| INTERVIEW
WITH AFTER FOREVER, replied by Floor (italian
version) by Giancarlo Bolther Can you tell us about the songs from the new album? The songs on ´Remagine´ are very varied and heavy. All have their own identity, some are very heavy (even heavy metal like the song Face your Demons), some more open and poppy (like the single Being Everyone and also Boudries are Open), we have a ballad an industrial song (Attendance) and a arabic influenced song again (Forever). It´s an album with many different directions! Where do you find inspiration for writing your lyrics? I write about things that fascinate me, got to me emotionally or that interests me. Every time I hear about something that has one of these three elements I write it down and once I have a song that fits with that subject and a vocal line I start writing the lyric. Many people say that lirycs have a great influence on the youth, what do you think about the attitude to link heavy metal with evil contents and in your opinion the lyrics can really influence the youg listeners? I think that it only effects youth that is off balance already! I like the news or some cartoons are more violent than lyrics, even the newspaper is shocking sometimes. How do you go about the process of composing songs? It starts with Sander, he is our main songwritter in the band and the engine behind the entire process. That has always been that way but this album he got help from our new keyboard player Joost van den Broek. Together they formed a golden team that wrote song after song. They made the entire basic structure of each song and the non vocal melodies. Once they finished that structure the song was finished instrumentally in the rehearsel room with the rest of the band (so the drums, bass and second guitar was added). Then I finish it with my vocal lines, choir parts and grunt parts. I always know the song already and have in mind what I want to do, sometimes that also effects the song before I make my melody lines because the structure has to change to get the vocal lines better. It all went amazingly fast this album! The production of the album is very powerful and it sounds very good, what can you tell us about? Thanks!!! We´ve done the production ourselves for 90%. Sander and Joost where in charge of that because they wrote the biggest part of the songs and always had in mind how the songs had to sound on the album. In your opinion, which are the hitpoints of the new album? I think there are four songs that has that potential. Our single Being Everyone, the song Boundaries are Open. The ballad Strong (very populair over here) and the industrial song Attendance (because it´s so refreshing) In respect to your previous albums this new one is less complex and more direct and in my opinion this is a good choice because it gained a lot, it was a specific choice? Yes it was. After making such an complex album as Invisible Circles we felt like getting back the basics more to let the heavy sound we have live out more. How much time do you spend for your band? Have you got other jobs or do you live just playing music? So far mostly all of us have something next to the band (jobs and studies). Next year we expect that won´t be possible anymore. Can you describe to us your meeting with Arjen Lucassen and what kind of person is Arjen as a man and as an artist? Would you like to work again with him in the future? Of course! Arjen is a great man, a good friend. I sang on two of his albums and toured with him and we´re still in contact. I think he´s a great musician and person and I feel honored to have made music with him! What kind of music do you listen to? What are your favourite bands actually and what are your inspirations from the past? I mostly listen to metal. Some of my favourite bands right now are Rammstein, Grip Inc., Metallica, Dimmu Borgir, Orphanage, etc. I listen to all kinds of metal but also to some classical music (Puccini!) and pop like Seal, Anastacia and Annie Lennox. In the past there weren´t so many sources off inspiration because there where no females in band so much. I listened to the Gathering, Annie Lennox and Skunk Anansie. Strange mix but their all are good singers! What can you say about Epica, they seems to be a project born from your experience? There is a sort of competition between you? First there was one band. Now the fans have two bands. They picked up the kind off music be made on our first album. We went on with our own, so did they. There is no such thing as competetion, this is music bussiness, no soap? I haven’t had the pleasure to see one of your shows yet and i’m very curious, what is that caracterize your live performances? Metal, fun and atmosphere! Come see us soon? Which was the best experience with the audience that you like best to remember? We´ve had many great experiences. Every fan that comes to see us is great, an audience that enjoys itself because of us is the most rewarding thing in the world! Are you planning to play in Italy in the future? Yes, we are coming withing 3 weeks, check www.afterforever.com!!!!!! Which is the song that you like best to play live and why? I´m not a person with favourites, I like them all. Of course we have some we like better than others. I really like to song Face Your Demons because it´s such a kinky song! Which is the greatest satisfaction happened to you in your musical carreer? Again, many great experiences. Every time I can hold a totally finished new album for the first time is great. Or when you get so emotional by music or when you´re on stage and everybody sings along with your songs, great! In the eighties dark wave and heavy metal were greatly divided, but today these genres are strongly linked, in your opinion what has changed that attitude? Today many styles are mixed, that´s a natural way of making music. People usually like al kinds of music and once they start making music themselves together with other people with different favorite music styles you get a new mix. These seem to be very dark times. What do you believe about this period, do you are optimistic or do you fear the future? It´s as dark as you want to see it. I don´t see it as a dark time. I cannot carry the weight of the world. There has always been misery. I my little world I am very happy, aware if what´s going on, yes. But it doesn´t effect my daily behavior. What would you like to say to end this interview? First of all: I really love Italy!!! Can´t wait to finally come over with After Forever and do a show so I hope to see you all there!!!!!! Love, Floor GB Review (in italian): Remagine; Mea Culpa Live report (in italian) |