Tomorrow’s Eve
is a band that surprised me in a very positive way with their music, which
is really good and has some great elements. After the release of “mirror
Of Creation”, which has an amazing concept behind it, it was time for us
to interview them and learn about the album, their future plans and many,
many more…Rainer and Rouven are here to take us on a journey to Tomorrow’s
Eve world…
1. FIRST OF ALL PLEASE GIVE
US A SMALL BAND BIO AND INTRODUCE THE CURRENT LINE UP.
Hello this is Rainer Grund and Rouven
Bitz from TOMORROW`S EVE. Nice to talk with you!!! OK now to your question:
TOMORROW’S EVE was founded in 1998
in Idar-Oberstein, with Oliver Schwickert (keyboards), Rainer Grund (guitars),
Sascha Hilles (bass), Ralf Gottlieb (drums) and Peter Webel (vocals) as
the first line-up. During the following year the debut album was composed
and recorded at the Bazement Studios in Wiesbaden and before long TOMORROW’S
EVE got a deal with the label B-Mind Records in Berlin. Already with their
first album “The Unexpected World”, which was released in October 2000,
TOMORROW’S EVE surprised as “The new German prog metal sensation“. They
got a good press, far exceeding expectations. Later on “The Unexpected
World” was even released in Russia, White Russia, Ukraine and the Baltic
by IROND Records in Moscow. Therefore TOMORROW’S EVE has been one of the
few European bands who’ve signed a deal in Russia. After that TOMORROW’S
EVE began with the work for their second CD which was finished in December
2001. From April ’till June 2002 the album was recorded at the Bazement
Studios in Wiesbaden where VANDEN PLAS recorded their new CD, too. Heavier
as the debut but with various rhythms and interesting melodic lines “Mirror
of Creation” a concept album of 70 minutes was born. In June 2002 Ralf
Gottlieb and Sascha Hilles couldn’t take the stress of job and band anymore.
They decided to leave the band. In September 2002 Peter Webel also left
the band but by chance a substitute was found very soon. Together with
Rouven Bitz the new line-up of TOMORROW’S EVE has been complete
Rainer Grund - Guitars
Rouven Bitz - Vocals
Oliver Schwickert - Keyboards
For playing Live-shows, the Band play
with guest musicians on Bass and Drums.
As B. Mind Records discontinued production
TOMORROW’S EVE had to find a new label. But together with TWS - Source
of Deluge (SOD-Records) they can be hopeful about the future.
2. I’D SAY THAT “MIRROR OF CREATION”
IS ATMOSPHERIC PROGRESSIVE METAL. DO YOU AGREE?
Rainer: Yes absolutely!
3. WHILE IT’S EASY TO TERM YOUR MUSIC
AS PROGRESSIVE, I DON’T FEEL THAT BEING TECHNICAL IS ONE OF YOUR MAIN GOALS.
WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN WRITING A SONG?
Rouven: The most important thing in
every case is that the song sounds good! No matter if it’s technical or
“just” heavy! Our main goal is that the people who listen to our music
like it and so do we!
4. GIVE US SOME GENERAL INFO ABOUT
“MIRROR OF CREATION”. WHERE WAS IT RECORDED, WHO WAS THE PRODUCER, ETC.
ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED BY THE FINAL RESULT? IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO CHANGE
SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
Rainer: “Mirror of creation” had been
recorded at the Bazement Studios in Wiesbaden and it was produced by Tomorrow’s
Eve. The reaction of our fans and the magazines around world had shown
that we did a lot of things very good and so we are still very satisfied
with the result. So, there is no reason to change anything!
5. “MIRROR OF CREATION” IS A CONCEPT
ALBUM…CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE STORY TO US?
Not today, not tomorrow - but the day
will come when a plan becomes reality: the absolute optimization and control
of human genes. Maybe long before it's expected to... The experiment is
top secret. Mistakes are impossible. In separated labours artificial insemination
is used to rise embryos whose genes are manipulated. To be able to monitor
the strength, intelligence and perfection of these children an own world
was created for them to live in, far away from reality. They don't know
anything else. They are all equal. But is it really possible to reach such
a goal? Won't there always be some individuality which increases while
getting older? Won't these children start asking questions one day? An
‘optimized’ boy takes a look in the Mirror of Creation ...
6. CONCEPT ALBUMS ARE QUITE POPULAR
IN METAL MUSIC, TODAY MORE THAN EVER, AND IN METAL ONLY. WHY DO YOU THINK
THAT IS?
Rouven: Perhaps metalbands have more
to say than one-hit-wonders. Personally I don’t want to talk about 4 minutes
how a girl could shake her ass or how I got out of the slums by selling
drugs and rob people! We could talk about for hours about it and this was
really a good question!
7. YOUR MUSIC REMINDS ME A BIT OF THE
BAND VALLEY’S EVE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THEM?
Rainer: Of course we have heard of
them! We had been in the same label for our first CD “The unexpected world”!
I talked with Lia serveral times and we know each other. It would be nice
to play with them in the future (in Greece?). And I like to see his success
with Valley’s Eve and Mystic Prophecy (with Gus G)!
8. ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR ARTISTS
YOU CONSIDER AS INFLUENCES?
Rainer: This is the question that normaly
could fill sites to answer it, so here are the most important ones: Theater,
Fates Warning, Queensryche, Korn, Fear Factory and Pantera.
Rouven: Hmmm. I think for a singer
it’s important to find his/her own style and keep it as some kind of tresure.
So I only can say there are parts of James LaBrie that sound fantastic
and unique but also does Geoff Tate, Meatloaf and Robbi Williams. I listen
to every kind of music (except for German Volksmusik and Techno!) and I
use what I think sounds good!
9. WHAT’S YOUR CONCERT RECORD SO FAR?
DO YOU ENJOY BRINGING YOUR MUSIC ON STAGE?
Rainer: We’de been on tour with Paul
Di’Anno, Rage and GB Arts. We play as well a lot of single shows in Europe.
Rouven: This is why we make music!
To perform it live and see the reaction of the fans!
10. WHAT ARE TOMORROW’S EVEN FUTURE
PLANS?
Rainer: To make another CD, Tour around
the world and meet great musicians you only see on stage when you go on
a concert!
11. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION,
WHAT WOULD IT BE? IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
Rouven: O.K., here we go: I don’t think
you can describe our music with only one emotion. There are so many facettes!
It is like you describe a person with all the feelings he has: also a loving
father could be angry! Which leads to the painting you asked: I see TOMORROW’S
EVE like a Hurricane! You have certain quite place, you can rest into the
eye and let yourself go, but if you want to, you can throw your body into
the power of the wind. Just let it happen!
12. DO YOU THINK THAT GOD GOT SO FRIGHTENED
FROM WHAT HE CREATED THAT HE MOVED TO HEAVENS IN ORDER TO KEEP DISTANCE
FROM HIS CREATURES?
Rouven: Hm. I don’t think so and it’s
easy to explain: God can’t make any mistakes! He knows everything about
the past, present and future. So if he knew he made a mistake or he realised
he already did it he would lose his absolute godlike attributes and just
lose existence. A great question but almost too hard to answer it for me
in english, sorry!
13. IF YOU WERE A FLY, WHERE WOULD
YOU LIKE TO BE AND WHY?
Rainer: I’d like to be in our bathroom
while my wife has a shower. Hm, but that’s what I still do. So I don’t
think I have to be a fly! Yesss!
Rouven: On a party at Hugh Haffner’s
“house”. Can’t you imagine why?
14. IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL
BACK IN TIME WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT?
Rainer: I want to get back to Paradise
to get Adam and Eve away from this damn fruit!
Rouven: I think in the Attike. I really
don’t want to crawl in someones ass but I think that it would be great
to see the cradle of democracy and philosophy!
15. IF YOU COULD ERASE SOMETHING FROM
THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD THIS BE?
Rainer: Violence!
Rouven: Yep!
16. ANY MESSAGE TO THE READERS?
Rainer: We would like to thank the
Greek fans for the great support and we hope to play for them on the next
tour. By the way: we are very happy for any critics or contacts from and
with our fans, so come and visit our guestbook and leave your message!
Rouven: Me too! And I really would
like to play in Athens because one of my favourite live albums was recorded
there!
Rainer + Rouven: Thank you very much
for the interview perhaps we’ll meet in Greece later this year!