THE HERO'S INTERROGATION

METALIUM

WE MADE AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL, THE DRUMMER OF METALIUM AND ASKED HIM PRETTY MUCH. I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT HE IS A CLEVER PERSON AND HE GAVE US VERY GOOD ANSWERS. WE FOUND THIS INTERVIEW VERY INTERESTING! HOPE YOU FIND IT TOO!

1.TELL US IN A FEW WORDS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY. WHICH IS TODAY'S LINE UP?

The first Metalium-CD "Millenium Metal" went in the German-Charts. It was the most succesful Debut-CD of a german Heavy-Metal-Band in the year 1999! Very important was also to play some real big festivals like the "Gods Of Metal" in Italy this year. This was amazing! The today's line-up is:
Henning Basse-vocals
Matthias Lange-guitar
Lars Ratz-bass
Michael Ehre?-drums

2.WHY HAVE YOU NAMED THE BAND METALIUM? IS IT CAUSE YOU WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE YOUR LOVE FOR HEAVY METAL?

The name Metalium is put together from the words "Metal" and "Millenium". The band was founded in 1998. So it was close to the next Millenium. Lars wanted to stick the words "Metal" and "Millenium" in the bandname so we were named "Metalium".

3.WHICH ARE YOUR INFLUENCES? LIST YOUR 5 MOST BELOVED BANDS AND ALBUMS. CAN YOU REMEMBER WHICH BAND AND SONG IN SPECIFIC MADE YOU REALISE THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO IS PLAY HEAVY METAL?

When I was a kid I used to hear (and I still hear!!!) "Deep Purple", "Rainbow", "Dio", "AC/DC" and that stuff...Today my favourite Band is "Judas Priest" (with or without Rob Halford!).
My 5 favourites:
1. Judas Priest-Painkiller
2. Dio-Holy Diver
3. Deep Purple-In Rock
4. Annihilator-King of the kill
5. Black Sabbath-Headless Cross
...but it changes from time to time...

4.IN YOUR NEW ALBUM YOU CONTINUE THE METALIAN SAGA. RIGHT? CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENS IN THE THIRD CD?

The title "HeroNation" is also put together from two words: "Hero" and "Reincarnation". The story is about the Metalian who has to be reincarnated into different famous people of the world-history, like f.e. Rasputin, El Cid, Jeanne D?Arc and Odin. The Metalian has to go through the adventures of these people to get the last piece of wisdom he needs. At the end of the cd in the title-track "HeroNation" he has finished his journey. Now he's ready for the next great adventures...

5.WILL ALL YOUR ALBUMS BE CONCEPT ABOUT THE METALIAN OR ARE YOU THINKING OF ENDING THIS STORY SOON?

No, we don't think about ending the story of the Metalian. It's like a trademark for this band, so why should we end it? We all like this kind of Fantasy-stories, so it's always a great fun for us to work on this stories.

6.THIS BAND BEGUN AS AN ALL STAR METAL BAND, BUT MANY CHANGED IN THE LINE UP OCCURED. IS THIS LINE UP STABLE OR WILL YOU CONTINUE TO USE FAMOUS METAL MUSICIANS AS SESSIONS IN THE BAND?

We hope that this line-up will last a little bit longer than the others. We all felt great during our "HeroNation" - Tour. We've shown the people that Metaalium doesn't need famous musicians. The current line-up seems to be the strongest and best in the bands-history, even though we don't have a real big name in the band! That's not only our own opinion, because many, many people who saw Metalium live this year told exactly the same!

7.IN THE NEW ALBUM KEN HENSLEY PLAYS THE KEYBOARDS.CAN YOU TELL US WHAT KIND OF CHARACTER HE IS AND HOW HAVE YOU FELT WORKING WITH HIM?

I must admit that I unfortunately haven't met him. Lars knows Ken. So I can't tell you anything about him, except that it is a real big honour for me to play on one cd together with this great musician! Unbelieveable!

8.YOU HAVE ALSO PLAYED IN NIGHTFALL, SO YOU KNOW SOME THINGS ABOUT THE GREEK METAL SCENE. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE GREEK BANDS THAT THEY CAN'T SIGN CONTRACTS EASILY? WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS THER A LACK OF ANYTHING? HAVE YOU LISTENED TO ANY NEW GREEK METAL BANDS THAT
YOU FOUND ITNERESTING?

I wasn't in the band when they were playing in Greece! So I'm really looking forward to play in your country. I must confess that I don't know any Greek-Metal-Bands. Shame on me!!! Can you tell me something about Greek-Bands? Maybe you can end my inexperience???

9.DURING YOUR LIVE SHOWS YOU DRESS UP LIKE SUPER HEROES. DOESN'T THIS CREATE PROBLEMS IN YOUR MOVEMENTS? COULD YOU DESRCIBE A TYPICAL METALIUM LIVE SHOW? IS THERE A CHANCE WE MIGHT SEE YOU PERFORM LIVE IN GREECE?

This tour we decided not to play with the costumes because we don't like to repeat ourselves! But it's in general no problem to play the shows with it - there's no problem in our movements. Unfortunatelly there's no Greek- show confirmed by now. But I hope that will change. I for myself can't wait to come to Greece.

10.YOU HAVE MADE MANY COVER SONGS. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? A RUNNING WILD CONTEST IS TAKING PLACE AT THE MOMENT. ARE YOU AWARE OF IT? THE BANDS COVER A SONG AND THEN THE FANS LISTEN TO IT AND GET TO DECIDE WHICH BANDS WILL TAKE PART IN THE TRIBUTE ALBUM. WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN IT OR DO YOU THINK IT'S MORE INTERESTING TO MAKE COVERS IN NON METAL SONGS?

Metalium took part in some Tribut-CDs, like f.e. "Helloween", "Scorpions" and "Abba". So you see we do not only cover metal-songs. Especially the "Abba" - cover ("Thank you for your music") is one of my favourites! In my opinion there were made too many Tribut-CDs. But as long as the people like it, it's okay! I prefer in most cases the originals with the original sounds and spirits!

11.WHAT'S THE BEST AND WHAT'S THE WORST THING IN METAL MUSIC? WHY DO YOU THINK METALHEADS ARE CHASED SO MUCH?

One of the best things in Heavy Metal Music is the strong community of the fans! Metal-Fans don't need Radio-Airplay of their favourite Bands. They don't need to see them on TV! They love them anyway! And that's amazing. Other music styles come and go. Metal is there since the beginning of the 80s - and I know it will always be there... To be honest I don't know what I don't like in Metal-music! Okay, I don't like the Nu-Metal-Bands but that belongs to my own taste.

12.BY THE WAY HAVE ANY PROPOSALS BEEN MADE FROM A COMIC BOOK COMPANY TO RELEASE COMICS OF METALIUM IN A REGULAR BASIS?

As far as I know there's no plan to release the story in a book. But maybe you know that we made a DVD last year? When you bought this cd you always got a live cd and a full-colour-comic drawn by Markus Mayer. It contains the story of the first two Cds!

13.HAVE YOU COMPOSED ANY SONGS FOR METALIUM OR RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING IS ONLY ONE PERSON?

I'm in the band since Octobre last year. and I was very happy to get the chance to write some songs for the "HeroNation" CD. That's not natural for a new band member. We have the luck that everyone in the band is able to write songs so we have an enormous pool of ideas.

14.HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT FOR YOU TO REPLACE MIKE TERRANA BEHIND THE DRUM KITS? WERE YOU AFRAID OF THE COMPARISON SOME PEOPLE MIGHT MAKE?

You're absolutely right! It isn't that easy to replace a drummer like Mike Terrana. But I practiced the songs so I was well prepared for Metalium. The people in the audience often congratualated me after the show and told me that they don't miss Mike or Mark Cross. That was very nice!

15.WHY WAS YOUR LIVE VIDEOTAPE RELEASED BY LOCOMOTIVE AND NOT BY MASSACRE? DON'T YOU THINK THAT YOU HAD A FEW RELEASES AS A BAND AND IT WAS A LITTLE SOON TO RELEASE A VIDEOTAPE?

We don't have a deal to release Videos with Massacre Records. Locomotive made the offer to do this and we said "OK. Let?s try it!". I don't think that it was too early for us to release a DVD or Video. Our fans liked it very much and that is what it's all about!

16.WHICH IS MAN'T BIGGEST TEMPTATION?

????????What do you mean?????????

17.IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPOSE MUSIC, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO?

I can't imagine to make anything else than music...I never thought of this!

18.WHICH IS THE WORST AND WHICH IS THE BEST REVIEW YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?

I only remember the good reviews (like in real life we all remember especially the good moments...). It's a pleasure to see that people like our music! But the audience shouldn't always rely on reviews, because we all haven't the same taste!

19.WHICH IS THE BEST PART IN YOUR MUSIC AND IN THE BAND IN GENERAL AND WHICH THING DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD CORRECT? WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU NEED IMPROVEMENT? WHICH SONG OF YOUR DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IDEAL TO REPRESENT YOUR WORK?

One of the best thing in our band is our strong communtiy and of course our live shows! If you don't try to improve yourself, no matter as a musician or as something else, you make a big mistake! Time marches on and you have to go with it! So everyone should always try to improve himself!

20.IF SOMEDAY YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHICH WOULD YOUR BIGGEST QUESTION BE?

Whhaaaaaaaaassss uuuup!

21.IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHY? WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIME?

I don't know if I would like to tavel back in time! But if would do this I would probably miss my music and all the people I know in this time! So, why should I travel back....

22.WHAT PROLOGUE AND TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?

Read or die! ( hahaha...)

23.THANK YOU!HAVE I FORGOT TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

I'd like to say "Hello" to all our fans in Greece!!! Hopefully we'll meet in the near future...Stay Metal!

NIKOS "William_Kidd" PARASTATIDIS

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