Sabina Classen & Oliver Jaath

Holy Moses

As if it was yesterday since the German Thrash Metal veterans HOLY MOSES began to Thrash the world with their brutality and now the band celebrates their 30^thyear anniversary. Surely not all the lineup have sustained through the decades but Sabina Classen, the first female Thrash vocalist, did. Steinmetal was fortunate to talk with both Sabina and one of the band's guitarists, Oliver Jaath, about the 30 years anniversary, the new compilation album, some memories and what will come next.

By Lior "Steinmetal" Stein

• September 10, 2012

Sabina Classen & Oliver Jaath (Holy Moses) interview

Hello Sabina & Olli, it is a huge honor to have you for an interview for Metal Temple. How are you doing?

Sabina: I am totally fine. We had great shows and rehearsing for new shows and doing songwriting for the new album.

Olli: I am fine, too. We are currently rehearsing our Set for the upcoming Speak Easy Festival in Frankfurt.

Your veteran Thrash Metal band, HOLY MOSES, reached its 30^th year and that is a cause for a long drunken celebration. You were probably asked a lot about the following but after all these years, do you think that HOLY MOSES has reached its full potential?

Olli: In my opinion I would say that we can do another step on top of the last record. "Agony of Death" was a special record and for many fans the best record since "New Machine of Lichtenstein". For myself as well. But I think we can even enhance the quality with the current line up. But it´s still to early to be more accurate. The songwriting for the next album just started.

Along with your celebration of the 30^th year, you guys released a compilation of 2CDs that presents you best moments. Is this a plain compilation of the older and new songs or the whole compilation was re-recorded for this release?

Olli: We re-recorded all songs. Otherwise such a compilation is senseless. No one needs the old recordings again especially if you already own the original records. It was important for us to let the old songs sound heavier and more up to date without sounding too modern. Additionally we recorded two new songs we wrote for this record which will not be on the next release.

When looking back and making comparisons in what is going on today in Thrash Metal, do you think that in a way HOLY MOSES fitted itself to the nowadays Metal scene?

Sabina: we are still doing our kind of Thrash and it fits still in the nowadays Metal scene, because Metal is Metal in all its kind of variations. I am proud that we could do it now for 30 years and still going on.

It is probably connected to a question that I asked earlier, but I think that it is a must. HOLY MOSES released some iconic albums over the years like "Finished With The Dogs", "The New Machine Of Liechtenstein" and in the last decade, "Disorder Of The Order" among others. How come that with all of the band's history, it hasn't reached the scales of the Teutonic Thrash Triplet?

Sabina: We are HOLY MOSES, and we are not looking for scales. We love to do the music we do. We never worked with huge managements companies or booking agency. We just did what we wanted to do and we never compared ourselves with other bands. We are all doing our jobs beside the music and this makes us free. I was the first growling female in the scene and this is a wonderful scale we reached.

What about you Sabina? Other than TEMPLE OF THE ABSURD, that came as a side show to HOLY MOSES, are you currently involved in any other projects? And what about you Olli?

Sabina: I am only doing HOLY MOSES. This takes all my time next to my job as a natural healer for Psychotherapy. HOLY MOSES makes me so lucky, that I do not need other projects.

Olli: Well, I am still involved in finishing the third record of my other band RECKLESS TIDE. It´s important for me to get this one finished. After that I will see if I start a new thing or concentrate on HOLY MOSES only. The other members have their own projects as well.

This is a question that must be asked. I have known many women Metal vocalists over the years, but I think that you are one of the oldest in Thrash Metal in particular. Back when you were asserted as the band's vocalist, were you the only female vocalist in Thrash, while being it its developing stage, back then?

Sabina: In the beginning I really did not know, that I was the first and only growling girl in the scene. Now I am really proud that I started up something really new in that time. I am developing myself each day, in physical and mental way. I worked on my voice over all the years, and I am happy that we are still around.

Just to jog your memory, can you tell the readers about the first time with HOLY MOSES? How were you approached to the band?

Sabina: this is a real funny story. I was sitting in the rehearsing room because my boyfriend Andy was in the band. And on one day, on the 3^rd December 1981, bandleader and bass player Ramon kicked out the male vocalist. And he came to me and said: Sabina you have to sing now. I said, no way, I can't sing but he gave to me the microphone and I did this strange noise….and he said, do it again….and again I was wondering myself what kind of deep growls coming out of me…and so I became the female fronted singer of HOLY MOSES….

What about the future of HOLY MOSES? Is there a new album in the works?

Olli: Yes, as said before we started the songwriting for the next album and we are really looking forward to it. With the new line-up I am pretty sure to have some surprises on the next one. But I can calm you down…it will be a furious Thrash record of course.

Are you guys still touring or attending festivals? Will there be any special 30^th anniversary live gigs?

Olli: Beside of the next shows this year the most special gig would be the "Barge to Hell" - Festival in December. I always wanted to play on a cruise ship. Next time on an air craft carrier perhaps. Hehe…

Sabina& Olli, I wish to thanks for taking the time for this interview. I believe that HOLY MOSES has a lot to give to the Metal scene and I can't wait for a new release. I wish you the best of luck! Any last words?

Sabina: thanks so much for all your support, without the underground scene and all our fans we could not reach the 30^th anniversary and we will still go on! Thanks so much Thrash On!

Olli: Thrash On !

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