DISILLUSION - Før og Etter
Før og Etter
- Tekst av Vegar Myrstad, 15. november 2006 -
Disillusion snudde mange metal hoder da de slapp sin debut 'Back to Times of Splendor' i 2004, og ble blant annet kåret til 'Årets Album 2004' her på The Streets. To år etter klarer Disillusion nok en gang å snu hoder, noen i fortvilelse og noen i glede. Med oppfølgeren, 'Gloria', tar Disillusion et steg videre, med en mer moderne tilnærming, som nok ligger et bra stykke fra Disillusion anno 2004. Vi tok en prat med Andy Schmidt om den nye skiva, og forandringen.
Hello, congratulations on your release ’Gloria’! Are you pleased with the final result?
Hello! Sure we are satisfied! It again took quite some time to get the record done - about 18 months of focussing on what was supposed to be GLORIA. What we managed to do this time, was to record the intinial feel of the songs when they were written. That was quite something new to the band. Before GLORIA the songs always got a massive facelift while recording them. This time it was different. So, we are very proud of the record - not only it is a step for the band, but it also seems to turn out to be an achievement for metal 2006 in general !
How are the first reviews from the media coming out?
GLORIA is splitting people. We like that very much. There are a lot of "album of the year" reviews and also complete flunks. All add up to the picture that GLORIA is an outstanding record, special and intriguing, demanding, modern, direct.
Where were the recordings done this time, and how did it work out? Was there anything you did different this time as opposed to previous recordings?
The recordings themselves were done very swiftly in June 2006 here in my studio KickTheFlame.com . For the mix we again went to Tam-recordings where we did all other mixes before. For mastering we went o Adam Ayan at Gateway Mastering US, who did many artists of various genres before. We were sure, that Adam would most likely understand what we were trying to do and put all into the correct sound. So he did! Writing and recording was different though than previous records we did. Usually the song undergo a largescale facelift during the recordings. I said that before. For GLORIA the pre-recordings turned ou to have all the feel and vibe we wanted on the record - so we stuck with them, although we lost quite some time, before we realized that.
It has been a couple years since your debut ‘Back to times of splendor’, what have you been up to?
We have been playing live very much. Also we did an European tour with Amon Amarth and Impious. That was the main thing we did. And of course preparing for the new record.
Your debut was praised by both the metal fans and the press all over, and also became ‘Album of the year 2004’ on our webzine, The Streets - Metal Webzine. With Gloria you have taken a different, more experimental and modern turn with your music, it sounds completely different from your debut, what happened?I have to admit, to be that experimental was not a goal we had or something we attempted. We were rather thinking that GLORIA is Pop *lol. Now people say it is experimental. I still don't think so. That point of view seems to come from an overall self-copying metal scene. Go to the alternative sector, and GLORIA is not experimental. Just modern. Of course there is the question why we did not do BTTOS Pt2 and therewith go the easy way. Well, as I said before, BTTOS was finsihed. It had an end. The song was sung, the story told. A moment that is gone should be cherished but not imprisoned. We had done, what we wanted to do on the record and knew very very soon, that the follow-up needed to be different. Question was, which setting the music was to focus on. Since BTTOS was like a C.D. Friedrich painting, a journey through landscapes driven by a strong feeling of longing, we were thinking that the place and time we live in right now and here Leipzig 2006 would be a great start, because the city is who we are. GLORIA so became an urban record, with a strong feel of deterioration and cynicism, and on the other hand, eagerness, glory and will. To achieve to put that into music and to make the change we teamed up with two complete outsiders Tippelt and Hirsch of film-m.de right at the beginning of the writing process. All of of locked ourselves up at KickTheFlame.com Studio here in Leipzig and let ideas for music, video, feel and look come. Tippelt being a musician, he had a lot of ideas for the record and also wrote some songs on GLORIA.
I must say I admire your courage, I mean changing the sound so distinct after receiving such acclaim with ‘Back to times of splendor’. Did you ever have any second thoughts during the making of ‘Gloria’? Is this new sound the sound of Disillusion from now on?
I don't know yet. It is a little fresh for reflections. But I am sure that Disillusion have arrived in the year 2006. And against all complaints, that is a fact, that will certainly not change. We have been fighting too much to let go all the restraints. What exatctly is going to happen on the next record, I do not know. Second thoughts? Yes and no. Yes in so far, that we were fully aware that we were kicking some of our fans into the balls - no, we could not stop the train from rolling.
How did ‘Back to times of splendor’ sell?
good *lol
Both ‘Back to times of splendor’ and ‘Gloria’ have quite distinctive characteristics, in their own two ways. What are your inspirations?
Most inspiring would be movies in general, their composition, the way stories are being told over a long period of time and multiple layers a movie works in. We seem to try to do that in music, also creating the imagery on top of or with the music. I believe, DISILLUSION always do sonic movies. It was not really intended for GLORIA, but happened. You could call that the layer, that sets the band apart from many many others. I think with every record we want to draw out a complete story. call that concept, but what I mean is to bring a thought or feeling to an end - let it out, so to speak. So, creating a piece of music that stands for itself is the ambition and the character of the band's music.
Have you shot any videos for ‘Gloria’ or are there any plans on shooting such?
Yes, indeed. there is a video for DON'T GO ANY FURTHER to be seen at disillusion.de or metalblade.de The guys of film-m.de did it and did a outstandingly great job - it is sure the best metal vid in 2006! I am sure about that
Where do you go from here? Will there be a tour, any chance of seeing you in Norway soon?
Unfortunately, I don't know - we will have to see. I can only encourage everyone to check in at our website from time to time. I am sure there is going to be a tour, but where it leads I don't know.
That’s all for now, good luck on your release of ‘Gloria’, any last words?
Well, me never having been to Norway, it would be a great pleasure to come to your country on a tour for GLORIA - a lot of my friends took long long trips through norway and are all telling of the beeauty of the country - as I said, it would be a great pleasure!!! Thanks, Schmidt.
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