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Metallic salutes, Dimitris- it's great to have got the possibility by your hand for this interview at METAL TEMPLE! When I became in contact with Metal the first time at the age of 12, it took my heart by storm. I've heard the Killers LP of IRON MAIDEN which I've pulled on tape immediately. I still own that tape even today, and it runs yet always grandly. Strongly stamped of a probably classic Hard Rock- and Metal course, I began however anyway as early as possible enthused to listen totally the early heroes of various styles. And the development of my own taste has only just begun. So, thousands of bands and a steadily increased enthusiasm came over the years for hard and sometimes less hard music into my life, which became straight through Metal †and music itself of course †a very aware.

Delighted I observed the permanent own musical further development at and in me what concerned styles and contents of my favourite music. Today I actually listen to all, what positively touches me and I've already stopped a long time ago, to not letting approach bands my interest in proper manner only because they act in a genre, which doesn't call me on the plan that much. Simultaneously to this passion I registered †with permanently growing displeasure †the ignorance frightening in places in some parts of the Metal press as well as a sometimes sheer frightening seeming dilettantism with which many articles or also just criticisms became and are composed over my bands. Also the truth content of the reports often passes not approximately at reality up to and also their lyrical approach fulfills only very rarely my aesthetic perceiving.

Sometime I therefore began to write myself my enthusiasm right out off the soul; first only for me and for friends, then in increasing wise more professionally. I strive to make it always somewhat different as the large part of the guild; therefore primarily somewhat more enthusiasm and emotion into my articles to transform because the reader is to be moved at according to my opinion so to more interest.

This culminated some time ago in the presentation of my own Web magazine:http://www.metalmessage.de" rel="" target="_blank" title="http://www.metalmessage.de (this link will open in a new window)">http://www.metalmessage.de" rel="" target="_blank" title="M E T A L M E S S A G E | Global PR (integrated promotion campaigns across print, online and broadcasting) | Management | Music Journalism" rel="" target="_blank" title="M E T A L M E S S A G E | Global PR (integrated promotion campaigns across print, online and broadcasting) | Management | Music Journalism (this link will open in a new window)">M E T A L M E S S A G E | Global PR (integrated promotion campaigns across print, online and broadcasting) | Management | Music Journalism (this link will open in a new window)">http://www.metalmessage.de" rel="" target="_blank" title="http://www.metalmessage.de (this link will open in a new window)">http://www.metalmessage.de. Many times I experienced surprises as a Heavy Metal fan in any case already, that proved me, that the most valuable pearls must be fished often out of very large depths. So I'm still an eternal fan of most of the old school styles in Metal - Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Doom Metal etc. I grew up with these bands, and I've had the best times in my life at all with their music. But, yes, mainly my heathen heart pounds for the intelligent and talented kind of all the Pagan-, Viking- & Folk metal hordes. The most authentic ones of them understand the important close connection of praising Mother Nature's marvelous miracles with appreciation of timeless heathen ideals and noble epic compositions. Modern Metal acts long more and more for more blood, cruelty, anti-humanism etc. Just take a look at most of the newer front-covers in most of the subcategories †totally horrible! I see myself as a heathen in the purest meaning of the term. I'm worshiping Mother Nature with extremely devotion. I disgust the modern day's nearly completely rotten minded global society †which became a fearful lousy mass of sheep-minded creatures since the new world order has begun to fulfill the plans of the government behind all the governments more than 2.000 years ago.

All the mass media's cruel and mainly negative contents of the present hurt my heathen heart in an immense manner. So it has become nearly unbearably for me to be a full part of those foolish mankind. I avoid TV, radio and all the newspapers as good as I can. So now I'm on the best way to become a health minded hillbilly †what a great imagination! Within nowadays soulless and sick times many folks, especially the younger ones unto them, feel more and more discomfort in their minds and hearts. Too many of completely sick and cruel news day by day hammering into their heads, beside that there is too much nonsense all around them. Clever mass media spreads more and more fear †to take over complete control of the eerie inhabitants of mother earth one day. So many ones of mankind are therefor longing for real values in their inner mind, and for real beauty. But where do we find them? Answer: in our still marvelous nature-places on this planet. We all weren't born to sit in front of a modern TV-set day by day. We were born to live in absolute common with mother earth. All other wise of life will definitely lead into self-destruction one day. The evolution of all known species in life until today is the perfect proof, to where lacks of accommodation lead.

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It lasts long to release such works filled with own ideals. I had to work one and a half year for V, normally every day. Luckily, I've worked together with an outstanding designer for a long time to do the layout for my release. Apart from the music, I really liked the gorgeous and detailed painted front-covers and I was totally fascinated by the graphic presentations of the releases in Metal. It oftentimes happened that I bought records only because of the cover, though the music did not please me that good. That's crazy, but that's the way an addicted collector acts like. Therefore I dislike that some really ingenious cover artists did not get famous concerning the release contrary to the particular band. One day I had the constructive and abundant idea to create a sampler by myself. It should be a possibility for bands as well as acting cover artists to get bigger support. That's why I work together with a drawer, who does the cover in regard to my associations. I send a lot of promos to many metal mediums, whereby I never get tired to tell the reviewers to write something about the cover artist, too.

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First of all, a band must address me the complete musical as well as optical attitude and a non-materialism general view in a 100% way. After the first starting in the mutual communication the bands must then also explain me unconditionally positive characteristics such as to mediate for example seriousness, correctness, sincerity, sovereignty and reliability. Yes, and they should stand intensively passionate behind their art. A band for my METALMESSAGE compilations therefore must primarily share my love for serious & honest arts. Also they must own an intelligent view of the music they create. I chose only full-hearted playing hordes with high skills

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50/50, to be true. Many groups do not write or answer only every few weeks once, and I really can't cooperate with such half-hearted profession participants. Over the years of my previous compilation releases, I've certainly learned a lot on this sector. And as said, yet from the beginning I was fortunately highly careful, whom I got me into the sampler boat, which saved me much annoyance and disappointments.

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I always lay immense worth on as much authentic sounds as possible, every horde shall be represented with their own individual sound.

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Usually it's pretty difficult to get a fine brushed front cover by Ed Repka, I guess, because he's so busy all the time. Who doesn't know Peace Sells... or Rust In Peace of MEGADETH for example or Spiritual Healing of DEATH? Timeless graphical masterpieces. I am a absolute fan of these works since the first contact with them. So I wrote good Ed over the years again and again my gigantic enthusiasm about these really wonderful works, therefore we already know us for a longer time. Ed's admirable style is absolutely inimitable, nobody knows to set up the presences of gorgeous illuminating shimmering colors as good as he does. With the front cover of V I am more than satisfied. Ed has especially transferred the both cave trolls exactly after my presentations. I always want to have front covers for my Sampler, which I will look at in 20, 30 years damned gladly. This time I wanted to move quite away from all the formation cliches, which are established meanwhile so firmly in the cover scene in pagan Metal. All the Vikings or the scenarios around look always more similarly for some time. Gloomy it must be predominantly unconditional there, and colored it has to be if possible as wretchedly as possible. That is however not so very much my thing. So, I thought to myself, why not even a typical Heavy Metal front cover? As said, this time I wanted, away from all the usual graphic stereotypes or the annoying uniform Pagan- and Viking Metal, similarities.

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