CREMATORY (Eng.)
First of all thank you for this chance asnwering to our questions. For those still unfamiliar with CREMATORY, could you introduce the band?
To get any information and a biography please check our website www.crematory.de
Why did you name the band Crematory?
Once upon a time, when we started with the band, we where searching for a name. We had lots of sleepless nights and brainstorming until one day Felix came with the name «CREMATORY» and a drawing of the name. And nowadays we still have that drawing…
What is currently Crematory up to?
We are just releasing our new Album «INFINITY» on January 29th. There is also a tour beeing planned that will support our album. We will be a several big festivals all arround Europe as well ws many club-shows. We are also working on a best of CD an DVD. Later more about it.
How things have changed both in music and personally since your beginnings?
In music not many things have changed except of that we have become more professional and things have become easier. Personally a lot has changed. Some of us are married and have children which has made touring to a big challenge but also much more funny! We also have built our private lives and dayjobs since we decided to quit our lives as professional musicians.
How has been the response from the fans for «Pray»? Do you expect the same for Infinity?
Our fans have accepted it very well. It has been baught like crazy an has benn our best album so far. I expect the same of for the new album because we have put all our energy into that album and it is the best we have ever recorded.
Have been two years since the release of “Pray”, what has been the band into during these years?
We have been on tour with our album «PRAY», have been working on our new album «INFINITY», have earned money with our dayjobs and taken care of our families.
Why a title such «Infinity» for the new album?
As I told you in our oppinion «INFINITY» ist the best album we ever recorded. And as it contains several catchy songs it will stay in peoples minds! The album “INFINITY” is definitely an album for infinity!
How has been the creation process for “Infinity”?
On the new album “INFINITY” we worked in the same line-up as on the last albums “KLAGEBILDER” and “PRAY”. The composing team was our producer Kristian „Kohle“ Kohlmannslehner, our guitarist Matze an me, The lyrics where written like always by our singer Felix. In a project like the album “INFINITY” each one tries to include his own ideas. But we have always been team-players and after a couple of argues and sleepless nights we found a common way to create a fabulous album for infinity! The time-question is quiet funny because we are working on songs nearly each minute we find some time – even on tour.
Infinity was recorded again at the Kohlekeller Studios with Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner? Do you feel at home there? Never change a winning team?
We know each other for a long time and he really does a great job! He knows which buttons he has to push to get she sound I want. The albums we produced with Kristian have had success and it is a really relaxed working with him. As you said: Never change a winning team!
What subjectes influence you nowadays both while writing and composing?
None. Because we brought into focus our best qualities and converted that into the songs. After 19 years of band-history you don’t need any influences or idols. If it’s called CREMATORY it is CREMATORY! Fans have never been surprised unpleasant until now and they will never be. The fans of the previous albums can buy “Infinity blind and they will enjoy it!
Why an album in English?
It isn’t a pure english album. As most of our fans know we always have mixed english and german on our albums and that’s what we did on «INFINITY» too. There are two songs with german lyrics and two ballads on „INFINITY”, as well as a great cover-version of Depeche Mode’s masterwork „Black Celebration“.
On your website you say that the exact description for this record is gothic-thrash-metal, can you explain this?
The target-settings for our new album «INFINITY» were: faster, louder, darker, harder as before. That’s what we planned and finally did. We have worked a lot on the keyboard sounds as well as on the voice-duels of Felix and Matze and the guitar-riffs. You must have heard it to hear the perfection of the album!
Is «Infinity» a conceptual album?
No. Infinity is not a conceptual album. The songs might have a relation and the whole album seems to be conceptual but this is the way we work.
What are the main differences we can find between «Infinity» and your previous «Pray»?
The album «INFINITY» is, like I said before, the evolution of our previous album «Pray» and we wanted to brain it up to reach also other listeners and fans. At this point we need to thank our fans. A band only gets as big as the fans allow it. They have given us the chance to get where we are! We need to thank them for their support. Thanks to the best fans on the world!!!
Why a cover of DEPECHDE MODE’s “Black Celebration” song?
Because it is one of my favorite songs, it hasn’t been covered very often and its title fits perfectly to CREMATORY. But the most important thing was that we had a great idea how to create a great Gothic Rock’n Roll version in our own, well known style.
What are your plans to promote the album? Any chance of seeing touring across Spain within the Infinity over Europe tour?
Our «INFINITY OVER EUROPE»-tour is still being planned. Also our Tour that will support our best of CD an DVD. As their planning and booking isn’t finished yet we do not know if and where we will be in Spain. Just keep an eye on our website www.crematory.de where we will announce the confirmed tour-dates.
-What bands are influences for the band members?
As I told you before: None. We have our own style that’s well known and we follow.
What about the upcoming greatest hits CD/DVD release?
Our greatest hits Cd and DVD will be released in February 2011. It will contain all our hits and video-clips as well as live-concerts and a lot of not released specials. It will be the “crème de la crème” of our band-history and a must-have for our fans. We’ll also accomplish an expanded greatest-hits-tour with a couple of surprises. No one should miss it!!!
How’s the music industry like nowadays?
A lot of musicians say that it has become more difficult.
But in our opinion it’s still the same as it was 20 years ago. The reason for this is that we always have dealt fair and have delivered the quality that people expected from us. And if you are a good band with a perfect management you don’t have any problems with the business. The only thing that has changed and pisses me off, as is does all the other musicians too, are the illegal downloads in the internet. Those «fans» who do that aren’t really fans because they hurt the bans instead of supporting them. They steal money that belongs to the musicians. With this money smaller bands could be able to go on tour or pay the producing of an other album. Many more musicians would be able to make their lives as professionals if the illegal downloads could be stopped.
How’s the quarry like in Germany? Any new bands to point out?
As we know there is no upcoming newcomer-band in our genre.
What does your future provide?
We don’t know. If we knew life would be so easy. We will go on making music as long as our fans want to listen to us and buy our CDs. That what we want to do in the future… What it provides? Lets get surprised.
-To finish I would like you to “sell” “Infinity” in a few words to all those people that could buy it.
As I said before «INFINITY» is the best album we ever recorded. We tried out a lot of new sounds and settings without changing our well known, own style. Fans who already know us will get what they expect and those who don’t know us yet don’t even know what they are missing.
Texto: Xabier Rivas Martínez.
Fotos: www.crematory.de
