Ragenheart
Ragenheart from Greece
is a power metal band that really knows how to compose interesting tunes
and also has musicians with many abilities and skills. A band that can
really satisfy even the most demanding heavy metal fans. Here you can find
some very interesting information about this very promising band...
1. HELLO! FIRST OF ALL YOUR FIRST DEMO IS
A VERY PROMISING WORK. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPOSE THE SONGS AND
TO HAVE THEM READY?
I think the exact process took almost 2 years
but this was also because we had several lineup changes and this fact prolonged
the whole procedure dramatically. And the recording process lasted almost
5 months.
2. WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT YOU HAD
TO CONFRONT WHILE YOU WERE RECORDING IN THE STUDIO?
We didn’t face any serious difficulties. And
John did the vocal sessions so easily. Hm, I guess we did some thinking
on “The Amulet” when we had to change the beat of the metronome twice in
a specific point, but Nikos the bass player, managed to find a solution
using the guitar pro software for the guides and the metronome.
3. CAN YOU PRESENT THE CURRENT LINE-UP? SOME MEMBERS
OF YOURS HAD A PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER BANDS. CAN YOU GIVE US SOME
INFO ABOUT IT? HAVE YOU RELEASED SOMETHING WITH YOUR PREVIOUS BANDS?
Well, John is on vocals (ex Sederial Time),
he had released a 3 song demo with his previous band and then they split.
Nikos (bass) and Stavros (keyboards) used to play during the 90s in a promising
Greek rock band called Mikri Arktos and they had released also a
demo CD. Nick Speedy (drums) used to play in a very good Greek metal band
called Angel’s Cry, they had numerous gigs and recorded a demo with them.
They had several splits/reunions and music directions the last 10 years.
But now Speedy is a permanent member of Ragenheart. And finally, I used
to play years ago in Post Mortem (featuring the current Unholy Ritual singer)
and several other unknown bands with last attempt a project called Rainbow’s
Edge (featuring Raging Storm’s singer) and recorded one hard rock song.
4. TO CONTINUE THE PREVIOUS QUESTION. DID YOU
HAVE ANY COMPOSITIONS FROM YOUR PREVIOUS BANDS THAT YOU WILL INCLUDE IN
A FUTURE RAGENHEART RELEASE?
No, I guess everything that me and the boys
played in previous bands has no point to be released under the Ragenheart
name because other members were also involved with the compositions.
5. CAN YOU TELL US WHICH YOUR INFLUENCES ARE?
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH YOUR SOUND REMINDED ME A BIT OF INNERWISH. DO YOU
AGREE?
Well, we also play melodic power metal but
I guess we are quite different in several sectors. One of them is that
we don’t have a specific composing line. I mean “Spartan” is an epic song
based on the classic heavy metal forms and “In the Name Of God” is totally
different, dark, atmospheric with some progressive parts. Ragenheart’s
composing style and result is depending on the band’s mood each particular
time.
6. IN THE PAST YEARS THE GREEK METAL SCENE GAVE
ME THE IMPRESSION THAT CONSISTED OF BANDS THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO THAN TO
JUST ACCUSE EACH OTHER. AT LEAST MOST OF THEM. HOW ARE THINGS NOW? HAVE
YOU SEEN ANY IMPROVEMENTS?
Yes, I have noticed the same thing also. The
“companionship” was missing from the Greek scene. But now I think the things
are changing. Most of the new Greek bands support each other. And as a
personal experience I will mention that I have met Alex of Potergeist,
also Lefteris from Heathendom, Argyris from Sacred Blood etc. and we have
a very good relationship and nice discussions, planning possible future
gigs, etc….
7. BASED ON YOUR IMPRESSIONS, WHAT DO THE PEOPLE
FROM ABROAD THINK OF THE GREEK METAL SCENE?
Referring to the companies’ point of view
we didn’t have a good name the past years because of the low quality songs
and numerous demos with total crappy sound production. The bands didn’t
have the professional style that the companies wanted I guess. As far as
the foreign fans are concerned, few people know bands from the Greek scene
as I see in several forums. In my opinion this happens because for many
years there weren’t many Greek bands in a major company in order to open
the doors for others. Let’s hope this will change thanks to the internet
and “myspace” where anyone can search for good bands and listen to samples.
8. THE COVER IS VERY GOOD AND ANGEL I THINK YOU
DID IT. SO HAVE YOU MADE ANY STUDIES IN AN ART SCHOOL OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT? HOW IS THE COVER CONNECTED WITH YOUR MUSIC/LYRICS?
I did studies for 3 years in graphic design/web
design/image processing. I work as a graphic designer. I did the artwork
having the concept in mind and did arrangements with the rest of the band.
This was also very good for us because we didn’t have to spend a great
amount of money for the cover and for our website. I am very glad you liked
it.
The second part of your question is very interesting.
Well the cover is connected with the song “In the Name Of God” indeed.
The lyrics of the song are about the corruption of the church and the religions
generally. That they have financial aspects and not spiritual, the priests
pretend to be “guides of the human soul” and in the same time they are
abusing children, doing financial scandals and having black Mercedes (the
noble way of living that Christ was teaching I guess…?). So the title “In
The Name Of God” is ironic and on the CD cover, you can see the fallen
angel who is representing the sin, landing inside the church of my imagination
in order to express all the previous in an artistic way.
9. IN FEW WORDS TELL US, WHICH THE MEANING OF
EACH SONG THAT YOU HAVE INCLUDED ON THIS DEMO IS. HOW IMPORTANT ARE
THE LYRICS FOR YOU?
Well, I’ve already said everything concerning
“In the Name Of God”. “Spartan” is obvious that it’s the epic story about
the battle that Leonidas and his 300 warriors gave against the Persian
legions. “The Amulet” has also a quite epic concept referring to a monk
who has taken the oath to protect a mystical amulet with unspeakable powers
that the templar knights gave him. “Here I Am” is a very dramatic and emotional
ballad with a great vocal approach by John. The song’s concept is about
a man who refused his real life after facing serious difficulties and explains
how he finds the inner strength not to give up and face life again and
go on. Finally “Child of Rage” is a power metal song about a child
abused and forgotten by family and the society generally. Rage becomes
his only feeling and rage becomes his motivation to survive.
10. AS I SEE IN YOUR BIO YOU HAD SOME PROBLEMS
WITH THE POSITION OF THE DRUMMER. CAN YOU GIVE SOME MORE INFO? WHY IS IT
SO DIFFICULT TO FIND A GOOD METAL DRUMMER?
Yes, we had indeed problems with the drummer.
During our first period we rehearsed the songs and “built” them with Nick
Speedy behind the drums, who is an awesome drummer. But after a year Nick
Speedy wanted to leave the band in order to reunite (after numerous splits)
again with his previous band, Angel’s Cry in order to record a demo at
their private studio. So we spent a long time in order to find a really
good replacement. We found Nick “The Ghost” a young but amazing player.
We finished the rest of the songs with him but like a “ghost” he started
disappearing, no phone calls, no nothing! Some day he disappeared forever
without saying anything, we don’t even know if he is alive for God’s shake.
We were in a really bad situation. A year passed and Angel’s Cry hadn’t
recorded even a single note cause they split up (again) so I turned to
Speedy again and asked him if he could join the band permanently. We had
no problems furthermore (I hope we won’t have again).
About the second part of the question….it
is so difficult to find a good metal drummer cause it is difficult to find
a “thinking” drummer. I mean, you need to find a man who is not just a
machine and just start to play. A drummer has to think, study the songs,
express opinions and give solutions. That’s the difficult part. And that’s
why I like Speedy’s style.
11. IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE AT THIS PRESENT DAY
TO DO A CONCEPT ALBUM, WHAT KIND OF STORY WOULD YOU DO AND WHY?
Another good question. I guess I would make
a concept album referring to the 2nd world war holocaust, Nazi “doctors”,
Nazi experiments, Dr Mengele, The Omega Project, Secret weapons, I mean
all that period. If I won’t be able to do that some day, I guess I’ll have
to write a book.
12. OK, I THINK THAT’S ENOUGH FOR NOW! HOPE TO
DO AN INTERVIEW WITH YOU SOON FOR YOUR FULL-LENGTH RELEASE. THE LAST LINES
OF THIS INTERVIEW BELONG TO YOU…
The last things I want to say is every band
to play the way the members feel and not what the companies or some people
want. Today the companies want nu-metal. In 1990 the companies would say
“hm….heavy metal…again? Could you play more Nirvana style?....In 1980 they
would like more “punk” style. But the time has proven that metal has survived
for more than 30 years in any forms of it and is always there. Innovations
are a must for the music but stay f**cking metal.
Thank you very much for the interview and
for your help and I do appreciate your work very much. I wish many zines
(press and internet) would do the right work that you do.
Nick “William_Kidd”
Parastatidis
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