www.metal blade.com
www.goddethroned.com
www.myspace.com/villavampiria
Hi Everyone; Congratulations on the release of your Album Passiondale through Metal Blade Records.
Q. I really dig how this Album takes the listener on the discovery and history of the Passiondale and educates us on the historic events during World War 1 but I’m curious what motivated or inspired God Dethroned to take on such a complexed project and bring this city back to life?
A. Well it happened by accident actually. I used to visit our former guitar player Isaac Delahaye a lot in his hometown Ypres. This city was one of the key cities during World War One and it still breathes the elements of this war. All the war memorials, war graves, daily ceremonies (still) and all the English, Irish and Scottish people who visit the city every weekend to go to the graves of their relatives and hang out in the bars at night. It was during those times that my interest was taken by this war. So we went to the museum to find out more about it and starting reading books, etc to get as much background information as possible. The atrocities of the war impressed me that much that I decided to write a concept album about it. The main part of the battles around Ypres took place right before it’s gates in a little village called Passchendaele, but since the English speaking armies couldn’t pronounce that, they nicknamed it to Passiondale. I managed to write about all the historical events of the war in a neutral way. No political issues whatsoever. It worked out well and I’m happy about it.
Q. How did the band originally stumble upon the City Passiondale and when did the journey begin to write the intelligent lyrics that suspend the listener to live the haunting imagery of tyranny and war?
Q. While beginning this journey did you find some similarities or repeats of the social greedy attitudes in history that is still plaguing our society today or has its hooks in our political infrastructure?
A. It’s hard to say if there are some real similarities between the current situation in the world. I think it had a lot to do with distrust, certain countries being arch enemies for years like France and England. Because of that strange alliances were created. Then the assassination on arch duke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo which had a more ethnical background. Things escalated really fast from there and within a month all of Europe was in battle with each other.
Q. I couldn’t believe how the sound of this Album has captured the atmosphere that creates a feeling of listening to a sound track of a war movie and wondered was there any challenges in laying the song tracks down to achieve this brutal effect?
Q. Passiondale is well mastered in both lyrics and sound how long did it take God Dethroned to perfect this project from the recording and mixing stage?
A. Everything went pretty quick actually. I started writing songs right after summer and we went into the studio half of October. The recordings were done already in November. Then we spent as much time as possible on mixing and mastering and half of January we were done.
Q. Who helped with the engineering and mastering of Passiondale?
A. It’s a guy called Jörg Uken from the Soundlodge studio’s in Germany. He’s not super well known yet, but we knew about his qualities a bit longer so we were happy to work with him. You don’t always need a hot shot producer to get a good sounding album.
Q. After listening to Passiondale my hungry yearning for more knowledge and curiosity led me on a journey to find out more about Passiondale and the events that went on their during the First World War, how many fans have said the same thing after listening to your Album for the first time?
A. Hard to say since the album just been released two weeks ago, but all the feedback we get so far is extremely positive ! Q. Who is the superb Artist that captures the very essence of the band’s music on all their CD covers?
A. This time we worked with a guy called Karl-Heinz Schuster. He does some work for Metal Blade every now and then and in the past he took care of our booklets apart from the front cover. This time I asked him to do the whole thing, gave him an idea and bang, there it was. Stunning artwork I would say.
Q. Will the band be producing any musical videos from Passiondales song tracks?
A. We are working on a video for Drowning in Mud which should be ready in a few weeks !
Q. Will the band be producing any vinyl copies of Passiondale in the future?
A. Metal Blade released a vinyl version of the new album limited to 666 copies. Probably only for sale through the European office though.
Q. Are there any messages from Passiondale the band wants their fans to comprehend from the fantastic excellent pursuit of knowledge from this Album?
A. No not really. Entertainment still comes first. Those who buy the cd will find loads of explanations in the booklet written above the lyrics. That’s enough for us.
God Dethroned
Q. What is God Dethroned’s focus for the remainder of 2009 will the band be touring to promote Passiondale or will the band be working on new material or songs for another Album?
A. We have a lot of touring coming up. First a European tour and a bunch of festivals, then a South American tour + some shows in Mexico all through September. The US and Canadian tour has just been booked and will be announced on our website in about a week from now and it will take place in October. Then straight from this tour we will do a European tour again. So there’s some options to see us play live this year, ha ha.
Q. Before we wrap up our interview does the band have any shout outs to friends or fans?
A. Check out Passiondale and see you somewhere on tour !
I would like to thank God Dethroned and Metal Blade Records for this interview opportunity. Horns High You Rock!!! HMTV Canada
Cheers, Henri
On behalf of God Dethroned
