Swedish indie dance rockers, The Sounds will be headlining Neptune Theatre on Monday, Nov 21, in support of their self-produced album, Something To Die For.

The band is on their first American tour in two years.

"Has it been that long?" asked the fiery lead vocalist, Maja Ivarsson in a phone interview. "We are always touring and it doesn't seem that long ago. America is our home away from home."

Ivarsson was pleasantly surprised to learn of Seattle's strong Scandinavian ties and said she may just have to visit Ballard in search of a taste of home, revealing that salty licorice is her absolute favorite treat.

Formed in Helsingborg in 1998, The Sounds are an indie rock band known for their poppy rock songs and high-energy performances.

Their newest record, Something to Die, is their first self-produced album and was a true labor of love.

"We always loved our demos. They always sounded cool and they had something. They captured the creativity and somehow some of the magic got lost in the studio," Ivarsson explained. "We knew what we had and thought, 'We can do this on our own'. It was lots of fun."

Upbeat and dancy, Something to Die For is a "reaction" to their in 2009-released Crossing the Rubicon, Ivarsson said.

"We didn't have a plan [for this record]. It was an organic progress. We are all pop kids from the beginning and we always had [dance and electronic] elements in our songs but Crossing the Rubicon was very heavy on piano and guitar," she said.

With their new record The Sounds are bringing "pure energy", and they promise to do the same on stage.

With track titles such as "Better of Dead", "Best of Me" and "Dance with the Devil", the music may be up-tempo and dancy, but the lyrics are serious.

"The music is upbeat but the songs are about life, loss, and love. Maybe it's because we're Swedish and live in the dark eight months out of the year," Ivarsson joked.

When asked if she has any favorite songs on the record, Ivarsson rattled off track title after track title.

"I can listen to that album over and over. On the past albums there was always a song or two I wasn't all that happy about but I love every song on this album and I'm proud of it," she said. "I think it's the best album yet in terms of the song writing and producing."

Still, she admitted that the first album will always be her favorite.

"It means a lot more to me because it's what took me from poverty and social welfare to being a rockstar," she said.

Now, nearly ten years after the release of their debut album, Ivarsson said her band is something she would die for.

"We have been in a band for so long. This is what I would die for. I'd take a bullet for Felix [Rodriguez], He's family. He's my band brother," she said.

Ivarsson and her bandmates Felix Rodriguez, Johan Bengtsson, Jesper Anderberg and Fredrik Nilsson will be performing live at The Neptune Theatre, Monday, Nov 21. Doors open at 7 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m. Special guests are Funeral Party, The Limousines, and DJ Kids at the Bar.
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