parenting and life in general. She’s a narcissist — everything has to be her way, and she constantly leans on others for help. “Helpless” is my way of expressing the frustration of still having to deal with her, even years after the divorce.
Next up: “Stole My Heart Away.” Hopefully this one’s got a brighter vibe?
It does. It’s a heartfelt anthem about falling head over heels for someone — that awkward, exhilarating feeling when you’re trying to impress them and everything goes sideways. It’s about young, innocent love. I think it’s something most people can relate to — that first time you really fall hard.
This album feels deeply personal. Was starting Peterified a cathartic move for you?
Yeah, I guess you could say that. I’m 51 — been playing in bands since I was a kid. Started on clarinet at 11, then drums at 14, and I’ve played everything from heavy metal to punk, pop, and Top 40 covers. I was usually the drummer, not the frontman, but I’ve always been a creative force — writing songs, shaping arrangements.
After my last band, Magasin 99 — kind of a punk-meets-singer-songwriter project in Swedish — disbanded in 2022, I had a pile of songs lying around. I didn’t want to join another band or start something new from scratch. So I thought, maybe I should record my own stuff and sing it myself.
I reached out to two childhood friends, Mattias Ingvarson and Mikael Johansson — Matt and Mike — who I’ve played with over the years. We started rehearsing acoustically, just piano, guitar, and vocals, exploring the material and seeing where it could go. We’re all family guys with jobs, so it was a slow burn.
Photo Credit: Therése Elfargrim
How did the project evolve from there?
In summer 2024, I was invited to a video shoot for Seventh Crystal, a band from Gothenburg. I know their drummer well. At the shoot, I ran into Viktor Olsson — guitarist, producer, and member of Sapphire and Gathering of Kings. We’ve been friends for a few years, and he asked how things were going with Peterified. I said we’d been dormant for a while, and he asked me to send over a few tracks.
He liked what he heard and said, “Let’s record something.” That’s how Viktor and others got involved. I also reached out to Johan Wallerstedt, an old bandmate and music teacher who lives about 150 kilometers away. He recorded all his bass parts remotely and sent them via Dropbox. We tracked guitars and keyboards at my country house, and vocals and additional parts at Viktor’s studio between November 2024 and April 2025. The album was mastered shortly after.
What did Viktor bring to the process as producer?
At first, he was a bit reserved — probably because he knew me as a music journalist. I write for Rocknytt, a Swedish rock news site, and I’d interviewed him a few times, mostly for Gathering of Kings. But we’d hung out at festivals and gigs, and eventually hit it off.
I told him I wanted to be produced — really produced. I wanted his guidance, his experience. I’d done demos before, but never a full-length album like this. Viktor gradually stepped into the role, offering ideas and direction while always respecting my vision. We had a great collaborative dynamic. He’s humble, knowledgeable, and passionate — and he brought all his experience from Sapphire and Gathering of Kings into the mix.
The album was mastered by Thomas “Plek” Johansson — that’s a big name.
Absolutely. Thomas has mastered records for Nestor, Night Flight Orchestra, Soilwork — a lot of great bands. Viktor and Thomas work together often, so it was a natural fit. I had two names in mind for mastering: Thomas and Erik Mårtensson from Eclipse, who’s also a fantastic producer and songwriter. I’m thrilled with how it turned out.
I spotted your name on the Pride & Joy compilation — you sang backup on Osukaru’s “Dream Don’t Die.” How did that come about?
I know the Osukaru guys well, especially Oscar. We’ve collaborated over the years, and he did the artwork for Peterified’s singles and CD booklet. Pride & Joy is handling distribution for the album, though I’m still independent.
Oscar called me up in July and said, “What are you doing Monday? Want to swing by the studio and do some backup vocals?” I said sure. We’ve talked about it for years, and this time it finally happened. It’s a great track, and I was happy to contribute.
Has Peterified played live yet, or is that on the horizon?
Not yet. We’ve done things backwards — recorded the album first, and now we’re rehearsing. Our release gig is set for October 25th in Gothenburg. That’ll be our first live show. After that, who knows? The band’s enthusiastic, and I’ve written around 40 songs over the past couple of years, so there’s no shortage of material for a follow-up. Hopefully there’s more to come — both on record and on stage.
(Interview by Ken Morton)
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