Elegy An Exclusive Interview (from "Burrn!" Magazine, September 1995) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The traditional heavy metal band Elegy released its first "Labyrinth Of Dreams" album in 1993. Then followed the "Supremacy" disk of 1994. Seems that the band selected the policy of releasing an album per year and that's why we now have the new "Lost" one. The mania towards their technical and dramatic music spreads around quite fast and the music becomes more and more complicated. We had a chance to meet the band's spokesman Martin Helmantel and asked him some questions about the band and its new masterpiece. TH - Tomo Hasegawa MH - Martin Helmantel TH: Please, tell the readers what you did after the release of the "Supremacy" album. MH: We were on tour in Holland, Germany and Belgium for about 6 months. Right after that we started writing songs for the new album and so the preproduction began. The first two songs "Lost" and "Everything" were recorded in January. Then week after week we made demos of the new songs, sent the tapes to our singer who wrote lyrics and vocal melody and then sent it back to us. The whole songwriting process took us about 4-5 months. TH: Do you think the songs on the "Lost" album became more widely arranged and complicated comparing to the previous album? MH: It might be so. But you know, it wasn't planned, we just wrote songs and selected the best of them for the new album. We mixed many types of music on the new album which I don't mind it at all. I think it's better to put only best tracks on the album. So if people buy this new album, listen to it and say that it comprises the elements from our first two albums I don't know how to comment it. Maybe a couple of years later I'll be able to answer your question. We really composed quite long songs but we couldn't do it in a different way. TH: Were there any differences concerning the songwriting? MH: Not too many, we didn't change our way of writing songs. Of course, we couldn't repeat ourselves and had to do something new. But we really changed the approach of the songs. "Spirits" may be a good example of it, we used there all the interesting ideas we had. It's no problem for us to write songs but if we aren't satisfied with the final result the song is better be thrown away. TH: You mean, "Spirits" has the really different approach... MH: Yeah, the keyboard is the main instrument on this track, it creates the special aura. Originally we wrote it using keyboards and drums and then added guitars, bass and vocals. Usually Henk (van der Laars) starts with writing songs with the guitar but on this track the aura was different. I think you can understand it listening to the song yourself. TH: You know, I always thought that the progressive elements will dominate in your music one day. MH: I felt the same. We tried our best as the musicians. The song "Live It Again" was only rehearsed once when the keyboards and vocals were recorded. We doubted if should us the guitar there and finally thought that the track was good even without it. So if you take the best from every musician it's possible to mix various elements in the song. TH: Speaking of the chorus parts of "Everything" and "Always With You", you mixed there those old elements but also managed to make the songs catchy and full of pop things. Was it supposed to be so? MH: No, it wasn't, it just happened. You write the song, use the good melody and if that pop thing is good you can freely include it there. The track "Lost" is the pure metal but we also have some pop songs and they're quite good, I think. It's really great to record the album this way. TH: "Spirits" is based on keyboards while "Live It Again" concentrates on keyboards and vocals which is something new to your music. What other new things did you experience? MH: We didn't try to write the songs in a different way, we just did it the way we're used to. I think if we like the way we do the songwriting there's no need to change it. Concerning "Spirits" Henk just wanted to write the song with guitar and keyboards and that's what he came to while playing keyboards. It was so unusual for him, it just happened. We didn't discuss anything about changing our style or trying something new. Being in the rehearsal room one of us started playing keyboards, we liked what he did and decided to include it in the album. If you don't plan anything most of the ideas come naturally. The same thing was with "Live It Again." We decided to change the original version and when the right ideas came we just added them to that track. And that's how we always compose our songs. TH: All the lyrics were written by the singer Eduard Hovinga and I guess he can explain them better than any other member of the band. Wasn't it difficult to play the songs when you didn't understand their meaning? MH: We always read what Eduard writes to understand everything ourselves. He's the perfect example of the needed songwriter 'cause he writes lyrics much better than anyone of us. Of course, since he does it he explains their meanings during the interviews and you can be sure that not all the people understand the things he writes about. He has to explain everything but it's no problem for him. Of course, we want him to write the good lyrics for each song but it doesn't mean that all those lyrics should become conceptual or have the hidden meaning. So I don't think that there's such a big need for him to explain everything. But I personally like the lyrics Eduard writes. When you understand what the band sings about you might show your attitude to the problems raised in them. The meaning of our lyrics is so easy that I don't see the need to explain them. You can say that we don't really care what we write about. But when the band writes about some political aspects the lyrics become really complicated. For me the songs themselves are more important than the lyrics. Sure, the lyrics are a part of every song but some people may too much attention to them. That's what never happens to Eduard. TH: Can you say anything else about your views on the lyrics? How do you react to what Eduard writes? MH: For example, with the love song he can write the unsuitable lyrics and we ask him to re-write but for most of the times Eduard's lyrics are good enough. We try to help him any way we can with the songwriting. What is important for us nowadays is not to write the complicated lyrics. I mean sometimes it's quite difficult to understand what the author means and the listeners want to sing along with us as well. That's why it's so important. There's no secret messages behind the lyrics of Elegy. And if it actually happens Eduard always explains what he meant here and there. TH: Let's talk more about the songwriting process. I see that you compose songs and then Eduard adds the lyrics there. Does it mean that you can't come up first of the idea and lyrics and then write music for it? MH: It's very interesting but difficult as well. You know, we try to write chorus before the whole song but finally end up with the song itself. Henk always cares about the songs and where the vocals should be put into so during the songwriting process he considers of the lyrics space. We didn't try to separate Eduard lyrics from the songs that's why we always begin with the songs basis. TH: Many people compare your music with the German one. But I personally think that you're influenced more by the Scandinavian bands like TNT or progressive music like Dream Theater or Queensryche. MH: Eduard is heavily influenced by the TNT singer Tony Harnell. When we recorded the vocals parts for the song "Lost" it also reminded me of TNT. The agressive vocals and the pitchy guitar sound great and you're right about the TNT influence. TH: Yeah, and I mean not only "Lost" but also "Everything," "Clean Up Your Act" and "Always With You," the songs that are pure TNT... MH: OK, but that's not the same. (laughs) Eduard's vocals sound like TNT but when people compare us to bands like Dream Theater or Queensryche which we love very much it's fantastic. And we're never described their clones. TH: Yes, I just wanted to say that you create the same aura. MH: We do. Henk never listened to TNT as far as I know. Me and Eduard have all the TNT albums but the others don't. Also we're other compared to Dream Theater but we became famous only after the release of the "Supremacy" album. But we released one in the same style before. There weren't so famous at that time. What's funny is that before we were compared with Cacophony and other bands from the Mike Verney label and to Yngwie Malmsteen, of course. It's an honour to be compared with your favorite musicians. And thanks to them for not comparing us with the bands we don't like. TH: Just think, you're such a good technical band and can really be added to the intellectual metal music circle. Do you think it's possible? MH: If I answer the question alone without the others it might be a mistake. But I don't think we should change our style or something. We're not going to make the 10-minute songs or 3-part songs like Dream Theater. If the song is good and we can sing it together with you, it would definitely end up on the album. Originally we planned to make this new album the double one. TH: What are your plans for the future? MH: I guess the "Lost" promotion will start soon. We would give interviews, make photo sessions and play many shows. Also the songwriting is possible if we have time 'cause we already have some ideas for the 4th album. We need the inspiration for writing the new songs in the studio. We have some songs left from the "Lost" sessions and have to put them out somehow. They are quite good, you know. TH: After the first album you did a showcase in Osaka and we want you to come back with the tour. Can you have anything to say to your Japanese fans? MH: Sorry, we couldn't play in Japan after "Supremacy." But for sure we'll do now. And this time it won't be a showcase but the complete show. Thanks a lot for 2 years of support. There's so many people know about us and want to see us. Japan is the country we badly want to come to and we'll be there soon, I hope. ------------------------------------------------------------------------