I N T E R V I E W

Interview Lanvall

The band was created in 1998, but in France, you're not really well known. How can you explain that?

We didn't sell abroad with our first album, and we didn't tour in France. The first time we played in France was on the Shines' tour with Angra. This record was so really correct but we didn't sell more and Massacre Records is no more our distributor. It's more or less the point why we're not so famous in France. I think now with Napalm Record, there will be a big stuff, a very good distribution, so I think there is something we can build up with them.

For people who don't know who you are, can you introduce your band?

The band was born in 1998 by Sabine, the singer, and by myself and by the former bass player and the former drummer of course. The only two members that are still in the band are Sabine and myself. We recorded our first album in 1999, which came out in 2000 and was one of the most successful in the metal scene. Then we did a tour with Pink Cream 69 and Axxis in Europe. Album number two was even more successful then the first one. We also did a big tour in Europe with Metalium, and then we went for the first time in Asia, in Korea for a show on the "International Busan Rock Festival" in front of 20.000 fans. Several albums came out with tour constantly. Last year we were in China, for the first time and the second Asian tour, UK headliner tour. And yeah, it's the point where we are and of course our new album is coming out this mouth and we are looking forward to.

Your new album is name MyEarthDream. Is it a natural message or just because it was your favourite song on this album so you choose to give her name to this album?

Well first, the song was there, and then the album title was there. The lyrics are most of the time the last things written for the album because I want to see if there is a line to give the songs the real lyrics and the real sense. MyEarthDream was a great song for the album because on the one hand it's more earth bonds. Than in the past, we have more strings guitars, much material in this album so the earth is a very good tall in the tracks. But MyEarthDream also represents the connection to heaven again. And we also see on the artwork this connection between heaven and earth which is giving the line to the album.

Is there a main subject on this album?

It is not a concept album if you mean that. The songs can exist on their own. Also it describes the rupture of nature and how it can be different. It's still this dream to make the earth better but not something like this, to preach something to people. It wouldn't be the best way.

On your website, we can listen to your songs' extracts and there are your new lyrics. Why did you choose to reveal your text before the albums' release?

I think it doesn't really matter because I mean, nobody can do something with the lyrics! It is no problems. We sent out the promo CD with a voice over. The only people who have the real album are the record company and myself. Because we have to do it. I mean two days after the promo CDs were sent, the CD was on the net. How can it be possible? I mean, of course, only the promo CDs with the voice over versions.

Will you play songs of your new album tonight? Is it a way to promote it?

Oh yeah! We will play some new songs, some old songs. But we really want to promote the new album also its not out of course. And we have the tee shirts, the new ones !

And isn't difficult to promote an album which is not yet release?

It is difficult of course because after the show people are asking me: "Where can I buy the CD?" We have sign of course; it will be the 28 of April. And I mean, people can still have it on MSN or a company like that. It's created some interest for the listener. We are here to promote the new album and it makes any sense for us to play to many old songs! Because we really want to give the new album approach because this is our... I wouldn't say it's a new style, but a different style. We have heavier guitars and everything. It's also better for Rage, because they are a quite heavy band.

We will speak about your career now! In your entire career, there were a lot of line ups' changes. Isn't it difficult for a band to build up?

Yes of course. I mean it's difficult in certain point because. I mean, the fact is I write all the songs, lyrics and all the management staff. So this is a constant line of course. It means why it's "still" the same style. It wouldn't be different if anybody else play a second guitar or bass or drums. We are a very good line up now, and we like each other very much and it's a new energy. Because there were problems with our previous drummer, especially between him and myself. You cannot work with somebody who makes some bad energy, somebody you not dislike but with you have no relationship or something like that. It's better in the new team of course!

You write all songs alone. Isn't it difficult to do that alone and is it because you need to do everything?

I don't need to do that. I mean, the others write songs but not in this particular style. They have their own projects, I mean our second guitar player plays also in a death metal band, and our bass player also plays in a female band where he is writing. But it's different and I think everybody accept that from the beginning, I am the composer and I told the line and where the music is standing up.

You release one album each year or each two-year. Isn't it difficult to find the inspiration all the time?

Absolutely. I mean I can't write this rhythm that anymore. The last album came out two years ago, now we have this new album and I'm pretty sure that the next album will not be release before 2010. I need more than a year for the song writing. All the orchestra writing is do by myself and it takes time of course! We are touring a lot, and I also think that I can't do anything before summer. When you count again for one year, you have six or seven months of producing so to create an album, you need two years.

What did you feel when you've listen the orchestra playing your music ?

It was a great feeling of course when we went to the studio and recording the orchestra. It was one of my most stressful days because I have everything prepared. Then everything comes different, there are some little mistakes and we worked on. But the studio clock was tacking on the way through. But on the other hand it was a great feeling to have the music played by 65 people. It was really amazing!

I don't know if you find it too, but for me Sabine's' voices is more assured on Shine and The Grand Design than before. How can you explain that, was she shy?

Yeah, absolutely. I mean her voice progress from album to album. On the new album, she's exceptional I would say! She was always unique on the metal scene because her voice isn't a metal voice. But she gives more powers and she went her depth in the body on the new album. I think everything placed on the Shines' album; she works with a lot of backing vocals and this is a very important element in the sounds because they help Sabine of course.

Now, we will speak about the artwork, which is very special. Can you tell me why you choose this sort of "drawing"?

I think all the covers are a bit different. We always have to found good points, what the album should represent and we also looking for artist of course, and the type of covers we want. But with the new one, we wanted to go differently! And for the first time, we worked with Anthony Clarkson, an American painter. He also worked for Blind Guardian, for their last album. We like this style very much and I think the new album cover is great. Because it's totally represent what we wanted to say.

You will play at The Metal Female Voices Festival in October. What do you enjoy in playing in festival?

Well, we haven't play on a festival for a long time now! It was always single shows. But I really look forward to play in a festival. In the end, I think Metal Female Voice festival will be great for us, to present our band of course, because it's totally devoted to female band. I heard good stories about it. So we look forward!

And what do you expect from this experience?

I don't know. We never been there, but the stories I've heard were great so... The band which are there are very fun. I hope we can spend a small tour, maybe around, because just going there for one show... Maybe we can do one show, going up for shows and going back.

Because we are talking about this special festival, what do you think about bands fresh which do symphonic metal with a female singer?

There is more and more band with female but, how many bands with male singer we have?! I think, people who aren't complaining about female vocalist have problems with women maybe. I find it great that women are in the metal scene of course. Why should it be a male sort of music? And as long as the bands are good ... In our case, we were one of the first bands so, we started in 1996. In the first album, we didn't even know Nightwish when we have totally recorded this album. So nobody can really blame up for copying anybody cause, we were one of the first. I think the new production was really great.

Isn't it difficult to have a place when we have a female singer?

Some people said they are open-minded, so tolerant and everything and when you come with your music, there not as tolerant as everybody else. There is so different kind of style, and one can hate this or that. I mean, you don't have to listen to everything if you don't like it. I mean there are stupid people that are writing in guest book that they don't like. It's waste of time, totally waste of time! And so I don't understand this.

It's time for the last question: What do you have to say to your fans and to people who will discover your music?

I wanna thank all your fans for the support and all the fans in France. We met a lot of them with our tour with Angra. We played in front of 100 000 people, now it's a bit smaller of course , but I hope to see a lot of fans today and also in Marseille. Go to your local record shop, give to our album a chance, and listen to it, I think you will like it!

Thank you!

Thank you too!