Rockezine.com interview with Neaera on Aug 09, 2007

with Sebastian on Aug 09, 2007

In two weeks Metalblade will release the new Neaera album. We already had a chat with their drummer.
		Please introduce yourself and the band. Hi. I’m Sebastian the drummer of Neaera. We’ve been around since 2003 but initially started as a side project. We got a deal with Metal Blade records in 2004 and since then we’ve released 2 Albums. In the past three years we got the chance to tour with great bands and gain more attention. Our 3rd Album which is about to be released is called "Armamentarium".
		How do you describe your own sound? It is a mixture of mainly European influenced Death Metal and some thrash and Black elements. We don’t keep it too slowly but we still try to keep an eye on grooves. I don’t want to make comparisons to other Bands but I’m sure that Death Metal fans are familiar with the sound.
		This is not your first release on Metalblade, are you satisfied the way Metalblade promotes the previous albums? Yes, with regard to MetalBlade Europe I can definitely say that we are more than satisfied with the way they promote our stuff. When we are releasing new stuff they contact us almost every day and make appointments with the press. Or they arrange interviews or put our songs on sampler cd`s in big magazines.
		How did you hook up with Metalblade in the past? We are not the biggest band on that label. As I mentioned, we are very satisfied with the work they do for us here in Europe. Unfortunately it seems as if the kindness and support of our friends here at MB Europe doesn’t mean that it is the same for MB U.S. Maybe we are not that interesting enough for the market over there. There are enough good bands from this genre in America. They don’t really need us. But that’s ok for us at the moment. As I said Metalblade Europe support us where they can.
		Are there any clear differences in comparison with the previous release? There are a few. We decided to tune the guitars a bit down to gain some extra heaviness. The songs are a bit more groove and certain parts last longer. The melodies are more in the background than on the last two records. We wanted it all to be more raw and brutal.
		Any funny tour stories? This year was full of funny stories. I really can’t pick any at the moment, but we always have something to laugh. The last funny thing happened last weekend at the Wacken festival, where we all looked like lobsters as none of us brought sun lotion. That was pain of course.
		Is Neaera your full time job? No, but sometimes I find myself pretending it was. At the moment we unfortunately have enough time to study and work, hahaha.
		If you had 100.000 euro to spare for the band, where would you spend it on? What’s the price for facial surgery for guitarists at the moment? ;-)
		Where does Neaera stands for? We are fans of the music we play. That means there is no difference between the fans and us. When ever we can we love to talk to people that show up on our concerts. If the music we play helps people, or makes them bang their heads, it’s exactly what it does for us. And if there is any funny festival, that we might have played on the first day, we stay till it’s over. Cause we are just metal heads and love music.
		Did you ever visit rockezine.com? If yes did you like it? Even though I`m writing this interview on my computer I won’t look at it now. That would be cheating, haha. I think yes, because I remember the name. I think I liked it.
		Have you got some famous last words for the readers of our zine? Thanks for your interest in what we do and take care brothers. And please, each of you, buy the new cd within the first week, so we hit the charts, hahahaa bye
www.myspace.com/neaera (Jeroen Habets)