Browsing articles tagged with " paul"
Jan 8, 2013
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“Alchemy” by CLIVE NOLAN – studio album out in March, listen to the first promo track !

The recordings of the studio album “Alchemy” have been officially completed and we can now confirm that the double album will be released on March, 4th in Europe and April, 9th in USA. This release will, however, be preceded by the world premiere of “Alchemy” show at the famous Wyspianski Theatre in Katowice, Poland on February 22, 2013, where it will be recorded for the purposes of a DVD to be released by Metal Mind Productions later next year. We can also reveal that the album will be available for purchase at the Theatre prior to the official release date.

And today you can listen to the first promo track taken from the “Alchemy” album. “Street Fight” is available to stream at the official Metal Mind Productions’ channel on YouTube in THIS location.

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Dec 26, 2012
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INTERVIEW: Lucy & Veon – Mechanical God Creation

Interview by Connie Bach

Translated by Disgraced

 

Released on Wormholedeath, Mechanical God Creation’s album “Cell XIII” is all finely-tuned fury. There is nothing but steelyaggression in MGC‘s brand of well-crafted death metal.
 
Hello, Lucy.

HI!!!

How did you come up with the dark topics “Cell XIII” discusses?

The album was born from the wish to express our inner, undeclared and huge anger. We have thought about how our society denies us the possibility to free and vent our inner rage, if not only in determinated occasions, as a matter of fact we’re all chained to this concrete armchair, as was Prometheus to the mountain. From this analysis we’ve decided that it was time to let our voice be heard and represent this huge and inner force.

Would you say, that the combination of powerful lyrics and powerful instruments creates a kind of chemistry? Is it something that feeds itself, and you, on a deeper level?

 We tried to make music and lyrics fit together in order that no one of them abandoned each other. It was like we have tried to weave a well-stichted and tight texture that oozed all this aggressivness: the more the music was getting violent, the more my voice and my vocal lines were becoming aggressive and violent!

How did “Cell XIII” build on the foundations the band already had? How does it reflect where Mechanical God Creation wants to go?

“Cell XIII” helped us to find the perfect way to develop a composing process, a musical alchemy that sadly has been lost later on, since some members left the band. Of course the work done didn’t lose its value: it’s been the ground for a great, personal growth that will surely be useful for the nex record and that will help me going on on my musical road. Neither me nor the other MGC will stop, on the opposite we’ll get better and better with the new line-up!

Specifically, what does the name “Cell XIII” refer to?

As I told you before, we started exploring the world of repressed anger where the body acts like a cage: the word “cell” comes from here and also the artwork leads to that concept, actually there’s a person chained up in a cell. “XIII” has an esoteric and symbolic meaning, according to a worldwide tradition: it’s an ambiguous number open to a myriad of interpratations and it represents the human duality, our inner and outer self.

Lucy, from your personal point of view, how does Mechanical God Creation differ from earlier projects you have worked on? Is there one thing you would bring from the past experience? If so, what?

MCG is a more personal project, I feel it mine more than the others because I created them out of nothing; I founded this band to try and create something new, something that was only mine in the world of extreme music. This is my band and not a band that I simply joined! The past lives on as a legacy in terms of songwriting and live experiences, professionality and a huge care for those details both musical and non-musical that gravitate around the band. Moreover, past experiences obviously help you to deal more easily with some situations and people and so they allow you to better understand what’s going on. What nowadays is often denied is basic, without any doubt, to build an important project!

This question is for each member of MGC to offer input on. If each of you had one artist who influenced you the most, who would he/she be? Why would you choose them? Each of you probably has a different, individual answer.

Lucy: The first artist who inspired me the most was Cadaveria: I liked her vocal style a lot, very aggressive but with a feminine touch nevertheless.

Veon: There are surely three artists who had a big influence on me, which are Jaco Pastorius, Steve Di Giorgio and Jeroen Paul Thesseling. They have been in bands that I always loved. Another aspect that influenced me a lot stylistically and melodically has been the one of bringing bass-playing to a new level: not only a rythmic one but something inbetween rythmic melody and soloist parts.

If you all agreed upon a dream venue (even if it is one that does not exist yet), could you describe that ideal show, line-up, concert venue, etc.? This is sort of meant for those interested to get a sense of how you all can put this image together, by working with each other, the same way you do with a song.

Well, playing Wacken is always a dream. I’ve been there as a fan and I can say it’s a very cool festival, so many people and interesting bands. But there are of course a lot of other places where we’d like to play. Our biggest love, so to say, are big open air festivals. Now I won’t list here all the bands we’d like to share the stage with… way too many!

Another one for all of you to contribute to. What goes through your head the moment you finish a gig?

When the concert is over and you go downstage many emotions always linger on: in front of you there was someone who was there to listen to you, who was searching for something in you, who wanted to find a strong emotion in your music and therefore you hope you managed to communicate all that. You hope you played a great show, something unique because after all every gig is unique and unrepeatable and so wonderful! I take the chance to thank everyone who follows us and all those who support us in what we do!

What kind of people seem to connect with MGC’s music the most? Why do you think it happens?

I think that MGC‘s music can appeal to several kinds of listeners: of course lovers of classic extreme metal as well as modern one and in general to whoever craves for a surge of adrenalin and wants to hear something fresh and new for some aspects. Last but not least, why not?, I think we might be appreciated also by those who want to rediscover the Italian death metal that in these last years gave us lots of nice surprises!

I have one final question, for each of you to answer, or work together on; its up to you. What is the fundamental purpose of music with darker themes?

It’s surely a stylistical and harmonic research that at first is aimed to create confusion in the listener but then wants to give a sensation of rage, safety and personality to the songs, both lyrics-, musical- and vocal-wise. Nowadays being out of trends using darker themes isn’t easy but there are some unxplored points of view that grant a new personality to his kind of music. It’s impossible to say how through words, you have to communicate and feel it with music’s own language.

Thanks to you, Lucy, and to everyone from Mechanical God Creation. I deeply appreciate everyone’s contribution.

Thanks to you for this chance and for the nice and challenging questions! Hope to hear you again soon!

 

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Dec 16, 2012
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Trans-Siberian Orchestra – “Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night)” EP (2012)

Label : Lava/Universal Republic Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Just in time for holidays comes the new EP from the traveling Christmas extravaganza known as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, entitled “Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night)”. Two female singers (Erika Jerry and Georgia Napolitano) are used as well as the male vocalist Tim Hockenberry. It is not very long but this is the classic sound of TSO that the fans have come to know and love. “Dreams of Fireflies” opens with two instrumentals. The first being the piano and guitar driven “Winter Palace”. This is a huge bombastic sound to it and it is definitely what people have come to expect from TSO. Next we have the second instrumental “Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night)”. This track features a cool interplay between the heavy guitars and orchestration. Next is “I Had a Memory” featuring the vocals of Erika Jerry and a rich sounding choir as the song morphs into an up-tempo, bouncy hard rock number. Erika Jerry has a big sounding, impressive voice with a lot of soul and passion. “Someday” is next and is a heartfelt acoustic ballad sung by raspy voiced Tim Hockenberry. This is actually a pretty sentimental and relatable song about growing older and moving on. The EP is completed with the piano ballad “Time You Should Be Sleeping”, sung by Georgia Napolitano. All three singers featured here represent a different style from each other. Georgia’s is more classical than the other two. She’s got such a hugely expressive voice as “Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night)” comes to its conclusion. At only 5-songs and a length of 15-minutes, “Dreams of Fireflies” is a pretty short listen. This really isn’t a radical departure musically; it is simply the classic TSO sound. Listening to TSO will always put you in the holiday spirit and if you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out their Christmas tour – it is quite a spectacular experience.

Rating – 80/100

 

Tracklist

  1. Winter Palace
  2. Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night)
  3. I Had A Memory
  4. Someday
  5. Time You Should Be Sleeping

 

Line Up

  • Erika Jerry – Vocals (on “I Had A Memory”)
  • Tim Hockenberry – Vocals (on “Someday”)
  • Georgia Napolitano – Vocals (on “Time You Should Be Sleeping”)
  • Paul O’Neill – Guitars
  • Jon Oliva – Keyboards
  • Al Pitrelli – Lead, Rhythm Guitars
  • Chris Caffery – Guitars
  • Roddy Chong – Violin
  • Angus Clark – Guitars
  • Joel Hoekstra – Guitars
  • Mee Eun Kim – Keyboards
  • Vitalij Kuprij – Keyboards
  • Jane Mangini – Keyboards
  • Johnny Lee Middleton – Bass
  • John O. Reilly – Drums
  • Jeff Plate – Drums
  • Derek Wieland – Keyboards
  • David Zablidowsky – Bass

 

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Dec 1, 2012
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Interview : Sonja Kristina – Curved Air

Interview by Matteo Bussotti


It’s always an unfathomable emotion every time we have a musician of great importance here on Femme Metal. This time we are really, really proud to have Sonja Kristina, Curved Air‘s lead singer on our website. Her answers to my questions are simply stunning, and it is an incredible opportunity to interview an artist who’s been in the music industry for such a long time. Of course I had to ask her questions about the past, but also the present and the future. Her answers are an insight about how music’s world has changed through these decades. It is with great that I, once again, introduce to you Sonja Kristina. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed making it.

Hi Sonja! I must say it is really an honor to have such an important musician here on Femme Metal! My first question is an obvious one: how does it feel to be back on stage?

Thank you, it feels surreal.. timeless and timely.

You are just about to release a live album, “Live Atmosphere”. Do you have any plans on recording new material, after your 1976 last album, “Airborne”? (I’m not counting “Lovechild” as your latest album because it was recorded before “Airborne”)

This band is very diverse in its influences and also respects the Cuved Air legacy. Yes we will create fine new material together. My first task is to know what I want to say in this time for these times. Each song must explore and express truthful experience – once a song is born it seems so natural but some births are easy some require more gestation.

In which ways do you think Curved Air has changed in this 40 years of career? You can talk as much as you want, feel free to say whatever you want!

I think the first album was very atmospheric and powerful and carried in it the experience of many live performances during which the songs developed. Each album was innovative due to the style and talent of the composers, Darryl Way and Francis Monkman. The second album contained “Back Street Luv” and the great show stopping piece “Young Mother” Darryl became more drawn to melodic simplicity with perfect beautiful arrangements while Francis took the music into more involved and intricate experimental places . This is how they grew apart. After Darryl and Francis and Florian went their own ways, Eddie Jobson at 17 was a perfect replacement to satisfy the expectations that Curved Air produce classic dramatic progressive music. Francis’s alter ego within the original line-up was his brilliant edgy guitar virtuosity – also a hall mark of Curved Air. Kirby Gregory took over that role… also young he kept the rock energy high and was a very exciting performer. Mike Wedgwood contributed a couple of songs which added to the album’s diversity and I am very pleased with these interpretations of my songs, “Easy” and “Elfin Boy”. This album, “Aircut” is my next favourite after “Air Conditioning”. Then when the original group reformed and we recorded our live performances something was revealed that was not on the studio album. “Live” caught me in full flight, raw and abandoned… out of control, not fettered by expectations of perfection. It is a great imprint of the power of Curved Air in the moment. “Love Child” is sketchy… my four songs were recorded as ideas for the next Curved Air album after “Aircut” but the band had disbanded, I am happy that they are available now though. “Midnight Wire” was a strange period, it had a more American bluesy influence from the new players . Darryl enjoyed this colour and his melodic pop inventions were embroidered with riffs and funky elements, I was in a dark place so my friend Norma was my voice lyrically, speaking my reality, I couldn’t write a sensible sentence at the time. “Airborne” was in my opinion a collection of diverse styles – a band with no direction, different writer’s statements, I like “Broken Lady” best, an intimate personal song.In 1990 after years of our individual projects the original band re-grouped and played two shows : the first of which, a magical, historic night  was recorded through the sound desk and became “Alive 1990″. It was a confident dynamic reminiscence and it is good that it exists as a very rough recording. Curved Air today is a cauldren of potential. We are truly truly alive : new players, Paul Sax, Robert Norton, Chris Harris and Kit Morgan adding nuances and fresh interpretations of the best of Curved Air’s history and forming new masterpieces to add to the future albums and for the audiences who have welcomed us and are hungry to hear this music again played live to to hear what will be created next. This was why we recorded “Live Atmosphere”.

And…what about the music industry? How was in the ’70s? And how it’s changed now? You don’t have to be “gentle”, if you think something, tell us, I give you the permission to be as nasty and honest as you want!

In the 60s and 70s great independant rock groups and artists were very fertile but there were not so many bands and recordings available as there are today. There was a great thirst for the exciting and inspiring material that people were hearing on the new independent and pirate radio station. Radio Luxemberg was very influential and the ‘underground’ scene that spawned psychedelic, cosmic and progressive fusion bands as well as singer songwriters and folk influences. Then there was Lou Reed and David Bowie. The New York charged Punk era was a different colour of stripped down direct communication and theatricality. The Eighties were weaned on the sixties and seventies and kept the punk theatrics and pop explorations and launched the mighty robotic Art of Noise bass and snare sound, new voices. The Police, the Smiths…. The Nineties was the era of Ibiza house dance computer white label DJ music, everyone was the star at the raves and clubs, always little fringe clubs too with all kinds of genres being explored in the back ground… in the foreground rap and Damon Albarn, Nirvana and Oasis. Now there is so much diversity from Radiohead to Sigur Ros. However the media generated X Factor etcetera is a talent contest that seems to regurgitate and reproduce and never find the soul of this generation listening to the past great performers and waiting for inspiration.Today everyone can broadcast themselves, record themselves, everyone one has a voice and there is so much that is not transporting or truly inspiring : Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga and the boy bands and girl bands are charismatic entertainers amplified and adored but this in not all that people want?

Sonja, how did you get started? Why and when did you start singing?

As a young child aged 7 I used to recite poetry at school and loved creative writing. Both I found put me in an altered meditative state that I enjoyed, as a result of intense imaginings, I learned to play a little piano and then a little guitar and learned songs from a book of 101 American Folk Songs. When I sang them people became entranced and were encouraging, so it was a rewarding activity  also there was much of interest in acoustic music folk styles and blues and songs and singers – I heard Buffy Sainte Marie and her passion and beautiful delivery and songs were a big revelation, the Incredible String Band later, Robin Williamson’s unique melodies especially delighted me, Bob Dylan’s word weavings. I also was a fan of Dusty Springfield and the early Rolling Stones, I learned songs I liked and began to write some of my own and found folk clubs were places where people like me could show up and sing..

What was the main reason that got you say “Ok, let’s do this, let’s get back on stage” back in 2009?

Darryl Way had been asking for several years if we could try a reunion tour and Francis and Florian were up for it. However I was busy writing and recording with Marvin Ayres as MASK and I felt I couldn’t divide my creativity.Then in 2008 Marvin and I had finished our second album “Technopia” and Darryl asked again so I thought that it would be a positive time to try taking Curved Air out and continue what we had started so many years ago. Francis however wanted to start again with new devised material and not deliver past songs and Darryl wanted to perform the best of our old material. They could not agree so Francis dropped out. After a few months of touring Darryl found it all too stressful and became unwell so he dropped out too. However we had already a wonderful guitarist and bass player, Kit Morgan and Chris Harris, and to replace Darryl I invited two musicians I had worked with in the late ‘80s /90s., violinist Paul Sax and Keyboard player Robert Norton, this is a group of virtuoso players who are happy to tour. Florian Pilking Miksa, the original Curved Air drummer has never played better and this lineup is a godsend for both of us…

You career spans for decades. If you had to pick…let’s say 5 favorite moments of it, which ones would they be?

Playing the RoundHouse in Camden Town in 1970 and all our concerts there; The opening night of “Hair” at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London in 1968 and the entire run; Running my psychedelic wednesday nights at the troubadour club in Earl’s Court in 1967; Playing with my Acid Folk Band on the Acoustic Stage at Glastonbury Festival in 1990 and all through till 96′; Playing in New Orleans in a sweltering arena supporting BB King and all the other US stadiums in 71/72.

And what about the songs? Can you list some songs (as many as you want) to whom you’re really attached, for any reason?

David Bowie – “Five Years”, “Wild is the Wind”, “Golden Years”; Buffy Sainte Marie - ”Until Its time for You to Go”. Guess who I saw in Paris Janis Joplin: ”Me and Bobby Mcgee”, “Summertime”; Edith Piaf - “La Vie en Rose”; Jeff Buckey - “So Real”;  Dusty Springfield  “Snow Patrol” – “Chasing Cars”; Seal – “Kissed by a Rose”.

Back in the 70s, why did you choose prog-rock? What attracted you to this musical genre?

I didn’t chose it, it came to me. Curved Air needed a singer, I enjoyed their sound.

Can you remember the (almost) exact time when you were aware you were one of the most important prog-rock bands of your time? How did you feel at that time?

When we were rehearsing our set and Darryl played “Vivaldi”. It was exciting, I felt this music was important like I knew “Hair” was groundbreaking theatre before the show opened in London and I was privileged to be part of it. I felt the same about this band.

You had lots of line-up changes. What have you learned from every Curved Air‘s member, how did every one of them influence the band as a whole? Of course, you don’t have to list everyone (but you can if you want!), but maybe the most relevant ones (no offense intended for the other, of course!)

Francis Monkman was three things: an innovator of sound manipulation – a fearless guitarist and beautiful keyboard player; Darryl Way played violin in a true classical rock style and immersed himself in the latest technology for sound modulation for the violin and wrote great tunes; Rob Martin was a melodic bass player who also contributed beautiful pieces to “Air Conditioning”; Ian Eyre – flamboyant and dexterous bass player; Eddie Jobson - precocious brilliance, courage;  Kirby Gregory – cool, hypnotic – true rock n roll attitude; Mike Wedgwood – loyal, solid great bass player; Phil Kohn - witty , quirky, funky; Mick Jacques – cool, expressive, kind, a real gentleman; Stewart Copeland – anarchic, ambitious and driven, very creative drummer.

Among your seven studio albums, what was the most difficult to record? Or, maybe, the one you’re attached emotionally the most?

The most difficult to record was “Midnight Wire” – our first recordings were rejected by RCA so producers were brought in who forced the band to rewrite and rerecord the whole album – a miserable experience.The original version was great unfortunately now lost.

What can you tell us about your involvement in the acid folk movement in the ’90s? How did you get attracted by it?

I was relaunching my career in 1988 when my youngest child was three, I was looking for a musical scene where I belonged, to begin again in those times. I returned to the Troubadour club in Earl’s Court London where I had heard a “new acoustic scene” was happening, I watched and felt excited by these new young singer songwriters playing without amplification with personality and attitude. I took my turn to sing like I did when thirteen years old : I felt the fear of intimate exposure and began to write new songs. I was invited to play a headline set and sang all new songs accompanied by my new friends then I heard of the psychedelic scene when all kinds of weird and alternative new bands and poets and performance artists were attracting the new traveller hippies and newage punks. I asked to play and was made welcome. I gathered a band of strong improvisers – two brothers who were wild – Simon who played drums and steel drum and Tim who sang and played deep dark acoustic guitar – a brilliant violinist who a friend had seen busking with a street band – Paul Sax (now the violinist with Curved Air) a five string bass player and a fifteen year old child prodigy cellist. We played clubs and bars and colleges and festivals, sometimes unamplified – without even a mike, at other times electric and loud, with an oil wheel lightshow even in the most serious folk clubs. We toured for 7 years.

And what about your solo career? Did you get the chance to express ideas and explore things you couldn’t have done with Curved Air?

My solo career is just continuing what I did before Curved Air, writing songs… except creating with my own bands and musicians and lately with an inspiring modern- classical composer/ multi instrumentalist Marvin Ayres.

Progressive rock now is not very followed worldwide nowadays. Talking about your fans, do you see new faces at every gig, or do you have your “high-fidelity fans”? I mean, how do younger people react to your music? (Needless to say that as soon as you’ll come playing to Italy you’ll see my face among the crowd!)

I have been in Italy on Halloween October 31st at the Xroads club in Rome with your band Oak who play progressive rock of their own and also covers of other progressive songs and instrumentals, I have been their special guest and they have been playing some Curved Air songs and I have sung other songs with them.There are young progressive rock bands in the UK who have supported us at concerts and festivals. They heard progressive music when teenagers and started writing their own music, yes there are new fans and children of old fans and people who are seeing Curved Air play for the first time as well as those who have followed the band for many years.

What can you tell us about your experience with musicals? Did they influenced you as a musician, or maybe gave you “hints” on how to act and entertain the public on stage during your concerts?

I was lucky enough to be in the Rock Musical “Hair” which did transform me from a static singer into someone completely at home on the stage. I had acted and been to drama college for one year but this was completely different – it was about being free on stage rather than forma stage craft. So when I joined Curved Air it was this experience I brought with me. I think of performance as shamanistic rather than disciplined, an exchange of energy between audience and performers, working with imagination and inhabiting personas. I also played in a traveling show of cabaret style French Piaf and Brel and other beautiful classic songs with strong English translation, “The French Have a Song for It “. Marsha Hunt, who also starred in Hair, wrote a musical and I played the female lead in that in 1982, I acted and sang in a musical play for TV in 1980 “Curiculee Curiculaa”: I found these all enjoyable, not least because I love being part of a company, a group of people engaged in entertaining an audience and telling a story through Drama. I have played in theatre in straight plays also.

Now, a more “general” and more difficult and serious question. What do you think about how the world’s changed in all these years? In all these years, you’ve seen some big revolutions, both political and intellectual (and musical, of course).

Yes, we are in times of great change and innovation, on the brink of great upheaval in lifestyles and government. The 60′s hippie dream seems far away but also integrated into the present time with “green” policies yoga, Tai chi, meditation, vegetarianism  and rapid social changes between now and then that now seem unextraordinary. Such as women, gay and racial equality and the and the all seeing Internet.

Now that you’re fully back on the scenes, what are your plans for the future, both as a person and as a musician? Do you have any upcoming important projects as “Sonja”? I mean…let’s say, just to make an example…maybe you’re organizing some big event? Just saying, it would actually be great to see a big festival full of important bands’ reunions, like a big prog-rock fest!

I just look to get through every next day with an open heart and clarity and joy, to be free to jump into new arenas. This Curved Air band of superb players’ development is important to me and also the potential of continuing my work with Marvin who is now the Curved Air producer too, I would like to do some quality film drama work and theatre too, plays rather than musicals.

Well…there would be lots of other things to talk about, but I think for now it’s all! Thank you so much for your time, good luck for everything…and I hope to see you soon in concert!

Thank you Matteo –  Curved Air “Live Atmosphere” has been released on 12th of November .

 

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Oct 29, 2012
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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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