Transcript of an interview I recorded with Chris David of MAJESTICA - 10/05/19. Full article here. MAL-
With me on the line, Chris from MAJESTICA, Chris, thanks for taking the time. CHRIS- Thank you. It's a pleasure. MAL- It's good to have you on now. We're just commenting on the distance all the way from Sweden. CHRIS- Yeah, really far away. MAL- When did you join the band? CHRIS- I joined REINXEED in 20... Let's see. I think 2011 maybe they're probably 2011 I think so. MAL- According to the notes I have the first album you played on was 'A New World'. Is that correct? CHRIS- Yeah, but I was in the band before the album that was released before called the 'Welcome to the theater'. But that album were already recorded when I joined the band. But I was in the band when it was released. MAL- Okay, how active was the band? Were you in any other bands at the time? I know you've got a couple on the go now is that correct? CHRIS- Yeah. Now at that time, actually, I was I was still studying in LA at the Musicians Institute School, and, and then a friend of mine, Alex, who is the guitar player in MAJESTICA, he joined REINXEED. And he called me up and said they needed a bass player as well and I were getting closer to the end of my studies. So at that time, I only had that band, So I joined them when I got home from LA. MAL- Okay, so what happened with the band or we know that Tommy is in SABATON now. So did that put the band on hold? CHRIS- No it didn't really because after 'A New World', we had this breakup kind of, and that the reason for that was because of we had some internal issues in the band. It didn't really work out on a personal level between a few of us and then we had also some issues outside of the band with the managers, labels etc, which made us get to the point where we felt like this is not fun at all. And let's just not do it anymore. So let's have a break and see what happens. Then we started pretty soon after that, we actually started to feel like we still wanted to play. So we started working on a couple of new demos. But as I said that it was like so many negative feelings happening in REINXEED at that point, that when we started all over with a new demos, we felt like now we need to have something it needs to feel fresh, we need to make a kind of a name change or something. So when we were working in the studio or working on the record, we had another name for the band, like a working title yesterday to kind of feel like we are doing something else, you know, and that that that name was Motley True, which, which was he just like a joke, and but it ended up as a track on the record as well. MAL- When did we go into the studio to come out with this new album? Was it a? 'Let's try and see what happens'? How did that come about? CHRIS- It did actually it was like, as we, as I said, we had a break. And we didn't know where we were going at all. So we started back in 2014 already with the demos, but we said that we are having a, this is not going to be a stressful process. Let's take the time, we need to make it feel all right. You know. So I think the recording has been going for maybe three, four years, but there hasn't been so intense recording sessions, you know? Yeah. So, I mean, we maybe we recorded something for a week and then we took a two month break again, and then we record something again for a week or two, you know, going back and forth. So that's why it took so so long. MAL- Are you all recording in the studio like as a complete band or someone coming in recording their parts, someone else coming in recording theirs? CHRIS- Well, we're recording each part separately, but for this one, so we did, we had Uli Kursch on the drums from Helloween, ex-Helloween drummer, and he came in first and did his part. And we told him you are free, feel free to do whatever you want. And I was there everyone was there and listening to him and came with ideas like, okay, that's cool, especially for me as a bass player. I was there listening and seeing like, Okay, if you did that kind of thing, maybe I should do this with you. That could be cool, right? And then the next part when we did the bass guitar and the choirs we were all together, but we didn't record at the same time but we were all you know, in the studio, helping each other out with with different ideas, etc. So kind of something in the middle between playing it all together and separately. MAL- How spread out is the band? Are you all living in the same area? CHRIS- No, Tommy, he lives in Stockholm these days. But when we when I joined the band he lived in far north of Sweden, which is, you know, maybe a 15 hour drive. MAL- So it's a bit of a logistical challenge getting together to do the recording, would you say? CHRIS- Yeah, I think that's the reason why it took so long time as well, you know, with the traveling for the studio, etc. So we had to, like, have one week free, all of us to make something happen all the time. MAL- So we've got a new album out, it's called 'Above The Sky'. Now, the band's name these days is MAJESTICA. How did we come across that name? And why? CHRIS- Well, when we were recording, we had all these different name ideas about the band. And then when it came to the point where we were deciding the band name, we still wanted to keep something from REINXEED, some kind of a, you know, that will make the old fans recognize the new band name. We were looking at old titles for songs and old titles for the albums. And I mean, some of them are concept albums, so they didn't really make sense to have a band name out Oh, but then the third album is called 'Majestic'. And that's when we like, oh Majestic. Maybe we could do something with that name. And then we were just name dropping a lot of things with majestic and MAJESTICA sounded like, that's nice. That's a pretty cool name, you know? MAL- Well, it certainly does fit in with the style of the band, doesn't it? CHRIS- Yeah, I think so. It's a proper proper power metal band name, right? MAL- It is, it absolutely is, yes. So the new album 'Above The Sky', very upbeat and epic, and dare we say majestic. When's that coming out? CHRIS- So it's coming out on the June 7th worldwide. And we also have a single that is released today, a new one called which is Night Call Girl. And the I think it's the seventh track on the album. Yeah. MAL- Okay, so is there a new music video for that? CHRIS- No, for that one we're not doing a video. There will be a video a proper music we we did a lyric video you know for for Rising Tide a couple of weeks ago. Now we are we have started working on a music and a proper music video for for another track later on closer to the release of the album. MAL- Right, how active is the band going to be? Is it living, working, touring band? CHRIS- No, probably not. I mean, we wanted to be very active of course, but as you know, Tommy's in SABATON, and they are very busy. And me and Alex we are having having regular works. And we also play with other bands and projects. So I think it's not going to be an all time thing. But I mean, we really like to play with each other and we really like the band and the music and everything so we kind of want to do it as much as possible. So yeah, and we have ideas for a new album like demos already, we have some offers and we have some plans about touring later in the year or maybe beginning of next year. So there there will be activity for sure, both live and studio. MAL- Anything else we want to touch on Chris? CHRIS- For everyone that likes power metal, I think this album is a pretty cool album because it we took a lot of inspiration from HELLOWEEN and STRATOVARIUS and all this kind of old school power metal, and we brought it together with the symphonic elements or REINXEED. And I think we kind of got a pretty cool mix of old school power metal and modern symphonic kind of huge sounding power metal. And I think it's a something everyone that's into power metal should check out. MAL- I think it's great. Well done on that. And I think you're absolutely right. Anyone that's into that style of power metal should absolutely check it out. CHRIS- Awesome. Thank you. That's cool. MAL- Chris from MAJESTICA. Absolutely. great to talk to you. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me today. The new album 'Above The Sky' out very soon on Nuclear Blast. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me and best of luck with the album. I hope to speak again sometime soon. CHRIS- Oh yeah, thank you and I hope we see each other on the road in Australia sooner or later at least. Thanks Comments are closed.
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AuthorMetalhead who hates bad parking. |