Rockezine.com interview with Holy Moses on May 05, 2005

with Sabina on May 05, 2005


		You are in the business for quite some time now. How do you think the (thrash) metal scene has changed over the years? This is a really hard question. I think the thrash scene didn’t changed so much – it seems to me, that all bands of the old thrash scene are coming back to their original sounds and sometimes I am really feeling back in the 80ies.
		What is the biggest difference between Holy Moses 1986 and Holy Moses in 2005? Hahahahaha – I am a bit older….hahahahahahaha and I have a total new great live band behind my back. But like you are asking – the biggest difference I think is – that we are now playing more to the point, we can play our instruments now really well and we’re sounding a lot better. My voice is now like I want my voice to sound and I am really looking forward to the next 25 years with Holy Moses. And I have to say – that the new album Strength * Power * Will * Passion is a lot of better than our first output Queen Of Siam in 1986 – so we learned a lot of things during the last years of Holy Moses.
		On the poll on your website the fans voted ‘Queen Of Siam’ as their favorite Holy Moses album ever. Do you think it’s strange that debut albums generally are favorite among fans? Yeah, that is quite interesting with the vote of the Queen Of Siam album – but I mean for that time in 1986 it was a great album and something new. One of the first girls growling in that kind of style and so everybody likes a band that is doing something new – like we did. And so it is the first great step for a band like Holy Moses.
		Do you think that the fans of the first hour will be pleased with the new album? Yeah of course, that seems to be the case when reading the emails and reactions I am getting from the fans. I mean, a few perhaps are still only in the Queen Of Siam style – but most of our old fans are really happy with the fact that the band is going forward.
		What are your expectations of the album Strength, Power, Will, Passion? That is a really difficult question. I have learned to have an inner kind of expectation for my life. That is, that I try to be happy – that I like my kind of life. So expectations for the new album can be only be for me – that I am happy with the album, and hopefully my fans also. I like to go around the world, meeting people and I think with the new album there is again a new way to do it!
		Could you give some insight in the writing process? What does the writing of a song start with? To be quite honest, with Holy Moses nothing is really planned and that’s why all the albums are completely different. The real difference this time though is that the songs weren’t written by Andy Classen but by our guitarist Michi. I described to him my exact feelings, what sort of mood I was in and we took our time. I believe the word „time“ is a very important factor. We took our time in finding which riffs fits my voice and temperament best and we were not shy in throwing away tracks which didn’t live up to our expectations for the album. We also didn’t work when we were not at our best, only when we were relaxed and happy with what we were doing. The production team responsible for this album was Michael Hankel – my guitarist who’s been with Holy Moses since 2002 and previously played with Erosion & Richthofen, and Schrödey – my old guitarist and producer from my Temple Of The Absurd days. The pre-production and song writing phase took place in Michael’s (Blue Castle) studio – the final production then in Schrödey’s Absurd Studio. And I have to really say, that I can’t remember with which song we started - because we did it really step by step. But first in November 2004 we checked out all 28 songs we had written – and we started to arrange the songs, in December we startedto record it in the studio and in January I put my vocals to the songs. February we started to mix – yeah it was a cool time and for me a really great result like we did it this time.
		Which of the tracks took most time writing and/or recording? Yeah, that is also hard to describe - because some of the riffs were written already a few months ago and became to be a real song afterwards – so sometimes a riff starts and you know directly which other parts are fitting together – sometimes you have a great riff or melody but you can’t find the other parts for it. It has also a lot to do with my lyrics, some lyrics I write without listening to the riffs – other lyrics I can write because a riff or a melody sends the right words directly into my soul. After finishing a production I mostly can’t remember the whole process because I listen to the whole work. To give you an idea of how I go about the songs, I’ll use “Rebirthing“ as an example. It’s a typical Holy Moses thrash song with backing vocals to support my main message; it’s quick and heavy but with the typical Holy Moses refine ness. When Michi was writing this song and I first heard the riffs, I knew that this song would bring out all my inner anger… Hate, lies and intrigue rule the planet – in a small or larger way – it’s not just in politics because politics begin in our own inner circles… This anger can often sap your strength and energy to fight against it, once being aware of this, depression can set in and you feel helpless against the events. Stopping this process is called “Rebirthing”, in other words, stepping back and taking a breath to find your own solutions. Releasing your own energy blockade by finding peace in your own self… You’ll find similar messages in all the lyrics and that we’ve fit the individual moods of the riffs together with moods of the text. I think that this is what makes this album so special. Everything just fits perfectly together.
		Are you pleased with the way the band sounds on the cd? Yes, this time I think everything fits totally together. You can hear all instruments and it sounds really dark, aggressive and also totally powerful. The great guitar work of Michael is some of the most important parts and together with the great work of our drummer the album sounds like an aggressive machine gun.
		Strength, Power, Will, Passion is the first release on Armageddon Music. Why did you choose this label to release the album (and why did you leave your previous label only after one full album)? We had a contract with the old label for the EP and the full CD. So the contract was fulfilled. They offered me a new deal – but in the meantime I started to work for Armageddon Music and I could see, that they were doing great and powerful work for their bands. For me a new decade started with Holy Moses, I have a great new band, Michael as guitar player freshened up the time for Holy Moses three years ago, when he came into the band after the recordings of Disorder Of The Order and so I decided to freshen up also the bands feeling with a new label, a new office, a new rehearsal room, yeah and so we can go on for a new decade for Holy Moses for the upcoming 25 years.
		What is the biggest compliment you read concerning Holy Moses and what is the biggest bullocks? Hahahaha, I can tell you one story that describes both together: Oh yeah, There is always something going on and it’s quite unbelievable really…although when I tell the stories they don’t really sound that funny because you have to really know the people and the situation before the joke can be understood... I think the best gag from our last gig is this: A guy came up to Michi at the end of the gig at the Reddinghäuser Metal Night and said to him… „You’re a really cool band, but it’s really embarrassing that your singer comes on stage dressed in a mini skirt…”
		If you had to chose between supporting a band in front of a crowd of 5000 or headlining a show with just 250 people? Wau – that is a great question - because we did all things like that during the last years – we played instead of Sinister at 11 o’clock in the morning at Wacken Open Air – a few days later we headlined a small festival with 250 people. I mean to go forward with a band you have to do everything, having fun on stage and I get this everywhere and in all situations, fans are coming to our shows to see us live.
		Looking at your private cd collection, which album makes you blush in shame? Modern Talking
		What is the craziest thing that ever happened while you were on tour? Oh god, there are so many……perhaps I think this story….of my old bass player (I won’t give you the name – which old bass player…otherwise he would kill me…) – alright – I could see he was fucking a really fat groupie in a car – and she had her menstruation – and afterwards he looks like a bloody vampire – and he didn’t know why we all started to laugh really loud, when he was coming back with blood all over his face and hair…
		Can you give a description of the ultimate thrash metal song? “Hell Awaits” from Slayer
		Anything else you’d like to share? Hope to see you all on tour – and listen to the album on our website www.holymoses.de – download the songs for free – and if you like the stuff – buy it! Thanks for all support the last 25 years and looking forward to the next 25…
(Geert Oldenmenger)