Seventh
Avenue
Seventh Avenue released
some months ago a really interesting album, which was quite different from
their previous releases. This is no wonder, since lots of changes have
occurred within the band and so after a long period of silence they strike
back and try to win some of the lost ground... Here's what the band's leader
and composer told us about the band, their new album and their future plans...
1. HELLO AND MY CONGRATULATIONS FOR “ETERNALS”!
IT IS AN AMAZING ALBUM IN COMPARISON TO “BETWEEN THE WORLDS” WHICH I DIDN’T
LIKE VERY MUCH. SO WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CAMP OF SEVENTH AVENUE BETWEEN
THESE 2 RELEASES?
"Between The Worlds" was the first album after
a big break in the band and we started with this album to produce everything
by ourselves. And I write all the songs alone. Now we really found our
way and we really want to sound more aggressive. And this time we wanted
to try to have the same power on the album as on our Live Shows. And the
new songs are also better for Live performances, more srtaight, more power
and with more good hooks...
2. I WOULD LIKE ALSO TO KNOW YOUR OPINION ABOUT
THE ALBUM. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT? ARE YOU SATISFIED? WHICH ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
Yes we really like the result and we like
the songs. They are very good for lives. And it's the second album I produce
alone, so I think I learned a lot till now and I think we can do even better
next time. We will try to find our own way in the sound, songs and arrangements.
3. IN MY OPINION “ETERNALS” IS A MORE STRAIGHT
HEAVY METAL ALBUM WITH A DARK AND EPIC ATMOSPHERE. DO YOU AGREE? HAVE BANDS
LIKE HELLOWEEN (FIRST 3 ALBUMS), RUNNING WILD AND GRAVE DIGGER INFLUENCED
YOU IN ANY WAY TO THE CREATION OF THIS ALBUM?
No not really this bands, but as I told you
in our live shows we are much more aggressive and I like to sing more roughly
and heavily. So this time I only tried to make the songs more aggressive
and also write more powerful riffs on the guitar, not only melodic lines.
But I was also influenced by bands like RAGE for example and generally
from bands with lots of power riffing.
4. SINCE THE LYRICS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR PROMO
CAN YOU TELL ME A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE LYRICS? THE ALBUM GAVE ME THE SENSE
THAT IS A CONCEPT, SO WHICH IS THE STORY? IS THE THEMATOLOGY OF YOUR ALBUM
ONCE AGAIN BASED ON THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION?
It's not really a concept album but yes it's
based on the Christian religion. It's about the devil and how he tries
and fights in order to get our souls.
5. THE COVER ARTWORK IS MAYBE THE BEST ONE YOU
HAD TILL NOW IN ALL OF YOUR RELEASES, WHO IS THE PAINTER? HOW IS THE COVER
CONNECTED WITH THE LYRICS AND THE MUSIC OF THIS ALBUM? DO YOU HAVE ANY
PLANS FOR PRINTING T-SHIRTS?
Thanks! The painter is a guy we met on a Festival.
He is also a singer in a metal band. I saw some pictures of his and I thought
it was perfect for the rough style of this album, because it was really
handpainted, no effects, no computers. And the cover shows a lot of the
story from the title song. And yes we plan to have T-Shirts !
6. FOR SO MANY YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN AN UNDERGROUND
METAL BAND AND YOU HAVE RELEASED 3 ALBUMS AND AN EP FROM UNDERGROUND LABELS.
NOW THAT YOU HAVE SIGNED WITH MASSACRE RECORDS DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR RE-RELEASING
YOUR OLD ALBUMS, SINCE IT’S NOT EASY FOR THE FANS TO FIND THEM?
I think the label is not interested yet. And
we also didn't have enough money to release them by ourselves. Maybe we
can find a little label which will wanna buy the old rights or maybe we'll
record some of the old songs when we will have our 20th Anniversary. But
until now for us it's also very difficult to get some of the old CDs.
7. LET’S STAY A LITTLE BIT MORE IN MASSACRE RECORDS
AND TELL ME: HAVE THE THINGS IMPROVED FOR SEVENTH AVENUE NOW THAT THEY
BELONG TO A BIGGER LABEL AND IN WHICH WAY? IS THE LABEL SATISFIED BY YOU?
The promotion is of course much better and
of course everything goes more professionally with arrangements and stuff
like that. But for them we are only a NEW Comer band so we will see what's
coming in the future.
8. NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT CINEMA… HAVE YOU SEEN
THE NEW EXORCIST MOVIE? IF YES DID YOU LIKE IT OR NOT AND WHY?
9. NOWADAYS ALMOST ALL AROUND THE WORLD THE OLIVER
STONE’S MOVIE “ALEXANDER” IS PLAYED ON THE CINEMAS. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE SEEN IT, BUT HERE IN GREECE MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO BE ANNOYED BECAUSE
THERE ARE RUMORS THAT THE MOVIE SHOWS ALEXANDER AS A BAD PERSONALITY. HOW
DO YOU COMMENT ALL THESE? HOW DID THE PEOPLE OF GERMANY REACT?
Oh man sorry again ! I didn't know anything
about the movie and I didn't hear much about any reactions !?!
10. DO YOU THINK THAT ART MUST BE FREE EVEN IF
IT IS PROVOCATIVE? CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF ARTISTS BEFORE CREATING
SOMETHING HAVE TO ASK THE PEOPLE IF THEIR WORK WILL OFFEND THEM OR NOT?
Art is Art ! I think Art is in every way provocative.
Because you can do what ever you want. There are always people who like
what you do and of course enough who hate it. So Art is free !!! It's emotion,
energy, feeling, pain, anger.... doesn't matter if you are a musician,
a painter or something else.
11. I CAN’T HIDE THAT I AM FAN OF YOUR MUSIC AND
I HAVE ALL OF YOUR RELEASES. SO DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR TOURING? WHAT ABOUT
GREECE?
Thats a big problem! We would really do it
but i'ts not easy to find a Booking Agency. A tour is expensive. But we
really hope to make someday a good European Tour. But in Jan / Feb. We
had a Tour in South America, and we also try to play a lot of single shows
in Europe. I really hope to come some day to Greece to ROCK YOU!
12. DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTACTS WITH GREEK FANS,
CAUSE I THINK THAT YOU ARE QUIET KNOWN IN MY COUNTRY AND TO FANS THAT SEARCH
FOR UNDERGROUND METAL BANDS.
No I didn't have too many contacts from Greece.
I really would like to have! So if you have any ideas to bring us to your
country just tell me and we will come.
13. AFTER RELEASING YOU “GOODBYE” EP IN 1999 THE
BAND DIDN’T GIVE ANY SIGNS OF LIFE TILL 2003 THAT YOU HAVE RELEASED “BETWEEN
THE WORLDS” FROM MASSACRE. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEANWHILE, DID YOU DISBAND?
We had a big break, one of the former members
left and there were also some other kinds of trouble . He was responsible
for all the management until then. So we started completely from the beginning
as a new band and tried to make it in a different way. We needed new contacts,
new ideas..... then we started looking for a new line up and played shows
while looking for a label. We also recorded a Pre Productions of the new
album... But we never thought to give up.
14. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INTERVIEW! THESE
LINES BELONG TO YOU… SO TELL WHATEVER YOU WANT… AND ALSO MAKE A WISH FOR
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS AND THE NEW YEAR….
I hope that we come some day to ROCK under
your sun have some ROCK 'n' Roll parties, drink some cool stuff and have
a nice time with all of you Greek Metal Heads! ROCK ON !!!
Nick "William_Kidd"
Parastatidis
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