MUEN: CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ROSENGUARD MEANS AND WHY YOU CHOSE IT FOR YOUR BAND NAME?

Nenad: The name of the band was inspired by the Rosicrucian Order or The Order Of The Rose Cross and the conspiracy revolving around the relationship between this ancient esoteric order and clandestine NATO "stay-behind" armies that Western European governments set up after WWII in response to the Warsaw Pact and the USSR threat. These stay-behind armies are believed to have been established primarily in order to protect and preserve the powerful and far reaching Rosicrucian brotherhood and their new world order. We chose the name because it holds a very mysterious quality to it and it reminds us that we live in a very closed and secretive world where the rule of power and greed is absolute.

MUEN: HOW AND WHEN DID YOU ALL MEET?

Nenad: Me and Tomek met through a mutual friend almost nine years ago and have been best friends ever since. Tomek met Garrett and Nick through work and introduced them to me roughly about a year and a half ago.

MUEN: THE FIRST TIME I HEARD YOUR MUSIC; I NOTICED THAT YOU SOUND MORE LIKE THE METAL BANDS FROM EUROPE THAN THE US. WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?

Nenad: Well it really comes natural that we have more of a European sound considering that I was born and raised in Serbia and Tomek is a first generation American hailing from Poland and we wrote most of the music for the first album. My main and biggest influence is Iron Maiden, but there is a lot more to it than just them. It really goes through every metal genre from Maiden, through Power Metal bands such as Kamelot, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Thrash Titans Slayer, Megadeth, Sodom Testament, etc., most of American and European Death Metal scene, and of course the likes of Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, etc. The rest of the band has their own main influences such as Children Of Bodom, Opeth, Faith No More, Danzig, Cryptopsy, etc. If I missed any important ones, sorry guys haha.

MUEN: YOU HAVE A CD THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE- "REQUIEM FOR THE INNOCENT" WHEN DID YOU RELEASE IT AND HOW CAN WE PURCHASE IT?

Nenad: So far we did a mini self-release about 6 months ago and it can be purchased through CD-baby but the easiest way is to go to our myspace page www.myspace.com/rosenguard and follow a link there. The album hasn't been released through a label yet since we are currently reviewing a few different offers, but it shouldn't take much longer and everything will be announced on our page as soon as it is confirmed.

MUEN: WHERE WAS IT RECORDED AND WHO PRODUCED AND ENGINEERED IT FOR YOU?

Nenad: Drums were recorded and engineered by Jon Wellborn and Nick Rogers at Wormwood Productions and the rest was recorded and engineered by Nick Rogers at Shedding Skin Studios which is owned by Tomek. Nick also mixed it in Tomek's studio and it was produced by the whole band.

MUEN: HOW DOES THE BAND GO ABOUT WRITING SONGS? IS IT COLLABORATION OR IS THERE A MAIN PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?

Nenad: The first album really is sort of a 50/50 between me and Tomek as far as music, and it looks like the second release is going to follow a similar pattern. When it comes to writing I am sort of a loner. I will normally write all the guitar layers and bass first and then present it to the guys and then we finish the song up. I mostly collaborate with Tomek in the writing process but everyone gets to contribute and have parts changed, added, etc. Tomek is more of a "I have some parts let's work on it" type of song writer � him and Nick have done some of the songs for the first one like that, and me and Tomek are doing that for the second release with a few of his riffs. But really it is a democracy since no song will get recorded unless we all agree on it.

MUEN: AND WHO WRITES YOUR LYRICS? WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION?

Nenad: For this release I wrote the lyrics for the title track while most of the rest of it was done by Nick. Our lyrics are very personal. I wrote the title track Requiem For The Innocent about my life growing up in Serbia and the ongoing wars that occurred there during the '90s, and especially about the conflict in Kosovo and the injustice that has been done by the international community to a small European country like Serbia � hence the David/Goliath reference. Although our lyrics may be very personal and reflective of our past I have to emphasize that the listener can apply the aspects of our lyrics to their own situations or emotions that they may have encountered in their life. We are not one-dimensional, our lyrics range from topics such as human emotions and inner demons to history and war, drug addiction and corruption. Some of the lyrics I am writing currently for the next release will meddle with more current political events, as well as with Slavic mythology among other things.

MUEN: THE ARTWORK FOR THE CD IS AMAZING! WHO'S CONCEPT WAS THAT?

Nenad: Thank you! The artwork concept was essentially mine with the approval from the rest of the guys. It is very personal to me and it reflects my view of the current world events and my deep inner thoughts and emotions� It basically depicts an Angel screaming at the heavens amidst the ruins of our societies over all the injustice that is occurring world wide and at the fact that God does not seem to care.

MUEN: WHAT ABOUT A VIDEO? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT MAKING ONE FOR ANY OF YOUR SONGS, AND WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE?

Nenad: We would love to do a video but it really depends on the record deal, and the label's readiness to dish out the money for it. It is really difficult to get these guys to promote you in that way anymore without you having to pay for most of it. But if it happens I believe it is going to be for either Requiem Of The Innocent or Bleed The Sky.

MUEN: ARE YOU CURRENTLY WRITING ANY NEW MATERIAL?

Nenad: Yes, we have 7 songs already pretty much done; all that's left is finishing up keys and vocals for them and recording the demo versions. We also have another 2-3 very close to being completed. I believe that by the time we go in the studio again we will have at least 15 songs to pick and choose from, which is always a good thing. The remainder can always be put on B-sides our saved for the next release.

MUEN: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SONG TO PLAY LIVE AND WHY?

Nenad: For me, I would have to say Requiem since it is a very personal song and it has a Maiden feel to it, lots of different parts and is just fun to play. I believe Nick's favorite live is Faustian Bargain and for Tomek and Garrett Bleed The Sky and Worlds Away.

MUEN: THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU PLAY WAS OPENING FOR "ENSLAVED" AT THE PEARL ROOM, RIGHT NEXT DOOR. WHAT A SHOW THAT WAS! WHAT ARE THE MOST MEMORABLE AND FAVORITE SHOWS YOU'VE PERFORMED AND WHY?

Nenad: Well we've done quite a few so it's a bit difficult to answer that but I guess the most memorable would be opening up for Enslaved. It was our first time playing the Pearl Room and we are all fans of Enslaved so meeting them was very nice.

MUEN: BACK TO THE PEARL ROOM- WE'RE PRETTY DEEP IN THE SUBURBS HERE, YET WE'RE GETTING SOME REALLY GREAT SHOWS BOOKED HERE. DEVILDRIVER ARE GOING TO BE HERE IN A FEW WEEKS! HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THIS VENUE TO A DOWNTOWN, CHICAGO VENUE?

Nenad: Pearl Room is a great venue. The stage sound is great, the size of the room is perfect for mid-size Metal bands and really the only downfall is the distance from the city. Considering that Chicago venues are getting more and more booked way in advance, and the marketing skills of the promoters that bring bands to the Pearl room I can comfortably say that it is going to become a number 1 venue for metal in Chicagoland.

MUEN: DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY PLANS FOR TOURING THIS YEAR?

Nenad: Yes, we have some plans for the end of the summer, but it is still in the negotiations phase so as soon as everything gets set in stone we will be posting it on myspace and it will advertised through the internet, magazines and radio, so stay tuned. In the meantime we will be opening for some major acts in Chicago and it is quite possible you'll see us at the Pearl Room in the near future.

MUEN: IS THERE ANYTHING I'VE MISSED THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION AT ALL?

Nenad: I would just like to thank everyone for their support and help, and for keeping the flame of metal raging on!!!

Interview by Lissy MacMillan