Sonic
Reign
Sonic Reign is a
two piece act from Germany delivering black metal from the heart. They
respect their music a lot and this is something you get to realize from
the fact that they aren't here trying to become rock stars or anything.
Their primal reason for existence is to create interesting music that can
satisfy them. This principle of theirs and various other things concerning
this band is what me and Ben talked about...
1. FIRST OF ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO OUR
READERS AND GIVE US THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF SONIC REIGN’S EXISTENCE.
We started the band back in 1997 with the
same lineup as today. Back then the band's name was Megiddo and we used
to play some kind of melodic Black Metal. After a stylistic change due
to changes in our musical taste in about 2000 we renamed the band to Sonic
Reign. Our new way, combining modern elements in Black Metal with the feelings
of the early Black Metal releases, lead in a first step to the EP “The
decline portrait” (2004). The essence of our musical vision is “Raw dark
pure” which we recorded between 2005 and 2006.
2. WHY DID IT TAKE YOU SO MANY YEARS TO RELEASE
AN ALBUM?
Quality is one of the most important things
for us. We did not hesitate to take just the time we needed to develop
as musicians and songwriters. We also gained knowledge to record music
ourselves and built up a studio where we recorded “Raw dark pure”. It never
was important for us to release many albums but to be a hundred percent
satisfied with it and to come as close to perfection as possible. When
I listen to “Raw dark pure” I know that taking our time was a very wise
decision.
3. I THINK YOUR WAITING WAS WORTH IT CAUSE YOU
SIGNED TO ONE OF THE MAJOR METAL LABELS, METAL BLADE. HOW DID THIS COLLABORATION
HAPPEN? ISN’T IT A BIT CHALLENGING TO RELEASE YOUR DEBUT ALBUM FROM SUCH
A BIG COMPANY? I MEAN AREN’T YOU AFRAID YOU MIGHT NOT BE AMONGST THEIR
PRIORITIES?
Metal Blade called us and told us they are
totally blown away by “Raw dark pure”. They offered us a deal right away.
It was strange to us that they actually knew about the album at all since
we had not sent any promo copies of it to any labels. Well they somehow
got one from a magazine where we sent one and loved it.
The only thing we were afraid of was that
they would tell us what to do. We needed to make sure that we have the
absolute freedom in all creative issues and that was something they totally
supported. Besides, they're professionals so every band that releases an
album is amongst the priorities at that time.
4. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH HOW “RAW DARK PURE”
TURNED OUT TO BE? WOULD YOU CONSIDER CHANGING SOMETHING IN IT?
I know it sounds like the cliché answer
to this question but we are really absolutely satisfied with the album
and would not want to change anything. We worked over one year in the studio
until we felt everything to be perfect. So we took our time to make that
sure.
5. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK TO SOMEONE
THAT DOESN’T KNOW YOU? HOW CAN YOU ATTRACT THEIR ATTENTION? WHAT DO YOU
THINK YOU HAVE TO OFFER?
We offer quality and credibility. Everyone
who is into both attributes will be attracted by our music.
In our music we try to combine a more modern
approach to Black Metal with the feeling and atmosphere of the early Black
Metal releases of the 80s and early 90s. So that is something that can
be recognized throughout our work with this album.
6. WE COULD SAY THAT YOUR MUSIC BALANCES BETWEEN
THE BLACK METAL AND SOME MORE CLASSIC HEAVY METAL INFLUENCES. HOW DO YOU
ACHIEVE THIS BALANCE? COULD YOU ALSO NAME SOME OF YOUR MOST BELOVED BANDS?
Well I see our style in the just mentioned
combination. We are listening to all kinds of rock and metal music for
so many years now, so maybe you can hear some of these influences in our
music too. Maybe that's what you're referring to when you talk about “classic
heavy metal influences”. I love old bands like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath,
AC/DC or Motörhead. Currently I am listening to King Diamong, Ihsahn
and Enslaved. Some other all time faves would be for example Emperor, Megadeth,
Satyricon, Thorns and Darkthrone.
7. WHICH ARE, ACCORDING TO YOU, THE BEST AND THE
WORST PARTS OF YOUR MUSIC?
If I would see bad parts in our music I would
have kicked them before releasing an album. There is nothing I feel that
needs to become better or something like that.
What I like most about our work is the dense
atmosphere and feeling in it. Feeling is something absolutely necessary
in Black Metal. It is the essence of Black Metal. Many bands forget that
in my eyes.
8. COULD YOU PLEASE PINPOINT THE MAIN TOPICS YOUR
LYRICS DEAL WITH? WHICH ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION?
Inspiration is everywhere. I don't write about
fiction. I write about what lies behind the masks we're all wearing. What
drives people to act the way they act. There are ideas and themes of existentialism
that inspired me too. The album deals much with what I call 'personal revolution'.
Getting back to yourself and away from false compromises.
9. I THINK THAT YOU CHOSE THIS TITLE FOR THE ALBUM
TRYING TO INDICATE YOUR MUSICAL DIRECTION. AM I RIGHT OR IS THERE SOMETHING
DEEPER TOO, YOU’D LIKE TO SUGGEST?
Actually there was no plan to make some kind
of statement with the album title. We simply wanted it to reflect the atmosphere
of the included material. But the more I think about it it becomes some
kind of statement too in combination with the lyrical essence.
10. HAVE YOU GOT ANY PLANS FOR LIVE SHOWS OR FOR
A TOUR PERHAPS? HOW ARE YOU THINKING TO PROMOTE YOUR WORK?
Well, I'm promoting it right now hehe.
There are no live plans yet. We are very low
on spare time at the moment so we need to push this into the future. But
very good musicians already offered us their services to support us as
session-musicians, so at least in this direction we hope to have no problems
when the times comes for us to enter the stage.
11. WHICH DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE
SONG OF THE ALBUM? IF YOU HAD A BUDGET TO SHOOT A VIDEO CLIP, HOW DO YOU
IMAGINE IT TO BE?
All songs differ in their characters from
one to another. Due to that fact I doubt if any of them could be called
'representative' for the album.
There are only vague ideas of shooting a video.
The ideal video strengthens the atmosphere of the song by a perfect fitting
visual component. We will think about that when there are the possibilities
to do some.
12. WHICH ARE THE EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS YOU WANT
TO CREATE TO YOUR LISTENERS THROUGH YOUR MUSIC?
We do not plan our music in that way. Our
music is nothing planned at all. Nothing that comes from the heart – which
good music in my eyes needs to – is planned. Maybe the lyrics will let
some people think about their life. Maybe they won't. I don't want to tell
people what they should think or that my perception of reality is the correct
one.
13. WHAT PHRASE DO YOU THINK CONTAINS SONIC REIGN’S
MAIN ESSENCE AND REASON FOR EXISTENCE?
There is too much in this band to push it
in one sentence. The band is something delivering ourselves from the burdens
of life. So maybe that can be a try to answer this question.
14. THANK YOU! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE
TO MENTION?
Thank you very much for the support and the
interesting questions. Our cheers go out to our fans. We salute YOU!
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