NIGHTMARE INTERVIEW |
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French metal act NIGHTMARE have recently released the album "Silent Room", which a very exciting mixture of lots of different metal styles. That's reason enough for us to send some questions off to the guys ...
Interview by Martin Jørgensen |
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First of all thanks for a great album. "Silent Room" really kicks ass. But I would like you guys to start out by telling a bit about your self (the band) and what kind of music you play. It's difficult for me to put a finger on the style, haha …
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Yves : "Thanx a lot !!! You say the album kicks ass but you don't know what music we play ??? We can say it's melodic heavy metal with "hooks"!"
Nicko : "Yeah!! Thanx so much!!! I think we can called just melodic heavy metal! May be i don't know it's not really important for me. We play what we like and if you wanna called us metal or rock or heavy commercial what's goin' on?" |
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What is it that inspire you to play this kind of music?
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Yves : "A lot of different influences as we all come from different horizons and tastes ! New guitar player Alex is more into the more brutal stuff such as in flames Dimmu and others, I personally like very much bands like Kamelot, the vocalist listens a lot to Masterplan and Jorn Lande stuff !!! then all these mixes of various influences are strengthening our way of composing and writing songs."
Nicko : "I used to listen to different kind of music. Sometimes rough music or psychedelic, blues, Elvis or Queensryche, Pink Floyd or Iron Maiden, so i think all kind of music is supposed to inspire me!" |
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Your newest release is called "Silent Room ... A Virtual Drama ..." Tell me about the lyrical concept of the album.
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Yves : "The story is about a young kid that is addicted to computer games and especially RPG on internet.. he has a strange behaviour he is totally cut off from reality and plays all the time in front of his screen... One night he downloads a game that is in fact a forbidden experience where he has to stick to the rules and when he is really into the game something strange happens and he is lost between the virtual and the real... I'll let you discover what's going on next by listening to the album and reading the lyrics as well..."
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You make frequent use of choir arrangements and to me it gives the music a dramatic and almost theatrical touch. Was that the intension from the start?
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Yves : "Well in fact we wanted to sound more modern brining to heavy music a touch of symphonies and also the help of a producer ( Terje Refsnes ) who is more gothic than metal expanded us on this way to make something different ! We like choirs and theatrical, dramatical parts when it fits with the music and when they are not covering all the guitars ! That's why we have come up with our new album with stronger guitar parts and up front guitars at the mix !"
Nicko : "Not really, it gives some atmosphere in some songs but not at all. Listen carefully the guitar is used more than the keyboard or choir it's just like an arrangement but you're right sometime you can think it's a touch of theatrical...peoples like that and us as well!!" |
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From 1987 to 1999 Nightmare was dead - more or less, right? But then the band re-emerged. This time with Jo Amore as lead vocalist (a great job by the way :-). Why trade the drum kit with a microphone?
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Yves : "Well, he was maybe more interested to be upfront on the stage that to be hidden behind toms !!! When we disbanded in 1988 and before we reformed in 1999 he formed a band called " Temple" where he was a singer and where he learned and improved a lot as a singer... The results is there today..."
Nicko : "It happened really naturally. His brother David played drum better than Jo ( laughs )and after listenin Jo with its fabulous voice we decided to continued like that and i know that we made the good choice!!!" |
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What do you think of the result of "Silent Room"?
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Yves : "Well not bad so far ! I mean it's a bit early to talk about sales but so far we had a great response concerning the press with very good reviews from all over the world!"
Nicko : "It sound like we wanted. The result is equal as what we excepted to lesson. It was important for us to try something new and to be happy to win this hard project." |
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What have been the reactions in your home country, France, so far?
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Yves : "Very good ! I can tell you than the album seems to sell much more than "Cosmovision" also if we judge by what the shops tell us !!!!!"
Nicko : "Happy and surprised to know that french fans are still there !!! Thanks to all! Everybody is proud of us. For the first time in 2003 people said: Nightmare is number one for the popularity , i mean, but it changes nothing for us don't worry it's just a new beginning.. Let's run the time…!!!" |
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And the rest of the world?
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Yves : "Great also ! in particularly in Germany and Scandinavian press…."
Nicko : "Good reactions for the moment we are lucky and proud to know that international press take care of our album. From now they only wrote good review… Sure believe me.." |
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How do you see the French metal scene compared to your neighbors to the north, Germany, which is one of the most metal-friendly nations in the world?
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Yves : "The french scene is growing up and brings some very interested new talents ! Germany is of course the first market but turns in a circle for a while and always brings the same fashioned shit !!! Scandinavian scene is much more interesting !"
Nicko : "You 're right, Germany is a really great nation for the metal, and we had already played there to know what we talked about. The French metal scene is not so bad!.......In fact there is a lot of fan there but it miss place to play and the price still stay expensive! But when people comes it's a great moment They like very much metal !!!" |
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In 1983 you got your break after opening for Def Leppard. Do you have any plans of doing a thing like that again to give the band a boost?
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Yves : "Well we hope ! if you have any !!! it would be cool ! unfortunately at that time, and nowadays, all depends about how much you can put on the table ! so... ask our label !!!"
Nicko : "I think it depends by the sells more than than the success on stage. It's a vicious circle... If you've got good sells you go on tour and then all is ok!!! Many bands opening for famous bands and nothin happened for us !!!" |
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Do you have any plans of touring Europe in the nearest future?
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Yves: "Yes we have a great tour with After Forever, Dark Moor and Amaran.... This tour will start in Brussels Belgium on January 16 and ends up in Annemasse close to Geneva Swiss on January 31..."
THE TOUR IS AS FOLLOWS : 16.01.2004 BRUXELLES ( B ) Ten Weyngaert 17.01 ELOYES (F) Espace Culturel 18.01 MARSEILLE (F) Jas Rod . Les Pennes Mirabeau 19.01 BARCELONE ( E ) Mephisto 20.01 GRANADA ( E ) La Copera 21.01 MADRID ( E ) Caracol 22.01 IRUN ( E ) Sala Tunk 23.01 LIMOGES ( F ) C.C. John Lennon 24.01 MÂCON ( F ) Câve à Musique 25.01 CLERMONT-FERRAND ( F ) Coop De Mai 26.01 PARIS ( F ) La Loco + 28.01 TOULOUSE ( F ) Havana-Café 29.01 DUNKERQUE ( F ) Les 4 Ecluses 30.01 ROUEN ( F ) Kalif 31.01 ANNEMASSE ( F ) Château Rouge |
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Thanks for your time. If you have any last words for the readers, this is the time to say it.
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Yves : "A million thanx for the support ! see you all on tour !!!"
Nicko : "Really thanks to give us attention to Nightmare during all this years and hope to see you on tour to have a good drink!! Beer, French Wine or Ricard!!" www.nightmaremusic.com |
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