Nelly Khosrovyan - Interview

I had the great opportunity to interview Nelly Khosrovyan, an Armenian metal singer who had the chance to take part on the TV program X-Factor, in its version for Armenia. Nelly has two songs released, one of them you can listen on the video below this interview.

1- Nelly, tell us a little about your career as a singer.

Though I have started to sing recently, I have been composing songs and melodies ever since my childhood.I remember I was a 4 year-old child when I first saw the piano and put my fingers on the keyboard .It was a love at first sight. Till now the world of music is magical for me. I work on my songs with different musicians and plan a duet with an Armenian singer for the next year.

2- Why Metal?

I didn't choose Metal, it was the Metal who found me. I write my songs without even think about the style and at the end its always metal and I don't know how.

3- How is the metal scene in Armenia?

Well, I can say that here, like in many other countries there is too much Pop music on TV , whereas rock and metal are underground.That's why Armenians don't know much about rock and metal music but they do really understand and appreciate the good rock songs and all we have to do is to keep on creating

4- In your songs, do you talk about your beliefs?

Yes, the lyrics of all my songs are right from my soul. No word is written only just for the melody.

5- Can you tell us any curious and interesting information about your country?

Of course I can! Armenia is the first country that adopted the Christianity as its state religion and it is the first land that Noah have seen after the deluge.

6- What's your goal as a musician?

My goal is to sing out all the songs that I have in my mind!

7- What singers did influence you?

I think I am influenced by Jim Morrison and the singers of the bands ''Depeche mode'' and ''Animals''.

8- In your opinion, what are the current best bands and/or singers?

The current best bands and singers are as always Pink Floyd, Ozzy, Deep Purple, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Nightwish,Megadeth, Judas Priest, Opeth, our System of a down, Epica(though I'm not a fan of them ), Iron Maiden, Within Temptation and very recently I have found 2 interesting bands ''Sins of thy beloved'' with their ''Lake of Sorrow'' and the band ''Twilight Symphony''.

9- What do you listen besides metal?

Besides metal I listen to hard rock and classics.

10- Share with us some good Armenian bands or musicians, please.

Ok! All time Armenian musicians - Komitas (a great composer), Aram Khachatryan, Arno Babadjanyan,Tigran Mansuryan, Ruben Hakhverdyan, Artur Meshchyan, Robert Amirkhanyan, Arto Tunjboyajyan ... Current rock bands -Empyray, Ayas, Divahar , Dorians and Dogma are the best at the moment

Nelly's page on Last FM

http://www.last.fm/music/Nelly+Khosrovyan

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nelly-Khosrovyan/156157447856769?fref=ts

The Steam Clock - Interview

I had a really nice time interviewing Matt Bachara, the main member of this new spectacular steampunk band "The Steam Clock". I was impressed by this band at the first listening/looking. They got steampunk/gothic/industrial songs in all the aspects, I mean, lyrics, tones, the way they sing and also they dress up accordingly. Inside all this, there is a Christian point of view of the world, which makes things more and more newsworthy, so that's why I decided to interview sir Bachara to explore a little more.

1- How was the band created?

The band was actually originally intended to be a studio project when I was doing bass/vocal duties with In Nothingness Raised Imperishable. When the other members of IxNXRxI had to drop out for various reasons the Steam Clock became my main project.

2- What influences does the band have?

The band has a broad range of influences. From Bowie to Larry Norman to Saviour Machine to Ministry to all of Allan Aguirre's projects such as Scattered Few, Spyglass Blue, or Men As Trees Walking. Old goth like Voodoo Church or Sisters of Mercy. Circle of Dust, Deliverance, Klank, Abney Park.... I could go on for days.

3- How does the concept of Steampunk appears and fit on Steam Clock?

Steampunk for me is just a part of the natural progression for me as a person and an artist. Being so closely tied to the goth scene and being raised in a household where antiquated or "neo Victorian" speech was commonplace, not to mention the whole "dressing up" addiction which our parents ingrained into our collective psyche. As to how it fits the Steam Clock itself, I've always tried to write with a bit of a neo Victorian flare, we use more unconventional instruments such as violin or having two drummers. Steampunk is neo Victorian sci fi & all about an alternate past where steam power and clockworks remain the primary technological systems employed... There are two basic ways to approach said genre e s x either strictly Victorian or post apocalyptic. We lean more toward the latter. Our music is a blend of the old & new with use of classical instruments like the violin to more modern industrial instrumentation such as dual drummers, distorted bass & synth etc...

We approach the engine of songwriting in a minimalist fashion. The music though comprised of simple parts mesh together to form a cohesive whole designed to paint an atmospheric backdrop for the lyrics that tend to use mechanical/clockwork imagery as metaphor for something deeper as would be the case in a world where such things are the norm.. 

4- Do you share your beliefs on the songs?

Of course! To not share at least from the perspective of our Judeo/Christian world view would be grossly dishonest & I feel would hamper our ability to create the art that I feel the Most High Himself has given us. There was a doom metal band I used to be in where the other members asked me to tone down the spiritual overtones and things didn't work well. It's funny but after we parted ways they still use the "overly Christian" lyrics & songs I wrote. In general, Steam Clock´s lyrics tend to use mechanical/clockwork imagery and references to steam power in context. I write from the perspective of someone in an actual steampunk reality, for example who brags about using gasoline now? Only someone who's using it to put out fires! My lyrics have always utilized antiquated or classical speech modes more common to Victorian eras than our own due mostly in part to my upbringing in a family where such idiosyncrasies were not merely tolerated but in fact encouraged! You can I'm sure imagine the rash of taunting I used to receive as a teenager for using such terms as "swath of destruction" etc. 

5- Who are the members? Tell us some details about them, please.

The current live line-up is as follows: Lord Ryan of Oaks on percussion. (He switches off betwixt a full kit & tribal drums such as his djimbe), Sir Caleb Bachara (the youngest of my four brothers) on violin, Taylor ( Turkish Delight) Moore (who is neither Turk nore Moorish) on either drums in our electric sets or six string banjo in our acoustic sets, Saint Nick Freeman on keys for electric & guitar for acoustic sets and I play bass or guitar live as well as vocals.

6- What are the current bands you could highlight as interesting and/or original?

There are a wealth of fantastic bands out there right now! The current environment with protools, reason etc. has made it easier to create, record & distribute music without needing the hulking bloated beast of the industry to pay (or should I say loan) the money to do so. Some of my favorite bands out right now are Wovenhand, Whitecollar Sideshow, Men As Trees Walking (I've heard a song from the new album & it's going to be beautiful), the Beckoning, Klank's new album is amazing, the Lacks, Abney Park, Unextraordinary Gentlemen, Breakthrough, Least of These, Unwoman, Dr. Steel, Imperative Reaction, So Say We All, the Dwelling. All very interesting bands and I could keep going but I'd bore the readers. Although I should mention the new acoustic stuff Saviour Machine has been doing is amazing as well! 

7- What could you say about the Underground Scene nowadays?

The underground scene is quite healthy. Even as the industry continues to implode it weeds out those whose sole purpose for making art would be money. Thus we are left with those who are dedicated to the art for art's sake. There are also great networks for underground musicians such as the Objective, & RYFO that help support and equip the underground scene. 

8- Any opinion about Mp3 files and downloading music illegally?

Mp3 files are very convenient and I know many artists who are giving their music away such as all the artists on Come And Live & I believe that's where things are heading. However, the bands that aren't giving music away need to be paid. Labels only pay artists after they make a profit first so if you don't pay for the album, the artist will so don't rob the artist on top of what the label already is!

9- Does the band have plans to play abroad?

It would be great to play outside our usual stomping grounds of southern California let alone the US... The Extreme Tour who we've been working with is weighing the options of adding more international legs since things went so well in Canada last year. Mayhaps we could catch one of those stints if things go well, but as of now we have no plans other than getting the live band all trained up & Lord willing get some more songs recorded.

10 - How's the World and the USA nowadays?

The US is in a pivotal point in her history though the case can be made that this is always the point. Economically I believe things will get worse before they get better & the majority of what happens depends on how we treat Israel. Things are heating up, the prophetic clock is ticking. All we can do is follow the Master as best we can individually and encourage our brothers & sisters to remain in as close a walk as we can. And ask the Father for His abundant mercy...

Emerson Olaf

Poets Awake - Interview

CYBER10 interviewed Gutox, of the band Poets Awake from Feira de Santana, Bahia. One more interesting interview with one more person who tries to make the difference in the place he lives.

1- What was the creation of the band like?
The band came out in a rehearsal day with me and Robson (ex-drummer) in his house. Initially, those were suppose to be just gathers for playing songs but then I started showing some christian underground stuff to him and then he ended up accepting Christ (Thanks God). From that we decided to start a band with Christian lyrics in a style which is not so common in my city, the gothic rock. The meaning of the band is to spread the Gospel and share the Good News with everybody in darkness and praise the Lord with our songs.

2- How is Bahia concerning the Underground scene?
Particularly in Feira de Santana, where I live, recently the scene has been growing, as Metalcore ascending as "today's fashion", so many bands are being created in this metal genre. The interesting point is that many people appreciate the underground but they don't go to events and this creates a lack of support from the ones who should keep the scene alive. Nevertheless, there are that ones that make things happen, promote events, even knowing that that might be injuries. I think that if no one takes the risk, nothing happens.

3- Does the band do many concerts? Is there any schedule?
We got some events for 2013, in January we have a concert among non-christian bands and this is good for us to talk about the Kingdom, because are exactly in those kinds of environments that we find people who need a word of peace and hope and this is what we sing about in our songs.


4- What bands did influence (or still do) Poets Awake?
The main ones are: The Awakening, Dead Artist Syndrome, Saviour Machine, Clan Of Xymox, The Cure.


5- What bands could you highlight in the current scene?
A Dyanums, Baptism In Death, Epic Church, Krig, Born of Desire, Rival Machine, Abhorred Devil, Devotam.


6- About the scene, how do you rate the current underground scene? Also considering the Christian underground.
I see that the scene is very quiet, it might be that I'm not walking in the same pace of people so I can't see things happening. Where I live it's only us the ones to carry the Christian Underground Scene and with a big lack of support of many underground christians. The secular scene is a bit slumbering, events happen rarely and not often we see a good concert, there are many bands here, but just a few can be considered professionals.


6- Still in the same topic, how do you see the classic and polemic mp3 subject and the digital piracy?
It's a controversial topic, that's because mp3 is very popular nowadays and blogs share a lot of them making bands known. A positive point are the bands who share their music, I recently downloaded 7 albums of a band I like a lot The Violins. About piracy, it's something hard to be controlled, that's because the internet is accessed by all, I myself I'm able to download an album and put that for sale. It injuries bands a lot, mainly that ones in the beginning of the career, like us of Poets Awake, because we know how much money is necessary to record a material. It reminds me Metallica in Napster case, happened years ago, but yet, people remember the case when this topic shows up. Also many bands set up a profile in websites as Myspace and share music. So I think it's hard to make a share control of files in the Internet and there is always someone trying to get money from other's material.


7- To finish, how does the band see the current political and economical moment of Brazil? Is there any connection of them to music somehow?
It's a complicated topic, currently the brazilian politics are not in its best moment. Corruption, "Mensalão", things like that worsen the view of citizens to what happens in Brasilia (capital of Brazil) e this reflects in the economy, connected to the market and including the music industry. The music industry needs to stabilize somehow and till that we suffer, unfortunately.