Virgin
Steele
Virgin Steele bring forth
a new, more complex aspect of their music with a melancholic atmosphere
and a soundtrack like approach. I'm sure "Visions Of Eden" will surprise
many of their fans, so this is why we have David DeFeis here underlining
the band's musical and lyrical concept and future goals...
1.HELLO! HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE THE THINGS IN
THE VIRGIN STEELE CAMP?
I am fine thanks for asking. I hope you are
too. Things are great with us at the moment. Edward & I will be coming
to Italy for 2 acoustic shows in April, and we are doing a New York show
in January. I am currently working on the next studio album and I am writing
new songs. We are also planning dates for Europe.
2.LET’S GET TO THE POINT AND TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW
RELEASE “VISIONS OF EDEN”. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO COMPLETE THIS ALBUM?
WHICH OF THE TRACKS CAME UP EASILY AND WHICH ONES TOOK YOU MORE TIME TO
COMPLETE AND WHY?
It is difficult to say how long those 11 tracks
that appear on the album took to complete, because...I was not only working
on those songs. I was working on over 60 pieces of music. I was planning
a 3 CD Set, but... our label was not interested in releasing all that music
at one time. It was only at the last minute that I scaled the album down
to those specific 11 tracks. Some songs such as GOD ABOVE GOD, and WHEN
DUSK FELL, came together quite quickly with all the music and lyrics. Other
tracks like BONEDUST and BLACK LIGHT ON BLACK also actually came together
quickly at first, but then... I decided that they needed more, so I took
my time sorting out what more was needed.
3.YOUR NEW RELEASE TOOK US BY SURPRISE. FROM THE
EPIC ALBUMS THAT YOU HAVE GOT US USED TO LISTENING TO, THIS ONE TURNED
OUT TO BE MORE EMOTIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO SUCH
A MUSICAL TURN IN YOUR CAREER?
Oh I believe that it is still quite Epic.
I mean even the length alone is of Epic proportions! Yes it does contain
a more melancholic sound and feeling though, and due to the nature of the
subject, I was able to express other sides of the group, and experiment
a bit more here and there. I would not consider the album to be a radical
musical turn. It is a development. It was the next chapter in a continuing
evolution, or through line in my compositional approach. There are new
elements of course, but there is still a connection to where we came from,
and all of the album is infused with the presence of VIRGIN STEELE.
4.UNDER THE MAIN TITLE OF THE ALBUM YOU WRITE
ALSO “THE LILITH PROJECT”. THIS MAKES ME WONDER THAT THIS RELEASE, PERHAPS
IN THE BEGINNING, WAS NOT MENTIONED TO BE RELEASED UNDER THE VIRGIN STEEL
NAME. AM I RIGHT?
No you are not right. The "LILITH PROJECT",
refers to the fact that I wrote these tracks to be performed onstage as
a Theatrical Presentation or "Metal-Opera", in Germany. Some of the songs
were performed in a Stage Work called..."LILITH". They were of course different
versions of what appears on "VISIONS OF EDEN", they were usually much shorter
in length, and there were also many things in that stage presentation,
that do not appear on the album and vice versa.
5.I THINK THAT “VISIONS OF EDEN” IS A CONCEPT
ALBUM. CAN YOU TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE STORY?
Yes it is, and if you have the finished CD
you will find a Synopsis of the idea inside the booklet. Contrary to what
the title may imply, “VISIONS OF EDEN” is not about happiness, peace, contentment
or Eternal tranquility…it is the complete opposite. It is about disorder,
strife, struggle, dominance, and the annihilation of a culture, a way of
Life, and the violation & annihilation of a human being. It is a Work
based on the destruction of Paganism, Gnosticism and the desecration &
eradication of the Goddess Principle that once dwelt so freely within Divinity.
The album speaks about the rape of Cultures, the rape of a Way Of Life
that existed for thousands of years, the rape of the Great Goddess, and
the rape of a specific 21st Century Woman. It is a Tale of the desecration
of Beauty, Honor, Freedom, and Love itself. It is a Tale that cried out
to be told. It is my hope that perhaps this Work can change some minds
along the way, or at least get people thinking and discussing.... I wish
for the Work to raise questions about the origins of the World’s organized
religions. I would love for it to promote open honest discussions about
the nature of Myth, Women, and the heavy debt that “organized religion”
owes to the earlier “Pagan” and Gnostic faiths, and the meaning behind
the Myths, Rites and Laws of these “organized” religions. I chose this
story because it is timely and necessary for today. What happened so long
ago has had major unfortunate repercussions on us up to this very day.
Many of our current attitudes were shaped during this earlier time, especially
our attitudes toward Women.
6.ALL THE SONGS ON YOUR ALBUM ARE WRITTEN BY YOU
DAVID. CAN WE SAY THAT VIRGIN STEELE IS A KIND OF YOUR PERSONAL PROJECT?
HOW DO THE OTHER MEMBERS HELP YOU DURING THE SONGWRITING PROCESS OF THE
SONGS?
VIRGIN STEELE is a band, and I am its main
composer, much like the group THE WHO is a band, and Peter Townsend is
their main composer. My main job is coming up with the songs. Yes I am
the singer, keyboard player, etc., but...my main focus is on songwriting.
I write the tracks and then I present tapes to the rest of the band so
they can understand what the songs are all about, and then I work individually
with each member to get their performances together for the recording.
The rest of the band are very supportive of what I do and they always give
their best when it comes to learning songs, and performing onstage or in
the studio.
7.HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED UNDER WHICH CIRCUMSTANCES
YOU BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE AS AN ARTIST?
I work all the time, so I am quite productive,
but I became even more productive after putting together a small home studio.
With that advantage, I can immediately record whatever song I have recently
completed. There is no longer that period of waiting to get into some studio.
The studio is always with me now.
8.BY THE WAY IT’S A PITY THAT A BAND KNOWN AS
YOU HASN’T RELEASED A LIVE DVD YET. DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO DO A RELEASE LIKE
THIS ONE?
Yes we will issue a live album, and a historical
DVD. The DVD will not simply be the visual part of a live CD, it will feature
at home stuff, onstage, backstage, TV shows we were on, etc...
9.IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU
WERE IN OUR COUNTRY. SO, IS THERE A CHANCE TO COME AND VISIT US FOR A LIVE
SHOW HERE IN GREECE?
Oh we will return....Absolutely. We love Greece!
10.“VISIONS OF EDEN” HAS A SOUNDTRACK FEELING.
DO YOU PLAN IN THE FUTURE TO DO MUSIC FOR A MOVIE? IF YES, WHAT KIND OF
MOVIE WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO BE?
Yes it does. I think of it as the soundtrack
to a movie that has not yet been made. I would love to do the music for
some kind of dramatic film. Either an Epic, or a Horror film, or something
strange...
11.SINCE THE NEW ALBUM IS QUITE THEOLOGICAL, IMAGINE
THAT YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO MEET GOD OR AT LEAST THE INTELLIGENCE THAT
CREATED ALL THIS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?
Who says it is a "HIM"? It might be an "IT"
or a "SHE" or a combination of all 3 or neither... I would ask... "What's
it all about Alfie"....?
12.IS THERE A QUESTION THAT YOU ‘D LIKE TO BE
ASKED IN AN INTERVIEW BUT PEOPLE NEVER ASKED YOU? IF YES, HERE IS YOUR
CHANCE…
No not really. One must be careful about questions.
I always say this..."don't you start me talking because I just might tell
you"...
13.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ANSWERING MY ANNOYING
QUESTIONS :). THE LAST WORDS BELONG TO YOU….
Cheers & Hail to you ALL! Keep well and
remain...Invictus!
BY THE BLACK SUN & MOON,
David DeFeis
Nick "William_Kidd"
Parastatidis
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