Although opening the day at a festival can be daunting, Neckbreakker quickly realised they had little to worry about. While the audience wasn’t huge when they walked on stage, more and more people gathered throughout the set, rewarding the band’s relentless live energy. Johan believes that’s always been one of the band’s biggest strengths.

“I think the secret comes from just always giving 100%. I think people really resonate with that, and when they can see that you are giving it your all, they also want to give their all in return.”

That uncompromising attitude has carried Neckbreakker remarkably far in a short amount of time. Johan admits the pace of the band’s development has sometimes been difficult to comprehend himself.

“It’s always gone really fast in my opinion. It’s sometimes been tough to keep up with, balancing your own life with the touring and all the shows. It’s always been a little overwhelming with the amount of attention we’ve been able to get in such a short span of time.”

Looking back, he points to an early Danish showcase festival as one of the moments that really accelerated the band’s career. From there, opportunities continued to snowball, eventually leading to international touring, a deal with Nuclear Blast and the release of Within the Viscera. Despite those milestones, Johan insists the band’s priorities haven’t fundamentally changed. Playing live remains the reason Neckbreakker exists.

“We’ve always been a live band.”

The difference now is that success brings new responsibilities. Touring schedules have become busier, expectations are higher, and after releasing a well-received debut album, fans naturally expect a worthy successor.

“There is an expectation that we have to release some more music at some point. We also can’t just keep playing the same stuff. We’ll probably get tired of it eventually.”

Finding time to write around increasingly busy touring schedules isn’t always easy, but the process is already well underway. According to Johan, the band already has ideas for around ten new songs, while two fresh tracks have already found their way into the current live set. Rather than simply recreating the debut, Neckbreakker wants the second album to offer more contrast and dynamics.

“The first record is very fast all the time. We might bring the slower parts slower, and the faster parts faster. Build it up more dynamically.”

Equally important is continuing to develop the band’s own identity.

“We’re still trying to find our own sound. We’re only on the second record.”

This year’s Tuska also marked a new chapter personally for Viktor Bjørnstad. After touring with Neckbreakker since last year, he officially became the band’s drummer only recently. Joining an already established group could have been intimidating, but instead he found a welcoming environment both on and off stage.

“I’m just so glad that I found a good place, both in the playing aspect and in the social aspect. It’s a joy to be in the band.”

Now, he’s looking forward to contributing not only behind the drum kit but also creatively as the band works on new material.

“I’m looking very much forward to writing more.”

Asked where they hope Neckbreakker will be a few years from now, Johan doesn’t immediately mention larger festivals or bigger record deals. His ambitions revolve around steady, organic growth: touring as much as possible, reaching more listeners and continuing to evolve as a band. Ultimately, success isn’t measured in numbers but in the connection they can build with fans.

“If I could be what Slayer is to me for someone else, that would be awesome. To have those die-hard fans that know all the songs and can sing along—that would be amazing for me.”

Even with international recognition growing rapidly, Neckbreakker remains committed to the old-school values that first shaped the band. They still prefer writing songs together in the rehearsal room, playing through real amplifiers and letting their music develop naturally rather than chasing trends.

“We really try to be an old-school style band… we feel like that’s kind of part of our identity.”

Their return to Tuska wasn’t simply another festival appearance. It highlighted just how far Neckbreakker has come in a remarkably short time. Yet listening to Johan and Viktor, it becomes clear that the band sees the debut album not as a destination, but as the foundation for everything they hope to build next.

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