| ANACHRONAEON
is a really special band that stands out. A band that has managed to form
and shape a rather personal sound that identifies them. A while back the
band released their new work titled “New Dawn” and we found it good a reason
to contact them and conduct this interesting interview with Patrik, one
of the two founding members. Check it out! |
1. Hello! How are you? How do you feel about
your new work titled “New Dawn”? Have you added any new elements in your
music with this album? If yes, can you tell us which they are?
Patrik: Hey man! I’m fine thanks. I feel pretty
good about “The New Dawn”. There are some really good parts overall, and
there are some parts that I feel that we could have done better of course.
New elements? I don’t know if I would call them new really, since we are
used to blending many styles, it’s more that the material is more tied
together as a unity. Perhaps it’s a bit darker than “As the last human
spot in me dies”.
2. As I see from the bio sheet that I have
in my hands, you have decided to continue as a studio band? Why is that?
Are you afraid that if you get any new members in the band they will “change”
the character of the band?
Patrik: The main reason is that we had put
so much time and energy in the line-up back then, and when Mac (second
guitar) left the band we felt really disappointed. It was hard work for
nothing as it felt then. We then decided to go on like we started once,
as a duo. The fact that we were diminished to a duo has not affected the
music in any way since I always have written the material for Anachronaeon.
No, it’s not that we are afraid of new ideas since I and Andreas always
have the deciding right about the music. As it is now we don’t have enough
time to take in a new member of the band. I am a father of two, and Andreas
works in shift so the project style of Anachronaeon works excellent.
3. The concept of your new work is based on
the alien conspiracy topic that is so popular in our days. Do you really
believe that such a conspiracy really exists in our times?
Patrik: No, not really. I believe that USA
found something that they are keeping safe in Area 51, that’s for sure.
Otherwise they would not keep it secret. But I don’t really believe in
the media version of aliens. Sure, there is a possibility that there is
life somewhere else in the universe. Like Bill Watterson wrote in the genius
Calvin and Hobbes comic “The greatest evidence of alien intelligence is
the fact that they have not contacted us at all.” Hahaha!
4. Why do you think that people lately search
more and more for intelligent alien forms of life? Maybe is it a way to
prove that God exists, that there is a bigger plan for all of us?
Patrik: I believe that mankind has a spiritual
need for a search for something bigger that could prove that life has a
purpose, a meaning. And I believe you can choose to use that longing or
whatever you like to call it and make it meaningful. I use music to fill
my spiritual needs, as an escape from the everyday life. Some look to religion
to find meaning. Others focus on sports or careers. I don’t think there’s
a higher purpose for us humans. Though nature in itself is a pretty grand
machinery.
5. The way the story ends in your CD, it gives
me the sense that you have left an open window in order to continue it
in to another release of yours. Am I right?
Patrik: Hehe… I don’t know actually. I think
the story is pretty done there. Maybe you are looking for a happy ending?
I don’t think we’ll attempt to follow up with a twin album of this kind.
It was never meant that way for me anyhow.
6. My favorite song on the album is “The Plot
Thickens”. Which is yours and why? Which song that you have included in
your album took you more time to finish and why?
Patrik: “The Random Twist of Fate” or “Awake
from an Evil Dream” would be my favorite. I think they show what we’re
all about. Some epic melodies, some heavy parts, some extreme metal parts,
all in a unified Anachronaeon-shape. The songs that took more time to finish
were your favorite, and “A Secret Revealed”. I was not happy with the vocal
lines at first, so we did them again. I am not totally satisfied now either,
but we were in a hurry since I was expecting my daughter to be born. I
wanted to be done because I wanted to take a longer break after that. We
had no record deal back then either, so we figured it wouldn’t matter.
On our coming album (we are recording it right now) we will put more effort
into all details.
7. Are you satisfied so far with your collaboration
with Stygian Crypt Productions? Do you believe that the band has earned
the attention that it deserves from the metal audience?
Patrik: Yes, I am. We’ve popped up a little
everywhere on the internet thanks to Stygian. Of course we can always become
bigger. Hopefully we will show the world with our new stuff. I would really
like to reach out to as many as possible with our music. I’m not sure how
many fans we’ve got, since we don’t play live and therefore never meet
our fans eye to eye.
8. Do you remember which album you have listened
to when you were young and made you think that heavy metal is the kind
of music you like the most?
Patrik: Sure. Iron Maiden’s “Somewhere in
time”. I got it from my grandmother when I was six years old. I was stunned
by the melodies back then. It’s still one of their best works in my opinion.
9. Lately we see that the metal scene is overpopulated
by new metal bands. Which are the good and which are the bad things in
such a development?
Patrik: The good thing is that the definition
of metal becomes broader, which will add depth to the culture in itself.
I’m sure that the next generation of heavy metallers defines their music
differently than how I define it. It’s like any other culture – the contributors
are part of what makes the culture. The bad side of it is that so much
shit is marketed as metal, which gives the result that two people can listen
to metal but have nothing in common music wise.
10. In my review I wrote that the way you have
structured your concept story, reminds me of how KING DIAMOND structures
his own stories. Do you agree with that?
Patrik: Hehe… I haven’t read your review yet.
I only own “The Spider’s Lullaby” by King Diamond, so it’s not there I
got
my inspiration for it if that’s what you mean. But then again, most metalheads
would agree that King Diamond is an excellent storyteller, so I’ll take
that as a good thing. I wrote the story before I wrote the music.
11. Since we have talked about alien conspiracies.
Do you have to propose any good book that you have read on that subject?
Patrik: Actually no. I got my inspiration
from television, X-files and such.
12. Thank you for your time answering my questions!
Good luck with your new release. The last lines belong to you…
Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis
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