Lars Ramcke (Thunder Axe)
StormWarrior
•
August 25, 2004
So far we got a lot of good reactions. I think all who liked the first album won't be disappointed by the new one.
It was the best era of Helloween and no one else was able to capture this pure, rough and aggressive sound again. All of these bands naming Helloween as their influence orientate on the Keeper albums and sound tralala. But for me Heavy Metal has to be aggressive and dirty as well.
I know Kai for quite a while now. I got in contact with him when we did our first demotape some years ago and we stayed in contact until we got the deal with Remedy Records and Kai produced our first album in 2002. In the meantime we have our rehearsal room in the same bunker as Gamma Ray have so we meet nearly every day and have some drinks together. We work together also beside the album productions by lending equipment or getting new whiskey, hehe.
Beside the early Helloween and Running Wild I would also name Bathory because of the atmosphere Quorthon created with masterpieces like Hammerheart and of course Manowar and Judas Priest. Else I love nearly all kinds of eightees Heavy Metal like OZ, Agent Steel, Savage Grace, Heavy Load, Witchkiller, just to name a few.
I write most of the material on my own and arrange a lot with our drummer. Especially the vocal arrangement we do together. But for the next album I think the other two guys will also contribute some ideas.
I don't know, there's nothing planned like this so far but maybe sometimes we could do something together for a live show. Would be worth a thought.
I hope so. We need to get on a tour as soon as possible everywhere in Europe but sadly there's nothing confirmed so far.
Heroic Death makes a lot of fun because of all the guitar duells, Bound by the Oathe has a good Hail-Part in the middle and works always great live. Else Defenders of Metal because it's one of the first songs that was written for Stormwarrior and Iron Prayers as the last song to party.
Well we told him what should be on the cover, then he drew a rough version and we decided about changes or additional details before he painted the final version. So we worked together in a way.
We're all students with smaller jobs to get some money together. I study audio engineering, Falko studies (I forgot) and works in a guitar store in Hamburg, Jussi studies biotechnology and Dave something with speeches.
I'm quite sure that the demotapes won't be released again because nearly all of the songs came togther for the first album. The second 7 had been as bonus songs on the Heavy Metal Fire EP already, so I don't think it would make sense to rerelease them again.
It's sad that he died so young because I think he would have released some other great masterpieces in the future. He was the master of arranging the lyrics that way that one feels like living in the Northland at the viking age. Blood Fire Death, Hammerheart and Twilight of the Gods are some of my all-time favourites. Bathory always had song structures that were different from other musicians and sounded in their way extremely deep along with the glorious lyrics. So I hope to meet him one day in the hall up high...
After some problems I got used to it and used the right way it can bring a lot of promotion for bands without deal or without money. So I would say it's very helpful for the international Metal scene.
Keep one eye open for the ancient original cultures and support the underground!
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