Interview : Lady Godyva – Godyva

Interview by Erwin van Dijk

On June 1st the compilation double cd “Demonic and Divine” is released by Femme Metal Records. The cd is to support the Macmillan Cancer support and Cancer research UK. Godyva appears with the song “My Inner” on this album. Godyva is a Gothic Metal band from Bari, Italy. The band was formed in the year 2000 and has released two albums and a demo cd. Godyva’s latest album was released last year and this album also includes the song “My Inner” that also will be featured on the “Demonic and Divine” album. Lady Godyva was a noble woman from England who lived a thousand years ago (c. 997 – 1067) in the city of Coventry. She is most notable for riding naked through the streets of Coventry. By doing this she gained a tax remission from the high taxation imposed by her husband Leofric, the earl of Mercia. And with success. “Godiva” or “Godgyfu” means “God Gift” in Old English. This interview is with Lady Godyva, the singer of Godyva.

For starters: what is your real name?

My real name is Cristina Argese, my surname sounds like the river Arges where Dracula’s wife died, this is what the legend of Dracula tells. His wife killed herself throwing in the waters of the river Arges and subsequently the river was called the Princess River. Cool!

Did you always wanted to become a singer?

Yes! When I was a child I always dreamed to sing with David Bowie or Freddie Mercury! I wished to be their chorist on tour, hehe!

Who are your favourite singers and musicians?

My favourite singers and musicians of my childhood were the White Duke and Mr. Mercury and his band Queen as I said before; when I was a girl I loved Maria Callas, Dead Can Dance and Lisa Gerrard, Peter Murphy, The 3rd and The Mortal, Katatonia, Sarah Brightman, Sade, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Paradise Lost, Metallica, Korn, Slayer, Queensryche and more but now in this moment of my life I’m really in love with the voice of Nevermore, Warrel Dane (his last solist album is fantastic), I like Porcupine Tree too, Avantasia, Scar Symmetry, Soilwork, In Flames, Entwine, Samael… But Paradise Lost and the voice of Nick Holmes will be forever my favourite.

And to what kind of music do you listen yourself?

Death, Thrash, Metal and Gothic Metal very often but sometimes I like to listen to ambient or new age music to relax myself.

Did you sing in any other bands before Godyva and do you any other bands right now?

Before Godyva I sang with a band called Aragon. The line-up included two singers, male and female and I used to sing like the Opera. Now I would like to dedicate myself only to my band Godyva, but maybe in the future it could be possible.

Speaking of side projects: you have recorded a song with the Thrash Metal band Methedras (also from Italy) for their latest album “Katarsis”. This song is called “Nightmare”. How did you got in touch with this band and what have you learned from this experience?

Methedras are friends for me. They asked me to sing on their latest album after their listening to the song I sang with Necrodeath, on their “Draculea” album. They stayed impressed and so they asked me to sing the song “Nightmare” on their new album. A link to the band.

Why did you choose Godyva as the name for the band?

I was a young girl when I decided to choose this name for my project and I remember that I was reading the story of Lady Godiva during a reading of an old book of my grandmother. I was spellbound of this heroin so brave that used her naked body to win against her unfair husband. She was the first feminist! She was a woman with no shame! She embodied Eva before the original sin. I would like to be naked all time, especially in this warm period (sometimes I really hate dresses and all accessories I must wear!) but I cannot do it, what a pity! hehehe!

How would you describe Godyva’s music? Because a lot of people will assume you will sound like Lacuna Coil because Godyva is Gothic oriented with female vocals.

I think that Godyva are similar to Lacuna Coil because the female voice but there are a lot of bands in the world with a front woman that could be similar too. I like Lacuna Coil, they are a great band and I’m really happy for their worldwide success and fame, but we are different, we use to play and to compose in a personal way in my opinion. It’s easy to say “You are like Lacuna Coil!” because we play metal with a front woman and we are Italian but we don’t want to be a copy of an other band, we want to be Godyva and “nothing else matters”!

And what makes Godyva different compared to all the other female fronted bands in the world?

I think every voice is personal and unique in the world, also your voice is unique! It is scientifically shown that the voice is as unique as the iride of the eye and the digital imprints. And every voice has its own ability to transmit emotions, so the ear of the listener decides what it is or it is not pleasant. Also the personality of a singer and of a musician makes the difference, but i don’t like to compare myself or my band to the others.

Who are the other members of Godyva?

Botyz Beezart – keyboards

Botys is the principal composer of the band, he mixes melodies of the keyboards to all guitar’s riffs really in a particular and special way. Maybe it’s his work the real difference in our band.

Anto – guitars

Anto is the aggressive characteristic of Godyva, he is the guitar that I have always desired to mix aggressiveness with romanticism.

Nick Barrah – bass

For a long time he does his beautiful job for this band. He is an essential musician with a great personality.

Enyo – drums

A drummer precise and progressive from years he is the rock of hour sound.

Why did Godyva choose the song “My Inner” for the “Demonic and Divine” album?

We have chosen this song because in that period we released the video of “My Inner” and we wanted to promote this song one more time in a compilation but we are sure “My Inner” is a song that younger fans appreciate and we believe in them.

And how did you (the band) got in touch with Femme Metal?

Femme Metal is a fantastic store managed by serious people that sell our cds, and so they asked me to take part to this compilation and i said “Why not?”. I really hope this compilation could help this cancer research in UK.

Is song writing teamwork in Godyva or is there a mastermind behind the music?

As I said before Botys is the principal composer, so I can say that he is the mastermind about the music but also with all our help. In our latest album Anto has composed with him some songs among which “My Inner” and I have written with him “On the Floor of Ice” and “Mary in Blood”. All vocals and lyrics are only my work.

Can you tell us something about the songs on “Planetarium” ?

“W.A.I.H.T.L.I.H” is the intro and it’s the same music of the outro but you can listen to this intro in the opposite verse with the sound of tears that fall. Because of this you read the title like an image in the mirror. “The Ark” is The first song we have composed for this album and so we chosen it for the opening track. Instead “Innocent” is one of the two songs that sees the collaboration with Mike Tarantino (Natron). Here you can ear how the new guitarist Anto makes the difference with his style and his composition support. “Mary in Blood” is a romantic song that speaks about Maria Magdalena and her love. “Deep Inside” can be deceitful because it seems an happy song instead it speaks about one love that wants to last up to the end, together, both in the same grave. “Planetarium”, it’s simply the title track; we adore this song. It’s the second one composed for this album and we think it is a complete and refined song. “My Inner” :I like it, I like it, I like it. The most powerful song of the album and the most appreciated by the metal kids. We released the video of this song. You can watch it on our MySpace page, YouTube official page, official website and on Rock Tv. “Black Door” also is one of the most difficult song to sing on this album. The ninth song is “On the Floor of Ice” I like to call this one “the liquid song”, because it speaks of water (our life), deep blue sea (I love swimming) and ice. “No Fault” sees again for the second time Mike Tarantino as special guest! I like so much this song for that style typical of the Eighties, and we feel nostalgic for these years. Back to romaticism with “God Is Fallen” that speaks about our own fallen idol. And here we’re at the end with “H.I.L.T.H.I.A.W.” (outro) : a yearning and suggestive closing recited. This is an outro, but we use it as the intro for all our shows. As a treat for our fans we’ve decided to include a special version of “Innocence” as an acoustic version like happened the last time in “In Good & Evil”.

And what is your favourite song on this album?

My favourite song on “Planetarium”? The title track! In reality I have two or three favourite songs on this album: “Planetarium”, “Innocent” and “My Inner”.

And what are the differences between “Planetarium” and “In Good and Evil” ?

The difference is the guitarist and obviously all guitars you can listen to. Our ex guitarist Frahn left the band some months before the recording of “Planetarium” so we chosen Anto as our new guitarist and we were sure that he would have done a good work in the studio giving more aggressive sounds to the songs of Planetarium. The other difference is that we are grown now as musicians and composers so we can offer an album more mature and enjoyable than “In Good and Evil”.

What are Godyva’s plans for the future?

We want to play music all over the world, there is a booking agency in USA that wants Godyva there, so I hope it could be happen very very soon. But at the same time we love our country so we will continue to show in Italy. We will be in Czech Republic on the 11th July to play on the stage of Prestenice Open Air Music Fest and the headliner of the event will be The Rasmus. We are working on new songs now but we don’t want to say more about a new album now. We have to still promote “Planetarium” now.

And the last question: Is there anything the reader should know that I have not asked?

I think you have done all good questions. Thank you for this funny interview and I hope to see you again. Cheers

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Interview : John Prassas – Aesma Daeva

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Interview by Erwin van Dijk

On June 1st the compilation double CD “Demonic and Divine” is released by Femme Metal. The CD is to support the Macmillan Cancer support and Cancer research UK. Aesma Daeva appears with the song “The Loon – Thalassa mix”. This song originally appeared on the album “The Thalassa Mixes”. Aesma Daeva is a symphonic metal band from the USA. Most people in Europe will know this band because former Visions of Atlantis singer Melissa Ferlaak was a member of this band and Therion singer Lori Lewis is the singer of Aesma Daeva. This interview is with John Prassas – Composer/Guitarist of the band.

Did you always wanted to become a guitar player?

Only for a short time did I want to be a guitar player – after that I started to see guitar as a compositional tool.

Where did you get the inspiration for the music?

Nature is a big influence for me. Sometimes life experiences – but I try to not focus on my own experiences as much as I try to focus on the experiences of others.

And to what kind of music do you listen yourself?

I listen to a lot of different music – I find it changes with the seasons. Lately I have been listening to Leo Kottke Blue Man group, Dan Swano, and S.U.P.. When fall hits I will probably start to something slower.

Did you have any other bands before Aesma Daeva?

No not really, I have a few things I am working on that will not be released under Aesma Daeva. They have yet to be completed though.

How do you work together with Michael Platzer, the lyricist of the band? Do you have a general idea about the lyrics before he starts writing or is Michael free to use his own imagination?

Both – “The Loon” – is adapted from a poem he had written. Where as “The Bluish Shade” was a song where I gave him just a few lines and phrases.

Aesma Daeva is an unusual name for a band. What does it means?

Shining One

How would you describe Aesma Daeva’s music? Because many bands describe themselves as Gothic – Metal – Progressive and the name of your website is “symphonicmetalband”.

I think of it as Symphonic Metal – Mainly because I have so many classical and symphonic influences. Especially when it comes to colour and dynamics. We can debate all day as to what bands are symphonic and what ones are not.

Can you introduce us to the other members of the band?

Lori is the main vocalist, Chris plays bass, and that is about it for main members. I have been working with a lot of guest guitarists and musicians. At the moment I write 90% of the music, but they certainly are good at bringing it to life (which is not something that easy to do).

Aesma Daeva contributed a song to the “Demonic and Divine” double CD. This song was “The Loon”. Why did you choose this song for the album?

It was the only new track I have under 5 minutes.

Thalassa is Greece for “sea” and the goddess Thalassa was the personification of the Mediterranean Sea. And another Greek connection is “The Garden I Long For” which is performed by classical guitarist Kostas Grigoreas. How did you get in touch with him and what are the differences between this version and the original version?

Kostas and I have been friends for a while. I suppose the main difference is that this version is played and recorded much better than the original. I also adapted it to have a bit more “water” influence.

What is the idea behind this EP and why did you choose these songs for it ?

I was in Greece visiting friends and family. I did not have much for musical ideas, but when I left I found I was thinking about the sea and all of the colour’s within the sea. My original idea was to make a remix that would give the impression of the sea. Like “Le Mer”.

Speaking of Greece again, does the band have something with this country because the album “Dawn of the New Athens” which was released in March 2007 has also a very Greek name. Or is it about New Athens in Ohio (USA)?

No, it is about the “New Athens Colony” in the book “Childhoods end” by Arthur C. Clarke. However to assume it had something to do with Greece is completely understandable since so many other things I have done are influenced by Greece. Arthur C. Clarke is the writer of “2001: A Space Oddyssee”. Together with Isaac Asimov he is one of the most important SF writers of the 20th century.

When can we expect new Aesma Daeva music?

We are re-releasing our first album with a bunch of bonus material. However at the moment I am working hard at a new approach to music. Which means working with different singers and musicians. The new material probably will not be released under the band name Aesma Daeva.

And will it be different from your previous work?

Very much. I hope you can always stop by our web site symphonicmetalband.com. Their you can go to my personal web page where you can hear bits and pieces of new material. Thank you for the interview and support!

Credit Photos

Single photo by Jill Vansickle

Band photo by Debbie Stiller

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Interview : Lisy Stefanoni – Evenoire (2008)

Interview by Eetu Niskanen

Editing by Miriam C.

Interview with Lisy Stefanoni, singer of the Italian Gothic Folk Metal band Evenoire, in this interview we’ll talk about the 2008-debut EP “I Will Stay” that its review has taken the maximum rating score here at Femme Metal Webzine. Enjoy it!

How would you describe Evenoire‘s music to people who have never heard you?

Evenoire’s music is a journey into enchanted realms, ancient legends, magical places; our music mixes the power of metal, folk ballads, oriental echoes and evocative atmospheres. The lyrics talk about legends, dark fairy-tales and historical people. The result is a special and fascinating sound enriched by flute melodies and different styles of vocals, which go from sweet and ethereal to powerful and aggressive. I call our music Oneiric Metal.

How would you describe your voice?

I think I’m an eclectic singer, I like to experiment with my voice and that’s the reason why I have no limits. I like to sing both in opera style and in modern style, I like folk and oriental styles, too. I try to create something unique mixing all these ways of singing. I have a good vocal range, which allows me to reach very high notes and my timbre is quite crystal clear, warm and high (I’m a light lyric soprano) and at the same time strong and powerful. It’s really difficult to describe a voice, it’s the first time I do that!

Did you always wanted to become a singer?

Yes, sure! I started to study music at the age of 6, attending music theory classes and flute lessons. Then I studied also guitar and piano, but my great passion was singing, so when I was at secondary school I started to attend courses of modern singing including rock and soul styles. At the age of 16 I experienced for the first time the live performances with my rock band and my acoustic trio, but actually I’ve always sang during music school performances, shows, competitions and local events since I was a child. Currently I’m studying operating singing: I love the world of Opera and Theatre and I hope to graduate soon at conservatory. I cannot live without singing, I sing because it’s the only way to be myself, the only way to express my emotions and my soul.

What kind of music do you listen yourself and how often?

I always listen to music! I love metal, especially gothic, symphonic, prog, folk and bands with female voices. My favourite bands are Therion, Opeth, Within Temptation, After Forever, Ayreon, The Gathering, Symphony X. I listen to hard rock, rock and heavy metal, too. I like so much folk, medieval, Celtic music, New Age, and Italian Opera of course!

Where does the name Evenoire come from?

We chose the name “Evenoire” because it’s really evocative and has different meanings: NOIR (black) is one of the colour of our music, EVEN (noire) because we like to express joyful colours with folk atmospheres. EVEN may also refer to the night, a dark night: the deep night is the moment of the dreams, of the dark creatures like ghosts and spirits, the moment of enchanted things and many legends, and we like to talk about all these themes in our songs. Evenoire may also refer to EVE NOIR, Lilith, a really fascinating and strong female figure who inhabits a lot of archaic and modern myths.

Could you tell us something about the other members of the band?

We are good friends, not only a band. During these years we had a lot of fun together and we reached a good level of musical harmony. Marco, the bass player, is the major composer of the band, even if everyone gives important inputs to the composition process and we all arrange the songs. I write all the vocal melodies and lyrics. Recently Giada, the keyboard player, has left the band because of work troubles. We are still looking for a new keys player and we will comunicate you as soon as possible news about the new line-up.

How did you get in touch with Femme Metal Records to be part of the compilation “Demonic and Demonic”?

Miriam, the chief editor of Femme metal Webzine, proposed and encouraged us to submit a song for the compilation: we thank so much Miriam and Carrie Sharp for this great opportunity!

What do you think about the compilation CD?

It’s a wonderful idea to support cancer research and promote female fronted metal bands. The bands included play great music, it’s a top quality compilation, a really interesting project!

Why did you choose “Aries” as the particular track to the compilation?

“Aries” is the song from our first EP that well describes our music and our style: powerful music, oriental and folk echoes, symphonic keyboards, prog riffs, different singing styles, and a melancholic acoustic end with a sweet flute melody.

How is the metal scene in Italy?

Not so good. I mean, there are a lot of good bands but it is really difficult to emerge from the underground, metal is not considered in the major music circuits. The clubs prefer tribute bands and cover bands and there is very few space to promote our music. It’s a really bad situation.

What are the plans of Evenoire for the future?

We are working on the full length and we are searching for a label to support our music.

You also released your debut EP last year, how much work did it take?

It’s our first work and our first experience, so it took us quite time but now we have reached a very good harmony into the band, so that the composition of the new songs is faster. We can say we have found our musical dimension.

What is the story behind the EP cover, who designed it?

The cover is a painting created by Gabriella Ghisleri, the mother of our ex keyboard player Giada. The painting describes the spirit of a woman who hides her real face behind a mask. We chose this picture because it represents our songs: the spirit on the boat refers to the ghost of “Azzurrina” and the hidden face refers to “Mirror Lies”, which lets us know about the real identities concealed behind the mirrors. The general setting of the picture, the girl on the boat and the lights reflected by the sea, refer to the song “I Will Stay”, which tells the story of a girl who runs away from her pains on a boat and she perceives the reflections of a medieval feast through the water: that feast will make she smile again.

Is there anything the readers should know I haven’t asked?

For everyone interested in our EP and music please visit our websites for all information. Thanks so much to you Eetu for the interview and thanks to Femme Metal Webzine for the support!

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Interview : Margaret Young – A.D.D

Interview by Erwin Van Dijk

On June 1st the compilation double cd “Demonic and Divine” is released by Femme Metal Records. The cd is to support the Macmillan Cancer support and Cancer research UK. A.D.D. appears with the song “The Path”. For full tracklisting checkout Femme Metal Store. A.D.D. is a rock / metal band from Lockport, Illinois (United States). The band was formed in 2002 and has released the album “Elements of Emptiness” at January 13 this year. This album includes eleven tracks including the song “The Path” that will be also featured on the “Demonic and Divine” album. This interview is with Margaret Young, the singer of A.D.D

Did you always wanted to become a singer?

Not always. I started really getting into it at about 13 years of age.

Who are your favourite singers and musicians?

There’s too many to name so here’s a few: Doro Pesch, Sandra Nasic, Skin, Ann Wilson, Linda Perry, Jeff Tate, Dawn Crosby R.I.P., Angela Gossow, Nikki Sixx, Zakk Wylde, Rob Halford, Tony Macalpine, Kings X, Steve Vai…it goes on and on.

And to what kind of music do you listen yourself?

Mostly the heavier genre but I do throw on some Janis Joplin every now and then.

Did you sing in any other bands before A.D.D. and do you any other bands right now?

Before A.D.D. I was in a band called Ballistic. A.D.D. is my full time gig right now.

What does the band name means? Attention Deficit Disorder maybe?

You would think right? It isn’t though. We came up with Analog Digital Disorder. A little old a little new…

How would you describe A.D.D’s music? Because Rock/Metal covers about everything with a guitar, bass and drums.

Hard rock with melodic vocals.

And what makes A.D.D. different compared to all the other female fronted bands in the world?

We have a unique approach and sound with the vocal harmonies and mix of heavy and clean guitars. It keeps us diverse and able to utilize our wide range of musical influences that all of us have.

Who are the other members of A.D.D.?

Dave Adams – Guitar, Randy Berg – Bass, Jeremy Sparta – Lead Guitar/Vocals, Ron Bailey – Drums.

Why did A.D.D choose the song “The Path” for the “Demonic and Divine” album?

Because the song is a good representation of all the different elements of our music all in one song. I also think it fits the album conceptually from a lyrical standpoint.

And how did you (the band) got in touch with Femme Metal?

I think we discovered the label through MySpace and Carrie Sharp contacted us.

Is song writing teamwork in A.D.D. or is there a mastermind behind the music?

It’s all teamwork. Everyone puts a little something of themselves in every song we write.

Can you tell us something about the songs on “Elements of Emptiness” ?

“The Path” 

Jeremy came in with most of the music and some of the lyrics for this one. Perfect track to start the album.

 “Vacant”

Took a while to write this song. Everyone can relate to these lyrics about the emptiness you feel when you feel like you’ve been taken advantage of in a relationship.

“Maybe”

One of the earliest songs we wrote. Originally released on our first EP, we changed the intro and bridge sections, as well as added some vocal harmonies. Jeremy did not play or sing on the original version. A fan favorite that never seems to get old.

“Can’t Breathe”

This song was inspired by a show we played at a well known venue in Chicago early in our career. We were opening for a trendy band at the time, and their crowd had that arrogance about them as we were playing. The heavy part in the middle always catches people who haven’t heard it off guard.

“Too Late”

This is the last track we wrote for the record. Dave had most of the music written, but lyrically and melody wise, we struggled with this one for a while. Finished it while we were in the studio. A good opening song for us live. I went from hating this one while I was working on it to it being one of my favorites.

“Half of Me”

One of our more melodic songs. Tadpole (producer) worked us pretty hard on this one to get all the little syncopations and changes right.

“Bridges Burning”

A riff that Dave had for a while and Tadpole helped us turn into a song. We called it the “European song” before we had a title, since it has that kind of feel to it.

“Silence”

This song always brings the house down live.

“Don’t Say”

Another one of the newer tracks we recorded. Randy wrote the heavy chorus riff. Jeremy has a rocking solo in this song. Another song that translates well live.

“Waiting”

The only real ballady type song we have. Dave has a solo in this one. We have rarely played this one live.

“Letting Go”

This is the second song Dave and I wrote together when we first started. Dave, Ron, and I are the only ones who played on it. We didn’t have another guitarist or bassist yet. The engineer who we recorded with in his basement played bass on it. The rawness and energy of the song come through on the recording. I would hope the listener would interpret the songs for themselves. They have many different meanings for different people.

What does the album title mean?

It describes the lyrical content of the record, which is pretty dark.

And what is your favorite song?

“Too Late” at the moment.

What are A.D.D. plans for the future?

Tour the world.

And the last question: Is there anything the reader should know that I have not asked?

Yes, that we greatly appreciate all the support that our fans give us……..

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