Screams Of Angels: Ne-ar placea sa cantam in Romania

Am stat de vorba cu Jeffrey McCormack, solistul formatiei de power metal Screams Of Angels, care a acceptat sa ne raspunda la cateva intrebari legate de cariera trupei, drumul spre succes si despre albumul de debut. Discutia poate fi citita mai jos.

Care sunt formatiile care au influentat sound-ul Screams Of Angels si atunci cand ati inceput aveati un concept clar despre cum va suna muzica voastra sau pur si simplu v-ati pus pe cantat muzica voastra preferata? Este muzica pe care o cantati diferita de cea pe care o ascultati si daca da, de ce?

Craig Church si cu mine am stat de vorba acum cativa ani si am inceput sa compunem ce muzica ne placea. Am venit amandoi cu idei si surprinzator, stilurile erau atat de similare incat incheierea unor materiale cat pentru un album a devenit un proces usor. Nu eram interesati sa aderam la un anumit gen de muzica in afara de heavy si melodic.
In ceea ce priveste influentele, cu siguranta am fost influentati de multi artisti pe care i-am ascultat de-a lungul carierei noastre dar ar fi prea dificil sa indicam unele anume. Doar am compus din inima iar daca ceva ne facea pe amandoi sa ranjim, aveam un castigator!

Cat este de dificil pentru o formatie noua sa devina cunoscuta si sa atraga publicul?

Cred ca acum cu internetul care a devenit enorm si din moment ce atat de multi oameni au propriile studiouri acasa si isi pot publica muzica oriunde pe internet...Cred ca este incredibil de dificil pentru formatii sa se faca remarcate cu adevarat si observate. Lumea este saturata cu formatii si muzica asa ca trebuie sa iesi la inaintare si sa muncesti chiar mai mult ca sa fi observat si sa castigi baza de fani. Nu mai este generatia MTV a anului 1981!

Majoritatea formatiilor noi canta in fata unui public restrans. A fost greu sa convingeti mai multi oameni sa vina la concertele voastre si v-au sustinut fanii?

Am avut parte de un sprijin incredibil pana acum. Cu adevarat de necrezut!
Este intotdeauna o provocare sa faci oamenii sa reactioneze si sa vina la concertele tale cand formatia ta este relativ necunoscuta, dar numarul nostru de fani creste treptat si stiu ca atata timp cat vom ramane dedicati in ceea ce facem vor continua sa vina. Avem marele noroc de a avea mai multi membri ai acestei formatii care au trecuturi extrem de realizate in industria muzicala asadar, fara indoiala, asta ne-a ajutat cu mult...Munca grea da rezultate CU ADEVARAT!

Am citit ca ati incheiat lucrarile la CD-ul vostru de debut, "Into The Warzone", dar sunteti inca in negocieri cu anumite case de discuri. Spune-mi cate ceva despre povestea din spatele acestui album.

Intr-adevar am terminat albumul nostru de debut "Into The Warzone". A fost inregistrat la Radio Poet Studios si la RocketTone Productions, ambele in Seattle, si masterizat la Spectre Studios. Albumul include 11 piese originale, precum si un cover "metalizat" dupa "Scary Monsters" a lui David Bowie. Momentan negociem cu anumite case de discuri din Europa si SUA si speram sa il avem in magazine pana in vara lui 2010!

La ce se pot astepta fanii de la acest disc si cum i-ai convinge sa il cumpere?

Sunt de parere ca asta este un album power metal imens. Ai piesele mai rapide precum "Eyes of the serpent", "Into the warzone" si "Sins of the father" ca sa iti creasca adrenalina...ai imnurile de ridicat pumnii in aer precum "Idol machines" si "Screams of angels" si da...exista chiar si o balada metal foarte epica intitulata "Goodbye"...sa nu uitam de "Scary monsters" pentru oricine care vrea sa il auda pe David Bowie in varianta metal! Deci este plin de ceea ce va fi pe placul fanilor metal...si speram ca asa va fi!

Care sunt planurile voastre in cazul in care nu veti gasi o casa de discuri pentru lansarea albumului "Into The Warzone"? Ar fi pacat sa nu lansati aceasta piesa grozava pretutindeni.

Desi nimic in industria muzicala nu este batut in cuie, pot spune ca sunt foarte increzator ca vom avea in curand o intelegere cu o casa de discuri sau trei... Am muncit incredibil de mult, nu exista sanse sa nu lansam aceasta lucrare. Fiti pregatiti pentru ea in curand!

Ce a influentat crearea acestui material si cum au decurs sesiunile de inregistrari?

Am fost toata viata un muzician implicat in turnee si in inregistrari. Am cantat la baterie pentru peste 60 de albume din intreaga lume si nu toate au fost metal (hei...trebuie sa-mi castig si eu existenta!) dar un turneu european in care am realizat partea de tobe pentru Heir Apparent in 2006, sarbatorind aniversarea de 20 de ani a albumului lor clasic "Graceful Inheritance", m-a facut sa vreau cu adevarat sa creez propriul meu proiect metal. M-a facut sa realizez ca, desi imi plac atat de multe stiluri diferite de muzica, metalul este pasiunea mea...asadar cand am venit acasa in America dupa ce am vazut fanii extraordinari ai muzicii metal din Europa ...TREBUIA facut!
Craig si cu mine ne-am intalnit si am petrecut nenumarate ore scriind, piese si idei de demo-uri, si o data ce am avut materialul de baza pentru un album, ne-am axat pe intregirea formatiei pentru CD-ul propriu-zis. Primul venit "la bord" a fost Alex Church la chitara iar apoi a venit uimitorul Juan VanDunk la bas. Era initial programat ca eu sa fiu bateristul acestei formatii pentru ca asta e ceea ce am facut intreaga mea cariera...dar in timpul inregistrarilor pentru demo nu aveam solist, asa ca am pus "bazele" partilor vocale pentru ca "viitorul nostru solist" sa aiba o referinta...dar spre surprinderea mea, in timp ce ascultam demo-urile, Craig a sugerat sa gasim un baterist si ca eu sa fiu vocalul. Am acceptat pozitia, dar bateristi priceputi care erau buni la stilul de muzica pe care il cream erau FOARTE dificil de gasit...asadar s-a decis ca eu voi canta si partea de tobe pe CD si ca vom continua sa cautam piesa de puzzle a bateristului permanent...
Sesiunile de inregistrari au decurs extrem de bine si am terminat inregistrarile pentru cd in aproximativ doua luni.

Cum va veti promova albumul de debut? Exista planuri pentru un turneu si ne poti da cateva detalii? Sa nu uitam intrebarea clasica pe care orice formatie o detesta: Daca va exista un turneu, tara noastra este inclusa?

Am inceput deja sa promovam discul prin reviste grozave ca si a voastra si multe altele, iar CD-ul este deja in rotatie la nulte posturi de radio din intreaga lume. Este telul nostru suprem sa plecam la drum si sa cantam cat putem de mult pe orice piata [muzicala] ce ne va primi. Momentan ne concentram pe obtinerea unei intelegeri cu o casa de discuri (sau case de discuri) si pe obtinerea unei date oficiale de lansare...apoi vom avea o imagine mult mai clara asupra locurilor unde vom putea merge...dar ne-ar placea la nebunie sa venim si sa cantam pentru lumea fantastica din Romania!!! Tot ce avem nevoie este o invitatie!!

Ce le-ati spune celor care nu sunt atat de familiarizati cu formatia?

Sprijiniti-va muzica metal!!!! Dati-ne o sansa! Urmariti-ne la www.screamsofangels.com unde puteti vedea primul nostru videoclip pentru piesa "Sins of the fathers" sau la www.myspace.com/screamsofangels unde puteti asculta mostre de pe CD!
Suntem dedicati excelentei in muzica noastra, in performantele noastre, in TOT ce facem...si garantez...cu Screams Of Angels veti vedea asta!

Cuvinte de incheiere pentru viitorii vostri fani din Romania si din alte tari?

Voi sunteti oamenii care mentin muzica metal nu numai vie, ci infloritoare! Facem muzica asta pentru voi si cu lansarea "Into The Warzone", suntem nerabdatori sa venim sa cantam pentru voi si sa avem ocazia sa va cunoastem pe toti! Speram sa va placa muzica relizata de noi si muzica pe care o vom realiza in viitor! Multumim ca ne-ati ingaduit sa facem lucrul pe care il iubim cel mai mult! Ne vedem la "Worldwide Warzone Tour"!!

EN

First off, I'd like to say thank you for your time and second, I'd like to ask you to tell us some background info regarding Scream Of Angels.

It is a privilege and a great honor to be speaking to you! I will do the best I can to answer any question you may have!

What are the bands that influenced Screams Of Angels' sound and when you started off, did you have a clear concept of how your music will sound like or did you simply sat down and played your favorite music? Is the music you're playing different from the one you're listening and if yes, why is that?

Craig Church and I sat down a couple of years ago, and just started writing music that we liked. We both came to the table with ideas, and amazingly, the styles were so similar that completing an album’s worth of material became an easy process. We weren’t interested in adhering to any specific musical genre other than heavy and melodic.
As far as influences, we certainly were influenced by many artists we’ve listened to throughout our careers, but it would be too difficult to really pinpoint specific ones. We just wrote from the heart, and if something made both of us grin, we had a winner!

How difficult is it for a new band to get known and attract the crowd?

I think now with as enormous as the internet has become, and since it seems so many people have their own home studios and can upload their music anywhere on the net... I think it’s incredibly difficult for bands to really stand out and be noticed. The world is really saturated with bands and music, so you seriously have to step up and work even harder to be noticed and gain the fan base. It isn’t the 1981 MTV generation anymore!

Most new bands play in front of a really small crowd. Was it hard to get more people come to your gigs and did the fans support you?

We have had amazing support so far. Truly unbelievable!
It’s always a challenge to get people to respond and come to your shows when your band is relatively unknown, but our fan base is steadily growing, and i know that as long as we stay true to what we do, they will continue to come. We have the great fortune of having several members of this band who have highly accomplished histories in the music industry, so undoubtedly, that has helped us a great deal... Hard work REALLY pays off!

I've read you completed the work on your debut CD, "Into The Warzone", but you're still negotiating with record labels. Tell me a bit about the story behind this album.

We have indeed finished our debut album „INTO THE WARZONE”. It was recorded at Radio Poet Studios, and at RocketTone Productions, both in Seattle, and Mastered at Spectre Studios. The album features 11 original tracks, as well as a metalized cover of David Bowie’s „Scary Monsters”. We are currently talking with several labels in Europe and the US, and hope to have it in the stores by Summer 2010!

What can the fans expect from this disc and how would you convince them to buy it?

I really feel this is a tremendous „power metal” album. You have the faster songs like „Eyes of the Serpent”, Into the Warzone” and „Sins of the Fathers” to get your adrenaline going... you have the fist pumping anthems like :Idol Machines” and „Screams of Angels” and yes.... there is even one very epic metal ballad titled „Goodbye”...not to mention „SCARY MONSTERS” for anyone who wants to hear David Bowie in metal form! ... so it’s full of so much that most metal fans will like... and we really hope they do!

What are your plans in case you don't find a record label for the release of "Into The Warzone"? It would be a pitty not to release this fine piece worldwide.

Thank you for such kind words!
Although nothing in the music industry is ever set in stone, I can say that I am very confident we will have an agreement soon with a label or three... We have worked so incredibly hard, there is no way that we would not release this body of work. Watch for it soon!

What influenced the creation of this material and how did the recording sessions work out?

I have been a recording and touring musician all my life. I have played drums on over 60 albums worldwide, and not all of them metal (hey... a guy has to make a living!) but it was a European tour I did drumming for HEIR APPARENT in 2006, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their classic album „Graceful Inheritance” that made me want to really pursue doing my own metal project. It made me realize that, though i love so many different styles of music, metal is really where my fire is... so when i came home to America after seeing the extraordinary and ravenous European metal fans..... it HAD to be done!
Craig and I got together and spent countless hours writing,tracking and demoing ideas, and once we had our album base of material, we focused on piecing the band together for the actual cd. First on board was Alex Church on guitar, and then came the amazing Juan VanDunk on bass. I was originally slated to be the drummer for this band as that it what I have done for my entire career... but during the demo recording we had no singer, so I would track some „scratch”vocal tracks so our „future singer” would have a reference... but to my great surprise,while listening back to the demos, Craig then suggested we find a drummer and have me be the vocalist. I took the position, but solid drummers that were good at the style of music we were doing were VERY hard to find... so it was decided, in the interest of time, that I would also play the drum tracks on the cd and we would continue looking for the permanent drummer puzzle piece...
The recording sessions went extremely well, and we finished recording the cd in about two months time.

How will you promote your debut album? Any plans for a tour and can you give us any details? Let's not forget the classic question every band out there hates: If there will be a tour, is our country included?

We have already begun to promote the cd through great magazines such as yours.. and many others, and the cd is already in rotation on many radio stations around the world. It is our absolute goal to get out on the road and play as much as we can to any market that will have us. At the moment, we are consentrating on getting secured with a label (or labels) and getting an official release date... then we will have a much more clear picture of where we will be able to go.... but we would absolutely LOVE to come and play for the fantastic people of Romania!!! All we need is an invitation!!

What would you say to the people that are not familiar with the band?

Support your metal!!!!! Give us a chance! Check us out at www.screamsofangels.com where you can see our first video for the song „Sins Of The Fathers” or at www.myspace.com/screamsofangels where you can hear sample clips from the cd!!!
We are committed to excellence in our music , in our performance, in EVERYTHING we do... and I guarantee... with SCREAMS OF ANGELS... you will see that!

Any last words for your future fans in Romania and from other countries?

You are the people that keep metal not just alive but THRIVING!!! We do this music for you, and with the release of „INTO THE WARZONE”, we are anxious to come and play for you, and get the chance to meet you all! We hope you enjoy the music that we’ve created, and the future music we will create! Thank you for allowing us to do the thing we love the most!
SEE YOU ON THE „WORLDWIDE WARZONE TOUR”!!!!

Astaroth Priestess vs Screams Of Angels