Pete Lesperance
Photo by Kevin Vyse Photography
HAREM SCAREM return with their first new album in five years, “CHASING EUPHORIA”. Known for their enduring presence in the world of melodic hard rock, the band continues to captivate fans with their signature sound.
The new album delivers everything listeners have come to expect—catchy and melodic vocals from Harry Hess, rich vocal harmonies, and hook-driven riffs and tastefully crafted solos from Pete Lesperance that drive each track forward with finesse. It’s a record packed with highlights, living up to—and exceeding—the expectations of longtime fans.
We spoke with Pete Lesperance about the making of “CHASING EUPHORIA”.
Photo by Kevin Vyse Photography
Interview / Text Mamoru Moriyama
Translation Hiroshi Takakura
Muse On Muse : When starting work on the new album, what kind of discussions did you have with the band regarding its direction?
Pete Lesperance : As always, when Harry and I begin writing for a record, our main focus is simply creating the best songs possible. We don’t have a set direction for the album until the music starts to take shape.
MM : In our previous interview, you mentioned that songwriting is the most important and challenging part, and that you took your time with it rather than rushing. Could you tell us about the songwriting process for this album and the details of recording after the songs were completed?
PL : Songwriting is definitely the most time-intensive part of the process for us. It took about seven months to write and record the entire album. Harry, Creighton, and I worked independently in our home studios, tracking songs as we wrote them. Having collaborated on so much music together over the years, the recording process now feels second nature to us.
MM : The album cover illustration for this release is once again mysterious and striking. Was it once again designed by André Blekkmark?, as with your previous albums?
PL : Yes, we collaborated with Andre again. His concepts are incredibly intricate, and his attention to detail is unmatched. We also loved how his artwork translated into the video for Chasing Euphoria. We feel that his visuals perfectly complement our music.
MM : The album opens with “Chasing Euphoria,” a powerful and melodic track that perfectly represents Harem Scarem. As it’s also the title track, could you share the story behind it?
PL : “Chasing Euphoria” explores the endless pursuit of happiness—the way we’re always seeking the next thrill or the next high in life.
MM : The second track, “Slow Burn,” and the closing song, “Wasted Years,” both have a driving energy that really elevates the listener.
PL : We really wanted to make this an energetic up-tempo record and these two riff ideas were inline with that concept. I’m glad it’s coming across that way.
MM : Tracks like “Better The Devil You Know,” “In A Bad Way,” and “Reliving History” unfold with a captivating build-up from their intros, drawing the listener into their emotional themes—all while maintaining the signature Harem Scarem sound.
PL : Better The Devil You Know” was originally written for the Change The World album, but at the time, it didn’t quite feel like the right fit. So, we set it aside and later brought it back for this record.
The demo for In a Bad Way was initially sung by Harry, but we felt it would suit Darren’s voice better, so we re-tracked the vocals.
Reliving History was the first single from the album, released alongside a lyric video. I have to say, I really love the acoustic version of this track that appears on the Japanese release.
MM : Songs like “Gotta Keep Your Head Up,” “A Falling Knife,” and “Understand It All” immediately grab the listener’s attention with their strong, hook-driven guitar riffs right from the start.
PL : Thank you! My only goal is to write a riff that’s even a fraction as cool/iconic as Crazy Train or Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love—something that other guitarists would be excited to play.
Photo by Al Piazza
MM : Once again, you’ve successfully created top-tier melodic hard rock through your songwriting and guitar work alongside Harry. We previously discussed the songwriting process for this album, but could you talk about how you arranged the guitar riffs after writing the songs and your approach to the guitar solos?
PL : Whenever I sit down to write a riff, my goal is to create something that would have inspired me as a young guitarist—playable, yet incorporating technique and hopefully engaging for other guitarists.
With this being our 16th record, my biggest challenge is avoiding repetition and keeping things fresh.
My approach to soloing has always been the same: I start by improvising over the section until something catches my ear. Once I find that starting point, I build the solo from there. Every solo is fully written, and when I perform live, I always play them exactly as they were recorded.
MM : The guitar tones on this album are outstanding and really enhance the songs. Could you tell us about the guitars, amps, effects, and pedals you used during recording?
PL : The entire album was recorded with my Les Paul Studio, now equipped with an Evertune bridge, except for the solo on World On Fire, which was played on a Charvel with a Floyd Rose. No amps were used—everything was tracked directly through the Neural DSP Quad Cortex into the UA Apollo interface.
MM : Aside from Harem Scarem, you’re also active with “Smoke and Ashes.” Could you tell us more about this project?
PL : Smoke & Ashes is a country rock project that my good friend Aaron Allen and I started during COVID. It began when we got together to write a song (High On Sunday) for a solo project I had in mind. We had such a great time collaborating that we decided to keep writing and officially became a duo. Over the next seven weeks, we wrote seven songs and have been releasing singles since 2021. Our latest release, The Great Unknown, is out now, with a lyric video currently in the works.
MM : What are your upcoming plans?
PL : We have an upcoming tour of Europe in April/May and sadly at this point no plan to come back to Japan… at least not yet. 🙂
MM : Lastly, Please leave a message for your fans.
PL : Thank you all so much for listening over the years and we hope you enjoy Chasing Euphoria.
We hope to come back and play for you soon!
Harem Scarem / Chasing Euphoria
1.Chasing Euphoria
2.Better The Devil You Know
3.Slow Burn
4.Gotta Keep Your Head Up
5.World On Fire
6.Bad Way
7.Reliving History
8.A Falling Knife
9.Understand It All
10.Wasted Years
Line Up:
Harry Hess – Lead & Backing Vocals, Keyboards
Pete Lesperance – Guitars and Bass
Creighton Doane – Drums
Darren Smith – Lead and Backing Vocals
