Crystal Ball Hits the Reset Button: Scott Leach on New Beginnings, Million-Stream Successes, and Dreams of America

Crystal Ball Hits the Reset Button: Scott Leach on New Beginnings, Million-Stream Successes, and Dreams of America

Swiss melodic metal veterans Crystal Ball have weathered lineup changes, shifting musical landscapes, and three decades of perseverance, emerging stronger than ever with their latest album, Reset. Aptly titled, the album marks a new chapter for the band following significant personnel changes while retaining the powerful songwriting and uplifting spirit that have earned them a loyal international following.

Recently, Highwire Daze caught up with guitarist and founding member Scott Leach to discuss the meaning behind Reset, the band’s enduring legacy, memorable tours alongside Dokken and Axel Rudi Pell, million-stream milestones, and the possibility of finally bringing Crystal Ball’s music to American shores.

We’re here with Scott Leach from Crystal Ball, and we’re going to discuss the brand-new album Reset. First of all, is there a story or concept behind both the album title and the song “Reset”?
Yeah, both, actually. The concept behind the album title Reset reflects the band’s situation. After a couple of difficult years, two original members left the band last fall. We had to decide whether we wanted to continue or call it a day.

But we just couldn’t let it go. We had written so many songs, and I was really eager to record them and move forward. So we decided to continue with two new members, and that’s the “reset” right there. It’s a new feeling. It’s still the same band, but it’s a fresh start.

The song “Reset” has a similar meaning. On one hand, it can be seen as a personal reset after a relationship ends, but it can also represent the band’s own reset. I think everyone has had a moment in life where they wished they could start over again.

Another single from the album is “I Wanna Know.” Tell me a little about that song.
Yeah, it’s a really catchy tune. One interesting thing about it is that it doesn’t actually have a guitar riff. It used to have one, but after the guitars were recorded, I went home while the vocals were being tracked. Our singer and producer had the idea of replacing the guitar riff with the “whoa-oh” vocal part.

It worked really well. There are lots of vocal layers throughout the song. On the surface, it sounds very straightforward, but underneath it’s actually quite complex. And it’s a lot of fun to play live. We’re really looking forward to that.

Let’s talk about a few of the album tracks that aren’t singles. I’d like to jump toward the end of the album. Tell me about “Virtual Violence.”
That song started with an idea from our guitar player, Peter. He came up with a really cool guitar riff, and our singer wrote the lyrics. The subject matter is very relevant right now, at least here in Europe, and I assume in the U.S. as well.

With everything happening on social media these days, the term “virtual violence” can mean a lot of different things. Everybody probably has a story related to it, or knows someone who has been affected by it. Even if it’s only words, that can still be a form of violence.

Absolutely. Let’s move on to the final song on the album, “Rotten to the Core.”
That’s a fun one. It’s a pretty aggressive song, and the lyrics are aggressive as well.

You might think it’s about a particular person, but we wanted it to be more about people in general who abuse their power or act selfishly. We can all think of a few examples who are constantly in the media these days. Politicians who act in their own interests instead of looking out for the people they’re supposed to care about inspired some of the lyrics.

Of course, there are plenty of people like that who aren’t famous, too. But the well-known examples definitely helped inspire the song.

What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming Reset Tour?
We’re very excited about it. The booking process has only just begun. So far, we have dates in Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden, but we’re hoping there will be many more to come.

Since this is also a reset for the band, we have a new booking agency and a lot of positive momentum right now. The release of the album has brought a really good energy to the band. We’re optimistic there will be many more shows ahead, including in countries where we’ve never played before.

I ask this in almost every interview, and I know it’s not easy to make it happen, but is there a chance of Crystal Ball coming to the United States for this album cycle?
We would absolutely love to. It’s not that we wouldn’t come if the opportunity presented itself. A cruise festival might be a good way to start, and we do have some contacts there. A traditional festival would also be a great entry point.

So if there are any promoters out there interested in booking Crystal Ball, we’re ready. Of course, it has to make sense financially. We’re not looking to make millions, but we’d at least need to cover our expenses. Other than that, we’re ready to go.

I actually think the chances are better now than they’ve ever been because we have a new agency and a renewed energy within the band. So who knows?

Has Crystal Ball ever played in the United States?
Unfortunately, not yet. We’ve only played in Europe so far.

I live in Los Angeles, and there’s a club called the Whisky a Go Go. It would be great to see Crystal Ball play there.
I would love that. I’ve been there a couple of times myself, but only as a tourist while on holiday. That would be awesome.

Let’s go through a few anniversaries. Looking back ten years to Déjà-Voodoo, what are your thoughts on that album now?
It’s unbelievable that it’s already been ten years. I still like that album a lot, and I’m really proud of it. There are quite a few songs from Déjà-Voodoo that we’re still playing live, which I think says a lot.

It has stood the test of time really well, and honestly, it doesn’t feel old to me at all.

Let’s go back nearly twenty years to 2007 and the Secrets album. Looking back on that record today, what are your thoughts?
Yeah, that one actually feels like twenty years ago. It’s so far back now.

Secrets was kind of an in-between album because it came after the band’s first major lineup change. It was created during a time of uncertainty, and there were quite a few personnel changes both before and after that record.

To be honest, it’s not my favorite Crystal Ball album, but there are still some really good songs on it. At the moment, though, I don’t think we’re playing anything from Secrets in our live set.

“Eye to Eye” and “Anyone Can Be a Hero” have both surpassed one million streams on Spotify. What does a number like that mean to you?
For us, it’s really amazing. Especially when you compare those songs to others that might have twenty or forty thousand streams. Reaching a million feels incredible.

I think “Eye to Eye” really benefited from featuring Battle Beast singer Noora Louhimo. That collaboration gave the song a big push.

“Anyone Can Be a Hero” is special in a different way. It was one of the first songs from what you might call our second reset, when we started over in 2013 with our new singer. It became a classic in our live set and still is today.

Seeing those streaming numbers makes you realize there are people out there who genuinely enjoy your music. That feeling gives us motivation and strength to keep going.

You’ve also recorded Dio covers of “Sacred Heart” and “Sign of the Southern Cross.” Looking back on those recordings, what do you think of them now? And do you have any Dio stories you can share?
The reason we recorded those songs was because our label, Massacre Records, wanted to put together a Dio tribute album after Ronnie James Dio passed away.

They approached us and asked if we’d be interested. Of course we said yes. We’ve all been influenced by Dio and we’re all huge fans.

We ended up choosing those two tracks. With “Sign of the Southern Cross,” we tried to do something a little different by replacing much of the guitar work with piano. We don’t actually have a keyboard player, but I play a bit of piano myself, so we experimented with that approach.

I still like those recordings. Looking back, the production isn’t perfect, but we recorded them mostly at home with very little budget and very limited time. Considering those circumstances, I’m happy with how they turned out.

As for Dio stories, unfortunately I can’t share anything too exciting. I saw him perform live a couple of times, but I never had a deeper personal connection with him.

You toured with Dokken. What was it like?
It was awesome. For us, it was almost a dream come true because I grew up listening to Dokken and was a huge fan.

It was a unique lineup, though. George Lynch wasn’t in the band at the time. John Norum from Europe was playing guitar and Barry Sparks was on bass. I think Don Dokken and Mick Brown were the only original members involved.

Still, it was fantastic. I love those songs, and we had a great time on that European tour.

One funny thing was that Don seemed to think we were Swedish for most of the tour. Switzerland and Sweden get mixed up all the time.

Another artist I’d love to see play in the States is Axel Rudi Pell. What was it like touring with him?
That was great.

One thing that stood out was how receptive the audience was. Sometimes as an opening band, you have to work really hard to win people over. On that tour, the fans were already into the kind of music we play.

We didn’t have to fight for their attention. The audiences were very open and welcoming.

If you count your days as Cherry Pie, which was founded in 1995, you’ve already passed the thirty-year mark. What’s it like looking back on that milestone?
I honestly can’t believe it.

Thirty years is a very long time. Sometimes it’s almost scary when you think about it.

Crystal Ball itself isn’t quite thirty years old if you exclude the Cherry Pie cover band years, but we’re getting close. Our first Crystal Ball album came out in 1999, so that’s approaching thirty years as well.

We’re still hoping to get rich and famous! No, not really. We do it because we love music, and we love playing live. That’s what keeps us going.

What’s next for Crystal Ball after the release of Reset?
Right now we’re rehearsing a lot and preparing for the first live shows.

We’re also doing a secret warm-up performance for friends and family. It’s a chance to test everything with the new members before we hit the road.

Beyond that, we’re excited to see how fans react to the album. We’ve already received a few reviews, and I’m really curious to see what people think.

Then it’s all about booking more shows. Hopefully we’ll be able to play a lot more concerts and festivals next year. It would be great to expand our reach even further throughout Europe and maybe, hopefully, overseas as well.

We’re already at the final question. Do you have any messages for Crystal Ball fans here in the United States?
It’s really cool because every now and then I check Spotify statistics to see where our listeners are coming from, and the United States always makes a strong showing.

We’re very grateful for the support. I’d encourage all music lovers in the U.S. to give Reset a listen, check out the band, and leave us a comment on our social media channels. We’d love to hear from you.

In Conclusion

With Reset, Crystal Ball isn’t simply launching another album. They’re embracing a fresh chapter while celebrating everything that has carried them through nearly three decades of melodic metal. Scott Leach speaks openly about the challenges of lineup changes, the excitement surrounding new beginnings, and the enduring passion that continues to drive the band forward.

Whether discussing million-stream successes, sharing memories of touring with legends such as Dokken and Axel Rudi Pell, or expressing hopes of finally bringing Crystal Ball to American audiences, one thing remains clear: this is a band fueled by dedication rather than nostalgia. Reset represents both a reflection on the past and a confident step toward the future.

And if Scott has his way, perhaps the next chapter of Crystal Ball’s story will include that long-awaited appearance on a legendary stage like the Whisky a Go Go. Given the energy surrounding Reset, that possibility feels more realistic than ever.

(Interview by Ken Morton)

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