Διαβάστε παρακάτω την αποκλειστική συνέντευξη που έδωσαν για το Rock Overdose, οι Σουηδοι progressive experimental -metalheads THERION, στο Ζήση Πετκανά, εν όψει και των δύο live εμφανίσεών τους σε Θεσσαλονίκη και Αθήνα στις 19 και 20 Νοεμβρίου αντίστοιχα...
(Σύντομα και η μετάφραση στα Ελληνικά)
-Welcome to Rock Overdose.
We would like to tell as a few words about the history of Therion.
We started as a band being beginners trying to learn our instrument (I had only been playing for 3 months when I formed the band) and sounded like a mixture between Motorhead, Slayer and Venom. Shortly after we got caught up in the early death metal current and made a mark in that underground scene, partly by being early and partly by being a bit different band, not following the trends of sound. Our first few albums where death metal, but being more and more experimental, until we had developed into something completely different. With our 5:th album Theli we had adopted opera choirs and a symphonic sound and we had our break through and from being an undergound cult band we became a well selling popular band.
-As we know you were founded in 1987, so how did you "make it" through all these years?
By being hard working, innovative and never loose my heart in what I am doing. It's a s fun today as it was back in -87. Many bands that become successful get scared of loosing what they have and start compromising or writing stuff they think people will like, instead of just doing what they really want to do. I've always been prepared to risk my entire career with each album, so I can do what I like without compromises.
-During these years your line-up and your music style, has changed several times.
Why is that, and what period in the band's history, was the most effective?
First of all, let's just make it cleat that many people do not seem to understand that a great part of the people who have been associated with the band have never been members in the band, they were (or are) just collaborators, hired session members. It is a part of the band concept to have many external collaborators in the making of albums and performing shows. Only a fraction of all the people who have been contributing to Therion have actually been permanent members.
Most of the changes in the permanent line-up was back in the first half of the 90's when the band was young. Many left because the band wasn't doing so well at the time and we were grewing up and they got good jobs, families etc, which they gave priority to instead of trying to succeed as musicians.
During the Theli period we had 2 members with very bad alcohol problems, which led me to base Therion entirely on hired session people for a period of time (Vovin for for example my solo album - released under the name Therion - as there was no permanent band except me). After the band was fully reconstructed after that, Therion had a stable line-up (besides drummers) between 1999-2008 with me and the Niemann brothers being the core of the band. 2008 - after 9 years including 5 studio albums, one live album, 3 DVD's and 4 World Tours, we felt we had taken things as far as we could together and simply felt it would be better to go separate ways.
I don't think we have been more effective than right now in terms of line-up.
The reason for the music style changing is simply because I spontaniously wrote songs sounding different. There has never been any plan or thoughts behind it.
- Which one is your favorite album, and which is the more underrated?
The latest is always the favourite - if not it would never have been released (that's how I work). So my fave is Sitra Ahra.
I think Deggial was always very underrated. It didn't have any "hit songs" and was very complex for its time back then.
-Could you tell as which is your line-up today?
You may see our current line-up here:
http://www.megatherion.com/en/band
-"Sitra Ahra" is the name of your new album.
Are you happy with the result, and how did your fans reacted to this release?
That is s strange question. Do you think we would release an album if we were unhappy with the results??
Fan reactions so far has been great. There are always big debates each time we release a record, with some being amazed and others thinking we should have gone in a different direction. So far we have had mostly very good reactions.
-The Anniversary Tour DVD is expected. It will contain the recordings of the Budapest gig of this tour.
Could you tell as a few words about this?
After this tour I hope to get time to do the final editing and mix so that it can be released.
-You are comming to Greece, for two live shows, November 19 at Thessaloniki and November 20 at Áthens.The fans can't wait.
What can they expect from you?
Will you have any surprises on the set list?
We are bringing full European production as we are coming by tour bus instead of flying this time. So expect something awesome!
-Would you like to introduce to as the support bands , and why were these bands selected for your live shows?
I was busy, so the management was choosing bands this time.
Leprous is a norweigan prog metal band.
Loch Vostock is a more brutal band, also with some prog influences.
They are both very cool people and we are having a good time together on the road.
- Plans for the future?
We'll be doing a bit of more touring in 2011, rest of the year we will just take it easy and try to get perspective for the future.
-Would you like to leave a message to the Greek fans?
See you very soon on tour!
- Thank you very much for your time, we are looking forward to see you in Greece!
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