I N T E R V I E W

Interview Markus Jüllich

How do you feel two weeks before the release of "Infinity"? Very excited?

I feel great! To release a new album is like having a new baby. I am looking forward to release and I believe that it will be our most successful album. We have put all our energy into that project knowing that our fans want to hear new stuff from us that's different to the old albums but still sounds like "Crematory".

Does "Infinity" have a subject?

Well... Indeed it has. As I said before I am sure that it will be our best album. The album "Infinity" is an album for infinity. I think that the quality and the unique sound of that album will make the success of Crematory last for ever!

According to you, what are the qualities of "Infinity"?

The target-settings for "Infinity" were: faster, louder, darker, harder than before You'll find two harder and faster songs as well as the well known catchy songs on the album. There are also two songs with german lyrics and two ballads on "Infinity", as well as a great cover-version of Depeche Mode's masterwork "Black Celebration".

You did this cover of "Black Celebration" of Depeche Mode. Why?

We did this cover-version because it is one of my favorite songs, it hasn't been covered very often and its title fits perfectly to Crematory. But the most important thing was that we had a great idea how to create a great Gothic Rock'n Roll version in our own, well known style.

Felix is singing on the more metal path and Matthias on the more melodic ones. How did you get this concept?

We started with this concept in 1997 on the album "Awake". We continued and advanced that style until today. We think that it fits perfectly to our music. It is like having a devil and an angel singing our songs - like good and evil.

Do you think the break you did helped you to be more creative on "Revolution", "Pray" and "Infinity"?

I think so. If you have been a professional musician for a long time you need a break. At that point we had to do something to save the future. We all needed time to sort out our private lives. We used that time to organize all the private stuff like day-jobs, marriage, children and so on. After the decision to come back with "Revolution" we felt like new born and had the power to create new stuff and step ahead to the future.

You signed with Nuclear Blast for "Revolution", but after, you signed again with Massacre Records, which was your previous record company. Why?

We only worked with Nuclear Blast and Massacre in the past. Both labels fit perfectly to our requirements. I can't really say that one of both is better than the other. Each one was and is perfect for the time-period they attended and still attend us. Another reason for the change was of course the money-question.

You have written songs on German, the last song of "Infinity" is one of them. Is it important for you to write in your mother tong?

As many people know we always have a mix of german and english on our albums. It has become to a kind of tradition. Our singer writes the lyrics and he decides which language fits the best to the music.

With the time, you included electronics sounds and you reduce the death ones. Why this evolution?

From the beginning on we always had keyboards in our songs. With the time that sounds became more important for us. The reason for the evolution was primarily that we wanted to create a new style that hasn't been heard until then. And the decision was right. With our style we created a new genre called german gothic metal.

How do you explain your success all over Europe?

It is difficult to explain that because I can't look into the heads of our fans. But I think that one of the reasons is our unique sound that makes us to something special. People appreciate it if you do something different and special.

If you had to remember only one thing in Crematory's career, what would it be?

It would be our first chart positioning!

For your twentieth anniversary, you will release a "greatest hits" and a DVD. Can you talked to us about that?

On the greatest hits CD and DVD we will release all our hits and video-clips as well as live-concerts and a lot of not released specials. It will be the "crème de la crème" of our band-history and a must-have for our fans. We'll also accomplish an expanded greatest-hits-tour with a couple of surprises. No one should miss it!!!

For now, only four dates are announced. Are you preparing a tour and will you announced the dates soon?

The Tours for "Infinity" and also the Best Of CD/DVD are just being planned but the dates for the "Infinity Over Europe" will be announced soon. I can't tell you where we'll be, but maybe we'll appear somewhere near you!

A lot of bands say they have a special relation-ship with the French audience. Is it the same for you?

We do not think about where our fans come from. We have fans all around the world and thinking of where each one comes from would be small-minded. The important thing is that they love us and we love them!

Finally, have you something to say to end this interview?

We want to see all our fans on that concerts so we can give them back what they have given us! A band only gets as big as the fans allow it. They have given us the chance to get where we are! We need to thank them for their support. Thanks to the best fans on the world!!! Keep in mind that the album will be released on January 29th and you can preorder it on our website www.crematory.de.