Flames of Fire Line-up;

Christian Liljegren – Vocals
Mats-Åke Andersson – Guitars, composer
Jani Stefanovic – Guitars, keyboards, drums, vocals, production
Stephen Carlson – Guitars
Per Schelander – Bass

Hello Christian how are you doing?

Thanks Heiko, I am fine according to all circumstances regarding Covid-19. Still going strong, still have passion for music!

Please tell us something about the area in Sweden where you live?

I live in a town with my family called Eskilstuna around 80 minutes by car south of capital city Stockholm, right now no snow normally this time of the year we have a lot of snow.

When did you start singing and how did you became a hardrock/heavy metal fan?

I start sing in very early age in a children´s choir and then the school choir and since 11 years old in 1982 my dream was to be a rock singer. When I was 8 years in 1979 my 5 year older cousin introduced me to The Sweet and later on Rainbow and still today Brian Connolly & Ronnie James Dio are two major vocal influences for me.

Somehow I don’t know where to start.. It looks like you where a part of a “hundred” bands. To name a few; Narnia, Audiovision, Divine Fire, Flagship, Wisdom Call and Golden Resurrection with Sabaton guitarist; Tommy Johansson….How did you manage all these bands? When you have one live on earth to spend…?

I have got this question so many times. Since I am in love with different styles of music especially rock. I am focused to do different albums and you can hear that in my discography

Borderline – Very 80´s influenced hardrock like Europe, Alien, Glory and Treat

Modest Attraction – Here comes the 1970´s influences from The Sweet, Rainbow, Deep Purple & Uriah Heep

Narnia – Here you find more neoclassic style like Malmsteen also Rainbow and Europe influences later on maybe Dream Theater & Masterplan

Golden Resurrection – Much more power metal with Scandivian touch.

Audiovision – Here is a mix 70´s 80´s influenced hardrock like Stryper, Whitesnake, Def Leppard

Flagship – Here you my symphonic and pomp rock influences like Kayak, Queen, Styx, Kansas.

Divinefire – Where I mix melodic with harder elements very dramatic and bombastic

The Waymaker – Here I wanted to do a band with a female vocalist with Jani Stefanovic´s wife Katja it is powerm epic and majestic metal.

Flames of Fire
In Wisdom Call for 20 years ago I had some Heavy Metal ideas but now all things fell into places with influences of Dio, Iron Maiden, MSG with lots of twin guitars.

Again to summarize I have so much music in my head all the time and had it for the last 35 years.

In which bands/projects you are involved right now?

Right now I am focused on Narnia, Flames of Fire, The Waymaker, Audiovision plus some solo work.

In November 2021 the band played a live show in The Netherlands. Brainstorm Festival. Please tell us how it was..?

It was great to be on stage again and to meet the audience. I missed it deeply and can’t wait to be on stage again. I love to perform live!

Any thoughts about going into the studio with the guys to record a new Narnia album?

We are in the process right now, recording the backing tracks bass, drums and rhythm guitars and working with vocals and arrangements right now.
We hope the album will be out autumn/winter 2022.

Together with CJ Grimmark you started Narnia in 1996. Til 2008 you where somehow the bandleader. What happened in this year that you had to quite the band? I read about difficult time’s and a divorce?

That is correct. I needed a break for personal reasons What happen happened and the break was needed for me to reflect and how to go further.

In 2014 you came back with CJ Grimmark to Re-Unite Narnia. Then it took another 2 years to release a new album? Tell us about the Re-Union and the self titled album that was released in 2016?

I am happy we reunited late 2013 and the last 9 years of the band’s history have been the best. We have a great chemistry in the band and we asked ourselves what we wanted and how to go further as Narnia and the mission and vision we have.
Our two previous studio albums and the live album from Brazil is a proof how good we are, very proud of these albums.

In 2018 the band played in Mexico. Please tell us the story about this trip and the Mexican MetaL fans?

No we haven’t played in Mexico since 2009 in that I was not singing, for me it was in 2004. We have done two tours in South America 2017 & 2019. Hopefully we will return back to Mexico someday again.

You just formed a new band; Flames of Fire? The album will be released on March 18,2022. Please tell us why you formed a new band, how you find the right band members and how was the writing process, time in the studio etc..?

Flames of Fire is really going back to my roots when I started with bands, so happy for this as I love classic heavy metal like Dio, Rainbow, Iron Maiden, MSG and my good friend Mats-Åke Andersson we have been friends for 35 years and finally we have time to work together and the other members I have worked with in Divinefire, The Waymaker and my latest solo album Melodic Passion and I know how good these people both as composers and musicians and Jani Stefanovic is a great producer.

What keeps you focused and in shape after all these years, singing in all these heavy metal bands?

Still, the fire burns in my heart to make music that uplift myself and others especially in this chaotic times and I love hard rock/heavy metal so much that passion is still there!

And after all these years what is it you want to show and say to the world? And especially now in the Corona Pandemic and all the things that are happening on the planet and in the heavens at the moment..?

As I said, I think it is very important to have positive things that helps people in these times and music in one thing among many. If we use our unique gifts that we are good at, it will create a better world!

What are some of your favorite bands?

I have so many favorite bands but to name a few
Rainbow, The Sweet, Europe, Yngwie Malmsteen, MSG, Uriah Heep, Iron Maiden, Stryper, Masterplan, Kayak, John Miles, Queen and many more.

Do you have a last word to the readers of Bonavox.nl?

Thanks for your support! It means a lot!