Elitist Records keep churning out quality releases. Among those is a particular band that goes by the name of Forest Stream. Hailing from Russia, these guys create some of the finest black/doom metal I've heard in quite some time. I contacted band member Sonm to talk about some issues surrounding the somewhat mysterious Forest Stream and their debut album "Tears of Mortal Solitude." As you'll see, Sonm provided me with more than adequate answers and many, many surprises along the way that make this quite an interesting interview!

Allan 'Enigma'


To start, I'd just like to say that I was more than pleased with "Tears Of Mortal Solitude." A great listen, if I may say so. If you could just start by giving us a brief overview of Forest Stream and their history?

To start, we'd like to thank you very much for what you have said about our band. You feel much better every time you hear people say good things about what you do, no matter how shitty your day is! So, thanks a lot. As for our history, well, there is not much we could tell you and we could tell you really a lot at the same time. Some moments we've been through could seem to be really funny, but most of them hardly can summon anybody's smile. I (Sonm) met Omin in 1995 and we decided to start a band due to a lack of good music. Without any doubt the nineties were a great time with some of the greatest bands ever. Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir and others were inspiring us but we needed something different. Katatonia wasn't heavy enough, My Dying Bride was too slow, Emperor was almost about what we wanted but a bit over-complicated, and Dimmu Borgir was, on the other hand, too simple! So, the golden middle was finally found and we called it Forest Stream. I am not saying we are something in between these bands; it is just sort of a feeling we get from our music.

So during the summers of 1996-1998, Omin and I were building houses and making money to buy some equipment for the band. Being not very welcome by the local authorities we had to build our own place for rehearsals, a garage that reminds me of some kind of a catacomb. Anyway, we were playing facing hills of rubbish and rotten vegetables, because we weren't really lucky with the place, and soon after the garage was built some assholes made a scrap yard right in front of our gates. That was kind of inspiring too! I don't think any Western band can say they have experienced something like that. Yeah, some black metal guys could burn local churches or kill someone, or had just problems with cops or something. I bet rotten potatoes, rats, rain, and human indifference annoyed nobody, but us. I'll never forget the day when we finished our garage. We were sitting and playing Omin's ancient acoustic guitar cause that time we had no electricity, just concrete and rime, as well as those morons, who have stolen almost everything in 5 months after we completed the studio. That was pretty tough time though. After we got robbed we stuck a dog's skull against the wall right above the garage gate and swore to fight until the end. Fortunately, Omin kept his guitar at home so we sat down to record our first demo called "Snowfall."

That demo was meant to be our visiting card for local clubs, but we then decided to send it to webzines and labels just for fun. The message we got from the music and especially the production was pretty clear to us: "Maybe you are good people, but your stuff sucks!" To our surprise we got a lot of good responses including a short message from Italian label Code666: "We could have a deal if you would re-record your stuff guys!" But instead of doing that we rushed to record our second demo called "The Last Season Purity" and somehow something went wrong, so Code666 said they were disappointed with that. Personally I couldn't believe that. The new songs were the way better that the ones from "Snowfall." In fact they still are!

Being damn depressed we had no choice but to upload everything on mp3.com and then to hang ourselves on the huge tree in front of our house. While making a good rope, we were also playing live in Moscow and its region and then got a very strange message from somebody called Lee Barrett... (damn that's already a lot)... so to keep it short, he offered us a deal and we got signed to the brand new division of Earache he started, Elitist Records. After being unconscious for about one month (we were damn happy!) we finally got to work on our first album, "Tears of Mortal Solitude." And here we are!

What where you trying to achieve with "Tears Of Mortal Solitude"?

Well, one could think about some messages to the mankind, some black magic interference with the parallel universe, but I'd say that we weren't trying to achieve anything special. It is just like you wake up and say "what a nice day!" Our album just says, "Look, life is more complicated than you think it is." It depends on the listener. Some would hear just music, some more than just a couple of not very bad tunes, and others simply wouldn't like it at all. Music is a creature. I don't think nature achieves anything particular with every bird, butterfly, spider, etc. They live for some supreme idea none of us are aware of.

What's the most important thing to Forest Stream? Emotion, atmosphere, musicianship, originality, or is it something else?

Again, that depends on the listener. What drives you when you make friends? Some kind of sympathy, I think. I prefer to consider my band as a living thing. It is interactive. The more you give the more you get out of it. But after all, I think that we have a special feature. We play an intelligent music. That's the most important thing. At least that's what we are trying to do. I don't know whether it is successful or not but that's what I would call our main goal.

When listening to Forest Stream, you can pick up on some influences. Who or what do you think has had the biggest influence on shaping the sound of Forest Stream?

Our parents, our friends, our country, our climate, Emperor, Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Septic Flesh, Dimmu Borgir, Endura, Lustmord, Diabolical Masquerade and classical music. So if you would mix everything adding some pepper, patakis, garlic, onion and beer and fry it for about half an hour, the output will be worth to be called Forest Stream! I don't know. We have a lot of influences, but which one is the most striking... that's damn difficult to say. Probably the situation when we were stuck with the band without money and others were provided with everything to play their nazi shit. That was really like a cloud burst.

How have those influences changed over the years? How have things changed for you guys since you started out in 1995? Or at least from your first demo which didn't appear until quite some time after.

I can't say that they've changed quite much. Probably the changes are more up to us: our self-development, feeling and understanding of music in particular and in common. Personally, now I'm more into classical music and monk choirs. Somehow that just blows me away, and I'd like to try something like that in future. I mean combining several things together. First, of course, we have to find monks who will agree to sing blasphemous songs. Don't be surprised if we end up like a gang of mad heretics! By the way, any idea about how a sinful flesh goes with a fire? Hope they are not that friendly to each other! As for the second part of the question, well, many years have passed. Now we are old and fat. We all have families and at least ten kids. Sometimes we meet each other to watch some stupid movies or have to go to a barbeque picnic. Wait, what am I talking about? Well, that's not about us, really! I should switch my TV off! Actually we are still young and very often hungry. What is being 23-24 years old? It is just about to deal with your acceleration-pedal only. We still don't think about the brakes. Many things have changed of course, but they are not about the music.

As I understand, your debut album "Tears Of Mortal Solitude" is actually the first part of a trilogy. Please explain what this trilogy is and what it means, as well as what it represents.

Okay. It's all rather weird and complicated. There is some mystery in it. Omin and I were behind everything, which is now called Forest Stream. And you know, it wasn't just about the music we liked or we were going to play. There was some kind of an idea about what the whole story was about. We needed to play because we were lacking ordinary words for saying what we wanted. So our music became an additional tool for our self-expression. And at the same time my mother and sister got into religion. I was totally screwed by that and kind of created this opposition. Of course you know what would be the best opposition for the Christianity. But then when I got older I understood that both ways are way much too stupid. The Devil and Christ are just one stupid fairy-tale, but we say that a fairy-tale has a link to the truth. And then I simply decided to listen to my heart and also to the surrounding world. You know, maybe I am sick but what I was totally blown away by what I have managed to hear. A soft melody, which I have never ever heard before was streaming down from everywhere: the trees around me, the skies, the sun. That made me think of the third truth. It was like somebody invisible said to me, "Yes, one can think about the God and Devil, one can believe to what the Bible says, but wouldn't be that ridiculous to live according the words of a guy who used to live 2000 years ago?" The world is changing every day and it has nothing to do with what people used to think about God or Devil. Moreover, what they think of them doesn't make them that. Just open your heart for your eyes to see. Then with nightfall that soft melody turned into a majestic choir. I don't know. That time has changed me completely, and since that the darkness attracts me more. That's just the way I feel. And I have more sympathy for the dark religions than for Christian stuff. I mean I am not religious, but my way of living and understanding things is more close to what would be the opposite to the cross.
And that's what the trilogy for. Three constituents of the darkness, beckoning, enigmatic, and calling: the darkness, which never fails to excite. It is full of emotions, feelings and music telling you about the universe. Pure Sorrow, Majesty and ultimate Fury or Hate, Demons bringing the thirst to develop further on, to fight over and over for the knowledge. The physical evolution is over, yet the mental one has yet to begin. One can get it as he wishes, enough said.

Elitist Records is kind of made a name for itself as being a label that signs bands that are a little bit more original, or bands that bring something new to the scene. How do you think you fit into that equation?

You know, we have a good saying in Russia: every new thing is just a well-forgotten old one! That's how it works. We are not trying to fit any equations. We just play what we like, what is in our thoughts. Maybe that's new, considering that huge wave of commercialization. We don't care about money at all, cause we all have good jobs to live. Music is a real hobby for all of us and we are doing music just for music and just because of music. But "singing scientists" is funny and interesting as well. Maybe that works even better! So, honestly I just don't know how it is. They just pick us up, maybe because we are original having no originality among all the extremely original bands? Indeed if you have a lot of multi-colored chickens the white one would be the most visible! No I mean, that would be the case for sure! I just hope that we are not picked up for a soup!

What do you think of the other bands on Elitist?

We respect them all no matter whether we like what they play or not. We think they are excellent people and support them. Hope they get only better in time. Lee Barrett has created a good family atmosphere! But some of his kids are so crazy, because they spend too much time on quantum physics.

Because you're doing a trilogy of albums, should we expect each one to follow the same style, or does Forest Stream plan on reinventing themselves with each album?

Aha! And what if I refuse to answer? Hah! No, I really would like to keep that tiny secret. Let's put it that way. They will be different! The third CD will close the circle. But all of them are different parts of one substance. Do you remember the ancient Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato? They were proposing the four-five elements: Water, Air, Fire, Earth, (Ether), and we propose Sorrow, Majesty, Hate. That's our own philosophy we live according to, so none of these items to be raised twice.

How important is it for you guys to progress as a band and not write the same album over and over?

There is no sense to write the same album over and over again. You live and you see how everything is changing around, and you change too. There's no way to repeat what was written if it goes from your heart. And one more thing: we decided to make things separate. The whole concept was created long before the band was found. So many things are still to be said.

What lyrical concepts does Forest Stream like to cover?

The answer is humanity, individuality, which is about to vanish forever. People are losing their names, their faces. So many lives are just wasted. Every day you read about hundreds and thousands of people dying all over the world just to get substituted with others. That's my opinion though, and most of people think differently I think, but I feel that some magic is fading away from the world. Something is already missing. This fragile between good and evil is about to be upset, because somehow people started to judge what is good and what bad without thinking about that. Trust me, the response from the balancing force will come soon. I am dealing with the laws of the nature every day, and I am 100% sure that if something runs out of control, it is to be fixed. But somehow it always costs a lot of human lives. That's what we sing about. The humanity, which is about to be lost...

Lastly question: what's been the best thing about getting your band signed to a respectable record label and finally getting a debut album out?

That's simple! It is just great when you feel someone likes or needs what you do. That makes you feel so great that I'd risk calling it one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. Your life is not wasted! What can be better?

I thank you for your time, and I can't wait to hear what's next from you! Anything you'd like to add?

Well, thank you very much for your time. Sorry if my answers sound a bit sad or boring. I have a hard time nowadays, but nobody should care about that cause it is meant to be this way, and only music says, "Look, life is more complicated than you think it is." Cheers!

If moving 100 miles per hour heavy/thrash metal shreds that are filled with solos, crazy drumming and murmur of the bass and lyrics about battles and pillaging is something up your alley I would like to introduce you to California sons Exmortus. Slave To The Sword is their third offering and a solid piece of heavy metal excellence. I'd like to thank Exmortus for putting out one of the best metal albums out there and for finding time to answer my questions during their seems like never-ending tour in the beginning of 2014. I had a chance to hang out with the guys at Brass Mug (new and improved) in Tampa FL show during their East Coast Tour and here is what we talked about. Enjoy.

Tom

Exmortus just finished a tour with Dark Tranquillity and Omnium Gatherum. How was it, did you enjoy yourselves?

It was phenomenal! We had a great time with the Swedes and Finns.

Was it fun being around those guys, any tour stories you can share with us?

We miss them all! In Ottawa, Ontario Markus of OG played 'Bark at the Moon' with us. Check it out on YouTube!

You played it as sound check/warm up song at the Tampa show and it was immense!! We are going to include that one with the interview, Destruction/Krisiun tour is up next, are you guys stoked? Crowds should be way big on that one, are you ready?

We are very stoked!

Alright, let's get to it, band name comes from Evil Dead II movie, Evil Dead (the first one) was actually the first horror movie I ever watched and it scared the crap out of me when I was I kid (laughs). Are all of you horror movie fans, why did you choose that name?

Mario and I grew up watching horror flicks. We thought it would be an awesome band name. Little did we know the name was already taken by others before we were even born (laughs). Good thing we have a "-us" ending to differentiate a bit.

I like what you guys did and I think it goes well with how you present yourselves on stage. Did you have the chance to see new Evil Dead yet? What do you think about all the remakes that are being made lately?

It was a good gore fest, but nothing else really intrigued me. As for remakes in general, I'm not too excited about them. Though John Carpenter's "The Thing" was an awesome remake. A remake should have a good twist, if not then what's the point? I didn't get any of that in, say, the new Conan remake.

I wasn't too thrilled with it either and it still surprises me that with all stories that Howard wrote we don't get Conan movie every other year. Which brings me to this: your album covers could be covers of sci-fi fantasy books (Conan or Kane come to mind), lyrics are about battles, bloodshed and such, your nickname is Conan. Am I getting somewhere here or is it all just a strange coincidence?

A Conan TV series based off Howard's original character and tales would be most awesome (laughs)! Oh you definitely went somewhere.

What is responsible for lyrical content of your albums? Books, movies, both? Where do you find ideas?

We get ideas from anywhere and everywhere. We just really enjoy imagining our concepts in fantasy/sci-fi settings. Reading Tolkien, Howard and Lovecraft, and watching horror and action flicks are obvious inspirations.

"Slave to the Sword" was sitting on the shelf for a long while even though material from that album is one of the best shreds I've heard in a long time, was it frustrating to know that your hard work is not getting out there, do you think it worked out for the best at the end with you guys being on Prosthetic roster right now?

We were a little impatient because we were just so excited about our new work. Before recording, it gave us time to test the songs out on crowds. After recording and before the official release, we had time to fine-tune the live performance. So, we feel it was a profitable wait.

'Moonlight Sonata' is completely instrumental, were you ever thinking of recording an album with instrumental tracks only, not a sonata but a symphony I guess (laughs)?

What an inspiring idea! Covering more great classics would be cool, but writing an "Exmortus Symphony" would be loads of fun for us. I aspire to pay homage to the masters of old!

Since you mentioned masters, who was the main reason for you to grab a guitar, what was the thing that "turned" you?

Kiss was the first band Mario and I got into. Hell, we even dressed up as Gene and Ace for Halloween many times. First band to inspire us to be performers.

I was just wondering, can you give me 5 most influential guitar players that you consider best and can you tell why so?

Randy Rhoads, Adrian Smith, Glenn Tipton, Jason Becker and Yngwie for their great songwriting, awesome sense of melody/harmony and classical touch.

You guys are bunch of friends playing in a band but what I want to know is: what do you do when you’re not on tour or in a practice room, what do you do in the off time?

We just hang with the rest of our friends. Listen to music; watch movies, party etc... And if we're not writing or rehearsing for shows/tour, we're still jamming to our favorite tunes in the practice room for fun (laughs).

"Slave To The Sword" came out on vinyl, do any of you collect music on LP? What kind of music were you into lately? Do you prefer vinyl or CD?

I've been getting into collecting my "classical" favorites on vinyl. My preference is to listen to albums from start to finish. And what I like about LPs is that naturally, I'm more physically involved with the flipping of the record than the impersonal click of a button for mp3s or CDs.

Thank you much for finding time to speak with us. What's next for you guys?

Thank you for allowing us to share! We want to do as much as we can for "Slave to the Sword" and then, of course, start working on the next project.

Legendary German death metal pioneers Atrocity recently released closer album of their "Okkult" trilogy (read review here) which became a very old school album that might be one of the death metal highlights in 2023. I skyped with band leader Alexander Krull to talk about that trilogy and the band's history. During the interview I also discovered some more dark facets of the band that I somehow forgot during all these years but are worth reading about. Do you want to know what Atrocity has to do with German Schlagermusic – go ahead and read the interview! Have fun reading and thank you Alexander for taking the time.

Michael

Hello Alexander, how are you?

There have been better times, we live in a crazy world. But I'm fine, if you look at the artistic side. There are 10 years of Occult to celebrate - in January the album will see the light of day and then we let the beast off the chain (laughs). We just had video shoots and there were the signed editions, the whole rat race then comes after, but in a positive sense. But other than that, what also gets to me personally is that the past few years have not been pretty, especially in terms of the live sector. You couldn't meet all the people in person, we played on five continents and in fifty different countries; Leaves' Eyes is my other band and with them we postponed one tour after the other, until now, at the end of the day we couldn't tour again. It's very frustrating and the point is that, of course, we also very much want to party with the fans in person and now the whole tragedy with the war is added to that. We have two crew members who live in Kiev, our live mixer and our backliner and that's a drama in itself and we also have friends there. We also have friends in Russia who, you can say, fear for their lives because they don't agree with the politics of the regime. These are times that we would not have wished for and could not have imagined. And with this whole issue of war, which puts people in fearful states and which causes many to be unable to go about their daily lives, we are now getting a little bit into the "occult" issue as well. It's a big part of the trilogy that has to do with the fact that in any system - dictatorship, democracy, kingdom, whatever - in all these political systems and also - above all - in religion and in religious associations, there's always one very big factor above everything: Fear. With fear you control any system, any belief system - if you don't follow this and that, then you go to hell or to prison - fear works everywhere and that was also a basic idea when we started with the trilogy, that we process the dark side of humanity there. No animal would do such cruel things to another animal as man does to man and also the way people are driven by politics and religion - in Iran you see that right now, people are oppressed and at the same time the rich and powerful of the world keep taking everything for themselves. These are actually the outlaws who can get away with anything and that is closely connected with spiritual violence and then the physical violence from the state side comes on top of that. Here in Europe the church had the scepter firmly in their hands, that they also tortured and enslaved people at the same time. Fortunately, they are no longer allowed to do that (laughs). The whole thing is interwoven in that often the dark human side comes out when man has the power or the money to do so. This opens Pandora's box, when man has the opportunity, people suddenly turn into monsters. You saw that in the Third Reich, for example, where a normal office boy became a mass murderer in a concentration camp. For us as a band that has done a lot of different things, we're always looking for a new approach, vision or challenge. When we did Atlantis I also did a huge research and found out that this flood legend was all over the planet. So not only in Greek mythology, but also in Africa, it was called "Atlantioy", in South America "Atzlan" and in the Bible it was the biblical flood legend. In Asia there is also something like that.  There I had many points of contact, from complete esotericism over ufologists up to Nazis, who searched for Atlantis - there was already a very large range. Especially in esoteric circles it was said that these are the origins of mankind or "my ancestors were Atlantids". That was a big theme that you don't expect at the beginning. This is not a Walt Disney story with some underwater men - no, there is much more behind it. So after the Cradles of Humankind it was clear to me that the dark history of mankind with all its facets would come next and that one album would not be enough for that. Then it was also clear that the musical direction must be brutal, evil and epic.

Did you find it difficult to write lyrics on the overriding theme across three albums? Although, with this theme, there's always something new to add....

I didn't want to dig up the common stuff; I wanted to filter out stuff that not everybody has kind of addressed. 'Bleeding For Blasphemy', for example, is about the Knights Templar, but not about the sunken treasure and everything that has already been associated with it in heavy metal, but that it was a brotherhood that first participated in the Crusades in the name of God and was more or less the blood hand of the church, and in the end they themselves were doomed by their initiation rituals. It was much attributed to them that they held satanic rituals, worshiped Baphomet or spat on the cross. The other facet was that when the high priest was burned, he still cursed the two main players, the French king (Phillip IV) and the pope (Clement V), and they actually then died in the same year. So there are aspects in there like the inexplicable, the mystical but also historical events and places. We also had the occult treasure hunt with the 24-carat gold CD, the bonus track they must first find and start this treasure hunt.

Is the treasure hunt still going on?

Yes, the first one is still not completed. I mean, it's also going through six countries. The problem is, we don't know ourselves yet. Before, we didn't want to start the second one and now we're already on the third one. On the other hand, it's kind of cool that it's lasted so long, but we'll see what's going on soon and then we'll see.

Musically "Okkult III" is quite dark and brute and the atmospheric parts are not so much in focus anymore. What would you say makes the difference to the two previous albums?

Occult III was supposed to be the grand finale. It's very retro, very brute, you put it well, and we changed a few things in the production. For me, it was important that the atmosphere and what makes the Occult trilogy come across like a steamroller. We really wanted to have a very powerful record and the requirement was that we write killer riffs. Tosso, my longtime collaborator, is no longer with us since 2022, but we knew that beforehand. One riff is still from him and we then wrote together with Micki. That was partly still in Corona times, where you were only allowed to be in the studio with one other person. We're all happy, including Tosso with what he heard, which of course makes me very happy and that was just the right continuation and a great transition. The premise that each “Okkult” album can also stand on its own was also clear from the beginning. We don't want to do something that sounds all the same and differs only in sound. It is interesting that there are more symphonic elements on the first "Okkult", that many find the choir arrangements on the second album more remarkable. There are a few choirs there, that's true (laughs)....

Haha, exactly, as with "human slaughterhouse", I find that really blatant!

That is the contrast. Of course you can ask why we put a choir in there, although it doesn't have to be so obvious. The band is called Atrocity and we do things like that (laughs).

You have already released two videos - 'Desecration Of God' and 'Born To Kill'. The two videos are already quasi small films. Can you tell a little bit more about it?

There will be three more videos from us. I've been active in video productions before and I also produce videos for other bands, I just did the new Eisregen video. For such a topic like Atrocity I also want to have a nice visual realization. I personally don't think much of lyric videos, maybe I'd rather not make a video at all (laughs). This cinematography is also a passion of mine, since Corona I've been more involved with it. My sister used to have a film company and I introduced her to the bands in the 90s. She did everything from Skyclad to Lacrimosa and also the first Wacken film. But now she lives in New Zealand and is completely out of it. I was involved in the editing back then, when it was all still done on celluloid and you have to have a bit of an eye for the stuff. The problem with some video producers is that they can't connect the images properly with the music. These are technically very skilled people, but they lack the access to it. After a few videos, where a lot of people asked me about it, it was clear that we will also do this with Atrocity - high-quality videos - and gradually I mutated to a video producer, because I get more and more requests, which is not bad.

I have the promo in front of me, where you have recorded all 10 tracks again as an instrumental version. Will this be added as a bonus CD or are they included with the regular CD?

The mediabook is our regular edition and with Okkult II it was already like that, that if we don't have any other bonus tracks except for the treasure hunt, it's a cool thing that you can discover so many details. We already did that with Leaves' Eyes and that was really cool. Or, if someone wants he can also sing karaoke on it ( laughs).

Haha, yeah, a Sing Star Atrocity edition for the Playstation would be cool!

Yeah, we need to have a contest sometime - Atrocity Karaoke, haha!

Are you going to release different editions with different covers like you did in the past?

There is definitely this mediabook version and then a box comes out that looks really cool and there are also different LP color versions. The mediabook is without any frippery, but there is a flag in the box. I haven't seen it myself yet, but the graphic designer told me it was the absolute bomb. The artwork is fantastic too, especially on the LP it flashed you and it's all very tastefully done too. With the box are also various cards, which we have also signed, there are also patches.

Let's go back a bit into your past - your breakthrough "Todessehnsucht" just turned 30 years old. Are there any plans to do an anniversary gig or something? What does it look like with a tour?

We have the request again and again, also for Hallucinations, which was released two years before. But I'm glad when we can bring the Occult trilogy live on stage and we will probably lack the time for anniversary gigs. Something like that can always be considered, maybe when we celebrate another band anniversary. We celebrated the 25th band anniversary with a big show in Wacken. But let's wait and see. 2024 is the 30th anniversary of Blut and there I already know what everyone wants (laughs). That's how it goes on and on. Every album that has an anniversary should immediately get an anniversary concert. But that's also nice, because it shows that people still have a great affinity for it. There was a new LP edition of Todessehnsucht, which was sold out immediately, of Hallucinations as well - I don't know how many re-releases there are of it - and there will always be new vinyls. The last rumor was that there will be a double album of Werk 80, but there are problems with the pressing plant.

During your career you have also released some albums that were received quite ambivalently, like "Blut", the EP "Calling The Rain", where your sister sang along, or also "Werk 80". Would you change anything in retrospect or maybe even record something like that again nowadays?

0.0 I would change something there! That is set in stone. That's music history, we don't even need to discuss it. An example of this - let's take the mini-album with my sister Jasmin. The Blood album was released and there she was with 'Calling The Rain' already with this acoustic song in a death metal band, if you want to categorize it that way. We were of course death metal pioneers from Germany, there was no techno-death metal before, we generated that with Hallucinations, with Todessehnsucht German lyrics, no one had that either and then we fell out with our label at the time Roadrunner, which was so the biggest label at the time, because of this creativity. We said that we will have a German title again and if that is changed again in the USA, then we are out.

Yeah, I remember that "Todessehnsucht" was called "Longing For Death".

Right. In retrospect, they thought it was pretty stupid themselves, but that was the way it was back then and I started working for Massacre Records at that time. There was interest from the usual labels, where we were also made very good offers, we were virtually the flagship from Germany, and it would also be strange to work for a record company, but to go somewhere else with my band. But I had made the condition that I absolutely get all artistic freedoms and that the band is also supported in it. They agreed to that and I had all the cards in my hand to do it that way: video shoot in Transylvania, continue German lyrics - it was not so much, but was important for me. With 'Calling The Rain' there was a huge feedback, people were totally flashed by it, they were surprised, but somehow they liked it. My sister has this deep, earthy voice that gets under your skin, like Dead Can Dance. Then we played a show with my sister together with Goethes Erben, which was sold out immediately, that was unbelievable. We also toured with her together with Rage and the orchestra. There's also a story about that, which I don't think I've ever really told. The label had given us all the artistic freedom, but of course left out how it runs financially: "you can do that, whether we finance it all is something else". Then the distribution manager was called, who said that it was all artistically very demanding, but we will not be able to sell more than 1500 units of it. Accordingly, the budget was small. I had hoped for more, of course, but that was the assessment. I then went to the studio and told them that I had to get in there for a handout and record something with my sister. We then made the following deal: they did their regular studio job during the day and then I went into the studio from evening to morning and got a sound assistant to help me. That is, I worked at the label during the day and then went to the studio in the evening to continue working there. In the morning I freshened up and went back to the label. After three days I had my first hearing loss, but we pulled it off. The funny end of the story was that the 1500 I think 30000 units became.

What kind of music do you listen to privately?

So in general I judge music as good or bad. The genre plays a role, of course, so I don't want to listen to cast shit. So we're talking mainly about metal and rock music, although I can sometimes get something out of other things. But of course I also listen to the harder stuff, often I like the classics. On the way to the last video shoot we had a relatively long drive and my son assisted me. I then presented him with a bit of metal music history and we really went through all the genres, from speed, thrash, death, grindcore. That's my lifestyle, sure. Which is nice - I recently produced the upcoming Discreation, where Marc Grewe is the new singer and I can do stuff that I like in my private life. Sometimes symphonic bands come to me and right now I'm producing a classic hard rock band, which is also really fun. I'm open to everything that is good music.

I read the other day about a metal musician and producer who re-recorded a popular hit song with a band....something you don't do, though?

I'm someone who likes to explore extremes, but that's not my thing. On the other hand, we have also played with Heino on TV. When he made his metal album, we were more or less his backing band for a few TV shows. I got a call from an old acquaintance who used to be the label manager of Theatre Of Tragedy and nowadays does completely different things, including Heino. He said that he didn't know any metal band from Germany that he would trust to do this and I was a bit skeptical at the beginning. Our Dutch drummer Joris then said: "what, we know Heino in Holland too, let's do it". Heino then really did "Blau Blüht Der Enzian" and "Wir Lagen Vor Madagaskar" with hard guitars like Rammstein, with whom he was on stage together in Wacken and then we were asked if we would accompany that and we did a few TV shows.

Well, then maybe you'll come to the ZDF-Fernsehgarten. There was a metal show the other day, haha!

Haha, I know. Our "neighbor" is Andrea Berg, she lives one place away and there is actually a funny story about it. We were with Heino at the "Great Festival of the Best" with Florian Silbereisen, Helene Fischer was of course also there, you could have a good chat with her and that was quite funny. Everyone was really excited because these long-haired metal guys were there and Heino, who is a cool guy by the way, found the whole thing very amusing. He then came to the dress rehearsal with Andrea Berg in his arms and introduced me to Andrea as her neighbor. We then talked and she had heard of us before, which I found very surprising. Her band leader at the time, Knuth, who is a percussionist, and I got along very well with him. Knuth then played percussion on two albums with Leaves' Eyes. In principle, if something is musically well done, for example with cool electro beats, I can listen to that. Because of the TV garden - metal has become socially acceptable since Wacken and Andy Brings, the former guitarist of Sodom, went there once and then they talked to him directly and he ended up playing in a later show. The other thing is, of course, that the metal scene is not socially acceptable for everyone. On the other hand, I know crew people who usually drive with metal bands who also work with well-paid pop stars. Names are not mentioned, but they tell exactly the same stories as we do on tour. So some things are quite similar. But our metal lifestyle and the music is unique in the world. When I go to South America or Asia, the people are on the same wavelength as here. The nice thing is that the metal family sticks together so well even in times of crisis. I also hope that it stays that way, because the polarization and radicalization of society is a great danger and there is a bridge to be built. Even if people don't agree politically, they find their way back together through music.