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Verfasst am 11. Januar 2009 von motorbreath (Kategorie: Interviews) — 2.140 views

Am 18.12.2008 hatte Metal-Aschaffenburg.de die Gelegenheit, mit Sharlee D’Angelo, seines Zeichens Bassist bei der Death-Metal-Formation Arch Enemy, ein Interview zu führen.

Metal-Aschaffenburg: First of all, did you enjoy the show?

Sharlee D’angelo: Oh yes, I did.

Do you like shows e.g. in Japan better than those in Germany?

It does not really matter, it’s just fun playing to people, but it was really good.
Last time we were here was even a little better.

Touring for months, are you not bored at any time, the same songs, every night?

There are some songs, just like „We Will Rise“ or „Nemesis“, that we cannot not play. But these songs are still very energizing, just because people really like them. And then, you throw in other songs, and you see, how new songs become favourites and you see how you really get response.
Of course, it gets harder and harder each album, because you have got more and more songs. But we are like old rockstars – we cannot play for three hours.

Especially when you release a new album and got a new tour campaign, it is so much like fighting about what songs to play or not and everybody has got his own favourites. Nevertheless, it is always fun. There are nights when you’re not in the mood to play. But when there is a good crowd, all that goes away, it disappears completely.

For us, it is a lot easier than for e.g. people working in a factory. Of course, we play the same songs every night. But compared to doing a real job in a factory, we benefit from immediate feedback given by the audience.
We chose to do that and it is the best job you can remember to have!

How did it come to that mixed line-up, consisting of Arch Enemy, Leaves‘ Eyes, Sister Sin  and Mercenary?

In America for example, you can mix it up just the way you want. As long as it is Metal, people are happy.
Germany is one of those countries where people really want to listen to very similar bands.
We like combining many styles on a tour because that makes a show more interesting.
People say „Oh, I would like to see Arch Enemy, In Flames, Children Of Bodom and Soilwork.“, but how many guitar harmonies can you take during an evening?

That is the reason why we started to work with some new people we were recommended. We decided to mix it up completely – I guess us and Mercenary are the most similar bands on this tour. And then we have got Leaves‘ Eyes and Sister Sin. Sister Sin, for example, kicks my ass every night!
Normally, I don’t listen too much to Metal like this, but they are doing a very good job!

But the question was not if they were good, but if they matched Arch Enemy’s style.

We had a few suggestions and tried to figure out which combination would work. We tried to choose only good bands, no matter what kind of music they play. It just has to be good!

In this club, Ensiferum, Chtonic and Insania played together last year – and it worked really great, although it covered really different styles.

That’s the whole idea! If you mix it up a little bit, you might get fans from other Metal styles, which we and other bands can profit from by gaining new fans.
It is like educating people as well!

Are you working on a new studio album at the moment?

We have got a few projects that we are trying to work on. But touring does not make it easier.
We are re-recording the first three Arch Enemy albums („Black Earth“, „Stigmata“ und „Burning Bridges“ – Anm. d. Redaktion). Drum-recording is already done, but the rest of it is still missing, because we had no time so far.

Our new studio album will be out late 2009, after we have done the touring cycle and the old albums.
We are working on new riffs all the time, but turning them into new songs is really frustrating work.
There are riffs where one of us says „Oh, I really like that one!“, and nobody else does…so you have to remember all these riffs and bring them up later. Five or six years after they were written, you can find them in an album beacuse they just fit!

Will you have a Christmas break?

Yes, we will have our last show before Christmas tomorrow in Bad Arolsen. After that short break, there will be much to do. It is the time when all the festivals are booked, an the shows are getting more and more. We will also have a few festivals here in Germany.
We are trying not only to play the big ones, for example Wacken, With Full Force and then Graspop, but more local festivals. I think Wacken has become too big…

Have you ever been to Wacken just to watch the bands, without playing a show together with Arch Enemy?

I have been to Wacken for watching bands in the crowd.
But if you need to walk one hour to reach the stage, the toilets are far away and you need to wait 15 minutes to get a beer, it is no longer fun. That is the reason why I enjoy festivals like Up From The Ground very much, and i am really looking forward to the smaller gigs.

Thank you!

Metal-Aschaffenburg.de bedankt sich für dieses Interview bei Century Media, dem Colos-Saal und natürlich Arch Enemy!

(jk)

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