Artas
One of the most impressive bands of the last year is for sure Artas! Signed to Napalm Records this combo released almost 2 years ago an excellent album called "The Healing", his first one; the new one is to come in a few months or so, if we take into consideration what Artas' leader told us about his future plans concerning his band! Impressive musical content, supreme cover artwork á la Children Of Bodom and a lyrical universe that needs no introduction could be the main ingredients if you will take into consideration to keep an eye on this combo! For more info about this Austrian band here you have an interesting interview I've done with Hannes, all this thanks to Ben from Napalm Records!
Hello Artas and all my kind regards to all band constituents! How are the things going on out there, now that you are in a promotional campaign for your first official full length called "The Healing", released since a while on Napalm Records from Austria!
Hannes: Hello! We are fine. Hope you too! We are recording our new album which should be released in May. We hope Napalm Records supports us once more.
Arcana Noctis: When you started this combo back in 2006 you decided to call it Staub und Schatten (Dust And Shadows). I also know that all the musicians were involved in some other parallel projects or bands in the same time! Could you tell us why did you decided to found a new gang and what the main goals were at that moment and where are you standing these days concerning all these ideas you had at that moment?
Hannes: Chris (24) and myself (Hannes, 24) know each other from school, and we've been around with our Grunge band since we were at an age of 15 or something ;) Much later Obi (25) and Sid (23) joined us for some jam sessions. Radek (22) was the last one who joined us, when the old bass player (David) dropped out for personal reasons. It's hard to tell how we met, because there is a pretty large community around Artas, which somehow formed Artas (weird?!). The band, friends, strangers... first we rehearse, and then we party all together. But let's say it was destiny. We are still playing in other combos. Each of us is a musician and love to write and play music. Our music isn't just a matter of Metal.
Arcana Noctis: You stated on your personal website that all these bands that you were involved in were playing in different styles, Metal mainly, and all the time you spent in these gangs helped you to find the best sound and musical content for your new combo! What else is about exactly, what other info could you reveal us about your past activity until Artas and what will be band's actual musical direction if we take into consideration all these words I mentioned above?
Hannes: Our sound is influenced by the broad range of all music styles (we listen to), but we don't want to consider about our sound and music style; we're just creating songs by putting our energy and emotions together in order to ban it on our instruments. We don't head to mix styles up, but there are no limits. The result is Artas!
Arcana Noctis: One year after the founding of your band, in 2007 to be more precisely, you were involved in a Metal competition called Metalchamp! Could you please give us a few more details about this subject, because on your official site there is no mention about this important moment from your career?
Hannes: Metalchamp 07 was a bandcontest of more than 250 Bands in Europe. On Metalcamp we played the final round. The winner got a record deal with Napalm Records and countless other supports. When we signed up to play the contest, we wanted to just play a gig in one of the, lets say, bigger clubs here, and we didn't even think of winning it. Then from round to round things got bigger, and suddenly we've been playing the finals at Metalcamp 07 festival... at 10pm... We also met billions of great people and bands, and it was always fun. Short: It was just a great time! So it was a great feeling for us to win the Metalcamp 07, 'cause up to that moment we could gain a further step into professionalism - thanks to the support of Napalm Records. We're proud and honored to be able to present "The Healing" throughout the world.
Arcana Noctis: Playing in this competition I assume that you had quite a few tracks to present out there, am I right? I'm asking you all this because I know that thanks to your band evolution at this event you were invited to join Napalm's roster! Do you have something interesting to reveal us concerning this subject?
Hannes: Yeah, the contest, the record deal and the big support of Napalm Records were definitely the turning point into professionalism. As a newcomer band it feels great when you realize all the opportunities given to you. But there's also a lot of work to be done ;) But it's great to learn and to see the effects (when the whole club sings along your chorus :D ) and we enjoy every single moment. We've always been a hard working band anyway!
Arcana Noctis: Soon after the signing deal with Napalm Records you decided to change band name into Artas! Why you choose to change your name and what this new represent for you? Do you think that this new one is more powerful and incisive than the first one?
Hannes: Staub und Schatten was like an indefinable concept to us, a sort of vague vision. After the happenings of 2007 (Metalchamp, record deal) we decided to turn the vision into a NAME. Artas signifies the freedom of art to us. There are no barriers to express ourselves in a musical way. Furthermore, we were confronted with people who weren't even able to spell Staub und Schatten, nor to understand its meaning. What was the name again? – Now people know who just kicked their asses, he he. It was A R T A S!!!
The main aspect of Artas (the concept and the music behind it) is freedom - the roads you have to walk and the battles you have to fight to accomplish it. That's why we raise the flag, step as some kind of warriors on stage to win the world for our fight – to face the life-given quests.
Arcana Noctis: With a very good deal in your pockets, Artas started to work on its first full length called "The Healing"! How the working process went on and what the main idea was when you started the compositional process on this opus?
Hannes: We recorded "The Healing" in 2008 in our studio in Vienna. The recorded tracks were sent to Jacob Hansen in Denmark who took over the mixing and mastering of our debut and who put the finishing touch to "The Healing". It was pretty impressive for us to work with Jacob, because we felt this guy really understood our music. We'd got the sound we wanted almost instantly, and he also brought great ideas for some effects, samples and stuff... Furthermore the communication was totally smooth and easy although we had to do it all online. Jacob Rocks! Since we are a newcomer-band we wanted to record an album of which we can be proud of, but of course we'll try to develop and improve constantly. The Healing reflects our style very well, but we also want to be even more open to the world's different kinds of music and techniques to be able to convert our visions into best possible songs!
Arcana Noctis: I'd like you to continue with a short introduction in its atmosphere by telling us the necessary technical details and a short presentation of each track if you don't mind!
Hannes: Ufffggh... Sorry! Still eleven questions left... Just read the booklet for more details!
Arcana Noctis: Let's talk a little bit about the cover artwork of your album "The Healing"! I find it really interesting, something in Children Of Bodom way in its early days oriented! Who's the main responsible for this image and how does it fits with the whole lyrical concept that you imagined for "The Healing"?
Hannes: From the beginning we had the vision of an epic warrior, kind of archetypical character with flag. Dennis Sibejin, a talented graphic designer helped us in concretizing this idea.
Arcana Noctis: What does it brings new at the musical level, because I suppose that Artas isn't a unique band, and what will be the main attraction point of this material?
Hannes: Two vocalists. Different languages. Freedom. Every Song is a rollercoaster ride. Our song writing is a teamwork-process. Someone comes up with an idea and we work it out together. I think that's among other things the main reason we sound eclectic and our sound is inspired by a lot of music styles.
Arcana Noctis: What will be "The Healing" principal qualities and how does it fits on the whole, concerning its 3 principal chapters: visual effect, musical content and lyrical universe?
Hannes: In general the topics in our lyrics are nourished by social criticism, metaphysical ideas and anthems of freedom – with a little sense of humor of course. Visuals and music are the same.
Arcana Noctis: Although this material was recorded on your own studio, Jacob Hansen figures as its producer! What will be his work on "The Healing" and what's your point of view concerning the final result of your first opus?
Hannes: Question above!
Arcana Noctis: On the whole material we can hear your singer using different languages: English, German and Spanish! Isn't too difficult to express all your sentiments and feelings using so varied lyrics?
Hannes: First of all our band consists of two vocalists and we write all lyrics more the less together. To use different languages is awesome. You can play with them and put the songs in some different atmosphere. We extend our possibilities of expressions by using different languages. "Bastardo" for example is a track which would sound completely different sung in another language. It just needed the Spanish lyrics to sound how we wanted it to sound.
Arcana Noctis: Because "The Healing" is on the Metal market since a while, could you please tell us in a few words what was the feedback received on this opus until now? Also, do you know something about the sales you did until now with "The Healing"?
Hannes: Feedback has been across the board. It seems like we polarize a lot, which is good. Either you love the songs or you hate them.
Arcana Noctis: Do you have a special edition for the other continents, knowing that Japan is something very special for many European bands?
Hannes: No. Next Time! :)
Arcana Noctis: How you promoted this material on stage until now, and how did you spent your time after the release of your "The Healing"? Some tours, local concerts or festivals worth to be mention here?
Hannes: Europe Tour with Hatesphere! Black Flag Tour in Austria! Writing on new songs! NEW ALBUM IS COMING SOON! We love to play our songs live, and we always put all our energy into our shows. We all feel that the stage is the place where we belong. In April 2010 we start our next Europe tour with Calejon and Darkness Dynamite.
Arcana Noctis: What could you tell us about your relationship with Napalm Records and what will be Artas place in their roster? Because we all know that you have quite a few interesting mates out there!
Hannes: In general I think Napalm is doing a great job for Austrian newcomer bands. Nevertheless I guess the crucial point in this movement is the increasing level of Austria's underground Metal scene. We are proud of participating in this movement and being able to watch killer bands getting better and bigger every day. Napalm wouldn't sign more and more Austrian bands if the level wouldn't be that high.
Arcana Noctis: In the end what is your future plans concerning Artas and when are you going to start working on a new material? Are you going to continue the actual musical line or you plan to change something to surprise your fans and band listeners?
Hannes: Our new album should be released in May. I think we will sound more melodic, more aggressive, more ARTAS!
Arcana Noctis: Thanks a lot my friend, for your time and patience! If you have something to add in the end do it now!
Hannes: Thanks to you!!! Have a good time! Hope we'd meet each other on a concert. Dust to dust and shadow upon all...
Hello Artas and all my kind regards to all band constituents! How are the things going on out there, now that you are in a promotional campaign for your first official full length called "The Healing", released since a while on Napalm Records from Austria!
Hannes: Hello! We are fine. Hope you too! We are recording our new album which should be released in May. We hope Napalm Records supports us once more.Arcana Noctis: When you started this combo back in 2006 you decided to call it Staub und Schatten (Dust And Shadows). I also know that all the musicians were involved in some other parallel projects or bands in the same time! Could you tell us why did you decided to found a new gang and what the main goals were at that moment and where are you standing these days concerning all these ideas you had at that moment?
Hannes: Chris (24) and myself (Hannes, 24) know each other from school, and we've been around with our Grunge band since we were at an age of 15 or something ;) Much later Obi (25) and Sid (23) joined us for some jam sessions. Radek (22) was the last one who joined us, when the old bass player (David) dropped out for personal reasons. It's hard to tell how we met, because there is a pretty large community around Artas, which somehow formed Artas (weird?!). The band, friends, strangers... first we rehearse, and then we party all together. But let's say it was destiny. We are still playing in other combos. Each of us is a musician and love to write and play music. Our music isn't just a matter of Metal.
Arcana Noctis: You stated on your personal website that all these bands that you were involved in were playing in different styles, Metal mainly, and all the time you spent in these gangs helped you to find the best sound and musical content for your new combo! What else is about exactly, what other info could you reveal us about your past activity until Artas and what will be band's actual musical direction if we take into consideration all these words I mentioned above?
Hannes: Our sound is influenced by the broad range of all music styles (we listen to), but we don't want to consider about our sound and music style; we're just creating songs by putting our energy and emotions together in order to ban it on our instruments. We don't head to mix styles up, but there are no limits. The result is Artas!
Arcana Noctis: One year after the founding of your band, in 2007 to be more precisely, you were involved in a Metal competition called Metalchamp! Could you please give us a few more details about this subject, because on your official site there is no mention about this important moment from your career?
Hannes: Metalchamp 07 was a bandcontest of more than 250 Bands in Europe. On Metalcamp we played the final round. The winner got a record deal with Napalm Records and countless other supports. When we signed up to play the contest, we wanted to just play a gig in one of the, lets say, bigger clubs here, and we didn't even think of winning it. Then from round to round things got bigger, and suddenly we've been playing the finals at Metalcamp 07 festival... at 10pm... We also met billions of great people and bands, and it was always fun. Short: It was just a great time! So it was a great feeling for us to win the Metalcamp 07, 'cause up to that moment we could gain a further step into professionalism - thanks to the support of Napalm Records. We're proud and honored to be able to present "The Healing" throughout the world.
Arcana Noctis: Playing in this competition I assume that you had quite a few tracks to present out there, am I right? I'm asking you all this because I know that thanks to your band evolution at this event you were invited to join Napalm's roster! Do you have something interesting to reveal us concerning this subject?
Hannes: Yeah, the contest, the record deal and the big support of Napalm Records were definitely the turning point into professionalism. As a newcomer band it feels great when you realize all the opportunities given to you. But there's also a lot of work to be done ;) But it's great to learn and to see the effects (when the whole club sings along your chorus :D ) and we enjoy every single moment. We've always been a hard working band anyway!
Arcana Noctis: Soon after the signing deal with Napalm Records you decided to change band name into Artas! Why you choose to change your name and what this new represent for you? Do you think that this new one is more powerful and incisive than the first one?
Hannes: Staub und Schatten was like an indefinable concept to us, a sort of vague vision. After the happenings of 2007 (Metalchamp, record deal) we decided to turn the vision into a NAME. Artas signifies the freedom of art to us. There are no barriers to express ourselves in a musical way. Furthermore, we were confronted with people who weren't even able to spell Staub und Schatten, nor to understand its meaning. What was the name again? – Now people know who just kicked their asses, he he. It was A R T A S!!!
The main aspect of Artas (the concept and the music behind it) is freedom - the roads you have to walk and the battles you have to fight to accomplish it. That's why we raise the flag, step as some kind of warriors on stage to win the world for our fight – to face the life-given quests.
Arcana Noctis: With a very good deal in your pockets, Artas started to work on its first full length called "The Healing"! How the working process went on and what the main idea was when you started the compositional process on this opus?
Hannes: We recorded "The Healing" in 2008 in our studio in Vienna. The recorded tracks were sent to Jacob Hansen in Denmark who took over the mixing and mastering of our debut and who put the finishing touch to "The Healing". It was pretty impressive for us to work with Jacob, because we felt this guy really understood our music. We'd got the sound we wanted almost instantly, and he also brought great ideas for some effects, samples and stuff... Furthermore the communication was totally smooth and easy although we had to do it all online. Jacob Rocks! Since we are a newcomer-band we wanted to record an album of which we can be proud of, but of course we'll try to develop and improve constantly. The Healing reflects our style very well, but we also want to be even more open to the world's different kinds of music and techniques to be able to convert our visions into best possible songs!
Arcana Noctis: I'd like you to continue with a short introduction in its atmosphere by telling us the necessary technical details and a short presentation of each track if you don't mind!
Hannes: Ufffggh... Sorry! Still eleven questions left... Just read the booklet for more details!
Arcana Noctis: Let's talk a little bit about the cover artwork of your album "The Healing"! I find it really interesting, something in Children Of Bodom way in its early days oriented! Who's the main responsible for this image and how does it fits with the whole lyrical concept that you imagined for "The Healing"?
Hannes: From the beginning we had the vision of an epic warrior, kind of archetypical character with flag. Dennis Sibejin, a talented graphic designer helped us in concretizing this idea.
Arcana Noctis: What does it brings new at the musical level, because I suppose that Artas isn't a unique band, and what will be the main attraction point of this material?
Hannes: Two vocalists. Different languages. Freedom. Every Song is a rollercoaster ride. Our song writing is a teamwork-process. Someone comes up with an idea and we work it out together. I think that's among other things the main reason we sound eclectic and our sound is inspired by a lot of music styles.
Arcana Noctis: What will be "The Healing" principal qualities and how does it fits on the whole, concerning its 3 principal chapters: visual effect, musical content and lyrical universe?
Hannes: In general the topics in our lyrics are nourished by social criticism, metaphysical ideas and anthems of freedom – with a little sense of humor of course. Visuals and music are the same.
Arcana Noctis: Although this material was recorded on your own studio, Jacob Hansen figures as its producer! What will be his work on "The Healing" and what's your point of view concerning the final result of your first opus?
Hannes: Question above!
Arcana Noctis: On the whole material we can hear your singer using different languages: English, German and Spanish! Isn't too difficult to express all your sentiments and feelings using so varied lyrics?
Hannes: First of all our band consists of two vocalists and we write all lyrics more the less together. To use different languages is awesome. You can play with them and put the songs in some different atmosphere. We extend our possibilities of expressions by using different languages. "Bastardo" for example is a track which would sound completely different sung in another language. It just needed the Spanish lyrics to sound how we wanted it to sound.
Arcana Noctis: Because "The Healing" is on the Metal market since a while, could you please tell us in a few words what was the feedback received on this opus until now? Also, do you know something about the sales you did until now with "The Healing"?
Hannes: Feedback has been across the board. It seems like we polarize a lot, which is good. Either you love the songs or you hate them.
Arcana Noctis: Do you have a special edition for the other continents, knowing that Japan is something very special for many European bands?Hannes: No. Next Time! :)
Arcana Noctis: How you promoted this material on stage until now, and how did you spent your time after the release of your "The Healing"? Some tours, local concerts or festivals worth to be mention here?
Hannes: Europe Tour with Hatesphere! Black Flag Tour in Austria! Writing on new songs! NEW ALBUM IS COMING SOON! We love to play our songs live, and we always put all our energy into our shows. We all feel that the stage is the place where we belong. In April 2010 we start our next Europe tour with Calejon and Darkness Dynamite.
Arcana Noctis: What could you tell us about your relationship with Napalm Records and what will be Artas place in their roster? Because we all know that you have quite a few interesting mates out there!
Hannes: In general I think Napalm is doing a great job for Austrian newcomer bands. Nevertheless I guess the crucial point in this movement is the increasing level of Austria's underground Metal scene. We are proud of participating in this movement and being able to watch killer bands getting better and bigger every day. Napalm wouldn't sign more and more Austrian bands if the level wouldn't be that high.
Arcana Noctis: In the end what is your future plans concerning Artas and when are you going to start working on a new material? Are you going to continue the actual musical line or you plan to change something to surprise your fans and band listeners?
Hannes: Our new album should be released in May. I think we will sound more melodic, more aggressive, more ARTAS!
Arcana Noctis: Thanks a lot my friend, for your time and patience! If you have something to add in the end do it now!
Hannes: Thanks to you!!! Have a good time! Hope we'd meet each other on a concert. Dust to dust and shadow upon all...