WINTER'S VERGE - MIGUEL

Hello guys and welcome to Metalzone. You have a new record deal with Massacre Records and a new album out already, it seems that this year begun the best way possible for you!
\r\nHey there Nicoleta! Miguel (bass) here. Yes the year started out pretty well, and the tour with Stratovarius was another big boost. The best way to start the year, I think!
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\r\n“Tales of Tragedy” is the title of your new album. What’s the story behind the title?
\r\nThere’s no track called “Tales of Tragedy” on the record. We thought about naming it after one of the songs but we decided it was better to go with something that describes the album as a whole, as each song tells a story which usually has rather an unfortunate conclusion for those involved.
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\r\nDo you see any differences between this album and your previous one music-wise?
\r\nAbsolutely. The songs here are much more carefully written and, I daresay, better arranged. It’s our second full-length, so we took the lessons we learned from the first album and applied them here. The sound is different too… Harry (guitars) used a slightly different amp setup, while George (vocals) took a marginally more aggressive approach to singing. I think it worked pretty well, and of course as we’re all learning about our instruments, he continues to develop and learn about his voice and what it can do. Plus, the biggest change is Chris (drums) joining the band, he made a huge difference to how we write and perform songs now because he’s so experienced, a total pro. Also, Harry and I weren’t part of the band when the majority of the material for the first album was written, so we didn’t have much of a chance to inject our own styles into it, whereas now we have. We’re pretty happy with the result.
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\r\nWhat is the element that stands out for you in your songs?
\r\nThe keyboards are one of the biggest aspects that make our sound, well, ‘ours’. Stefanos has developed a pretty distinct style and sound… it’s a symphonic approach, but not overly reminiscent of bands like Nightwish or Epica. I mean… it’s almost like he’s playing the keyboards in a similar way one would play the guitar. It’s very riff-based keyboard work. Harry’s style of guitar is also very riff-based, he mostly listens to stuff like Pantera, Lamb of God and Avenged Sevenfold these days and it reflects in his guitar parts, which contrast well with Stefanos’ riffs. The result of this is the way that the guitars and keyboards work together being pretty cool and not something you hear too much of. It’s almost like having two guitar players in the band, except one of them plays keyboards and it works well for us.
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\r\nWhat features your music style the most? (eg. melodies, vocals etc)
\r\nVocals are obviously important. Since no two singers are alike it’s each band’s unique identifier and the songs on this record are good at showing what George’s voice can do. Melody is also a very key feature and certainly one of the most important aspects of any power/progressive metal band… it’s the glue that keeps songs together and it’s also the glue that makes a song stick in people’s minds.
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\r\nR.D. Liapakis is responsible for the production on your new cd. Tell us a few things about your collaboration.
\r\nLia is a good friend of ours, and we have learned a lot from him. He also took care of the production of our previous album, ‘Eternal Damnation’. He’s actually quite easy to work with, provided you’re not unwilling to hear the brutal truth! He has a lot of good ideas and suggestions in the studio, but mostly wants to get you to put your best on the album and then guide it the way he thinks it will be most effective. It works out very well, and there’s a fantastic audio engineer by the name of Christian Schmid who runs the studio in Germany where we record and he also really helps us in getting the best out of ourselves.
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\r\nYou finished the tour with Stratovarius just a few days before your album was on the market, So, how was this experience for you?
\r\nNothing short of brilliant. We were obviously nervous, as we’d never played in front of crows that big or indeed in those countries at all before, but Stratovarius, their entire crew and Tracedawn (the other support band from Finland) were really friendly and helpful the whole time. We learnt a massive amount about how metal shows are really meant to happen, what touring is like, and how it is to have to consistently play great shows night after night. We were also surprised at the crowds… people seemed to really appreciate us and seemed very keen on our music so that was a big bonus as well. Overall, a great experience.
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\r\nWhat is your opinion about the Power Metal/Epic Power Metal scene nowadays?
\r\nI think there’s a lot of great music coming out. The whole ‘Pagan’ metal thing is interesting, bands like Tyr and Alestorm are doing good work and keep the bar high for everyone else. Firewind are a band going from strength to strength, with their brand of heavier, more aggressive power metal with almost thrash-like guitar work and they’re leaving their mark on the scene. We’ve also seen the return of some of the big bands, like Stratovarius and Rhapsody of Fire, which is always a positive thing. People are generally starting to feel more brave and experiment with things, and it seems the strong classical influences aren’t as obvious anymore as they used to be in many bands… maybe it’s fashion? Anyway, there’s lots of good stuff out there and the scene is alive and well, in my opinion.
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\r\nWhat do you think about free downloading?
\r\nOh boy.Well, everyone has downloaded music. If you’re referring to illegal downloading, as in getting music for free when you’re not supposed to, it can cause problems. The record labels have to make money somehow, and that mostly comes from selling CDs. CD sales are, obviously, going downhill at a rapid pace but it’s not as simple as just saying ‘no one buys CDs anymore’. In the metal scene, people still attach value to purchasing CDs and the truth of the matter is, they just sound better than mp3s. I don’t know… I mean, the record companies do play a vital part in promotion and getting a band heard, but also the power of the internet cannot be denied. It costs a lot of money to make an album and most artists self-finance the recordings so there has to be an income of some sorts… but on the other hand can something which is created as art have a price on it? Should it have a price? There are some questions that aren’t easy to answer and the only thing I know for sure is that the next five years will be decisive in how the music industry reacts, move forwards, or indeed if it will even continue to exist as we know it.
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\r\nThank you for the interview, the last words are yours
\r\nWe want to say a big thank you to everyone who listened to our albums, came to the shows on the Stratovarius tour and everyone who has taken interest in our work. We hope to see everyone we can on the road soon! Cheers and stay metal.
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\r\nInterview by : Nicoleta Sarantou
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