ZONARIA (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for dedicating us part of your time. What’s currently keeping you busy? How are you guys feeling being near to release your new album?
Right now we’re finishing up the visual part of the album with everything from band photos to all artwork for the release and videos. Its a really exciting time where we know that the release is near and that feels very rewarding after three years of writing and recording!
– First of all, why did you pick “Zonaria” as the band’s name? How did you come up with it?
I, Emanuel, wasn’t apart of the band during that which was in 2003 or 2004 when everybody was teenagers so I don’t know how they got the idea but in Greek mythology ZONARIA is a deadly path beneath the throne of Zeus at Mount Olympus. Basicly sharp rocks and mist which fits the theme of the band very well.
– The new album is «Arrival of the Red Sun»; what are your expectations and what can your fans expect to hear on it?
I hope the fans feels the same way as us in the band, which is that this is the best, most mature and diverse album we’ve created. Its more or less everything thats great about Zonaria in the past mixed with a more mature and structured songwriting.
– What’s the concept behind the album’s title?
It is actually one of the more positive messages that Zonaria has delivered even thou it deals with a lot of negative topics. Its very much about standing up to all the people that wronged you, deceived you, all the corruption and the destructive attitude of mankind.
– And does it reflect the lyrics on the album? What do they deal with?
Yes, definitely! The album is very much an reflection of the world today, from fears that people deal with to world politics. Humanity needs to take responsibility for itself.
– This being said I would also like you to shed some light on the album’s artwork, as it seems the cover is strongly connected to the title of this new opus.
However we handle ourself there will always be a new day to take responsibility for, the question is what the world will look like when all off humanity grasp that.
– After releasing your first two albums in a raw, it has taken you 4 years to unleash this new “The Arrival of the Red Sun”. What have you been up to during these years?
We wanted to take our time with this album to really give it our everything and make sure that we’d be really proud of it a year after release. I’m not saying that we’re not proud of “The Cancer Empire” but that album was very rushed in order to meet the deadline set for it to be out in the fall of 2008 where we already had tours booked. If we had given that album just a few more months it could have been much better… I mean, we didn’t have like any lyrics or vocal arrangements done before entering the studio! That can work if you have time to experiment but we only had two weeks in the studio to do everything from recording drums, bass and guitars to finishing up all the keyboards and symphonic parts to write and record all vocals so Simon one hell of a job!
– I think this is your most well-thought-out effort so far. Maybe you had more time to create this new offering?
I’m glad that you see that album that way because its exactly what we were aiming for!
– I also think this is your heaviest release (still keeping that sense of melody). Is this how you envisioned the album? Did you have clear since the beginning how did you want this CD to sound or is more of a spontaneous thing?
Well, from the two first albums we kind knew what we wanted to take with us and what to try and stay away from but we also wanted this album to kind of develop by its own accord. Since we knew that we would take our time with this record we wanted to try different stuff and not limit ourself to and preconceived notions.
– In fact this has been your first full-length with bass player Max Malmer; has this had something to do with such heaviness?
Actually the writing process and the whole musical side of the recording album was with Markus in the band. When Max join it was pretty much done, Simon maybe halfway through the vocals and after that we went through everything and did different changes here and there but Markus was a bigger part of this album musically then Max.
– And what could you say has Max brought new to the band?
Fresh energy, thats probably the biggest single thing that changed. He is a great bass player and great guy so playing wise it just clicked from the first day of rehearsal. But it was very nice with a guy that has a very different perspective of that band to come in and kind of steer things up. Like songs that we have rehearsed thousands of times and got to the point of almost being sick of them suddenly became a blast to play again!
– Anyway you have always remained true to yourself and sound. Is this something easy to get and keep on doing without copying yourself?
I think the key is that we have a sense of what the “Zonaria sound” is all about but are not afraid to try new things. Also, we have never tried to add elements that are “selling records that month” but only stuff that we feel fits with the music we want to make and therefore we’ve remain true to the sound of Zonaria but still keeping it fresh.
– This being said, how could you describe “The Arrival of the Red Sun” in just 3 words?
Full spectrum dominance!
– Once more you have recorded at the Abyss Studios with Jonas Kjellgren. Why does this team work so good for ZONARIA?
Jonas is a great guy to work with, both on a professional level but he is also great fun to be around. You know you’ll get shit done with a great result and have fun all along the way!
Same thing with Ronnie Björnström who has mixed and mastered the album, great result and a lot of laughs along the way!
– Besides working with a new bass player you are also working with a new label after leaving Century Media: Listenable Records. How did you hook up with them and how is everything going with them so far?
After leaving Century Media we decided to focus on the album before dealing with labels so when it all came together we talked with different labels and Listenable was the one we felt most comfortable with and so far there are no reason for us to regret our decision.
– Finally, what the near-future plans are for ZONARIA?
We’re finishing up everything for the release and then we hopefully can get and play this new songs for all the fans!
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
I’d like to thank everyone that has supported Zonaria in the pass and keeps doing it in the future! I hope you all enjoy this album as much as we have done creating it!
